Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sequence Anchoring and Self-Efficacy: Primacy Effects in the Consideration of Possibilities

This research attempts to clarify the relation between self-efficacy and action by influencing self-efficacy judgments without providing subjects with performance-related experiences or information. Sequence anchoring, the methodology introduced to obtain this effect, involves the consideration of an identical range of potential outcomes in different orders. Judgments are shown to be biased in the direction of the first values that are presented, resulting in a primacy effect in the consideration of possibilities. An initial experiment examines this judgmental bias in estimates of factual information. A second experiment demonstrates that this same process can affect individuals' judgments of self-efficacy and subsequent behavior on a cognitive task. A final experiment shows that these behavioral effects do not depend on subjects publicly indicating self-efficacy judgments.
An approach to participatory instructional design in secondary education: an exploratory study

Background: Teachers have limited insight in students' perspectives on education, although these perspectives influence quality of learning. As students' and teachers' perspectives differ considerably, there is a need for teachers to learn more about students' experiences and ideas about education. Participatory design might be a good strategy for taking student perspectives into account in instructional design. In areas outside education, the positive effects of participation have already been demonstrated. Purpose: The main goals of this exploratory study are to develop an approach – based on the principles of participatory design – for student participation in instructional design, and to evaluate how students and teachers experience the discussion about possible changes in the design and how they co-operate in designing lessons. Additionally, the study investigates whether the used approach is workable and suitable for use with a range of courses. Sample: The sample consisted of six teachers (of mathematics, economics and English) from two secondary schools in the Netherlands and their 10th-grade pre-university students (N = 139; average age 16 years). In each class, a small group of seven co-designing students was selected as a representative sample of their class. All other students in these classes (i.e. those not directly involved in participatory re-design) were also included, as evaluators of the proposed changes. Design and methods: A participatory design meeting was organised for each group separately. In all groups, the same approach for participatory design was used. The quality of the meeting and the agreement with the proposed changes were evaluated using open questions. The questions were answered individually by both teachers and co-designing students. The remaining students answered questions about their agreement with the proposed changes. The written answers were analysed using a coding scheme. Results: Findings suggest that both teachers and co-designing students were largely satisfied with the meeting. The atmosphere was experienced predominantly as comfortable and enough opportunities were provided to express thoughts and ideas. Teachers, additionally, stated that the usability of students' suggestions was good. The remaining students predominantly agreed on the proposed changes discussed. No differences were found between the evaluation scores of students of different courses. Conclusions: The main conclusion from this exploratory study is that participatory design appears suitable for use in education. The approach used for initiating and structuring the discussion between the teacher and his/her students was appropriate for designing lessons, according to all those involved. As this study suggests, the barriers to the inclusion of students in the instructional design process are not insurmountable, and there are compelling reasons for implementing participatory design in education.
Poster Presentation Abstracts

Venomous animals have evolved a vast array of peptide toxins for prey capture and defence. These peptides are highly prospective for rapid drug discovery as they are active towards a wide variety of pharmacological targets such as ion channels or G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the nervous system. Here we describe Xenome's drug development process for the chi family, conopeptide _-MrIA[1] of the predatory marine snail Conus marmoreus, leading to a suitable drug candidate (Xen2174). Xen2174 is highly selective for the norepinephrine transporter (NET) compared to other transporters, such as dopamine and serotonin, and inhibits NET via an allosteric mechanism. Xen2174 is currently in a phase I/IIa clinical trial for the treatment of severe pain. An intensive synthetic analogue and screening program around _-MrIA, incorporating early stage animal data, resulted in the identification of Xen2174, a drug with improved plasma stability, linear pharmacokinetics and wide therapeutic window. Xen2174 isomers were synthesized via selective disulfide bond formation to identify the active connectivity. Data from alanine- scans, single amino acid mutations and probing of backbone interactions combined with the full 3D NMR structure, led to the development of a pharmacophore for Xen2174. This model is refined from further studies where STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPs were developed utilising binding and functional assay data for a range of peptides.
Yap and Taz play a crucial role in neural crest-derived craniofacial development

The role of the Hippo signaling pathway in cranial neural crest (CNC) development is poorly understood. We used the Wnt1Cre and Wnt1Cre2SOR drivers to conditionally ablate both Yap and Taz in the CNC of mice. When using either Cre driver, Yap and Taz deficiency in the CNC resulted in enlarged, hemorrhaging branchial arch blood vessels and hydrocephalus. However, Wnt1Cre2SOR mutants had an open cranial neural tube phenotype that was not evident in Wnt1Cre mutants. In O9-1 CNC cells, the loss of Yap impaired smooth muscle cell differentiation. RNA-sequencing data indicated that Yap and Taz regulate genes encoding Fox transcription factors, specifically Foxc1. Proliferation was reduced in the branchial arch mesenchyme of Yap and Taz CNC conditional knockout (CKO) embryos. Moreover, Yap and Taz CKO embryos had cerebellar aplasia similar to Dandy-Walker spectrum malformations observed in human patients and mouse embryos with mutations in Foxc1. In embryos and O9-1 cells deficient for Yap and Taz, Foxc1 expression was significantly reduced. Analysis of Foxc1 regulatory regions revealed a conserved recognition element for the Yap and Taz DNA binding co-factor Tead. ChIP-PCR experiments supported the conclusion that Foxc1 is directly regulated by the Yap-Tead complex. Our findings uncover important roles for Yap and Taz in CNC diversification and development. Summary: Conditional ablation of Yap and Taz in the cranial neural crest reveals how these proteins regulate Fox gene expression and, in turn, cranial neural crest diversification and development.
Whole-Genome Sequence of the Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiotic Rhizobium Mesorhizobium loti Strain TONO

ABSTRACT Mesorhizobium loti is the nitrogen-fixing microsymbiont for legumes of the genus Lotus. Here, we report the whole-genome sequence of a Mesorhizobium loti strain, TONO, which is used as a symbiont for the model legume Lotus japonicus. The whole-genome sequence of the strain TONO will be a solid platform for comparative genomics analyses and for the identification of genes responsible for the symbiotic properties of Mesorhizobium species.
Identification of blue-green algal nitrogen fixation genes by using heterologous DNA hybridization probes.

In the filamentous blue-green alga Anabaena 7120, aerobic nitrogen fixation is linked to the differentiation of specialized cells called heterocysts. In order to study control of heterocyst development and nitrogen fixation in Anabaena, we have used cloned fragments of the Klebsiella pneumoniae nitrogen fixation (nif) genes as probes in DNA.DNA hybridizations with restriction endonuclease fragments of Anabaena DNA. Using this technique, we were able to identify and clone Anabaena nif genes, demonstrating the feasibility of using heterologous probes to identify genes for which no traditional genetic selection exists. From the patterns of hybridization observed, we deduced that although DNA sequence homology has been retained between some of the nif genes of these divergent organisms, the nif gene order has been rearranged.
Applying Structural Modeling to Some Component Processes of Reading Comprehension Development.

The causal relationship between the phonological, word recognition, reading rate, and comprehension components of the reading process were explored using structural equation modeling procedures to verify the relationships among these processes as suggested by previous research. The sample consisted of 101 learning disabled children, ranging in age from 6 to 11 years and varying in reading ability. The results indicated that some proficiency in the phonological skills is important for the development of word recognition ability which in turn is a significant contributor to the comprehension of connected discourse.
0.56 V, –20 dBm RF-Powered, Multi-Node Wireless Body Area Network System-on-a-Chip With Harvesting-Efficiency Tracking Loop

A battery-less, multi-node wireless body area network (WBAN) system-on-a-chip (SoC) is demonstrated. An efficiency tracking loop is proposed that adjusts the rectifier's threshold voltage to maximize the wireless harvesting operation, resulting in a minimum RF sensitivity better than -20 dBm at 904.5 MHz. Each SoC node is injection-locked and time-synchronized with the broadcasted RF basestation power (up to a sensitivity of -33 dBm) using an injection-locked frequency divider (ILFD). Hence, every sensor node is phase-locked with the basestation and all nodes can wirelessly transmit TDMA sensor data concurrently. Designed in a 65 nm-CMOS process, the fabricated sensor SoC contains the energy harvesting rectifier and bandgap, duty-cycled ADC, digital logic, as well as the multi-node wireless clock synchronization and MICS-band transmitter. For a broadcasted basestation power of 20 dBm (30 dBm), experimental measurements verify correct powering, sensor reading, and wireless data transfer for a distance of 3 m (9 m). The entire biomedical system application is verified by reception of room and abdominal temperature monitoring.
New advances in Drosophila provide opportunities to study gene functions.

Since the discovery that animal development is under genetic control, one of the major challenges for developmental biologists has been to decipher the functions of specific genes in patterning. The most successful and widely accepted approach to address these challenges in the past 15–20 years has been to characterize the defects associated with specific gene mutations after either random mutagenesis or targeted gene knock outs. Studies in Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans have validated the use of systematic genetic approaches to dissect developmental pathways. In particular, the seminal screens for both maternal and zygotic mutations affecting embryonic pattern in Drosophila have led to a comprehensive model encompassing a finite set of mechanisms underlying the establishment of the embryonic axes and subsequent segmentation of the embryo (1, 2). In theory, however, one needs to reflect on whether the knowledge gained through one methodology can provide a thorough understanding of development. Perhaps many critical developmental steps have been missed because the genetic screens that were conducted do not take into account gene pleiotropy or redundancy. In other words, is it possible that the genetic approach has unraveled only part of the logic of development? A paper in this issue of Proceedings (3) illustrates that many of the genes that have not yet been analyzed in Drosophila encode potentially important developmental functions. This analysis underscores the need to address their biological functions because they may identify new genetic networks involved in patterning.
The role of parents in tennis success: Focus group interviews with junior coaches

This study was designed to investigate experienced coaches’ perceptions of the parent’s role in junior tennis and identify positive and negative parental behaviors and attitudes. Six focus groups were conducted with 24 coaches. Content analysis of coaches’ responses revealed that most parents were positive influences and espoused an appropriate perspective of tennis, emphasized child development, and were supportive. In contrast, a minority of parents were perceived as negative, demanding and overbearing, and exhibiting an outcome orientation. New findings included parents’ setting limits on tennis and emphasizing a child’s total development, as well as the identification of behaviors that represent parental overinvolvement and that negatively affect coaching. Results are discussed relative to sport-parenting literature, and practical implications are outlined.
An assessment of the effects of sample ischaemia and spinning time on the metabolic profile of brain tumour biopsy specimens as determined by high‐resolution magic angle spinning 1H NMR

High‐resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) 1H NMR of biopsy tissue provides a biochemical profile that has potential diagnostic and prognostic value, and can aid interpretation of the lower‐resolution 1H‐NMR spectra obtained in vivo. However, the biochemical profile obtained may be affected by experimental factors such as a period of ischaemia before snap‐freezing of the biopsy tissue for subsequent analysis and the mechanical stress of the spinning procedure of HRMAS itself. We have used normal rat brain cortex as a ‘gold standard’, either funnel‐frozen or deliberately allowed to become ischaemic for set periods of time before snap‐freezing, to quantitatively investigate these two effects. In addition, we have compared biochemical changes that occur in normal rat brain during HRMAS (spun continuously at 5 kHz for 4 h at 4°C as could be required for a two‐dimensional acquisition) with those that occur in biopsy samples from low‐grade and high‐grade adult human astrocytomas, during the same HRMAS procedure. Significant changes due to delayed initial sample freezing were noted in metabolites associated with glycolysis (alanine, glucose and lactate), as expected. However, for the funnel‐frozen rat tissue at 4°C, there were even more significant changes, which appear to be the result of extended spinning at 5 kHz. In particular, the 18% total creatine increase observed is unlikely to be de novo synthesis of creatine. More likely, the asymptotic exponential increase in creatine suggests an exponential release of an NMR‐invisible bound creatine store as a result of tissue damage from mechanical stress of sample spinning. Overall, it appears that tissue ischaemia during biopsy excision and delays in snap‐freezing may have less significant effects on metabolite profile than the prolonged spinning times required for two‐dimensional HRMAS, and this must be accounted for when results are being interpreted. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Acute toxicity study of liposomal antioxidant formulations containing N-acetylcysteine, α-tocopherol, and γ-tocopherol in rats

Liposomes have been used for the delivery of antioxidants to different tissues and organs for the treatment of oxidative stress-induced injuries. In this study, the acute toxicity of a single dose of intravenously (i.v.) administered liposomal antioxidant formulation, containing N-acetylcysteine (NAC) with or without α-tocopherol (α-T) or γ-tocopherol (γ-T), in rats was examined. Each group consisted of 5 male and 5 female Sprague-Dawley rats, with a control group receiving empty dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) liposomes (660 mg/kg) and test groups receiving DPPC liposomes (660 mg/kg) entrapped with 1) NAC (200 mg/kg), 2) NAC (200 mg/kg) and α-T (83.3 mg/kg), and 3) NAC (200 mg/kg) and γ-T (71.4 mg/kg). These dose levels were determined from the dose-range–finding study and were considered to be the maximum feasible dose (MFD) levels, based on the volume of 10 mL/kg and physical properties and viscosity of the test articles that could be safely administered to rats by an i.v. injection. Two weeks after treatment (day 15), rats in the control group and three test groups exhibited no clinical signs of toxicity during the dosing period or during the 14-day post-treatment period. Weight gain and food consumption in all animals was appropriate for the age and sex of animals. Clinical pathology findings (e.g., hematology, coagulation, clinical chemistry, and urinalysis) were unremarkable in all rats and in all groups. In conclusion, the results of this study showed no treatment-related toxicity in rats at the MFD level by a single bolus i.v. administration.
Girls’ visual representations of literacy in a rural Ugandan community

This Ugandan ‐ based study examined how visual modes of communication provide insights into girls’ perceptions of literacy, and open broader dialogues on literacy, women, and development. Twenty ‐ nine primary school girls used drawing and 15 secondary school girls used photography to depict local literacy practices in relation to their own lives and experiences. The images they captured provide a window on the interface between local and global literacy practices, and the “freedoms” (Sen, 1999) associated with literacy. Drawing and photography move beyond language to make visible the barriers that have historically marginalized and excluded girls from full participation in the development process. Key words: visual representations, literacy, girls, international development, Uganda Cette etude menee en Ouganda montre comment des modes de communication visuels permettent de mieux comprendre les perceptions qu’ont les fillettes de la litteratie et favorisent le dialogue sur la litteratie, les femmes et le developpement. Vingt ‐ neuf ecolieres du primaire et quinze du secondaire ont illustre, les premieres par des dessins, les secondes par des photos, des methodes de litteratie locales en lien avec leur propre vie et leurs propres experiences. Ces images montrent l’interface entre les methodes de litteratie locales et internationales et les « libertes » (Sen, 1999) associees a la litteratie. Au ‐ dela du langage, les dessins et les photos rendent visibles les obstacles qui ont depuis toujours marginalise les filles et les ont exclues d’une pleine participation au processus de developpement. Mots cles : representations visuelles, litteratie, filles, developpement international, Ouganda
Complex H2AX phosphorylation patterns by multiple kinases including ATM and DNA‐PK in human cells exposed to ionizing radiation and treated with kinase inhibitors

In eukaryotic cells, DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) cause the prompt phosphorylation of serine 139 at the carboxy terminus of histone H2AX to generate γ‐H2AX, detectable by Western blotting or immunofluorescence. The consensus sequence at the phosphorylation site implicates the phosphatidylinositol 3‐like family of protein kinases in H2AX phosphorylation. It remains open whether ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) is the major H2AX kinase, or whether other members of the family, such as DNA‐PK (DNA dependent protein kinase) or ATR (ATM and Rad3 related), contribute in a functionally complementary manner. To address this question, we measured global H2AX phosphorylation in cell lysates and foci formation in individual cells of either wild type or mutant (ATM or DNA‐PK) genetic background. Normal global phosphorylation kinetics is observed after irradiation in cells defective either in ATM or DNA‐PK alone, suggesting a complementary contribution to H2AX phosphorylation. This is further supported by the observation that initial H2AX phosphorylation is delayed when both kinases are inhibited by wortmannin, as well as when ATM is inhibited by caffeine in DNA‐PK deficient cells. However, robust residual global phosphorylation is detectable under all conditions of genetic or chemical inhibition suggesting the function of additional kinases, such as ATR. Treatment with wortmannin, caffeine, or UCN‐01 produces a strong DNA‐PK dependent late global hyperphosphorylation of H2AX, uncoupled from DNA DSB rejoining and compatible with an inhibition of late steps in DNA DSB processing. Evaluation of γ‐H2AX foci formation confirms the major conclusions made on the basis of global H2AX phosphorylation, but also points to differences particularly several hours after exposure to IR. The results in aggregate implicate DNA‐PK, ATM and possibly other kinases in H2AX phosphorylation. The functional significance and the mechanisms of coordination in space and time of these multiple inputs require further investigation. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Unequal Error Protection for Quasi-Synchronous BS-CDMA Systems

Block-spread code division multiple access (BS-CDMA) systems have been shown to achieve multiuser interference (MUI) free reception when signals of all the users arrive at the base station synchronously. In practice, imperfect timing synchronization destroys the orthogonality among users and MUI occurs. In this paper, based on the fact that unequal interference power distribution occurs in an uplink BS-CDMA system where varying degrees of interference power occur among users and across the despread message, we apply unequal error protection (UEP) to mitigate the MUI due to quasi-synchronous reception. Two UEP methods are studied. It is shown through simulations that BS-CDMA systems using these methods achieve significant performance improvement in terms of packet-error-rate (PER) compared to conventional quasi-synchronous BS-CDMA systems where the same error correcting codes are applied to the entire information packet for all users.
A Heuristic Optimization algorithm for Geographic Greedy Hole-Bypassing routing algorithms in WMSNs

The hole-bypassing problem in WMSNs(wireless multimedia sensor networks) is considered. Based on heuristic thinking, a Heuristic Optimization algorithm for Geographic Greedy Hole-Bypassing routing algorithms (HOGGHB) is proposed. Firstly, the critical nodes are explored in the route provided by an existing greedy routing algorithm. Secondly, the optimization gain ratios of the optimizable subroutes between every two critical nodes are computed, and then the optimizable subroutes with the large optimization gain ratios are selected to be optimized. Simulation results demonstrate the validity of HOGGHB algorithm.
Fast 3D surface reconstruction by unambiguous compound phase coding

Phase shift methods have proven to be very robust and accurate for photometric 3D reconstruction. One problem of these approaches is the existence of ambiguities arising from the periodicity of the fringe patterns. While several techniques for disambiguation exist, all of them require the projection of a significant number of additional patterns. For instance, a global Gray coding sequence or several supplemental sinusoidal patterns of different periods are commonly used to complement the basic phase shift technique. In this paper we propose a new pattern strategy to reduce the total number of patterns projected by encoding multiple phases into a single sequence. This is obtained by mixing multiple equal-amplitude sinusoidal signals, which can be efficiently computed using inverse Fourier transformation. The initial phase for each fringe is then recovered independently through Fourier analysis and the unique projected coordinate is computed from the phase vectors using the disambiguation approach based on multiple periods fringes proposed by Lilienblum and Michaelis. With respect to competing approaches, our method is simpler and requires fewer structured light patterns, thus reducing the measurement time, while retaining high level of accuracy.