Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Discursive Construction of European Identities: A Multi-Level Approach to Discourse and Identity in the Transforming European Union

Krzyzanowski begins the book with an extensive discussion of the role of European identity in social and political discourse, explicating that despite the plethora of debates concerning “ role, meaning and identity of Europe” (page 9), the question of European identity remains salient even today because “ those identities are still constructed by a variety of actors and in a vast array of contexts. Taking this perspective the book looks at the intricacies of discursive constructions – rather than outward nominal or speculative expressions and projections (or representations) – of European identities” (page 12). Thus Krzyzanowski takes the perspective that European identities are still undergoing “ constant, dynamic and discursive reconstruction, yet require new models which will allow the grasping of their key distinctive features as well as their inherent transformation and dynamism” (page 12). It is for this reason that he argues for the repeated analysis of how form and content, within the interplay of ever-changing social and political contents shape the definitional construction of European identities, therefore structuring the book in five chapters which explore not merely representations but rather constructions of European identities. Chapter one lays down a literature review of the academic research that has been conducted in the past and which underpins the work of the book, including an insight into identity formation and politics; the significance of identity in language and interaction, in narration, the construction of community, eventually foraying into a necessary section on how the more general concept of identity needs to be situated to more specific questions about European identities, both at the national and supranational level. This chapter is a valuable summary into the trend of identity research, critically assessing various approaches to the “ on-going linguistic and discursive negotiation of identities” (page 24).
Comparison of sertraline and citalopram for treatment of premature ejaculation.

INTRODUCTION We evaluated the efficacy of citalopram and sertraline in the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE). MATERIALS AND METHODS Of 101 married men with PE, 80 were eligible and consented to participate in this randomized controlled trial. Erectile dysfunction and administration of drugs for the treatment of PE were the exclusion criteria. The patients were evaluated using index of premature ejaculation (IPE) questionnaire and were randomly assigned into groups 1 (sertraline) and 2 (citalopram). They received one of these drugs for 8 weeks and then were re-evaluated by the IPE. Pretreatment and posttreatment results were compared within and between the study groups. RESULTS A total of 80 patients entered and completed the study. The mean age of the patients was 38.4 +/- 7.7 in group 1 and 37.5 +/- 6.9 in group 2 (P = .60). The mean pretreatment IPE scores were 21.4 +/- 1.8 and 20.9 +/- 1.3 in the patients of groups 1 and 2, respectively (P = .23). After 8 weeks, significant improvement was seen in both groups in terms of the IPE questionnaire results (39.8 +/- 1.4; P < .001 and 39.5 +/- 2.9; P < .001, respectively). However, the treatment response was not different between the 2 groups (P = .50). No serious adverse effects were detected in any of the patients and both drugs were tolerated well. CONCLUSION Citalopram and sertraline are safe and effective in patients with PE. Additionally, we failed to find any difference between the effects of these two drugs in the treatment of this condition.
RIPQ: Advanced Photo Caching on Flash for Facebook

Facebook uses flash devices extensively in its photo-caching stack. The key design challenge for an efficient photo cache on flash at Facebook is its workload: many small random writes are generated by inserting cache-missed content, or updating cache-hit content for advanced caching algorithms. The Flash Translation Layer on flash devices performs poorly with such a workload, lowering throughput and decreasing device lifespan. Existing coping strategies under-utilize the space on flash devices, sacrificing cache capacity, or are limited to simple caching algorithms like FIFO, sacrificing hit ratios. We overcome these limitations with the novel Restricted Insertion Priority Queue (RIPQ) framework that supports advanced caching algorithms with large cache sizes, high throughput, and long device lifespan. RIPQ aggregates small random writes, co-locates similarly prioritized content, and lazily moves updated content to further reduce device overhead. We show that two families of advanced caching algorithms, Segmented-LRU and Greedy-Dual-Size-Frequency, can be easily implemented with RIPQ. Our evaluation on Facebook's photo trace shows that these algorithms running on RIPQ increase hit ratios up to ∼20% over the current FIFO system, incur low overhead, and achieve high throughput.
Black Police in America

ducted in the past have any merit, the average police officer is aggressive, has a strong sense of right and wrong, a distaste of moral turpitude in others, an inquisitive nature, the inclination to serve as an arbiter of morals, little fear, and a cynicism based on "every one has his price. " Left out of these characteristics are feelings of compassion, understanding, sensitivity, restraint, impartiality, justice, and, most important, the courage to take actions and positions that are unpopular at a particular time but are, in fact, based on logic and compassion. There are many more characteristics, but these, perhaps, are the most important. At this point we may develop a divergency. The divergency is one based on color and the results this difference will have on the
Kane's Equations for Haptic Display of Multibody Systems

The design of a general-purpose multibody simulator that runs in real-time and features haptic display is presented. The repertoire of this simulator includes systems subject to holonomic constraints, nonholonomic constraints, and notably, systems subject to changing constraints. In contrast to the use of generic equations of motion, Kane’s method is used by a computerized symbolic manipulator to produce custom-built, compact, and computationally efficient ordinary differential equations for each virtual system to be simulated. A method is presented whereby new equations, reflecting the presence of a transient constraint, may be formulated on-line by a recombination of terms comprising the nominal equations. This paper also serves as a tutorial introduction to Kane’s method and includes a detailed derivation of Kane’s equations with a geometric interpretation. An illustrative example featuring changing constraint conditions is developed in the body of the paper while two more examples, chosen to highlight certain features within Kane’s method, are presented at the conclusion.
College Access Factors of Urban Latina Girls: The Role of Math Ability Perceptions.

This study investigates the role of math perceptions on the college enrollment of Latinas in urban settings. Using primarily qualitative methods, this study examines the K-12 schooling experiences of 35 Latina students who were part of a larger fifteen-year study. Students had different college enrollment outcomes despite having similarly low mathematics trajectories. Math ability perceptions prevailed as a theme that played a role in their college enrollment.
Parental Occurrence of Premature Cardiovascular Disease Predicts Increased Coronary Artery and Abdominal Aortic Calcification in the Framingham Offspring and Third Generation Cohorts

Background— Parental premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). We related validated parental premature CVD with the subclinical measures of coronary artery (CAC) and abdominal aortic (AAC) calcification in the community. Methods and Results— We studied 2 generations of Framingham Heart Study subjects who underwent multidetector computed tomography measurements of CAC and AAC and who had 2 parents in the study. Subjects included 797 Framingham Offspring (mean age, 63 years; 56% women) and 1238 Third Generation (Gen3) (mean age, 46 years; 47% women) participants free of CVD. Generalized estimating equations adjusted for major CVD risk factors were used to relate validated parental premature CVD and CHD to CAC and AAC, defined by >90th percentile age- and sex-specific cut points from a healthy subsample. Parental premature CVD was associated with CAC among Gen3 (odds ratio=2.17 [1.41 to 3.33]; P<0.001) and nonsignificantly among Offspring (odds ratio=1.42 [0.91 to 2.22]; P=0.12). Parental premature CHD was associated with CAC among Gen3 (odds ratio=2.22 [1.22 to 4.01]) but not Offspring. Parental premature CVD was not associated with AAC in either cohort. Parental premature CHD was associated with AAC among Gen3 (odds ratio=1.65 [0.99 to 2.75]; P=0.05) but not among Offspring. The magnitude of risk conferred was greater for paternal than maternal premature CVD. Conclusions— Parental premature CVD is associated with CAC, and premature CHD is associated with AAC, after adjustment for risk factors, particularly in younger middle-aged adults. Risk conferred by parental premature CVD on vascular calcification may be mediated through novel mechanisms not accounted for by classic CVD risk factors known to cause atherosclerosis.
A SEARCH FOR THE TRANSIT OF HD 168443b: IMPROVED ORBITAL PARAMETERS AND PHOTOMETRY

The discovery of transiting planets around bright stars holds the potential to greatly enhance our understanding of planetary atmospheres. In this work we present the search for transits of HD 168443b, a massive planet orbiting the bright star HD 168443 (V = 6.92) with a period of 58.11 days. The high eccentricity of the planetary orbit (e = 0.53) significantly enhances the a priori transit probability beyond that expected for a circular orbit, making HD 168443 a candidate for our ongoing Transit Ephemeris Refinement and Monitoring Survey. Using additional radial velocities from Keck High Resolution Echelle Spectrometer, we refined the orbital parameters of this multi-planet system and derived a new transit ephemeris for HD 168443b. The reduced uncertainties in the transit window make a photometric transit search practicable. Photometric observations acquired during predicted transit windows were obtained on three nights. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 1.0 m photometry acquired on 2010 September 7 had the required precision to detect a transit but fell just outside of our final transit window. Nightly photometry from the T8 0.8 m automated photometric telescope at Fairborn Observatory, acquired over a span of 109 nights, demonstrates that HD 168443 is constant on a timescale of weeks. Higher-cadence photometry on 2011 April 28 and June 25 shows no evidence of a transit. We are able to rule out a non-grazing transit of HD 168443b.
DAF-FM (4-Amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-difluorofluorescein) Diacetate Detects Impairment of Agonist-Stimulated Nitric Oxide Synthesis by Elevated Glucose in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells: Reversal by Vitamin C and l-Sepiapterin

Elevated plasma glucose, as commonly seen in types I and II diabetes mellitus, is known to result in endothelial dysfunction, a condition characterized by a loss of nitric oxide (NO)-dependent regulation of vascular tone. In the present study, we have utilized a recently developed NO-sensitive fluorescent dye, DAF-FM (4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-difluorofluorescein) diacetate to directly examine the consequences of elevated glucose on agonist-evoked NO synthesis in cultured human vascular endothelial cells. Exposure of cells for 5 to 7 days to high (20 mM) external glucose markedly reduced NO production in response to ATP, histamine, or the calcium ionophore calcimycin A23187 compared with 5 and 10 mM glucose concentrations. However, high glucose did not affect agonist-evoked elevations in cytosolic-free calcium, as monitored by Fluo-3. The addition of vitamin C (150 μM) and l-sepiapterin (20 μM) for ∼24 h to 20 mM glucose-treated cells improved stimulus-evoked NO synthesis but had no effect on cells exposed to either 5 or 10 mM glucose. Likewise, impaired NO production in high glucose-treated cells was largely reversed by exposure (∼3 h) to superoxide dismutase. Cellular levels of endothelial nitric-oxide synthase protein were unaltered by elevated glucose treatment, and no further change was observed after the addition of vitamin C and l-sepiapterin. Taken together, the results of our study serve to directly explain at the cellular level how glucose-impaired NO production in human endothelial cells may be reversed by agents that are reported clinically to improve endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in patients.
Phase I study of a weekly schedule of irinotecan, high-dose leucovorin, and infusional fluorouracil as first-line chemotherapy in patients with advanced colorectal cancer.

PURPOSE To determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of a weekly schedule of irinotecan (CPT-11), leucovorin (LV), and a 24-hour infusion of fluorouracil (5-FU24h) as first-line chemotherapy in advanced colorectal cancer and to assess preliminary data on the antitumor activity. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-six patients with measurable metastatic colorectal cancer were entered onto this phase I study. In the first six dose levels, fixed doses of CPT-11 (80 mg/m2) and LV (500 mg/m2) in combination with escalated doses of 5-FU24h ranging from 1.8 to 2.6 g/m2 were administered on a weekly-times-four (dose levels 1 to 4) or weekly-times-six (dose levels 5 to 6) schedule. The dose of CPT-11 was then increased to 100 mg/m2 (dose level 7). RESULTS Seventy-nine cycles of 5-FU24h/LV with CPT-11 were administered in an outpatient setting. No dose-limiting toxicities were observed during the first cycle at dose levels 1 to 6, but diarrhea of grade 4 (National Cancer Institute common toxicity criteria) was observed in three patients after multiple treatment cycles. Other nonhematologic and hematologic side effects, specifically alopecia and neutropenia, did not exceed grade 2. With the escalation of CPT-11 to 100 mg/m2 (dose level 7), diarrhea of grade 3 or higher was observed in four of six patients during the first cycle; thus, the MTD was achieved. Sixteen of 25 response-assessable patients (64%; 95% confidence interval, 45% to 83%) achieved an objective response. CONCLUSION The recommended doses for further studies are CPT-11 80 mg/m2, LV 500 mg/m2, and 5-FU24h 2.6 g/m2 given on a weekly-times-six schedule followed by a 1-week rest period. The addition of CPT-11 to 5-FU24h/LV seems to improve the therapeutic efficacy in terms of tumor response with manageable toxicity.
Proactive Sensing for Improving Hand Pose Estimation

We propose a novel sensing technique called proactive sensing. Proactive sensing continually repositions a camera-based sensor as a way to improve hand pose estimation. Our core contribution is a scheme that effectively learns how to move the sensor to improve pose estimation confidence while requiring no ground truth hand poses. We demonstrate this concept using a low-cost rapid swing arm system built around the state-of-the-art commercial sensing system Leap Motion. The results from our user study show that proactive sensing helps estimate users' hand poses with higher confidence compared to both static and random sensing. We further present an online model update to improve performance for each user.
High School Students' Use of Databases: Results of a National Delphi Study

A four‐round Delphi study with a panel of 25 library media specialists (LMSs) from 22 secondary schools across the United States was aimed at: (1) identifying high school students' most significant difficulties in using online and CD‐ROM databases; (2) suggesting design elements and curricular and instructional strategies for making these tools more valuable as learning resources; and (3) determining the most significant policy issues related to the use of electronic information resources in schools. Findings are based on (1) panelists' ratings of 234 items on Likert‐type scales and (2) panelists' selections and rankings of a subset of items from that larger set. The conceptual framework for the study was derived from instructional systems design (ISD), a discipline outside the traditional focus of information science research, but one that has considerable potential for offering additional insights to the field. The results confirm that the major issues related to schools' use of online and CD‐ROM databases involve their role in students' development of the higher‐order thinking skills necessary to plan, design, and conduct competent and credible research in the electronic information age. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Oligomerization of the ABL tyrosine kinase by the Ets protein TEL in human leukemia

TEL is a member of the Ets family of transcription factors which are frequently rearranged in human leukemia. The mechanism of TEL-mediated transformation, however, is unknown. We report the cloning and characterization of a chromosomal translocation associated with acute myeloid leukemia which fuses TEL to the ABL tyrosine kinase. The TEL-ABL fusion confers growth factor-independent growth to the marine hematopoietic cell line Ba/F3 and transforms Rat-1 fibroblasts and primary murine bone marrow cells. TEL-ABL is constitutively tyrosine phosphorylated and localizes to the cytoskeleton. A TEL-ABL mutant containing an ABL kinase-inactivating mutation is not constitutively phosphorylated and is nontransforming but retains cytoskeletal localization. However, constitutive phosphorylation, cytoskeletal localization, and transformation are all dependent upon a highly conserved region of TEL termed the helix-loop-helix (HLH) domain. TEL-ABL formed HLH-dependent homo-oligomers in vitro, a process critical for tyrosine kinase activation. These experiments suggest that oligomerization of TEL-ABL mediated by the TEL HLH domain is required for tyrosine kinase activation, cytoskeletal localization, and transformation. These data also suggest that oligomerization of Ets proteins through the highly conserved HLH domain may represent a previously unrecognized phenomenon.
INTRODUCTION: Master Builders: Research on Men and Masculinities and Directions for Australian Theory and Practice

Research on men and masculinities is not just an academic exercise. It deals with issues of practical importance and widespread cultural interest, which are explored in many media besides research. One of the most striking examples is The Master Builder, by the founder of modern European drama, Henrik Ibsen (1992). This play, first performed in 1892, is one of the great allegories of modern masculinity. It is not quite as famous as A Doll House, and its central figure is not quite as iconic as Nora, whose slamming door at the end of Act III became an international symbol of women’s emancipation. Nevertheless, the protagonist Halvard Solness does represent a significant type of masculinity emerging in European modernity. Solness is a ‘master builder’, an employer of labour, but not part of the old elite. He is, precisely, what we would call a developer. If he were alive in Australia today he would undoubtedly have mates in the NSW branch of the Liberal or Labor Parties. He is selfmade. He contracted an advantageous marriage and then leveraged that advantage with energy and skill. He has achieved respect as well as wealth. Yet underneath this success is a psychological mess. Solness has doubts about his achievement, guilt about his troubled wife and her destroyed home. He is fearful of the rising generation who will become his competitors and, perhaps, prove better than him. His life is finally shaken from its moorings by the arrival of an idealistic young woman who misinterprets his role. Solness’s story ends in a heavily symbolic death in an industrial accident on his newest building. Ibsen’s work is worth recalling as a sign of the wide interest in problems of masculinity and as a notable diagnosis of the complexity and, in fact, the fragility of apparently confident forms of masculinity. There is a cultural context for our research in social science, and we have much to learn from it.
Event history analysis:A proportional hazards perspective on modeling outcomes in intensive family preservation services

This paper demonstrates the use of event history analysis and reports on the correlates of service outcomes for the HOMEBUlLDERS model of Intensive Family Preservation Services (IPPS). The paper focuses on the use of the proportional hazards model, the assumption of proportionality, methods for dealing with violations of proportionality, and implications for collecting event data.
Population genetic analysis reveals a long‐term decline of a threatened endemic Australian marsupial

Since European colonization, Leadbeater’s possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri) has declined across its range to the point where it is now only patchily distributed within the montane ash forests of the Central Highlands of Victoria. The loss of large hollow‐bearing trees coupled with inadequate recruitment of mature ash forest has been predicted to result in a reduction in population size of up to 90% by 2020. Furthermore, bioclimatic analyses have suggested additional reductions in the species’ distribution under a variety of climate change scenarios. Using a panel of 15 highly resolving microsatellite markers and mitochondrial control region sequence data, we infer past and present gene flow. Populations in the northern part of the core range were highly admixed, and showed no signs of either current or historical barriers to gene flow. A marginal, isolated and inbred population at Yellingbo was highly genetically differentiated, both in terms of current and historic genetic structure. Sequence data confirmed the conclusions from earlier genetic simulation studies that the Yellingbo population has been isolated from the rest of the species range since before European‐induced changes to the montane landscape, and formed part of a larger genetic unit that is now otherwise extinct. Historic loss of maternal lineages in the Central Highlands of Victoria was detected despite signals of immigration, indicating population declines that most probably coincided with changes in climate at the end of the Pleistocene. Given ongoing habitat loss and the recent (February 2009) wildfire in the Central Highlands, we forecast (potentially extensive) demographic declines, in line with predicted range reductions under climate change scenarios.
Getting an Honest Answer: Clickers in the Classroom

Asking students to raise their hands is a time-honored feedback mechanism in education. Hand raising allows the teacher to assess to what extent a concept has been understood, or to see where the class stands on a particular issue, and then to proceed with the lesson accordingly. For many types of questions, as the evidence here demonstrates, the tally from a public show of hands misrepresents the true knowledge or preferences of the class. The biases are predictable and systematic. Specifically, students raising their hands tend to herd and vote with the majority answer. Beyond impeding the teacher's ability to assess her class, such herding threatens to diminish learning by limiting the level to which a student engages with the questions posed by the teacher.