Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
BIOETHICS IN TRANSDISCIPLINARY AND INTERDISCIPLINARY CONTEXT OF POST-NONCLASSICAL SCIENCE

Bioethics is an offspring of the post-nonclassical science. The subject of this research is its genesis and development in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary space of the existence of modern philosophical-scientific thought. The direction of analysis is chosen by the author led to some inferences. Foremost, we will point out that anthropological turn in science is one of the main factors, which have created bioethical interdisciplinarity and transdisciplinarity. The aforecited bioethics characteristics created the possibility of the complex solution for this science’s problems. Philosophical and ethical concepts and methods had played very important role in bioethics formation as a new form of scientific cognition. At the same time, bioethics enriches and upgrades classical philosophy with new interpretations of fundamental philosophical problems. Bioethics formed in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary context of modern science is the life axiology. In order to find axiological importance of bioethics, we have decided to identify links and relationships within bioethics as a whole system. We constructed the bioethics concept as an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of the moral and social problems caused by development of modern biomedical technologies. We then used this concept to form such philosophical-scientific comprehension paradigm of a problem of axiological justification of human life and health in the modern world, which assumes cooperation between representatives of different disciplines, and expansion of scientific outlook—its exit from a scientific radius.
An opportunistic random access MAC protocol for indoor PLC networks with short-term fairness

We consider a random scheduling problem for OFDMA-based indoor PLC systems with time- and frequency-varying channel conditions in a multiuser context. In multichannel systems, opportunistic scheduling can exploit multiuser diversity in both time and frequency domains to improve the system performance. On the other hand, designing a scheduling scheme that simultaneously attains high performance and coordinates different users to share the channel fairly, especially over short time scales, is a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose an efficient opportunistic random access MAC protocol with short-term fairness constraint for OFDMA-based indoor PLC networks. Contrary to the conventional CSMA/CA, the proposed MAC protocol opportunistically adjusts the backoff time of each user based on the knowledge of channel state variations, and thus ‘better’ users are more likely to access the channel. In addition, users that are involved in collisions and fail to contend during backoff process because there are no available subchannels are assigned higher priority in the following contention period to achieve a tradeoff between high throughput and short-term fairness. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed protocol provides significant improvement in system throughput and short-term fairness.
An improved powertrain topology for fuel cell-battery-ultracapacitor vehicles

A combined battery-ultracapacitor energy storage system is a promising possibility for use with fuel cell vehicles because it combines the advantages of batteries and ultracapacitors. This paper reviews some popular topologies for fuel cell-battery-ultracapacitor powertrains, and presents a new topology which minimizes many of the disadvantages of the other topologies. Simulation results for the new topology are presented and are compared to results for a common fuel cell-battery-ultracapacitor topology. The new topology is shown to improve the fuel economy and reduce the cost of the vehicle.
Transforming growth factor beta exerts opposite effects from interleukin-1 beta on cultured rabbit articular chondrocytes through reduction of interleukin-1 receptor expression.

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine whether transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta) modulates the effects and the receptor expression of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in rabbit articular chondrocytes (RAC). METHODS Collagen, glycosaminoglycan, and collagenase production, together with 125I-labeled IL-1 binding, were analyzed in RAC cultures. RESULTS TGF beta reduced both IL-1 effects on matrix metabolism and IL-1 receptor expression. CONCLUSION TGF beta acts as an antagonist of the effects of IL-1 through down-regulation of its receptor expression.
Fundamentals of viviparity: Comparison of seasonal changes in the uterine epithelium of oviparous and viviparous Lerista bougainvillii (Squamata: Scincidae)

Distinct differences in epithelial response between oviparous and viviparous species of skinks led us to investigate morphological differences in the uterus of a species that exhibits bi‐modal reproduction and that may indicate specialities for the different requirements of viviparity and oviparity. The uteri of females from oviparous and viviparous populations of the Australian scincid lizard, Lerista bougainvillii, are described in detail to determine whether the occurrence of uterodomes and the plasma membrane transformation, found in other viviparous species but not oviparous species, are indeed features characteristic of viviparity. Oviductal tissue was dissected at three different stages of reproduction from lizards from both populations: 1) vitellogenic, 2) gravid or pregnant, and 3) non‐reproductive or quiescent. Tissue was observed using both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Lerista bougainvillii has a simple placental morphology with simple squamous epithelium. In contrast to mammals and other viviparous skinks, L. bougainvillii does not undergo a plasma membrane transformation, but early signs of placentation in viviparous individuals are indicated by changes in the uterine surface that occur largely after embryonic stage 30. There are no obvious cellular differences between the uteri of oviparous and viviparous L. bougainvillii at the non‐reproductive and vitellogenic phase of the reproductive cycle but throughout gestation/gravidity, the cellular differences that could be related to the changing functional requirements with the retention of the viviparous embryo, became apparent. A plasma membrane transformation with ensuing uterodome formation does not occur, which suggests that these more sophisticated changes are a feature of advanced placental development in reptiles. J. Morphol. , 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
It depends… how organisational participation affects political participation and social trust among second‐generation immigrants in Denmark

The article aims to test the social capital hypothesis on ethnic minority associations with reference to the Danish case. Formulated at the individual level, the hypothesis holds that participation in ethnic associations builds social trust and tolerance, which in turn create the basis for political participation. To confirm the hypothesis, organisational participation should have a positive effect on social trust as well as on formal and informal political participation. The article presents parallel analyses of survey data of second‐generation immigrants from three ethnic groups in Denmark, namely ex‐Yugoslavs, Turks and Pakistanis. The conclusion is that the impact of organisational participation varies from ethnic group to ethnic group and from one dependent variable to the other. Organisational participation has a very strong impact on informal political participation among the Pakistanis, but none on formal participation (voting). There is a weaker but still significant impact on both formal and informal participation among the Turks, but there is no impact on any form of participation among the ex‐Yugoslavs. Finally, organisational participation has no significance for building social trust in any of the three groups. Consequently, there are strong indications of political mobilisation among some of the ethnic groups, but it would be an exaggeration to talk about generation of social capital.
Consciência Fonológica e a Aprendizagem da Leitura e Escrita por Adultos

The present study examined the importance of phonological awareness to adult literacy in Brazilian Portuguese, taking into consideration other cognitive and linguistic skills such as verbal ability, memory and initial levels of reading and writing. Thirty-eight adults in literacy classes in Rio de Janeiro were evaluated at the beginning and the end of the school year. The results showed that the initial level of reading and segmentation skills were the best predictors of the development of reading and writing at the end of the academic year.
“An alliance with Mother Nature” : Natural food, health, and morality in low-carbohydrate diet books

This article examines the significance of the natural/unnatural food dichotomy in recent low-carbohydrate diet discourse, drawing on two bestselling low-carbohydrate manuals—Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution and The South Beach Diet. Low-carbohydrate diet books extend the moral associations of natural and unnatural food evident in American diet reform discourse from the nineteenth century, the key difference being the specific foods deemed natural, healthy, and virtuous. An analysis of low-carbohydrate discourse illustrates the flexibility of the descriptor “natural,” effectively being used as a proxy for acceptability across widely differing dietary plans. Atkins relies on a Rousseauian concept of nature, in which anything natural (including natural pleasure) is inherently healthy and good. By contrast, South Beach deploys a Calvinist rhetoric of austerity and self-denial. Although Atkins, in particular, criticizes the modern Western food system, hinting at its damaging effects on the environment, ultimately both manuals are concerned primarily with individual health.
Morphological aspects of star formation in dwarf galaxies

We studied the morphology of star formation in dwarf irregular galaxies and found that, in general, this takes place on one side of a galaxy and far from the center. This is mainly true for low surface brightness galaxies; in high surface brightness dwarf irregulars the star formation tends to be more centrally concentrated, as well as being more intense. We discuss possible star formation triggers in dwarf irregular galaxies, and evaluate the reasons for the peculiar distribution of star forming regions of these galaxies. Stochastic star formation, interactions with external gas, and tidal interactions appear to be ruled out as responsible for the asymmetric pattern of star formation. We conclude that asymmetry of a dark matter halo or of an asymmetric underlying stellar distribution may trigger an asymmetric pattern of star formation.
Tracking Relations: The Effects of Visual Attention on Relational Recognition

Relational recognition is the process by which relational representations get recognized (i.e., representations that specify an actor and a patient, and are role sensitive). This process is currently poorly understood, but is an important aspect of relational cognition (Livins & Doumas, 2014). This paper presents two experiments that investigate the degree to which visuospatial factors influence it. The first is an exploratory eye-tracking study that shows that first fixations are correlated with what object gets bound to the actor role, while the second uses priming to show that such fixations can alter which relation is recognized.
Universality and critical phenomena in string defect statistics

The idea of biased symmetries to avoid or alleviate cosmological problems caused by the appearance of some topological defects is familiar in the context of domain walls, where the defect statistics lend themselves naturally to a percolation theory description, and for cosmic strings, where the proportion of infinite strings can be varied or disappear entirely depending on the bias in the symmetry. In this paper we measure the initial configurational statistics of a network of string defects after a symmetry-breaking phase transition with initial bias in the symmetry of the ground state. Using an improved algorithm, which is useful for a more general class of self-interacting walks on an infinite lattice, we extend the work in \cite{MHKS} to better statistics and a different ground state manifold, namely $\R P^2$, and explore various different discretisations. Within the statistical errors, the critical exponents of the Hagedorn transition are found to be quite possibly universal and identical to the critical exponents of three-dimensional bond or site percolation. This improves our understanding of the percolation theory description of defect statistics after a biased phase transition, as proposed in \cite{MHKS}. We also find strong evidence that the existence of infinite strings in the Vachaspati Vilenkin algorithm is generic to all (string-bearing) vacuum manifolds, all discretisations thereof, and all regular three-dimensional lattices.
Maximum-likelihood sequence estimation in dispersive optical channels

This paper discusses the investigation of maximum-likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) receivers operating on intensity-modulated direct-detection optical channels. The study focuses on long-haul or metro links spanning several hundred kilometers of single-mode fiber with optical amplifiers. The structure of MLSE-based optical receivers operating in the presence of dispersion and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE), as well as shot and thermal noise, are discussed, and a theory of the error rate of these receivers is developed. Computer simulations show a close agreement between the predictions of the theory and simulation results. Some important implementation issues are also addressed. Optical channels suffer from impairments that set them apart from other channels, and therefore they need a special investigation. Among these impairments are the facts that the optical channel is nonlinear, and noise is often non-Gaussian and signal dependent. For example, in optically amplified single-mode fiber links, the dominant source of noise is ASE noise, which after photodetection is distributed according to a noncentral chi-square probability density function. In addition, optical fibers suffer from chromatic and polarization-mode dispersion (PMD). Although the use of MLSE in optical channels has been discussed in previous literature, no detailed analysis of optical receivers using this technique has been reported so far. This motivates the study reported in this paper.
Inactivation of Candida Biofilms by Non-Thermal Plasma and Its Enhancement for Fungistatic Effect of Antifungal Drugs

We investigated the antifungal effect of non-thermal plasma, as well as its combination with common antifungal drugs, against Candida biofilms. A direct current atmospheric pressure He/O2 (2%) plasma microjet (PMJ) was used to treat Candida biofilms in a 96-well plate. Inactivation efficacies of the biofilms were evaluated by XTT assay and counting colony forming units (CFUs). Morphological properties of the biofilms were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The sessile minimal inhibitory concentrations (SMICs) of fluconazole, amphotericin B, and caspofungin for the biofilms were also tested. Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) spectroscopy was used to detect the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated directly and indirectly by PMJ. The Candida biofilms were completely inactivated after 1 min PMJ treatment, where severely deformed fungal elements were observed in SEM images. The SMICs of the tested antifungal drugs for the plasma-treated biofilms were decreased by 2–6 folds of dilution, compared to those of the untreated controls. ROS such as hydroxyl radical (•OH), superoxide anion radical (•O2 -) and singlet molecular oxygen (1O2) were detected by ESR. We hence conclude that He/O2 (2%) plasma alone, as well as in combination with common antifungal drugs, is able to inactivate Candida biofilms rapidly. The generation of ROS is believed to be one of the underlying mechanisms for the fungicidal activity of plasma.
Recreating living experiences from past memories through virtual worlds for people with dementia

This paper describes a study aimed to understand the use of 3D virtual world (VW) technology to support life engagement for people with dementia in long-term care. Three versions of VW prototypes (reminiscence room, virtual tour and gardening) utilising gestured-base interaction were developed iteratively. These prototypes were tested with older residents (80+) with dementia in care homes and their caregivers. Data collection was based on observations of how the residents and care staff interacted collaboratively with the VW. We discussed in depth the use of VWs in stimulating past memories and how this technology could help enhance their sense of self through various means. We also highlighted key approaches in designing VWs to sustain attention, create ludic experiences and facilitate interaction for older people with dementia.
Ethical Considerations Regarding the Use of Social Robots in the Fourth Age

The debate about the use of robots in the care of older adults has often been dominated by either overly optimistic visions (coming particularly from Japan), in which robots are seamlessly incorporated into society thereby enhancing quality of life for everyone; or by extremely pessimistic scenarios that paint such a future as horrifying. We reject this dichotomy and argue for a more differentiated ethical evaluation of the possibilities and risks involved with the use of social robots. In a critical discussion surrounding the capabilities approach to the ethical evaluation of quality of life, we develop an ethical framework that is more appropriate to the situation of the oldest old. We urge employment of a context-dependent approach to the ethical evaluation of new technologies in the care and therapy of older adults, and using the example of the robotic seal Paro, we show how this can be accomplished in a sensible and practical way.
Ultrasound-modulated optical computed tomography of biological tissues

An optical imaging technique called ultrasound-modulated optical computed tomography is demonstrated for tomographic imaging of biological tissues. Ultrasound-modulated optical signals are extracted from scattered light to provide projection data for the image reconstruction. A filtered back-projection algorithm is implemented to reconstruct an image reflecting optical tissue properties from angular and linear scans of an ultrasonic beam across a sample. This reconstruction-based imaging technique provides a way to obtain images of cross sections containing the scanned ultrasonic axis in biological tissues, which enables three-dimensional ultrasound-modulated optical imaging. The technique combines the contrast advantage of optical waves and the resolution advantage of ultrasonic waves.
5′-AMP Activated Protein Kinase is Involved in the Regulation of Myocardial β-Oxidative Capacity in Mice

5′-adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is considered central in regulation of energy status and substrate utilization within cells. In heart failure the energetic state is compromised and substrate metabolism is altered. We hypothesized that this could be linked to changes in AMPK activity and we therefore investigated mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation capacity from the oxidation of long- and medium-chain fatty acids (LCFA and MCFA) in cardiomyocytes from young and old mice expressing a dominant negative AMPKα2 (AMPKα2-KD) construct and their wildtype (WT) littermates. We found a 35–45% (P < 0.05) lower mitochondrial capacity for oxidizing MCFA in AMPKα2-KD of both age-groups, compared to WT. This coincided with marked decreases in protein expression (19/29%, P < 0.05) and activity (14/21%, P < 0.05) of 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA-dehydrogenase (HAD), in young and old AMPKα2-KD mice, respectively, compared to WT. Maximal LCFA oxidation capacity was similar in AMPKα2-KD and WT mice independently of age implying that LCFA-transport into the mitochondria was unaffected by loss of AMPK activity or progressing age. Expression of regulatory proteins of glycolysis and glycogen breakdown showed equivocal effects of age and genotype. These results illustrate that AMPK is necessary for normal mitochondrial function in the heart and that decreased AMPK activity may lead to an altered energetic state as a consequence of reduced capacity to oxidize MCFA. We did not identify any clear aging effects on mitochondrial function.
Ethics in the Organizational Behavior Course

news magazines explore the topic (Time, June 1987; Fortune, July 6, 1987); large donations to business schools are earmarked for its study; business publications editorialize on its demise. A number of reasons exist for this intense interest in the moral standards of business conduct. Currently, scandals involving Wall Street and insider trading arouse interest. On a deeper level, several factors involving the structure of business and its place in society exist. Powers and Vogel (1980) define these factors as: (1) growth in the size of institutions; (2) growth in the scope of legal constraints and government involvement in corporate life; (3) public concern about the externalities of corporate activities that are not amenable to direct market control and (4) &dquo;human dignity&dquo; and the &dquo;value of human life&dquo; as new priorities in the agenda of social values. Such new concerns have resulted in the AACSB requiring that ethics be incorporated in the curriculum of its accredited schools, prompting more faculty to explore the issues. Where does the study of ethics belong in the business curriculum? Three approaches have been advocated. A separate course which concentrates on ethics is supported by some. This course may be either a business ethics
Leadership for learning: lessons from 40 years of empirical research

Purpose – This paper aims to present a research‐based model of leadership for learning. It argues that the field has made substantial progress over the past 40 years in identifying ways in which leadership contributes to learning and school improvement. Four specific dimensions of leading for learning are presented: values and beliefs, leadership focus, contexts for leadership, and sharing leadership.Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs a review methodology but focuses especially on evidence from several recent empirical studies. While the author argues that progress has been made, limitations – especially with respect to linking leadership practice to different contexts – are noted.Findings – The paper finds that significant progress has been made in identifying the means by which leadership impacts on learning.Research limitations/implications – The key limitation in this research lies in the difficulty in linking leadership to its context. While progress is also beginning to be made in this .