Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Images of urban China in Cao Fei’s ‘magical metropolises’

This article examines the moving image works of Chinese artist Cao Fei as a response to China’s rapid urbanization and the transformation of its existing urban spaces which are no longer shaped by socialism but instead by what this article considers as China’s engagement with neo-liberalism, including and facilitated by globalization. The urban sprawl of the Pearl River Delta inspired Rem Koolhaas’s writings on the ‘generic city’, which he celebrates precisely for its blandness. Cao herself is from Guangzhou. Yet, in works such as RMB City, Haze and Fog, Whose Utopia, and Hip Hop: Guangzhou, Cao creates what she calls ‘magical metropolises’. This article asks what kind of responses Cao’s ‘magical’ works are to contemporary Chinese urbanization. As part of the answer to this question, it applies four hermeneutic frameworks to analyse the works themselves. The findings from each of those frameworks indicate that Cao’s work not only reflects the current Chinese urban condition, but also participates and intervenes in it in various ways.
Real‐time monitoring of specific oxygen uptake rates of embryonic stem cells in a microfluidic cell culture device

Abstract Oxygen plays a key role in stem cell biology as a signaling molecule and as an indicator of cell energy metabolism. Quantification of cellular oxygen kinetics, i.e. the determination of specific oxygen uptake rates (sOURs), is routinely used to understand metabolic shifts. However current methods to determine sOUR in adherent cell cultures rely on cell sampling, which impacts on cellular phenotype. We present real‐time monitoring of cell growth from phase contrast microscopy images, and of respiration using optical sensors for dissolved oxygen. Time‐course data for bulk and peri‐cellular oxygen concentrations obtained for Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and mouse embryonic stem cell (mESCs) cultures successfully demonstrated this non‐invasive and label‐free approach. Additionally, we confirmed non‐invasive detection of cellular responses to rapidly changing culture conditions by exposing the cells to mitochondrial inhibiting and uncoupling agents. For the CHO and mESCs, sOUR values between 8 and 60 amol cell−1 s−1, and 5 and 35 amol cell−1 s−1 were obtained, respectively. These values compare favorably with literature data. The capability to monitor oxygen tensions, cell growth, and sOUR, of adherent stem cell cultures, non‐invasively and in real time, will be of significant benefit for future studies in stem cell biology and stem cell‐based therapies.
SHORT COMMUNICATION Influence of Stimulus Duration on a Regional Measure of NaCI Taste Sensitivity

The present study demonstrates that perithreshold temporal integration occurs in the human taste system across stimulus durations ranging from 200 to 1500 ms in a manner analogous to that seen in other major sensory systems. Thus, the notion that gustation is comparatively insensitive to temporal stimulus parameters at threshold levels is disproved. Chem. Senses 22: 171-175,1997.
Mixed Methods Research With Groups at Risk

The potential of social transformation embedded in mixed methods research is one of the longstanding and ongoing debates within the specialized literature (Hesse-Biber, 2010; Mertens, 2011). Manifold reflections have been provided in this regard, each of them shedding light on different perspectives, with arguments ranging from a strong support for this role for mixed methods research and others arguing against this position (Mertens & Hesse Biber 2012; Sandelowski, 2014). The transformative paradigm serves as one philosophical framework that supports the use of mixed methods research to address social justice issues, particularly considering the need to give voice to underprivileged populations (Mertens, 2009, 2014). The communicative paradigm also considers the importance of creating useful scientific knowledge by establishing an intersubjective dialogue with the researched groups (Gomez, Puigvert, & Flecha, 2011; Puigvert, 2012). Denzin (2012) argues that mixed methods research can promote a dialogic democracy as a way toward shaping real utopias. Postcolonial or indigenous researchers have also shed light on different aspects to counter the existing power relations with postcolonial societies (Chilisa, 2011; Smith, 1999). Social science researchers encounter stimulation to give greater consideration to addressing issues of social justice from a variety of sources. In a context of scarcity of resources, citizenry is demanding more public discussion and accountability in the decision-making processes about how to allocate public resources. In this context, European funding for social science research was questioned because of its dubious returns to society. While research in other sciences were clearly supporting the improvement of citizens’ lives, this was not that clear in the case of social sciences. The program Horizon 2020 defined research priorities in Europe for the next decade; however, in its initial proposal, social sciences were not included. The scientific community mobilized and submitted an open letter signed by thousands of researchers and major stakeholders to the Commissioner (see the open letter at http://www.eash.eu/openletter2011/) stating that in order to tackle large-scale transitions European societies are undergoing, there is a need to include social science research as part of the solution. Citizens and societies need to see in which ways social science research is contributing to improve their lives and communities. The usefulness claim also comes from the most at risk groups of society as the research community is asked to contribute to reduce inequalities and provide effective solutions for
An Analysis of Data Activities and Instructional Supports in Middle School Science Textbooks

A critical component of science and math education is reasoning with data. Science textbooks are instructional tools that provide opportunities for learning science content (e.g. facts about force and motion) and process skills (e.g. data recording) that support and augment reasoning with data. In addition, the construction and design of textbooks influence the instructional strategies used in the classroom to teach science. An analysis of science textbooks provides a window to examine what students are being taught about data and how they are being taught. We had two objectives for the present study: (1) to examine opportunities for reasoning with data and (2) to examine to what extent these activities are aligned with instructional supports derived from evidence-based learning strategies. We conducted a descriptive study in which we examined how 20 Middle School science textbooks, across 731 activities, presented opportunities for reasoning with data. Our results demonstrate that although half of activities in textbooks included data, very few of these activities provide opportunities to learn how to record, analyze, and interpret data and the activities rarely provided instructional supports based on evidence-based learning strategies. Our analysis suggests that science textbooks provide limited support for reasoning with data.
Platelet‐activated serum might have a therapeutic effect on damaged articular cartilage

Platelet‐activated serum (PAS) was collected from rabbits. This contains high concentrations of growth factors, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF)‐BB, and transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β). PAS was injected into the knee joints of Japanese White rabbits subjected to anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACL‐T) to investigate its therapeutic effects on articular cartilage. The effect of Avastin (an anti‐VEGF monoclonal antibody) on VEGF expression was also investigated. The levels of VEGF, PDGF‐BB, and TGF‐β in PAS, platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) and autologous serum from untreated rabbits were analysed by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. The samples (n = 24 rabbits) were divided into control (C), PAS (S), Avastin (A) and PAS + Avastin (S + A) treatment groups. Intra‐articular injections were administered weekly for 7 weeks after ACL‐T, during which the weight distribution ratios of the damaged limbs were evaluated. Histological evaluation was performed 12 weeks after ACL‐T using Mankin score. The VEGF, PDGF‐BB and TGF‐β expression levels were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the PAS than in the PRP or autologous serum samples. The weight distribution ratios of damaged limbs improved significantly after ACL‐T in all treatment groups (P < 0.05). The proximal medial, distal medial and lateral aspects of joints in the treatment groups showed significant differences in Mankin scores compared with controls (P < 0.05). The damaged limb weight distribution ratios, Mankin scores and articular cartilage structure did not differ significantly among the three treatment groups, which all showed significant improvements in structure compared with controls. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detecting and Managing Mental Health Issues within Young Adults. A Systematic Review on College Counselling in Italy

Background: College counselling can be considered as a front-line service in detecting and managing mental health issues within young adults. In this sense, it is important to investigate the effectiveness of counselling interventions. Objective: To provide a systematic review about college counselling in Italy; to assess which psychological interventions really meet student needs, and their effectiveness; to focus on the level of cohesion between Italian counselling services and the international guidelines about college counselling. Method: A systematic review about college counselling through PsycInfo and PubMed was carried out. Because of the scarceness of pertinent available articles, the survey was extended to Google Scholar and Riviste Web. Keywords: counselling, mental health, wellbeing, psychological support, university, students, Italy. Results: Out of thirty-four articles retrieved, 16 are relevant to academic counselling, the other 18 have been considered not pertinent to the aim of the present review. Data show a lack of homogeneity in methodology and organization between each University: different approaches towards students’ needs. Furthermore, no follow-up studies or measurement of effectiveness were found. Conclusion: This review is a contribution to disseminate the results of counselling experiences in Italy and represents an effort to encourage colleagues working in a web environment to share results and methods for a more organized protocol application.
Expression of dentin sialophosphoprotein in human prostate cancer and its correlation with tumor aggressiveness

Recent studies have demonstrated that two SIBLING family members, bone sialoprotein (BSP) and osteopontin (OPN), are overexpressed in human prostate cancer. The expression of these proteins is associated with the acquisition of a metastatic phenotype by cancer cells and a poor prognosis for the patient. Dentin sialophosphoprotein (DSPP) shares several structural and genetic features with OPN and BSP. The presence of DSPP has been recently established in salivary glands, indicating that its expression is not restricted to mineralized tissues. However, its potential expression in human tumors has not been addressed yet. In this study, we sought to evaluate the expression of DSPP in human prostate cancer. Immunohistochemistry was performed on 69 prostate cancer specimens using LFMb‐21 anti‐DSPP monoclonal antibody. All of the prostate cancer lesions examined expressed detectable levels of DSPP, as compared with no or low level of expression in adjacent normal glands (p < 0.0001). High grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) glands generally displayed DSPP expression levels that were similar to those found in neighboring cancer glands. DSPP expression was significantly associated with the pathological stage (p = 0.0087) and the Gleason score (p = 0.0176) of the tumors. Western Blot was performed on 5 representative prostate tumor extracts and 3 prostatic tumor cell lines (PC3, LNCaP and DU145). All tumor extracts and cell lines analyzed have been found to express DSPP. In addition, in situ hybridization was used to assess the presence of DSPP mRNA. DSPP was detected at the RNA level in both HGPIN and tumoral glands. This study shows for the first time that DSPP is ectopically expressed in human prostate cancer. The expression of this SIBLING protein strongly correlates with conventional histopathological prognostic indicators of prostate cancer progression. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Beyond Glycemic Control

The improved understanding of glucoregulatory hor- mones has driven the development of new pharmacologic agents to treat type 2 diabetes. One new class of antihy- perglycemic medication is incretin mimetics (IMs). Incretin hormones potentiate insulin secretion following meal ingestion, a process that is impaired in patients with type 2 diabetes. GLP-1, a 30–amino acid peptide incretin hormone, is produced in the L cells of the ileum and colon. Studies have shown that a 6-week continuous GLP-1 infusion in patients with type 2 diabetes improved glycemic control and β-cell function and delayed gastric emptying. Despite the rapid degradation and inactivation of GLP-1 by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP- IV), agents that mimic the actions of GLP-1 are of great clinical interest. First-in-class IM exenatide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist resistant to DPP-IV inactivation, mimics many beneficial glucoregulatory effects of GLP-1, such as suppressing glucagon secretion, regulating gastric emptying and satiety, and increasing glucose-dependent insulin secretion. Exenatide is an adjunctive therapy for patients who take metformin, a sulfonylurea, a thiazo- lidinedione, or a combination of these oral medications but have not achieved glycemic control. An 82-week, open-label extension trial has shown that exenatide is well tolerated and that the benefits, including improved glycemic control, weight loss, and mitigation of cardio- vascular risk factors, are sustained.
Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL): initial reliability and validity data.

OBJECTIVE To describe the psychometric properties of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children-Present and Lifetime version (K-SADS-PL) interview, which surveys additional disorders not assessed in prior K-SADS, contains improved probes and anchor points, includes diagnosis-specific impairment ratings, generates DSM-III-R and DSM-IV diagnoses, and divides symptoms surveyed into a screening interview and five diagnostic supplements. METHOD Subjects were 55 psychiatric outpatients and 11 normal controls (aged 7 through 17 years). Both parents and children were used as informants. Concurrent validity of the screen criteria and the K-SADS-PL diagnoses was assessed against standard self-report scales. Interrater (n = 15) and test-retest (n = 20) reliability data were also collected (mean retest interval: 18 days; range: 2 to 36 days). RESULTS Rating scale data support the concurrent validity of screens and K-SADS-PL diagnoses. Interrater agreement in scoring screens and diagnoses was high (range: 93% to 100%). Test-retest reliability kappa coefficients were in the excellent range for present and/or lifetime diagnoses of major depression, any bipolar, generalized anxiety, conduct, and oppositional defiant disorder (.77 to 1.00) and in the good range for present diagnoses of posttraumatic stress disorder and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (.63 to .67). CONCLUSION Results suggest the K-SADS-PL generates reliable and valid child psychiatric diagnoses.
A joint link and content approach to information retrieval and distillation

This paper presents a combined link and content based search method. A content relevance index is proposed to measure information quality. A sliding window model (SWM) is proposed to construct a dynamic graph and control the size of the node set of a graph. An exponential smoothing (ES) approach is applied to guide the search. Experimental results show that the proposed approach with the above features outperforms the link based approaches in terms of both information quality and computing time.
Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of ch14.18/CHO in relapsed/refractory high-risk neuroblastoma patients treated by long-term infusion in combination with IL-2

ABSTRACT Ch14.18 manufactured in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells is currently being evaluated in clinical trials. Short-term infusion (STI) (8–20 h/day; 4–5 days) of 100 mg/m2 ch14.18/CHO (dinutiximab β) per cycle in combination with cytokines is standard treatment of neuroblastoma (NB) patients. As pain is a limiting factor, we investigated a novel delivery method by continuous long-term infusion (LTI) of 100 mg/m2 over 10 days. 53 NB patients were treated with 5–6 cycles of 6 × 106 IU/m2 subcutaneous interleukin-2 (d 1-5, 8-12), LTI of 100 mg/m2 ch14.18/CHO (d 8-18) and 160 mg/m2 oral 13-cis-retinoic acid (d 22-35). Human anti-chimeric antibody (HACA), antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and complement-dependent cytotoxicity were determined. With LTI, we observed a maximum concentration of ch14.18/CHO (Cmax) of 12.56 ± 0.68 µg/ml and a terminal half-life time (t1/2 β) of 32.7 ± 16.2 d. The clearance values for LTI and STI of 0.54 ± 0.13 and 0.41 ± 0.29 L/d m2 and area under the serum concentration-time curve (AUC) values of 189.6 ± 41.4 and 284.8 ± 156.8 µg×d/ml, respectively, were not significantly different. Importantly, we detected ch14.18/CHO trough concentration of ≥ 1 µg/ml at time points preceding subsequent antibody infusions after cycle 1, allowing a persistent activation of antibody effector mechanisms over the entire treatment period of 6 months. HACA responses were observed in 10/53 (19%) patients, similar to STI (21%), indicating LTI had no effect on the immunogenicity of ch14.18/CHO. In conclusion, LTI of ch14.18/CHO induced effector mechanisms over the entire treatment period, and may therefore emerge as the preferred delivery method of anti-GD2 immunotherapy to NB patients.
Closing the Classroom Door and the Achievement Gap

This qualitative study explored Teach for America (TFA) alumni teachers’ discourse on Arizona language policy, conducted with eight teachers in the Phoenix metropolitan area who received their professional teacher preparation from TFA, a national organization that uses alternative paths to certification to place teachers in low-income schools. During the 2009-2010 school year, we investigated how TFA alumni teachers described the state-mandated English-only language policy, which requires all labeled English language learners (ELLs) to enroll in English language development (ELD) classrooms for 4 hr of daily skill-based English instruction. In addition to their open evaluation and critique of the language policy, teachers’ discourse revealed language policy appropriation, as the teachers tweaked and stretched the language policy directives to match their ideology, pedagogy, and classroom context. Findings from our discourse analysis of the interview data demonstrate that the teachers’ discourse reflected their TFA preparation regarding recognizing the flaws in the educational system and taking action to make change within the four walls of their urban classrooms. The research holds implications for language education reform through recognizing the active role of the teacher in language policy formation and implementation.
Merge-and-Restart Meta-Agent Conflict-Based Search for Multi-agent Path Finding

We introduce a new algorithm for multi-agent path finding, derived from the idea of meta-agent conflict-based search (MA-CBS). MA-CBS is a recently proposed algorithm for the multi-agent path finding problem. The algorithm is an extension of Conflict-Based Search (CBS), which automatically merges conflicting agents into meta-agents if the number of conflicts exceeds a certain threshold. However, the decision to merge agents is made according to an empirically chosen fixed threshold on the number of conflicts. The best threshold depends both on the domain and on the number of agents, and the nature of the dependence is not clearly understood. We suggest a justification for the use of a fixed threshold on the number of conflicts based on the analysis of a model problem. Following the suggested justification, we introduce a new algorithm, which differs in the ways when and how meta-agents are created and handled during search. The new algorithm exhibits considerably better performance compared to the original algorithm. The new algorithm is evaluated on several sets of problems, chosen to highlight different aspects of the algorithm.
Diversity-Multiplexing Tradeoff in Fading Interference Channels

We analyze two-user single-antenna fading interference channels with perfect receive channel state information (CSI) and no transmit CSI. We compute the diversity-multiplexing tradeoff (DMT) region of a fixed-power-split Han and Kobayashi (HK)-type superposition coding scheme and provide design criteria for the corresponding superposition codes. We demonstrate that this scheme is DMT-optimal under moderate, strong, and very strong interference by showing that it achieves a DMT outer bound that we derive. Further, under very strong interference, we show that a joint decoder is DMT-optimal and "decouples" the fading interference channel, i.e., from a DMT perspective, it is possible to transmit as if the interfering user were not present. In addition, we show that, under very strong interference, decoding interference while treating the intended signal as noise, subtracting the result out, and then decoding the desired signal, a process known as "stripping", achieves the optimal DMT region. Our proofs are constructive in the sense that code design criteria for achieving DMT-optimality (in the cases where we can demonstrate it) are provided.
The inside story of living with chronic intractable nonmalignant back pain: An autoethnography

The aim of this study was to uncover and understand the reality of living with chronic, intractable nonmalignant back pain, as it is understood by sufferers themselves. A narrative autoethnographic research design was chosen, enabling me to interact with participants during the interview process, as well as have the opportunity to further explore my own experiences, as a long time sufferer of chronic, intractable nonmalignant back pain. Thematic analysis of participant interviews, and a deep, introspective scrutiny of my own journey, resulted in four stories being written. These stories illustrate the startlingly similar experiences we share. Although each story is written around one central character, they are in fact composite characters, representing the participants' experiences as well as my own. The stories are: 'The merry-go-round: Searching for a cure', describing the endless visits to various specialists, in search of the elusive 'cure'. 'Mourning the loss', illustrating the grief-like process we must go through when it becomes apparent that a cure is not possible and pain will be with us for the rest of our lives. 'Walk a mile in my shoes', giving a snapshot of issues facing us in our daily lives, and 'Here we go again', a description of a 'typical' pain management hospital stay. A fifth story, 'We're not in Kansas anymore', was added following a bizarre emergency admission I was forced to endure during the course of my research. It is therefore a story where I am the central character. These stories illustrate the impact chronic back pain has on a sufferer's life, ranging from loss of mobility to an altered body image. They also illustrate the struggle to maintain normality, including masking the pain and facing labelling and stigma. ;These stories identify and demonstrate the often hidden aspects of chronic intractable back pain, and have the power to inform practicing nurses, students, teachers and the community of the 'lived experience'.