Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selectivity Tuning of Graphene Oxide Based Reliable Gas Sensor Devices by Tailoring the Oxygen Functional Groups: A DFT Study Based Approach

This paper concerns the selectivity tuning of graphene oxide based gas sensor devices, where the role of oxygen functional groups like, carboxyl, carbonyl, hydroxyl (sp<sup>2</sup>), epoxy, and hydroxyl (sp<sup>3</sup>) were investigated for physisorption of NO<sub>2</sub>, NH<sub>3</sub>, CO, and H<sub>2</sub>O using first principle calculation (density functional theory) incorporating Atomistix Toolkit (v2015.1). Among the five functional groups under consideration, carboxyl, carbonyl, and hydroxyl (sp<sup>2</sup>) were considered at the edges on the basal plane, while epoxy and hydroxyl (sp<sup>3</sup>) groups were considered in the plane perpendicular to that. For all the species, the optimum positions for adsorption, adsorption energy and charge transfer efficiency were investigated for the above two planes. It was found that edge carboxyl group is the most favorable in terms of adsorption energy and charge transfer efficiency targeting NH<sub>3</sub>, CO, and H<sub>2</sub>O. On the contrary, for NO<sub>2</sub>, hydroxyl functionalization was found to be the most efficient one.
Collaborative Inquiry and Active Learning as the Focus of Teacher Professional Development in Papua

The paper reports on a teacher professional development program conducted over two years in five different regions within the province of Papua, Indonesia. The goal of the program was to assist Papuan teachers to become more aware of and skilled in the use of interactive classroom pedagogies using local resources. The paper reviews the research around successful professional development programs in developing countries, and outlines the specific cultural, pedagogical, linguistic and resourcing issues encountered in this program. An effective response within the unique context of teacher professional development in Papua necessitated a process of ongoing collaborative inquiry between Australian academics, Papuan academic advisors, local Papuan master coaches and local classroom teacher participants. The paper evaluates the perceptions of participating classroom teachers on what was of importance in the program, gathered through the use of open-ended questions, researcher field notes and participant reflective responses.
Coexpression of lactosyl and ganglioteraosyl gangliosides in rat cerebellar radial glial cells in culture

The expression of gangliosides of the lactosylceramide (LC) and of the gangliotertrasylceramide (GTC) series on the surface of cells from rat embryonic cerebellar tissue was investigated by double‐color indirect immunofluorescence. GD3 was assumed to be representative of LC and was detected using a specific monoclonal antibody. GM1 was assumed to be representative of GTC and was detected using the binding of cholera toxin followed by the binding of cholera toxin antibodies. The expression of polysialosylated GTC (polysialosy‐GTC) was detected using the cholera toxin‐cholera toxin antibody experimental approach after conversion of polysialosyl‐GTC to GM1 by treatment of the cells with neuraminidase.
Dynamic Assessment and Response to Intervention

This article compares and contrasts the main features of dynamic testing and assessment (DT/A) and response to intervention (RTI). The comparison is carried out along the following lines: (a) historical and empirical roots of both concepts, (b) premises underlying DT/A and RTI, (c) terms used in these concepts, (d) use of these concepts, (e) evidence in support of DT/A and RTI, and (f) expectations associated with each of the concepts. The main outcome of this comparison is a conclusion that both approaches belong to one family of methodologies in psychology and education whose key feature is in blending assessment and intervention in one holistic activity. Because DT/A has been around much longer than RTI, it makes sense for the proponents of RTI to consider both the accomplishments and frustrations that have accumulated in the field of DT/A.
Alterations in local cerebral glucose utilization following central administration of corticotropin‐releaseing factor in rats

We have examined the effects of intracerebroventricular administration of corticotropin‐releasing factor (CRF) (5.25 nmol in 10 μl of saline) on glucose utilization, an index of cerebral function, in 65 anatomically discrete regions of rat brain by using the 14C‐2‐deoxyglucose quantitative autoradiographic technique. CRF administration increased plasma glucose concentrations with a temporal onset and magnitude of response similar to those previously reported. CRF differentially affected glucose utilization (GU) in discrete regions of rat brain. Consonant with the hypophysiotropic role for CRF, pronounced increases in GU were seen in median eminence and lateral nucleus of the hypothalamus. CRF also increased GU in brain regions implicated in mediating responses to stress including locus coeruleus and median raphe nucleus. In contrast, reductions in GU were observed in prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens. Punctate increases in GU were noted in the cerebellar cortex. Furthermore, large increases in GU occurred in vermis, inferior olive, and red nucleus substantiating a neurotransmitter role for CRF in the olivocerebellar pathway. Additional brain areas showing significant alterations in GU in response to CRF included anteroventral, anterior pretectal, and posterolateral nuclei of the thalamus, fornix, dorsal tegmental nucleus, spinal trigeminal nucleus, and cuneate nucleus. These data demonstrating regional changes in GU in response to CRF administration further elucidate the neuroanatomical substrates underlying the actions of CRF in brain and support the role of this neuropeptide in coordinating responses to stress.
Multilateral Organisations Performance Assessment : Opportunities and Limitations for Harmonisation among Development Agencies

Donors’ concern with assessing multilateral organisations’ performance reflects an increased focus on effectiveness and development results. The international community is addressing these issues as essential part of the common effort to achieve the internationally agreed Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The paper proposes a taxonomy of four main purposes why bilateral agencies may consider multilateral performance assessments. Unfortunately no single approach currently practiced is appropriate for all four purposes. It is suggested that bilateral agencies should not seek the one magic all-inclusive approach. While recognising the importance of donors’ political and administrative traditions, three types of donor systems are identified: (a) donors that “administrate multilateral performance”, (b) donors showing “management of multilateral performances” and (c) donors exercising “multilateral performance management”. In practice and with regard to harmonization, a modularised strategy seems to be a functional way to make multilateral performance assessment work for all.
An Algorithm for Supervised Driving of Cooperative Semi-Autonomous Vehicles

Before reaching full autonomy, vehicles will gradually be equipped with more and more advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), effectively rendering them semi-autonomous. However, current ADAS technologies seem unable to handle complex traffic situations, notably when dealing with vehicles arriving from the sides, either at intersections or when merging on highways. The high rate of accidents in these settings proves that they constitute difficult driving situations. Moreover, intersections and merging lanes are often the source of important traffic congestion and, sometimes, deadlocks. In this paper, we propose a cooperative framework to safely coordinate semi-autonomous vehicles in such settings, removing the risk of collision or deadlocks while remaining compatible with human driving. More specifically, we present a supervised coordination scheme that overrides control inputs from human drivers when they would result in an unsafe or blocked situation. To avoid unnecessary intervention and remain compatible with human driving, overriding only occurs when collisions or deadlocks are imminent. In this case, safe overriding controls are chosen while ensuring they deviate minimally from those originally requested by the drivers. Simulation results based on a realistic physics simulator show that our approach is scalable to real-world scenarios, and computations can be performed in real time on a standard computer for up to a dozen simultaneous vehicles.
Reliability Tradeoffs and Scaling Issues of Read Drain Bias in nor Flash Memory

Drain read disturb (DRD) is becoming an intrinsic reliability concern for NOR flash scaling and multilevel cell operation. There is a tradeoff between reducing this concern via drain voltage reduction and the effect of that reduction on random telegraph signal (RTS) noise and measured charge detrapping for cycled cells. A DRD time-to-error model has been generated, which takes into consideration voltage dependence, read cycling, and Poisson random statistics. This model can be used for wafer-level tests that allow the quantification of the read window budget tradeoff of the drain voltage with DRD, RTS, and charge-detrapping effects. Models for the read drain voltage effect on RTS and charge detrapping are also presented. These models show that RTS increases with reduced drain voltage due to the mobility effect of the increased gate field. Together, the models allow the optimization of read drain voltage for a given product usage model and the wafer-level assessment of process improvements to ensure that products meet the reliability requirements.
BOUNDARY SPANNING AND LEADERSHIP PERCEPTIONS IN CREATIVE ORGANIZATIONS: EVIDENCE FROM FOUR ORCHESTRAS

OF DISSERTATION BOUNDARY SPANNING AND LEADERSHIP PERCEPTIONS IN CREATIVE ORGANIZATIONS: EVIDENCE FROM FOUR ORCHESTRAS My research examines the importance of a particular form of cross-group brokerage in social networks wherein a person represents a bridge between his or her group and people belonging to a different group. Prior research on network brokerage and leadership emergence has failed to distinguish between brokerage in general and the kind of boundary-spanning between groups that is the focus of my research. Moreover, what we currently know about social network brokerage and leadership emergence comes either from highly abstracted laboratory-based work, or it comes research in relatively traditional work organizations with clear formal structures. It is unclear whether prior research from traditional organizational settings can be applied to nontraditional organizations in the so-called “creative industries,” which are the focus of my research. The core hypotheses my research examines are: (1) Do individuals whose friendship networks help them bridge between groups emerge as leaders in the eyes of others? And (2) Are people who are socially perceptive and socially skilled better at leveraging such boundary-spanning positions to win nominations of leadership from others? Data from the study come from interview and survey data from four different musical orchestras based in Korea.
How the personal support networks of people with intellectual disability promote participation and engagement

Background: Social inclusion has been defined as an interaction between major life domains, including interpersonal relationships and community participation among other factors. Understanding the manner in which these life domains may inter-connect could inform efforts to promote social inclusion. This paper explores the role of personal support network members in establishing and maintaining community participation of a person with an intellectual disability.Method: An ethnographic research design allowed exploration of network interactions over a three-year period. In-depth interviews and participant observations were undertaken with nine people with an intellectual disability and their network members.Results: The networks promoted participation using various strategies. The person and their network gathered and shared information to determine what was meaningful to the person. Information about success was used to adapt developing strategies, enhance support, and build on existing gains.Conclusions: Personal networks provided insight into the practical and relational aspects of participation, and the importance of balancing risk and autonomy, vulnerability and freedom. Respect for the personhood, importance and dignity of each person at the centre of the network influenced this work.
Dissection of Individual Prostate Lobes in Mouse Models of Prostate Cancer to Obtain High Quality RNA

Genetically engineered mouse models of prostate cancer allow for study of disease progression from localized tumor formation through distal metastasis. The anatomy of the mouse prostate differs dramatically from the human prostate, being composed of four lobe pairs (anterior, dorsal, lateral, and ventral), making the identification and dissection technically challenging. Although the entire murine prostate and surrounding tissue, including urethra, bladder, seminal vesicles, and associated adipose tissue, can be quickly dissected for en bloc analysis, it is necessary to isolate individual prostate lobes for gene expression studies elucidating the molecular mechanisms of prostate cancer. The procedure as described here includes full color images, allowing the researcher to appreciate the unique prostate morphology and tissue manipulation required to harvest individual prostate lobes. Along with removing all extraneous tissue, the procedure allows for direct comparison of the different prostate lobes by established downstream techniques. Importantly, high quality RNA required for next‐generation gene expression analysis can only consistently be obtained from ventral and lateral lobes. Finally, preclinical studies using prostate targeted therapies can be monitored specifically in individual prostate lobes for histological and gene expression studies. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 14–18, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Improvement of pneumococcal pneumonia diagnostics by the use of rt-PCR on plasma and respiratory samples

Abstract Background: The aim of the study was to assess the performance of a real-time polymerase chain reaction (rt-PCR) assay on plasma and respiratory samples for the diagnosis of pneumococcal pneumonia. Methods: Three hundred and forty patients (160 children and 180 adults) with community-acquired pneumonia were included prospectively from January 2011 to May 2012. Blood samples were obtained simultaneously for culture and rt-PCR targeting the lytA gene. Respiratory samples were also obtained: nasopharyngeal swab in nearly all patients and sputum or tracheal aspirate when available. Results: Streptococcus pneumoniae was detected in 222 (65%) of 340 patients: 143 (89%) children and 79 (44%) adults. Pneumonia was assigned as definite pneumococcal in 96 (28.2%) of 340 patients, according to S. pneumoniae detected in blood: in 54 (33.8%) children – by rt-PCR in 51 (31.9%) and by culture in 5 (3.1%); and in 42 (23.3%) adults – by rt-PCR in 41 (22.8%) and by culture in 12 (6.7%). Pneumonia was considered as probably pneumococcal in 19 (10.6%) adults according to S. pneumoniae detected in sputum/tracheal aspirate, by rt-PCR in 19 and by culture in 5. In 18 adults and 89 children with S. pneumoniae detected only in the nasopharynx, pneumonia was considered as possibly pneumococcal; however it should be noted that nasopharyngeal colonization with S. pneumoniae is also common in children with other aetiologies of pneumonia. Conclusions: rt-PCR on plasma and other samples performed significantly better than culture for the detection of pneumococcal pneumonia (p < 0.0005) in children and adults.
Intestinal and systemic humoral immunological events in the susceptible Balb/C mouse strain after oral administration of Echinococcus multilocularis eggs

The aim of the study was to investigate the systemic and, for the first time, the intestinal humoral events in the susceptible Balb/C mouse strain after oral administration of Echinococcus multilocularis eggs. Thirty‐one mice were divided into three groups; W‐2 , W‐8 and control group. Each mouse of the W‐2 and W‐8 groups was orally infected with 1,500 E. multilocularis eggs, two weeks and eight weeks before sacrifice respectively. Control group mice received phosphate buffer saline. Measurement of anti‐E. multilocularis and non‐specific IgG, IgA and IgM, and of a transudation marker, albumin, were performed in serum and intestinal washings by a time‐resolved immunofluorometric assay. These results were complemented by microscopic examination of the intestinal mucosa. This infection model is well‐suited to the study of mucosal immunity during alveolar echinococcosis. It showed a major specific intestinal response in the early stage of the disease whereas the systemic response predominated later in the disease. Histopathological studies and calculation of the relative coefficient of excretion of Ig also confirmed that the presence of the parasite, even during a short period, was responsible for a local immunological and inflammatory response and for a change in mucosal permeability. Mucosal immunity could thus play a role in tolerance induction against E. multilocularis that could be a prerequisite for the subsequent development of the larvae in the liver, and for the occurrence of the parasitic disease, alveolar echinococcosis.
A Successful Model for Clinical Training in Child/Adolescent Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Graduate Psychiatric Advanced Practice Nursing Students

BACKGROUND: Graduate faculty in advanced practice nursing programs seek to provide clinical training in psychotherapy for psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) students and prepare them for practice with patients across the lifespan, including children and adolescents. OBJECTIVE: To develop a clinical training model for child/adolescent cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) that is adaptable to all graduate nursing programs including online, classroom, and blended programs. DESIGN: Clinical training included a didactic 4-hour workshop and 7 small group practice sessions utilizing Creating Opportunities for Personal Empowerment (COPE), a manualized CBT program for teens. Students completed post–clinical training evaluations. Using qualitative design, responses to the open-ended questions were analyzed and common themes identified. RESULTS: One hundred seven PMHNP students completed evaluations. Four themes emerged from the data: (a) therapeutic understanding of adapting CBT for children and adolescents, (b) therapeutic skills and techniques for use with children/adolescents, (c) improved level of confidence through participation in the CBT program, and (d) therapeutic benefits of being in a group. CONCLUSIONS: Positive PMHNP student evaluations indicated that this clinical training model is feasible both online and face-to-face and acceptable for providing clinical training in CBT for children and adolescents.
Molecular characterization of seven beta‐thalassemia mutations in Asian Indians.

To characterize systematically the mutations which produce beta‐thalassemia in Asian Indians, we first determined the DNA polymorphism haplotype in the beta‐globin gene cluster of 44 beta‐thalassemia chromosomes in the ethnic group. Nine different haplotypes were observed. Upon molecular cloning and partial DNA sequencing of one beta‐gene from each of eight haplotypes and two from the ninth, seven different mutations were found. None of these have been identified in Mediterranean patients, even among the five haplotypes which appeared identical in the two groups. Asian Indian mutations included one nonsense and three frameshift mutations, one deletion affecting an acceptor splice site, and two mutations affecting a donor splice site. The correlation of a specific mutation with a specific haplotype was high but not invariant. Two mutations were associated with more than one haplotype but, in each instance, the mutation spread to a new haplotype could be explained most simply by recombination 5′ to the beta‐globin gene. In addition, four mutations, one reported here and three others previously reported, have been observed on two chromosome backgrounds that are identical except for the status of a polymorphic HinfI site 5′ to the beta gene. This HinfI site does not show significant linkage disequilibrium with markers both 5′ and 3′ to it, suggesting that it lies within a region of relative sequence randomization.
Retrograde Plastid Redox Signals in the Expression of Nuclear Genes for Chloroplast Proteins of Arabidopsis thaliana*

Excitation imbalances between photosystem I and II generate redox signals in the thylakoid membrane of higher plants which induce acclimatory changes in the structure of the photosynthetic apparatus. They affect the accumulation of reaction center and light-harvesting proteins as well as chlorophylls a and b. In Arabidopsis thaliana the re-adjustment of photosystem stoichiometry is mainly mediated by changes in the number of photosystem I complexes, which are accompanied by corresponding changes in transcripts for plastid reaction center genes. Because chloroplast protein complexes contain also many nuclear encoded components we analyzed the impact of such photosynthetic redox signals on nuclear genes. Light shift experiments combined with application of the electron transport inhibitor 3-(3′,4′-dichlorophenyl)-1,1′-dimethyl urea have been performed to induce defined redox signals in the thylakoid membrane. Using DNA macroarrays we assessed the impact of such redox signals on the expression of nuclear genes for chloroplast proteins. In addition, studies on mutants with lesions in cytosolic photoreceptors or in chloroplast-to-nucleus communication indicate that the defective components in the mutants are not essential for the perception and/or transduction of light-induced redox signals. A stable redox state of glutathione suggest that neither glutathione itself nor reactive oxygen species are involved in the observed regulation events pointing to the thylakoid membrane as the main origin of the regulatory pathways. Our data indicate a distinct role of photosynthetic redox signals in the cellular network regulating plant gene expression. These redox signals appear to act independently and/or above of cytosolic photoreceptor or known chloroplast-to-nucleus communication avenues.
Pathophysiology of Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease, which varies in severity from mild to severe. Factors determining the severity of pancreatitis are not known. It is generally believed that the earliest events in the evolution of acute pancreatitis lead to premature intra-acinar cell activation of digestive zymogens and that those enzymes, once activated cause acinar cell injury. Recent studies have suggested that the ultimate severity of resulting pancreatitis may be determined by events which occur subsequent to acinar cell injury. These include inflammatory cell recruitment and activation as well as the generation and release of cytokines and other chemical mediators of inflammation. Recently, we have undertaken studies to elucidate the role of various inflammatory agents in determining the severity of pancreatitis. Results from these ongoing studies indicate that substance P acting via neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptors, chemokines interacting with CCR1 receptors and platelet activating factor play an important pro-inflammatory role in regulating the severity of pancreatitis and associated lung injury. On the other hand, complement factor 5a (C5a) acts as an anti-inflammatory agent during the development of pancreatitis.