Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Party Finance: Normal Service Resumed?

Whereas the period under Tony Blair had seen Labour emerge as the richer of the two largest parties, the 2010 election was characterised by significant disparities in party wealth, with the Conservatives emerging as the strongest party by some margin. This had a significant bearing on how the campaigns were fought, with Labour needing to make decisions on how to campaign based principally on what the party could afford rather than how best to spend up to the permitted maximum. Yet despite the disparities, the principal campaigning techniques for the three main parties were notably similar—direct mail and telephone voter identification. The 2010 election marked not only an emerging consensus between the parties upon how best to spend campaign funds, but also raised questions as to whether the significant financial disparities had as much electoral impact as might commonly be assumed.
Water‐miscible tocopherol is not superior to fat‐soluble preparation for vitamin E absorption in cystic fibrosis

Vitamin E deficiency is a major problem in cystic fibrosis. Modern pancreatic enzymes may improve the absorption of fat‐soluble vitamins to make water dispersion less important. In order to compare the absorption of fat‐soluble (F) and water‐miscible (W) tocopheryl acetate, equivalent amounts (10 mg/kg body weight) were given to five patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) and five age‐and sex‐matched healthy controls. Serum was analysed for vitamin E using HPLC before and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10, 24 and 28 h after the oral intake. The median peak concentrations in the sera of controls were 41.9 μmol/L after F and 39.8 μmol/L after W preparations, corresponding values in CF patients being 21.3 and 26.8 μmol/L, and corresponding means ± SD were 41.6 ± 6.7 and 38.4 ± 3.3, and 27.1 ± 14.5 and 28.8 ± 8.3, respectively. Although the area under the curve was lower for W than F preparations in both CF patients and controls, these differences were not significant.
A phenomenological exploration of coping responses associated with choking in sport

The likelihood of choking in sport is moderated by the athlete’s choice of coping strategy. Yet a lack of consensus exists with regards to which strategies encourage or prevent the choke. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to explore, through qualitative methods, the coping responses perceived to be associated with choking episodes. Semi-structured interviews were completed with six elite golfers who had experienced both choking and clutch performances under pressure. It was revealed that avoidance coping strategies (e.g. rushing and denial) were considered to precede and/or accompany their choking episodes, whilst approach coping strategies (e.g. pre- and post-shot routines, cognitive restructuring and simulated practice) were associated with their clutch performances. Such findings are discussed within the context of the extant choking literature, and used to inform recommendations for practitioners working with choking-susceptible performers.
Muscle Regeneration and Myogenic Differentiation Defects in Mice Lacking TIS7

ABSTRACT The tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate-induced sequence 7 gene (tis7) is regulated during cell fate processes and functions as a transcriptional coregulator. Here, we describe the generation and analysis of mice lacking the tis7 gene. Surprisingly, TIS7 knockout mice show no gross histological abnormalities and are fertile. Disruption of the tis7 gene by homologous recombination delayed muscle regeneration and altered the isometric contractile properties of skeletal muscles after muscle crush damage in TIS7−/− mice. Cultured primary myogenic satellite cells (MSCs) from TIS7−/− mice displayed marked reductions in differentiation potential and fusion index in a strictly cell-autonomous fashion. Loss of TIS7 caused the down-regulation of muscle-specific genes, such as those for MyoD, myogenin, and laminin-α2. Fusion potential in TIS7−/− MSCs could be rescued by TIS7 expression or laminin supplementation. Therefore, TIS7 is not essential for mouse development but plays a novel regulatory role during adult muscle regeneration.
Formal Verification of Safety Properties for Ownership Authentication Transfer Protocol

In ubiquitous computing devices, users tend to store some valuable information in their device. Even though the device can be borrowed by the other user temporarily, it is not safe for any user to borrow or lend the device as it may cause private data of the user to be public. To safeguard the user data and also to preserve user privacy we propose and model the technique of ownership authentication transfer. The user who is willing to sell the device has to transfer the ownership of the device under sale. Once the device is sold and the ownership has been transferred, the old owner will not be able to use that device at any cost. Either of the users will not be able to use the device if the process of ownership has not been carried out properly. This also takes care of the scenario when the device has been stolen or lost, avoiding the impersonation attack. The aim of this paper is to model basic process of proposed ownership authentication transfer protocol and check its safety properties by representing it using CSP and model checking approach. For model checking we have used a symbolic model checker tool called NuSMV. The safety properties of ownership transfer protocol has been modeled in terms of CTL specification and it is observed that the system satisfies all the protocol constraint and is safe to be deployed.
Pilocarpine-Induced Status Epilepticus Is Associated with Changes in the Actin-Modulating Protein Synaptopodin and Alterations in Long-Term Potentiation in the Mouse Hippocampus

Epilepsy is a complex neurological disorder which can severely affect neuronal function. Some patients may experience status epilepticus, a life-threatening state of ongoing seizure activity associated with postictal cognitive dysfunction. However, the molecular mechanisms by which status epilepticus influences brain function beyond seizure activity remain not well understood. Here, we addressed the question of whether pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus affects synaptopodin (SP), an actin-binding protein, which regulates the ability of neurons to express synaptic plasticity. This makes SP an interesting marker for epilepsy-associated alterations in synaptic function. Indeed, single dose intraperitoneal pilocarpine injection (250 mg/kg) in three-month-old male C57BL/6J mice leads to a rapid reduction in hippocampal SP-cluster sizes and numbers (in CA1 stratum radiatum of the dorsal hippocampus; 90 min after injection). In line with this observation (and previous work using SP-deficient mice), a defect in the ability to induce long-term potentiation (LTP) of Schaffer collateral-CA1 synapses is observed. Based on these findings we propose that status epilepticus could exert its aftereffects on cognition at least in part by perturbing SP-dependent mechanisms of synaptic plasticity.
Temperament and character dimensions of sex offenders in relation to their parental rearing

The aim of the present study was to investigate the interrelation between the personality dimensions, according to the temperament and character theory of Cloninger, and the parenting received in childhood, of subjects who have been convicted for rape and child molestation. For this purpose, 59 rapists, 37 child molesters, and 25 healthy controls completed: (1) The Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI), which measures the heritable temperament dimensions Novelty Seeking (NS), Harm Avoidance (HA), Reward Dependence (RD), and Persistence (PE), and the character dimensions Self Directedness (SD), Cooperativeness (CO), and Self Transcendence (ST). (2) The Measurement of Parental Style (MOPS), which creates the subscales ‘indifference’, ‘overcontrol’ and ‘abuse’ for each parent. We found that NS levels were significantly increased and RD, SD, and CO levels were significantly decreased in both sex offender groups, while PE levels were significantly decreased only in the rapists, and ST levels were significantly increased only in the child molesters, in relation to the controls. The reported father abusiveness in rapists, as well as the reported mother abusiveness in child molesters were significantly increased, in relation to the controls. In the group of rapists, CO levels were negatively correlated with the reported father abusiveness, while the observed low levels of CO could be predicted from father abusiveness. In child molesters, PE levels were negatively correlated with the reported mother abusiveness, while the RD dimension was negatively correlated with the reported father overcontrol. In conclusion, the low levels of RD, PE, and CO of this sex offender sample seems to be linked with the reported abusive/affectionless control style of their parental rearing, while the abusive parental rearing in the group of rapists may contribute to the development of personalities with low CO.
Exceptional and Innovative Programs in Educational Leadership

Educational administrator preparation programs have received criticism for inadequate program quality. Despite these criticisms, there are a number of programs and features of programs that are both innovative and exceptional. This article reviews standards of practice and examples of strong preparation programs for school and district administrators. Common to all of the programs is a clear vision that drives programmatic decisions and provides students with opportunities to connect to the knowledge base through carefully designed field experiences integrated into the academic program.
The importance of repeated measurements of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio for the prediction of preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction

Abstract Aims: The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio has been evaluated as a diagnostic marker for preeclampsia (PE). The aim of this study was to explore the use of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio as an aid in prediction for PE. Methods: 150 patients with a high risk for PE were enrolled in this prospective study. Groups were compared according to the pregnancy outcome: controls (n=114), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) (n=14) and PE (n=22) with subclassification early PE<34 weeks (n=6). Measurements of sFlt-1 and PlGF were performed on the automated Elecsys system. Statistical comparison of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio in different outcome groups and a mixed model analysis using random intercept models were performed. Results: The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was significantly higher in pregnancies complicated by PE up to 4 weeks before clinical diagnosis compared to controls (106.7±47.7 vs. 21.0±4.1; P=0.02). Levels of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio were higher throughout pregnancy in women with IUGR compared to PE/control patients (intercept 1.57 vs. 1.30/0.67; P<0.05). The slope for the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio was significantly higher in PE and IUGR pregnancies compared to controls, indicating that a steep increase of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio correlates with pathologic pregnancy outcomes. Conclusion: The sFlt-1/PlGF ratio can identify pathologic pregnancy outcomes such as IUGR and PE before clinical diagnosis. Repeated measurements are necessary to assess the dynamics in serum values. The time-dependent slope of the sFlt-1/PlGF ratio is predictive for future pregnancy outcome and risk of developing preeclampsia.
Transgenic expression of interleukin 7 restores T cell populations in nude mice

The thymic lesion of the nude mouse causes a profound block in T cell development. The failure of most T cells to mature in nude mice is likely to reflect a requirement for signals elaborated in the normal thymus. Interleukin 7 (IL-7), a lymphokine that is normally expressed in the thymus and has been implicated in T cell maturation, might be central to this process. To test this possibility, we introduced a transgene directing lymphoid expression of IL-7 into nude mice and found that it substantially alleviates the block in T cell maturation caused by the thymic defect. IL-7 transgenic nude mice have increased numbers of peripheral cells expressing the T cell marker Thy-1, the T cell antigen receptor complex, and the co-receptors CD4 and CD8. The IL- 7 transgene also restores T cell-specific proliferation and activation responses to the peripheral cells of transgene-rescued nude mice. Such findings point toward a fundamental role for IL-7 in the thymic maturation of T cells.
‘God Made the White Man, God Made the Black Man…’: Popular Racial Stereotyping of Coloured People in Apartheid South Africa

Extracted from text . 1. See, for example, W.M. MacMillan, The Cape Colour Question: A Historical Survey (Cape Town, 1968; originally London, 1927)); H.P. Cruse, Die Opheffing van die Kleurlingbevolking: Deel I Aanvangsjare, 1652-1795 (Stellenbosch, 1947); J.S. Marais, The Cape Coloured People, 1652-1937 (Johannesburg, 1968; originally London, 1939); A.J. Venter, Coloured: A Profile of Two Million South Africans (Cape Town, 1974). Even those works sympathetic to Coloured people help sustain racial stereotyping by working within a racialised paradigm. 2. M. Hommel, Capricorn Blues: The Struggle for Human Rights in South Africa (Toronto, 1981); R. van der Ross, The Rise and Decline of Apartheid: A .
Dose-response effect of acute resistance exercise on Tower of London in middle-aged adults.

The present research attempts to evaluate the dose-response relationship between acute resistance exercise and planning. Seventeen participants performed the Tower of London (TOL) in control condition and three different exercise intensity conditions (40%, 70%, and 100% 10-repetition maximal) in a counterbalanced order. The results revealed positive effects of an acute bout of resistance exercise on the TOL. Specifically, a curvilinear trend was observed between exercise intensity and TOL scores that measured performances of "correct" and "move," where moderate intensity demonstrated the most optimal performance compared with the other conditions. None of these differences were found in TOL scores that measure performances of "violation" and "planning speed. " These results suggest that acute moderate intensity resistance exercise could facilitate planning-related executive functions in middle-aged adults.
Interactions among future study abroad students: exploring potential intercultural learning sequences

The study presented in this article aims to explore if and how intercultural learning may take place in students’ class interaction. It is grounded in the assumption that interculturality is not a clear-cut feature inherent to interactions occurring when individuals with presumed different linguistic and cultural/national backgrounds talk to each other, but that interculturality is co-constructed during interaction. In other words, every ‘interdiscourse interaction’ is potentially intercultural. We have assumed this perspective while investigating student–student class interactions that took place in an intercultural education course aimed at enhancing students’ intercultural learning in view of their sojourn abroad. Interactional data were analysed from the perspective of conversation analysis. Then, drawing on the notion of séquence potentiellement acquisitionelle as well as on a constructivist approach to intercultural learning, we conclude that, in interaction with their peers, learners can co-construct ‘potential intercultural learning sequences’ (PILS), which present recognisable interactional and discursive features.
Position-Patch Based Face Hallucination via Locality-Constrained Representation

Instead of using probabilistic graph based or manifold learning based models, some approaches based on position-patch have been proposed for face hallucination recently. In order to obtain the optimal weights for face hallucination, they represent image patches through those patches at the same position of training face images by employing least square estimation or convex optimization. However, they can hope neither to provide unbiased solutions nor to satisfy locality conditions, thus the obtained patch representation is not the best. In this paper, a simpler but more effective representation scheme- Locality-constrained Representation (LcR) has been developed, compared with the Least Square Representation (LSR) and Sparse Representation (SR). It imposes a locality constraint onto the least square inversion problem to reach sparsity and locality simultaneously. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over some state-of-the-art face hallucination approaches.
Assessing Perceived Emotional Intelligence in Adolescents

Adolescence is a critical period of life during which significant psychosocial adjustment occurs and in which emotional intelligence plays an essential role. This article provides validity evidence for the Trait Meta-Mood Scale–24 (TMMS-24) scores based on an item response theory (IRT) approach. A sample of 2,693 Spanish adolescents (M = 16.52 years and SD = 1.38), of whom 51.1% were boys, completed the TMMS-24. The three-dimensional structure of the TMMS-24 was confirmed, showing adequate psychometric properties for assessing adolescents. With one exception, the IRT analyses showed that the items have a reasonable fit to Samejima’s Gradual Response Model. In addition, all three dimensions exhibit the best measurement precision around the mean of the latent trait levels. Again, with one exception (Item 23), all items have a moderate to very high discrimination power.
A Near-optimal Real-time Hardware Scheduler for Large Cardinality Crossbar Switches

The maximum matching algorithm for bipartite graphs can be used to provide optimal scheduling for crossbar based interconnection networks. Unfortunately, maximum matching requires O(N3) time for an N times N communication system, which has limited its application to real-time network scheduling. In this paper, we show how maximum matching can be reformulated in terms of Boolean operations rather than the more traditional formulations. By taking advantage of the inherent parallelism available in custom hardware design, we introduce three maximum matching implementations in hardware and show how we can trade design complexity for performance. Specifically, we examine a pure logic scheduler with three dimensions of parallelism, a matrix scheduler with two dimensions of parallelism and a vector scheduler with one dimension of parallelism. These designs reduce the algorithmic time complexity down to O(1), O(K), and O(KN), respectively, where K is the number of optimization steps. While an optimal scheduling algorithm requires K=2N-1 steps, our simulation results show that the scheduler can achieve 99% of the optimal schedule when K=9. We examine hardware and time complexity of these architectures for crossbar sizes of up to N=1024. Using FPGA synthesis results, we show that a greedy schedule for various sized crossbars, ranging from 8 times 8 to 256 times 256, can be optimized in less than 20 ns per optimization step. For crossbars reaching 1024 times 1024 the scheduling can be completed in approximately 10 s with current technology and could reach under 90 ns with future technologies
Postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy increases plasmatic thromboxane beta 2.

OBJECTIVE This study shows the effect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT), using oral estrogen exclusively or in combination with progestin, on platelet activation in healthy menopaused women. BACKGROUND Recent evidence from studies of postmenopausal HRT in healthy women demonstrated a short-time increased risk of coronary heart disease. Platelet activation, which generates vasoconstrictory thromboxane A(2) (TxA(2)), has been related to the risk of cardiovascular diseases. METHODS By means of a placebo-controlled study twenty-seven postmenopausal patients were continuously orally administered estrogen in combination with progestin or estrogen exclusively for an 8-week period. Platelet activation was evaluated by flow cytometric P-selectin expression and by enzyme immunoassay plasmatic TxA(2) (TxB(2)) concentrations. RESULTS P-selectin binding index changed from 6.3+/-3.6 to 7.0+/-3 in the placebo group (n=10); from 5.9+2.2 to 7.9+/-3.3 in the E+P group (n=8) and from 6.4+2.7 to 7.1+/-1.9 in the E group (n=9). Plasma concentrations of TxB(2) before and after intervention, changed from 1.2+1.2 to 1.5+1.4 (pg/well) in the placebo group; significantly (p=0.005) in the E+P group (n=8), from 0.9+0.3 to 6.1+6.5 (pg/well), and from 1.3+1.5 to 0.8+0.4 (pg/well) in the E group (n=8; mean+standard deviation, basal x therapy, p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Healthy menopaused women who were administered estradiol in association with norethisterone continuously had an increase of plasmatic thromboxane, possibly determined by platelet activation, which indicates a higher short-term thrombotic risk. P-selectin expression analyses failed to demonstrate the impact of HRT on platelets.
GATA2 zinc finger 1 mutations associated with biallelic CEBPA mutations define a unique genetic entity of acute myeloid leukemia.

Cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) with biallelic CEBPA gene mutations (biCEPBA) represents a distinct disease entity with a favorable clinical outcome. So far, it is not known whether other genetic alterations cooperate with biCEBPA mutations during leukemogenesis. To identify additional mutations, we performed whole exome sequencing of 5 biCEBPA patients and detected somatic GATA2 zinc finger 1 (ZF1) mutations in 2 of 5 cases. Both GATA2 and CEBPA are transcription factors crucial for hematopoietic development. Inherited or acquired mutations in both genes have been associated with leukemogenesis. Further mutational screening detected novel GATA2 ZF1 mutations in 13 of 33 biCEBPA-positive CN-AML patients (13/33, 39.4%). No GATA2 mutations were found in 38 CN-AML patients with a monoallelic CEBPA mutation and in 89 CN-AML patients with wild-type CEBPA status. The presence of additional GATA2 mutations (n=10) did not significantly influence the clinical outcome of 26 biCEBPA-positive patients. In reporter gene assays, all tested GATA2 ZF1 mutants showed reduced capacity to enhance CEBPA-mediated activation of transcription, suggesting that the GATA2 ZF1 mutations may collaborate with biCEPBA mutations to deregulate target genes during malignant transformation. We thus provide evidence for a genetically distinct subgroup of CN-AML. The German AML cooperative group trials 1999 and 2008 are registered with the identifiers NCT00266136 and NCT01382147 at www.clinicaltrials. gov.