Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Culture as a tool: facilitating knowledge construction in the context of a learning community

Knowledge construction is regarded as an effective learning model in practice. When more and more learning communities are organized to promote knowledge construction, it is necessary to know how to use different tools to support knowledge construction in the learning community context. In the literature, few researchers discuss how to construct knowledge with such tools in the contexts of learning communities. The purpose of this project is to explore how culture as a tool supports knowledge construction in the context of the Zhabei Learning Community in Shanghai, China. Social constructionism and the cultural diamond are employed as devices to frame the study. Some of the conclusions are influenced by postmodernism. Data from five learning cells indicate that culture is a bridge that connects multiple knowledge creators together; culture is a prop which transfers knowledge to a variety of receivers; culture is a lubricant nurturing an open learning environment; and culture is used as a toolkit to compose the new knowledge product.
MYT3, A Myb-Like Transcription Factor, Affects Fungal Development and Pathogenicity of Fusarium graminearum

We previously characterized members of the Myb protein family, MYT1 and MYT2, in Fusarium graminearum. MYT1 and MYT2 are involved in female fertility and perithecium size, respectively. To expand knowledge of Myb proteins in F. graminearum, in this study, we characterized the functions of the MYT3 gene, which encodes a putative Myb-like transcription factor containing two Myb DNA-binding domains and is conserved in the subphylum Pezizomycotina of Ascomycota. MYT3 proteins were localized in nuclei during most developmental stages, suggesting the role of MYT3 as a transcriptional regulator. Deletion of MYT3 resulted in impairment of conidiation, germination, and vegetative growth compared to the wild type, whereas complementation of MYT3 restored the wild-type phenotype. Additionally, the Δmyt3 strain grew poorly on nitrogen-limited media; however, the mutant grew robustly on minimal media supplemented with ammonium. Moreover, expression level of nitrate reductase gene in the Δmyt3 strain was decreased in comparison to the wild type and complemented strain. On flowering wheat heads, the Δmyt3 strain exhibited reduced pathogenicity, which corresponded with significant reductions in trichothecene production and transcript levels of trichothecene biosynthetic genes. When the mutant was selfed, mated as a female, or mated as a male for sexual development, perithecia were not observed on the cultures, indicating that the Δmyt3 strain lost both male and female fertility. Taken together, these results demonstrate that MYT3 is required for pathogenesis and sexual development in F. graminearum, and will provide a robust foundation to establish the regulatory networks for all Myb-like proteins in F. graminearum.
EVOLUTIONARY BIOSCIENCE AS REGULATORY

At present several entirely different explanatory approaches compete to illuminate the mechanisms by which animal body plans have evolved. Their respective relevance is briefly considered here in the light of modern knowledge of genomes and the regulatory processes by which development is controlled. Just as development is a system property of the regulatory genome, so causal explanation of evolutionary change in developmental process must be considered at a system level. Here I enumerate some mechanistic consequences that follow from the conclusion that evolution of the body plan has occurred by alteration of the structure of developmental gene regulatory networks. The hierarchy and multiple additional design features of these networks act to produce Boolean regulatory state specification functions at upstream phases of development of the body plan. These are created by the logic outputs of network subcircuits, and in modern animals these outputs are impervious to continuous adaptive variation unlike genes operating more peripherally in the network.
Story as a Way of Knowing

This book, rather ironically, uses the written word to draw together threads from science, psychotherapy, scripture, and homiletics that can help us recognize and reclaim the power of oral-aural storying as a way of knowing. Story as a Way of Knowing will open your mind and imagination to new ways of thinking and knowing about yourself, others, your world, and your God.
Simultaneous Controller and Protocol Design for Networked Control Systems with Packet Based Communication

We derive conditions for quadratic stabilizability of linear networked control systems (LNCSs) by dynamic output feedback and communication protocols. We use these conditions to develop a simultaneous design of controllers and protocols in terms of matrix inequalities. The obtained protocols do not require knowledge of controller and plant states but only of the discrepancies between current and the most recently transmitted values of nodes' signals, and are implementable on control area networks. We show on a batch reactor example that our design guarantees quadratic stability (QS) with a significantly smaller network bandwidth than previously available designs
IISIn - A Model for Analyzing ICT Intensive Service Innovations in n-Sided Markets

In this paper, we introduce the ICT Intensive Service Innovations in many-sided, or n-sided, markets (IISIn) model for understanding ICT intensive service innovations. Our model is built on earlier research on services, service innovations and economics of two- sided markets. A significant share of mobile applications and services are those that are offered on platform-mediated networks for users on many-sided markets. In platform-mediated networks the users access a common platform that facilitates their interactions. Platforms are, essentially, subsets of components and rules employed by users in most of their transactions. Hence, in this paper we build a research agenda to guide the future research of mobile services and service innovations.
Feasibility of dialectical behavior therapy for suicidal adolescent inpatients.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the feasibility of dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) implementation in a general child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient unit and to provide preliminary effectiveness data on DBT versus treatment as usual (TAU). METHOD Sixty-two adolescents with suicide attempts or suicidal ideation were admitted to one of two psychiatric inpatient units. One unit used a DBT protocol and the other unit relied on TAU. Assessments of depressive symptoms, suicidal ideation, hopelessness, parasuicidal behavior, hospitalizations, emergency room visits, and adherence to follow-up recommendations were conducted before and after treatment and at 1-year follow-up for both groups. In addition, behavioral incidents on the units were evaluated. RESULTS DBT significantly reduced behavioral incidents during admission when compared with TAU. Both groups demonstrated highly significant reductions in parasuicidal behavior, depressive symptoms, and suicidal ideation at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS DBT can be effectively implemented in acute-care child and adolescent psychiatric inpatient units. The promising results from this pilot study suggest that further evaluation of DBT for adolescent inpatients appears warranted.
The navigation wizard: helped metaphor-aware navigation in virtual worlds

Anyone who has ever experienced 3D interfaces will agree that navigating in a 3D world is not a trivial task. The user interface of traditional 3D Browsers provides simple navigation tools that allow the user to modify the orientation, position and focal of the virtual camera. Using these tools, it is common that after some movements, the user is lost in the virtual space and tries to restart from the beginning. This paper presents how this problem is addressed in the context of the CyberNet project [1]. Our underlying principle is to help the user to navigate by adapting the navigation tool to the virtual world.
Throughput-driven synthesis of embedded software for pipelined execution on multicore architectures

We present a methodology for pipelined software synthesis of streaming applications. First, we develop a versatile task assignment algorithm capable of optimizing realistically-arbitrary cost functions for two cores. The algorithm is exact (i.e., theoretically optimal) contrary to existing heuristics. Second, our approximation technique provides an adjustable knob to trade solution quality with algorithm runtime and memory. Third, we develop a recursive heuristic for more cores. FPGA-based emulated experiments validate our theoretical results. The exact algorithm yields 1.7 × throughput improvement. The approximation method offers a range of tradeoff points (e.g., 3 × faster with 20 × less memory) while degrading the throughput only 1% to 5%.
THE SIXTH PILLAR OF READING INSTRUCTION Knowledge Development

The National Reading Panel (NRP) identified five pillars, or essential components, of reading instruction that lead to the highest chance of reading success—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. A decade after the NRP's report, the majority of US states adopted the Common Core State Standards/English Language Arts & Literacy (CCSS/ELA). One of the most significant changes of the CCSS/ELA is a focus on knowledge development as part of literacy development and focus on the acquisition of literacy skills specific to different disciplines. In highlighting these connections between ELA and knowledge as part of literacy, the CCSS/ELA provide an opportunity for teachers to emphasize what research has validated for decades: that knowledge is a critical component of the reading process. In this column, we describe why knowledge development should be viewed as the sixth pillar of reading instruction and how teachers can increase their students’ knowledge building through reading.
A Stereotype Boost or Choking Under Pressure? Positive Gender Stereotypes and Men Who Are Low in Domain Identification

In 3 studies, we examined the effect of a positive gender stereotype (e.g., men are superior to women in math and computer science) on performance and motivation as a function of domain identification, with a special emphasis on men low in domain identification. Drawing from past research on stereotype boost and choking under pressure, we predicted that for men low in domain identification, performance would ironically suffer in the positive stereotype condition compared to a nullified stereotype condition. In all 3 studies, we found that men lower in domain identification performed better in nullified stereotype conditions and poorly in gender- stereotypical conditions. Results suggest that the interaction between the expectancies conveyed by a stereotype and the value placed on a domain by an individual may influence performance and motivation regardless of stereotype valence.
Romantic involvement and alcohol use in middle and late adolescence

This study examined the associations between various dimensions of romantic involvement and alcohol use in middle and late adolescence. Based on Brown's model (1999, The development of romantic relationships in adolescence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, pp. 291–329), significant associations were expected to be found in middle adolescence only, and these associations were expected to be stronger among girls than among boys. Participants (N = 294; 61% girls) filled out questionnaires at age 16 and again at age 20. At age 16, the results showed that adolescents who were involved in romantic relationships reported higher levels of alcohol use than those who were not. Moreover, the greater the number of romantic partners that the adolescents had and the greater the extent to which their romantic partners were older than they were, the higher their level of alcohol use would be. These effects did not vary according to participants' gender. Finally, none of these effects were found at age 20.
Correlation of body weight and other morphometric measurements in Albino rats (Rattus Norvegicus)

Relationship between body weight and other morphometric measurements in Albino rats (Rattus norvegicus) was investigated. Morphometric data such as body weight (BDYWT), tail length (TL), body length from nose to anus (BLNA), body length from nose to tail tip (BLNT), tail circumference (TC), tail diameter (TD), and ear length (EL) were collected from fifty live Albino rats involving 28 females and 22 males. The collected data were evaluated using regression analysis, correlation and independent-sample t-test. There was high significant ( P < 0.001) positive correlation between BDYWT and TL, BDYWT and BLNA, BDYWT and BLNT, BDYWT and HL, BDYWT and TC, BDYWT and TD, TC and TL, BLNA and TL, TC and BLNA, TC and BLNT, but the correlation between BDYWT and EL was low. The regression analysis had coefficient of determination ( r 2 ) values ranging from 0.264 to 0.81. Regression analysis with high r 2 value could be exploited in predicting many morphometric traits with great accuracy with the body weight serving as the explanatory or predictor variable. This research also suggested that male and female Albino rats have very similar morphometric characters as the results of independent-samples t-test showed.
A new achievable rate region for the interference channel

A new achievable rate region for the general interference channel which extends previous results is presented and evaluated. The technique used is a generalization of superposition coding to the multivariable case. A detailed computation for the Gaussian channel case clarifies to what extent the new region improves previous ones. The capacity of a class of Gaussian interference channels is also established.
Attitudes toward Retirement and Distance from the Event

This study examines the relationship between distance from the retirement event, both before and after, and attitudes toward retirement. Previous research indicated that attitudes become more negative just prior to retirement and that people who had been retired longer had more negative attitudes than those who retired more recently. These previous findings were taken as hypotheses and tested with data from 173 people in the preretirement stage and 176 people who had retired. Attitudes toward retirement were generally positive and were unrelated to distance from retirement for both samples. Health and income adequacy were the main predictors of attitude toward retirement. The postretirement sample was slightly less favorable toward retirement than was the preretirement sample. This was due to the higher incidence of disability in the postretirement sample.
Children, Television Viewing, and Weight Status: Summary and Recommendations from an Expert Panel Meeting

Overweight and obesity among American children has reached epidemic proportions. More than 9 million youth between the ages of six and nineteen years are considered overweight, and more than 80 percent of overweight adolescents will go on to become obese adults. Research has indicated a wide range of factors believed to contribute to obesity among children, but of growing concern is the potential contribution made by children's media use. In April 2006, an expert panel meeting was convened to meet and address children, television viewing, and weight status. This article reviews the evidence discussed at this meeting about the role that media, specifically television, play in the prevalence of overweight among children. It lays out the panel member's conclusions about the most promising strategies for reducing the negative effects of television on children's weight status and makes recommendations for future research that is needed to fully understand the relationship.
Enhanced Mitochondrial DNA Repair and Cellular Survival after Oxidative Stress by Targeting the Human 8-Oxoguanine Glycosylase Repair Enzyme to Mitochondria*

Oxidative damage to mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been implicated as a causative factor in many disease processes and in aging. We have recently discovered that different cell types vary in their capacity to repair this damage, and this variability correlates with their ability to withstand oxidative stress. To explore strategies to enhance repair of oxidative lesions in mtDNA, we have constructed a vector containing a mitochondrial transport sequence upstream of the sequence for human 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase. This enzyme is the glycosylase/AP lyase that participates in repair of purine lesions, such as 8-oxoguanine. Western blot analysis confirmed that this recombinant protein was targeted to mitochondria. Enzyme activity assays showed that mitochondrial extracts from cells transfected with the construct had increased enzyme activity compared with cells transfected with vector only, whereas nuclear enzyme activity was not changed. Repair assays showed that there was enhanced repair of oxidative lesions in mtDNA. Additional studies revealed that this augmented repair led to enhanced cellular viability as determined by reduction of the tetrazolium compound to formazan, trypan blue dye exclusion, and clonogenic assays. Therefore, targeting of DNA repair enzymes to mitochondria may be a viable approach for the protection of cells against some of the deleterious effects of oxidative stress.
Ethnic Communities and School Performance among the New Second Generation in the United States: Testing the Theory of Segmented Assimilation

This article examines the theory of segmented assimilation, which traces the divergent adaptation of immigrant children in the post-1969 wave to the nature of reception by U.S. society, access to social capital through ethnic communities, and exposure to oppositional cultures of marginalized domestic minorities. The article provides a test of those arguments in the area of school performance. Based on data from the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Study, indicators of community-based social capital are shown to account for considerable interethnic differences in school performance. The results challenge notions that ethnic communities are generally supportive of the second generation's school performance, while contact with oppositional cultures of domestic minorities is the main cause of lower than average achievement. They support a conditional view of ethnic communities: the extent to which immigrant families' insertion into ethnic communities can support the school performance of their children depends on the communities' socioeconomic profile and level of aspirations.
A new quad tree based feature set for recognition of handwritten bangla numerals

Recognition of handwritten Bangla numerals has always been an open problem for researchers. Selection of appropriate preprocessing and feature extraction techniques to achieve maximum recognition accuracy is a challenging problem. In this paper, a new Quad Tree based feature set is introduced for the recognition of handwritten Bangla numeral dataset developed here. On experimentation with the database of 4200 image samples using Support Vector Machine (SVM), the technique yields an average recognition rate of 93.338% evaluated after three-fold cross validation of results. The result is compared with recognition rate obtained from previously established standard dataset using the same feature set.
Social representations of ageing shared by different age groups

The present study is focused on the social representations of ageing and positive ageing. 171 subjects composed 4 age groups cohorts (G1 18-25; G2 26-40; G3 41-55; G4 55+). A group of 69 elderly clients of a daily care institutional setting also responded to the stimulus material. All subjects were submitted to a free evocation task concerned with ageing and positive ageing. Data were analyzed by software EVOC and SPAD. Results of the structural analyses show a negative representation of ageing given by the 171 subjects.Terms such as: wisdom, body, death, tiredness, loneliness among other categories composed the hypothetical central core of the representation of ageing. Data on positive ageing suggests a markedly positive view characterized by items such as wisdom, experience, health and also autonomy and maturity among others. Factorial analysis show a more positive tone of representations produced mainly by youngsters and senior groups. Results were analyzed taking into account intergroup implicit processes and stereotypic answers were identified in the overall representation of ageing and in the responses of the younger group.
Estimation of the prevalence of chronic kidney disease: The results of a model based estimation in Kerman, Iran

Background: Chronic kidney disease is asymptomatic until its last stages and though it is increasing globally, we are faced with paucity of a population-based model to assess this disease, particularly in developing countries. Therefore, the aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and trends of CKD according to a new estimation method. Methods: Using multiplier method, we estimated the numbers of different stages of CKD based on the number of patients with end stage renal failure from 2006 to 2016. The required multipliers were extracted from a simulation of the disease in Kerman following a dynamic model. The 95% uncertainty interval was computed using Monte-Carlo technique with 10,000 iterations. Results: The prevalence of CKDA (GFR<=90mL/min/1.73m2) and CKDB (GFR less than 60mL/min/1.73m2) patients were estimated to be 7.6% (95% uncertainty interval (UI), 5.7-9.1%) and 1.1% (95% UI, 0.8-1.3%), respectively in 2011. The method revealed that the prevalence may rise up to 25.7% (95% UI, 18.2-32.5%) and 3.7% (95% UI, 2.7-4.5%) for CKDA and CKDB, respectively in 2016, indicating approximately 3.3 times increase for both figures. Conclusion: This study predicted an increase in the prevalence of CKD in the future. This may be due to the increasing life expectancy of the population, the increase in the prevalence of non- communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, or patients’ survival due to receiving better support. Therefore, the policymakers should be concerned and well informed about this increase.
Delay-Aware Data Delivery in Vehicular Intermittently Connected Networks

The open literature encloses numerous studies on the efficiency of retransmission mechanisms used in typical data communication networks for the purpose of recovering from packet transmission errors or losses. This paper revolves around the design and analysis of a Delay-Aware Data Delivery (DADD) scheme for Vehicular Intermittently Connected Networks (VICNs). At the heart of DADD is a novel mechanism that allows a source stationary roadside unit (SRU) to carry out necessary bundle retransmissions to high speed vehicles newly entering its communication range. In turn, these vehicles will guarantee delay-minimal delivery of the retransmitted bundles to the destination SRU. A mathematical model is developed to characterize the operation of the source SRU under DADD as well as to evaluate the resulting bundle delivery delay. To verify the validity and the accuracy of the proposed model, extensive simulations are conducted where the performance of DADD is compared to that of two other existing schemes. Results show that DADD outperforms these two schemes by 14.28% to 36.84%.