Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The use of Avatars in gender-segregated blended learning and MOOCs in Saudi Arabia

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) in the Arab World are still in their infancy. Many Arab countries are now starting to launch their MOOC platforms; however, there are only a few who have actually implemented such systems. One of the first MOOC platforms in the Arab World is ‘Rwaq’ MOOC in Saudi Arabia. In Saudi Arabia, gender-segregation is a known issue within higher education that often deprives female tutors from providing online learning and MOOCs, and students may not be getting the benefit of their experience and teaching. The purpose of this study is to develop an Avatar tool to represent a female tutor in a MOOC course with the aim of alleviating the issues of gender-segregated society in online learning. Three case studies have been conducted concerning the experience of online courses within MOOCs in Saudi Arabian higher education. Background research is reported concerning the most important aspects of the rise of MOOCs as a new system around the world, and the Arab world specifically. Then female-segregated education, gender-segregation in online learning, and cultural implications in Saudi Arabia, are analysed. In considering education technology, as an example, 3D Virtual Worlds and 2D animated Avatar videos, uses of Avatars in education and the adoption of the Avatar tool in MOOCs platform in Saudi Arabia are examined with relevant pedagogical approaches. This study examines the female experience and socio-cultural barriers in online teaching, as well as current ways of coping with such issues. It also identifies the impact of the Avatar technology for female tutors using a mixed-method research approach. One of the objectives of the study is to develop a social interaction environment with learners in online learning within MOOCs. The ultimate objective of this study is to examine if this Avatar tool could alleviate issues of gender-segregation for female lecturers in online learning within MOOCs in Saudi Arabia. The findings indicate that MOOC environments have had a positive effect on offering students a better learning experience. Additionally, female teachers showed positive attitudes towards teaching on MOOCs in terms of helping them to overcome the lack of interaction and communication with both male and female students. The Avatar as a representation of a female teacher can play a positive role in overcoming cultural and social barriers in Saudi Arabia. Overall, participants were more positive in the implement of an Avatar tool in term of inspiration, increased confidence, enhanced satisfaction and reduced social boundaries in the Arab world and Saudi Arabia in particular.
Muon-induced soft errors in 16-nm NAND flash memories

Flash memories based on the floating gate architecture are sensitive to ionizing radiation at sea level, including atmospheric neutrons and alpha particles. No data are available on the sensitivity of Flash memories to muons. These particles, although very lightly ionizing, are the most abundant at sea level and have been reported to cause upsets in advanced SRAMs through direct ionization. The purpose of this contribution is to present the first experimental investigation of single event upsets induced by muons in 16-nm NAND Flash memories, using accelerated tests. The experimental results are discussed in terms of threshold voltage shifts and raw bit errors and the threshold LET values are analyzed for advanced samples. We show that muon-induced upsets are indeed possible also in Flash memories, even though the error rate is very low and ECC can easily cope with it.
"Risk Factors and Treatment Outcome In Node- Negative Breast Cancer Patients With Tumors Five Cm and Larger, Impact of Pmrt"

Later there was a change in view of the natural history of the disease from localized in some patients to systemic in all patients [2]. Several meta-analysis by Stjernsward in the 1970s [3-5] and Cuzick et al. [6] in the 1980s and the Early Breast Cancer Trialists’ Collaborative Group (EBCTCG) [7] in the 1990s suggested decreased survival in patients randomized to PMRT. Updates of these meta-analyses in 1994 and 2000 questioned this conclusion based on cause-specific analyses [8,9] Two large Danish randomized trials (1997) examined the role of PMRT in high risk women with breast cancer treated by mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy [10-12]. They showed a significant decrease in local recurrence, disease specific mortality, and overall mortality at 10 and 15 years with PMRT thus proving that loco regional disease control is critical to improving survival.
The Effect Accounting Conservatism in Emerging Market – Using Lo Eko Model

The research aim is to examine other variables that also affect the relationship between conservatism and earnings quality in emerging market. Normal Corporate Governance is a set of mechanisms that can protect minority shareholders from expropriation by managers and insider shareholders with an emphasis on legal mechanisms. Data Population are companies listed in Indonesia Stock Exchange during the period 2010-20015. The sample selection is based on purposive sampling method with the purpose of obtaining a representative sample. An Alternative measure of accounting conservatism used is the instrumental variables of Accounting conservatism (VIKV) developed by Lo Eko (Lo, 2005). The quality of earnings can be measured through discretionary accruals calculated by way of setting aside total accruals (TACC) and nondiscretionary accruals (NDACC). In calculating DACC, Modified Jones Model is used because it is considered better among other models to measure earnings management (Dechow et al., 1995). The results of this study indicate that the Instrumental Variables Conservatism (VIK) has a significant positive effect on the Earning Quality. This means that management positively signals the application of accounting conservatism within the company and has an impact on improving the quality of earnings. The next investor is expected to provide more valuations by providing a high premium for the company's stock price.
Optimal monetary and macroprudential policies under risk taking environment

The purpose of this study is to identify the existence of risk taking behavior in economic agents and optimal monetary and macro prudential policy options in Indonesia. Using the household and firm balance sheet data during the period 2002q1-2013q4, our approach found that risk taking behavior occurs both in households and firms in Indonesia. We develop a model whose economic agents consist of households, firms, banks and central banks by treating the bank credit risk as an endogenous variable. The performance of the model suggests that the monetary shock response drives an increase in credit growth. The same pattern occurs in the shock of increasing asset prices and increasing world GDP. Furthermore, this study model contributes to a deeper understanding of the prudential policy framework. In the even of risk taking, either shock by exogenous asset price or world economy shock, monetary policy alone nor macroprudential alone may not be optimal policy responses.
Domain specificity of the subtests of the Mini-Mental State Examination.

OBJECTIVE To examine the convergent and, for the first time to our knowledge, the divergent validity of 4 of the subtests of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE): attention, naming, memory, and copy. METHODS Participants included 126 memory-impaired individuals (mean age, 74 years). Because the naming subtest showed no variability, we did not analyze it further. RESULTS The convergent validity of the attention, memory, and copy subtests was confirmed with Spearman rank correlation coefficient. Each MMSE subtest was significantly related to a parallel neuropsychological test. We measured divergent validity by testing the difference between the MMSE subtest correlation with its parallel neuropsychological test and its nonparallel neuropsychological test. The MMSE subtests of attention and memory showed similar relationships with their parallel neuropsychological tests as they did with nonparallel neuropsychological tests of attention, memory, and naming. These 2 subtests, however, did show divergence from a neuropsychological test of copy, most likely indicating that these 2 MMSE subtests are measuring the verbal (and not the performance) domain. The MMSE subtest of copy showed the poorest convergent and divergent validity. CONCLUSIONS The 3 subtests did not show sufficient divergent validity to warrant a conclusion of their domain specificity. Thus, when a more detailed diagnostic profile is required, a thorough neuropsychological evaluation will provide a more valid description of an individual's cognitive profile.
Chondrocyte AMP-activated protein kinase activity suppresses matrix degradation responses to proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β and tumor necrosis factor α.

OBJECTIVE Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) stimulate chondrocyte matrix catabolic responses, thereby compromising cartilage homeostasis in osteoarthritis (OA). AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), which regulates energy homeostasis and cellular metabolism, also exerts antiinflammatory effects in multiple tissues. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that AMPK activity limits chondrocyte matrix catabolic responses to IL-1β and TNFα. METHODS Expression of AMPK subunits was examined, and AMPKα activity was ascertained by the phosphorylation status of AMPKα Thr(172) in human knee articular chondrocytes and cartilage by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Procatabolic responses to IL-1β and TNFα, such as release of glycosaminoglycan, nitric oxide, and matrix metalloproteinases 3 and 13 were determined by dimethylmethylene blue assay, Griess reaction, and Western blotting, respectively, in cartilage explants and chondrocytes with and without knockdown of AMPKα by small interfering RNA. RESULTS Normal human knee articular chondrocytes expressed AMPKα1, α2, β1, β2, and γ1 subunits. AMPK activity was constitutively present in normal articular chondrocytes and cartilage, but decreased in OA articular chondrocytes and cartilage and in normal chondrocytes treated with IL-1β and TNFα. Knockdown of AMPKα resulted in enhanced catabolic responses to IL-1β and TNFα in chondrocytes. Moreover, AMPK activators suppressed cartilage/chondrocyte procatabolic responses to IL-1β and TNFα and the capacity of TNFα and CXCL8 (IL-8) to induce type X collagen expression. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that AMPK activity is reduced in OA cartilage and in chondrocytes following treatment with IL-1β or TNFα. AMPK activators attenuate dephosphorylation of AMPKα and procatabolic responses in chondrocytes induced by these cytokines. These observations suggest that maintenance of AMPK activity supports cartilage homeostasis by protecting cartilage matrix from inflammation-induced degradation.
Adaptive pilot based modulation identification and channel estimation for OFDM systems

Adaptive modulation is an important method for effective usage of channel capacity in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) systems. Modulation identification algorithms unnecessitate the need of transferring the modulation information to the receiver, thereby these algorithms are very effective methods to increase the channel capacity. However, in practice, separate two sets of pilot symbols are used to identify the modulation type and to estimate the channel impulse response. In this paper, we propose one set of pilot symbols to get information about the channel and the modulation type, jointly. These pilots are named as “adaptive pilots” because they are related with the modulation type. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to observe the performance of the proposed adaptive pilot method and to compare with previously presented algorithm given in [1]. Simulation results indicate that the proposed adaptive pilots successfully help to identify correctly the modulation type without affecting the performance of the channel estimation.
Cutting Edge: Germinal Centers Can Be Induced in the Absence of T Cells1

Immunization of mice containing mutations that inactivate the TCR Cβ and Cδ genes with the T cell-independent (TI) type 2 Ag (4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl)acetyl-Ficoll induces clusters of peanut agglutinin-binding B cells in the spleen. These clusters are histologically indistinguishable from germinal centers (GCs) typical of T cell-dependent immune responses. They are located in follicles, and contain mature follicular dendritic cells, immune complex deposits, and B cells that display the phenotypic qualities of conventional GC B cells. However, the kinetics of this TI GC response differ from T cell-dependent GC responses in being rapidly induced and of short duration. Moreover, the Ab V genes expressed in TI GCs have not undergone somatic hypermutation. Therefore, T cells may be required for B cell differentiation processes associated with the intermediate and latter stages of the GC reaction, but they are dispensable for the induction and initial development of this response.
Maturational Changes in the Subunit Composition of AMPA Receptors and the Functional Consequences of Their Activation in Chicken Forebrain

AMPA receptors play a critical role in synaptic plasticity and brain development. Here we show that Ca2+ uptake in response to AMPA receptor activation decreases dramatically during maturation in chicken brain microslices without a change in tissue AMPA receptor content. We found that during maturation the relative concentration of GluR2 subunits increased, the concentration of the AMPA receptor-associated scaffold proteins SAP97 and GRIP decreased and that depolarization increased GluR1 phosphorylation at Ser831 in subcellular fractions enriched in postsynaptic densities at 2 weeks but not at 10 weeks. These changes are all consistent with a decreased Ca2+ entry through AMPA receptor channels in response to receptor activation and may account for the changes in the functional properties of the receptor, which are thought to underlie, at least in part, the physiological changes that occur with maturation.
An analysis of different approaches to the assessment of upper airway morphology: a CBCT study.

BACKGROUND Upper airway morphology and respiration have been assigned an important role in the development of the craniofacial complex. Several studies advocate lateral cephalograms to evaluate the upper airway. Although this method has been widely used, a two-dimensional projection of a three-dimensional anatomical structure is questionable. OBJECTIVE To correlate linear measurements (sagittal and transversal), cross-sectional areas, and volumes of the upper airway determined on Cone Beam CT (CBCT) data sets. MATERIAL AND METHODS CBCT-scans of 34 patients were used to perform a 3D evaluation of the upper airway. Linear sagittal measurements reproducing those usually performed on lateral cephalograms, linear transversal measurements, cross-sectional areas, partial and total volumes (TV) were computed. RESULTS The analysis showed a weak correlation (r < 0.8) between most of the linear measurements. The correlations between sagittal, transversal, and cross-sectional area with partial volumes were weak, except for the lower part of the nasopharynx which was highly correlated (r > 0.9) with sagittal measurement and with area. The upper part of the velopharynx presented a good correlation (0.8 < r < 0.9) between area and volume. Good correlation between most transversal measurements and the corresponding areas was found. Minimal sagittal, minimal transversal, and minimal area were weakly correlated with TV. CONCLUSIONS Upper airway cannot be accurately expressed by single linear measurements as performed on cephalograms. The TV alone does not depict the morphology of the airway. A CBCT-based 3D analysis gives a better picture of the anatomical characteristics of the upper airways and therefore can lead to an improvement of the diagnosis.
PART OF A SPECIAL ISSUE ON HALOPHYTES AND SALINE ADAPTATIONS Taxonomic complexity in the halophyte Limonium vulgare and related taxa (Plumbaginaceae): insights from analysis of morphological, reproductive and karyological data

†BackgroundandAims Limonium is a well-known example of a group of plants that is taxonomically complex due to certain biological characteristics that hamper species’ delineation. The closely related polyploid species Limonium vulgare Mill. , L. humile Mill. and L. narbonense Mill. are defined species and can be used for studying patterns of morphological and reproductive variation. The first two taxa are usually found in Atlantic Europe and the third in the Mediterranean region, but a number of intermediate morphological forms may be present alongside typical examples of these species. This study attempts to elucidate morphological, floral and karyological diversity representative of these taxa in the Iberian Peninsula. †Methods The extent of morphological differentiation was tested through comparison of 197 specimens from both Portugal and Spain using 17 descriptive morphological characters and 19 diagnostic morphometric characters. Analyses of floral morphisms (heterostyly and pollen–stigma dimorphism) and karyological determinations were also conducted. †KeyResultsandConclusions Discriminant analysis using morphometric variables reliably assigned individuals in natural populations to their respective groups. In addition, the results provide the first direct evidence that L. narbonense and a new species,Limoniummaritimum Caperta, Cortinhas, Paes, Guara, Espo´rito-Santo and Erben,sp.nov. ,r elated to L. vulgare are present on Portuguese coasts. Most of these species are found together in mixed populations, especially L. vulgare and L. narbonense. It is hypothesized that taxonomic biodiversity found in sites where distinct species co-occur facilitates the evolutionary processes of hybridization, introgression and apomixis. This study therefore contributes to the elucidation of the taxonomic diversity in L. vulgare-related species and may also help in implementing future conservation programmes to maintain the evolutionary processes generating biodiversity.
Differential expression of T cell differentiation antigens and major histocompatibility antigens on activated T cells during the cell cycle

In this report we have analyzed cell cycle‐related fluctuations of both quantity and density of the T cell differentiation antigens, CD3 (T3), CD4 (T4) and CD8 (T8), as well as the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) antigens on the cell surface of activated T cells. Phytohemagglutinin‐activated T cells cultured for 3 days with or without conditioned medium or for 10 days with conditioned medium and mixed lymphocyte culture‐derived T cell clones were used for the analysis. Correlated measurements of the surface antigen quantity (immunofluorescence), DNA content (dye Hoechst 33342), and cell size (light scatter), not influenced by synchrony induction methods and cell fixation, were performed by dual‐beam flow cytometry. Our results demonstrate that the T cell differentiation antigens, CD3, CD4 and CD8, and class I MHC antigens are increased in density in the G1 phase for all activated T cells tested. In contrast, class II MHC antigens are increased in density in the G2 phase of activated T cells maintained with conditioned medium. Since it is known that the T cell differentiation antigens and class I MHC antigens on activated T cells are necessary for proliferation of T cells, our study suggests that this effect is more significant in the G1 phase. The cell cycle changes in expression of class I and class II MHC antigens, but not of the T cell differentiation antigens, appear to be mediated by soluble factors, probably including interferon‐γ, which could produce a differential increase of class I and class II MHC antigens on G2 phase cells.
A Single-Transformation Gene Function Test in DiploidCandida albicans

ABSTRACT The fungal pathogen Candida albicans is naturally diploid, and current gene disruption strategies require two successive transformations. We describe here a genetic construct (UAU1) for which two copies may be selected. Insertion ofUAU1 into one genomic site, after a single transformation, allows selection for segregants with two copies of the insertion. Major classes of segregants are those carrying homozygous insertion mutations and allelic triplications, which have two insertion alleles and a wild-type allele. Thus nonessential and essential genes may be distinguished rapidly through PCR tests for homozygosis and triplication. We find that homozygous mutations may be isolated at three nonessential loci (ADE2, RIM20, andYGR189), while only allelic triplications were found at two essential loci (SNF1 and CDC28). We have unexpectedly isolated homozygous mutants with mutations atCDC25; they are viable but defective in filamentation on serum-containing medium. The UAU1 cassette is thus useful to assess rapidly the essentiality of C. albicans genes.
Can Mobile Money Help Firms Mitigate the Problem of Access to Finance in Eastern sub-Saharan Africa?

ABSTRACT Mobile money is a mobile-phone-based financial tool that can transfer money safely and quickly across a wide geographical area. Mobile money has transformed the way businesses in Eastern sub-Saharan Africa operate. Nowadays, banks team up with mobile-money-service providers and pay interest on deposits and grant loans based on financial transactions in mobile-money accounts. In this paper, these recent developments are investigated in order to determine whether the adoption of mobile money by firms can actually help them mitigate the vexing problem of access to finance. To answer this question, the World Bank’s Enterprise Surveys Program data set for the year 2013 is used, thus making the study applicable to the present time. The results obtained, after controlling for a large number of firm-level characteristics and using a newly introduced measure to identify access-to-finance status of the firms, indicate that firms which use mobile money are more likely to obtain loans or lines of credit. Further analysis shows that the firms that use mobile money are more productive than other firms in the region.
Dental injury and its prevention in Swiss rugby.

OBJECTIVES Rugby players are at a high risk of sustaining dental injury because of the high number of tackles implicit to the game. This study aimed to determine the frequency of injuries sustained by players in the Swiss rugby league. METHODS During the 2010/11 season, 517 rugby players from 19 clubs were questioned about dental trauma as well as the use of mouthguards and other forms of body protection. The level of awareness about tooth avulsion and replantation was also assessed. Participants included athletes from four different leagues; National (155), Premier (122), Women's (90) and Juniors (150). RESULTS Of the 517 players taking part in the survey, 54.4% had sustained at least one serious injury and 39.5% had sustained a facial injury. One hundred and thirty-nine athletes (37.3%) had observed another player sustain a dental injury during a game, whilst 35 (6.8%) had personally sustained one or more dental injuries. Dental injury rate was considerably higher amongst forwards than backs. Four hundred and fifty-six players (88.2%) wore a mouthguard of which three-quarters were tailor-made. Three hundred and thirteen players (60.5%) were aware that an avulsed tooth can be replanted; however, only 27 (5.2%) had heard of the tooth rescue boxes. These results demonstrate that, whilst general injuries occur with regularity in rugby, dental injuries are not amongst the most common forms. This is almost certainly attributable to the high level of mouthguard usage. Particularly for players in the junior league, in which the use of mouthguards was lowest, the risk of dental injury may be reduced by an increased level of education about tooth protection. CONCLUSIONS To this end, an increased awareness about and usage of tooth rescue boxes would be desirable. It would seem sensible to make the wearing of mouthguards compulsory in contact sports such as rugby.