Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of a Sport-Based Service Learning Course on Participants’ Attitudes, Intentions and Actions Toward Social Change

Framed in the context of a sport-based service learning program that engages in interdepartmental university partnerships (including athletics), the current study focused on addressing the need to analyze the long-term impacts of service learning on students’ intentions and actions toward social change. Service learning courses have been shown to facilitate positive outcomes such as increased cultural competency and future intentions toward civic engagement (Bruening et al., 2010, 2014). Building on this knowledge, the current study used in-depth interviews to investigate the social justice-related attitudes, intentions, and behaviors of alumni of a college service learning through sport course. Individual interviews (n = 22) with participants who had completed at least one semester in the course indicated that the course was influential in developing their ability to recognize social inequities. Furthermore, participants indicated future intentions and current involvement in initiatives that address soci.
Prediction-based observation of nonlinear systems non-affine in the unmeasured states

The presented work addresses the observation problem for a large class of nonlinear systems, including systems which are nonlinear in the unmeasured states. Assuming partial state measurements, the unmeasured states are reconstructed so that a prediction of the measured states converges to a neighborhood of the actual measurements. This prediction-based observer algorithm relies on carefully selected prediction-observation errors, designed using a backstepping technique. Lyapunov's direct method is used to show Lyapunov stability and convergence of these errors to an arbitrarily small neighborhood of the origin. The technique is applied to two different nonlinear systems. Results of numerical simulations are presented for both cases and illustrate the efficacy of the algorithm. Experimental results are also provided for one of the examples.
Thermal Aspects in Laser Material Removal

In laser material removal using a continuous wave or long-pulsed laser, the primary material removal mechanism is melting with molten metal often ejected by an assist oxygen jet. Interactions between heat transfer, oxygen diffusion and gas dynamics have been studied. In laser machining using a Q-switched solid-state laser with pulse width in the order of nanosecond, the primary material removal mechanism is ablation but substantial melting is still present if a metallic material is concerned. Two mechanisms, ablation and melting are modeled together and the property discontinuity and boundary conditions at the liquid/vapor interface are provided. When the laser pulse width further reduces to the order of picosecond or femtosecond, as in a Ti:sapphire laser, the dominant material removal mechanism changes yet again, with little thermal damage and wavelength independence observed. Thermal aspects are examined in the context of the short timescales of these pulses compared with the timescale of photon-electron-lattice interactions. Research needs in laser material removal in each of the three time regimes are discussed.
Robust Character Recognition Using Connected-Component Extraction

As auto-focus camera is equipped in some mobile devices, images taken from these cameras are with higher resolution and clarity currently, this provides the possibilities for character recognition in mobile devices. This paper proposes a novel and robust character recognition methods for natural scene images such as images of book cover, road signs, billboard and packing boxes. First, the text areas in an image are located by dividing to sub windows. Characters are then extracted by the connected-component (Co-Co) extraction and selection method. Finally, Fisher Component Analysis (FCA) is adopted in classifying the extracted characters. The proposed methods with a prototype system are implemented and deployed to a mobile with auto-focus camera proving the recognition result with short processing time. Testing images include pictures taken from our mobile device and ICDAR 2003 Robust Reading Competition. Where the text locating evaluation method proposed in the ICDAR 2003 competition is used to evaluate our method, and a f score=0.58 is gained in our experiment.
Effect of growth hormone on exercise tolerance in children with cystic fibrosis.

PURPOSE The effect of growth hormone (GH) treatment on exercise tolerance in children with cystic fibrosis was investigated. METHODS 10 prepubertal children (mean +/- SD; age: 12.1 +/- 1.7 yr; height: 137.4 +/- 9.2 cm; body mass: 27.8 +/- 4.2 kg; forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1): 68 +/- 22% predicted) were randomly assigned to either control period (CON, standard therapy) or recombinant human growth hormone (GH) period (additional GH treatment, 0.11-0.14 IU.kg-1, daily, s.c.) for the first 6 months, and then assigned to the other period for the next 6 months. At study entry and after each period, anthropometric data, pulmonary function, and exercise capacity (peak exercise capacity, .VO(2peak), and isokinetic muscle strength) were measured. RESULTS Changes in height (+4.3 +/- 1.0 cm), total body mass (+2.2 +/- 0.8 kg), and lean body mass (LBM, +2.9 +/- 0.7 kg) were significantly higher (P < 0.01) after GH treatment compared with CON. Pulmonary function did not significantly change in either of the periods. In contrast to CON, GH treatment improved absolute . VO(2peak) (+19%, P < 0.01), peak ventilation (+14%, P < 0.01), and peak oxygen pulse (+18%, P < 0.01). Analysis of variance revealed that most of the changes (71%) in . VO(2peak) could be explained by those in LBM and FEV1 (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION GH treatment clearly improved exercise tolerance, presumably resulting from the combined effects of GH on the muscular, cardiovascular, and pulmonary capacity.
Plasma homocysteine levels, cerebrovascular risk factors, and cerebral white matter changes (leukoaraiosis) in patients with Alzheimer disease.

CONTEXT The pathogenesis of leukoaraiosis on computed tomographic (CT) scanning is unknown, but cerebrovascular risk factors for leukoaraiosis show overlap with those for Alzheimer disease (AD). OBJECTIVE To investigate the contribution of cerebrovascular risk factors, in particular plasma total homocysteine (tHcy), to leukoaraiosis in patients with AD and controls. DESIGN Cross-sectional case-control study. SETTING Referral population to a hospital clinic and community volunteers from the Oxfordshire region in England seen between July 1, 1988, and July 1, 2000. PARTICIPANTS One hundred thirty-seven AD cases (104 confirmed post mortem) and 277 controls matched for age (mean +/- SD, 73 +/- 8 years) and sex. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Cerebrovascular risk factors and leukoaraiosis on CT scans of cases and controls; the odds ratio (OR) of having moderate to severe leukoaraiosis with higher levels of plasma tHcy and cerebrovascular risk factors such as age, sex, systolic blood pressure, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and apolipoprotein E epsilon4 genotype. RESULTS Leukoaraiosis was more prevalent in AD cases. For a 5-micromol/L increase in tHcy levels, the OR for leukoaraiosis was 1.40 (95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.91) independent of other risk factors. The distribution pattern of leukoaraiosis was more marked in the deep white matter than in the periventricular area in individuals with elevated tHcy levels, particularly in patients with AD. CONCLUSIONS Higher tHcy levels are an independent risk factor for moderate to severe leukoaraiosis in individuals with AD and of leukoaraiosis of the deep white matter in particular. The nature of the relationship between tHcy levels and leukoaraiosis in AD requires further longitudinal and intervention studies.
Two DEAD-Box Proteins May Be Part of RNA-Dependent High-Molecular-Mass Protein Complexes in Arabidopsis Mitochondria1[W]

Posttranscriptional processes are important for regulation of gene expression in plant mitochondria. DEAD-box proteins, which form a huge protein family with members from all kingdoms, are fundamental components in virtually all types of processes in RNA metabolism. Two members of this protein family, designated PMH1 and PMH2 (for PUTATIVE MITOCHONDRIAL RNA HELICASE), were analyzed and characterized in mitochondria of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Green fluorescent protein tagging with N-terminal PMH1 and PMH2 sequences supports the mitochondrial localization of these proteins. Northern experiments, as well as histochemical β-glucuronidase staining of transgenic plants carrying respective promoter:β-glucuronidase fusion constructs, revealed differing transcription patterns for the two genes. In response to cold, however, transcript levels of both genes increased. Immunodetection analyses of mitochondrial protein complexes after two-dimensional blue native/urea SDS-PAGE and after fractionation on sucrose gradients strongly suggest that one or both proteins are part of RNA-dependent complexes. Cold treatment of cell cultures or solubilization of mitochondria in the presence of MgCl2 favored the detection of high-molecular-mass complexes. This study paves the way for detailed analysis of high-molecular-mass complexes in mitochondria of higher plants.
Drosophila Smt3 negatively regulates JNK signaling through sequestering Hipk in the nucleus

Post-translational modification by the small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO) is important for a variety of cellular and developmental processes. However, the precise mechanism(s) that connects sumoylation to specific developmental signaling pathways remains relatively less clear. Here, we show that Smt3 knockdown in Drosophila wing discs causes phenotypes resembling JNK gain of function, including ectopic apoptosis and apoptosis-induced compensatory growth. Smt3 depletion leads to an increased expression of JNK target genes Mmp1 and puckered. We show that, although knockdown of the homeodomain-interacting protein kinase (Hipk) suppresses Smt3 depletion-induced activation of JNK, Hipk overexpression synergistically enhances this type of JNK activation. We further demonstrate that Hipk is sumolylated in vivo, and its nuclear localization is dependent on the sumoylation pathway. Our results thus establish a mechanistic connection between the sumoylation pathway and the JNK pathway through the action of Hipk. We propose that the sumoylation-controlled balance between cytoplasmic and nuclear Hipk plays a crucial role in regulating JNK signaling.
Security Issues in the BRAHMS System

The paper presents the requirements and the solution developed by the IST-BRAHMS Project for the introduction of an IPSec scenario in a generic Broadband Satellite Multimedia system. The guideline of the proposed Multi-Layer IPSec methodology is discussed with specific reference to the characteristics of the generic satellite network architecture addressed by the project. The issue related to the functional integration of the security management mechanism in the BRAHMS Network Layer architecture are finally addressed. I. BRAHMS Project Overview A number of broadband satellite systems have been proposed in recent years offering alternative solutions. The highest possible level of commonality is desirable especially for user terminals, even when different satellite transmission systems are used, in order to reduce the cost of the user equipment and expand the satellite services market. The goal is to offer a convergence path from current satellite systems to a more generic next-generation system with common terminal architectures supported by new standards. The need for standardisation in broadband satellite systems has been recognised by industry and has resulted in the setting up of a working group on Broadband Satellite Multimedia (BSM) in ETSI SES, to which the BRAHMS project has contributed [6] [7] [8]. The BRAHMS (BRoadband Access for High speed Multimedia via Satellite) project [10] contributed in defining a universal communication infrastructure for a broadband access via satellite (see Fig. 1) open to different satellite system implementations and with the objective to harmonise most of the common satellite access network functions. This flexibility (e.g. for frequency, access type, orbit) is obtained by separating physically-related functions from common service and access ones: the higher layer Radio-Technology Independent (RTI) access network functions “hide” the lower layer Radio-Technology Dependent (RTD) functions from the user and the core network. The common RTI layers in the user (BSAT) and hub (BHS) stations in access networks support a full range of multimedia services (e.g. broadband and Internet) and connections to alternative customer premises and core networks. In this way, the transport and delivery of IP-based applications and services seamlessly complement the available terrestrial broadband services and propose, in some niche markets, added-value services as compared to terrestrial ones. User Segment Access Network Edge/Core Network
Hilbert Curve Fractal Antenna for RFID Application

The implementation of radio frequency identification (RFID) involved two main components; the transponder and the reader. The transponder or simply known as a tag comprises of a programmable chip and an antenna. The antenna of the tag has to be of compact size. This paper presents a compact antenna based on the Hilbert curve fractal. The basic antenna is designed at 2.4 GHz, one of the frequencies used in RFID applications. The antenna geometry went through three iterations of fractal process. The designed antennas were then simulated using electromagnetic simulation software. It was observed that a compact Hilbert curve fractal antenna performs well at the desired frequency of operation
Vegetative storage protein in Litchi chinensis, a subtropical evergreen fruit tree, possesses trypsin inhibitor activity.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Vegetative storage proteins (VSPs) are commonly bioactive in herbaceous plants but few VSPs with bioactivity have been identified in trees. In addition, information on the characterization of VSPs in evergreen trees is limited. The objective of this study was to characterize the VSPs with bioactivity in evergreen trees. Methods The VSP in lychee (Litchi chinensis), an evergreen fruit tree, was characterized by a combination of cytological, biochemical and molecular biological techniques. KEY RESULTS The VSP in lychee was a 22-kDa protein. It accumulated in the large central vacuoles of protein-storing cells (PSCs) in two distinguishable forms, granular and floccular. The PSCs were of a novel type. The 22-kDa protein is distributed in mature leaves, bark tissues of branches, trunk and large roots, paralleling the distribution of PSCs. Its homologues were present in mature seed. During young shoot development and fruiting, the 22-kDa protein decreased apparently, suggesting a nitrogen-storage function. The 22-kDa protein had several isoforms encoded by a small multigene family. One gene member, LcVSP1, was cloned. The LcVSP1 had no intron and contained a 675 bp open reading frame encoding a putative protein of 225 amino acids. LcVSP1 was homologous to Kunitz trypsin inhibitors. The 22-kDa protein inhibited trypsin and chymotrypsin, but had no inhibitory effect on subtilisin. CONCLUSIONS Lychee is rich in a 22-kDa VSP with trypsin inhibitor activity. The VSP plays an important role in nitrogen storage while its possible defensive function remains to be elucidated.
Oncostatin M enhances the expression of prostaglandin E2 and cyclooxygenase‐2 in astrocytes: Synergy with interleukin‐1β, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and bacterial lipopolysaccharide

Oncostatin M (OSM), a cytokine of the interleukin‐6 family, is expressed in rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, multiple myeloma, and other inflammatory and neoplastic conditions. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), an eicosanoid also associated with inflammation and cancer, has recently been shown to induce OSM expression. We report here that OSM in turn induces PGE2 production by astrocytes and astroglioma cells. More importantly, in combination with the inflammatory mediators IL‐1β, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and lipopolysaccharide, OSM exhibits a striking synergy, resulting in up to 50‐fold higher PGE2 production by astrocytes, astroglioma, and neuroblastoma cell lines. Enhanced PGE2 production by OSM and IL‐1β treatment is explained by their effect on cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), an enzyme that catalyzes the committed step in PGE2 synthesis. Of the enzymes involved in PGE2 biosynthesis, only COX‐2 mRNA and protein levels are synergistically amplified by OSM and IL‐1β. Nuclear run‐on assays demonstrate that OSM and IL‐1β synergistically upregulate transcription of the COX‐2 gene, and the mRNA stability assay indicates that COX‐2 mRNA is posttranscriptionally stabilized by OSM and IL‐1β. To effect synergy on the PGE2 level, OSM signals in part through its gp130/OSMRβ receptor, since neutralizing antibodies against gp130 and OSMRβ, but not LIFRβ, decrease PGE2 production in response to OSM plus IL‐1β. SB202190 and U0126, inhibitors of p38 MAPK and ERK1/2 activation, respectively, inhibit IL‐1β and OSM upregulation of COX‐2 and PGE2, indicating that these MAPK cascades are utilized by both stimuli. This mechanism of PGE2 amplification may be active in brain pathologies where both OSM and IL‐1β are present, such as glioblastomas and multiple sclerosis. GLIA 42:433–446, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The gains and pains of mixed national group work at university

ABSTRACT According to a recent report, the top skill that employers are looking for in graduates is an ability to work collaboratively with teams of people from a range of backgrounds and countries. So as universities seek to internationalise, an important question is how successful they are in developing this skill. Both research and anecdotal evidence suggest that it is a challenging task and that universities are struggling to achieve it. In this paper, we report a study on working in mixed national groups and its relation to intercultural skills. A total of 2000 students at a UK university responded to a questionnaire that had both closed and open questions. A range of statistical analyses were carried out on the quantitative data, and the open-ended comments were analysed thematically. The responses were compared across national/regional clusters and our findings indicate that mixed national group work is widely perceived across the clusters as enriching and not particularly challenging. Correlations indicate that students perceive such group work as more important for the development of intercultural skills than cross-national friendships.
The Lexical Neighborhood Test: Test-Retest Reliability and Inter-List Equivalency 1

Abstract. This study examined the reliability and inter-list equivalency of two new recorded spoken word recognition measures, the Lexical Neighborhood Test (LNT) and the Multisyllabic Lexical Neighborhood Test (MLNT), and evaluated the effects of lexical difficulty on spoken word recognition by children with hearing loss. Participants were 16 children with prelingual, profound deafness who used a cochlear implant. Test-retest reliability was high and no significant inter-list differences were observed for both measures. In addition, we found that lexically “easy” words (i.e., those that occur often and have few phonemically words with which they are similar) were recognized correctly more often than lexically “hard” words (i.e., those with opposite characteristics). The results demonstrate that the LNT and MLNT provide reliable information about spoken word recognition abilities of children with profound hearing loss who use cochlear implants. In addition, these new measures also provide more detailed information about the way in which these children organize and access spoken words from long-term lexical memory.
Incidence and persistence of classical swine fever in free-ranging wild boar (Sus scrofa)

Although veterinary authorities aim to limit persistence of classical swine fever (CSF) in wild boar (Sus scrofa), to avoid potential transmission to pigs, factors influencing CSF transmission and persistence are not clearly understood. Here we analyse incidence and persistence in a CSF epidemic that occurred in the French Vosges Forest. Higher incidence was found in large forests compared to smaller isolated ones, being highest near the starting point of the epidemic, but poorly related to the local density. We hypothesize that the spatial and social structure of wild boar populations may be responsible for this variability of incidence over space. Persistence was highest near the starting point of the epidemic and where initial density was highest. We hypothesize that persistence was favoured by the abundance of young wild boar, itself encouraged by CSF. Our results allow us to propose management measures aimed at limiting CSF persistence.
Improved cloud security trust on client side data encryption using HASBE and Blowfish

Cloud computing has emerged as one of the most authoritative paradigms in the IT industry. In such area confidentiality, flexibility and access control of data are to be considered. Anyhow the data owners and service providers will not be on the same domain, the data will be stored in storage by the service providers. Most of the enterprises use firewalls to protect data against intruders,that they have stored in their internal storage. In order to build the belief in the development of cloud computing the cloud providers must defend the user data from unauthorized access and exposure. The best approach is encrypting the data on client side before storing it in cloud storage, however, this technique has a much infirmity from the client side in terms of key management, maintenance perspective, etc. Other way could be this kind of security service like Hierarchical Attribute Set Based Encryption, encryption/decryption service if provided by same cloud storage provider, the data negotiating cannot be ruled out since same provider has access to both storage and security service. Customer relationship management for business model that is driven by the type of software as a service method in the cloud. Implementing the scheme and showing that it is both efficient and flexible in dealing with access control for subcontracted data and encryption/decryption operations shows from top to bottom protected and operative way for retrieving data in a cloud environment.
Laser acupuncture in children and adolescents with exercise induced asthma

Background: Laser acupuncture, a painless technique, is a widely used alternative treatment method for childhood asthma, although its efficacy has not been proved in controlled clinical studies. Methods: A double blind, placebo controlled, crossover study was performed to investigate the possible protective effect of a single laser acupuncture treatment on cold dry air hyperventilation induced bronchoconstriction in 44 children and adolescents of mean age 11.9 years (range 7.5–16.7) with exercise induced asthma. Laser acupuncture was performed on real and placebo points in random order on two consecutive days. Lung function was measured before laser acupuncture, immediately after laser acupuncture (just before cold dry air challenge (CACh)), and 3 and 15 minutes after CACh. CACh consisted of a 4 minute isocapnic hyperventilation of –10°C absolute dry air. Results: Comparison of real acupuncture with placebo acupuncture showed no significant differences in the mean maximum CACh induced decrease in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (27.2 (18.2)% v 23.8 (16.2)%) and maximal expiratory flow at 25% remaining vital capacity (51.6 (20.8)% v 44.4 (22.3)%). Conclusions: A single laser acupuncture treatment offers no protection against exercise induced bronchoconstriction in paediatric and adolescent patients.