Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
STUDENT PROJECT VIRTUAL WORLDS AS WINDOWS ON SCIENTIFIC CULTURES IN CTC SCIFAIR

The SciFair program is an Internet-based science communication fair. This supplemental education program has engaged seven to ten primarily underserved, rural or minority communities around the US annually since 2003. In 2005, a pilot site in Singapore was added. The SciFair program leverages the appeal of an online multi-user virtual environment to engage teens in exploring and communicating about science, in the hope of increasing scientific literacy. The virtual worlds created through each program reflect personal or group contexts for various science topics. A review of five sites offers a kaleidoscopic view of SciFair’s contexts within learning communities, and the apparent roles of scientific culture in these community projects. Programs are described and assessed based on educational context, cultural relevance of the selected topic, integration of content with other forms of expression, and the elements of scientific culture represented. This approach adds a new dimension to evaluation of SciFair programs.
Compounds and distributional thesauri

The building of distributional thesauri from corpora is a problem that was the focus of a significant number of articles, starting with (Grefenstette, 1994} and followed by (Lin, 1998}, (Curran and Moens, 2002) or (Heylen and Peirsman, 2007). However, in all these cases, only single terms were considered. More recently, the topic of compositionality in the framework of distributional semantic representations has come to the surface and was investigated for building the semantic representation of phrases or even sentences from the representation of their words. However, this work was not done until now with the objective of building distributional thesauri. In this article, we investigate the impact of the introduction of compounds for achieving such building. More precisely, we consider compounds as undividable lexical units and evaluate their influence according to three different roles: as features in the distributional contexts of single terms, as possible neighbors of single term entries and finally, as entries of a thesaurus. This investigation was conducted through an intrinsic evaluation for a large set of nominal English single terms and compounds with various frequencies.
The hard X-ray emission of luminous infrared galaxies

We present a study of the hard X-ray properties of a sample that includes all the Luminous Infrared Galaxies (LIGs, L_IR > 10^11 L_sun) observed in the 2-10 keV energy band (new and archival data). We find that a significant fraction of the sources optically classified as AGNs do not show any indication of nuclear activity in the X rays, thus suggesting heavy absorption along our line of sight. The absence of strong emission in the 20-200 keV band in a subsample of LIGs observed with BeppoSAX suggests that in many cases these sources are completely Compton thick (N_H > 10^25 cm^(-2)). From a comparison between the infrared and the X-ray emission we deduce that the mid-IR emission is absorbed by a lower column density than the X-ray emission or, alternatively, that the dust-to-gas ratio is lower than Galactic. We describe a simple model that reproduces the IR-X correlation by means of mixed AGN and starburst contributions and we compare the predictions of this model with the observational data at X-ray and optical wavelengths. Finally, we discuss the biases that affect the currently available samples of LIGs and briefly analyze a small unbiased sample, finding that at least 50% of the sources host a (weak) AGN.
What's Wrong with Giving Students Feedback?

This paper reviewed the extensive evidence on the effectiveness of feedback on learning. The research supported five claims about feedback. First, informational feedback is effective in domains with clear right or wrong answers when tested immediately after training. Second, when the same maximal feedback conditions are tested for retention or transfer, they are less effective than conditions with less feedback. Third, feedback can draw attention away from the learning task. Fourth, feedback apparently plays a minor role in actual classroom situations. Fifth, teaching students to provide their own feedback and explanation is an effective alternative. These findings suggest that instructors may be more effective if they put less effort into grading and commenting on students' products and more effort into structuring their courses to help students learn how to assess and reflect on their state of learning themselves. Two specific pedagogical strategies are suggested. First, giving students more assignments than the instructor could grade or comment on will provide more of the kinds of practice they need to develop expertise. Second, helping students to learn how to assess and reflect on their state of learning will help them learn how to provide their own feedback and thus help them to become independent life-long learners.
The medial forebrain bundle as a target for deep brain stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a promising putative modality for the treatment of refractory psychiatric disorders such as major depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Several targets have been posited; however, a clear consensus on differential efficacy and possible modes of action remain unclear. DBS to the supero-lateral branch of the medial forebrain bundle (slMFB) has recently been introduced for major depression (MD). Due to our experience with slMFB stimulation for MD, and because OCD might be related to similar dysfunctions of the reward system, treatment with slMFB DBS seams meaningful. Here we describe our first 2 cases together with a hypothetical mode of action. We describe diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) fiber tractographically (FT)-assisted implantation of the bilateral DBS systems in 2 male patients. In a selected literature overview, we discuss the possible mode of action. Both patients were successfully implanted and stimulated. The follow-up time was 12 months. One patient showed a significant response (Yale–Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale [YBOCS] reduction by 35%); the other patient reached remission criteria 3 months after surgery (YBOCS<14) and showed mild OCD just above the remission criterion at 12 months follow-up. While the hypermetabolism theory for OCD involves the cortico–striato–thalamo–cortical (CSTC) network, we think that there is clinical evidence that the reward system plays a crucial role. Our findings suggest an important role of this network in mechanisms of disease development and recovery. In this uncontrolled case series, continuous bilateral DBS to the slMFB led to clinically significant improvements of ratings of OCD severity. Ongoing research focuses on the role of the reward system in OCD, and its yet-underestimated role in this underlying neurobiology of the disease.
Examination of motor function in lesions of the spinal cord by stimulation of the motor cortex

Electrical stimulation of the motor cortex was performed in 3 patients with cervical cord trauma and in 3 with cervical myelopathy caused by cervical spondylosis. Abnormal conduction in central motor tracts was demonstrated in 5 of the 6 patients; yet in 4 of these, cortical somatosensory evoked potentials from the same limb were of normal latency. In the remaining patient who had normal motor latencies, the somatosensory evoked potentials were delayed on one side. Electrophysiological examination of the motor pathways by cortical stimulation may therefore be of considerable value in the assessment and management of patients with traumatic and compressive disease of the spinal cord.
Endocytosis of secretory granules in mouse pancreatic beta‐cells evoked by transient elevation of cytosolic calcium.

1. To investigate the mechanisms regulating the reuptake of secretory granule membranes following regulated exocytosis, we have monitored changes in cell capacitance in single pancreatic beta‐cells. 2. Membrane retrieval (endocytosis) occurred both in a continuous manner and in abrupt steps, corresponding to the simultaneous retrieval of 50‐100 granules. The large endocytotic steps were associated with a conductance change of about 1 nS which we attribute to the formation of a fission pore with a pore radius of approximately 1 nm. 3. In some cells, we observed large amplitude capacitance fluctuations, suggesting that aggregates of granules are connected to the plasma membrane by a single pore and are subsequently retrieved as a single unit. 4. Endocytosis was evoked by elevation of cytosolic [Ca2+]i, but once initiated, a sustained increase in [Ca2+]i was not required for endocytosis to continue. 5. The [Ca2+]i dependence of exo‐ and endocytosis was studied by photorelease of Ca2+ from the ‘caged’ precursor Ca(2+)‐nitrophenyl‐EGTA (Ca(2+)‐NP‐EGTA). Both exo‐ and endocytosis were initiated at between 0.5 and 2 microM Cai(2+). The rate of endocytosis saturated above 2 microM Cai(2+), whereas exocytosis continued to increase up to 4 microM Cai(2+). The maximum rate of endocytosis was < 25% of that of exocytosis. 6. Unlike exocytosis, endocytosis proceeded equally well in the presence or absence of Mg‐ATP. 7. Our data indicate that in the pancreatic beta‐cell, exocytosis and endocytosis are regulated by different mechanisms.
Ipsilateral cortical inputs to the rostral and caudal motor areas in rats

Rats have a complete body representation in the primary motor cortex (M1). Rostrally there are additional representations of the forelimb and whiskers, called the rostral forelimb area (RFA) and the rostral whisker area (RWA). Recently we showed that sources of thalamic inputs to RFA and RWA are similar, but they are different from those for the caudal forelimb area (CFA) and the caudal whisker area (CWA) of M1 (Mohammed and Jain [2014] J Comp Neurol 522:528–545). We proposed that RWA and RFA are part of a second motor area, the rostral motor area (RMA). Here we report ipsilateral cortical connections of whisker representation in RMA, and compare them with connections of CWA. Connections of RFA, CFA, and the caudally located hindlimb area (CHA), which is a part of M1, were determined for comparison. The most distinctive features of cortical inputs to RWA compared with CWA include lack of inputs from the face region of the primary somatosensory cortex (S1), and only about half as much inputs from S1 compared with the lateral somatosensory areas S2 (second somatosensory area) and the parietal ventral area (PV). A similar pattern of inputs is seen for CFA and RFA, with RFA receiving smaller proportion of inputs from the forepaw region of S1 compared with CFA, and receiving fewer inputs from S1 compared with those from S2. These and other features of the cortical input pattern suggest that RMA has a distinct, and more of integrative functional role compared with M1. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:3104–3123, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Matching, unification and complexity

Pattern matching and unification are two key primitive operations used in many inference based systems including theorem provers, term rewriting systems, computer algebra systems, deductive data bases, Prolog, logic programming systems, functional language systems, systems for analysis of specifications and program synthesis, and program verification systems. In this note, we give results recently obtained in studying the complexity of matching and unification problems for first-order terms especially when some function symbols are interpreted. For further details and proofs, the reader may wish to refer to a forthcoming paper by the authors.
In Vivo Molecular Imaging of Acute and Subacute Thrombosis Using a Fibrin-Binding Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agent

Background—Plaque rupture with subsequent thrombosis is recognized as the underlying pathophysiology of most acute coronary syndromes and stroke. Thus, direct thrombus visualization may be beneficial for both diagnosis and guidance of therapy. We sought to test the feasibility of direct imaging of acute and subacute thrombosis using MRI together with a novel fibrin-binding gadolinium-labeled peptide, EP-1873, in an experimental animal model of plaque rupture and thrombosis. Methods and Results—Fifteen male New Zealand White rabbits (weight, ≈3.5 kg) were made atherosclerotic by feeding a high-cholesterol diet after endothelial aortic injury. Plaque rupture was then induced with the use of Russell’s viper venom (RVV) and histamine. Subsequently, MRI of the subrenal aorta was performed before RVV, after RVV, and after EP-1873. Histology was performed on regions suggested by MRI to contain thrombus. Nine rabbits (60%) developed plaque rupture and thrombus, including 25 thrombi visually apparent on MRI as “hot spots” after injection of EP-1873. Histological correlation confirmed all 25 thrombi (100%), with no thrombi seen in the other regions of the aorta. In the remaining 6 rabbits (control) without plaque rupture, no thrombus was observed on the MR images or on histology. Conclusions—We demonstrate the feasibility of in vivo “molecular” MRI for the detection of acute and subacute thrombosis using a novel fibrin-binding MRI contrast agent in an animal model of atherosclerosis and acute/subacute thrombosis. Potential clinical applications include thrombus detection in acute coronary syndromes and stroke.
A countermeasure against differential power analysis based on random delay insertion

Differential power analysis is widely recognized as an extremely powerful and low-cost technique to extract secret information from cryptographic devices. As a consequence, DPA-countermeasures have been proposed in the technical literature ranging over every abstraction level in an embedded system, from software to transistor-level techniques. In this paper, a novel gate-level countermeasure is proposed which, exploiting the insertion of random delays in the datapath of a cryptographic processor, allows us to randomize not just the instantaneous current consumption profile but also the total charge quantity transferred from the power supply during a clock cycle.
A fast and versatile scan unit for scanning probe microscopy

In scanning probe microscopy (SPM), the image acquisition time is usually very long because of the limited speed with which the scanning device can trace the topography of the specimen under feed-back control. This limitation is often brought about by the natural frequency of the scanner in the direction perpendicular to the sample plane that confines the usable bandwidth of the feed-back loop. In this paper, we present a piezo-ceramic scanner that provides a large scan range and at the same time allows for adjustment of the probe-to-sample distance faster by about one order of a magnitude than a conventional setup. This is achieved through the combination of a large single tube scanner that provides a high-scan range and a small piezo element for swift motion in the direction perpendicular to the sample plane. The natural frequency in this direction lies at about 275 kHz. We outline the design considerations to avoid disturbing excitation of the scanner through the fast piezo element.
Enhancing collaborative search systems engagement through gamification

Collaborative search systems require to make sense of the information to achieve shared goals and reduce additional costs. These systems include cognitive load and the cost to coordinate various events and participants. By applying game mechanics and dynamics to these collaborative systems we can intensify seeker engagement with this type of applications and its collaborative tasks. To the best of our knowledge the use of game design elements in non-gaming contexts has been so far discussed in a few research contexts, without ties to existing literature on Collaborative Information Seeking. This paper presents a set of elements to gamify collaborative search systems.
Prospective Study of C-Reactive Protein, Homocysteine, and Plasma Lipid Levels as Predictors of Sudden Cardiac Death

Background—Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is an important cause of mortality even among apparently healthy populations. However, our ability to identify those at risk for SCD in the general population is poor, and more specific markers are needed. Methods and Results—To compare and contrast the relative importance of C-reactive protein (CRP), homocysteine, and lipids as long-term predictors of SCD, we performed a prospective, nested, case-control analysis involving 97 cases of SCD among apparently healthy men enrolled in the Physician’s Health Study. Of these plasma markers measured, only baseline CRP levels were significantly associated with the risk of SCD over the ensuing 17 years of follow-up (P for trend=0.001). The increase in risk associated with CRP levels was primarily seen among men in the highest quartile, who were at a 2.78-fold increased risk of SCD (95% CI 1.35 to 5.72) compared with men in the lowest quartile. These results were not significantly altered in analyses that (in addition to the matching variables of age and smoking status) controlled for lipid parameters, homocysteine, and multiple cardiac risk factors (relative risk for highest versus lowest quartile 2.65, 95% CI 0.79 to 8.83;P for trend=0.03). In contrast to the positive relationship observed for CRP, neither homocysteine nor lipid levels were significantly associated with risk of SCD. Conclusions—These prospective data suggest that CRP levels may be useful in identifying apparently healthy men who are at an increased long-term risk of SCD.
Cross-layer QoS Support for Multimedia Delivery over Wireless Internet

Delivering multimedia over wireless Internet is a very challenging task. Multimedia delivery inherently has strict quality of service (QoS) requirement on bandwidth, delay, and delay jitter. However, the current Internet can only support best-effort service, which imposes varying network conditions during multimedia delivery. The advent of wireless networks further exacerbates the variance of network conditions and brings greater challenges for multimedia delivery. To improve perceived media quality by end users over wireless Internet, QoS supports can be addressed in different layers, including application layer, transport layer, link layer, and so forth. This paper presents a framework, which provides QoS support, for multimedia delivery over wireless Internet, across different layers. To provide efficient QoS support for different types of media over the best-effort networks, we first propose a cross-layer architecture, which combines the application-level, transport-layer, as well as link-layer controls, and then review recent advances in each individual component. Specifically, dynamic estimation of varying channel and network, adaptive and energy-efficient application and link-level error control, efficient congestion control, header compression, adaptive automatic repeat request (ARQ) and priority-based scheduling, as well as QoS-adaptive proxy caching technologies are explicitly reviewed in this paper.
International Headache Society Classification: Interobserver Reliability in the Diagnosis of Primary Headaches

We assessed interobserver reliability of the International Headache Society (IBIS) classification for diagnosis of primary headaches. The study was performed on 103 patients consecutively seen at two Headache Centres. Each patient was given a structured interview recorded on videotape. Four experienced clinicians then reviewed the interviews separately and made a diagnosis of headache according to IHS criteria at the one- and two-digit levels. At both the one- and the two-digit level the agreement was substantial (Kappa = 0.74 and 0.65, respectively). The analysis of reliability for each of nine items necessary for diagnosis showed an agreement ranging from substantial (Kappa = 0.69) to almost perfect (Kappa = 0.89). Our results indicate that the IHS classification has a good reliability for the diagnosis of primary headaches at the one- and two-digit levels.
The excretion of tritium-labeled chlormadinone acetate, mestranol, norethindrone, and norethynodrel in rats and the enterohepatic circulation of metabolites.

The excretion of tritium-labeled chlormadinone acetate (CA), mestranol (M), norethynodrel (NL), and norethindrone (N) was studied in female rats. Each steroid was rapidly and extensively eliminated as metabolites in the bile after single intravenous doses (0.161 µmol/kg) in animals prepared with bile fistulae. The cumulative percentages of administered radioactivity appearing in the bile at the end of an 8-hr period were: CA, 65%; M. 69%; NL, 71%; and N, 80%. With the exception of CA, each steroid appeared in the bile primarily as glucuronide conjugates and other polar materials which were not sulfate conjugates. Intact female rats given single intraperitoneal doses of the labeled steroid eliminated radioactive metabolites in the urine and feces at a much slower rate than that seen in the bile of animals prepared with biliary fistulae. Focal excretion was the major route of elimination in intact animals for all steroids and accounted for 80% or more of the radioactive dose by the end of 7 days. Experiments were conducted to assess the enterohepatic circulation (EHC) of metabolites of the steroids. Over one-half of the intraduodenally infused radioactivity associated with the biliary metabolites of M (59%) and N (64%), and 34% of the infused radioactivity associated with the biliary metabolites of CA underwent EHC and appeared in the bile during a 24-hr period. The glucuronide conjugate fraction of biliary metabolites was found to be quantitatively the most important fraction undergoing EHC. The polar metabolites, which could not be hydrolyzed by β-glucuronidase, were not absorbed from the intestine and re-excreted in the bile. EHC was shown to be an important feature of the disposition of the contraceptive steroids in rats and was dependent on the excretion of glucuronide conjugates of steroid metabolites in the bile.
The FKBP12-Rapamycin-binding Domain Is Required for FKBP12-Rapamycin-associated Protein Kinase Activity and G1 Progression*

The immunosuppressant rapamycin, in complex with its cellular receptor FKBP12, targets the cellular protein FKBP12-rapamycin-associated protein/mammalian target of rapamycin/rapamycin and FKBP12 target 1 (FRAP/mTOR/RAFT1) and inhibits/delays G1 cell cycle progression in mammalian cells. As a member of the novel phosphatidylinositol kinase-related kinase family, FRAP’s kinase activity is essential for its signaling function. The FKBP12-rapamycin binding (FRB) domain in FRAP is also speculated to play an important role in FRAP function and signaling. However, the biochemical and physiological functions of FRB, as well as the mechanism for rapamycin inhibition, have been unclear. The present study focuses on investigation of FRB’s role and the functional relationship between FRB domain and kinase domain in FRAP. Microinjection of purified FRB protein into human osteosarcoma MG63 cells results in a drastic blockage of the G1 to S cell cycle progression; such a dominant negative effect is reversed by a point mutation (Trp2027 → Phe). The same mutation also abolishes kinase activity of FRAP without affecting ATP binding, and truncation studies suggest that upstream sequences including FRB are required for kinase activity in vitro. Given these data, we propose a model for FRAP function, in which the FRB domain is required for activation of the kinase domain, possibly through the interaction with an upstream activator. In addition, our observations provide direct evidence linking FRAP function to G1 cell cycle progression.