Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experience and Expression: Social and Cultural Significance in the Fear of Crime

This paper argues that to ignore the social meaning that constitutes public perceptions of crime is to offer a shallow picture of the fear of crime-and survey research need not do either. Examining the symbolic links between community cohesion, disorder and crime, this study suggests that perceptions of risk are explicably situated in individuals' understandings of the social and physical make-up of their neighbourhood, as well as vulnerability and broader social attitudes and values. Furthermore, an explanation is offered for recent research that suggests that the prevalence of fear of crime has been exaggerated. Namely, survey responses may articulate both 'experienced' fear-summations of the frequency of emotion-and 'expressive' fear, or attitudes regarding the cultural meaning of crime, social change and relations, and conditions conducive to crime.
Social security, employment and Incapacity Benefit: critical reflections on A new deal for welfare

In January 2006 New Labour published a Green Paper on welfare reform, A new deal for welfare: empowering people to work. Following a consultation period the 2006 Welfare Reform Bill was published in July 2006. The main concern of the Green Paper was with Incapacity Benefit and the people who claim it. This paper critically engages with the proposals outlined in the Green Paper and the subsequent Bill. Focusing upon the social security and labour market interventions of the proposals, the paper argues that rather than empowering disabled people to work, the relationships held to exist between welfare reform and paid employment in A new deal for welfare are likely to have a limited impact. The paper discusses why this is likely to be the case by examining assumptions contained in the proposals related to the reasons why people claim Incapacity Benefit, the model of disability that structures the proposals and the relationships between disability, paid work and models of family structure that the proposals presuppose.
Developing Work‐based Transferable Skills for Mature Students

Abstract Student assessment and the development of transferable personal skills are receiving increasing attention in higher education establishments. This study examined the potential for enhancing student learning through the development of groupwork, presentation and self‐ and peer‐assessment skills. A methodology is described which indicates the approach adopted and a questionnaire evaluates part‐time mature students’ impressions of the process. The overall conclusions to be drawn from the investigation are that skill development does take place, students find groupwork an enjoyable learning experience and are receptive to new forms of assessment.
Cross‐disease comparison of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and spinal muscular atrophy reveals conservation of selective vulnerability but differential neuromuscular junction pathology

Neuromuscular junctions are primary pathological targets in the lethal motor neuron diseases spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Synaptic pathology and denervation of target muscle fibers has been reported prior to the appearance of clinical symptoms in mouse models of both diseases, suggesting that neuromuscular junctions are highly vulnerable from the very early stages, and are a key target for therapeutic intervention. Here we examined neuromuscular pathology longitudinally in three clinically relevant muscle groups in mouse models of ALS and SMA in order to assess their relative vulnerabilities. We show for the first time that neuromuscular junctions of the extraocular muscles (responsible for the control of eye movement) were resistant to degeneration in endstage SMA mice, as well as in late symptomatic ALS mice. Tongue muscle neuromuscular junctions were also spared in both animal models. Conversely, neuromuscular junctions of the lumbrical muscles of the hind‐paw were vulnerable in both SMA and ALS, with a loss of neuronal innervation and shrinkage of motor endplates in both diseases. Thus, the pattern of selective vulnerability was conserved across these two models of motor neuron disease. However, the first evidence of neuromuscular pathology occurred at different timepoints of disease progression, with much earlier evidence of presynaptic involvement in ALS, progressing to changes on the postsynaptic side. Conversely, in SMA changes appeared concomitantly at the neuromuscular junction, suggesting that mechanisms of neuromuscular disruption are distinct in these diseases. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1424–1442, 2016. © 2015 The Authors The Journal of Comparative Neurology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Globalization, Democratization and the Far Right: Turkey's Nationalist Action Party in Critical Perspective

Ultra-nationalist political parties of the far right have been an endemic feature of European politics in recent years. This article investigates the rise of the Nationalist Action Party (the MHP) in Turkey, a party that has a number of characteristics in common with its European counterparts. The objective of the article is to illustrate a paradox. These types of parties tend to display a considerable degree of adaptability and exhibit a tendency to move in a more moderate direction. They shed some of their violent and extremist leanings in the process as they try to transform themselves from closed communities or networks to mass parties of national standing. This apparent moderation should not disguise, however, the key underlying weakness of such parties, namely their limited commitment to the core values of liberal democracy and political pluralism. Indeed, such parties can continue to play an important negative role in terms of their ability to block the process of democratic deepening in nascent democratic regimes.
Development of meal assistance device for patients with spinal cord injury

The objective of this research is to develop a meal assistance device for patients, who lost the ability to move their own body except for the head and the neck due to disease, accidents, congenital factors, and aging. Main problems of existing conventional devices are “cost”, “size”, “complexity”, “appearance”, and “feeling of alive”. This paper tackles the above problems and explains structure of the developed device for meal assistance. The newly developed meal assistance device was made by 3D printers for cheap price and customizable. The developed assistance device has two degrees of freedom; translational motion for stab and rotational motion for bringing. In addition, the developed meal assistance device adopted a strategy of polar coordinate-based manual operation, which allows users to operate intuitively. The appearance of the developed device is not heavy compared with the conventional devices shaped like industrial robotic manipulators. Above mentioned features are important and gives competitive power especially in the medical care field requiring adaptation to individual demand. The developed meal assistance device succeeded to serve a meal toward the user's mouth in an experimental verification of a practical use.
Crystal structure of the catalytic core of Rad2: insights into the mechanism of substrate binding

Rad2/XPG belongs to the flap nuclease family and is responsible for a key step of the eukaryotic nucleotide excision DNA repair (NER) pathway. To elucidate the mechanism of DNA binding by Rad2/XPG, we solved crystal structures of the catalytic core of Rad2 in complex with a substrate. Rad2 utilizes three structural modules for recognition of the double-stranded portion of DNA substrate, particularly a Rad2-specific α-helix for binding the cleaved strand. The protein does not specifically recognize the single-stranded portion of the nucleic acid. Our data suggest that in contrast to related enzymes (FEN1 and EXO1), the Rad2 active site may be more accessible, which would create an exit route for substrates without a free 5′ end.
Effects of electrical muscle stimulation early in the quadriceps and tibialis anterior muscle of critically ill patients

Abstract Background: Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is applied to critically ill patients in order to improve their muscle strength, thereby preventing hypotrophy and promoting functional recovery. Objective: To assess the effects of early EMS on the range of movement of the ankle joint, and on thigh and leg circumference in critically ill patients. Methods: This is a prospective randomized clinical trial comprising 11 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation. Before and after EMS the thigh and leg circumference in both lower limbs and the goniometry of the tibiotarsal joint were measured. The angle of 90° on the goniometer was taken as the standard neutral position (NP), with the arm fixed on the lateral malleolus of the ankle joint. Other measurements, namely dorsiflexion and plantar flexion, referred to as mobile arm, were taken from the NP. These recordings were obtained following an active contraction of the patients’ muscles. Results: Compared with the electrostimulated limb, a difference in dorsiflexion of the control limb was observed (96.2 ± 24.9 versus 119.9 ± 14.1°; p = 0.01). A girth of 10 cm of the leg was found in limb reduction when compared to the electrostimulated one (24.7 ± 3.1 versus 26.4 ± 4.0 cm; p = 0.03). Conclusions: EMS used at low current intensity and for a short duration failed to prevent muscle atrophy in critically ill patients. However, we did find a significant improvement in active dorsiflexion of the ankle joint suggesting that it could help to prevent against stance plantar flexion in these patients.
Lessons Learned from Current State and National Dual-Credit Programs.

Secondary school juniors and seniors no longer should find it convenient to “blow off the senior year” or part of the junior year as well. Dual-credit programs, carried out largely by community and technical colleges, have opened the door to thousands of secondary school honor students and vocationally oriented students who need to stay challenged as they complete high school.
Resting heart rate and the risk of developing impaired fasting glucose and diabetes: the Kailuan prospective study.

BACKGROUND To investigate the association between resting heart rate and the risk of developing impaired fasting glucose (IFG), diabetes and conversion from IFG to diabetes. METHODS The prospective analysis included 73,357 participants of the Kailuan cohort (57,719 men and 15,638 women). Resting heart rate was measured via electrocardiogram in 2006. Incident diabetes was defined as either the fasting blood glucose (FBG) ≥ 7.0 mmol/l or new active use of diabetes medications during the 4-year follow-up period. IFG was defined as a FBG between 5.6 and 6.9 mmol/l. A meta-analysis including seven published prospective studies focused on heart rate and diabetes risk, and our current study was then conducted using random-effects models. RESULTS During 4 years of follow-up, 17,463 incident IFG cases and 4,649 incident diabetes cases were identified. The corresponding adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for each 10 beats/min increase in heart rate were 1.23 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.19, 1.27] for incident diabetes, 1.11 (95% CI: 1.09, 1.13) for incident IFG and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.08, 1.17) for IFG to diabetes conversion. The risks of incident IFG and diabetes were significantly higher among participants aged < 50 years than those aged ≥ 50 years (P-interaction < 0.02 for both). A meta-analysis confirmed the positive association between resting heart rate and diabetes risk (pooled HR for the highest vs lowest heart rate quintile = 1.59, 95% CI:1.27, 2.00; n = 8). CONCLUSION Faster resting heart rate is associated with higher risk of developing IFG and diabetes, suggesting that heart rate could be used to identify individuals with a higher future risk of diabetes.
ANNOYANCE FROM ROAD TRAFFIC NOISE: A REVIEW

Abstract In this paper the negative effects resulting from exposure to road traffic noise on people's well being is reviewed in the light of the latest published findings. Annoyance is particularly focused on, which is considered to be one of the first and most widespread reactions to environmental noise. The nonauditory effects of noise on humans are viewed as being generally stress-related, following observations that noise exposures engender physiological reactions typical to those of stress. First, a short presentation is made of what noise in general is. Subsequently, in order to assess some subjective judgements of noise, some of the important noise descriptors, which are often used to quantify various aspects of road traffic noise are introduced. In general terms, it is found from the present review that the continuous exposure of people to road traffic noise leads to suffering from various kinds of discomfort, thus reducing appreciably the number of their well-being elements. Drawing such a conclusion is hindered by difficulties when nonacoustical factors, for instance socio-economic situation, age and gender, are also taken into account along with the usual acoustical factors of road traffic noise. One of people's first and direct reactions to noise is in terms of annoyance. The results of several decades of research on this topic have permitted lately the establishment of a more or less quantitative relationship between the objective quantities characterizing road traffic noise and the human subjective reaction to it as expressed by annoyance. These findings are important at both the society and the individual level, in as much as they may help in regulating in a more efficient way the planning of road traffic activity in order to secure at least the minimum of comfort to the affected population.
The effect of the cognitive interview on face identification accuracy: release from verbal overshadowing.

Three experiments tested the effect of verbal description on face identification accuracy. Based on verbal overshadowing research, it was predicted that enhancing verbal description of a face would reduce subsequent face identification accuracy. Experiment 1 tested and confirmed this hypothesis using the cognitive interview to enhance verbal description; face identification accuracy was reduced significantly following the cognitive interview, compared with a standard police interview. Experiments 2 and 3 tested and confirmed the hypothesis that verbal overshadowing would be reduced when a delay is inserted between verbal description and face identification, hence resulting in "release from verbal overshadowing. " These results suggest that in the verbal overshadowing task, the verbal description does not overwrite the visually based representation of the face in memory but rather makes it less accessible at the time of face identification. The cognitive interview reduces face identification accuracy only when the identification follows description immediately--a rare situation in real criminal cases.
Reliable and fast structure-oriented video noise estimation

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a fast automated white-noise estimation method which gives reliable estimates in images with smooth and textured areas. This method is a block-based method that takes the image structure into account and uses a measure other than the variance to determine if a block is homogeneous. It uses no thresholds and automates the way that block-based methods stop the averaging of block variances. The proposed method selects intensity-homogeneous blocks in an image by rejecting blocks of structure using a new structure analyzer. The analyzer used is based on high-pass operators and special masks for comers to allow implicit detection of structure and to stabilize the homogeneity estimation. For a typical image quality (PSNR of 20-40 dB) the proposed method outperforms other methods significantly and the worst-case estimation error is 3 dB which is suitable for real applications such as video surveillance or broadcasts. The method performs well even in images with few smooth areas and in highly noisy images.
Circadian Genes in a Blind Subterranean Mammal III: Molecular Cloning and Circadian Regulation of Cryptochrome Genes in the Blind Subterranean Mole Rat, Spalax Ehrenbergi Superspecies

The blind subterranean mole rat superspecies Spalax ehrenbergi is an extreme example of mammalian adaptation to life underground. Though this rodent is totally visually blind, harboring a drastically degenerated subcutaneous rudimentary eye, its daily activity rhythm is entrainable to LD cycles. This indicates that it confers light information to the clock, as has been previously shown by the authors in behavioral studies as well as by molecular analyses of its Clock/MOP3 and its three Per genes. The Cryptochrome (Cry) genes found in animals and plants act both as photoreceptors and as essential components of the negative feedback mechanism of the biological clock. To further understand the circadian system of this unique mammal, the authors cloned and characterized the open reading frame of Spalax Cry1 and Cry2. The Spalax CRY1 protein is significantly closer to the human homolog than to the mice one, in contrast to the evolutionary expectations. They have found two isoforms of Cry2 in Spalax, which differ in their 5’ end of the open reading frame and defined their expression in Spalax populations. They found a large and significant excess of heterozygotes of sCry2 (sCry2L/S genotype). Both sCry1 and sCry2 mRNAs were found in the SCN, the eye, the harderian gland, as well as in a wide range of peripheral tissues. Their expression pattern under different LD conditions has also been analyzed. As was already shown for other circadian genes, despite being blind and living in darkness, the Cry genes of Spalax behave in a similar, though not identical, pattern as in sighted animals. Once again, the results indicate that the uniquely hypertrophied harderian gland of Spalax plays a key role in its circadian system.
Stage models of SME growth reconsidered

This paper reviews the literature, seeking for a theoretically sound and empirically validated explanation of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) growth to serve as a broad framework for research and policy-making regarding the business growth phenomenon. After a critical appraisal of recent research in the field, the paper argues that reconsideration should be given to a conceptual framework that represents SME growth as a series of stages of development through which the business may pass in an enterprise lifecycle. In particular, it is believed that some reliance can be placed on the Hanks et al. (1993) stages-of-growth model. As well as overcoming concerns that such models are frequently not empirically based, it can also be claimed to at least partially answer the most prevalent objections to this type of model that have appeared in the relevant literature.
Spontaneous Quaternary and Tertiary T-R Transitions of Human Hemoglobin in Molecular Dynamics Simulation

We present molecular dynamics simulations of unliganded human hemoglobin (Hb) A under physiological conditions, starting from the R, R2, and T state. The simulations were carried out with protonated and deprotonated HC3 histidines His(β)146, and they sum up to a total length of 5. 6µs. We observe spontaneous and reproducible T→R quaternary transitions of the Hb tetramer and tertiary transitions of the α and β subunits, as detected from principal component projections, from an RMSD measure, and from rigid body rotation analysis. The simulations reveal a marked asymmetry between the α and β subunits. Using the mutual information as correlation measure, we find that the β subunits are substantially more strongly linked to the quaternary transition than the α subunits. In addition, the tertiary populations of the α and β subunits differ substantially, with the β subunits showing a tendency towards R, and the α subunits showing a tendency towards T. Based on the simulation results, we present a transition pathway for coupled quaternary and tertiary transitions between the R and T conformations of Hb.
Anna May Wong: a border-crossing ‘minor’ star mediating performance

Abstract This essay examines Anna May Wong's visual and vocal performance of (racial) difference in her late 1930s films and radio play. Drawing upon theories of embodied performance and the actor—acting—role structure, I explore ways of defining difference as gradation (rather than the self—other binary). I argue that Wong's performance of the ‘minor’ position enables difference from within the dominant matrix, thereby opening up a flexible structure of minority positioning that is also instructive for today's globalscapes.
The predictive value of estrogen and progesterone receptors' concentrations on the clinical behavior of breast cancer in women °clinical correlation on 547 patients

The aims of this study were as follows: to confirm that the presence of estrogen (ER) and progesterone (PgR) receptors is an indicator of clinical behavior of human breast cancer independent of other known prognostic factors; to seek clinical correlates of those receptor values that best predict the overall disease evolution; and to determine the relative prognostic importance of PgR versus ER. The clinical records of 547 patients, the follow‐up of some extending to 6 years, were analyzed in retrospect. Patients were placed into one of four disease stages and also in three groups according to the degree of axillary node involvement. In each group the prognostic value of receptors for patient survival, disease‐free interval and, in case of metastasis or local recurrence, the response to endocrine treatment or chemotherapy were studied. The break point in the spectrum of receptor concentrations with regard to survival, disease‐free interval, and response to treatment was ≥20 for ER+, ≥15 for PgR+, and <5 for both ER‐ and PgR‐ reported in fmol/mg protein. Survival and disease‐free interval showed positive correlations with ER and PgR (P < 0.001‐<0.0003). When disease stage or node involvement were considered, these correlations were found essentially in Stage II and node involvement in more than three nodes, where patients had longer survival and disease‐free interval if ER and PgR were positive (P < 0.05‐<0.0003). Estrogen receptor was a more sensitive prognostic indicator than PgR, and the combination ER+/PgR+ showed a correlation equivalent to ER+/PgR‐. The correct prediction percentages of the response of patients to endocrine treatment were 77% if ER+, 69% if PgR+, and 79% if both ER+ and PgR+. However, the correct prediction percentage of the response to chemotherapy was of 50%. These results show that ER and PgR are prognostic factors for survival and disease‐free interval mainly on patients at Stage II and node involvement of greater than three, with ER demonstrating a better predictive value than PgR. The measurement of these receptors provides a prognostic index for response to endocrine therapy but is without value in predicting the response to chemotherapy.
A super-resolution method based on local sparse and global gradient

Super-resolution methods based on sparse easily lead to over-smoothing at the edges of reconstructed image. A novel super-resolution method based on local sparse and global gradient is proposed to solve the problem. First, it represents the input low-resolution (LR) image patches with sparse coefficients and LR over-complete dictionary. Then it maps the coefficients to high resolution (HR) over-complete dictionary and reconstructs the HR texture. At last, it enhances the main edge using global natural image statistics' prior information and merges it together with the texture. By using the local sparse representation and global gradient transformation, it can obtain the result image with clean texture and clear edge. Experimental results validate the proposed method, both in subjective and objective quality.