Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Poor students have it tougher : academic performance by ninth-graders in two Mexican states

This paper explores the correlations that exist between standardized test scores in seven subjects and sociodemographic variables for ninth-graders in two Mexican states. The analysis is performed with two basic sets of variables: identity or circumstances, which cannot change easily such as language spoken at home, and behavior variables like working outside the household. Additionally, we control the speci c school attended, and participation in a CCT (Oportunidades). Results show, that some identity variables present high positive correlations with the test scores, especially maternal education. The latter suggests a disadvantage for poorer students which cannot be easily surpassed with e¤ort/behavior. While the majority of the schools do not show signi cant correlations with the scores, there were some starand failure schools in the sample. Trying to get the less favored students in the rst group may be a sensible policy. Finally, once other variables are taken into consideration, participation in the CCT has a low correlation with the scores.
An Extensive Requirement for Transcription Factor IID-specific TAF-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans Embryonic Transcription*

The general transcription factor TFIID sets the mRNA start site and consists of TATA-binding protein and associated factors (TAFIIs), some of which are also present in SPT-ADA-GCN5 (SAGA)-related complexes. In yeast, results of multiple studies indicate that TFIID-specific TAFIIs are not required for the transcription of most genes, implying that intact TFIID may have a surprisingly specialized role in transcription. Relatively little is known about how TAFIIs contribute to metazoan transcription in vivo, especially at developmental and tissue-specific genes. Previously, we investigated functions of four shared TFIID/SAGA TAFIIs in Caenorhabditis elegans. Whereas TAF-4 was required for essentially all embryonic transcription, TAF-5, TAF-9, and TAF-10 were dispensable at multiple developmental and other metazoan-specific promoters. Here we show evidence that in C. elegans embryos transcription of most genes requires TFIID-specific TAF-1. TAF-1 is not as universally required as TAF-4, but it is essential for a greater proportion of transcription than TAF-5, -9, or -10 and is important for transcription of many developmental and other metazoan-specific genes. TAF-2, which binds core promoters with TAF-1, appears to be required for a similarly substantial proportion of transcription. C. elegans TAF-1 overlaps functionally with the coactivator p300/CBP (CBP-1), and at some genes it is required along with the TBP-like protein TLF(TRF2). We conclude that during C. elegans embryogenesis TAF-1 and TFIID have broad roles in transcription and development and that TFIID and TLF may act together at certain promoters. Our findings imply that in metazoans TFIID may be of widespread importance for transcription and for expression of tissue-specific genes.
Modeling of the Growing Process of Tomato Based on Modified Elman Network and FGA

The paper focuses on the modeling of the growing process of tomato planted in greenhouse. The modified Elman network and fuzzy genetic algorithm are used for modeling in this paper. The growing process of tomato planted in greenhouse has some features as control variables being complex . the growing process being randomicity, nonlinear and changing all of a sudden, etc. One of the main apparatus, caudexes is chosen as the object. The solar radiation, the temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide strength are chosen from all influential factors as control input according to the experts' advices. According to the characters, modified Elman network is used for modeling because of its good performance in dynamic system identification. And fuzzy genetic algorithm is used for learning the parameters of neural network. Results of the simulations show that the model based on modified Elman network is of better performance than those based on other method.
Adult renal stem cells and renal repair

Purpose of reviewRecent studies that might help in the search for stem cells in adult kidney and clarify the origin of proliferating cells during kidney repair are reviewed. Recent findingsSome of the most notable recent findings are as follows: (1) the ‘stemness’ profile may be determined by approximately 250 genes; (2) organ-specific stem-cell growth and differentiation are stimulated during the reparative phase following transient injury; (3) two bone marrow stem-cell types show a remarkable degree of differentiation potential; (4) some organs contain resident marrow-derived stem cells, and their differentiation potential may only be expressed during repair; (5) the metanephric mesenchyme contains pluripotent and self-renewing stem cells; (6) marrow-derived cells invade the kidney and differentiate into mesangial and tubular epithelial cells, and these processes are increased following renal injury; and (7) epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition generates renal fibroblasts. SummaryWhile it remains unknown whether there is a stem cell in the adult kidney, characterization of the cell populations involved in renal repair and misrepair is allowing a new understanding of the mechanisms that are responsible for renal homeostasis. The most surprising results suggest a very prominent role for cells exogenous to the kidney. Two recently published transcription profiles of ‘stemness’ and the phenotype of pluripotent metanephric mesenchymal cells may help in the search for adult renal stem cells.
Left Ventricular Mass and Systolic Performance in Pediatric Patients With Chronic Renal Failure

Background—Children with chronic renal disease have a high prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), which is thought to be adaptive to improve contractility and lower wall stress in the face of increased afterload and preload. The aim of this study was to determine the association between LV mass, LV performance, and LV contractility in children with chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and children undergoing chronic dialysis. Methods and Results—Twenty-five children with CRI, 12 undergoing chronic dialysis, and 24 controls had echocardiographic evaluation during rest and peak exercise. LV performance was assessed by calculation of shortening fraction and heart rate–corrected velocity of circumferential fiber shortening (VCF). Contractility (VCF difference) was determined based on the relation between VCF and end-systolic wall stress. Contractile reserve was assessed by the difference between contractility at rest and peak exercise. The dialysis group had higher LVM index than the group with CRI (42.9±10.3 versus 29.9±9.4 g/m2.7, P <0.001). Both groups had higher LVM index compared with controls (22.2±6.1 g/m2.7, P <0.001). At rest, the CRI and dialysis groups had significantly higher VCFc (P <0.001) and VCF difference (P <0.05) and significantly lower wall stress (P <0.01) compared with the control group. Dialysis patients had significantly lower contractile reserve compared with the control group (P <0.03). Conclusions—These results indicate that children with CRI and undergoing chronic dialysis have increased LVM, LV performance, and contractility at rest. However, dialysis patients have diminished contractile reserve during exercise, which might be an indicator for the development of more severe systolic dysfunction over time.
Convex Optimization-Based Beamforming

In this article, an overview of advanced convex optimization approaches to multisensor beamforming is presented, and connections are drawn between different types of optimization-based beamformers that apply to a broad class of receive, transmit, and network beamformer design problems. It is demonstrated that convex optimization provides an indispensable set of tools for beamforming, enabling rigorous formulation and effective solution of both long-standing and emerging design problems.
Frequency Space Representation of Transitions of Quadruped Robot Gaits

The locomotion of a quadruped robot was examined with the emphasis on the creation, optimization and merging of motions and gaits. A Fourier Series Expansion was performed on the controller commands used in the robot gait. It was found that omitting higher order terms has very little, at times even positive effect on the robot's performance yet yields a greatly reduced parameter set describing the motion. The parameter reduction is desirable for creating, optimizing and adapting motions. Furthermore, the acquired frequency space representation allows for simple creation of new motions by merging of existing ones and also for creating transitions from one type of motion to another.
User Acceptance Factors for Anonymous Credentials: An Empirical Investigation

We describe theoretical development of a user acceptance model for anonymous credentials and its evaluation in a real-world trial. Although anonymous credentials and other advanced privacy-enhanced technologies (PETs) reached technical maturity, they are not widely adopted so far, such that understanding user adoption factors is one of the most important goals on the way to better privacy management with the help of PETs. Our model integrates the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with the considerations that are specific for securityand privacy-enhancing technologies, in particular, with their “secondary goal” property that means that these technologies are expected to work in the background, facilitating the execution of users’ primary, functional goals. We introduce five new constructs into the TAM: Perceived Usefulness for the Primary Task (PU1), Perceived Usefulness for the Secondary Task (PU2), Situation Awareness, Perceived Anonymity and Understanding of the PET. We conduct an evaluation of our model in the concrete scenario of a university course evaluation. Although the sample size (30 participants) is prohibitively small for deeper statistical analysis such as multiple regressions or structural equation modeling, we are still able to derive useful conclusions from the correlation analysis of the constructs in our model. Especially, PU1 is the most important factor of user adoption, outweighing the usability and the usefulness of the deployed PET (PU2). Moreover, correct Understanding of the underlying PET seems to play a much less important role than a user interface of the system that clearly conveys to the user which data are transmitted when and to which party (Situation Awareness).
The Use of Facial Anthropometrics in Aesthetic Assessment

Objective To identify a valid method for scoring facial aesthetics, correlating clinicians' assessments with measurements taken from 3D facial photographs. Design Album assessment of facial images, using a visual analog scale of attractiveness and the scores ranked. Facial ratios, obtained following digitization of the images compared with control group mean data, obtained from the Farkas growth study and the differences from the matched mean calculated. Ranked scores compared according to the inclusion of surface as well as caliper (shortest distance) measurements and whether the ranked scores, representing difference to the mean, were weighted. Patients, Participants Eleven facial images were presented. Seven clinicians provided clinical judgment. Main Outcome Measures Correlation coefficients between mean attractiveness rankings and summed differences between patients' facial proportions and matched control data from the Farkas growth study. Results The highest correlation was obtained with the use of the difference accommodating the mean of the Farkas proportion index (r = −.76, p = .006), followed by standard deviation (r = −.65, p = .032), using data in which the difference is weighted according to the magnitude of the linear measurement involved. Repeatability of the clinicians' assessments and operator digitization were validated. Conclusions There appears to be potential in the use of the mean as aesthetic ideal as a principle in aesthetic assessment and perhaps as an objective means of outcome assessment after facial surgery. The most appropriate scoring method would seem to include use of both surface and caliper measurements and incorporate weighting.
Identification and Molecular Characterisation of Bovine Parainfluenza Virus-3 and Bovine Respiratory Syncytial Virus - First Report from Turkey

Abstract Introduction: Bovine parainfluenza virus-3 (BPIV3) and bovine respiratory syncytial virus (BRSV) are the cause of respiratory disease in cattle worldwide. With other pathogens, they cause bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) in ruminants. The aim of the study was the detection and molecular characterisation of BPIV3 and BRSV from nasal swabs and lung samples of cows in and around the Erzurum region of eastern Turkey. Material and Methods: In total, 155 samples were collected. Of animals used in the study 92 were males and 63 females. The age of the animals was between 9 months and 5 years, mean 1.4 years. Most males were in the fattening period and being raised in open sheds; females were in the lactating period and kept in free stall barns. All samples were tested for the presence of viral genes using RT-PCR. Gene-specific primers in a molecular method (RT-PCR) identified BRSV (fusion gene) and BPIV3 (matrix gene) strains at the genus level. Results: RNA from BRSV and BPIV3 was detected in two (1.29%) and three (1.93%) samples, respectively, one of each of which was sequenced and the sequences were aligned with reference virus strains. Phylogenetic analyses clustered the strains in genotype C/BPIV3 and subgroup III/BRSV. Conclusion: The results indicate that BRSV and BPIV3 contribute to bovine respiratory disease cases in Turkey. This is the first report on their detection and molecular characterisation in ruminants in Turkey.
Fate of injected glucagon taken up by rat liver in vivo. Degradation of internalized ligand in the endosomal compartment.

The uptake and processing of glucagon into liver endosomes were studied in vivo by subcellular fractionation. After injection of [[125I]iodo-Tyr10]glucagon and [[125I]iodo-Tyr13]glucagon to rats, the uptake of radioactivity into the liver was maximum at 2 min (6% of the dose/g of tissue). On differential centrifugation, the radioactivity in the homogenate was recovered mainly in the nuclear (N), microsomal (P) and supernatant (S) fractions, with maxima at 5, 10 and 40 min, respectively; recovery of radioactivity in the mitochondrial-lysosomal (ML) fraction did not exceed 6% and was maximal at 20 min. On density-gradient centrifugation, the radioactivity associated first (2-10 min) with plasma membranes and then (10-40 min) with Golgi-endosomal (GE) fractions, with 2-5-fold and 20-150-fold enrichments respectively. Subfractionation of the GE fractions showed that, unlike the Golgi marker galactosyltransferase, the radioactivity was density-shifted by diaminobenzidine cytochemistry. Subfractionation of the ML fraction isolated at 40 min showed that more than half of the radioactivity was recovered at lower densities than the lysosomal marker acid phosphatase. Throughout the time of study, the [125I]iodoglucagon associated with the P, PM and GE fractions remained at least 80-90% trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-precipitable, whereas that associated with other fractions, especially the S fraction, became progressively TCA-soluble. On gel filtration and h.p.l.c. , the small amount of degraded [125I]iodoglucagon associated with GE fractions was found to consist of monoiodotyrosine. Chloroquine treatment of [125I]iodoglucagon-injected rats caused a moderate but significant increase in the late recovery of radioactivity in the ML, P and GE fractions, but had little effect on the association of the ML radioactivity with acid-phosphatase-containing structures. Chloroquine treatment also led to a paradoxical decrease in the TCA-precipitability of the radioactivity associated with the P and GE fractions. Upon h.p.l.c. analysis of GE extracts of chloroquine-treated rats, at least four degradation products less hydrophobic than intact [125I]iodoglucagon were identified. Radio-sequence analysis of four of these products revealed three cleavages, affecting bonds Ser2-Gln3, Thr5-Phe6 and Phe6-Thr7. When GE fractions containing internalized [125I]iodoglucagon were incubated in iso-osmotic KCl at 30 degrees C, a rapid generation of TCA-soluble products was observed, with a maximum at pH 4. We conclude that endosomes are a major site at which internalized glucagon is degraded, endosomal acidification being required for optimum degradation.
Flea-borne Bartonella grahamii and Bartonella taylorii in Bank Voles

Bartonella species are increasingly associated with a range of human and animal diseases. Despite this, we have a poor understanding of the ecology and epidemiology of many species, especially those circulating in wild populations. Previous studies have demonstrated that a diverse range of Bartonella species are abundant in wild rodent populations; little is known regarding their modes of transmission, although both direct and indirect routes have been suggested. In this study, with bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) as the host species, we demonstrate that the rodent flea Ctenophthalmus nobilis is a competent vector of at least two Bartonella species, B. grahamii, which has previously been associated with human infection, and B. taylorii. In contrast, no evidence of either horizontal or vertical transmission was seen in bank voles inoculated with B. taylorii maintained in an arthropod-free environment; this finding suggests that fleas may be essential for transmitting some Bartonella species.
Efficient calculation method of spherical signed distance function for real-time rendering of dynamic scenes

Real-time rendering of dynamic scenes illuminated by complex, all-frequency lighting with highly glossy BRDFs remains a challenging problem. Although several methods have been proposed to render dynamic scenes, these methods can not handle deformable objects [Zhou et al. 2005], all-frequency lighting [Ren et al. 2006; Nowrouzezahrai et al. 2009], or highly glossy BRDFs [Annen et al. 2008].
Long-term outcomes of a 5-year follow up of patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura after splenectomy

BACKGROUND The long-term outcomes of adult patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) after splenectomy are not clear. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 31 patients who underwent splenectomy after diagnosis of ITP at our institution between 1990 and 2009. Long-term follow-up was defined as a follow-up that lasted 1 year or more from splenectomy to the last follow-up. RESULTS The overall response rate to splenectomy was 84%. However, the response rate at 6 and 12 months decreased to 77% and 68%, respectively. During the 6 years of median follow-up after splenectomy, 11 patients (35%) relapsed. The long-term response rate was 55%. The long-term follow-up of 26 patients after responding to splenectomy showed that the median time from splenectomy to relapse was 19 months in the partial response (PR) group; however, there was no relapse after 9 months in the complete response (CR) group. Variables, including age, were not predictive of the long-term response after splenectomy. Additional treatment in patients who did not respond or relapsed after splenectomy was mostly effective. After a median follow-up of 7 years (range: 1-25 years) from the diagnosis, there were 2 deaths, including one due to spontaneous bleeding after repair of duodenal ulcer perforation. CONCLUSION Although splenectomy is safe and effective, the response rate after splenectomy continuously decreases over time. The duration of response is different between the patients that achieved CR and those that achieved PR. Factors, including age, were not predictors of a response to splenectomy.
Practical Resource Management in Power-Constrained, High Performance Computing

Power management is one of the key research challenges on the path to exascale. Supercomputers today are designed to be worst-case power provisioned, leading to two main problems --- limited application performance and under-utilization of procured power. In this paper, we propose RMAP, a practical, low-overhead resource manager targeted at future power-constrained clusters. The goals for RMAP are to improve application performance as well as system power utilization, and thus minimize the average turnaround time for all jobs. Within RMAP, we design and analyze an adaptive policy, which derives job-level power bounds in a fair-share manner and supports overprovisioning and power-aware backfilling. Our results show that our new policy increases system power utilization while adhering to strict job-level power bounds and leads to 31% (19% on average) and 54% (36% on average) faster average turnaround time when compared to worst-case provisioning and naive overprovisioning respectively.
Response of Skeletal Muscle Mitochondria to Hypoxia

This review explores the current concepts relating the structural and functional modifications of skeletal muscle mitochondria to the molecular mechanisms activated when organisms are exposed to a hypoxic environment. In contrast to earlier assumptions it is now established that permanent or long‐term exposure to severe environmental hypoxia decreases the mitochondrial content of muscle fibres. Oxidative muscle metabolism is shifted towards a higher reliance on carbohydrates as a fuel, and intramyocellular lipid substrate stores are reduced. Moreover, in muscle cells of mountaineers returning from the Himalayas, we find accumulations of lipofuscin, believed to be a mitochondrial degradation product. Low mitochondrial contents are also observed in high‐altitude natives such as Sherpas. In these subjects high‐altitude performance seems to be improved by better coupling between ATP demand and supply pathways as well as better metabolite homeostasis. The hypoxia‐inducible factor 1 (HIF‐1) has been identified as a master regulator for the expression of genes involved in the hypoxia response, such as genes coding for glucose transporters, glycolytic enzymes and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). HIF‐1 achieves this by binding to hypoxia response elements in the promoter regions of these genes, whereby the increase of HIF‐1 in hypoxia is the consequence of a reduced degradation of its dominant subunit HIF‐1α. A further mechanism that seems implicated in the hypoxia response of muscle mitochondria is related to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mitochondria during oxidative phosphorylation. How exactly ROS interfere with HIF‐1α as well as MAP kinase and other signalling pathways is debated. The current evidence suggests that mitochondria themselves could be important players in oxygen sensing.