Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Time and Transnationalism: A Longitudinal Study of Immigration, Endurance and Settlement in Canada

This paper draws on in-depth interviews undertaken eight years apart to provide a reflection upon the nature of transnational relationships and settlement over time. It follows the lives of five immigrant families between 1999 and 2007, and focuses in particular on the accounts provided by the women. These individuals migrated to Canada from Hong Kong or Taiwan during the 1990s, and then ‘stuck it out’, when most of their friends, in contrast, had returned home. The paper uncovers changes in their familial and personal circumstances as a consequence of migration to Canada and their subsequent experiences of transnationalism, and provides insights into the longevity and durability of transnational relationships. It contributes to debates around the persistence of transnationalism over time and the relationship between transnationalism and integration for migrants, whilst also making a methodological point about the need for more longitudinal qualitative accounts of immigrants' lives.
Effect of M1 protein and low pH on nuclear transport of influenza virus ribonucleoproteins

Influenza virus enters its host cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis followed by acid-activated membrane fusion in endosomes. The viral ribonucleoprotein particles (vRNPs) delivered into the cytosol then dissociate from the matrix protein, M1, and from each other, after which they are individually imported into the nucleus via the nuclear pores. For some time, it has been believed that the low pH in endosomes may, in some way, trigger the capsid disassembly events necessary for nuclear transport. This report provides direct evidence that the association of M1 with vRNPs is sensitive to mildly acidic pH within the infected cell. Recombinant M1, expressed in cultured cells, was found to associate with vRNPs and inhibit their nuclear import. Brief acidification of the cytosolic compartment eliminated the interfering activity and allowed the incoming vRNPs to enter the nucleus. Newly assembled progeny M1-vRNP complexes in the cytosol of infected cells were also dissociated by brief acidification. Acidic pH was thus found to serve as a switch that allowed M1 to carry out its multiple functions in the uncoating, nuclear transport, and assembly of vRNPs.
New approaches to the design and discovery of therapies to prevent erectile dysfunction

Introduction: Nitric oxide (NO) is critically involved in erectile function. Since NO synthase (NOS) and arginase compete for the same substrate l-arginine, limiting arginase activity may provide more NO and thus be a beneficial therapeutic approach to erectile dysfunction (ED). In the corpora cavernosa, excessive arginase activity/expression has been implicated through studies of preclinical and clinical models of ED. Further, the inhibition of arginase has shown to increase vascular system relaxation and enhance blood flow in penile circulation. Further studies, therefore, looking at therapies targeting arginase could prove to be clinically useful. Areas covered: The authors review gene- and cell-based therapies, the involvement of RhoA/Rho-kinase (ROCK), MAPK and arginase in ED. Expert opinion: Extensive literature supports the view that upregulated arginase activity in cavernosal tissue can reduce NOS function and NO production. Excessive arginase activity has been shown to contribute to the progression of aging-, hypertension- and diabetes-induced vascular dysfunction as well as ED. Earlier studies have shown that RhoA/ROCK and subsequent activation of p38 MAPK mediate elevation of arginase expression/activity in diabetic and hypertensive mice. Reducing corporal arginase activity by gene-based or pharmacological therapy and/or inhibition of upstream regulators of arginase expression may provide novel therapeutic approaches in the management of ED.
Genetic analysis of age at onset variation in spinocerebellar ataxia type 2

Objective: To examine heritability of the residual variability of spinocerebellar ataxia type 2 (SCA2) age at onset (AO) after controlling for CAG repeat length. Methods: From 1955 to 2001, dates of birth, CAG repeat lengths, AO, sex, familial inheritances, and clinical manifestations were collected for a large Cuban SCA2 cohort of 382 affected individuals, including 129 parent-child pairs and 69 sibships. Analyses were performed with log-transformed AO in the GENMOD procedure to predict AO using repeat length, taking into account family structure. Because all relationships were first degree, the model was implemented with an exchangeable correlation matrix. Familial correlations were estimated using the Pedigree Analysis Package to control for similarity due to genetic relatedness. Results: For the entire sample, the mutant CAG repeat allele explained 69% of AO variance. When adjusted for pedigree structure, this decreased to 50%. Evidence for imprinting or sex-specific effects of the CAG repeat on AO was not found. For the entire sample, we determined an upper bound for heritability of the residual variance of 33% (p = 0.008). Heritability was higher in sib-sib pairs, especially in female sib-sib pairs, than in parent-child pairs. Conclusions: We established that a large proportion of AO variance in SCA2 was determined by genetic modifiers in addition to CAG repeat length. The genetic structure of heritability of the residual AO variance was surprisingly similar to Huntington disease, suggesting the presence of recessive modifying alleles and possibly X-chromosome–linked modifiers.
Adolescents and HIV.

Adolescence is a stage of life typically characterized by good health with healthcare encounters focused on health maintenance and issues surrounding prevention of STDs drug use and unwanted pregnancy. Adolescent health care providers in geographic regions hard hit by HIV are now faced with two important trends. First a large cohort of youth infected by birth and sustained by HAART is coming of age and in need of specialized medical care including counseling and services to address their reproductive health choices. Secondly uninfected youth are entering a phase of their lives in which their behavior choices coupled with social vulnerabilities that might not be apparent to the health care provider could dramatically increase their risk of HIV-infection. To date high rates of HIV have been described in young men who have sex with men young injection drug users and homeless or runaway youth who engage in these transmission behaviors. Hetero-sexually acquired HIV among female youth is a growing problem but identifying specific characteristics of those at risk remains a challenge. The aim of the newly organized NIH-funded Adolescent Trial Network (ATN) is to develop effective methods of enhanced case finding for HIV-infected youth and to develop and test prevention interventions for the most vulnerable youth. This article will discuss rates of HIV testing among youth surveillance data on HIV-infection among adolescents in the U.S. as well as the limitations of those data and Protocol 016 of the ATN which is designed to systematically identify infected and at-risk youth in highly impacted U.S. cities. (excerpt)
Vergleich von zwei Kennwerten der kognitiven Plastizität bei der Früherkennung dementieller Erkrankungen

Zusammenfassung: Im Konzept der kognitiven Plastizitat wird zwischen einem Leistungsstatus («Baseline Performance») und latenten Leistungsreserven («Baseline Reserve Capacity» und «Developmental Reserve Capacity») unterschieden. «Baseline Reserve Capacity» bezeichnet aktuell vorhandene kognitive Leistungsreserven, die beispielsweise durch kurzzeitiges Uben erfasbar werden. «Developmental Reserve Capacity» kennzeichnet das zukunftig mogliche Entwicklungspotential einer Person und wird uber die Ermittlung von Leistungsgrenzen nach Interventionsmasnahmen abgeschatzt. Diese Studie richtete sich auf den Stellenwert der beiden Konzepte «Baseline Reserve Capacity» und «Developmental Reserve Capacity» bei der Fruherkennung dementieller Erkrankungen. Es wurde untersucht, ob Kennwerte zur «Developmental Reserve Capacity» eine bessere diagnostische Differenzierung ermoglichen als Kennwerte zur «Baseline Reserve Capacity». Die Ergebnisse zeigen erwartungsgemas, das beide Plastizitatsmase die Vorhersage der psychiatri.
The Marva Collins Story Revisited: Implications for Regular Classroom Instruction

The Marva Collins story has been sensationalized. Newspapers across the nation have carried headlines referring to Ms. Collins as &dquo;magical&dquo; or &dquo;marvelous. &dquo; Magazines of general and special circulation have covered the story. The recently televised version of the story captivated the audience with its emotional drama. Although much has been said and written about this terrific school, few analyses offer concrete recommendations that can be implemented by regular classroom teachers and curriculum developers. The reasons most frequently given for Ms. Collins’ tremendous success include such factors as the use of positive reinforcement, a traditional curriculum, adequate time on task, high teacher expectation, high motivation, good discipline, love, and just plain good teaching. Although each of these factors may be a part of the success story, educators have attempted implementation with little impact on Black pupils’ performance. The purpose of this paper is to discuss cultural congru-
Using the Ground Squirrel (Marmota bobak) as an Animal Model to Assess Monkeypox Drug Efficacy

&NA; In experiments to study the sensitivity of ground squirrels (Marmota bobak) to monkeypox virus (MPXV) at intranasal challenge, expressed pox‐like clinical symptoms (hyperthermia, lymphadenitis, skin rash all over the body and mucous membranes and others) were observed 7–9 days post‐infection. The 50% infective dose (ID50) of MPXV for these marmots determined by the presence of clinical signs of the disease was 2.2 log10 PFU. Some diseased marmots (about 40%) died 13–22 days post‐infection, and the mortality rate was weakly dependent on MPXV infective dose. Lungs with trachea were primary target organs of marmots challenged intranasally (with ˜30 ID50). The pathogen got to secondary target organs of the animals mainly via the lymphatic way (with replication in bifurcation lymph nodes). Lungs with trachea, nasal mucosa and skin were the organs where the maximum MPXV amounts accumulated in these animals. Evidences of the pathogen presence and replication were revealed in these and subcutaneously infected marmots in the traditional primary target cells for MPXV (macrophages and respiratory tract epitheliocytes), as well as in some other cells (endotheliocytes, plasmocytes, fibroblasts, reticular and smooth muscle cells). Our use of this animal species to assess the antiviral efficacy of some drugs demonstrated the agreement of the obtained results with those described in scientific literature, which opens up the prospects of using marmots as animal models for monkeypox to develop therapeutic and preventive anti‐smallpox drugs.
Institutionalization and Bargaining Power Explanations of HRM Practices in International Joint Ventures — The Case of Chinese-Western Joint Ventures

The human resource management (HRM) practices associated with local professionals and managerial-level employees in international joint ventures are analyzed in a study of 63 Chinese-Western joint ventures. Over all, the HRM practices more closely resemble those of the foreign parent company, than those of local companies. Institutionalization theory as well as the bargaining power perspective were instrumental in explaining the degree to which the HRM practices in the joint ventures were similar to those of the foreign parent company.
Defining Identities Through Multiliteracies: EL Teens Narrate Their Immigration Experiences as Graphic Stories

Based on a framework of identity-as-narrative and multiliteracies, this article describes Graphic Journeys, a multimedia literacy project in which English learners (ELs) in middle school created graphic stories that expressed their families’ immigration experiences. The process involved reading graphic novels, journaling, interviewing, and integrating written text with family photos and other images to produce original graphic stories with computer software. The components of Graphic Journeys supported a multiliteracies pedagogy in that the students engaged with various linguistic modalities and multiple means of communication, including collaborative learning, composing, visual and graphic arts, and technology. The project also provided a powerful forum where the students could express their individual and family identities, explore their cultural heritage, and share their immigration stories with others. Suggestions are provided as to how the components of Graphic Journeys can be extended to EL academic language and writing development.
Electron-Hole Diffusion Lengths Exceeding 1 Micrometer in an Organometal Trihalide Perovskite Absorber

Unrestricted Travel in Solar Cells In the past 2 years, organolead halide perovskites have emerged as a promising class of light-harvesting media in experimental solar cells, but the physical basis for their efficiency has been unclear (see the Perspective by Hodes). Two studies now show, using a variety of time-resolved absorption and emission spectroscopic techniques, that these materials manifest relatively long diffusion paths for charge carriers energized by light absorption. Xing et al. (p. 344) independently assessed (negative) electron and (positive) hole diffusion lengths and found them well-matched to one another to the ~100-nanometer optical absorption depth. Stranks et al. (p. 341) uncovered a 10-fold greater diffusion length in a chloride-doped material, which correlates with the material's particularly efficient overall performance. Both studies highlight effective carrier diffusion as a fruitful parameter for further optimization. Spectroscopy pinpoints facile carrier diffusion as a key factor in the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. [Also see Perspective by Hodes] Organic-inorganic perovskites have shown promise as high-performance absorbers in solar cells, first as a coating on a mesoporous metal oxide scaffold and more recently as a solid layer in planar heterojunction architectures. Here, we report transient absorption and photoluminescence-quenching measurements to determine the electron-hole diffusion lengths, diffusion constants, and lifetimes in mixed halide (CH3NH3PbI3-xClx) and triiodide (CH3NH3PbI3) perovskite absorbers. We found that the diffusion lengths are greater than 1 micrometer in the mixed halide perovskite, which is an order of magnitude greater than the absorption depth. In contrast, the triiodide absorber has electron-hole diffusion lengths of ~100 nanometers. These results justify the high efficiency of planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells and identify a critical parameter to optimize for future perovskite absorber development.
Colouring Random Regular Graphs

In a previous paper we showed that a random 4-regular graph asymptotically almost surely (a.a.s.) has chromatic number 3. Here we extend the method to show that a random 6-regular graph asymptotically almost surely (a.a.s.) has chromatic number 4 and that the chromatic number of a random d-regular graph for other d between 5 and 10 inclusive is a.a. s. restricted to a range of two integer values: {3, 4} for d = 5, {4, 5} for d = 7, 8, 9, and {5, 6} for d = 10. The proof uses efficient algorithms which a.a. s. colour these random graphs using the number of colours specified by the upper bound. These algorithms are analysed using the differential equation method, including an analysis of certain systems of differential equations with discontinuous right-hand sides.
Newton-Type Greedy Selection Methods for $\ell _0$ -Constrained Minimization

We introduce a family of Newton-type greedy selection methods for <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _0$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="yuan-ieq2-2651813.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> -constrained minimization problems. The basic idea is to construct a quadratic function to approximate the original objective function around the current iterate and solve the constructed quadratic program over the cardinality constraint. The next iterate is then estimated via a line search operation between the current iterate and the solution of the sparse quadratic program. This iterative procedure can be interpreted as an extension of the constrained Newton methods from convex minimization to non-convex <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\ell _0$ </tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="yuan-ieq3-2651813.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> -constrained minimization. We show that the proposed algorithms converge asymptotically and the rate of local convergence is superlinear up to certain estimation error. Our methods compare favorably against several state-of-the-art greedy selection methods when applied to sparse logistic regression and sparse support vector machines.
A magnetization transfer histogram study of normal-appearing brain tissue in MS

Objective: To evaluate 1) the ability of magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) histogram analysis to detect the extent of changes occurring outside MS lesions seen on conventional scans, 2) whether such changes vary in the different MS clinical phenotypes, 3) whether the changes are associated with the extent and severity of the macroscopic lesion load, and 4) the contribution to brain atrophy. Methods: Dual-echo, T1-weighted, and MT scans of the brain were obtained from 77 patients with varying MS courses and 20 age- and sex-matched control subjects. To create MT histograms of the normal-appearing cerebral tissue, MS lesions were segmented from dual-echo scans, superimposed automatically, and nulled out from the coregistered and scalp-stripped MTR maps. Average MTR, peak height, and peak position were considered. T2 and T1 lesion loads, average lesion MTR, and brain volume were also measured. Results: Average histogram MTR (p < 0.0001) and peak position (p < 0.0001) from patients with relapsing–remitting MS (RMMS) were lower than those from control subjects. Patients with primary progressive MS (PPMS) had lower average histogram MTR (p = 0.002) and histogram peak height (p = 0.01) than control subjects. Patients with secondary progressive MS (SPMS) had a lower peak height (p = 0.05) than those with RRMS. Average lesion MTR (p < 0.0001) correlated highly with the histogram MTR. Average histogram MTR (p < 0.0001) and T2 lesion load (p = 0.001) correlated highly with brain volume. Conclusions: The amount of microscopic changes account for an important fraction of the lesion load in MS. They may contribute to the development of brain atrophy and tend to be more evident in patients with secondary progressive MS.
Generic Patterns and Socio-Cultural Resources in Acknowledgements Accompanying Arabic Ph.D. Dissertations

Even though the acknowledgement genre is a common practice in Arabic scholarly texts, this area is largely neglected in academic research. The present study examines the generic structure and the linguistic patterns of gratitude expressions used in acknowledegments accompanying the Arabic Ph.D. dissertation genre. To this end, I have analyzed the various rhetorical component options that writers use to convey gratitude and the role played by the socio-cultural factors in shaping this genre in a corpus of 100 Arabic acknowledgements accompanying Ph.D. dissertations in soft sciences written by doctoral Arabic native speakers. A discursive genre analysis reveals that Arab writers tend to use certain sociocultural specific components that can be seen as contextualization cues bringing about the religious beliefs, and the academic and social conventions of the Arab writers. Further, they tend to utilize certain preferred address forms, and social honorifics together with various gratitude expression options having different degree of intensification to respond to different types of audience and reflect their complex relationships with the academic and social community members.
Beyond the numbers: qualitative growth in women's businesses

Purpose – The purpose of this research paper is to investigate the growth of women's businesses from a qualitative perspective. The paper identifies strategic building blocks for defining a set of different growth platforms. Moreover, the paper investigates growth ambitions for women inside each identified “type” of growth platform and identifies critical motivation variables that can influence the decision to move from growing one business platform to growing another platform.Design/methodology/approach – The results are based on 191 women entrepreneurs. Data were analyzed by coding narrative statements from the survey into overarching themes for business platforms, descriptive frequency analysis and logistic regression analysis techniques.Findings – The paper discerned five different growth platforms and noticed intrinsic or extrinsic growth ambitions for platform growth. The extrinsic platforms are the most common, but all platforms can be characterized by equally high growth aspirations. Each of the i.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility and Mutations Involved in Clarithromycin Resistance in Helicobacter pylori Isolates from Patients in the Western Central Region of Colombia

ABSTRACT Resistance to metronidazole, clarithromycin, and amoxicillin (amoxicilline) was found in 82, 3.8, and 1.9% of 106 Helicobacter pylori isolates, respectively. No tetracycline-resistant isolates were found. In all of the clarithromycin-resistant isolates, only one point mutation was present, either A2143G or A2142G. Our results indicate that metronidazole should not be included in the empirical treatment of H. pylori infection in this region.
Ipsenol, Ipsdienol, Ethanol, and &agr;-Pinene: Trap Lure Blend for Cerambycidae and Buprestidae (Coleoptera) in Pine Forests of Eastern North America

ABSTRACT In 2007–2008, we examined the flight responses of wood-boring beetles (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae and Buprestidae) to multiple-funnel traps baited with the pine volatiles, ethanol, and &agr;-pinene [85% (—)], and the bark beetle pheromones, racemic ipsenol and racemic ipsdienol. Experiments were conducted in mature pine stands in Canada (Ontario and New Brunswick) and the United States (Arkansas, Florida, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). At each location, traps were deployed in 10 replicate blocks of four traps per block. The trap treatments were: 1) blank control; 2) ipsenol and ipsdienol; 3) ethanol and &agr;-pinene; and 4) a quaternary blend of ipsenol, ipsdienol, ethanol, and &agr;-pinene. Traps baited with the quaternary blend caught the greatest numbers of Acanthocinus nodosus (F.), Acanthocinus obsoletus (Olivier), Acmaeops proteus (Kirby), Astylopsis sexguttata (Say), Rhagium inquisitor (L.) (Cerambycidae), and Buprestis lineata (F.) (Buprestidae). Traps baited with ethanol and &agr;-pinene caught the greatest numbers of Arhopalus rusticus (LeConte), Asemum striatum (L.), Tetropium spp. , Xylotrechus sagittatus (Germar) (Cerambycidae), and Buprestis maculipennis Gory (Buprestidae) with minimal interruption by ipsenol and ipsdienol. Our results suggest that multiple-funnel traps baited with the quaternary lure blend of ipsenol, ipsdienol, ethanol, and &agr;-pinene are effective for trapping various species of wood-boring beetles in pine forests of eastern North America, and may have utility in detection programs for adventive species in North America and overseas.