Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visualization of the Fetal Lip and Palate: Is Brain-Targeted MRI Reliable?

Objective To evaluate the ability of brain-targeted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to assess the anatomy of the fetal upper lip and palate. Design Two independent readers made a blind retrospective review of 60 brain-targeted MRIs of fetuses from 20 to 38 gestational weeks (GW). Fifty-five MRIs were normal and five had orofacial anomalies, including one isolated cleft lip and four cleft lip and palate. Both normal and cleft MRIs had postnatal confirmation. The upper lip, primary palate, secondary palate, and nasal septum were scored into four levels, from evidently normal to evidently abnormal. In case of a suspected pathology, the readers attempted a diagnosis. Setting Collaboration between a university hospital and a large private practice MRI center. Results Interobserver agreement (weighted kappa) was 0.79 for the upper lip, 0.70 for the primary palate, 0.86 for the secondary palate, and 0.90 for the nasal septum. The scoring levels of the readers did not change significantly across gestational age. Normality was correctly scored in 96% to 100% of the normal lips and primary palates and in 93% to 97% of the normal secondary palates depending on the reader. A deviated septum was only scored in two fetuses with unilateral cleft palates. The readers identified all pathological cases. Conclusion Brain-targeted fetal MRI in experienced hands seems to be highly accurate for the evaluation of the lip and palate in fetuses above 20 GW, regardless of gestational age. The assessment of the secondary palate may be slightly more limited than the lip or primary palate.
English language learners’ participation in the discourse of a multilingual science classroom

ABSTRACT Recent science-education reforms have targeted students’ ability to ‘talk science’, especially in science classrooms. Prior research has shown that participation in scientific discourse in class is one of the most challenging scientific-literacy tasks, and particularly complex for English language learners (ELLs) at the upper elementary level. The present study explores this issue in a fourth-grade science classroom in the United States in which students from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds were studying together. Specifically, it analyzes the case of a focal Asian-background ELL who encountered challenges in her attempts to respond to the teacher’s questions and participate in the classroom academic discourse on earth science. Our analysis indicated that this ELL was unaware of the teacher’s expectations regarding the intertextual connections and academic language required to successfully accomplish science tasks. The ELL’s unexpected responses exposed a complex set of academic and social issues – notably, gaps between the teacher’s, students’, and ELL’s own expectations about language participation – that could have contributed to her supposed behavioural problems.
Understanding the Personal Impact of Sexual Violence and Assault

In October 2017 the #MeToo movement emerged in full force across social media throughout the United States. Survivors of sexual violence and harassment spoke publicly (in most cases, for the first time) about their lived experiences of sexual assault they endured in multiple contexts. For some survivors it was the home they grew up in; for others it was the workplace and/or presumed business meetings; as the stories grew in number, a larger American mainstream realized that sexual predators seemed to utilize virtually any and every location one might find. What gained nationwide media attention were scores of high-profile, disproportionately white, female celebrities coming forward with allegations of sexual violence and predatory behavior against Harvey Weinstein. Less than a week later, an influential tweet by actress Alyssa Milano seemingly opened a floodgate of public revelations on Twitter and Facebook concerning sexual violence and harassment from women and men across the nation. Numerous politicians, academics, movie stars, and journalists later resigned or were removed from their positions of power after corroborated reports of years of abuse. In truth, this movement emphasizing the need to collectively raise awareness about the prevalence of sexual violence arose nearly a decade prior in 2007, through the efforts and inspiration of Tarana Burke (Garcia 2017). A Black woman originally from the Bronx, Burke spent years working with sexual assault survivors and marginalized communities and advocating for racial and gender equity, most recently based in New York City as the senior director for Girls for Gender Equity. Following in the footsteps of gender violence activists like Rosa Parks, Burke continued the long history of Black women and women of color who raised awareness of sexual violence both within and outside the marginalized communities they came from (Freedman 2013; McGuire 2009). Prior scholarship in the study of social movements suggests that in the fall of 2017 we witnessed a manifestation of cognitive liberation, the process by which members of an aggrieved group fashion the specific combination of shared understandings that are thought to undergird emergent collective action (McAdam 1999, 2013). In this instance, sexual violence survivors
Convective Structure Changes over the Equatorial Pacific with Highly Increased Precipitation under Global Warming Simulated in the HiRAM

While most studies have argued a slower increase of 1−3% K −1 of precipitation globally, others note that this is not necessarily the case from a regional perspective. In this study, we examine the convective structure changes over the equatorial Pacific with highly increased precipitation under global warming using simula- tions from the High Resolution Atmospheric Model (HiRAM). The moisture budget analysis shows that the precipitation increases must result from a significant enhancement of convection, with a minor modulation from the thermodynamic effect. Two different types of enhanced convection are identified. Over the mean ascending region, precipitation increases are associated with an enhancement of deep convection; while over the mean descending region, the precipitation increases are a result of enhanced shallow convection. over the with highly
MATHEMATICS COACHING TO IMPROVE TEACHING PRACTICE: THE EXPERIENCES OF MATHEMATICS TEACHERS AND COACHES

The purpose of the study is to determine how coaching can be used effectively to improve instruction and student achievement while exploring teachers’ specific emotions during mathematics education reform initiatives that challenge the teacher’s beliefs about teaching and learning in mathematics. It also examines how teachers incorporate the reform changes into their practice in order for the new instructional practices to have the expected effect. I explored teacher learning which refers to the correct use of reform strategies by mathematics teachers so that they have the intended effects on student achievement with the support of a coach during reform initiatives. Through questionnaires, interviews, observations and archival material, the study determines the relationship between teachers’ specific emotions, teacher learning and teacher coaching in secondary school mathematics classrooms. As a result, the study highlights the issues associated with the implementation of mathematics education reform initiatives and implications. The findings show that mathematics education reforms produce emotional responses that can be described as both negative and positive. For example, some emotions include pride, joy, fear, feeling drained and ineffective. The four teachers in the study experienced these emotions because of factors such as a lack of knowledge of how to implement mathematics reform, beliefs about teaching and learning in mathematics that were inconsistent with the reform initiatives, the nature of coaching, and gains in student achievement and engagement. They also experienced negative emotions because of favorable in-school factors such as an administration that supported teacher efforts to implement mathematics reforms. The study shows that: a) coaching may not help teachers reconstruct their professional self-understanding when it fails to address their self-image issues; b) teacher learning may occur even when the teacher’s beliefs are inconsistent with reform initiatives; and c) even when teacher learning results from coaching, reforms do not present themselves as expected in the classroom. Coaches experienced positive and negative emotions as a result of how well the reforms were being implemented by teachers. The experiences of the two coaches during mathematics reforms indicate a need to support coaches as they help teachers use the reform strategies. The directions for future research are described. %%%%PhD
Synthesis of rRNA, tRNA and Other RNA-species Concomitant with Polyribosome Formation in Aging Potato Tuber Slices

One of the earliest consequences of slicing plant storage organs such as potato tubers into thin disks is the formation of polysomes, which in potato slices is complete after 9 hours and is dependent on transcription. Fresh disks do not incorporate 32P, 3H-uridine or 14C-leucine into their ribosomes, whereas ribosomes and polysomes of aged disks use these precursors effectively. This development can be completely blocked by actinomycin D. Among the different RNAs synthesized during aging is 28S- and 16S—rRNA, 5S—RNA, tRNA, and a component sedimenting around 15—18S with a base-composition different from 16S—rRNA, 5S- and 4S—RNA and which supports peptide formation in an in vitro incorporation system. It is suggested that this compound represents mRNA, which is not available immediately after slicing the tissue. These findings are consistent with the view of a derepression phenomenon in sliced storage tissue.
Transforming Traditional Institutions for Sustainable Natural Resource Management: History, Narratives and Evidence from Zimbabwe's Communal Areas

A major question that has emerged from the research and discourse on community-based natural resource management in southern Africa is whether traditional rules comply with generally accepted principles of common property management. In other words: do traditional institutions offer a solution for the sustainable management of natural resources held in common? This paper traces the emergence of traditional institutions from the pre-colonial times to the present, and draws a comparison with one fundamental principle of common property management: exclusivity of resource use. Evidence from Zimbabwe shows that traditional rules governing natural resources contradict this principle. The study suggests that the gap between traditional institutions and design principles for sustainable common property resource management can be bridged by making small continuous institutional changes over an extended period of time. It also recommends that longitudinal studies - based on historical precedent rather than contemporary narratives - and cross-sectional studies are required for informed policy decision-making in order to transform traditional institutions.
Mindfulness-based Interventions for Antenatal Depression or Anxiety: Perspectives of Midwives

Antenatal depression and anxiety are significant public health problems. Birth and neonatal outcomes suffer as a result of maternal depression and anxiety during pregnancy. As such, effectively treating depression and anxiety in the expectant mother is imperative to the overall health of mother and child. Psychopharmaceuticals are effective in alleviating depressed and anxious symptoms, but the evidence of the safety of their use during pregnancy is inconclusive. Furthermore, pregnant women themselves express the desire for non-psychopharmaceutical options when deciding how to manage their depression or anxiety. Mindfulness-based interventions show promise as a non-invasive, non-pharmaceutical option for managing negative affective states. To help predict the likelihood of a successful adoption of mindfulness-based interventions, midwives' perspectives on using mindfulness in clinical settings with their depressed or anxious patients were investigated. Results indicated favorable attitudes towards using mindfulness, along with various barriers that may prevent the adoption of mindfulness in clinical settings.
Persistent Monetary Non-Neutrality in an Estimated Menu-Cost Model with Partially Costly Information

We propose a model that reconciles microeconomic evidence of frequent and large price changes with sizable monetary non-neutrality. Firms incur separate lump-sum costs to change prices and to gather and process some information about marginal costs. Additional relevant information is continuously available and can be factored into pricing decisions at no cost. We estimate the model by Simulated Method of Moments, using price-setting statistics for the US economy. The model with free idiosyncratic and costly aggregate information fits well both targeted and untargeted microeconomic moments and generates almost three times as much monetary non-neutrality as the Calvo model. (JEL D21, D83, E23, E31, L11)
Engineering of L-Plastin Peptide-Loaded Biodegradable Nanoparticles for Sustained Delivery and Suppression of Osteoclast Function In Vitro

We have recently demonstrated that a small molecular weight amino-terminal peptide of L-plastin (10 amino acids; “MARGSVSDEE”) suppressed the phosphorylation of endogenous L-plastin. Therefore, the formation of nascent sealing zones (NSZs) and bone resorption are reduced. The aim of this study was to develop a biodegradable and biocompatible PLGA nanocarrier that could be loaded with the L-plastin peptide of interest and determine the efficacy in vitro in osteoclast cultures. L-plastin MARGSVSDEE (P1) and scrambled control (P3) peptide-loaded PLGA-PEG nanoparticles (NP1 and NP3, respectively) were synthesized by double emulsion technique. The biological effect of nanoparticles on osteoclasts was evaluated by immunoprecipitation, immunoblotting, rhodamine-phalloidin staining of actin filaments, and pit forming assays. Physical characterization of well-dispersed NP1 and NP3 demonstrated ~130-150 nm size, < 0.07 polydispersity index, ~-3 mV ζ-potential, and a sustained release of the peptide for three weeks. Biological characterization in osteoclast cultures demonstrated the following: NP1 significantly reduced (a) endogenous L-plastin phosphorylation; (b) formation of NSZs and sealing rings; (c) resorption. However, the assembly of podosomes which are critical for cell adhesion was not affected. L-plastin peptide-loaded PLGA-PEG nanocarriers have promising potential for the treatment of diseases associated with bone loss. Future studies will use this sustained release of peptide strategy to systematically suppress osteoclast bone resorption activity in vivo in mouse models demonstrating bone loss.
Granulocyte Functions in Children with Cancer Are Differentially Sensitive to the Toxic Effect of Chemotherapy

To analyze the toxicity associated to chemotherapy upon granulocytes, different functional assays were performed, within days of drug exposure and at time of bone marrow recovery, on polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) from children with cancer. There were no significant postchemotherapy changes in the expression of the different receptors studied nor in the phagocytosis ofStaphylococcus aureus 42D. By contrast, a significant decrease was observed in H2O2 production in PMN recently exposed to chemotherapy with both cytofluorometric and chemiluminescence assays. There was also a decrease in the production of O[horizontal line over dot]2 and in chemotaxis; finally, the intracellular killing of S. aureus 42D andEscherichia coli was reduced. In patients having recovered from drug-induced bone marrow aplasia, PMN functions were found to be normal except for bactericidal activity which was still defective. These observations indicate that, in patients exposed to chemotherapy, some PMN functions are transiently altered, whereas microorganism cell killing is continuously impaired.
Attribution Processes and Interpersonal Accommodation in a Bilingual Setting

A theory of interpersonal accommodation has proposed that if a member of one ethnolinguistic group adopts the language of the other group member, this will evoke positive attitudes in the other and also result in that ethnic member making an effort to accommodate back to the initiator. The present study was designed to demonstrate that using the other's language may not necessarily lead to positive evaluation and reciprocal accommodation. Guided by attribution theory, three conditions were created involving English Canadians who spoke French or English to French Canadian subjects: (1) Subjects were given no information about the language capacity of the English Canadian speaker, (2) the speaker was externally pressured to use French or English, and (3) Subjects were aware that the speaker was capable of speaking French. The results demonstrated that the accommodation model was not sufficient in its original form to account for language choice in all contexts and an elaboration was suggested in attribution terms.
Amyloid-ÃÂ² Oligomers and Aluminum Co-Aggregate to Form Toxic Amyloid Channels in Alzheimers Disease Brain: A New Amyloid-ÃÂ² Channel-Aluminum Hypotheses

Large numbers of senile plaques are thought to be characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but these deposits are also a by-product of normal senescence. In AD and normal brains, senile plaques are primarily composed of amyloid-s peptides (As P) with aluminum (Al). Evidence suggests the oligomerization of As P is part of the molecular mechanism of AD pathogenesis by forming neurotoxic amyloid channels. However, the relationship between Al and AD has been a subject of scientific debate for many years. The complex nature of Al bioavailability has made it difficult to evaluate its toxicity to the human brain. In 2004, Al concentration in CSF of AD patients analyzed to be 1.6 ± 0.4 times higher than normal people. Importantly, AD patients with more Al in CSF showed less MMSE score, indicating Al may decrease cognitive ability. Recently, Al accumulations in sporadic AD and familial AD brains were reported to be much higher than in normal control brains. Above its neurotoxicity, Al3+ has a crucial role as a cross-linker in s-amyloid oligomerization. Therefore, I propose a hypothesis that s-amyloid oligomerizes with Al, forming non-specific cation amyloid channels in cell membranes, which allows calcium to enter cells and finally causes neuronal death by together with Al’s own neurotoxicity.
Does Knowledge of Coronary Artery Calcium Affect Cardiovascular Risk Perception, Likelihood of Taking Action, and Health-Promoting Behavior Change?

Background:Evidence indicates that a healthy lifestyle can reduce cardiovascular disease risk, yet many people engage in unhealthy behaviors. New technologies such as coronary artery calcium (CAC) screening detect atherosclerosis before clinical disease is manifested. Knowledge of an abnormal finding could provide the “teachable moment” to enhance motivation for change. Objective:The aim of this study was to examine how knowledge of CAC score affects risk perception, likelihood of taking action, and health-promoting behavior change in persons at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Methods:This study used a descriptive prospective design with 174 high-risk adults (≥3 major risk factors) recruited at a radiology center offering CAC scans. Baseline self-report surveys using the Perception of Risk of Heart Disease Scale, the Benefits and Barriers Scale, the Quality of Life Index, and the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II were completed immediately after a screening CAC scan but before results were known. Follow-up occurred 3 months later using mailed packets. Results:Participants’ mean age was 58 years; 62% were men, 89% were white, and most were well educated. There was no significant change in risk perception scores over time or between groups, except for a positive interaction in the moderate-risk group (CAC scores of 101–400) (P = .004). Quality of life remained unchanged. Health-promoting behavior changes increased in all groups over time (P < .001). McNemar &khgr;2 analysis indicated that risk reduction medication use increased in all groups, with a significant increase in statin (P < .001) and aspirin (P < .001) intake. Predictors of behavior change were perceived barriers (&bgr; = −.41; P < .001) and quality of life (&bgr; = .44; P < .001). Conclusions:Knowledge of CAC score does impact risk perception for some at-risk groups. This knowledge does enhance motivation for behavior change. Knowledge of CAC score does not impact quality of life. It is hoped that through improved understanding of the effect of CAC scoring on behavior change, nurses can better assist patients to modify behaviors during teachable moments.
Magnetic microprobe design for EM fault attack

Fault attacks constitute a threat against secure integrated circuits. If they can be conducted by different means, a large attention has recently been paid to the EM side-channel. EM fault attacks are performed through near-field probes. To be efficient, these probes must deliver an intense and localized field. Using 3-D electromagnetic simulations, this paper proposes guidelines for the design of an efficient magnetic probe excited by a pulse signal.
Very high prevalence of thyroid nodules detected by high frequency (13 MHz) ultrasound examination

Background The prevalence of thyroid nodules in a healthy population is high: in the German Papillon study, nationwide ultrasound screening of more than 90 000 people using 7·5 MHz scanners revealed the presence of thyroid nodules in 33% of the normal population. A study employing more sensitive 13 MHz scanners has not been conducted so far.
Ex vivo expansion marginally amplifies repopulating cells from baboon peripheral blood mobilized CD34+ cells

Summary. The ability of ex vivo expansion to increase the long‐term repopulating capacity of a graft is still unknown. One problem is the most reliable way to quantify transplantable cells. We addressed this point in a baboon model based on autologous transplantation of serial limiting doses of non‐manipulated or ex vivo‐expanded mobilized CD34+ cells and determined the threshold doses of non‐manipulated and expanded cells which supported long‐term multilineage engraftment. In the expansion group, CD34+ cells were cultured for 6 d with a combination of early acting cytokines (Flt3‐ligand, stem cell factor, thrombopoietin and interleukin 3). Grafted cells were characterized by their surface antigens and biological properties [semisolid assays, long‐term culture‐initiating cells (LTC‐IC) and non‐obese diabetic severe combined immunodeficient reconstituting cells (SRC)]. Animals were followed for at least 12 months post transplantation. The expansion protocol yielded 12·3‐fold, 16·9‐fold, 3·7‐fold, 3·5‐fold and 2·2‐fold increases in CD34+ cells, granulocyte‐‐macrophage colony‐forming units (CFU‐GM), megakaryocyte CFU (CFU‐MK), LTC‐IC and SRC respectively. It induced a modest increase in the long term reconstitutive ability of the graft; the threshold value for long‐term engraftment was 0·5 × 106/kg CD34+ cells in the control group and 0·3 × 106/kg CD34+ cells in the expansion group, although one animal in this latter group remained hypoplastic. Frequencies of SRC had a high predictive value of long‐term engraftment (r > 0·80). The main advantage of the protocol was the acceleration of granulocyte recovery, achieved at the different doses tested. In conclusion, these experiments suggest that this ex vivo expansion protocol marginally amplifies long‐term reconstituting cells.