Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Growing an Inclusive Community of K-12 CS Education Researchers

A recent study found that there is a litany of unmet needs that are serving as barriers for the CS education research community to grow in depth and breadth, including ensuring that the community is representative of the teachers and students that are studied. Cultivating a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible CSEd research community requires simultaneous bottom-up and top-down alignment on practice standards, professional development, and wellbeing for all constituents that is rooted in politicized trust and collective impact. For this position paper, we engaged in an expository writing process using a confirmatory and elucidating research design to contextualize quantitative and qualitative data reported from our previous study within related work. Our results indicate that there is a variety of researcher-centered, researcher-adjacent, and research-centered barriers in CS education that affect researchers' practice, and personal and professional identities. These results were validated by findings from research in other fields, such as education, psychology, and organizational change. These findings highlight the need for intentional changes to be made, both top-down and bottom-up, to sustain and grow the CS education research community in a way that equitably supports the evolving needs of a diverse set of students as well as the diverse set of researchers who study interventions.
A theory of the terrestrial kilometric radiation

During magnetospheric substorms, electrons with energies of about 1 keV are injected from the plasma-sheet region into the auroral region. A fraction of these energetic electrons can precipitate into the upper atmosphere, and the rest are reflected because of the mirror effect of the convergent geomagnetic field. It is found that these reflected electrons can result in the amplification of electromagnetic waves via a relativistic normal cyclotron resonance. This process may explain the recently discovered terrestrial kilometric radiation.
Spectral dependencies of terahertz emission from InAs and InSb

Spectral dependences of the THz radiation from the laser-illuminated surfaces of InAs and InSb have been investigated experimentally at high optical fluences for the laser wavelengths ranging from 0.6 to 2μm. Efficient THz generation was discovered in the excitation range around 1. 6μm. The influence of the intervalley scattering was clearly evidenced. The energy position of the subsidiary conduction band valleys was evaluated from this study to be equal 1.08 and 0.53 eV for InAs and InSb, respectively. It has been concluded that THz emission at high excitation fluencies is dominated by the shift current effect.
The Making of an Extreme Event: Putting the Pieces Together

We examine how physical factors spanning climate and weather contributed to record warmth over the central and eastern United States in March 2012, when daily temperature anomalies at many locations exceeded 20°C. Over this region, approximately 1°C warming in March temperatures has occurred since 1901. This long-term regional warming is an order of magnitude smaller than temperature anomalies observed during the event, indicating that most of the extreme warmth must be explained by other factors. Several lines of evidence strongly implicate natural variations as the primary cause for the extreme event. The 2012 temperature anomalies had a close analog in an exceptionally warm U.S. March occurring over 100 years earlier, providing observational evidence that an extreme event similar to March 2012 could be produced through natural variability alone. Coupled model forecasts and simulations forced by observed sea surface temperatures (SSTs) show that forcing from anomalous SSTs increased the probability of extreme warm temperatures in March 2012 above that anticipated from the long-term warming trend. In addition, forcing associated with a strong Madden–Julian oscillation further increased the probability for extreme U.S. warmth and provided important additional predictive information on the timing and spatial pattern of temperature anomalies. The results indicate that the superposition of a strong natural variation similar to March 1910 on longterm warming of the magnitude observed would be sufficient to account for the record warm March 2012 U.S. temperatures. We conclude that the extreme warmth over the central and eastern United States in March 2012 resulted primarily from natural climate and weather variability— a substantial fraction of which was predictable.
A Literature Review Examining Broadening Participation in Upper Elementary CS Education

Despite proliferated efforts to integrate computer science in elementary education, there is a dearth of studies that synthesize the current state of CS education research in formal educational contexts, specifically in upper elementary classrooms. Further, while numerous studies have investigated approaches and strategies that broaden participation in computing, the majority of them focus on secondary and post-secondary settings. The present study uses a systematic literature review process to review research conducted with students in formal classroom settings in grades 4, 5, and 6 and published since 2013. We review the research through two questions: What are barriers to broadening participation in CS in upper elementary (grades 4-6)? What instructional approaches and strategies help broaden participation in CS in upper elementary (grades 4-6)? A systematic search of the literature highlighted approaches used for broadening participation, including using various teaching media, designing scaffolds in instruction, and integrating into other subject areas. We conclude by identifying gaps in the research and identifying areas for further research.
Choriocapillary Flow Correlation with Axial Length in High Myopia – An Angiography Study with Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract Purpose To investigate parameters of retinal and choroidal microcirculation quantitatively with optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in high myopic children, and to explore potential correlations with age, axial length (AL), spherical equivalent (SE), and central retinal thickness (CRT). Methods En face angiograms were generated with an OCTA device and evaluated with automated density and flow analyzer algorithms. Perfusion parameters were correlated with age, AL, SE, and CRT using Spearmanʼs rank correlation analysis. Repeatability and reproducibility of perfusion parameter measurements were calculated in a high myopic cohort. Results Repeatability and reproducibility of OCTA measurements were good, ranging from 3.6 – 6.5%. Strong positive correlation was identified between age and CRT (rho = 0.673, p = 0.00) as well as between AL and SE (rho = 0.844, p = 0.00). There was a strong negative correlation between AL and choriocapillary flow density (CCFD) (rho = − 0.612, p = 0.00), and a moderate negative correlation between age and superficial parafoveal retinal vessel density (SPRVD) as well as CCFD (rho = − 0.497, p = 0.013 and rho = − 0.483, p = 0.023, respectively). Conclusion OCTA appears to be a reliable tool for the quantitative investigation of retinal and choroidal microcirculation in a high myopic pediatric cohort. CCFD reduction was associated with increasing AL in this cohort.
Finite element analysis of bodies of revolution using the measured equation of invariance

This paper is concerned with the finite element analysis of electromagnetic scattering from an axially symmetric perfectly conducting body of revolution with an arbitrary cross section in free space. The coupled azimuthal potential formulation is used to express the solution in terms of the two field components, Eф and Hф. The use of a Fourier series expansion reduces the three-dimensional problem to a series of two dimensional problems. At the truncation boundary the measured equation of invariance (MEI) is used. The MEI method uses information about the scatterer to find an equation for the boundary nodal values in terms of the values at neighboring nodes. The MEI produces a boundary condition which allows the matrix to retain its sparse structure. This method also allows the finite element mesh to be truncated very close to the body. Numerical examples are given for spheres, finite cylinders, and a cone.
CONSISTENCY OF THE MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATOR IN THE PRESENCE OF INFINITELY MANY INCIDENTAL PARAMETERS

0 and ai. The parameter 0, upon which all the distributions depend, is called "structural"; the parameters {aiI} are called "incidental". Throughout this paper we shall assume that the Xi, are independently distributed when 0, a1, *** a. , are given, and shall consider the problem of consisteently estimating 0 (as n --* X ). The chance variables {Xij} and the parameters 0 and {fa} may be vectors. However, for simplicity of exposition we shall throughout this paper, except in Example 2, assume that they are scalars. Obvious changes will suffice to treat the vector case. Very many interesting problems are subsumed under the above formulation. Among these is the following:
A Numerical Study of Nonspherical Black Hole Accretion

We have developed a 2D axisymmetric, general relativistic code to study inviscid hydrodynamic accretion flows in a fixed Kerr black hole gravitational field. In this first of several papers documenting our methods and results, we describe and discuss the hydrodynamic equations in the form used in the code. Certain analytic solutions for shock tubes and special accretion flows are derived; these solution will form the basis for code testing and calibration.
Linear simulation of the stationary eddies in a GCM. Part II: the "mountain' model

Abstract The validity of linear stationary wave theory in accounting for the zonal asymmetries of the winter-averaged tropospheric circulation obtained in a general circulation model (GCM) is ascertained. The steady linear primitive equation model used towards this end has the same vertical and zonal resolution as the spectral GCM, but is finite-differenced in the meridional direction. It is linearized about a zonally symmetric basic state and forced by topography and 3-dimensional diabatic heating and transient flux convergence fields, all of which are taken from the GCM. As in Part I, (in which we studied a GCM with a flat lower boundary) we obtained the best correspondence, between the GCM and the linear solutions when strong Rayleigh friction is included in the linear model not only near the surface, but in the interior of the tropical troposphere as well. There is sufficient quantitative correspondence between the GCM and the linear solution to justify decomposing the linear simulation into parts for.
In vivo ephaptic coupling allows memory network formation

It is increasingly clear that memories are distributed across multiple brain areas. Such “engram complexes” are important features of memory formation and consolidation. Here, we test the hypothesis that engram complexes are formed in part by bioelectric fields that sculpt and guide the neural activity and tie together the areas that participate in engram complexes. Like the conductor of an orchestra, the fields influence each musician or neuron and orchestrate the output, the symphony. Our results use the theory of synergetics, machine learning and data from a spatial delayed saccade task and provide evidence for in vivo ephaptic coupling in memory representations.
Social capital and residents’ plastic recycling behaviors in China

Plastic waste has become a significant challenge for waste managers currently. Recycling is an important measure to reduce the associated environmental impacts. However, the recycling rate for plastic waste is low. As a notably contextual and collectivist society, China is a major consumer and waste treater of plastics. In this context, social capital may be a vital factor of Chinese plastic recycling behavior (PRB) but without enough attention. This study explores the role and mechanism of social capital on Chinese residents’ PRB based on an extended Theory of Planned Behavior model. Primary data collected from 803 residents in China was used to test the model empirically. The results show that social capital (trust, social norms and social networks) significantly influence PRB. Furthermore, personal norms and attitude are mediators between social capital and PRB. Additionally, perceived behavioral control weaken the effect of social norms on PRB.
Automatic detection of cell-cycle stages using recurrent neural networks

Mitosis is the process by which eukaryotic cells divide to produce two similar daughter cells with identical genetic material. Research into the process of mitosis is therefore of critical importance both for the basic understanding of cell biology and for the clinical approach to manifold pathologies resulting from its malfunctioning, including cancer. In this paper, we propose an approach to study mitotic progression automatically using deep learning. We used neural networks to predict different mitosis stages. We extracted video sequences of cells undergoing division and trained a Recurrent Neural Network (RNN) to extract image features. The use of RNN enabled better extraction of features. The RNN-based approach gave better performance compared to classifier based feature extraction methods which do not use time information. Evaluation of precision, recall, and F-score indicates the superiority of the proposed model compared to the baseline. To study the loss in performance due to confusion between adjacent classes, we plotted the confusion matrix as well, to quantify the amount of misclassification. In addition, we visualized the feature space to understand why RNNs are better at classifying the mitosis stages than other classifier models, which indicated the formation of strong clusters for the different classes, clearly confirming the advantage of the proposed RNN-based approach.
A biologically plausible decision-making model based on interacting cortical columns

We propose a new AdEx mean-field framework to model two networks of excitatory and inhibitory neurons, representing two cortical columns. The columns are interconnected with excitatory connections contacting both Regularly Spiking (excitatory) and Fast Spiking (inhibitory) cells. The model is biophysically plausible since it is based on intercolumnar excitation modeling the long range connections and intracolumnar excitation-inhibition modeling the short range connections. This configuration introduces a bicolumnar competition, sufficient for choosing between two alternatives. Each column represents a pool of neurons voting for one of the two alternatives indicated by two stimuli presented on a monitor in human and macaque experiments. We endow the model with a reward-driven learning mechanism which allows to capture the optimal strategy maximizing the cumulative reward, as well as to model the exploratory behavior of the participant. We compare the simulation results to the behavioral data obtained from the human and macaque experiments in terms of performance and reaction time. This model provides a biophysical ground for simpler phenomenological models proposed for similar decision-making tasks and can be applied to neurophysiological data. Finally, it can be embedded in whole-brain simulators, such as The Virtual Brain (TVB), to study decision-making in terms of large scale brain dynamics.
An intact amber-free HIV-1 system for in-virus protein bioorthogonal click labeling that delineates envelope conformational dynamics

The HIV-1 envelope (Env) glycoprotein is conformationally dynamic and mediates membrane fusion required for cell entry. Single-molecule fluorescence resonance energy transfer (smFRET) of Env using peptide tags has provided mechanistic insights into the dynamics of Env conformations. Nevertheless, using peptide tags risks potential effects on structural integrity. Here, we aim to establish minimally invasive smFRET systems of Env on the virus by combining genetic code expansion and bioorthogonal click chemistry. Amber stop-codon suppression allows site-specifically incorporating noncanonical/unnatural amino acids (ncAAs) at introduced amber sites into proteins. However, ncAA incorporation into Env (or other HIV-1 proteins) in the virus context has been challenging due to low copies of Env on virions and incomplete amber suppression in mammalian cells. Here, we developed an intact amber-free virus system that overcomes impediments from preexisting ambers in HIV-1. Using this system, we successfully incorporated dual ncAAs at amber-introduced sites into Env on intact virions. Dual-ncAA incorporated Env retained similar neutralization sensitivities to neutralizing antibodies as wildtype. smFRET of click-labeled Env on intact amber-free virions recapitulated conformational profiles of Env. The amber-free HIV-1 infectious system also permits in-virus protein bioorthogonal labeling, compatible with various advanced microscopic studies of virus entry, trafficking, and egress in living cells. Amber-free HIV-1 infectious systems actualized minimal invasive Env tagging for smFRET, versatile for in-virus bioorthogonal click labeling in advanced microscopic studies of virus-host interactions.
Necessary and Sufficient Condition for the Stability of Plane Parallel Inviscid Flow

Plane parallel flow between rigid plates of an incompressible inviscid fluid is considered. A necessary and sufficient condition for infinitesimal stability is derived in the special case where w″ has only a single zero and w′ > 0 where w(x) is the velocity profile between the plates. A general sufficient condition for instability is also obtained.
Genetic predisposition to neuroblastoma results from a regulatory polymorphism that promotes the adrenergic cell state

Childhood neuroblastomas exhibit plasticity between an undifferentiated neural crest–like mesenchymal cell state and a more differentiated sympathetic adrenergic cell state. These cell states are governed by autoregulatory transcriptional loops called core regulatory circuitries (CRCs), which drive the early development of sympathetic neuronal progenitors from migratory neural crest cells during embryogenesis. The adrenergic cell identity of neuroblastoma requires LMO1 as a transcriptional cofactor. Both LMO1 expression levels and the risk of developing neuroblastoma in children are associated with a single nucleotide polymorphism, G/T, that affects a GATA motif in the first intron of LMO1. Here, we showed that WT zebrafish with the GATA genotype developed adrenergic neuroblastoma, while knock-in of the protective TATA allele at this locus reduced the penetrance of MYCN-driven tumors, which were restricted to the mesenchymal cell state. Whole genome sequencing of childhood neuroblastomas demonstrated that TATA/TATA tumors also exhibited a mesenchymal cell state and were low risk at diagnosis. Thus, conversion of the regulatory GATA to a TATA allele in the first intron of LMO1 reduced the neuroblastoma-initiation rate by preventing formation of the adrenergic cell state. This mechanism was conserved over 400 million years of evolution, separating zebrafish and humans.
Latitude-specific urbanization effects on life history traits in the damselfly Ischnura elegans

Many species are currently adapting to cities at different latitudes. Adaptation to urbanization may require eco-evolutionary changes in response to temperature and invasive species that may differ between latitudes. Here, we studied single and combined effects of increased temperatures and invasive alien predator presence on the phenotypic response of replicated urban and rural populations of the damselfly Ischnura elegans and contrasted these between central and high latitudes. Larvae were exposed to temperature treatments (current [20 ºC], mild warming [24 ºC], and heat wave [28 ºC; for high latitude only]) crossed with the presence or absence of chemical cues released by the spiny-cheek crayfish (Faxonius limosus), only present at the central latitude. We measured treatment effects on larval development time, mass, and growth rate. Urbanization type affected all life history traits, yet these responses were often dependent on latitude, temperature, and sex. Mild warming decreased mass in rural and increased growth rate in urban populations. The effects of urbanization on mass were latitude-dependent, with central-latitude populations having a greater phenotypic difference. Urbanization effects were sex-specific with urban males being lighter and having a lower growth rate than rural males. At the current temperature and mild warming, the predator cue reduced the growth rate, and this independently of urbanization level and latitude of origin. This pattern was reversed during a heat wave in high-latitude damselflies. Our results highlight the context-dependency of evolutionary and plastic responses to urbanisation, and caution for generalizing how populations respond to cities based on populations at a single latitude.
Treatment Of Missing Data At The Second Level Of Hierarchical Linear Models

The problem of missing data at the second level of a two-level hierarchical data structure was investigated. Using data generated to simulate the 1982 High School and Beyond data set, five missing data treatments—listwise deletion, overall mean substitution, group mean substitution, the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm, and multiple imputation—were examined under four manipulated conditions: number of Level 2 variables, Level 2 sample size, Level 1 intercept-slope correlation, and percentage of missing data. Listwise deletion, group mean substitution, and the EM algorithm performed equally well for the variable having missing values. For the variables having no missing data, listwise deletion and the EM algorithm performed satisfactorily. Only listwise deletion performed well in estimating random effects except when the Level 2 sample size was 30 and 40% of the data were missing. The practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Inhibition of broomrape germination by 2,4‐diacetylphloroglucinol produced by environmental Pseudomonas

Phloroglucinol compounds (PGCs) produced by environmental Pseudomonas are well known for their capacity to limit plant-pathogen infection. Although PGCs and more specifically 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (DAPG) are well studied for their antimicrobial properties, they are to some extent toxic for crop plants. Parasitic weeds such as broomrapes (Phelipanche ramosa and Orobanche cumana) cause severe damage to crops and their development must be controlled. Here, we assessed the potential herbicidal effect of the bacterial model Pseudomonas ogarae F113, a PGCs-producing bacterium, on parasitic weed germination. We show using a mutagenesis approach that PGCs produced in bacterial supernatants are the main determinant inhibiting the germination of broomrapes. The use of individual or cocktails of pure PGCs revealed that the inhibition of the germination depends on the PGCs molecular structure and their concentrations as well as the broomrape species and pathovars. Furthermore, the inhibition caused by the PGCs is irreversible, causing a brown coloration of the broomrape seeds. Then, we evaluated in non-sterile soils the ability of bacterial inoculants or chemical DAPG to limit the infection of broomrapes on oil seed rape. Only the inoculation of PGCs-producing bacteria limited the infection of P. ramosa. Moreover, elemental profiling analysis of oil seed rape revealed that neither the inoculant nor applied DAPG affected the nutrition capacity of the oil seed rape. Our study expands the knowledge on the role that these multi-talented plant-beneficial Pseudomonas play in the environment and open new avenues for the development of natural bioherbicides to ward off parasitic plant infection.