Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Asynchronous Distance Learning And Blended Learning In Terms Of Learner Autonomy, Motivation And Academic Success In Teachıng English

Bu calismanin temel amaci asenkron (es zamansiz) uzaktan ogrenme (AUO) ile harmanlanmis ogrenmeyi (HO) ogrenen ozerkligi, motivasyon ve akademik basari acisindan karsilastirmaktir. Mevcut calismada, asenkron uzaktan ogrenme ogrencilerin zamandan ve mekândan bagimsiz olarak Ingilizce ogrenme surecini; harmanlanmis ogrenme ise, ogrencilerin AUO surecine ek olarak yuz yuze Ingilizce ogrenme sureci icerisinde bulunmalarini ifade etmektedir. Bu calisma ayrica AUO ve HO gruplari icerisinde yer alan ogrencilerin akademik basarilari ile ogrenen ozerklikleri veya motivasyonlari arasinda ve buna ek olarak motivasyonlari ve ozerklikleri arasinda bir iliski olup olmadigini arastirmayi amaclamaktadir. Mevcut calisma, asenkron (es zamansiz) uzaktan ogrenmeye ve harmanlanmis ogrenmeye yonelik ogrenci goruslerine de yer vermektedir. Bu calismanin katilimcilarini Dicle Universitesi Ziraat Muhendisligi, Insaat Muhendisligi ve Veterinerlik Fakultelerinde okuyan 145 ogrenci olusturmaktadir. Katilimcilar, deney ve kontrol grubu olmak uzere iki gruba ayrilmistir. 114 ogrenciden olusan kontrol grubu yalnizca asenkron (es zamansiz) uzaktan ogrenme sureci icerisinde bulunmuslardir; 31 ogrenciden olusan deney grubu ise asenkron uzaktan ogrenmeye ek olarak yuz yuze egitim sureci icerisinde de yer almislardir. Sonuclar harmanlanmis ogrenme grubunun ozerklik, motivasyon ve akademik basari duzeylerinin asenkron uzaktan ogrenme grubuna gore daha yuksek oldugunu gostermistir. Sonuclara gore, HO ogrencilerinin akademik basari ve motivasyonlari ile hem HO hem de AUO ogrencilerinin motivasyonlari ve ozerklikleri arasinda anlamli bir iliski bulunmustur. Fakat, HO ve AUO ogrencilerinin akademik basari ve ozerklikleri arasinda ve AUO ogrencilerinin akademik basari ve motivasyonlari arasinda anlamli bir iliski bulunamamistir. Ogrenci algilari acisindan ise AUO ogrencilerinin uzaktan egitim ile ogrenmekten memnun olmadiklari ama HO ogrencilerinin yuz yuze egitime ek olarak AUO sureci icerisinde yer almaktan memnun olduklari gorulmustur.
Genetic testing for retinal dystrophies and dysfunctions: benefits, dilemmas and solutions

Human retinal dystrophies have unparalleled genetic and clinical diversity and are currently linked to more than 185 genetic loci. Genotyping is a crucial exercise, as human gene‐specific clinical trials to study photoreceptor rescue are on their way. Testing confirms the diagnosis at the molecular level and allows for a more precise prognosis of the possible future clinical evolution. As treatments are gene‐specific and the ‘window of opportunity’ is time‐sensitive; accurate, rapid and cost‐effective genetic testing will play an ever‐increasing crucial role. The gold standard is sequencing but is fraught with excessive costs, time, manpower issues and finding non‐pathogenic variants. Therefore, no centre offers testing of all currently 132 known genes. Several new micro‐array technologies have emerged recently, that offer rapid, cost‐effective and accurate genotyping. The new disease chips from Asper Ophthalmics (for Stargardt dystrophy, Leber congenital amaurosis [LCA], Usher syndromes and retinitis pigmentosa) offer an excellent first pass opportunity. All known mutations are placed on the chip and in 4 h a patient's DNA is screened. Identification rates (identifying at least one disease‐associated mutation) are currently ∼70% (Stargardt), ∼60–70% (LCA) and ∼45% (Usher syndrome subtype 1). This may be combined with genotype–phenotype correlations that suggest the causal gene from the clinical appearance (e.g. preserved para‐arteriolar retinal pigment epithelium suggests the involvement of the CRB1 gene in LCA). As ∼50% of the retinal dystrophy genes still await discovery, these technologies will improve dramatically as additional novel mutations are added. Genetic testing will then become standard practice to complement the ophthalmic evaluation.
Symbol Grounding: A Bridge from Artificial Life to Artificial Intelligence

This paper develops a bridge from AL issues about the symbol-matter relation to AI issues about symbol-grounding by focusing on the concepts of formality and syntactic interpretability. Using the DNA triplet-amino acid specification relation as a paradigm, it is argued that syntactic properties can be grounded as high-level features of the non-syntactic interactions in a physical dynamical system. This argument provides the basis for a rebuttal of John Searle's recent assertion that syntax is observer-relative (1990, 1992). But the argument as developed also challenges the classic symbol-processing theory of mind against which Searle is arguing, as well as the strong AL thesis that life is realizable in a purely computational medium. Finally, it provides a new line of support for the autonomous systems approach in AL and AI (Varela & Bourgine 1992a, 1992b).
Pulsed laser-induced damage to thin-film optical coatings - Part II: Theory

In this paper the theories of avalanche ionization, multiphoton absorption, and impurity-initiated laser-induced damage are treated. At first inspection, none of these theories adequately describe the experimental observations of the variation of pulsed laser damage threshold in optical thin films with changes in material property, laser wavelength, pulse length, or film thickness. However, it is shown that the inclusion of a Mie absorption cross section for a range of dielectric impurity sizes provides a good description of the database with the impurity model. It is also shown that the thermal properties of the host film material and impurity are of considerable importance in explaining observed experimental data.
Fuel Properties of Biodiesel Produced from Balci Variety Oil of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorious L.) / Aspir (Carthamus Tınctorıous L.) Yağının Balcı Türünden Üretilen Biyodizelin Yakıt Özellikleri

In this study, the production of biodiesel from the cold pressed oil of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) of Balci variety grown in Yozgat ecological condition has been carried out. The oil yield of Balci seed and the biodiesel output of the oil were studied in order to know the productivity of the oil. The fuel properties of biodiesel assessed includes, density (15 oC), flash point, kinematic viscosity (40 oC), cloud point, pour point, freezing point, water content, calorific value, pH and copper strip corrosion. The fuel properties of the biodiesel produced were compared with that of TS EN 14214. Ozet: Bu calismada Yozgat ekolojik sartlarinda yetistirilmis olan aspir (Carthamus tinctorius L.) bitkisinin soguk presle elde edilen yagindan biyodizel uretimi gerceklestirilmistir. Yagin uretkenligini ogrenebilmek amaciyla Balci tohumunun yag ciktisi ve yagdan biyodizel uretimi incelenmistir. Biyodizelin yogunlugu (15 oC), parlama noktasi, kinematik viskozitesi (40 oC), bulutlanma noktasi, akma noktasi, donma noktasi, su icerigi, kalorifik degeri, pH degeri ve bakir soyma korozyon degeri degerlendirilmistir. Uretilen biyodizelin ozellikleri, TS EN 14214 standardindaki yakit ozellikleri ile karsilastirilmistir.
Binding bound variables in epistemic contexts

ABSTRACT Quine insisted that the satisfaction of an open modalised formula by an object depends on how that object is described. Kripke's ‘objectual’ interpretation of quantified modal logic, whereby variables are rigid, is commonly thought to avoid these Quinean worries. Yet there remain residual Quinean worries for epistemic modality. Theorists have recently been toying with assignment-shifting treatments of epistemic contexts. On such views an epistemic operator ends up binding all the variables in its scope. One might worry that this yields the undesirable result that any attempt to ‘quantify in’ to an epistemic environment is blocked. If quantifying into the relevant constructions is vacuous, then such views would seem hopelessly misguided and empirically inadequate. But a famous alternative to Kripke's semantics, namely Lewis' counterpart semantics, also faces this worry since it also treats the boxes and diamonds as assignment-shifting devices. As I'll demonstrate, the mere fact that a variable is bound is no obstacle to binding it. This provides a helpful lesson for those modelling de re epistemic contexts with assignment sensitivity, and perhaps leads the way toward the proper treatment of binding in both metaphysical and epistemic contexts: Kripke for metaphysical modality, Lewis for epistemic modality.
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder: a category or a continuum? Genetic analysis of a large-scale twin study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate heritability and continuum versus categorical approaches to attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), using a large-scale twin sample. METHOD A cohort of 1,938 families with twins and siblings aged 4 to 12 years, recruited from the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council Twin Registry, was assessed for ADHD using a DSM-III-R-based maternal rating scale. Probandwise concordance rates and correlations in monozygotic and dizygotic twins and siblings were calculated, and heritability was examined using the De Fries and Fulker regression technique. RESULTS There was a narrow (additive) heritability of 0.75 to 0.91 which was robust across familial relationships (twin, sibling, and twin-sibling) and across definitions of ADHD as part of a continuum or as a disorder with various symptom cutoffs. There was no evidence for nonadditive genetic variation or for shared family environmental effects. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that ADHD is best viewed as the extreme of a behavior that varies genetically throughout the entire population rather than as a disorder with discrete determinants. This has implications for the classification of ADHD and for the identification of genes for this behavior, as well as implications for diagnosis and treatment.
Involvement of Histone Demethylase LSD1 in Blimp-1-Mediated Gene Repression during Plasma Cell Differentiation

ABSTRACT Plasma cell differentiation is orchestrated by the transcriptional repressor B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1), which silences the gene expression program of mature B cells. The molecular mechanism underlying Blimp-1 suppression of mature B-cell gene expression is not fully understood. Here we report that a proline-rich domain in Blimp-1 directly interacts with LSD1, a histone lysine demethylase. Both LSD1 knockdown and expression of Blimp-1 lacking the proline-rich domain derepressed the activities of Blimp-1-dependent luciferase reporters. Disruption of the Blimp-1 interaction with LSD1 or reduced LSD1 expression attenuated antibody production, demonstrating the biological significance of this interaction. Finally, using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we showed that Blimp-1 binding to its target sites is accompanied by LSD1 binding to those same sites and that LSD1 binding correlates with histone modifications of accessible chromatin. These findings provide further insights into the molecular mechanism of the silencing of mature B-cell genes by Blimp-1 in plasma cell differentiation.
Evaluation of the safety, efficacy, and versatility of a new surgical energy device (THUNDERBEAT) in comparison with Harmonic ACE, LigaSure V, and EnSeal devices in a porcine model.

BACKGROUND THUNDERBEAT™ (TB) (Olympus, Japan) simultaneously delivers ultrasonically generated frictional heat energy and electrically generated bipolar energy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the versatility, bursting pressure, thermal spread, and dissection time of the TB compared with commercially available devices: Harmonic(®) ACE (HA) (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, USA), LigaSure™ V (LIG) (Covidien, USA), and EnSeal(®) (Ethicon). METHODS An acute study was done with 10 female Yorkshire pigs (weighing 30-35 kg). Samples 2 cm long of small (2-3 mm)-, medium (4-5 mm)-, and large (6-7 mm)-diameter vessels were created. One end of the sample was sent for histological evaluation, and the other was used for burst pressure testing in a blinded fashion. Versatility was defined as the performance of the surgical instrument based on the following five variables, using a score from 1 to 5 (1=worst, 5=best), adjusted by coefficient of variable importance with weighted distribution: hemostasis, 0.275; histologic sealing, 0.275; cutting, 0.2; dissection, 0.15; and tissue manipulation, 0.1. There were 80 trials per vessel group and 60 trials per instrument group, giving a total of 240 samples. RESULTS Versatility score was higher (P<.01) and dissection time was shorter (P<.01) using TB compared with the other three devices. Bursting pressure was similar among TB and the other three instruments. Thermal spread at surgery was similar between TB and HA (P=.4167), TB and EnSeal (P=.6817), and TB and LIG (P=.8254). Difference in thermal spread was noted between EnSeal and HA (P=.0087) and HA and LIG (P=.0167). CONCLUSION TB has a higher versatility compared with the other instruments tested with faster dissection speed, similar bursting pressure, and acceptable thermal spread. This new energy device is an appealing, safe alternative for cutting, coagulation, and tissue dissection during surgery and should decrease time and increase versatility during surgical procedures.
Side Effects of Ambient Noise Immunity Techniques on Outdoor IEEE 802.11 Deployments

A very common conclusion of many experimental studies about IEEE 802.11 outdoor network deployments is that their poor performance results derive from the unfavorable interference and multi-path signals in which the WLAN-cards are required to operate. Goal of this paper is to show that this condition does not always hold, and unexpected and inaccurated PHY layer implementations can be a primary cause of packet losses. With the support of extensive measurement campaigns led in our campus, we provide the performance evidence that IEEE 802.11 outdoor performance impairments are strongly affected by proprietary interference mitigation techniques that adaptively adjust the WLAN-card receiver sensitivity thresholds on the basis of the perceived noise levels. Because of the immediate relationship between these receiver sensitivity parameters with the carrier sense functions, we show how, in highly interfered outdoor scenarios, interference mitigation algorithms may cause tremendous amplifications of either the hidden or the exposed terminal phenomena, thus determining dramatic wireless link failures. Surprisingly, deactivating such mechanisms allows to achieve high link quality performance.
Sequence analysis of hepatitis C virus variants producing discrepant results with two different genotyping assays

Methods for identifying the genotype of hepatitis C virus (HCV) in clinical specimens are frequently based upon the direct characterisation of viral RNA sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, or by serologically based methods, in which the infecting genotype is inferred from the pattern of antibody reactivity to type‐specific peptides or recombinant proteins used as antigens in an Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA). Although genotyping by direct, PCR‐based methods show generally highly concordant results with the genotype inferred from serological typing assays (>95% agreement), there exist a small number of samples that produce discrepant results. To investigate the underlying reasons for the discrepancies, we obtained eleven samples from haemophiliacs and four samples from patients with chronic hepatitis C that produced discordant results between a PCR based assay (InnoLipa I and II) and a serotyping assay (Murex HC02). Nucleotide sequences in the 5′noncoding region (5′NCR), core, and NS4 region were used to identify the genotype of the circulating virus and to identify amino acid changes in NS4 that might alter antigenicity. In 14 samples, sequence analysis of all three regions was concordant with the results of the InnoLipa assay. There were few if any amino acid substitutions in NS4 that might have accounted for the discrepant serotyping results, which were found predominantly in samples from individuals with a history of multiple exposure to HCV. It remains unclear whether the detection of antibody in such discrepant samples corresponds to previous expression of a different genotype than detected by PCR, or whether the virus population in plasma is more restricted in genotype diversity than the population in the liver or at other sites of viral replication. J. Med. Virol. 53:237–244, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Endoscopic endonasal approach for mass resection of the pterygopalatine fossa

OBJECTIVES: Access to the pterygopalatine fossa is very difficult due to its complex anatomy. Therefore, an open approach is traditionally used, but morbidity is unavoidable. To overcome this problem, an endoscopic endonasal approach was developed as a minimally invasive procedure. The surgical aim of the present study was to evaluate the utility of the endoscopic endonasal approach for the management of both benign and malignant tumors of the pterygopalatine fossa. METHOD: We report our experience with the endoscopic endonasal approach for the management of both benign and malignant tumors and summarize recent recommendations. A total of 13 patients underwent surgery via the endoscopic endonasal approach for pterygopalatine fossa masses from 2014 to 2016. This case group consisted of 12 benign tumors (10 juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibromas and two schwannomas) and one malignant tumor. RESULTS: No recurrent tumor developed during the follow-up period. One residual tumor (juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma) that remained in the cavernous sinus was stable. There were no significant complications. Typical sequelae included hypesthesia of the maxillary nerve, trismus, and dry eye syndrome. CONCLUSION: The low frequency of complications together with the high efficacy of resection support the use of the endoscopic endonasal approach as a feasible, safe, and beneficial technique for the management of masses in the pterygopalatine fossa.
Changements climatiques et herbivorie : influence sur la régénération et le potentiel d'avenir des forêts mélangées

L’inquietude au sujet du devenir des forets temperees de moyenne montagne va croissant, du fait du changement climatique d’une part, et des difficultes de regeneration liees a la pression exercee par les grands ongules d’autre part. Les populations d’ongules herbivores connaissent en effet une forte augmentation depuis le milieu du XXeme siecle dans l’hemisphere Nord ; et leur abroutissement selectif, du a leurs preferences alimentaires, exerce une forte pression sur la regeneration, dont l’intensite sur les essences varie selon leur appetence. La reponse de la regeneration au changement climatique en termes de survie et de croissance demeure meconnue, mais de premiers resultats suggerent qu’elle pourrait etre encore plus affectee que les arbres adultes, et de maniere differentielle egalement du fait des diverses autecologies des essences. Dans ce contexte de changements globaux, le recours aux forets melangees est envisage comme une option valable de minimisation des risques. Comment caracteriser la reponse de la regeneration a ces deux pressions de selection, et quel pourrait etre l’avenir d’un peuplement melange dans ce contexte ? Notre etude se focalise sur les effets de l’abroutissement par les grands ongules et du changement climatique sur la regeneration du sapin, du hetre et de l’epicea en melange. Nous utilisons pour cela diverses approches. Nous montrons que la germination et l’installation de semis de hetres n’est pas affectee par l’eclairement au sol plus faible en situation de melange. Nous mettons en evidence une quasi-inversion d’essences entre sapin et epicea au niveau de la strate de regeneration, beneficiant a l’epicea, lorsqu’ils sont soumis a une forte pression d’abroutissement. A l’echelle des traits foliaires, nous trouvons des reponses differentes entre les trois essences aux pressions du climat et de l’abroutissement, le sapin etant le seul a exprimer une reponse claire a l’abroutissement (tissus plus resistants, augmentation du rapport C/N foliaire). Nos resultats demontrent egalement une diminution de l’abroutissement avec l’augmentation de la temperature hivernale et un effet plus important de l’abroutissement que de la temperature printaniere sur la croissance des semis de sapin, hetre, erable. Enfin, via une approche de modelisation, nous avons simule la dynamique d’un peuplement melange de sapin, hetre et epicea sur une duree de 100 ans, et montre une modification des seuils de tolerance a la secheresse par l’abroutissement, et vailde la possible disparition du sapin dans des scenarios comprenant abroutissement et changement climatique. Ces travaux soulignent l’influence des grands ongules en interaction avec les conditions climatiques sur la dynamique de la regeneration forestiere, et l’importance de prendre cette pression en compte dans les protocoles de recherche destines a etudier l’evolution de la regeneration en contexte climatique changeant.
Mechanisms and implications of transcription blockage by guanine-rich DNA sequences

Various DNA sequences that interfere with transcription due to their unusual structural properties have been implicated in the regulation of gene expression and with genomic instability. An important example is sequences containing G-rich homopurine-homopyrimidine stretches, for which unusual transcriptional behavior is implicated in regulation of immunogenesis and in other processes such as genomic translocations and telomere function. To elucidate the mechanism of the effect of these sequences on transcription we have studied T7 RNA polymerase transcription of G-rich sequences in vitro. We have shown that these sequences produce significant transcription blockage in an orientation-, length- and supercoiling-dependent manner. Based upon the effects of various sequence modifications, solution conditions, and ribonucleotide substitutions, we conclude that transcription blockage is due to formation of unusually stable RNA/DNA hybrids, which could be further exacerbated by triplex formation. These structures are likely responsible for transcription-dependent replication blockage by G-rich sequences in vivo.
Absence of sclerostin adversely affects B‐cell survival

Increased osteoblast activity in sclerostin‐knockout (Sost−/−) mice results in generalized hyperostosis and bones with small bone marrow cavities resulting from hyperactive mineralizing osteoblast populations. Hematopoietic cell fate decisions are dependent on their local microenvironment, which contains osteoblast and stromal cell populations that support both hematopoietic stem cell quiescence and facilitate B‐cell development. In this study, we investigated whether high bone mass environments affect B‐cell development via the utilization of Sost−/− mice, a model of sclerosteosis. We found the bone marrow of Sost−/− mice to be specifically depleted of B cells because of elevated apoptosis at all B‐cell developmental stages. In contrast, B‐cell function in the spleen was normal. Sost expression analysis confirmed that Sost is primarily expressed in osteocytes and is not expressed in any hematopoietic lineage, which indicated that the B‐cell defects in Sost−/− mice are non‐cell autonomous, and this was confirmed by transplantation of wild‐type (WT) bone marrow into lethally irradiated Sost−/− recipients. WT→Sost−/− chimeras displayed a reduction in B cells, whereas reciprocal Sost−/−→WT chimeras did not, supporting the idea that the Sost−/− bone environment cannot fully support normal B‐cell development. Expression of the pre‐B‐cell growth stimulating factor, Cxcl12, was significantly lower in bone marrow stromal cells of Sost−/− mice, whereas the Wnt target genes Lef‐1 and Ccnd1 remained unchanged in B cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate a novel role for Sost in the regulation of bone marrow environments that support B cells. © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.