Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The biological treatment planning evolution of clinical fractionated radiotherapy using high LET

Abstract Starting from the birth of high linear energy transfer (LET) radiotherapy in USA in the mid-1970s, the field has continuously evolved and to date over 20,000 patients have been treated with 12C ions worldwide. The purpose of this contribution is to review the advancements in clinical fractionated radiotherapy using high LET radiation in the last decades, with special focus on biological treatment planning. Along with technological developments for ion acceleration and beam delivery, progress in radiation biology and computational modeling has enabled a remarkable evolution in the planning capabilities of highly conformal, biologically optimized treatment with high LET radiation. In particular, recent efforts have provided the possibility of direct comparison between treatment plans obtained at different facilities with different biological models for the same ion species. This achievement represents an important step forward to gather better understanding of the remaining uncertainties in biological modeling and the impact of fractionation for optimal dose prescriptions, ultimately aiming to promote clinical exploitation of the anticipated, yet not fully demonstrated advantages of high LET-charged particles.
Isolation, sequence, and characterization of the Cercospora nicotianae phytoene dehydrogenase gene

We have cloned and sequenced the Cercospora nicotianae gene for the carotenoid biosynthetic enzyme phytoene dehydrogenase. Analysis of the derived amino acid sequence revealed it has greater than 50% identity with its counterpart in Neurospora crassa and approximately 30% identity with prokaryotic phytoene dehydrogenases and is related, but more distantly, to phytoene dehydrogenases from plants and cyanobacteria. Our analysis confirms that phytoene dehydrogenase proteins fall into two groups: those from plants and cyanobacteria and those from eukaryotic and noncyanobacter prokaryotic microbes. Southern analysis indicated that the C. nicotianae phytoene dehydrogenase gene is present in a single copy. Extraction of beta-carotene, the sole carotenoid accumulated by C. nicotianae, showed that both light- and dark-grown cultures synthesize carotenoids, but higher levels accumulate in the light. Northern (RNA) analysis of poly(A)+ RNA, however, showed no differential accumulation of phytoene dehydrogenase mRNA between light- and dark-grown fungal cultures.
Geodesic Saliency of Watershed Contours and Hierarchical Segmentation

The watershed is one of the latest segmentation tools developed in mathematical morphology. In order to prevent its oversegmentation, the notion of dynamics of a minimum, based on geodesic reconstruction, has been proposed. In this paper, we extend the notion of dynamics to the contour arcs. This notion acts as a measure of the saliency of the contour. Contrary to the dynamics of minima, our concept reflects the extension and shape of the corresponding object in the image. This representation is also much more natural, because it is expressed in terms of partitions of the plane, i.e., segmentations. A hierarchical segmentation process is then derived, which gives a compact description of the image, containing all the segmentations one can obtain by the notion of dynamics, by means of a simple thresholding. Finally, efficient algorithms for computing the geodesic reconstruction as well as the dynamics of contours are presented.
Predictors and Gains of Teacher Involvement in an Improvement Project on Classroom Management. Experiences from a Norwegian project in two compulsory schools

The focus of this paper is teacher involvement in a 2-year improvement project among 42 teachers at one primary school and one secondary school in Norway. Results suggest that even if this was a school-wide project, the teachers' involvement varied. Moreover, the teachers' perceived relevance for the theme of improvement was a main motivating factor to their involvement. According to the results the teachers' perceived strain due to disruptive pupils decreased significantly over the 2 years. Additionally, their perceived ability as classroom managers, as well as their perceived shared teaching goals increased significantly.
Roma mediators in Europe: a new Council of Europe programme

In several European countries the number of the Roma represents approximately 10% of the total population. Due to the global economic crisis, the rise of the far right in places like Hungary, and failed policies of the past, their present social and economic situation continues to become more vulnerable. In attempts to address the precarious situation of many Roma communities, various European institutions have adopted measures and attempted to assist national and local governments, as well as Roma communities themselves. The Council of Europe is one of those institutions. Following the ‘Romani language education’ project which took place between 2005 and 2009, the Council of Europe has now come up with a new idea focusing on the training of Roma mediators. Individuals with a Roma background, from local Roma communities or with a good knowledge of Roma issues, are trained and hired to act as mediators between the Roma and public institutions. Mediation is one of the measures used across Europe to tackle the inequalities that Roma face in terms of access to employment, healthcare services and quality education. The Council of Europe has experience in training mediators. In 2006, the Council of Europe published a Guide for Roma School Mediators/Assistants (written by C. Rus and M. Zatreanu) that presents an innovative philosophy of mediation. Many differences exist between countries relating to issues such as the situation and needs of the Roma communities, the terminology used and the extent to which mediators are professionally employed and trained with varying job profiles. Another new challenge is raised by Roma migrating to other countries. The so-called ROMED programme started in 2011 in 15 countries and is presently (2012) being implemented in 20 countries. The programme manager is Aurora Ailincai, Administrator within the Support Team of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Roma Issues. Mediators are people with a Roma background who speak the language of the Roma community they are working with, if needed. Mediation has often led to significant improvements, but its effectiveness is frequently challenged by issues such as the low status of mediators and precarious employment conditions, dependency (on the head of the institution, political influence or community leaders) or the assignment of additional minor tasks, which are sometimes not included in the job profile. In addition, mediators might be used as an excuse to avoid direct contact with the community, or they are expected to shoulder full responsibility for solving problems. Their work can be day to day, reactive, with little or no planning, inconsistent evaluation and lack of support in performing their job. Such factors mean that success is strongly dependent on the
5-Hydroxytryptamine (5HT) Receptors in the Heart Valves of Cynomolgus Monkeys and Sprague-Dawley Rats

5-Hydroxytryptamine-2B receptor (5HT2BR) stimulation is known to cause fibroblast mitogenesis, and the mitogenic effect has been proposed to trigger valvular heart disease in humans. In this study, we used real-time polymerase chain reaction (TaqMan) to quantify transcript levels of 5HT2B, 5HT2C, and 5HT1B receptors and immunohistochemistry (IHC) to detect the tissue localization of these receptors in the normal heart valves of cynomolgus (CM) monkeys and Sprague-Dawley (S-D) rats. In both species, positive immunostaining was noted for 5HT1B and 5HT2B receptors in mitral, tricuspid, aortic, and pulmonary valves, and the cell types showing positive staining were interstitial cells and endothelial cells lining the valve leaflet. In CM monkeys, 5HT2CR was expressed only in the endothelial cells lining the leaflet, whereas S-D valves were negative for this receptor. IHC results were correlated with 5HT2B and 5HT1B receptor transcripts for all four valves. However, 5HT2C receptor transcripts were lower than 5HT2B or 5HT1B in all CM monkey valves, whereas 5HT2C transcripts were below the level of detection in any of the S-D rat valves. Our data showed the expression of 5HT2B, 5HT1B, and 5HT2C receptors in the normal heart valves of CM monkeys and S-D rats, and IHC and TaqMan techniques may be used to study the potential mechanism of compounds with 5HT2BR agonist activity.
What does it take to be a “successful teacher”? Universities’ role in preparing the future early-years workforce

Within the knowledge era, Early Childhood Education has been attracting continued interest from scholars globally. In this regard, several studies have been conducted, with results identifying the multifarious attributes which members of the early years workforce should possess. But what does this imply for Early Childhood Teacher Education Departments? An exploratory quantitative study was conducted with a random sample of first-year and graduate students of the Department of Early Childhood Education of the Democritus University of Thrace, Greece, with the aim of recording students’ perceived views on the skills, knowledge and attitudes required for working in early years and their expectations of their studies. Results have identified some divergence between freshmen’s and graduates’ perceptions on required attributes, as well as on the role of their studies in preparing them to enter the early childhood teacher profession, with significant implications for improving university curricula, as well as for undertaking further research in the field.
Database storage management with object-based storage devices

The current division of functionality between database storage managers and storage subsystems is problematic for several reasons. First, the storage manager software does not have detailed knowledge of the characteristics of the underlying storage devices, and instead must use coarse rules of thumb to optimize its access. Second, storage subsystems do not have semantic knowledge of the data that they are storing, again relying on their own rules of thumb to manage such workload-dependent tasks as pre-fetching, caching, and data layout. The end result is that both sides of the system are working blind. In this paper, we promote better communication between database storage managers and storage subsystems by using the recently-standardized OSD (Object-based Storage Device) interface. OSD moves lowlevel storage functions into the storage device itself and provides an object interface to data. The object interface enables better communication and opens the way for moving more intelligence into the storage subsystem. In this first look at using OSD to improve database systems, we examine how OSD can provide low-level, geometry-aware disk layout transparently to database applications.
Faith and the Discourse of Secular Humanitarianism

This article argues that functional secularism frames the discourse of contemporary humanitarianism. While in principal ‘neutral' to religion, in practice this framing serves to marginalize religious language, practice and experience in both the global and local conceptualization of humanitarian action. Illustrated with examples from a range of humanitarian contexts, it is argued that the resulting discourse fosters a humanitarian response that is ill-equipped to engage with dynamics of faith within displaced populations. Humanitarianism needs to acknowledge the advent of post-secularism signalled by many social theorists, and engage with greater awareness of the role of faith—both liberal materialist and religious—in addressing a range of issues of core relevance to the field: the clarification of core humanitarian values, the retention of a human rights framework able to define and protect human dignity, and appropriate means of addressing religious experience and well-being in the course of humanitarian programming.
On Process, Progress, Success and Methodology or the Unfolding of the Bologna Process as it Appears to Two Reasonably Benign Observers

This article examines the Bologna Process from two main perspectives: as a dynamic strategy as well as the unfolding of the methodology employed. It argues that the latter was largely determined by the former. Three phases of development are identified; the first two of which shows that the methodology was largely determined by the need to bestow credibility on the strategy. The third phase, introduced with the recent Ministerial meeting in London in May 2007 suggests that the boundless confidence in the progress achieved at system level has now given way to a new sobriety when attention to progress is translated to institutional level. It concludes that there are excellent grounds for rethinking the basic strategy behind the Bologna Process.
STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF SERVICE QUALITY IN A UK UNIVERSITY BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT FACULTY

Student perceptions of service quality in higher education, particularly of the elements not directly involved with content and delivery of course units, are researched using a performance‐only adaptation of the SERVQUAL research instrument. A principal components factor analysis performed on data collected from a sample of 333 undergraduate business and management students suggests that students’ perceived service quality has three dimensions: “requisite elements”, which are essential to enable students to fulfil their study obligations; “acceptable elements”, which are desirable but not essential to students; and “functional elements”, which are of a practical or utilitarian nature. A comparison of perceptions of service quality between first and final year students suggests that perceptions of service quality elements change over a period of study, with “acceptable elements” having increasing importance. Implications for course management teams are discussed, and suggestions for further research are made.
The Volume and Dynamics of International Migration and Transnational Social Spaces

1. Lacunae Of Migration And Post-Migration Theories 2. A Review Of Dominant Theories Of International Migration 3. Situating The First Puzzle: Why So Few Migrants And Why So Many? 4. The Crucial Meso Link: Social Capital In Social And Symbolic Ties 5. The Selective Functions Of Social Capital: Why So Few Migrants Out Of Most Places? 6. The Selective And Diffusion Functions Of Social Capital: Why So Many Migrants Out Of So Few Places? 7. The Bridging Function Of Social Capital: Transnational Social Spaces 8. The Adaptive Functions Of Social Capital: Transnationalization And Nation-State Membership 9. Elements For Multilevel Research On International Migration And Post-Migration Processes
Think About It: The Misbegotten Promise of Positive Thinking Discourse

This article, historical and critical in scope, explores self-help literature’s positive thinking discourse, through which key concepts of selfhood, self-transformation, and society are textually conveyed, within the context of the genre’s development from roughly 1880 to the present. The article tracks how individual thought, in contrast to dialogical social interaction, has long been constructed as the central means to health, happiness, and self-transformation. By unpacking the conflicting ways in which positive thinking messages construct notions of the self, society, thought, and communication, the article argues that these messages run counter to theories of the social construction of reality and considers the consequences of these popular and powerful messages. The article concludes by placing positive thinking within the context of a broader system of belief: communication as cure-all, a simplistic notion of communication that pervades popular culture.
Presentation Modality and Source Monitoring During Management Inquiry: Effects on Auditors' Reliability Judgments

An experiment was performed to determine whether the presentation modality of evidence affected auditors’ accuracy in identifying the sources of that evidence (i.e., source monitoring) and their subsequent judgments of evidence reliability. Participants were provided with conflicting explanations for a material increase in a fictitious client firm’s gross margin. The explanations were presented in either the same (both visual) or mixed (one visual and one auditory) modalities. The sources of the explanations had either the same (both high) or mixed (one high and one low) levels of credibility. Results indicate that auditors who received evidence in mixed presentation modalities were more accurate in identifying the sources of that evidence. Also, auditors with more accurate source monitoring judged evidence obtained from a less-credible source to be of significantly lower reliability than did auditors who were not as accurate in identifying evidence sources. These findings suggest that auditors’ judgments of evidence reliability may be influenced by the sensory modality by which evidence is perceived. Also, post-hoc analysis indicates that taking notes may improve auditors’ source monitoring accuracy when evidence is perceived via an auditory modality.
The Efficacy of Software Prefetching and Locality Optimizations on Future Memory Systems

Software prefetching and locality optimizations are techniques for overcoming the speed gap between processor and memory. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive summary of current software prefetching and locality optimization techniques, and evaluate the impact of memory trends on the effectiveness of these techniques for three types of applications: regular scientific codes, irregular scientific codes, and pointer-chasing codes. We find that for many applications, software prefetching outperforms locality optimizations when there is sufficient memory bandwidth, but locality optimizations outperform software prefetching under bandwidth-limited conditions. The break-even point (for 1 GHz processors) occurs at roughly 2.26 GBytes/sec on today’s memory systems, and will increase on future memory systems. We also study the interactions between software prefetching and locality optimizations when applied in concert. Naively combining the techniques provides robustness to changes in memory bandwidth and latency, but does not yield additional performance gains. We propose and evaluate several algorithms to better integrate software prefetching and locality optimizations, including a modified tiling algorithm, padding for prefetching, and index prefetching. Finally, we investigate the interactions of stride-based hardware prefetching with our software techniques. We find that combining hardware and software prefetching yields similar performance to software prefetching alone, and that locality optimizations enable stride-based hardware prefetching for benchmarks that do not normally exhibit striding.
Packet loss recovery algorithm based on row-column coding and RS coding

Nowadays, the end-to-end network is widely used to transmit multimedia information over Internet Protocol (IP) network, and TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) is employed to guarantee the quality of service (QoS) when packet loss happened. However, the transmit delay increases by TCP, and it could not be acceptable for real-time data communications. Thereby, this paper provides a kind of packet loss recovery algorithms that combines single parity check and RS coding, in which case coding is done not only to a single data block but also to different blocks. Simulation results show that the provided algorithm can improve the transmission reliability at packet-level, meanwhile the delay can be controlled short enough for real-time network.
Women’s descriptive representation in developed and developing countries

Today there is a wealth of research on women’s legislative representation and the factors contributing to it. For example, proportional representation in large multi-member districts and an egalitarian political culture are commonly associated with high rates of women’s representation. However, in the developing world findings are less solid and there is little consensus on the salience of various explanatory variables (for example, political culture or electoral system type) on women’s descriptive representation. In this article, I explore the possibility that the divergent findings that characterise the discipline stem from the different dynamics at work in developed and developing countries. My results indicate that development by itself has a positive and significant impact on the percentage of female representatives. Development also interacts with other variables (for example, women’s participation in the workforce and quotas) in determining the level of women’s representation.
Mangrove Bacterial Diversity and the Impact of Oil Contamination Revealed by Pyrosequencing: Bacterial Proxies for Oil Pollution

Background Mangroves are transitional coastal ecosystems in tropical and sub-tropical regions and represent biologically important and productive ecosystems. Despite their great ecological and economic importance, mangroves are often situated in areas of high anthropogenic influence, being exposed to pollutants, such as those released by oil spills. Methodology/Principal Findings A microcosm experiment was conducted, which simulated an oil spill in previously pristine mangrove sediment. The effect of the oil spill on the extant microbial community was studied using direct pyrosequencing. Extensive bacterial diversity was observed in the pristine mangrove sediment, even after oil contamination. The number of different OTUs only detected in contaminated samples was significantly higher than the number of OTUs only detected in non-contaminated samples. The phylum Proteobacteria, in particular the classes Gammaproteobacteria and Deltaproteobacteria, were prevalent before and after the simulated oil spill. On the other hand, the order Chromatiales and the genus Haliea decreased upon exposure to 2 and 5% oil, these are proposed as sensitive indicators of oil contamination. Three other genera, Marinobacterium, Marinobacter and Cycloclasticus increased their prevalence when confronted with oil. These groups are possible targets for the biomonitoring of the impact of oil in mangrove settings. Conclusions/Significance We suggest the use of sequences of the selected genera as proxies for oil pollution, using qPCR assessments. The quantification of these genera in distinct mangrove systems in relation to the local oil levels would permit the evaluation of the level of perturbance of mangroves, being useful in field monitoring. Considering the importance of mangroves to many other environments and the susceptibility of such areas to oil spills this manuscript will be of broad interest.