Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nanogeochronology of discordant zircon measured by atom probe microscopy of Pb-enriched dislocation loops

Atom probe yields geologically meaningful ages from nanoscale Pb-enriched dislocation loops in discordant zircon. Isotopic discordance is a common feature in zircon that can lead to an erroneous age determination, and it is attributed to the mobilization and escape of radiogenic Pb during its post-crystallization geological evolution. The degree of isotopic discordance measured at analytical scales of ~10 μm often differs among adjacent analysis locations, indicating heterogeneous distributions of Pb at shorter length scales. We use atom probe microscopy to establish the nature of these sites and the mechanisms by which they form. We show that the nanoscale distribution of Pb in a ~2.1 billion year old discordant zircon that was metamorphosed c. 150 million years ago is defined by two distinct Pb reservoirs. Despite overall Pb loss during peak metamorphic conditions, the atom probe data indicate that a component of radiogenic Pb was trapped in 10-nm dislocation loops that formed during the annealing of radiation damage associated with the metamorphic event. A second Pb component, found outside the dislocation loops, represents homogeneous accumulation of radiogenic Pb in the zircon matrix after metamorphism. The 207Pb/206Pb ratios measured from eight dislocation loops are equivalent within uncertainty and yield an age consistent with the original crystallization age of the zircon, as determined by laser ablation spot analysis. Our results provide a specific mechanism for the trapping and retention of radiogenic Pb during metamorphism and confirm that isotopic discordance in this zircon is characterized by discrete nanoscale reservoirs of Pb that record different isotopic compositions and yield age data consistent with distinct geological events. These data may provide a framework for interpreting discordance in zircon as the heterogeneous distribution of discrete radiogenic Pb populations, each yielding geologically meaningful ages.
Competence-based education and educational effectiveness: a critical review of the research literature on outcome-oriented policy making in education

The paper assesses the empirical evidence for outcomes of competence-based education which are envisaged by policy-makers, and gives some interpretations of how the topic is handled in the political processes. This is achieved by a review of the research literature as documented in bibliographical databases which cover academic publications and in more practical material. The searches were generic, and included not only specific competence-expressions, but also terms as ‘outcomes’ and ‘learning’. The staggering conclusion of this exercise is that there is hardly any evidence for the effectiveness of competence-based education despite the long period since the 1970s when the approach came up in the US. Whether this is an artefact of the operationalization of the outcomes of competence-based education or not, it seems that there is only very little attention to testing the policy-assumptions that competence-based education is a worthy educational innovation. As this is quite disturbing, it is recommended that more efforts are being made to prove (or falsify) the putative added value of competence-based education initiatives.
SOCS3, a Major Regulator of Infection and Inflammation

In this review, we describe the role of suppressor of cytokine signaling-3 (SOCS3) in modulating the outcome of infections and autoimmune diseases as well as the underlying mechanisms. SOCS3 regulates cytokine or hormone signaling usually preventing, but in some cases aggravating, a variety of diseases. A main role of SOCS3 results from its binding to both the JAK kinase and the cytokine receptor, which results in the inhibition of STAT3 activation. Available data also indicate that SOCS3 can regulate signaling via other STATs than STAT3 and also controls cellular pathways unrelated to STAT activation. SOCS3 might either act directly by hampering JAK activation or by mediating the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasome degradation of the cytokine/growth factor/hormone receptor. Inflammation and infection stimulate SOCS3 expression in different myeloid and lymphoid cell populations as well as in diverse non-hematopoietic cells. The accumulated data suggest a relevant program coordinated by SOCS3 in different cell populations, devoted to the control of immune homeostasis in physiological and pathological conditions such as infection and autoimmunity.
The Effectiveness of Didactic and Perspective-Taking Interventions on Reducing Multiple Dimensions of Heterosexism

ABSTRACT This study examined the effect of two interventions (didactic and perspective-taking) on five dimensions of heterosexism (hostile, aversive, amnestic, paternalistic, and positive stereotypic). Participants were 117 undergraduate students, randomly assigned to one of three groups in this posttest-only control group experiment. After the intervention, the participants completed measures of sexual prejudice, right-wing authoritarianism (RWA), gender role beliefs (GRB), and a demographic questionnaire. Results from the first step of hierarchical regression models showed that RWA and GRB were significantly predictive of all dimensions of heterosexism except for positive stereotypic, accounting for 13.8% to 56.7% of the variance. This suggests that interventions targeting sexual prejudice should examine both variables. When between-group comparisons were added during the second step, the didactic intervention in comparison with the control group was significantly predictive of lower paternalistic heterosexism; the perspective-taking intervention in comparison with the control group was significantly predictive of lower positive stereotypic heterosexism.
Topological Relations Between Regions in IR 2 and ZZ 2 *

Users of geographic databases that integrate spatial data represented in vector and raster models, should not perceive the differences among the data models in which data are represented, nor should they be forced to apply different concepts depending on the model in which spatial data are represented. A crucial aspect of spatial query languages for such integrated systems is the need mechanisms to process queries about spatial relations in a consistent fashion. This paper compares topological relations between spatial objects represented in a continuous (vector) space of IR 2 and a discrete (raster) space of ZZ2. It applies the 9-intersection, a frequently used formalism for topological spatial relations between objects represented in a vector data model, to describe topological relations for bounded objects represented in a raster data model. We found that the set of all possible topological relations between regions in IR 2 is a subset of the topological relations that can be realized between two bounded, extended objects in ZZ2. At a theoretical level, the results contribute toward a better understanding of the differences in the topology of continuous and discrete space. The particular lesson learnt here is that topology in IR 2 is based on coincidence, whereas in ZZ2 it is based on coincidence and neighborhood. The relevant differences between the raster and the vector model are that an objectÕs boundary in ZZ2 has an extent, while it has none in IR 2; and in the finite space of ZZ2 there are points between which one cannot insert another one, while in the infinite space of IR 2 between any two points there exists another one.
Gender-Related Effects of Sex Steroids on Histamine Release and FcεRI Expression in Rat Peritoneal Mast Cells

Mast cells (MCs) are versatile effector and regulatory cells in various physiologic, immunologic, and pathologic processes. In addition to the well-characterized IgE/FcεRI-mediated degranulation, a variety of biological substances can induce MCs activation and release of their granule content. Sex steroids, mainly estradiol and progesterone, have been demonstrated to elicit MCs activation. Most published studies have been conducted on MCs lines or freshly isolated peritoneal and bone marrow-derived MC without addressing gender impact on MC response. Our goal was to investigate if the effect of estradiol, progesterone, testosterone, and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) on MCs may differ depending on whether female or male rats are used as MCs donors. Our results demonstrated that effect of sex steroids on MCs histamine release is dose- and gender-dependent and can be direct, synergistic, or inhibitory depending on whether hormones are used alone or to pretreat MCs followed by substance P-stimulation or upon IgE-mediated stimulation. In contrast, sex steroids did not have effect on the MC expression of the IgE high affinity receptor, FcεRI, no matter female or male rats were used. In conclusion, MCs degranulation is modulated by sex hormones in a gender-selective fashion, with MC from females being more susceptible than MC from males to the effects of sex steroids.
Visible near-infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy for rapid compost analysis

vii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) 3 1.2 Loss on Ignition (LOI) 7 1.3 Test Method Development 7 1.4 Visible Near-infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (VisNIR DRS) 8 1.5 Portable X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry (PXRF) 10 1.6 Statistical Analysis Techniques 13 1.7 References 16 CHAPTER 2: VISIBLE NEAR-INFRARED DIFFUSE REFLECTANCE SPECTROSCOPY (VISNIR DRS) FOR RAPID MEASUREMENT OF ORGANIC MATTER IN COMPOST . 20 2.
Virologic Failures on Initial Boosted-PI Regimen Infrequently Possess Low-Level Variants with Major PI Resistance Mutations by Ultra-Deep Sequencing

Background It is unknown whether HIV-positive patients experiencing virologic failure (VF) on boosted-PI (PI/r) regimens without drug resistant mutations (DRM) by standard genotyping harbor low-level PI resistant variants. CASTLE compared the efficacy of atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r) with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r), each in combination with TVD in ARV-naïve subjects. Objective To determine if VF on an initial PI/r-based regimen possess low-level resistant variants that may affect a subsequent PI-containing regimen. Methods/Results Patients experiencing VF on a Tenofovir/Emtricitabine+PI/r regimen were evaluated by ultra deep sequencing (UDS) for mutations classified/weighted by Stanford HIVdb. Samples were evaluated for variants to 0.4% levels. 36 VF subjects were evaluated by UDS; 24 had UDS for PI and RT DRMs. Of these 24, 19 (79.2%) had any DRM by UDS. The most common UDS-detected DRM were NRTI in 18 subjects: M184V/I (11), TAMs(7) & K65R(4); PI DRMs were detected in 9 subjects: M46I/V(5), F53L(2), I50V(1), D30N(1), and N88S(1). The remaining 12 subjects, all with VLs<10,000, had protease gene UDS, and 4 had low-level PI DRMs: F53L(2), L76V(1), I54S(1), G73S(1). Overall, 3/36(8.3%) subjects had DRMs identified with Stanford-HIVdb weights >12 for ATV or LPV: N88S (at 0.43% level-mutational load 1,828) in 1 subject on ATV; I50V (0.44%-mutational load 110) and L76V (0.52%-mutational load 20) in 1 subject each, both on LPV. All VF samples remained phenotypically susceptible to the treatment PI/r. Conclusion Among persons experiencing VF without PI DRMs with standard genotyping on an initial PI/r regimen, low-level variants possessing major PI DRMs were present in a minority of cases, occurred in isolation, and did not result in phenotypic resistance. NRTI DRMs were detected in a high proportion of subjects. These data suggest that PIs may remain effective in subjects experiencing VF on a PI/r-based regimen when PI DRMs are not detected by standard or UDS genotyping.
de Travail du Centre d ’ Economie de la Sorbonne Relational Capability : A Multidimensional Approach

This paper explores some of the dimensions related to poverty and exclusion, by defining a Relational Capability Index (RCI) which focuses on the quality of relationships among people and on their level of relational empowerment. This index is rooted in a relational anthropology; it insists on the quality of the social fabric and of interpersonal relations as a key aspect of human development. As a multidimensional index, the RCI includes integration into networks, private relations and civic commitments. We provide an axiomatization of a family of multidimensional indexes. This axiomatic viewpoint fills the gap between theories of justice and poverty measurements. By means of illustration, we apply three different versions of the RCI, which are elements of this family, to the measurement of the impact of oil companies on local communities in the Niger Delta (Nigeria) and to national surveys (Afrobarometer). ∗CNRS, Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne, Paris School of Economics. †ESSEC Business School, Companies and Development (CODEV), renouard@essec.edu ‡ESSEC, CODEV. §ESSEC. ¶ENSAE ParisTech.
Price and quantity competition in a differentiated duopoly

This article analyzes the duality of prices and quantities in a differentiated duopoly. It is shown that if firms can only make two types of binding contracts with consumers, the price contract and the quantity contract, it is a dominant strategy for each firm to choose the quantity (price) contract, provided the goods are substitutes (complements).
Capital Market Development, International Integration, Legal Systems, and the Value of Corporate Diversification: A Cross-Country Analysis

Abstract Using a database of more than 8,000 companies from 35 countries, we find that the value of corporate diversification is related to the level of capital market development, international integration, and legal systems. Our results suggest that the financial, legal, and regulatory environments each have an important influence on the value of diversification. Moreover, the optimal organizational structure and corporate governance may be very different for firms operating in emerging markets than they are for firms operating in more developed and internationally integrated countries.
Numerical polynomial homotopy continuation method to locate all the power flow solutions

The manuscript addresses the problem of finding all solutions of power flow equations or other similar non-linear system of algebraic equations. This problem arises naturally in a number of power systems contexts, most importantly the direct methods for transient stability analysis and voltage stability assessment. Here, the authors introduce a novel form of homotopy continuation method called the numerical polynomial homotopy continuation method that is mathematically guaranteed to find all the solutions without ever encountering a bifurcation. Since finding real solutions is much more challenging, first the authors embed the real form of power flow equation in complex space, and then track the generally unphysical solutions with complex values of real and imaginary parts of the voltages. The solutions converge to physical real form in the end of the homotopy. The so-called gamma-trick mathematically rigorously ensures that all the paths are well-behaved along the paths, so unlike other continuation approaches, no special handling of bifurcations is necessary. The method is embarrassingly parallelisable. The authors demonstrate the technique performance by solving several test cases up to the 14 buses. Finally, they discuss possible strategies for scaling the method to large size systems, and propose several applications for security assessments.
MRI of transplanted pancreatic islets

A promising treatment method for type 1 diabetes mellitus is transplantation of pancreatic islets containing β‐cells. The aim of this study was to develop an MR technique to monitor the distribution and fate of transplanted pancreatic islets in an animal model. Twenty‐five hundred purified and magnetically labeled islets were transplanted through the portal vein into the liver of experimental rats. The animals were scanned using a MR 4.7‐T scanner. The labeled pancreatic islets were clearly visualized in the liver in both diabetic and healthy rats as hypointense areas on T2*‐weighted MR images during the entire measurement period. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed the presence of iron‐oxide nanoparticles inside the cells of the pancreatic islets. A significant decrease in blood glucose levels in diabetic rats was observed; normal glycemia was reached 1 week after transplantation. This study, therefore, represents a promising step toward possible clinical application in human medicine. Magn Reson Med 52:1228–1233, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Micro-Doppler separation from Time Frequency Distribution based on direction pattern

Micro-Doppler (m-D) is a useful feature of radar target, as an important characteristic for radar target detection, recognition, and classification. However, since the form of m-D signals is always multi-component, the signals usually need to be separated before feature extraction. A method for separation the m-D signals is proposed based on direction pattern. In this paper, we first obtain the Time Frequency Distribution (TFD) of the target echo by Short-Time Fourier Transformer (STFT). Then the local maxima algorithm is applied for the instantaneous frequency (IF) track coherence. Finally, the direction patter algorithm is used to separate the m-D signals. Simulation results indicate that the proposed method is effective.
Microalgal Cultivation in Secondary Effluent: Recent Developments and Future Work

Eutrophication of water catchments and the greenhouse effect are major challenges in developing the global economy in the near future. Secondary effluents, containing high amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus, need further treatment before being discharged into receiving water bodies. At the same time, new environmentally friendly energy sources need to be developed. Integrating microalgal cultivation for the production of biodiesel feedstock with the treatment of secondary effluent is one way of addressing both issues. This article provides a comprehensive review of the latest progress in microalgal cultivation in secondary effluent to remove pollutants and accumulate lipids. Researchers have discovered that microalgae remove nitrogen and phosphorus effectively from secondary effluent, accumulating biomass and lipids in the process. Immobilization of appropriate microalgae, and establishing a consortium of microalgae and/or bacteria, were both found to be feasible ways to enhance pollutant removal and lipid production. Demonstrations of pilot-scale microalgal cultures in secondary effluent have also taken place. However there is still much work to be done in improving pollutants removal, biomass production, and lipid accumulation in secondary effluent. This includes screening microalgae, constructing the consortium, making use of flue gas and nitrogen, developing technologies related to microalgal harvesting, and using lipid-extracted algal residues (LEA).
Appraisal of Emotions in Media Use: Toward a Process Model of Meta-Emotion and Emotion Regulation

Over the past 20 years, research on meta-emotion and related concepts such as meta-mood and need for affect has become fruitful and prominent across a variety of disciplines, including media psychology. This paper reviews the literature on meta-emotion and considers problems regarding the definition and operationalization of this construct. We propose a process model of meta-emotion and emotion regulation to integrate and extend existing work. Drawing on appraisal theories of emotion, we understand meta-emotion as a process that monitors and appraises emotions and recruits affective responses toward them, which results in a motivation to maintain and approach emotions, or to control and avoid them. This meta-emotion process plays an important role in media users' selection or rejection of specific media offerings and their invitation to experience emotion. We discuss how this framework may integrate previously unrelated findings on the role of emotions in guiding selective media use and conclude with directions for further research.
Reproducible, Ultra High-Throughput Formation of Multicellular Organization from Single Cell Suspension-Derived Human Embryonic Stem Cell Aggregates

Background Human embryonic stem cells (hESC) should enable novel insights into early human development and provide a renewable source of cells for regenerative medicine. However, because the three-dimensional hESC aggregates [embryoid bodies (hEB)] typically employed to reveal hESC developmental potential are heterogeneous and exhibit disorganized differentiation, progress in hESC technology development has been hindered. Methodology/Principal Findings Using a centrifugal forced-aggregation strategy in combination with a novel centrifugal-extraction approach as a foundation, we demonstrated that hESC input composition and inductive environment could be manipulated to form large numbers of well-defined aggregates exhibiting multi-lineage differentiation and substantially improved self-organization from single-cell suspensions. These aggregates exhibited coordinated bi-domain structures including contiguous regions of extraembryonic endoderm- and epiblast-like tissue. A silicon wafer-based microfabrication technology was used to generate surfaces that permit the production of hundreds to thousands of hEB per cm2. Conclusions/Significance The mechanisms of early human embryogenesis are poorly understood. We report an ultra high throughput (UHTP) approach for generating spatially and temporally synchronised hEB. Aggregates generated in this manner exhibited aspects of peri-implantation tissue-level morphogenesis. These results should advance fundamental studies into early human developmental processes, enable high-throughput screening strategies to identify conditions that specify hESC-derived cells and tissues, and accelerate the pre-clinical evaluation of hESC-derived cells.
Hausarbeitsteilung und Erwerbsunterbrechung von Müttern unter den Bedingungen des neuen Elterngeldgesetzes

Zusammenfassung Der Beitrag untersucht, ob unterschiedlich lange Erwerbsunterbrechungen von Muttern nach dem Ubergang zur Erstelternschaft einen Einfluss auf die Aufteilung der Hausarbeit in Paarbeziehungen haben. Fur die empirischen Analysen werden Daten einer reprasentativen Querschnittstudie uber bayerische Mutter verwendet, die im Jahr 2007 ihr erstes Kind bekamen und fur die damit das neue Elterngeldgesetz der Bundesregierung galt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Mutter, die fruhzeitig den Wiedereinstieg in den Beruf realisieren und entsprechend den Anreizen des neuen Elterngeldgesetzes maximal fur ein Jahr ihre Erwerbstatigkeit unterbrechen, ein partnerschaftlicheres Modell der Arbeitsteilung im Haushalt praktizieren als Mutter, die eine langere berufliche Pause einlegen. Dennoch ist nach wie vor ein traditionell ausgerichtetes Rollenmodell bei den untersuchten Paaren dominant, so dass sich der Beitrag der Vater zur Hausarbeit insgesamt auf einem niedrigen Niveau bewegt. Im Einklang mit anderen Studien steht der Befund, dass eine hohe Bildung und eine Abkehr von traditionellen Einstellungen eine partnerschaftlichere Hausarbeitsteilung begunstigen. ----- Division of housework, maternity leave and the policy of parenting benefit in Germany. First empirical results from Bavaria Abstract This paper analyzes the association between the duration of maternity leave and the division of housework, using a representative sample of Bavarian mothers who gave birth to their first child in 2007 under the new parenting benefit policy of the German federal government. The results show that mothers re-entering the labor market after a maximum break of 12 months after accouchement, which is in accordance with the intention of the parenting benefit policy, report more egalitarian housework arrangements than mothers with longer employment breaks. Yet, all women report a rather traditional division of labor with a relatively low contribution of their partners. Our finding that women who are highly educated and disapprove of traditional family roles report more egalitarian housework patterns is in line with previous research.