Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Culture and the international relations of Asia

ABSTRACT Looking back over the last 30 years, culture as an explanatory factor has been in retreat. Today, however, with the determined reassertion of Islamic values, and an increasingly confident China developing its own international paradigms, the need to investigate cultural and historical specificities is hard to deny. In the Asian region, developments in the South China Sea during 2016 have been especially perplexing for many commentators: International Relations (IR) analysis has come up against a wall of stubborn Chinese and Southeast Asian perspectives. Even some elements in Samuel Huntington ‘civilizations’ approach, widely condemned in the 1990s, today deserve reconsideration – certainly with respect to what Wang Gungwu saw as Huntington's stress on a ‘new language and logic of behaviour’. The common IR analytic framework – highlighting sovereignty, state interests and power (and the balance of power) – needs to be supplemented. Current interest in non-Western IR is promising, especially if it engages in research collaboration with history (particularly the history of ideas, with its focus on close textual analysis). Culture – though certainly in a refined conceptualization – is back.
Perception of mental health in Pakistani nomads: An interpretative phenomenological analyses

The study was conducted to explore the mental health issues of Pakistani nomads and to uncover their concept, ideation, and perception about mental health and illnesses. It was an exploratory study situated in the qualitative paradigm. The research strategy used was Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), as the study was planned to explore the lived experiences of nomads regarding mental health and coping strategies and how they interpret those experiences. For data collection, focus group discussions (FGDs) were conducted. Seven participants were included in the FGDs, and two FGDs were conducted composed of both genders. The responses were recorded, and data were transcribed and analysed using IPA. Data verification procedures of peer review, which help to clarify researcher bias and rich thick description, were used. The major themes were lack of resources and myriad unfulfilled needs, specifically the basic needs (food, shelter, and drinking and bathing water). Moreover, a strong desire to fulfil the secondary needs of enjoyment and having luxuries was also reflected. A list of recommendations was forwarded for policy making of this marginalized community and to create awareness regarding mental health.
A study towards a uni " ed approach to the joint estimation of objective and risk neutral measures for the purpose of options valuation q

The purpose of this paper is to bridge two strands of the literature, one pertaining to the objective or physical measure used to model an underlying asset and the other 0304-405X/00/$ see front matter ( 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved. PII: S 0 3 0 4 4 0 5 X ( 0 0 ) 0 0 0 4 6 5 1Even the so-called nonparametric approaches (see for instance AmK t-Sahalia and Lo, 1998; Broadie et al., 2000) either implicitly restrict the class of models by imposing regularity conditions to guarantee valid statistical inference or assume an explicit class of models (see for instance Rubinstein, 1994). pertaining to the risk-neutral measure used to price derivatives. We propose a generic procedure using simultaneously the fundamental price, S t , and a set of option contracts [(pI it ) i/1,m ] where m*1 and pI it is the Black}Scholes implied volatility. We use Heston's (1993. Review of Financial Studies 6, 327}343) model as an example, and appraise univariate and multivariate estimation of the model in terms of pricing and hedging performance. Our results, based on the S&P 500 index contract, show dominance of univariate approach, which relies solely on options data. A by-product of this "nding is that we uncover a remarkably simple volatility extraction "lter based on a polynomial lag structure of implied volatilities. The bivariate approach, involving both the fundamental security and an option contract, appears useful when the information from the cash market re#ected in the conditional kurtosis provides support to price long term. ( 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved. JEL classixcation: G13; C14; C52; C53
Tactile semiotics: the meanings of touch explored with low-tech prototypes

In this paper the author describes the term tactile semiotics - the meanings we ascribe to different types of haptic sensations. When designing devices for haptic communication or haptic input devices for HCI, it makes sense firstly to look to psychophysics as an informant. However, to gain insight into tactility as both experience and meaning, it may also be beneficial to look at the cultural and social context of touch. Also, the author explains how it is possible to explore this field with the help of low-tech prototypes and methodologies more common in art and design.
Gender Inequalities in Employment and Wage-earning among Internal Labour Migrants in Chinese Cities

BACKGROUND Recent trends show an unprecedented feminisation of migration in China, triggered by the increasing demand for cheap labour in big cities and the availability of women in the labour market. These trends corroborate the evidence that non-agricultural work and remittance from urban labour migrants have become the major sources of rural household income. OBJECTIVE This paper investigates the extent of gender inequalities in job participation and wage earning among internal labour migrants in China. We hypothesize that female migrants in cities are economically more disadvantaged than male migrants in the job market. METHODS We use data from the 2010 National Migrant Dynamics Monitoring Survey conducted in 106 cities representing all 31 provinces and geographic regions. The study applies the standard Heckman two-step Probit-OLS method to model job participation and wage1 China Population and Development Research Centre (Beijing) and China Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK. 2 School of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Australia. 3 Corresponding author: Centre for Global Health, Population, Poverty & Policy, China Research Centre and Department of Social Statistics and Demography, University of Southampton, UK. E-Mail: S.Padmadas@soton.ac. uk. 4 China Population and Development Research Centre (Beijing), China. 5 China Population and Development Research Centre (Beijing), China. 6 ESRC Centre for Population Change and China Research Centre, University of Southampton, UK. Qin et al.: Gender inequalities in employment and wage-earning among internal labour migrants 176 http://www.demographic-research.org earning, separately for 59,225 males and 41,546 females aged 16−59 years, adjusting for demographic and social characteristics and potential selection effects. RESULTS Female migrants have much lower job-participation and wage-earning potential than male migrants. Male migrants earn 26% higher hourly wages than their female counterparts. Decomposition analysis confirms potential gender discrimination, suggesting that 88% of the gender difference in wages (or 12% of female migrant wage) is due to discriminatory treatment of female migrants in the Chinese job market. Migrants with rural hukou status have a smaller chance of participation in the job market and they earn lower wages than those with urban hukou, regardless of education advantage. CONCLUSIONS There is evidence of significant female disadvantage among internal labour migrants in the job market in Chinese cities. Household registration by urban and rural areas, as controlled by the hukou status, partly explains the differing job participation and wage earning among female labour migrants in urban China.
In-Flow Peer Review

Peer-review is a valuable tool that helps both the reviewee, who receives feedback about his work, and the reviewer, who sees different potential solutions and improves her ability to critique work. In-flow peer-review (IFPR) is peer-review done while an assignment is in progress. Peer-review done during this time is likely to result in greater motivation for both reviewer and reviewee. This workinggroup report summarizes IFPR and discusses numerous dimensions of the process, each of which alleviates some problems while raising associated concerns.
Dexamethasone Enhances ATP-Induced Inflammatory Responses in Endothelial Cells

The purinergic nucleotide ATP is released from stressed cells and is implicated in vascular inflammation. Glucocorticoids are essential to stress responses and are used therapeutically, yet little information is available that describes the effects of glucocorticoids on ATP-induced inflammation. In a human microvascular endothelial cell line, extracellular ATP-induced interleukin (IL)-6 secretion in a dose- and time-dependent manner. When cells were pretreated with dexamethasone, a prototypic glucocorticoid, ATP-induced IL-6 production was enhanced in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Mifepristone, a glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, blocked these effects. ATP-induced IL-6 release was significantly inhibited by a phospholipase C inhibitor [1-[6-[((17β)-3-methoxyestra-1,3,5[10]-trien-17-yl)amino]hexyl]-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (U73122)] (63.2 ± 3%, p < 0.001) and abolished by a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazole (SB 203580)] (88 ± 1%, p < 0.001). Cells treated with dexamethasone induced mRNA expression of the purinergic P2Y2 receptor (P2Y2R) 1.8- ± 0.1-fold and, when stimulated with ATP, enhanced Ca2+ release and augmented IL-6 mRNA expression. Silencing of the P2Y2R by its small interfering RNA decreased ATP-induced IL-6 production by 81 ± 1% (p < 0.001). Dexamethasone enhanced the transcription rate of P2Y2R mRNA and induced a dose-related increase in the activity of the P2Y2R promoter. Furthermore, dexamethasone-enhanced ATP induction of adhesion molecule transcription and augmented the release of IL-8. Dexamethasone leads to an unanticipated enhancement of endothelial inflammatory mediator production by extracellular ATP via a P2Y2R-dependent mechanism. These data define a novel positive feedback loop of glucocorticoids and ATP-induced endothelial inflammation.
Does Gaussian Approximation Work Well for the Long-Length Polar Code Construction?

Gaussian approximation (GA) is widely used to construct polar codes. However, when the code length is long, the subchannel selection inaccuracy due to the calculation error of conventional approximate GA (AGA), which uses a two-segment approximation function, results in a catastrophic performance loss. In this paper, new principles to design the GA approximation functions for polar codes are proposed. First, we introduce the concepts of polarization violation set (PVS) and polarization reversal set (PRS) to explain the essential reasons that the conventional AGA scheme cannot work well for the long-length polar code construction. In fact, these two sets will lead to the rank error of subsequent subchannels, which means that the orders of subchannels are misaligned, which is a severe problem for polar code construction. Second, we propose a new metric, named cumulative-logarithmic error (CLE), to quantitatively evaluate the remainder approximation error of AGA in the logarithm. We derive the upper bound of CLE to simplify its calculation. Finally, guided by PVS, PRS, and CLE bound analysis, we propose new construction rules based on a multi-segment approximation function, which obviously improve the calculation accuracy of AGA so as to ensure the excellent performance of polar codes especially for the long code lengths. Numerical and simulation results indicate that the proposed AGA schemes are critical to constructing high-performance polar codes.
Social learning theory and developmental psychology: The legacies of Robert Sears and Albert Bandura.

Social learning theory began as an attempt by Robert Sears and others to meld psychoanalytic and stimulus-response learning theory into a comprehensive explanation of human behavior, drawing on the clinical richness of the former and the rigor of the latter. Albert Bandura abandoned the psychoanalytic and drive features of the approach, emphasizing instead cognitive and information-processing capacities that mediate social behavior. Both theories were intended as a general framework for the understanding of human behavior, and their developmental aspects remain to be worked out in detail
A gender-focused review of the effect of message source attractiveness on persuasion: Implications for marketers and advertisers

Abstract This study reviews research regarding the effects of source physical attractiveness on persuasion with focus on the interplay with source gender and receiver gender. Most evidence indicates that attractive female sources tend to be more persuasive than unattractive ones in attitudinal and behavioral measures. The results for male sources are equivocal, with few studies reporting the liability of male source attractiveness. Recipients’ sex is a poor predictor of source attractiveness impact for both male and female sources. The study’s contribution synthesizes decades of research on source attractiveness to suggest future research ideas for academics in marketing, psychology, and communications and to give recommendations for marketers, advertisers, and other practitioners aiming to influence people’s attitudes.
Association of CILP2 and ACE Gene Polymorphisms with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Slovak Midlife Women

The aim of this study is to assess the association of two polymorphisms, the cartilage intermediate layer protein 2 (CILP2) G/T and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) I/D, with blood pressure and anthropometrical and biochemical parameters related to the development of cardiovascular disease. The entire study sample comprised 341 women ranging in age from 39 to 65 years. The CILP2 genotypes were determined by PCR-RFLP and the ACE genotypes by PCR. The Bonferroni pairwise comparisons showed the effect of the CILP2 genotype on high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), apolipoprotein B (apoB), apoB-to-apoA1 ratio, the total cholesterol (TC)-to-HDL-C ratio, non-HDL-C, and the LDL-C-to-HDL-C ratio (P < 0.05). Here, higher mean levels of HDL-C and lower mean levels of the remaining above mentioned lipid parameters were registered in the GT/TT genotype carriers than in GG carriers. Statistically significant association was identified between the ACE genotype and the following parameters: TC, LDL-C, and non-HDL-C (P < 0.05). The II genotype can lower serum level of TC (B = 0.40), LDL-C (B = 0.37), and non-HDL-C levels. The results of this study suggest that the minor T allele of CILP2 gene and I allele of ACE gene have a protective effect against elevated serum lipid and lipoprotein levels.
Intensive Perioperative Glucose Control Does Not Improve Outcomes of Patients Submitted to Open-Heart Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between different target levels of glucose and the clinical outcomes of patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS: We designed a prospective study in a university hospital where 109 consecutive patients were enrolled during a six-month period. All patients were scheduled for open-heart surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. Patients were randomly allocated into two groups. One group consisted of 55 patients and had a target glucose level of 80–130 mg/dl, while the other contained 54 patients and had a target glucose level of 160–200 mg/dl. These parameters were controlled during surgery and for 36 hours after surgery in the intensive care unit. Primary outcomes were clinical outcomes, including time of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit, infection, hypoglycemia, renal or neurological dysfunction, blood transfusion and length of stay in the hospital. The secondary outcome was a combined end-point (mortality at 30 days, infection or length of stay in the intensive care unit of more than 3 days). A p-value of <0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS: The anthropometric and clinical characteristics of the patients from each group were similar, except for weight and body mass index. The mean glucose level during the protocol period was 126.69 mg/dl in the treated group and 168.21 mg/dl in the control group (p<0.0016). There were no differences between groups regarding clinical outcomes, including the duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care unit, blood transfusion, postoperative infection, hypoglycemic event, neurological dysfunction or 30-day mortality (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In 109 patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass, both protocols of glycemic control in an intraoperative setting and in the intensive care unit were found to be safe, easily achieved and not to differentially affect clinical outcomes.
HIF-1α controls extracellular matrix synthesis by epiphyseal chondrocytes

The transcription factor HIF-1α plays a crucial role in modifying gene expression during low oxygen tension. In a previous study, we demonstrated that HIF-1α is essential for chondrocyte growth arrest and survival in vivo. To explore further the role of HIF-1α in cartilage biology, we undertook studies with primary epiphyseal chondrocytes with a targeted deletion of HIF-1α. In this study, we show that HIF-1α is necessary for regulating glycolysis under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. HIF-1α-null chondrocytes were unable to maintain ATP levels in hypoxic microenvironments, indicating a fundamental requirement for this factor for the regulation of chondrocyte metabolism. Synthesis of the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor was also significantly induced by hypoxia, and this increase is lost in HIF-1α-null mutant cells. Under hypoxic conditions, aggrecan mRNA and protein levels were significantly reduced in chondrocytes lacking the HIF-1α transcription factor. Interestingly, strongly increased type-II collagen protein levels were detected in wild-type cells after 44 hours of hypoxia. In addition, type-II collagen mRNA and protein levels were strongly decreased under low oxygen in chondrocytes lacking HIF-1α. In summary, our results clearly demonstrate the importance of HIF-1α in maintenance of anaerobic glycolysis, and thereby extracellular matrix synthesis, of epiphyseal chondrocytes.
Molecular Characterization of Lys49 and Asp49 Phospholipases A2 from Snake Venom and Their Antiviral Activities against Dengue virus

We report the detailed molecular characterization of two PLA2s, Lys49 and Asp49 isolated from Bothrops leucurus venom, and examined their effects against Dengue virus (DENV). The Bl-PLA2s, named BlK-PLA2 and BlD-PLA2, are composed of 121 and 122 amino acids determined by automated sequencing of the native proteins and peptides produced by digestion with trypsin. They contain fourteen cysteines with pIs of 9.05 and 8.18 for BlK- and BlD-PLA2s, and show a high degree of sequence similarity to homologous snake venom PLA2s, but may display different biological effects. Molecular masses of 13,689.220 (Lys49) and 13,978.386 (Asp49) were determined by mass spectrometry. DENV causes a prevalent arboviral disease in humans, and no clinically approved antiviral therapy is currently available to treat DENV infections. The maximum non-toxic concentration of the proteins to LLC-MK2 cells determined by MTT assay was 40 µg/mL for Bl-PLA2s (pool) and 20 µg/mL for each isoform. Antiviral effects of Bl-PLA2s were assessed by quantitative Real-Time PCR. Bl-PLA2s were able to reduce DENV-1, DENV-2, and DENV-3 serotypes in LLC-MK2 cells infection. Our data provide further insight into the structural properties and their antiviral activity against DENV, opening up possibilities for biotechnological applications of these Bl-PLA2s as tools of research.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities: A Program Description

diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD). In Linehan’s original controlled trial DBT was shown to be effective in reducing selfinjurious behavior and inpatient psychiatric days in women diagnosed with BPD. More recently the use of DBT has been expanded to populations with additional diagnoses and in additional settings. In clinical studies, DBT has been shown to: be effective in reducing drug dependence and opioid use, 6 5
Child sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America, 1970--1984

The present study examined child sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts of America (1970 to 1984). In particular, this study explored the role of the institution in child sexual abuse. The data analyzed was gathered from the Boy Scouts Ineligible Volunteer File system and included a sample of 529 adult males who had volunteered to serve as adult role models for the Boys Scouts and were suspected of alleged misbehavior. Analysis of the data revealed a profile of the alleged abusers. These men were typically in their mid-30s, single and had spent an average of 41.4 months in the Boy Scouts before being placed in the file system. It was also found that the Boy Scouts recorded information inconsistently in the file system. The findings of this study may be useful for the Boys Scouts of America to evaluate the current Youth Protection Program.
Dormant and after-Ripened Arabidopsis thaliana Seeds are Distinguished by Early Transcriptional Differences in the Imbibed State

Seed dormancy is a genetically controlled block preventing the germination of imbibed seeds in favorable conditions. It requires a period of dry storage (after-ripening) or certain environmental conditions to be overcome. Dormancy is an important seed trait, which is under selective pressure, to control the seasonal timing of seed germination. Dormant and non-dormant (after-ripened) seeds are characterized by large sets of differentially expressed genes. However, little information is available concerning the temporal and spatial transcriptional changes during early stages of rehydration in dormant and non-dormant seeds. We employed genome-wide transcriptome analysis on seeds of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana to investigate transcriptional changes in dry seeds upon rehydration. We analyzed gene expression of dormant and after-ripened seeds of the Cvi accession over four time points and two seed compartments (the embryo and surrounding single cell layer endosperm), during the first 24 h after sowing. This work provides a global view of gene expression changes in dormant and non-dormant seeds with temporal and spatial detail, and these may be visualized via a web accessible tool (http://www.wageningenseedlab.nl/resources). A large proportion of transcripts change similarly in both dormant and non-dormant seeds upon rehydration, however, the first differences in transcript abundances become visible shortly after the initiation of imbibition, indicating that changes induced by after-ripening are detected and responded to rapidly upon rehydration. We identified several gene expression profiles which contribute to differential gene expression between dormant and non-dormant samples. Genes with enhanced expression in the endosperm of dormant seeds were overrepresented for stress-related Gene Ontology categories, suggesting a protective role for the endosperm against biotic and abiotic stress to support persistence of the dormant seed in its environment.