Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Abundance gradients and their evolution in the Milky Way disk

Based on a simple, but fairly successful, model of the chemical evolution of the Milky Way disk, we study the evolution of the abundances of the elements He, C, N, O, Ne, Mg, Al, Si, S, Ar and Fe. We use metallicity dependent yields for massive stars with and without mass loss. We find that most observed abundance profiles are correctly reproduced by massive star yields, but C and N require supplementary sources. We argue that massive, mass losing stars can totally account for the abundance profile of C, while intermediate mass stars are the main source of N; in both cases, some conflict with corresponding data on extragalactic HII regions arises, at least if current observations in the Galaxy are taken at face value. The observed behaviour of Al is marginally compatible with current massive star yields, which probably overestimate the "odd-even" effect. We also find that the adopted "inside-out" formation scheme for the Milky Way disk produces abundance profiles steeper in the past. The corresponding abundance scatter is smaller in the inner disk than in the outer regions for a given interval of Galactic age.
On the Optimality of the Golden Code

In this note, we prove the optimality of the Golden Code inside the class of cyclic algebras based codes. In doing so, we get better insight on these algebraic codes, not only in dimension 2, but more generally for higher dimension, and summarizing the different approaches tried so far to optimize them, we derive design strategies that we believe are the key to either show the optimality of existing codes or give a way to improve them
Engendering Agency: The Differentiated Impact of Educational Initiatives in Zambia and India

Efforts to interrupt the reproduction of unequal gender relations in schools involve alternative practices and pedagogies intended to transform students’ notions of gender and gender relations. Beyond the protective environments where such educational initiatives take shape, however, students must rely on their own sense of agency to reenact newly developed gender roles, behaviors, and understandings. This article examines how human agency is differentially experienced and acted upon by boy and girl students responding to educational nongovernmental initiatives in Zambia and India. Two case studies are reviewed, offering evidence from participants in educational programs that seek to deliberately disrupt gender inequality, revealing distinct ways in which boys and girls respond to such efforts. It is argued that structural inequalities tend to privilege boys and enable them to experience more “transformative agency” and efficacy when asserting new understandings of gender and gender relations.
MR spectroscopy of muscle and brain in guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT)‐deficient mice: Validation of an animal model to study creatine deficiency

As a model for guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency in humans, a gene knockout mouse model was generated. Here we report on several metabolic abnormalities in these mice, observed by in vivo and in vitro MR spectroscopy. In 1H MR spectra of brain and hindleg muscle a clearly reduced signal of creatine (Cr) was observed in GAMT‐deficient (GAMT–/–) animals. Analysis of the 1H MR spectra of GAMT–/– brain indicated little or no increase of a signal for guanidinoacetate (Gua). In proton MR spectra of muscle, a broad signal of low intensity was observed for Gua. However, substantial Gua accumulation in intact muscle tissue was unequivocally confirmed in high‐resolution magic angle spinning spectra, in which the Gua signal was resolved as one clear sharp singlet. In 31P MR analysis of brain and hindleg muscle a strongly reduced phosphocreatine (PCr) content was shown. In addition, a signal of phosphorylated Gua at 0.5 ppm upfield of PCr was observed, with much higher intensity in muscle than in brain. This signal decreased when ischemia was applied to the muscle and recovered after ischemia was released. Overall, the in vivo 31P and 1H MR spectroscopy of GAMT–/– mice is similar to that of human GAMT deficiency. This opens up new avenues for the fundamental study of tissue‐type dependence of creatine synthesis and transport and for diagnostic and therapeutic aspects of creatine deficiencies in humans. Magn Reson Med 50:936–943, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Toll-like receptor 1 polymorphisms increase susceptibility to candidemia.

BACKGROUND Candidemia is a severe invasive fungal infection with high mortality. Recognition of Candida species is mediated through pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs). This study assessed whether genetic variation in TLR signaling influences susceptibility to candidemia. METHODS Thirteen mostly nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes encoding TLRs and signaling adaptors MyD88 and Mal/TIRAP were genotyped in 338 patients (237 white, 93 African American, 8 other race) with candidemia and 351 noninfected controls (263 white, 88 African American). The SNPs significant in univariate analysis were further analyzed with multivariable logistic regression to determine association with clinical outcomes. Functional consequences of these polymorphisms were assessed via in vitro stimulation assays. RESULTS Analyses of TLR SNPs revealed that 3 TLR1 SNPs (R80T, S248N, I602S) were significantly associated with candidemia susceptibility in whites. This association was not found in African Americans, likely due to lower power in this smaller study population. Furthermore, these TLR1 polymorphisms displayed impaired cytokine release by primary monocytes. No associations with susceptibility to candidemia were observed for SNPs in TLR2, TLR4, TLR6, TLR9, MyD88, or TIRAP. CONCLUSIONS Nonsynonymous SNPs in TLR1 are associated with impaired TLR1 function, decreased cytokine responses, and predisposition to candidemia in whites.
The Future of Islam

John L. Esposito is one of the world's leading authorities on Islam. Now, in this brilliant portrait of Islam today-and tomorrow-he draws on a lifetime of thought and research to sweep away the negative stereotypes and provide an accurate, richly nuanced, and revelatory account of the fastest growing religion in the world. Here Esposito explores the major questions and issues that face Islam in the 21st century and that will deeply affect global politics. Are Islam and the West locked in a deadly clash of civilizations? Is Islam compatible with democracy and human rights? Will religious fundamentalism block the development of modern societies in the Islamic world? Will Islam overwhelm the Western societies in which so many Muslim immigrants now reside? Will Europe become Eurabia or will the Muslims assimilate? Which Muslim thinkers will be most influential in the years to come? To answer this last question he introduces the reader to a new generation of Muslim thinkers-Tariq Ramadan, Timothy Winter, Mustafa Ceric, Amina Wadud, and others-a diverse collection of Muslim men and women, both the "Martin Luthers" and the "Billy Grahams" of Islam. We meet religious leaders who condemn suicide bombing and who see the killing of unarmed men, women, and children as "worse than murder," who preach toleration and pluralism, who advocate for women's rights. The book often underscores the unexpected similarities between the Islamic world and the West and at times turns the mirror on the US, revealing how we appear to Muslims, all to highlight the crucial point that there is nothing exceptional about the Muslim faith. Recent decades have brought extraordinary changes in the Muslim world, and in addressing all of these issues, Esposito paints a complex picture of Islam in all its diversity-a picture of urgent importance as we face the challenges of the twenty-first century.
Patient-reported health outcomes in a trial of etanercept monotherapy versus combination therapy with etanercept and methotrexate for rheumatoid arthritis: the ADORE trial

Objectives: This study assessed the relative efficacy of etanercept (ETN) or etanercept and methotrexate (ETN+MTX) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had an unsatisfactory response to MTX, using patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of function, pain, general health, disease activity and morning stiffness. Methods: The PROs were secondary assessments in a 16-week, prospective, randomised, parallel-group study conducted at 60 European centres. Patients with RA were randomly assigned either to monotherapy with ETN or combination therapy with ETN+MTX. PRO instruments administered included the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire, the pain visual analogue scale, the EuroQoL assessment of current health state (EQ-5D), the EQ-5D visual analogue scale, a patient global assessment of disease activity and an assessment of morning stiffness. Treatment groups were compared by percentage of patients within clinically meaningful categories. The primary endpoint for all PROs was comparison of mean improvement from baseline to week 16 between ETN and ETN+MTX groups. Results: Three hundred and fifteen patients were randomised to ETN or ETN+MTX. Both treatment arms had similar Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index DI, EQ-5D, patient global assessment of disease activity, pain or morning stiffness scores and improvement from baseline to week 16. Conclusions: For patients with active RA and intolerance or unsatisfactory response to MTX, substituting ETN for MTX and adding ETN to MTX are both effective ways of reducing disability, pain, disease activity, morning stiffness, and improving general health.
Examining the structure of the trait meta-mood scale

Despite the development of numerous measures of emotional intelligence, there is a lack of independent research substantiating their psychometric properties. In the present paper, exploratory factor analysis and structural equation modelling were used to assess the factorial and construct validity of the Trait Meta-Mood Scale (TMMS; Salovey Mayer, Goldman, Turvey, & Palfai, 1995). In a general population sample (n = 310), the three factors (Attention, Clarity and Repair) were replicated, although support for a fourth factor was also found. Support was also found for the construct validity of the emotional management competency assessed by the TMMS. Overall, the findings support the Attention, Clarity and Repair decomposition of the TMMS. Directions for further validation of the TMMS and the construct of emotional intelligence are discussed.
Supervised Learning On Large Redundant Training Sets

Efficient supervised learning on large redundant training sets requires algorithms where the amount of computation involved in preparing each weight update is independent of the training set size. Offline algorithms like the standard conjugate gradient algorithms do not have this property while on-line algorithms like the stochastic backpropagation algorithm do. A new algorithm combining the good properties of off-line and on-line algorithms is introduced.
Functional Enhancers As Master Regulators of Tissue-Specific Gene Regulation and Cancer Development

Tissue-specific transcription is critical for normal development, and abnormalities causing undesirable gene expression may lead to diseases such as cancer. Such highly organized transcription is controlled by enhancers with specific DNA sequences recognized by transcription factors. Enhancers are associated with chromatin modifications that are distinct epigenetic features in a tissue-specific manner. Recently, super-enhancers comprising enhancer clusters co-occupied by lineage-specific factors have been identified in diverse cell types such as adipocytes, hair follicle stem cells, and mammary epithelial cells. In addition, noncoding RNAs, named eRNAs, are synthesized at super-enhancer regions before their target genes are transcribed. Many functional studies revealed that super-enhancers and eRNAs are essential for the regulation of tissue-specific gene expression. In this review, we summarize recent findings concerning enhancer function in tissue-specific gene regulation and cancer development.
Freedom of Expression v. Social Responsibility: Holocaust Denial in Canada

This article revisits media coverage of Holocaust denial, arguing that the media should introduce standards of responsibility into coverage of such hatred. The article defines Holocaust denial and hate speech, as well as outlines the concept of moral and social responsibility. Ernst Zündel and his claim to fame are also discussed. Also analyzed are the ways in which Zündel had exploited the media, including one episode in which the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation staged a media event, bringing to its studio Zündel and a Holocaust survivor. I conclude with a discussion of whether we should ban Holocaust denial tracts.
A Thyroid Hormone Antagonist That Inhibits Thyroid Hormone Action in Vivo *

We have characterized the newly developed thyroid hormone antagonist NH-3 in both cell culture and in vivomodel systems. NH-3 binds Xenopus laevisthyroid hormone receptors directly in vitro and induces a conformation distinct from agonist-bound receptors. Transcriptional activation of a thyroid hormone response element-containing reporter gene is strongly inhibited by NH-3 in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, NH-3 prevents X. laevis thyroid hormone receptors from binding to the p160 family of co-activators GRIP-1 and SRC-1 in a two-hybrid assay. To assess the potency of the compound in vivo, we used induced and spontaneous X. laevis tadpole metamorphosis, a thyroid hormone-dependent developmental process. NH-3 inhibits thyroid hormone-induced morphological changes in a dose-dependent manner and inhibits the up-regulation of endogenous thyroid hormone-responsive genes. Spontaneous metamorphosis is efficiently and reversibly arrested by NH-3 with at least the same effectiveness as the thyroid hormone synthesis inhibitor methimazole. Therefore, NH-3 is the first thyroid hormone antagonist to demonstrate potent inhibition of thyroid hormone action in both cell culture- and whole animal-based assays.
Author ' s personal copy Who is in charge of science : Men view “ Time ” as more fixed , “ Reality ” as less real , and “ Order ” as less ordered Action

There is a controversy about the factors underlying male predominance in mathematics, natural and engineering sciences. Our study of meaning attribution, conducted in Canada, China and Russia showed that men had a consistent tendency to estimate natural phenomena (even time-related) as more fixed and limited, less real (even “Reality”) and less complex (even “Complexity”) than women. Concepts related to classical mechanics received significantly more positive estimations by men than by women, but phenomena related to development and reality were assessed more positively by women than by men. We argue that the methods and language of science, which historically were developed by men, were affected by a tendency of men to reduce natural phenomena to structures with Lego-like components, and to mechanical aspects of their interaction. 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Development of Si IGBT Phase-Leg Modules for Operation at 200 °C in Hybrid Electric Vehicle Applications

A Si insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) phase-leg module is developed for operating at 200°C in hybrid electric vehicle applications utilizing the high temperature packaging technologies and appropriate thermal management. The static and switching electrical characteristics of the fabricated power module are tested at various temperatures, showing that the module can operate reliably with increased but acceptable losses at 200°C. The criterion on thermal performance is given to prevent thermal runaway caused by fast increase of the leakage current during a high temperature operation. Afterward, the thermal management system is designed to meet the criterion, the performance of which is evaluated with experiment. Furthermore, two temperature-sensitive electrical parameters, on-state voltage drop and the switching time, are employed for thermal impedance characterization and the junction temperature measurement during converter operation, respectively. Finally, a 10-kW buck converter prototype composed of the module assembly is built and operated at the junction temperature up to 200°C. The experimental results demonstrate the feasibility of operating Si device-based converters continuously at 200°C.
A New Method for Generating an Invariant Iris Private Key Based on the Fuzzy Vault System

Cryptographic systems have been widely used in many information security applications. One main challenge that these systems have faced has been how to protect private keys from attackers. Recently, biometric cryptosystems have been introduced as a reliable way of concealing private keys by using biometric data. A fuzzy vault refers to a biometric cryptosystem that can be used to effectively protect private keys and to release them only when legitimate users enter their biometric data. In biometric systems, a critical problem is storing biometric templates in a database. However, fuzzy vault systems do not need to directly store these templates since they are combined with private keys by using cryptography. Previous fuzzy vault systems were designed by using fingerprint, face, and so on. However, there has been no attempt to implement a fuzzy vault system that used an iris. In biometric applications, it is widely known that an iris can discriminate between persons better than other biometric modalities. In this paper, we propose a reliable fuzzy vault system based on local iris features. We extracted multiple iris features from multiple local regions in a given iris image, and the exact values of the unordered set were then produced using the clustering method. To align the iris templates with the new input iris data, a shift-matching technique was applied. Experimental results showed that 128-bit private keys were securely and robustly generated by using any given iris data without requiring prealignment.
Network-based space-time search-window technique for hotspot detection of street-level crime incidents

This study proposes a street-level space‐time hotspot detection method to analyse crime incidents recorded at the street-address level and provides description of the micro-level variation of crime incidents over space and time. It expands the notion of search-window techniques widely used in crime science by developing a method that can account for the spatial‐temporal distribution of crime incidents measured in network distance. The study first describes the methodological framework by presenting the concept of a new type of search window and how it is used in the process of statistical testing for detecting crime hotspots. This is followed by analyses using (1) a simulated distribution of points along the street network, and (2) a set of real street-crime incident data. The simulation study demonstrates that the proposed method is effective in identifying space‐time hotspots, which include those that are not detected by a non-temporal method. The empirical analysis of the drug markets and assaults in downtown Buffalo, New York, revealed a detailed space‐time signature of each type of crime, highlighting the recurrent nature of drug dealing at specific locations as well as the sporadic tendency of assault incidents.
Equinoctial transitions in the ionosphere and thermosphere

Abstract. Equinoctial summer/winter transitions in the parameters of the F2-region are analyzed using ground-based ionosonde and incoherent scatter observations. Average transition from one type of diurnal NmF2 variation to another takes 20–25 days, but cases of very fast (6–10 days) transitions are observed as well. Strong day-time NmF2 deviations of both signs from the monthly median, not related to geomagnetic activity, are revealed for the transition periods. Both longitudinal and latitudinal variations take place for the amplitude of such quiet time NmF2 deviations. The summer-type diurnal NmF2 variation during the transition period is characterized by decreased atomic oxygen concentration [O] and a small equatorward thermospheric wind compared to winter-type days with strong poleward wind and increased [O]. Molecular N2 and O2 concentrations remain practically unchanged in such day-to-day transitions. The main cause of the F2-layer variations during the transition periods is the change of atomic oxygen abundance in the thermosphere related to changes of global thermospheric circulation. A possible relationship with an equinoctial transition of atomic oxygen at the E-region heights is discussed. Key words. Atmospheric composition and structure (thermosphere – composition and chemistry) – Ionosphere (ionosphere- atmosphere interactions; ionospheric disturbances)
Elicitation and Modeling Non-Functional Requirements - A POS Case Study

Proper management of requirements is crucial to successful development software within limited time and cost. Nonfunctional requirements (NFR) are one of the key criteria to derive a comparison among various software systems. In most of software development NFR have be specified as an additional requirement of software. NFRs such as performance, reliability, maintainability, security, accuracy etc. have to be considered at the early stage of software development as functional requirement (FR). However, identifying NFR is not an easy task. Although there are well developed techniques for eliciting functional requirement, there is a lack of elicitation mechanism for NFR and there is no proper consensus regarding NFR elicitation techniques. Eliciting NFRs are considered to be one of the challenging jobs in requirement analysis. This paper proposes a UML use case based questionary approach to identifying and classifying NFR of a system. The proposed approach is illustrated by using a Point of Sale (POS) case study
Proactive and Reactive Processes in the Medial Frontal Cortex: An Electrophysiological Study

The posterior medial frontal cortex (pMFC) is known to be involved in adaptive goal-directed behavior, but its specific function is not yet clear. Most theories have proposed that the pMFC monitors performance in a reactive manner only, but it is possible that the pMFC also contributes to performance monitoring in a proactive manner. To date, the evidence for proactive pMFC activity is equivocal. Here, we investigated pMFC activity before, during and after the performance of a challenging motor task. Participants navigated a cursor through narrow and wide mazes in randomly intermixed trials. On each trial, participants saw previews of the actual maze display prior to gaining control of the cursor. Event-related potentials (ERPs) to the preview displays were compared to ERPs elicited by no-go signals and errors. Compared to the wider maze, the preview display for the more challenging narrow maze elicited a medial-frontal negativity (MFN) similar to the ERP components elicited by no-go signals and errors. Like these known ERP components, the preview-elicited MFN appeared to be generated from a source in pMFC. This is consistent with the hypothesis that the pMFC participates in adaptive behavior whenever there is a need for increased effort to maintain successful task performance.