Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Educational success among elementary school children from low socioeconomic status families: A systematic review of research assessing parenting factors

Prior research has focused primarily on the educational benefits of high socioeconomic status (SES). Little is known about educationally successful youth from low-SES backgrounds, and no published review has systematically evaluated the methodological characteristics of research in this area. The primary aim of this report was to systematically review methodological characteristics of research identifying parenting factors conducive to the educational success of low-SES youth. A secondary aim was to briefly summarize the substantive findings of research in this area. A bibliographic search of 11 electronic databases, a manual search of two journals, and reference harvesting yielded 30 English-language studies published between 1994 and 2014 employing quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method designs that met a-priori study eligibility criteria. Studies of parent–school involvement, parental expectations for current and long-term academic performance, and warm, responsive, and consistent parenting styles identified the strongest predictors of academic achievement among low-SES elementary school children. Findings for parent–school involvement differed depending on whether the parent behaviors were performed in the home (e.g., helping with homework) or school environment (e.g., attending parent–teacher conferences), with home-based parent-involvement activities found to have stronger positive associations with children's academic achievement. Further investigation of parenting behaviors and beliefs that are positively associated with the academic success of children from low-SES families is needed.
Exploring Heterogeneity in Consumers’ Meat Store Choices in an Emerging Market

Chinese consumers’ choices among meat stores are examined through a model that can capture consumer heterogeneities both in their opinion of various store attributes and in how much weight they attach to each attribute. This approach not only informs store managers as to what attributes should receive focus for improving their store images, but also provides insight about which specific attribute could be improved to achieve the most effective result. Based on the individual-level parameters obtained through an empirical Bayes analysis, managers or competitors are able to strategically target their store promotions to specific individual consumers based on their demographic characteristics.
Functional organization and dynamics of the cell nucleus

The eukaryotic cell nucleus enclosed within the nuclear envelope harbors organized chromatin territories and various nuclear bodies as sub-nuclear compartments. This higher-order nuclear organization provides a unique environment to regulate the genome during replication, transcription, maintenance, and other processes. In this review, we focus on the plant four-dimensional nuclear organization, its dynamics and function in response to signals during development or stress.
MicroRNA Related Polymorphisms and Breast Cancer Risk

Genetic variations, such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNAs (miRNA) or in the miRNA binding sites may affect the miRNA dependent gene expression regulation, which has been implicated in various cancers, including breast cancer, and may alter individual susceptibility to cancer. We investigated associations between miRNA related SNPs and breast cancer risk. First we evaluated 2,196 SNPs in a case-control study combining nine genome wide association studies (GWAS). Second, we further investigated 42 SNPs with suggestive evidence for association using 41,785 cases and 41,880 controls from 41 studies included in the Breast Cancer Association Consortium (BCAC). Combining the GWAS and BCAC data within a meta-analysis, we estimated main effects on breast cancer risk as well as risks for estrogen receptor (ER) and age defined subgroups. Five miRNA binding site SNPs associated significantly with breast cancer risk: rs1045494 (odds ratio (OR) 0.92; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88–0.96), rs1052532 (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95–0.99), rs10719 (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.94–0.99), rs4687554 (OR 0.97; 95% CI: 0.95–0.99, and rs3134615 (OR 1.03; 95% CI: 1.01–1.05) located in the 3′ UTR of CASP8, HDDC3, DROSHA, MUSTN1, and MYCL1, respectively. DROSHA belongs to miRNA machinery genes and has a central role in initial miRNA processing. The remaining genes are involved in different molecular functions, including apoptosis and gene expression regulation. Further studies are warranted to elucidate whether the miRNA binding site SNPs are the causative variants for the observed risk effects.
Cooperative view mechanisms in distributed multiuser hypermedia environments

Distributed multi-user hypermedia environments provide not only information-sharing mechanisms but also user collaboration/communication facilities. The provision of integrated views of heterogeneous information resources is necessary to create a common understanding among the users, who are possibly distributed in terms of geography and time. However, the requirements of customization must also be considered, since such diverse users would want to personalize their views of shared information. In order to integrate these views while considering the requirements of flexible customization, we propose cooperative view mechanisms of Dexter-based hypermedia systems, introducing environmental objects and their participation relationships. The mechanisms instantiate hypermedia deputies on the screen using participation relationships of the users, hypermedia components and environments. The relationships are also used for the purpose of supporting awareness. Using a novel user collaboration facility, the relationships are visualized so that users can easily recognize other users and/or user groups having the same, slightly different or very different views. Attributes of environment objects are discussed so that the mechanisms can be effectively utilized in computer-supported cooperative work settings such as distance presentations, virtual offices and virtual classrooms.
Discovering and Visualizing Network Communities

There are several large-scale entities that are related with each other. Web hyperlink networks, social networks and metabolic networks are the examples of such networks. Discovering dense subnetworks (communities) from given networks is important for detecting macroscopic and microscopic structures. Although many discovery methods are proposed, qualitative and quantitative differences among them are not fully discussed. As the first step for interactive analysis of network structures, the authors are developing a system for discovering and visualizing network communities. The system has abilities for divisive and agglomerative discovery of communities from given networks based on modularity.
Evaluation of a flexible task scheduling algorithm for distributed hard real-time systems

Most systems which are required to operate under severe real-time constraints assume that all tasks and their characteristics are known a priori. Scheduling of such tasks can be done statistically. Further, scheduling algorithms operating under such conditions are usually limited to multiprocessor configurations. The authors present a scheduling algorithm which works dynamically and on loosely coupled distributed systems for tasks with hard real-time constraints; i.e., the tasks must meet their deadlines. It uses a scheduling component local to every node and a distributed scheduling scheme which is specifically suited to hard real-time constraints and other timing considerations. Periodic tasks, nonperiodic tasks, scheduling overheads, communication overheads due to scheduling and preemption are all accounted for in the algorithm. Simulation studies are used to evaluate the performance of the algorithm.
Relationship between oxidative stress and erectile function

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in the corpus cavernosum (CC) and to compare levels of inflammatory markers recorded in CC to venous blood from the arm to examine the potential impact of inflammatory parameters on erectile function and endothelial dysfunction in vitro. Ninety-seven patients with no complaint of erectile dysfunction (ED) at inclusion were prospectively included and completed the Erectile Function domain of the IIEF questionnaire. Several parameters, including lipids, MPO-dependent oxidised LDL (Mox-LDL), IL-8, IL-18, were measured. After RNA extraction, the expression of eNOS was analysed. A paired t-test was used for comparisons between arm and CC blood results. A two-way ANOVA was used to estimate the effects of IL-18 and IL-8 on the IIEF score. Mean patient age was 59 ± 14.5 years. IL-18, Mox-LDL, and Mox-LDL/ApoB levels were significantly increased in CC compared to arm blood. The IIEF score was correlated with IL-18 levels in the venous blood (R = −0.31, p = .003) and in the CC (R = −0.37, p = .004) and with IL-8 (R = −0.31, p = .009 and R = −0.28, respectively, p = .02). There was a significant effect with the IL-18 on IIEF potentiated by high serum IL-8 concentrations. IL-18 and Mox-LDL significantly decreased eNOS mRNA expression in human aortic endothelial cell line (HAEC). These preliminary results address the importance of inflammation in the CC and highlight a difference in marker concentrations between venous and CC blood. However, they do not show any difference in terms of clinical erectile score predictivity. Involvement of inflammatory cytokines isolated in CC in the genesis of ED requires further studies.
Significance tests as sorcery: Science is empirical—significance tests are not

Since the 1930s, many of our top methodologists have argued that significance tests are not conducive to science. Bakan (1966) believed that “everyone knows this” and that we slavishly lean on the crutch of significance testing because, if we didn’t, much of psychology would simply fall apart. If he was right, then significance testing is tantamount to psychology’s “dirty little secret. ” This paper will revisit and summarize the arguments of those who have been trying to tell us—for more than 70 years—that p values are not empirical. If these arguments are sound, then the continuing popularity of significance tests in our peer-reviewed journals is at best embarrassing and at worst intellectually dishonest.
A Comparison of Neural Network Architectures in Reinforcement Learning in the Game of Othello

Over the past two decades, Reinforcement Learning has emerged as a promising Machine Learning technique that is capable of solving complex dynamic problems. The benefit of this technique lies in the fact that the agent learns from its experience rather than being told directly. For problems with large state-spaces, Reinforcement Learning algorithms are combined with function approximation techniques, such as neural networks. The architecture of the neural networks plays a significant role in the agent's learning. Past research has demonstrated that networks with a constructive architecture outperform those with a fixed architecture on some benchmark problems. This study compares the performance of these two architectures in Othello - a complex deterministic board game. Three networks are used in the comparison: two with constructive architecture - Cascade and Resource Allocating Network, and one with fixed architecture - Multilayer Perceptron. Investigation is also made with respect to input representation, number of hidden nodes and other parameters used by the networks. Training is performed with both on-policy (Sarsa) and off-policy (Q-Learning) algorithms. Results show that agents were able to learn the positional strategy (novice strategy in Othello) and could beat each of the three built-in opponents. Agents trained with Multilayer Perceptron perform better, but converge slower than those trained with Cascade.
A Comparison of the Governmental Costs of Long‐Term Foster Care and Adoption

Child welfare policy and practice have increased their focus on adoption for those children who cannot rapidly be reunified from foster care. The burgeoning numbers of children receiving adoption subsidies have led some states to be concerned about or even to curtail adoption subsidy levels. Yet, little is known about how the cost of foster care compares to that of adoption. This study uses longitudinal adoption subsidy and foster care placement data to estimate the relative costs of foster care and adoption for a statistically matched group of children. The data show that a sizable proportion of children who are not adopted will leave foster care but that an offsetting proportion of the children who remain will be transitioned to substantially more expensive placements than those used by adopted children. On balance, adoption achieves substantial governmental savings.
Predicting Functional Effect of Human Missense Mutations Using PolyPhen‐2

PolyPhen‐2 (Polymorphism Phenotyping v2), available as software and via a Web server, predicts the possible impact of amino acid substitutions on the stability and function of human proteins using structural and comparative evolutionary considerations. It performs functional annotation of single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), maps coding SNPs to gene transcripts, extracts protein sequence annotations and structural attributes, and builds conservation profiles. It then estimates the probability of the missense mutation being damaging based on a combination of all these properties. PolyPhen‐2 features include a high‐quality multiple protein sequence alignment pipeline and a prediction method employing machine‐learning classification. The software also integrates the UCSC Genome Browser's human genome annotations and MultiZ multiple alignments of vertebrate genomes with the human genome. PolyPhen‐2 is capable of analyzing large volumes of data produced by next‐generation sequencing projects, thanks to built‐in support for high‐performance computing environments like Grid Engine and Platform LSF. Curr. Protoc. Hum. Genet. 76:7.20. 1‐7.20. 41. © 2013 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Traumatic rupture of the right subclavian artery.

The case report of a patient who sustained a traumatic rupture of the right subclavian artery in a motor vehicle accident is presented. The preoperative diagnosis, surgical approach, postoperative management, and indications for angiography in traumatic lesions of the thoracic aorta and great vessels are discussed. The relevant literature is reviewed.
Citizenship Education Practices of Politically Active Teachers in Porto Alegre, Brazil and Toronto, Canada

This research examined the ways politically active secondary teachers, involved either in formal politics or in social movements, practiced citizenship education in Porto Alegre, Brazil, and Toronto, Canada. My aim was to explore the complex ways and multiple spaces in which these teachers’ roles as both citizens and citizenship educators intersected within the local contexts. My premise is that the local political and educational contexts are critical in shaping citizenship education practices. These teachers are political actors, and it is in dynamic relation to local and national politics that they developed their political ideologies and values, particularly in terms of the ways that they understand the concepts of “democracy” and “citizenship” in relation to education. In this regard, I understood pedagogy as fundamentally political (see Ginsburg et al. 1992; Ginsburg 1995), which involves the values, ideologies, theories, and discourses surrounding teaching and schooling. My approach is situated within a tradition of comparative education that emphasizes the role of culture in shaping schooling, which has typically focused on the historical origins of educational systems (e.g., Stenhouse 1967). Recently, increased attention has been given to (national) culture as a fundamental lens for understanding and explaining teachers and teaching (Alexander 2000; Clarke 2001; Anderson-Levitt 2004), seeking to avoid the limitations of psychological studies for understanding teachers’ behavior in classroom situations. These studies, however, have often minimized local
Dilution effect of serum CA125 and CA19-9 over a cutoff value, according to obesity

The dilution effect of high plasma volume contributes to a lower level of specific tumor marker such as prostate-specific antigen. To date, few studies have focused on this effect of other tumor marker levels. Therefore, we evaluated the dilution effects of a higher plasma volume on lowering the serum concentration of various tumor markers such as CA125 and CA19-9. Data from patients (age ≥40 years) visiting our public health center between March 2007 and March 2013 were gathered. A total of 19,439 male and 11,655 female native Koreans were eligible to have a serum CA125 and CA19-9 screening for ovarian and pancreatic cancer, respectively. CA125 levels in 11,234 women were analyzed. There was a statistically significant trend toward a lower likelihood of having a serum CA125 level >35 U/mL with increased body mass index (BMI), with obese men having a 53.1% lower likelihood than those with a normal BMI. After CA19-9 analysis in 29,978 participants, there was also a significant trend toward a lower likelihood of having a serum CA19-9 level >35 U/mL with increased BMI, with obese men having a 27.0% and obese women having a 32.7% lower likelihood than those with a normal BMI. These results might affect tumor screening efficiency for ovarian and pancreatic cancer using serum CA125 and CA19-9, respectively. Further studies are needed to better define these results in clinical practice.
Nuclei Segmentation of Whole Slide Images in Digital Pathology

Pathology is the study of the cause and effect of disease from tissue samples on microscope slides. The assessment of a tissue sample, which is inspected under a microscope, is inherently subjective, and can cause disagreement amongst pathologists. Therefore, tissue analysis is an area where objective quantification can be critically helpful in determining the right diagnosis or prognosis. Here, we evaluate a set of algorithms for nuclei detection and segmentation in hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) stained tissue samples. Keywords—digital pathology, detection, segmentation, nuclei, hematoxylin and eosin stains
Linking the growth inhibition response from the National Cancer Institute's anticancer screen to gene expression levels and other molecular target data

MOTIVATION Data mining tools are proposed to establish mechanistic connections between chemotypes and specific cellular functions. Drawing on a previous study that classified the cellular response patterns of growth inhibition measurements log( GI(50)) from the National Cancer Institute's (NCI's) anticancer screen, we have examined additional data for mRNA expression, sets of known molecular targets and mutational status against these same tumor cell lines to relate chemosensitivity more precisely to biochemical pathways. RESULTS Our analysis finds that gene expression levels do not, in general, correlate with log(GI(50)) measurements, instead they reflect a generic toxic condition. Within the remaining set of non-generic conditions, examples were found where a correlation suggesting a biochemical basis for cellular cytotoxicity could be supported. These included reconfirmation of previously observed associations between mutant and wild-type status of p53, and chemosensitivity to alkylating agents, while extending these results to reveal associations with gamma-induced expressions of MDM2, WAF1 and GADD45, signals that were not apparent in measurements of basal mRNA expression levels for any of these genes. Additional examinations revealed that mRNA expression levels directly correlated with paclitaxel chemosensitivity to mitosis, while also identifying additional chemotypes as P-glycoprotein substrates. Our analysis revealed well-known direct associations between p16 mutant status and chemotypes implicated in cell cycle control, and extended these results to include expression levels for three additional tyrosine kinase proteins (TEK, transgelin and hCdc4). Links were also found that suggested associations between chemosensitivity and the endocrine, paracrine ligand-receptor loops, via expression of the adrenergic receptor, calcium second messenger pathways via expression levels of carbonic anhydrase and cellular communication pathways via fibrillin.
Disparities in charter school resources—the influence of state policy and community

Recent findings show that students attending charter schools in the United States achieve at comparable or lower levels to those enrolled in regular public schools, perhaps due to uneven quality and disparities in the levels of resources acquired by charter schools. But little is known as to what state and local factors contribute to disparate levels of resources in the charter school sector. This article examines how local context, the charter school’s organizational form, and state policies may influence material and human resources obtained by charter schools and their capacity to innovate. We find marked differences among charter schools situated in different US states in terms of teacher qualities, student–staff ratios, length of the school day, and the propensity to unionize, drawing on data from the US Schools and Staffing Survey for the 1999/2000 school year. Charter schools rely less on uncredentialed teachers in states that more tightly regulate the sector, and state spending is associated with more equal teacher salaries among charter schools within states. But the lion’s share of variance in charter school resources is attributable to highly variable local contexts, not to state‐level factors, especially the kinds of students served and the school’s organizational form. Charter schools serving predominately black students rely on less experienced teachers who are more likely to be uncredentialed; their teachers also report more demanding working conditions and lower levels of efficacy, compared with charter teachers working in white schools. Conversion charter schools pay staff over $5100 more annually and rely much less on uncredentialed and part‐time teachers than do start‐up schools. We examine implications for the reproduction of unequal student achievement within the charter school sector.
Image Separation Based on Augmented Lagrange Multiplier Using Rank Prior

Natural or synthetic image can be decomposed into pattern images with regular or near regular objects. Effective separation makes possible to track object or recognize and recover hidden area from occlusion, or estimate the background from video. To separate high dimensional data with low rank matrix and sparse matrix, Robust Principal Component Analysis, RPCA is commonly used since it is stronger for gross error or outliers than PCA. There are many algorithms for convex optimization problem formulated by RPCA. Among them the Augmented Lagrange Multiplier Method are very fast and converge to exact optimal solution. This paper focuses on the regularization parameter dependent on input signal complexity, such as rank, instead of previous work has fixed value dependent on the size of row. The rank of input image helps to predict the weight of low rank matrix and sparse matrix. A number of experimental results prove that our regularization parameter is robust on various situations.
Dynamics and Control for a Novel One-Legged Hopping Robot in Stance Phase

A novel hopping robot with articulated leg is proposed.The proposed hopping robot is a non-SLIP model system,which generally shows more biological characteristics of kangaroo.This underactuated system is a second order nonholonomic constraints system.Thanks to the special design,it is proved that the dynamics of the presented hopping robot mechanism can be transformed into the strict feedback normal form.Then a sliding model backstepping control is proposed and proved for stabilizing the nonlinear dynamic system in stance phase.