Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Analysis of Students’ Perceptions and Attitudes to Online Learning Use in Higher Education in Jamaica: An Extension of TAM

The research presents preliminary work on the perception of students to the use of an e-learning system in a top Jamaican University. E-learning, defined as the act, process or experience of gaining knowledge or skill through the delivery of lessons and instructions via the Internet, has grown as key method in education management over the last couple of decades. Studies have shown that significant investments in this technology are made by Universities yet the full benefits expected have not been realized due to issues and challenges experienced by both learners and instructors in adopting and effectively using e-learning. Our investigation revealed that while this University has not officially launched its e-learning systems it has been available for over five years where instructors across faculties have implemented their classroom with varying results. The study extend the original TAM model to include several other constructs such as faculty encouragement, university climate and access to computers as basis to understand perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use of the university’s current e-learning system. The study offers both research and practical significance as it is argued that within the developing contexts these variables are importance in understanding as institutions make the transitions to different modes of e-learning. Additionally, while there is growing literature on e-learning, little or no research is done within the context of the English-speaking Caribbean and it is imperative that technology adoption studies are specifically designed to fit the unique contextual settings, such as Jamaica.
Analysis of immunoglobulin variable region genes from human IgG anti‐DNA hybridomas

The molecular mechanisms leading to anti‐double‐stranded (ds)DNA antibody production in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are poorly understood. We describe here the immunoglobulin variable region genes of six human hybridomas secreting IgG anti‐dsDNA antibodies derived from three SLE patients. The monoclonal IgG anti‐dsDNA antibodies have been shown to be of high affinity and no multireactivity was observed (Winkler et al., Clin. Exp. Immunol., 1991. 85: 379). The comparison of the variable region genes expressed in the hybridomas with known germ‐line genes as well as with the germ‐line counterparts from one patient shows that the VH and VL sequences are somatically mutated. The pattern and extent of the observed somatic mutations are suggestive for an antigen‐driven selection of at least four of these B cell clones. Several VH and VL genes used by the hybridomas were found to be expressed in the natural antibody repertoire, in the restricted fetal repertoire and in B cell malignancies expressing the CD5 antigen.
Thermal and conducting behaviour of emeraldine base (EB) form of polyaniline (PANI)

a * Emeraldine base (EB) form of polyaniline (PANI) powder is prepared by chemical oxidative polymerization using different acidic media (HCl or CF 3COOH) at different temperatures (-15 °C to + 5°C). The chemical structure, thermal characterization and conducting behaviour are studied by means of Fourier transform infra-red (FTIR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) and two-probe conductivity method. These polyanilines are soluble in N-methyl-2- pyrrolidone, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and dimethylpropylene urea (DMPU). The softening temperatures of different EB range from 87.8-116.4 °C, which is believed to be an indication of cross-linking. Conductivity of emeraldine base of PANI is around (0.8-1.5) × 10 -6 S/cm and energy band gap is approximately 0.5 eV, and no detectable crystallinity is observed. Wide-angle XRD technique indicates that PANI- EB base is amorphous in nature.
Modulation of host innate and adaptive immune defenses by cytomegalovirus: timing is everything

Abstract. Loewendorf A, Benedict CA (La Jolla Institute for Allergy and Immunology, La Jolla, CA, USA). Modulation of host innate and adaptive immune defenses by cytomegalovirus: timing is everything (Symposium). J Intern Med 2010; 267: 483–501.
Susceptibility of HRS/J mice to listeriosis: dynamics of infection

Congenitally hairless HRS/J homozygous (hr/hr) mice as well as phenotypically normal littermates (hr/+) were found to exhibit unusual susceptibility to infection with Listeria monocytogenes with 50% of the animals dying within a 10-day period (LD50) at an infecting inoculum approaching 200 microorganisms. In marked contrast to the outbred CD-1 strain as well as other Listeria-susceptible mice, HRS/J hosts are virtually incapable of limiting infection with virulent Listeria. The dynamics of infection reveal early uncontrolled bacterial growth within the peritoneal cavity, followed by a sharp increase of bacterial load in the spleen of both HRS/J homozygotes and heterozygous littermates. Spleen indices obtained for mutant mice indicate substantial splenomegaly which parallels the onset of infection in that organ. Assessment of the exudate population within the peritoneal cavity during infection indicates that HRS/J mice produce an early sustained influx of polymorphonuclear leukocytes while exhibiting a diminished macrophage inflammatory response. Additionally, it was shown that the mutant strain expresses significant increases in the total number of recoverable peritoneal leukocytes in response to other phlogistic stimuli.
Pulmonary calcification in hemodialysis patients: correlation with pulmonary artery pressure values.

BACKGROUND End-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients receiving chronic hemodialysis (HD) via an arteriovenous (A-V) access often develop unexplained pulmonary hypertension (PHT). This study evaluated the role of pulmonary calcification (PC) in this phenomenon. METHODS The clinical manifestations, systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) values measured by Doppler echocardiography and the presence and the extent of PC expressed by lung uptake of 99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy, were studied in 49 patients with ESRD receiving chronic HD therapy via A-V access. The correlation between PC and PHT was investigated. RESULTS There were 36 men and 13 women with a mean age of 61.7 +/- 13.2 years receiving HD therapy for 38.2 +/- 43.7 months. Twenty (40.8%) patients had PC expressed by increased lung uptake of 99mTc- MDP and 28 (57.1%) patients had PHT with a mean systolic PAP of 46 +/- 11 mm Hg. No correlation was found between PC and PHT. CONCLUSION The data suggest that PC expressed by lung uptake of 99mTc-MDP has no role in the pathogenesis of PHT among ESRD patients undergoing HD therapy via A-V access.
TT VIRUS INFECTION IN PATIENTS ON MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS IN EASTERN TAIWAN

Department of Nephrology* and Gastroenterology******, Tzu Chi Center for Hepatology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan***, Institute of Medical Sciences**, Department of Medical Technology****, Graduate Institute of Aboriginal Health, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan***** Received: September, 2004 Revised: October, 2004 Accepted: December, 2004 Address reprint requests to: Dr. Hans Hsienhong Lin, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, 707, Section 3, Chung Yang Rd. Hualien 97004, Taiwan Tel: +886-3-8561825 Fax: +886-3-8463989 E-mail: yoyo@tzuchi.com. tw TT VIRUS INFECTION IN PATIENTS ON MAINTENANCE HEMODIALYSIS IN EASTERN TAIWAN
Is there an agile handover? An empirical study of documentation and project handover practices across agile software teams

The growing use of agile and lean methods has heated the discussion on efficiency and sustainability of software engineering processes. During project handovers, for example, loss of knowledge has been indicated and critics of agile methods point at a lack of documentation. In this paper we take the perspective of patterns of human action, looking at the actions the teams take and the artifacts they use during a software project handover. Our results from 30 teams in small to large size projects cover the perceptions of a variety of roles and indicate that the adoption is a learning process in three interdependent phases: Environment, System and Architecture. The participants in our study perceived the biggest gaps in the usefulness of available design and requirements documentation. Based on our findings we suggest that documentation artifacts should rather support the learning process and that including maintenance staff in the development process significantly helps improving the handover.
Reflective Equilibrium and Archimedean Points

In A Theory of Justice, John Rawls defines a hypothetical contract situation and argues rational people will agree on reflection it is fair to contractors. He solves the rational choice problem it poses by deriving two lexically-ordered principles of justice and suggests the derivation justifies the principles. Its soundness aside, just what justificatory force does such a derivation have? On one view, there is no justificatory force because the contract is rigged specifically to yield principles which match our pre-contract moral judgments. Rawls provides ammunition for this claim: “By going back and forth, sometimes altering the conditions of the contractual circumstances, at others withdrawing our judgments [about what is just] and conforming them to principle, I assume that eventually we shall find a description of the initial situation that both expresses reasonable conditions and yields principles which match our considered judgments duly pruned and adjusted. ”
Minimum entropy control?

For non-Gaussian stochastic systems, minimum entropy control methods are used to instead of the minimum variance control method in Gaussian systems. In this paper, some causes about the minimum entropy control may not be realized are given based on analysis the Shannon entropy definition of continuous random variable. On this basis, a new entropy, which has a similar nature with shannon entropy, construction method is presented, and some key properties of the new entropy are proved. Such nature of the new entropy shows that it meets the basic requirements of design of the minimum new entropy controller. Nextly, some conclusions are extended to the PDF by B-spline basis function approximation systems. And then, a minimum new entropy control with the mean constraint is constructed. Simulation illustrates the effectiveness of the minimum new entropy control with the mean constraint controller.
Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Topotecan in Pediatric Cancer Patients

Purpose: To characterize the population pharmacokinetics of topotecan lactone in children with cancer and identify covariates related to topotecan disposition. Patients and Methods: The study population consisted of 162 children in seven clinical trials receiving single agent topotecan as a 30-min infusion. A population approach via nonlinear mixed effects modeling was used to conduct the analysis. Results: A two-compartment model was fit to topotecan lactone plasma concentrations (n = 1874), and large pharmacokinetic variability was observed among studies, among individuals, and within individuals. We conducted a covariate analysis using demographics, biochemical data, trial effects, and concomitant drugs. The most significant covariate was body surface area, which explained 54% of the interindividual variability for topotecan systemic clearance. Interoccasion variability was considerable in both clearance and volume (20% and 22%, respectively), but was less than interindividual variability in both variables. Other covariates related to clearance were concomitant phenytoin, calculated glomerular filtration rate, and age (<0.5 years). Including them in the model reduced the interindividual variability for topotecan clearance by an additional 48% relative to the body surface area–normalized model. The full covariate model explained 76% and 50% of interindividual variability in topotecan clearance and volume, respectively. Conclusions: We developed a descriptive and robust population pharmacokinetic model which identified patient covariates that account for topotecan disposition in pediatric patients. Additionally, dosing topotecan based on the covariate model led to a more accurate and precise estimation topotecan systemic exposure compared with a fixed dosing approach, and could be a tool to assist clinicians to individualize topotecan dosing.
Phylogenetic Relationships Within Parrots (Psittacidae) Inferred from Mitochondrial Cytochrome-b Gene Sequences

Abstract Blood and tissue samples of 40 individuals including 27 parrot species (15 genera; 3 subfamilies) were collected in Indonesia. Their phylogenetic relationships were inferred from 907 bp of the mitochondrial cytochrome-b gene, using the maximum-parsimony method, the maximum-likelihood method and the neighbor-joining method with Kimura two-parameter distance. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that (1) cockatoos (subfamily Cacatuinae) form a monophyletic sister group to other parrot groups; (2) within the genus Cacatua, C. goffini and C. sanguinea form a sister group to a clade containing other congeners; (3) subfamily Psittacinae emerged as paraphyletic, consisting of three clades, with a clade of Psittaculirostris grouping with subfamily Loriinae rather than with other Psittacinae; (4) lories and lorikeets (subfamily Loriinae) emerged as monophyletic, with Charmosyna placentis a basal sister group to other Loriinae, which comprised the subclades Lorius; Trichoglossus+Eos; and Chalcopsitta+Pseudeos.
High-modal gain 1300-nm In(Ga)As-GaAs quantum-dot lasers

A semiconductor laser containing seven InAs-InGaAs stacked quantum-dot (QD) layers was grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Shallow mesa ridge-waveguide lasers with stripe width of 120 mum were fabricated and tested. A high modal gain of 41 cm-1 was obtained at room temperature corresponding to a modal gain of ~6 cm-1 per QD layer, which is very promising to enable the realization of 1.3-mum ultrashort cavity devices such as vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers. Ground state laser action was achieved for a 360-mum-cavity length with as-cleaved facets. The transparency current density per QD layer and internal quantum efficiency were 13 A/cm2 and 67%, respectively
Rule-based energy management strategies for hybrid vehicles

The highest control layer of a (hybrid) vehicular drive train is termed the Energy Management Strategy (EMS). In this paper an overview of different control methods is given and a new rule-based EMS is introduced, based on the combination of Rule-Based and Equivalent Consumption Minimization Strategies (RB-ECMS). The RB-ECMS uses only one decision variable and requires no tuning of many threshold control values and parameters. This decision variable represents the maximum propulsion power of the secondary power source (i.e. electric machine/battery) during pure electric driving. The RB-ECMS is compared with the strategy based on Dynamic Programming (DP), which is inherently optimal for a given cycle. The RB-ECMS proposed in this paper requires significantly less computation time with a similar result to DP (within 1% accuracy).
Isolation of a Unique Membrane Protein from Naegleria fowleri

Abstract Naegleria fowleri, an amoeboflagellate, is the causative agent of Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis, a fulminating disease of the central nervous system. In order to elucidate the mechanisms of pathogenicity of this amoeba, a cDNA expression library was prepared from N. fowleri RNA. A specific protein was found to be expressed from a cDNA clone designated Mp2CL5. Northern blot analysis showed that the Mp2CL5 mRNA was expressed in pathogenic N. fowleri but was not expressed in non-pathogenic Naegleria species nor in Acanthamoeba. Western blot analysis using anti-N. fowleri antiserum demonstrated that IPTG-induced Escherichia coli Mp2CL5 expressed a 23-kDa recombinant protein. The Mp2CL5 recombinant protein was histidine-tagged and purified to homogeneity from E. coli. A polyclonal rabbit antiserum was prepared against the purified Mp2CL5 recombinant protein. This antibody was used to further characterize the Mp2CL5 native protein expressed by N. fowleri. Western blot analysis in conjunction with immunofluorescence microscopy demonstrated the presence of a native protein of 17 kDa on the plasma membrane of N. fowleri trophozoites. The native N. fowleri protein was expressed in the logarithmic phase of trophozoite growth and the production of this protein increased through the stationary phase of growth. Studies are in progress to examine further its role as a virulence factor.
On the Origin of Metal-poor Stars in the Solar Neighborhood

We determined the ages, kinematic parameters, and Galactic orbital parameters of six metal-poor (−2.4 < [Fe/H] < −1.0 dex), F-type, high-proper-motion (HPM) stars to investigate their HPM nature and origin. For the kinematical procedure, the astrometric data from the Gaia DR2 were used. High-resolution ELODIE spectra of the six dwarfs were also used to obtain accurate [Fe/H] abundances and up-to-date [α/Fe] abundances. The calculations for stellar ages were based on Bayesian statistics, with the computed ages falling in the range 9.5–10.1 Gyr. On the basis of the metallicities and ages, six HMP stars are either members of the halo (HD 6755, HD 84937, BD +42 3607) or members of the low-metallicity tail of the thick disk (HD 3567, HD 194598, HD 201891). However, Galactic orbital parameters suggest thin disk (HD 84937, HD 194598), thick disk (HD 3567, HD 201891), and halo (HD 6755, BD +42 3607) populations. The dynamical analysis was also performed for the escape scenario from the candidate GCs. The tidal disruption of a dwarf galaxy was also considered as an alternative origin. HD 6755, HD 194598, and HD 3567, with their retrograde orbital motions, are likely candidate stars for a tidally disrupted dwarf galaxy origin. However, the relationship of HD 194598 with NGC 6284 presents an interesting case. Its encounter velocity is low (16 ± 28 km s−1), and their ages and metallicities are very nearly consistent with each other at the 1σ level. The rest of the HPM sample stars have a 4%–18% probability of encountering with selected GCs for 1.5 tidal radii. This indicates that a globular cluster origin for the program stars is unlikely.
Performance and reliability comparison between asymmetric and symmetric LDD devices and logic gates

The performance and reliability of NMOSFET asymmetric lightly doped drain (LDD) devices (with no LDD on the source side) are compared with those of conventional LDD devices. At a fixed V/sub dd/, asymmetric LDD devices exhibit higher I/sub dsat/ and shorter hot-carrier lifetime. To maintain the same hot-carrier lifetime, asymmetric LDD devices must operate at lower V/sub dd/ while higher I/sub dsat/ is retained. For the same hot-carrier lifetime, ring oscillators with NMOSFET asymmetric LDD devices can achieve 5% (10% if PMOSFET also had asymmetric LDD) higher speed and 10% lower power. The hot-carrier reliability of inverter, NAND, and NOR structures with asymmetric and conventional LDD devices is also simulated and compared.
South and North: DIF Analyses of University-Student Responses to the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire

In a study of the Emotional Skills and Competence Questionnaire instrument (ESCQ; Taksic, 1998) three samples of university students from Balkan countries (Croatia, Serbia, and Slovenia) were contrasted with two samples of university students from Nordic countries (Finland and Sweden). In total, 1978 students participated. Effects of country and gender were obtained from the ESCQ total scores, as well as from the subscale scores. The subsequent analyses of item bias, that is, differential item functioning (DIF), revealed a number of DIF items in pair wise comparisons of the samples, thus creating doubts about the fairness in comparing mean scores. Further analyses of the DIF items showed, however, that most of the item curve functions were uniform, and that effect sizes were low. It was also shown that the number of DIF items depended on which countries were compared. Spearman correlations between measures of number of DIF items and cultural values as measured by World Value Survey data were very high. Implications of these findings for future cross-cultural studies of the ESCQ instrument are discussed.
Relativistic Scattering of a Plane-Wave by a Uniformly Moving Half-Plane

We discuss the effect of motion on the scattering by an edge. To this end, one considers the simplest canonical structure formed by a uniformly moving perfectly conducting half-plane illuminated by a time-harmonic plane wave and investigates the effect of the motion on the reflection and shadow zones, aberration, Doppler shift, edge-diffracted wave, etc. The cases where the velocity is parallel and normal to the half-plane are considered separately. Some of the interesting results which were obtained, in addition to the classical Doppler shift and aberration phenomena, are that (i) the edge-excited wave is never time-harmonic while the waves excited by the plane (both in the shadow and in the reflection zones) are always time-harmonic, (ii) the shadow and reflection boundaries are not parallel to the incident and reflected rays, (iii) at certain values of the velocity and incidence angle, a shadow region appears in the apparent illuminated region while a lit region appears in the apparent shadow region, (iv) the moving half-plane provides, sometimes, energy to the reflected wave. The cases of upsiLtc and upsi~c are examined in detail
Eugenol [2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)phenol] prevents 6-hydroxydopamine-induced dopamine depression and lipid peroxidation inductivity in mouse striatum.

As superoxide (.O2-) and hydroxyl radical (.OH) have been implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson disease, free radical scavenging and antioxidants have attracted attention as way to prevent progression of this disease. We examined the effects of eugenol, an essential oil extracted from cloves, on 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced dopamine (DA) reduction in the mouse striatum. Eugenol administration 3 d before and 7 more days following one intracerebroventricular 6-OHDA injection prevented the reduction of striatal DA and its metabolites. Eugenol administration for 3 d reduced the increase of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (an indicator of lipid peroxidation) induced by ferric ion and increased glutathione (GSH) and L-ascorbate (Asc) in the striatum. Eugenol did not change the levels of catalase, glutathione peroxidase, or superoxide dismutase-like activities. Eugenol is known to have . O2- and . OH scavenging activities in vitro. These results suggest that eugenol prevents 6-OHDA-induced DA depression by preventing lipid peroxidation directly and indirectly (via stimulation of GSH and Asc generating systems). Furthermore, increased GSH may protect cell death by conjugating with p-quinone produced in 6-OHDA auto-oxidation. The effects of eugenol treatment in this model suggest its possible usefulness for the treatment of Parkinson disease.