Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neurolin Ig Domain 2 Participates in Retinal Axon Guidance and Ig Domains 1 and 3 in Fasciculation

The optic disk–directed growth of retinal ganglion cell axons is markedly disturbed in the presence of polyclonal antineurolin antibodies, which mildly affect fasciculation (Ott, H., M. Bastmeyer, and C.A.O. Stuermer, 1998. J. Neurosci. 18:3363–3372). New monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against goldfish neurolin, an immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily cell adhesion/recognition molecule with five Ig domains, were generated to assign function (guidance versus fasciculation) to specific Ig domains. By their ability or failure to recognize Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing recombinant neurolin with deletions of defined Ig domains, mAbs were identified as being directed against Ig domains 1, 2, or 3, respectively. Repeated intraocular injections of a mAb against Ig domain 2 disturb the disk-directed growth: axons grow in aberrant routes and fail to reach the optic disk, but remain fasciculated. mAbs against Ig domains 1 and 3 disturb the formation of tight fascicles. mAb against Ig domain 2 significantly increases the incidence of growth cone departure from the disk-oriented fascicle track, while mAbs against Ig domains 1 and 3 do not. This was demonstrated by time-lapse videorecording of labeled growth cones. Thus, Ig domain 2 of neurolin is apparently essential for growth cone guidance towards the disk, presumably by being part of a receptor (or complex) for an axon guidance component.
Experimental verification of two-norm, infinity-norm continuous switching implemented in resolution of biarticular actuation redundancy

Utilization of redundancy endows systems with dexterity and fault tolerance in achieving its desired output, but its utilization implies added complication which must be resolved. Input optimization using the two-norm and the infinity-norm are two methods popularly utilized to address this problem. However, each resolution criteria finds its greatest benefit in opposite circumstances. This fact has long motivated a resolution system which makes use of both norms, switching back and forth when called for. In a previous publication, we introduced and proved the continuity of the first realization of such a switching resolution system, implemented in the resolution of biarticular actuation redundancy. In this work, we demonstrate the empirical validity and utility of the switching system through implementation in a developed robotic arm equipped with biarticular actuation redundancy. It is found that resolution allows for equivalent maximum torque requirements as the infinity-norm – an improvement over two-norm – but with improved electrical energy requirements over infinity-norm. Graphical Abstract
Fast and reliable resampling detection by spectral analysis of fixed linear predictor residue

This paper revisits the state-of-the-art resampling detector, which is based on periodic artifacts in the residue of a local linear predictor. Inspired by recent findings from the literature, we take a closer look at the complex detection procedure and model the detected artifacts in the spatial and frequency domain by means of the variance of the prediction residue. We give an exact formulation on how transformation parameters influence the appearance of periodic artifacts and analytically derive the expected position of characteristic resampling peaks. We present an equivalent accelerated and simplified detector, which is orders of magnitudes faster than the conventional scheme and experimentally shown to be comparably reliable.
Investigating Normal and Pathological Variation in Memory-based Inhibition: An Examination of Worry, Thought Suppression, and Stimuli Characteristics

Dedication This dissertation is dedicated to Robert A. Brown. Your support has made my work possible. Your generosity, patience, kindness, and wisdom continue to teach me what is important in life. I hope to have the opportunity to give to others a fraction of what you have given to me. Thanks dad. This work was conducted in an effort to better understand the role that activational mechanisms in memory play in the etiology and maintenance of anxiety disorders. The affect of word stimuli characteristics, such as affective valence and semantic association with worry, on the association between inhibition and trait worry was investigated under different types of induced thought. Previous research has demonstrated that worry is associated with negative affect, and that worry may be semantically organized in memory. Based on these findings, it was hypothesized that words would be differentially inhibited in association with trait worry when worry was induced compared to neutral thought. Stimuli characteristics including the positive or negative affective valence of words, and their semantic association with common domains of worry were expected to moderate the relationship between inhibition and trait worry. In order to investigate these hypotheses, 86 undergraduate students from the University of Texas at Austin completed a series of memory tasks designed to measure vii inhibition for either negative or positive words, both associated and unassociated with worry. They underwent either idiopathic worry or neutral thought induction prior to completing each memory task, and completed questionnaires assessing trait worry and thought suppression. The findings provide partial support for the hypotheses. Higher levels of trait worry were associated with less inhibition of negative words, but more inhibition of positive words semantically associated with worry. Contrary to predictions, differential induction of worry did not affect the relationship between inhibition and trait worry. The research and clinical implications of these findings are discussed.
The electronic journal as reflection‐on‐action: a qualitative analysis of communication and learning in a peer‐mentoring program

The University of Ottawa in Canada offers a peer‐mentoring program (whereby an experienced student provides support and guidance to another student) and an associated training program for all peer mentors through its Student Academic Success Service. In addition to the formal training, some peer mentors receive feedback and support through an electronic journal system that records communication between mentors and their supervisor, a paid employee of the university. As a transcript of the interaction between those peer mentors who use the journal and their supervisor, and a record of the mentor’s competency development, the journals provide a rich source of data. This project used an in‐depth content analysis of 192 journals in order to assess the learning process experienced by the mentor. Using reflection‐on‐action as a theoretical framework, this study explores the processes involved as peer mentors reflect on and assess their own practices, and examines the role of dialogue, in the form of feedback provided by the supervisor, in this learning process.
The role of stories and storytelling in organizational change efforts: The anthropology of an intervention within a UK hospital

The interruption, interrogation and transformation of language is the basis of change in organizations, and the medium through which this occurs is ‘stories’. Drawing upon an ethnographic study of a UK hospital change team, the article illustrates the power and centrality of narrative and counter-narrative in organizational diagnosis, critique and intervention. Stories were found to play a crucial role at every stage of the change journey: helping individual actors to tune-in and find a place for themselves on that journey; building collective identity and a community of practice between participants; critiquing and stigmatizing the present as a way of reframing and building a springboard for the future; and actually energizing and mobilizing people for action. Even though stories are central to the whole change experience, their significance has not been adequately highlighted in the organizational change literature. Strongly embedded as they are in the anthropological tradition, they represent an area in which this particular discipline could make a distinctive contribution to the theory and practice of organizational intervention and transformation.
Planning for Organizational Intervention: The Importance of Existing Socio-Psychological Situations in Organizational Diagnosis

The appropriateness of organizational-change-and-development inter ventions is a function of (a) change-agent orientation, (b) existing organi zational conditions, and (c) employees' perceived ideal organizational conditions. Research evidence on organizational change and develop ment is used to support points "a" and "b. " It is argued that perceived ideal organizational conditions are important to change agents because this information provides an indication of organizational members' pref erences. Because the success of organization development depends on employee participation and acceptance, ascertaining the ideal should be of benefit in organizational diagnosis. Data obtained from two different samples indicate that perceptions of the ideal are related to perceptions of existing conditions. Arguments for using the ideal in conjunction with existing organizational conditions are made. In some instances this in formation may suggest coordinating different interventions within an overall OD program in order to achieve the desired objectives.
Comparison of Select Analytes in Exhaled Aerosol from E-Cigarettes with Exhaled Smoke from a Conventional Cigarette and Exhaled Breaths

Exhaled aerosols were collected following the use of two leading U.S. commercial electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes) and a conventional cigarette by human subjects and analyzed for phenolics, carbonyls, water, glycerin and nicotine using a vacuum-assisted filter pad capture system. Exhaled breath blanks were determined for each subject prior to each product use and aerosol collection session. Distribution and mass balance of exhaled e-cigarette aerosol composition was greater than 99.9% water and glycerin, and a small amount (<0.06%) of nicotine. Total phenolic content in exhaled e-cigarette aerosol was not distinguishable from exhaled breath blanks, while total phenolics in exhaled cigarette smoke were significantly greater than in exhaled e-cigarette aerosol and exhaled breaths, averaging 66 µg/session (range 36 to 117 µg/session). The total carbonyls in exhaled e-cigarette aerosols were also not distinguishable from exhaled breaths or room air blanks. Total carbonyls in exhaled cigarette smoke was significantly greater than in exhaled e-cigarette aerosols, exhaled breath and room air blanks, averaging 242 µg/session (range 136 to 352 µg/session). These results indicate that exhaled e-cigarette aerosol does not increase bystander exposure for phenolics and carbonyls above the levels observed in exhaled breaths of air.
High‐resolution p‐adaptive DG simulations of flows with moving shocks

High‐order accurate DG discretization is employed for Reynolds‐averaged Navier–Stokes equations modeling of complex shock‐dominated, unsteady flow generated by gas issuing from a shock tube nozzle. The DG finite element discretization framework is used for both the flow field and turbulence transport. Turbulent flow in the near wall regions and the flow field is modeled by the Spalart–Allmaras one‐equation model. The effect of rotation on turbulence modeling for shock‐dominated supersonic flows is considered for accurate resolution of the large coherent and vortical structures that are of interest in high‐speed combustion and supersonic flows. Implicit time marching methodologies are used to enable large time steps by avoiding the severe time step limitations imposed by the higher order DG discretizations and the source terms. Sufficiently high mesh density is used to enable crisp capturing of discontinuities. A p − type refinement procedure is employed to accurately represent the vortical structures generated during the development of the flow. The computed solutions showed qualitative agreement with experiments. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improvement on Image Rotation for Relative Self-Localization Estimation

There are many methods to localize its position based on visual sensing schemes in indoor environment. This paper presents the problem of finding the correspondences of images feature’s descriptors when the images have large rotation. SIFT and SURF have always been considered as very effective algorithms to extract interest points and their orientation and descriptors. For descriptors, one of both uses a lot of time to calculate descriptors and the other has not good performance in large rotation of the image. In this paper, we propose an improved algorithm to calculate interest points’ descriptors for relative self-localization estimation. The proposed algorithm will satisfy descriptor invariant when the image rotates. Meanwhile, the proposed method reduces the calculated time as much as possible. Interest point’s descriptors are formed by resampling local regions.
Nature as relationship partner: an old frame revisited

Language use that embodies a mechanistic, instrumental view of nature contributes to the environmental predicament. This paper argues that interpersonal relationships can be applied as suitable analogies and metaphors for human–nature relationships. To show that such reframing is necessary and possible, we used the Google Ngram Viewer to study how often expressions from different frames of nature were used in English language books between 1800 and 2008. As the language use of scientific publications is directly related to formal education, a similar analysis was conducted using the Scopus scientific database for 1993–2012. After presenting our numerical results, we explain why the interpersonal relationship frame is environmentally appropriate and widely applicable. It is pointed out that in both human–human and human–nature relations, complex systems are connected, change is constant, stress is unavoidable, and multiple dynamic equilibria exist. Moreover, a number of analogous psychological defense mechanisms are used, which can lead to similar systemic problems, such as unrealistic expectations, growing distance, and exploitation in the relationship. In light of these similarities, relevant theoretical and empirical results are re-examined. It is shown that the relationship frame can help understand and bring about the cognitive and behavioral changes required to improve human–nature relationships.
Peroxidasin-like protein: expanding the horizons of matrix biology.

This editorial refers to ‘Peroxidasin-like protein: a novel peroxidase homolog in the human heart’ by Z. Peterfi et al . , doi:10.1093/cvr/cvt256. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an intertwining network of proteins that provides support to the surrounding cells within a given organ. The ECM consists of collagens, elastins, glycoproteins, proteoglycans, and glycosaminoglycans, and performs a critical function not only during cardiac development and homoeostasis, but also during disease. On the one hand, this function can be structural, allowing for maintained strength and stability. Excessive matrix deposition induces cardiac stiffening, whereas abnormal collagen degradation causes cardiac dilatation.1 On the other hand, this vast entity also acts as a biochemical reservoir for intra- and extracellular communication between the different cardiac cells making the ECM extremely diverse in its function.2 Peterfi et al. 3 describe for the first time a novel peroxidase homologue, peroxidasin-like protein (PXDNL), whose expression is exclusive to the heart. This work follows their previous research describing the role of peroxidasin (PXDN) in matrix deposition following a fibrotic stimulus in the kidney.4 Intriguingly, both these proteins are derived from peroxidase-ancestors and have structural domains characteristic of ‘classical’ ECM proteins ( Figure 1 ). They include leucine-rich repeats similar to a subgroup of proteoglycans, such as decorin, mimecan, biglycan, and lumican, and which …
Physiological demands of mountain rescue work

Objective To characterise the physical fitness of mountain rescue (MR) volunteers and the physical demands of a typical MR callout. Methods Eight MR volunteers (age ± SD: 45.5 ± 8.9 years) completed a laboratory-based treadmill exercise test to exhaustion. One week later subjects completed a field-based simulated callout to retrieve a casualty by stretcher. In both studies exercise intensity was evaluated by determination of oxygen uptake and other cardiovascular measures. Results The maximal oxygen uptake of the participants was 53 ml/kg/min (95% CI 45 to 60). In an unassisted callout, a typical rucksack load was 17% of body mass. Ascent time was 56 min (95% CI 40 to 72), of which 82% (95% CI 66% to 98%) was completed at hard or very hard intensity (above the respiratory compensation point). Descent time with a stretcher was 58 min (95% CI 52 to 64), of which only 6% (95% CI −4% to 16%) was completed at hard or very hard intensity. Correlations between heart rate and oxygen uptake were similar (p=0.254 by analysis of variance) during laboratory (r=0.72) and field testing, especially for the ascent (r=0.75). Conclusions Mountain rescuers generally have high levels of physical fitness and are required to perform at very hard intensity for the majority of the ascent to a casualty. Heart rate is a simple yet valid measure of exercise intensity in MR personnel. These findings highlight important information on the unique physical demands faced by MR volunteers and provide direction for future research, volunteer selection and training.
The Shrunken Head of Buchenwald: Icons of Atrocity at Nuremberg

OVERLOOKED IN THE CELEBRATIONS OF the fiftieth anniversary of the Nuremberg Trial, the "most significant criminal action in history,"" was the proceeding's great tedium. Rebecca West, who reported on the trial for the JNew iorker, described the courtroom as "a citadel of boredom. "' The trial was long eleven months would pass from the reading of the indictment on 21 November 1945 until the tribunal pronounced judgment on 1 October 1946 though perhaps not inordinately so: the O.J. Simpson murder trial took nearly as long as the entire Nuremberg Trial, with its twenty-one defendants and complex indictment enumerating crimes committed over the course of a decade and the space of a continent. The "savage impatience" that the trial aroused in its spectators was less a function of duration than of how the prosecution chose to present its evidence. Following the strategy of the chief counsel for the United States, Robert H.Jackson (on leave from his position as associate justice of the Supreme Court), the prosecution structured its case around captured documentary evidence, material considered "harder" and more reliable than eyewitness testimony.4 As a result, much of the Nuremberg Trial was devoted to the numbing recitation of thousands of documents, a process less suited to highlighting the malignancy of the defendants than the ingenuity of IBM, whose translation machine, specially designed for the Nuremberg courtroom, permitted the four-way simultaneous interpretation of material read into the court's record. And so, a trial many had feared would devolve into sensationalism came to assume all the drama of antitrust litigation. But Nuremberg was not without its moments of spectacle. One of these came on 13 December 1945, near the end of the proceeding's first month. Thomas J. Dodd, an assistant prosecutor (and future U.S. Senator) who had spent much of the afternoon reading affidavits about the deplorable conditions in the concentration camps, brought the court's attention to an unusual exhibit: "We do not wish to dwell on this pathological phase of the Nazi culture," he announced, "but we do feel compelled to offer one additional exhibit, which we offer as Exhibit Number
Differences between High School Students Who Do and Do Not Volunteer to Participate in a Peer Interaction Program

We examined the differences between two groups of general education high school students: Those who volunteered to participate in a peer buddy program designed to increase their social interactions with their peers with severe disabilities (n = 30), and those who chose not to volunteer (n = 30). Differences were examined using the Social Distance Questionnaire for Attitudes of High School Students Toward Handicapped Persons. Analyses indicated that, at pre-test, peer buddies reported significantly greater willingness to interact with people with severe disabilities and more previous contact with these individuals than did nonvolunteers. There were no differences between the scores of the groups on knowledge of disability or affect toward persons with disabilities. After one semester of enrollment in the program, social willingness, knowledge, and contact scores of peer buddies increased significantly, whereas the scores of nonvolunteers remained the same as at the pre-test. In addition, students' self-reported previous contact with individuals with disabilities positively correlated with their scores indicating their social willingness to interact with their peers with disabilities. Implications of the study are discussed with respect to benefits of and recommendations for peer interaction programs.
A Portable MIDI Controller Using EMG-Based Individual Finger Motion Classification

Classifying the motion of the five fingers of the hand using non-invasive bio-signal readings from the forearm is still an unsolved research challenge. Its solution is relevant to hands-free remote control devices, on-stage live performances, consumer entertainment, the video game industry, and most importantly the design of hand prosthetics for amputees. This paper proposes a solution that uses the continuous wavelet transform (CWT) decompositions of electromyography (EMG) signals from the forearm muscles, and Support Vector Machines (SVM) classification. The resulting design is a low cost, low power and low complexity portable embedded system that is strapped to the arm, where it collects EMG signals, classifies them in real-time, and sends the resulting class labels via Bluetooth to a remote interface. These labels are then converted into musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) commands that can be used to control any MIDI-controllable device. While the design is still at the prototype stage at best, it provides a proof-of-concept of non-invasive finger motion classification solely based on EMG readings from the forearm muscles. Experimental simulation of the expected system achieved 91% accuracy.
Scientific Literacy and Purposes for Teaching Science: A Case Study of Lebanese Private School Teachers.

In the United States and around the world, calls for educational reform stress the need for a scientifically literate population, prepared for the twenty-first century workforce. These calls have translated into new curricula, which in isolation, are not enough? Teachers play an essential role in the development of scientifically literate citizens. Their purposes for teaching science act as filters for acceptable learning and teaching activities. This paper examines the congruence of eight private school teachers’ purposes for teaching science, and aspects of scientific literacy in the Middle Eastern country of Lebanon. Findings are discussed in light of contextual factors that inform the operationalization of scientific literacy in practice.