Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oversold & Underused: Computers in the Classroom [Book Review]

IEEE Technology and Society Magazine, Spring 2003 financiers when the progress of his technical developments did not meet expectation. When he tried to install the first electric light system in New York, he had to deal with the city government that had its own discourse, rhetoric, and political languages. The Languages of Edison’s Light is filled with these kinds of examples, examples showing how speech acts proceed interactively in the real world. The distinct perspective Bazerman adopts in doing the history of Edison’s perhaps most important invention has great strength. But it has a shortcoming, too. The book does not offer a fluent narrative, as many traditional histories do. Although we can understand why the author juxtaposed apparently unrelated stories, readers may still feel the text to be disruptive as the scene jumps abruptly among Wall Street, Menlo Park, the U.S. patent court, Scientific American, product catalogues, New York City government, the Chicago Exhibition, and General Electric. The different stories are united under a common abstract theme. They do not have obvious causal connections, or at least these connections were not obvious to this reader. Readers should realize that what they are going to encounter is not a comprehensive and integrated account of Edison’s entire career, a period of his career, or an invention of his. What they will read is a collection of chapters that look at the history of Edison’s incandescent light from the viewpoint of communication studies.
Social and Geographic Contexts of Water Concerns in Utah

ABSTRACT Public concerns about water issues are key considerations in responding to changing hydrologic conditions. Literature is mixed on the social profiles associated with resource-related risks. Using data from a household survey, we compare concerns about water shortage, climate change impacts on water supply, poor water quality, and flooding. We assess the combined influence of social and locational factors on each concern and variations across three valleys in northern Utah. Generalized linear mixed modeling is used, given the ordinal nature of most variables. Water shortage was the greatest concern, and female, older, nonwhite, and recreationally active respondents were generally more concerned about water issues than their counterparts. Education, income, and religious identity presented more complicated relationships with water concerns, with significant interaction effects with valley geography. This study has implications for improving public involvement in risk management and engendering support for future water policy and planning strategies to address these risks.
Light-induced phase shifts of circadian leaf movements of phaseolus: comparison with the effects of potassium and of ethyl alcohol.

Leaves of Phaseolus coccineus were exposed to high concentrations of KCl (0.1-0.3 M) for periods of 4-5 hr, or to ethyl alcohol (5-30%) for periods of 2 hr. The treatment started at various phases of the free-running circadian rhythm in continuous light. Whereas the K(+) pulses induced only advance phase shifts, i.e., shortening of the periods, the alcohol pulses caused stronger advances and also slight delays, i.e., lengthening of the periods. These delays became stronger with lower concentrations of alcohol (1.7%) applied for a longer time. The lengthening effect by alcohol supplied continuously depends on the intensity of light. The rather high intensity of 3500 lux, resulting in very long free-running periods of about 29 hr, inhibits a further strong lengthening by alcohol. The phases reacting with advances to K(+) and to alcohol are about the same phases that respond to light pulses with advances. The advances are reached at earlier phases of the circadian cycle when the concentration of alcohol or the strength of the light pulse is increased. The phases that respond with advances are those which, according to earlier publications, are within the energy-independent part of the cycle. The phases responding with delays belong to the energy-requiring part of the cycle. Consequently, it is suggested that advances are due to accelerated membrane depolarization and delays are due to stabilizing effects on membranes.
Efficacy, Compliance And Toxicity Factors Are Affecting The Rate Of Normalization Of Body Iron Stores In Thalassemia Patients Using The Deferiprone And Deferoxamine Combination Therapy

The international committee on chelation (ICOC) of deferiprone (L1) and deferoxamine (DFO) combination therapy was the first protocol reported to have achieved normal range body iron store levels (NRBISL) in β-thalassemia major (β-TM) patients. A follow-up study in eight β-TM patients has been designed to investigate the factors affecting the rate of iron removal leading to NRBISL. The patients had variable serum ferritin [mean ± SE (standard error) =1692 ± 366, range 539–3845 μg/L)] and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) T2* relaxation times cardiac (mean ± SE =11.1 ± 2.5, range 4.5–24.2 ms) and liver (mean ± SE = 4.3 ± 1.8, range 1.4–14 ms). Organ function, blood and other biochemical parameters were regularly monitored for toxicity. The ICOC L1 (80–100 mg/kg/day) and DFO (40–60 mg/kg, at least 3 days per week) combination therapy caused an increase in cardiac (mean ± SE =30.2 ± 2.3, range 22–41 ms) and liver (mean ± SE =27.6 ± 2.8, range 9.1–35 ms) T2* and reduction in serum ferritin (mean ± SE = 158 ± 49, range 40–421 μg/L) to within the NRBISL. The rate of normalization was variable and in one case was achieved within 9 months, whereas the longest was about 3 years. The initial iron load, the rate of transfusions, the combination dose protocol and the level of compliance were the major factors affecting the rate of normalization of the iron stores. No serious toxicity was observed during the study period, which lasted a total of 24.7 patient years.
Potassium‐Stimulated Release of [3HJTaurine from Cultured GABAergic and Glutamatergic Neurons

Abstract: The effect of depolarizing concentrations of potassium (56 mM) on the release of [3H]taurine was examined in two types of cultured neurons from mouse brain: cerebral cortex neurons, which are largely GABAergic, and cerebellar neurons, which after treatment with kainate consist almost entirely of glutamatergic granule cells. The release of [3H]taurine was compared to that of γ‐[3H]aminobutyric acid ([3H]GABA) in cortical neurons and to that of D‐[3HJaspartate in granule cells. Cortical neurons responded to potassium stimulation (1 min or continuously) by an immediate increase in [3H]GABA efflux of more than six times over the basal efflux, followed by a sharp decline despite the persistence of the stimulatory agent. The potassium‐induced release of [3H]GABA was largely calcium‐dependent. The release of [3H]taurine was considerably less in magnitude, only doubling after the stimulus, with a time course delayed in both onset and decline. The release of [3H]taurine was partially calcium‐dependent and was also decreased in low‐chloride solutions. In cerebellar granule cells, exposure to potassium resulted in a large (sixfold) and prompt release of D‐[3H]aspartate, largely calcium‐dependent. A totally different pattern was observed for the release of [3H]taurine. A stimulatory effect occurred only when cells were exposed continuously to potassium. Taurine efflux was very delayed, with a broad stimulus plateau reached after 15‐20 min of stimulation. Taurine release was unaffected by omission of calcium, but it was abolished in a low‐chloride medium. These results suggest that taurine is released from cells handling other neuroactive amino acids as neurotransmitters. A co‐release of GABA/taurine or glu‐tamate/taurine is unlikely due to the marked differences observed’ in their efflux patterns, clearly indicating different mechanisms for release. Instead, taurine release may result from a cell response different from the stimulus‐secretion coupling of neurotransmitters.
Peer and Parenting Characteristics of Boys and Girls with Subclinical Attention Problems

Objective: This study examines peer and parenting characteristics of 149 boys and girls with and without subclinical attention problems. Method: Multivariate analyses showed that children with attention problems had higher levels of negative peer nominations and conflict and betrayal in friendships, and their parents tended to use higher levels of negative parenting characteristics compared to comparison children. Children with subclinical attention problems also reported lower levels of positive friendship qualities, and their parents tended to use lower levels of positive parenting characteristics than comparison children. Results: Beyond normative gender differences (e.g., girls reported higher rates of parental involvement than boys), no significant group by gender interactions were found. Conclusion: These findings suggest that both girls and boys who were identified using a subclinical cutoff for attention problems have more difficulties relative to comparison peers across social domains of functioning.
A Five-year Study of Solar Ultraviolet Radiation in Southern Chile (39° S): Potential Impact on Physiology of Coastal Marine Algae?

Abstract This study reports 5 years of (1998–2003) data on continuous solar-irradiation measurements from a scanning spectroradiometer (SUV-100) in Valdivia, Chile (39° S), accompanied by evaluation of the impact of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) on marine macroalgae of this site. UVR conditions showed a strong seasonal variation, which was less pronounced toward longer wavelengths. Daily maximum dose rates (clear days) averaged in winter–summer: UV-B(290–315 nm) 0.30–2.1, UV-B(290–320 nm) 0.70–3.7, UV-A(315–400 nm) 20.6–62.1, UV-A(320–400 nm) 20.2–60.5 W m−2, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) 969–2423 μmol m−2 s−1. The corresponding daily doses (all the days) ranged: UV-B(290–315 nm) 2.6–40.7, UV-B(290–320 nm) 6.7–78.5, UV-A(315–400 nm) 228–1539, UV-A(320–400 nm) 224–1501, and PAR 2008–13308 kJ m−2 d−1. Taking into consideration action spectra of a biological interest, the risk of UV exposure could be up to 37 times higher in summer than in winter. The photosynthetic activity (as maximum quantum yield of chlorophyll fluorescence, Fv/Fm) of the brown alga Lessonia nigrescens from the infralittoral zone was markedly more sensitive to UVR than of the green alga Enteromorpha intestinalis from the upper midlittoral, and the UV-B wave band increased markedly photoinhibition. In L. nigrescens, maximal photoinhibition (40%) took place at weighted (the action spectrum for photoinhibition of photosynthesis) UVR doses of 800 kJ m−2, irrespective of the season (corresponding midsummer daily dose in Valdivia is 480 kJ m−2). In winter, when this alga was at its most sensitive, the weighted UV dose causing 35–40% photoinhibition was around 200 kJ m−2. In E. intestinalis, weighted doses of 800 kJ m−2 resulted in low photoinhibition (<10 %) and no clear seasonal patterns could be inferred. These results confirm that midday summer levels of UV-B and their daily doses in southern Chile are high enough to produce stress to intertidal macroalgae.
Clinical, radiographic and biochemical assessment of IL-1/TNF-alpha antagonist inhibition of bone loss in experimental periodontitis.

OBJECTIVES To assess clinical, radiographic, and biochemical markers as diagnostic indicators of disease activity by comparing ligature-induced bone loss in the presence or absence of IL-1/TNF-alpha antagonist inhibition of bone loss in a primate model. MATERIAL AND METHODS 6 animals with a naturally-occurring gingivitis were evaluated over a 6-week time period following the placement of silk ligatures and initiation of a soft diet. Three animals received intrapapillary injections of soluble receptors (blockers), capable of blocking the biologic activity for both IL-1 and TNF-alpha, and 3 animals received vehicle (control) injections. Injections were given 3X per week over the course of the study. Clinical assessments included a gingival index and quantification of gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) levels. Collected GCF samples were then used in the biochemical assessment of pyridinoline (PYD) and bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP). Radiographic assessment was made using computer-assisted subtraction radiography to measure both bone density (CADIA) values and linear changes in crestal bone height. RESULTS Significant (p<0.01) changes using both radiographic measures occurred between 2 and 4 weeks following initiation of disease in this model. The use of the blockers significantly (p<0.01) reduced the levels of radiographic bone loss by approximately 50% over that found in the control sites. Both biochemical markers showed the greatest increase during the first two weeks of the study with PYD levels increased 35-fold over baseline levels after 1 week. This difference in response was significantly (p<0.05) greater than the levels found in the non-ligated teeth or in the ligated teeth receiving blockers injections. BAP levels showed significant increases in ligated teeth compared to non-ligated teeth, but failed to show any significant differences between animals treated with vehicle and those treated with IL-1/TNF antagonists. In contrast to these radiographic and biochemical effects, there were no significant differences detected between animals treated with antagonists and the control group for any of the clinical measures. CONCLUSIONS The results of this study demonstrate that both subtraction radiography and PYD crevicular fluid levels can detect relative differences in periodontal disease progression, while BAP crevicular fluid levels cannot.
The rise in women’s share of nonfarm employment during the 2007–2009 recession: a historical perspective

This article uses data from the Current Employment Statistics survey to examine changes in women’s and men’s employment during the 2007–2009 recession. The article also places these changes in historical context, comparing them with longer term employment trends observed throughout previous economic downturns. The analysis suggests that the resilience of women’s employment during recessions resulted in women’s holding an unprecedented 50 percent of nonfarm jobs during the most recent downturn. Women’s employment has made some notable strides over the past several decades, strides that partly reflect the payroll growth of women in an expanding group of service-providing industries that employ more women than men.
Surgical procedures and postsurgical tissue processing significantly affect expression of genes and EGFR-pathway proteins in colorectal cancer tissue

An understanding of tissue data variability in relation to processing techniques during and postsurgery would be desirable when testing surgical specimens for clinical diagnostics, drug development, or identification of predictive biomarkers. Specimens of normal and colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues removed during colon and liver resection surgery were obtained at the beginning of surgery and postsurgically, tissue was fixed at 10, 20, and 45 minutes. Specimens were analyzed from 50 patients with primary CRC and 43 with intrahepatic metastasis of CRC using a whole genome gene expression array. Additionally, we focused on the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway and quantified proteins and their phosphorylation status in relation to tissue processing timepoints. Gene and protein expression data obtained from colorectal and liver specimens were influenced by tissue handling during surgery and by postsurgical processing time. To obtain reliable expression data, tissue processing for research and diagnostic purposes needs to be highly standardized.
Retinal heparanase expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVE Heparanase, an endoglycosidase, exhibits strong proangiogenic capacity that can induce vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in tumour angiogenesis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate heparanase expression and its relationship with VEGF in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats' retinas. DESIGN Experimental study. PARTICIPANTS STZ-induced rats and non-diabetic control rats. METHODS Heparanase expression was initially evaluated in cultured human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRECs) under high-glucose conditions by Western blot. Diabetes was induced in Sprague-Dawley rats by STZ intraperitoneal injection. Retinal heparanase expression was assayed in rats by immunohistochemistry. Heparanase inhibitor (phosphomannopentaose sulfate) was administrated to high-glucose-treated HRECs and diabetic rats. VEGF levels were evaluated in HRECs and retinas using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Heparanase expression was increased in HRECs under high-glucose conditions compared with controls (p < 0.01). Immunohistochemical studies indicated that heparanase signals were intense in the retinal vascular endothelia of diabetic rats, but faint in those of nondiabetic control rats. Quantitative analysis showed that heparanase protein expression was increased by 3.2-fold in diabetic rats' retinas compared with nondiabetic rats' retinas (p < 0.01). VEGF level was increased, as was heparanase expression, in high-glucose-treated HRECs and in the retinas of diabetic rats, and these increases were significantly decreased by phosphomannopentaose sulfate administration (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Heparanase expression was upregulated and associated with an increase of VEGF expression in STZ-induced diabetic rat retinas. The data suggest that heparanase may be involved in the development of diabetic retinopathy and represents a possible novel target for therapeutic intervention.
Ultrastructural localization of acetylcholinesterase in substantia nigra: A comparison between rat and guinea pig

The distribution and ultrastructural localization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was examined in the substantia nigra of rat and guinea pig. Although the pars compacta, in both species, is clearly defined when stained with thionin, there is an apparent discrepancy in the distribution of AChE at the light microscope level. In the rat substantia nigra the enzyme appears to be concentrated mainly in the pars compacta, whereas in the guinea pig the AChE seems homogenous throughout the entire substantia nigra. Ultrastructural studies, however, reveal a close correspondence in the morphology of rat and guinea pig substantia nigra. The subcellular localization of AChE is also similar. The between‐species discrepancy seen with the light microscope was attributed to relative differences in level of intensity of staining for AChE. In both rat and guinea pig, the enzyme is localized in two types of neuron and in the extracellular space. The ultrastructural distribution of AChE is discussed with reference to neurochemical studies on its release from nigral neurons.
U.S. Wage Growth and Nonlinearities: The Roles of Inflation and Unemployment

Despite a low unemployment rate, wage growth in the U.S. was negligible during the 2013–2015 period. Conventional linear models of the relationship between wages and unemployment, the so-called wage Phillips curve (WPC), and previous models of the WPC that rely on regime-switching driven only by changes in unemployment, provide a poor fit in the aftermath of the Great Recession. Meanwhile, standard linear theoretical general equilibrium models are based on an assumption that economic agents take into account nominal wages relative to prices when making labor decisions, suggesting that there is a role for inflation in determining the empirical dynamics of the WPC. We employ a nonlinear empirical model to study how the relationship between U.S. wage growth and unemployment changes over the business cycle. In particular, we estimate a threshold vector autoregression with multiple threshold variables and multiple threshold parameters for each threshold variable for the 1965–2015 period. We find that the WPC changes according to the dynamics of both unemployment and inflation. Specifically, it changes as the unemployment rate transitions above or below the two estimated thresholds, defined by 5.03% and 7.77%. Simultaneously, it also evolves depending on whether inflation is above or below 0.38% relative to trend. The results show a strong negative relationship between wage growth and unemployment during periods of expansion when inflation is above its long-run trend. The relationship weakens, although remains negative, during periods of expansions with low inflation and during mild recessions. Our results indicate that the negligible wage growth observed during 2013–2015 was driven not only by labor market slack, as suggested by previous studies, but also by the low inflation environment.
Betulinic acid and its derivatives: a patent review (2008 – 2013)

Introduction: Betulinic acid (BA) is a triterpenoid that can be obtained from renewable resources. BA is cytotoxic to many human tumor cell lines mainly by apoptosis but cell death might also be triggered by nonapoptotic pathways. Many derivatives have been synthesized to improve the very weak solubility of parent BA and to increase its cytotoxicity as well as its selectivity toward tumor cells. Areas covered: A brief introduction into cancer is given reflecting the different pathways this disease might be treated using chemotherapy using natural product analogs especially triterpenes. The different ways of action of BA in cancer cells are discussed. Finally, this review describes the main synthetic modifications that have been performed and discusses, in short, the structure–activity relationships of these analogs, investigated between 2008 and 2013 including some important publications from early 2014. Expert opinion: A number of patents on BA analogs for the chemotherapy of cancer have been reported between 2008 and 2013. Most of these patents deal with modifications at positions C-3, C-20 and C-28. There are only a few compounds meeting the needs of a sufficient hydrosolubility, while retaining high cytotoxicity and selectivity toward tumor cells. Thus, one might expect that there will be some efforts in developing molecules of improved solubility and to find new and more efficient forms of administration (liposomes, transdermal application and nanoemulsions). An important sideline might be the treatment of the age-dependent degeneration of the macula, a possible caveat of which might be a certain degree of CNS toxicity associated with several derivatives of BA.
Design and Modeling of Blue-Enhanced and Bandwidth-Extended PN Photodiode in Standard CMOS Technology

A photodiode (PD) structure based on <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${N} \times {N}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> junctions is presented to enhance the responsivity in the blue region and extend the optical bandwidth. The use of subsections or multiple junctions increase the number of generated blue photo-carriers as well as the collection speed of photo-carriers at the edges of the depletion regions. An N-well/Psub PD formed of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$ {5} \times {5}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> subsections is designed and fabricated in a standard AMS 0.35-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> CMOS technology with an OPTO process option. The PD is compared to a solid structure with a single section having the same optical window of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$100~\mu \text{m} \,\, \times 100~\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. A responsivity improvement of around 10%–15% is measured between 400- and 550-nm wavelengths. The normalized ac responsivity shows a <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$1.7\times $ </tex-math></inline-formula> increase in bandwidth compared with the solid PD at 1-V reverse-bias voltage. S-parameter-based voltage-bias-dependent lumped-RLC models are proposed to accurately represent the optoelectrical conversion and the output impedance for both PDs as a function of the reverse-bias voltage and operating frequency range.