Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Variation and Population Structure of Oryza glaberrima and Development of a Mini-Core Collection Using DArTseq

The sequence variation present in accessions conserved in genebanks can best be used in plant improvement when it is properly characterized and published. Using low cost and high density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays, the genetic diversity, population structure, and relatedness between pairs of accessions can be quickly assessed. This information is relevant for different purposes, including creating core and mini-core sets that represent the maximum possible genetic variation contained in the whole collection. Here, we studied the genetic variation and population structure of 2,179 Oryza glaberrima Steud. accessions conserved at the AfricaRice genebank using 27,560 DArTseq-based SNPs. Only 14% (3,834 of 27,560) of the SNPs were polymorphic across the 2,179 accessions, which is much lower than diversity reported in other Oryza species. Genetic distance between pairs of accessions varied from 0.005 to 0.306, with 1.5% of the pairs nearly identical, 8.0% of the pairs similar, 78.1% of the pairs moderately distant, and 12.4% of the pairs very distant. The number of redundant accessions that contribute little or no new genetic variation to the O. glaberrima collection was very low. Using the maximum length sub-tree method, we propose a subset of 1,330 and 350 accessions to represent a core and mini-core collection, respectively. The core and mini-core sets accounted for ~61 and 16%, respectively, of the whole collection, and captured 97–99% of the SNP polymorphism and nearly all allele and genotype frequencies observed in the whole O. glaberrima collection available at the AfricaRice genebank. Cluster, principal component and model-based population structure analyses all divided the 2,179 accessions into five groups, based roughly on country of origin but less so on ecology. The first, third and fourth groups consisted of accessions primarily from Liberia, Nigeria, and Mali, respectively; the second group consisted primarily of accessions from Togo and Nigeria; and the fifth and smallest group was a mixture of accessions from multiple countries. Analysis of molecular variance showed between 10.8 and 28.9% of the variation among groups with the remaining 71.1–89.2% attributable to differences within groups.
Transvesical laparoscopic cross-trigonal ureteral reimplantation for correction of vesicoureteral reflux: initial experience and comparisons between adult and pediatric cases.

PURPOSE Transvesical laparoscopic cross-trigonal ureteral reimplantation (TLCUR) has been reported as an alternative procedure for vesicoureteral reflux mainly in pediatric cases. We review our initial experience with TLCUR and evaluate its feasibility in adult patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS We performed TLCUR in 30 patients (22 females and 24 bilateral cases) with a median age of 14.5 years. RESULTS The median operating time was 145 minutes in the unilateral cases and 230 minutes in the bilateral cases. Blood loss was minimal in all cases. No intraoperative complications were observed. The urethral catheter was removed at day 2 to 3. One persistence of reflux and one uretero-vesico anastomosis stricture were observed. The total success rate of 49 ureters in 27 patients, in whom postoperative cystography was performed, was 96% (47/49). Comparing the first 15 and last 15 cases, patient age was similar, the operation time was significantly shorter in the last 15 cases, and both operative failures were found in the first 15 cases. Comparing the 15 pediatric and 15 adult cases, the operation time did not differ between the two groups and one operative failure was observed in each group. CONCLUSION This procedure was an effective and safe alternative minimally invasive procedure for both adult and pediatric patients with reflux.
The Iron Cage: Ugly, Uncool, and Unfashionable

Historical studies reveal how organizational markets supplied artifacts that became fashionable because they met not only consumers’ cultural tastes, but also their technological preferences. This article calls such artifacts cultural-technological fusions. The digital mode of production tends to generate more types of fashionable fusions, which replace each other at a growing rate, and travel increasingly swiftly across consumers globally. These changes in fashion markets mandate a revised theory of fashion bearing on the organizational production of digital culture-technology fusions and on the characteristics of fusions so produced. This article’s theory describes digital production processes enabling fusion’s rapid visualization, creation, and awareness among global consumers, production processes that create or reinforce three types of fusions: ‘beautiful technologies’, that is technologies rendered aesthetic; ‘efficient beauties’, that is aesthetic artifacts rendered technologically efficient; ‘concoctions’, that is new technologies fused with new cultural tastes. Finally, the theory discusses the novel characteristics of the market supply and consumption of fashionable fusions.
Odd one out: social ostracism affects self‐reported needs in both sleep‐deprived and well‐rested persons

Previous research suggests that sleep deprivation may heighten normal reactions to an aversive social encounter. In this study, we explored how 24 h of sleep deprivation may influence responses to ostracism. Ninety‐six healthy young adults were randomly allocated to either the sleep‐deprivation or well‐rested condition, wherein they engaged in two rounds of a ball‐tossing game (Cyberball) programmed so that they would be included or ostracized. As compared with being included, being ostracized reduced participants' fulfillment of four essential needs (to belong; to have control; to have self‐esteem; and to have a meaningful existence); participants also showed poorer mood and had poorer perceptions of their co‐players. These effects were not influenced by sleep deprivation. Taken together, our findings suggest that sleep deprivation does not influence immediate distress responses to ostracism.
Image pre-processing detection: Evaluation of Benford's law, spatial and frequency domain feature performance

This Paper proposes a novel method for the blind detection of image pre-processing techniques by means of statistical pattern recognition in image forensics. The technique is intended to detect sensor intrinsic pre-processing steps as well as manually applied filters. We have exemplary chosen 6 pre-processing filters with different parameter settings. The concept utilizes 29 image features which are supposed to allow for a reliable model creation during supervised learning. The evaluation of the trained models indicates average accuracies between 82.50 and 94.53%. The investigation of image data from 8 sensors leads to the detection of credible pre-processing filters. Those results adumbrate that our method might be suitable to prove the authenticity of the data origin and the integrity of image data based on the detected preprocessing techniques. The preliminary evaluation for manually applied filters yields recognition accuracies between 39.09% (14 classes) and 53.33% (7 classes).
Die-Hard Mubarak Supporters: A Cultural Perspective

This study examined the persistent sympathetic response of some Egyptian citizens towards ousted president Hosni Mubarak despite his indictment for killing hundreds of peaceful demonstrators. These individuals have been occasionally characterized as victims of the so-called "Stockholm Syndrome," which was defined by mental health professionals as the tendency of victims to develop positive emotional bond towards their victimizers. However, a thematic analysis of interviews conducted with ten Mubarak supporters suggests that their sympathetic response towards the former president might be attributed to their observance of certain collectivistic values, such as filial piety and communalism. These collectivistic values might help explain why these supporters respected Mubarak as both a father and authority figure. Further, the analysis suggests that this sympathetic response was influenced by religious values and outgroup blaming. Social and political implications of this study are discussed.
Leading the Band: The Role of the Instructor in Online Learning for Educators.

Drawing from the online experiences of teachers across the United States who participated in online professional development courses, this article focuses on what educators/participants consider to be the roles and responsibilities of the online instructor. They see the online instructor as facilitator, model, planner, coach, and communicator. They describe how these roles are uniquely tuned in the online environment. With the proliferation of distance learning through online courses, many educators find themselves considering the role of online instructors. As such, they may realize that online instruction is similar yet different from face-to-face learning, requiring new or different skills and strategies for effective online direction. This study, based on online adult learners’ experiences and expectations, provides empirical elaboration on what some of these approaches are. Online instruction is often recognized as particularly suitable for practical, multitasking adult learners because it offers anywhere, anytime instruction. Exploration of the role of the online instructor is appropriately grounded in the literature of adult learning and distance education through online learning. This perspective guides our investigation of how the online environment of instruction and delivery develops the role of the instructor and a different “rhythm” or way of teaching and learning than face-toface environments have traditionally promoted. Andragogical principles assume that adults tend to be self-directed, practical, and social, and that they bring varied experiences to their learning. Grow (1996) points out that adult learners may be at different levels of self-direction in different situations. They require different kinds of intervention from their teachers at these different stages. Bandura (1986) describes the importance of social learning and the validity of learning by observation. These principles suggest that learning environment s should build on prior experience, promote active participation, use collaborative learning, and provide transferable, real applications (Lawler & King, 2000). They also underscore the need for the instructor to adopt flexible roles in response to the needs of adult learners. Discussion of the instructor’s role in adult learning is guided by a constructivist perspective where adult learners create their own knowledge and which is learner- rather than instructor-centered (Palloff & Pratt, 2001). The “sage on the stage” is replaced with the “guide on the side” approach wherein the teacher, while an expert, facilitates dialogue so that students learn from each other as much as from her (Collison, Elbaum, Haavnd, &
Environmental Worldview and Faith in Science as Moderators of the Relationship between Beliefs about and Attitudes toward Nuclear Energy

Global climate change (GCC) may be the most pressing social and environmental issue of our time. The use of fossil fuels tops the list of human behaviors that contribute to GCC. Several ‘alternative’ energy sources are now being considered in an effort to mitigate GCC, including—controversially—nuclear energy. Examined here were environmental worldview and faith in science as moderators of the relationship between beliefs about and attitudes toward nuclear energy (ATNE). Participants were 272 college students who completed an on-line survey. Predictor variables were beliefs about whether nuclear energy contributes to GCC (GCCbeliefs) and to energy independence (EI-beliefs). Results indicated that environmental worldview moderated the negative relationship between GCC-beliefs and ATNE. Results implied that the effectiveness of arguments salient to the current nuclear energy debate concerning GCC have a medium effect on ATNE except when people are more ecocentric in their environmental worldviews. INDEX WORDS: Climate change, Global warming, Attitudes, Beliefs, Nuclear energy, Faith in science, Environmental worldview, Community psychology ENVIRONMENTAL WORLDVIEW AND FAITH IN SCIENCE AS MODERATORS OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BELIEFS ABOUT AND ATTITUDES TOWARD NUCLEAR ENERGY
Quantitative T*2‐mapping based on multi‐slice multiple gradient echo flash imaging: Retrospective correction for subject motion effects

Numerous clinical and research applications for quantitative mapping of the effective transverse relaxation time T*2 have been described. Subject motion can severely deteriorate the quality and accuracy of results. A correction method for T*2 maps acquired with multi‐slice multiple gradient echo FLASH imaging is presented, based on acquisition repetition with reduced spatial resolution (and consequently reduced acquisition time) and weighted averaging of both data sets, choosing weighting factors individually for each k‐space line to reduce the influence of motion. In detail, the procedure is based on the fact that motion artifacts reduce the correlation between acquired and exponentially fitted data. A target data set is constructed in image space, choosing the data yielding best correlation from the two acquired data sets. The k‐space representation of the target is subsequently approximated as linear combination of original raw data, yielding the required weighting factors. As this method only requires a single acquisition repetition with reduced spatial resolution, it can be employed on any clinical system offering a suitable sequence with export of modulus and phase images. Experimental results show that the method works well for sparse motion, but fails for strong motion affecting the same k‐space lines in both acquisitions. Magn Reson Med, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Treatment of ankylosing spondylitis by inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha.

BACKGROUND There are few effective treatments for ankylosing spondylitis, which causes substantial morbidity. Because of the central role of tumor necrosis factor alpha in the spondyloarthritides, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of etanercept, a recombinant human tumor necrosis factor receptor (p75):Fc fusion protein, in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. METHODS Forty patients with active, inflammatory ankylosing spondylitis were randomly assigned to receive twice-weekly subcutaneous injections of etanercept (25 mg) or placebo for four months. The primary end point was a composite of improvements in measures of morning stiffness, spinal pain, functioning, the patient's global assessment of disease activity, and joint swelling. Patients were allowed to continue taking nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, oral corticosteriods (< or =10 mg per day), and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs at stable doses during the trial. RESULTS Treatment with etanercept resulted in significant and sustained improvement. At four months, 80 percent of the patients in the etanercept group had a treatment response, as compared with 30 percent of those in the placebo group (P=0.004). Improvements over base-line values for various measures of disease activity, including morning stiffness, spinal pain, functioning, quality of life, enthesitis, chest expansion, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and C-reactive protein, were significantly greater in the etanercept group. Longitudinal analysis showed that the treatment response was rapid and did not diminish over time. Etanercept was well tolerated, with no significant differences in rates of adverse events between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with etanercept for four months resulted in rapid, significant, and sustained improvement in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.
Multi-Advisor Reinforcement Learning

We consider tackling a single-agent RL problem by distributing it to $n$ learners. These learners, called advisors, endeavour to solve the problem from a different focus. Their advice, taking the form of action values, is then communicated to an aggregator, which is in control of the system. We show that the local planning method for the advisors is critical and that none of the ones found in the literature is flawless: the egocentric planning overestimates values of states where the other advisors disagree, and the agnostic planning is inefficient around danger zones. We introduce a novel approach called empathic and discuss its theoretical aspects. We empirically examine and validate our theoretical findings on a fruit collection task.
Plasma arginine and citrulline kinetics in adults given adequate and arginine-free diets.

The fluxes of arginine and citrulline through plasma and the rate of conversion of labeled citrulline to arginine were estimated in two pilot studies (with a total of six adult subjects) and in a dietary study with five healthy young men. These latter subjects received an L-amino acid-based diet that was arginine-rich or arginine-free each for 6 days prior to conduct, on day 7, of an 8-hr (first 3 hr, fast; final 5 hr, fed) primed continuous intravenous infusion protocol using L-[guanidino-13C]arginine, L-[5,5-2H2]citrulline, and L-[5,5,5-2H3]leucine, as tracers. A pilot study indicated that citrulline flux was about 20% higher (P < 0.05) when determined with [ureido-13C]citrulline compared with [2H2]citrulline, indicating recycling of the latter tracer. Mean citrulline fluxes were about 8-11 mumol.kg-1.hr-1 for the various metabolic/diet groups and did not differ significantly between fast and fed states or arginine-rich and arginine-free periods. Arginine fluxes (mean +/- SD) were 60.2 +/- 5.4 and 73.3 +/- 13.9 mumol.kg-1.hr-1 for fast and fed states during the arginine-rich period, respectively, and were significantly lowered (P < 0.05), by 20-40%, during the arginine-free period, especially for the fed state, where this was due largely to reduced entry of dietary arginine into plasma. The conversion of plasma citrulline to arginine approximated 5.5 mumol.kg-1.hr-1 for the various groups and also was unaffected by arginine intake. Thus, endogenous arginine synthesis is not markedly responsive to acute alterations in arginine intake in healthy adults. We propose that arginine homeostasis is achieved largely via modulating arginine intake and/or the net rate of arginine degradation.
THROMBOSIS AND HEMOSTASIS A novel B-domain O-glycoPEGylated FVIII ( N 8-GP ) demonstrates full ef fi cacy and prolonged effect in hemophilic mice models

Henning R. Stennicke, Marianne Kjalke, Ditte M. Karpf, Kristoffer W. Balling, Peter B. Johansen, Torben Elm, Kristine Øvlisen, Flemming Möller, Heidi L. Holmberg, Charlotte N. Gudme, Egon Persson, Ida Hilden, Hermann Pelzer, Henrik Rahbek-Nielsen, Christina Jespersgaard, Are Bogsnes, Anette A. Pedersen, Anne K. Kristensen, Bernd Peschke, Wendy Kappers, Frederik Rode, Lars Thim, Mikael Tranholm, Mirella Ezban, Eva H. N. Olsen, and Søren E. Bjørn
Lipid A Modifications in Polymyxin-resistant Salmonella typhimurium

Lipid A of Salmonella typhimurium can be resolved into multiple molecular species. Many of these substances are more polar than the predominant hexa-acylated lipid A 1,4′-bisphosphate of Escherichia coli K-12. By using new isolation methods, we have purified six lipid A subtypes (St1 to St6) from wild type S. typhimurium. We demonstrate that these lipid A variants are covalently modified with one or two 4-amino-4-deoxy-l-arabinose (l-Ara4N) moieties. Each lipid A species with a defined set of polar modifications can be further derivatized with a palmitoyl moiety and/or a 2-hydroxymyristoyl residue in place of the secondary myristoyl chain at position 3′. The unexpected finding that St5 and St6 contain two l-Ara4N residues accounts for the anomalous structures of lipid A precursors seen in S. typhimurium mutants defective in 3-deoxy-d-manno-octulosonic acid biosynthesis in which only the 1-phosphate group is modified with thel-Ara4N moiety (Strain, S. M., Armitage, I. M., Anderson, L., Takayama, K., Quershi, N., and Raetz, C. R. H. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 16089–16098). Phosphoethanolamine (pEtN)-modified lipid A species are much less abundant than l-Ara4N containing forms in wild typeS. typhimurium grown in broth but accumulate to high levels when l-Ara4N synthesis is blocked inpmrA C pmrE− andpmrA C pmrF− mutants. Purification and analysis of selected compounds demonstrate that one or two pEtN moieties may be present. Our findings show that S. typhimurium contains versatile enzymes capable of modifying both the 1- and 4′-phosphates of lipid A with l-Ara4N and/or pEtN groups. PmrA null mutants of S. typhimurium produce lipid A species without any pEtN or l-Ara4N substituents. However, PmrA is not needed for the incorporation of 2-hydroxymyristate or palmitate.
After Ethnic Violence in the Caucasus: Attitudes of Local Abkhazians and Displaced Georgians in 2010

The paper combines the results of two nearly simultaneous surveys in 2010 to provide a unique, rather comprehensive picture of the attitudes of (a) current residents of Abkhazia and (b) largely ethnic Georgian former residents of Abkhazia now living in forced displacement in Georgia following the 1992-1993 war. More specifically, it probes the views of these two groups about each other and the sensitive question raised by the disputed return of displaced Georgians to breakaway Abkhazia. Also investigated are the potential conditions for possible return in the future, including issues relating to property ownership. The authors conclude by discussing the policy implications of the survey results. Journal of Economic Literature, Classification Numbers: D740, I310, J600, O150. 13 figures, 24 references.
Технология формирования системы жизненных и нравственно-правовых ценностных ориентации осужденных подростков

The article provides a description of how to develop life, moral and law-abiding values in convicted adolescents. The author analyses the conditions that are required to develop such values in young imprisoned law-breakers. The core clement of the process are multimedia methods, such as media dialogues, media discussions, allowing convicted adolescents to satisfy their need to communicate with peers, with new values developing in them on the basis of such communication.
PFD—A Flexible Higher-Order Masking Scheme

Based on the idea of secret sharing, masking is one of the most popular countermeasure to prevent side channel attacks (SCAs). Despite the redundant time and resource consumption, the existing masking schemes have constant speed and resources, and thus unsuitable for different applications with variable demand for time or space. Motivated by the reconfiguration technology of programmable hardware and disjunctive normal form expression of any logic function, we define a random variable logic circuit to reach the same security for any-order masking schemes. During the encryption, we induce random sequences and utilize them as configuration sequences to generate variable logic circuits, whose results are independent from the original and divided into several shares. We call our new approach polynomial function division (PFD) masking. Furthermore, we analyze the effectiveness and proof the security of PFD in theory. Our experiments using PFD on the advanced encryption standard (AES) algorithm show that the space complexity is almost as small as an implementation of the original AES without any countermeasure. Moreover, due to the flexible structure of PFD, the cost-to-efficiency ratio of PFD is much lower than state-of-the art in software, and its flexibility is coin with the reconfigurable chip.