Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Psychometric Analysis of the Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness Assessment for Community Colleges

Understanding students’ readiness for precalculus and calculus at the community college level is critical not only because of the key role community colleges play in higher education but also because calculus remains a gateway course for students in advancing to higher level mathematics. The Algebra and Precalculus Concept Readiness Assessment for Community Colleges (APCR-CC) was designed to investigate community college students’ quantitative reasoning abilities and conceptual understanding in algebra. The present study investigates the psychometric properties of the APCR-CC instrument using item response theory based on a sample of intermediate and college algebra students from six community colleges collected in a pretest (N = 1,131) and posttest (N = 772) setting. We examine unidimensionality, item fit, local item independence, measurement invariance, and sensitivity to instruction. Our findings suggest that the APCR-CC instrument is sufficiently characterized by one underlying construct, local dependence does not seem to be an issue, and 80% of the items in the APCR-CC instrument are sensitive to instruction.
Effect of Familiarity on the Processing of Human Faces

Most brain imaging studies on face perception have investigated the processing of unknown faces and addressed mainly the question of specific face processing in the human brain. The goal of this study was to highlight the effects of familiarity on the visual processing of faces. Using [15O]water 3D Positron Emission Tomography, regional cerebral blood flow distribution was measured in 11 human subjects performing an identical task (gender categorization) on both unknown and known faces. Subjects also performed two control tasks (a face recognition task and a visual pattern discrimination task). They were scanned after a training phase using videotapes during which they had been familiarized with and learned to recognize a set of faces. Two major results were obtained. On the one hand, we found bilateral activations of the fusiform gyri in the three face conditions, including the so-called fusiform-face area, a region in the right fusiform gyrus specifically devoted to face processing. This common activation suggests that different cognitive tasks performed on known and unknown faces require the involvement of this fusiform region. On the other hand, specific regional cerebral blood flow changes were related to the processing of known and unknown faces. The left amygdala, a structure involved in implicit learning of visual representations, was activated by the categorization task on unknown faces. The same task on known faces induced a relative decrease of activity in early visual areas. These differences between the two categorization tasks reveal that the human brain processes known and unknown faces differently.
Biodistribution, dosimetry and metabolism of 11beta-methoxy-(17alpha,20E/Z)-[123I]iodovinylestradiol in healthy women and breast cancer patients.

UNLABELLED The biodistribution and dosimetry of the 20E and 20Z stereoisomers of 11 beta-methoxy-(17alpha,20)-[123I]iodovinylestradiol (MIVE) were evaluated in six healthy women. Tumor uptake and metabolism of the 20Z isomer were evaluated in 13 women referred after abnormal mammography or after discovery of a suspect mass at physical examination. METHODS The radiopharmaceuticals were prepared from their corresponding stannyl intermediates and administrated intravenously. Blood samples were drawn at different time intervals and urine was collected for up to 24 h. Metabolites were detected by radiochromatography. Tissue distribution was followed for up to 24 h by scintigraphic imaging. The dosimetry was computed according to the Medical Internal Radiation Dose scheme. RESULTS The 20E and 20Z isomers exhibit similar biodistribution and dosimetry patterns. Chromatographic analysis of plasma samples of healthy volunteers and cancer patients, as well as in vitro plasma incubations, confirmed the in vivo stability of (20Z)-[123I]MIVE. Radioactivity was rapidly cleared from the blood by the liver and excreted through the gut, which received the highest radiation dose (0.211 mGy/MBq). The effective doses for the adult female and male phantom were 0.054 and 0.046 mSv/MBq, respectively. Among the 13 patients imaged with (20Z)-[123I]MIVE, 3 had fibrocystic disease with no focal uptake, 8 had good agreement with in vitro estrogen receptor determination and 2 were false-positive. CONCLUSION The radiation dose after intravenous administration of 20E- or (20Z)-[123I]MIVE at imaging dose levels is within acceptable limits. There was a good correlation between uptake of (20Z)-[123I]MIVE and the presence of estrogen receptors in breast cancer patients.
Design of 60GHz Millimetre-Wave Integrated SIR-MH Microstrip Bandpass Filters on Bulk CMOS

In this paper challenges of integrating millimetre-wave bandpass filters on CMOS are discussed. A new compact 57-66 GHz 4th-order cross-coupled SIR-MH bandpass filter was designed and fabricated on 0.13 mum bulk CMOS. Both simulation and measurement results are presented. The measurement results show 8.5 GHz bandwidth from 58-66.5 GHz, 5.9 dB insertion loss, and better than 10 dB return loss over the whole passband. The filter reported in this paper has higher selectivity and is 80 percent smaller than other designs reported in the literature. This paper demonstrates the feasibility of building compact millimetre-wave integrated bandpass filters on CMOS.
A uniform geometrical theory of diffraction formulation for the diffraction by a perfect electric conductor and impedance finite width strip

In this paper, the total far-field pattern around a finite width strip in presence of an electric line source using perfect electric conductor (PEC) and impedance strip equations are presented. We used two dimensional uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) in both analysis for soft (TM) polarization. For finite PEC strip, we used PEC strip equations and for finite impedance strip we used impedance edge equations presented by Tiberio. These solutions are formatted in terms of diffraction coefficient in both PEC and impedance surfaces. Diffraction coefficient equations have Maliuzhinets terms which are replaced by equations presented by Tiberio for n=2 which refers to half plane.
The Kauffman Firm Survey: Results from the Baseline and First Follow-Up Surveys

The Kauffman Firm Survey is a panel study of 4,928 businesses founded in 2004 that are being tracked annually over their first eight years. The survey focuses on the nature of new business formation activity, characteristics of the strategy, offerings, and employment patterns of new businesses. It also looks at the nature of the financial and organizational arrangements of these businesses, as well as the characteristics of their founders. This report highlights findings from the first two years. Nearly 60 percent of the businesses had no employees in their first year. Just under three-fourths had one employee or less, while about one-quarter had two or more employees. Nearly 70 percent of businesses were owned by men and slightly more than 30 percent were owned by women. Slightly fewer than 9 percent of firms closed in calendar year 2005, and the survival rates vary by owner demographics. For example, only 88 percent of black-owned businesses survived, compared with 92 percent of white-owned businesses and 91 percent of Asian-owned businesses.
Decision-Directed Costas Loop Stable Homodyne Detection for 10-Gb/s BPSK Signal Transmission

This letter demonstrates decision-directed Costas loop stable homodyne detection for 10-Gb/s binary phase shift keying signal fiber-transmission of over 100 km utilizing frequency-stabilized several kilohertz spectral linewidth external cavity laser diodes (E-LDs). We design a phase-locked loop circuit that adopts an injection-current controlled E-LD as its local oscillator; its low phase error allows it to achieve the standard deviation of 1.9°. Owing to this phase-lock performance and the highly coherent light source, the receiver sensitivity approaches within 6 dB of the shot noise limit and the phase-locked loop recovers the optical carrier stably even if the waveform is distorted by the chromatic dispersion of 880 ps/nm after fiber transmission.
Exchange Rate Dynamics: A Nonlinear Survey

Complexity research draws on complexity in various disciplines. This Handbook provides a comprehensive and current overview of applications of complexity theory in economics. The 15 chapters, written by leading figures in the field, cover such broad topic areas as conceptual issues, microeconomic market dynamics, aggregation and macroeconomics issues, econophysics and financial markets, international economic dynamics, evolutionary and ecological–environmental economics, and broader historical perspectives on economic complexity.
A comparison of impulsivity, depressive symptoms, lifetime stress and sensation seeking in healthy controls versus participants with cocaine or methamphetamine use disorders

Previous research has focused on developing theories of addiction that may explain behavior in cocaine- and methamphetamine-dependent individuals. The primary goal of this report was to compare and contrast the prevalence of self-reported measures of impulsivity, depression, lifetime stress and sensation-seeking in healthy controls versus individuals with cocaine or methamphetamine use disorders. Twenty-nine individuals with cocaine use disorders and 31 individuals with methamphetamine use disorders were matched with 31 healthy control participants on several demographic variables. All participants were administered behavioral questionnaires including the Barrett Impulsiveness Scale (assessing impulsivity), Beck Depression Inventory II (assessing depression), Life Stressor Checklist–Revised (assessing lifetime stress) and the Impulsive Sensation Seeking Scale (assessing sensation-seeking). When compared to healthy controls, individuals with cocaine and methamphetamine use disorders had significantly higher levels of impulsivity and sensation-seeking. In addition, when compared to healthy controls, individuals with cocaine use disorders had significantly higher Beck Depression Inventory II scores, while individuals with methamphetamine use disorders had significantly higher Life Stressor Checklist–Revised scores. The results revealed that there were significantly higher levels of impulsivity, depression and sensation-seeking in cocaine users and significantly higher impulsivity, lifetime stress and sensation-seeking in methamphetamine users when compared to healthy controls.
Narrative and vocabulary development of bilingual children from kindergarten to first grade: developmental changes and associations among English and Spanish skills.

PURPOSE Research has identified English oral language proficiency as being critical for bilingual students' literacy development. This study examines developmental patterns and associations among oral vocabulary and narrative skills in a longitudinal sample of 24 Spanish/English bilingual children from low socioeconomic backgrounds so as to further our understanding of the development of oral proficiency. METHOD English and Spanish data were gathered using standardized vocabulary tests and narrative elicitation tasks provided to kindergartners and first graders. Narratives were coded for length using two measures of productivity and for quality at two levels: story score and language score. Descriptive, correlation, multivariate, and regression analyses were conducted. RESULTS Significant gains from kindergarten to first grade were found for all English oral language measures. Despite showing improvements in English vocabulary, the majority of children continued to score below the monolingual mean in first grade. For English narrative productivity, total number of different words (TDW) proved to be a sensitive developmental measure in contrast to total number of words (TNW). In Spanish, significant gains were noted only for narrative story score. Kindergarten Spanish story scores predicted first-grade English narrative quality even when controlling for the effects of English vocabulary and English narrative productivity. First-grade Spanish narrative quality was best predicted by Spanish vocabulary. IMPLICATIONS The need for early assessment and monitoring of expressive vocabulary and oral narrative skills, and the potential contributions of Spanish story organization skills to English narrative performance in bilingual children from low socioeconomic families, are highlighted.
Implantation of sirolimus-eluting stents in saphenous vein grafts is associated with high clinical follow-up event rates compared with treatment of native vessels

AimsThe clinical effectiveness of sirolimus-eluting stents (SES) for treatment of patients with saphenous vein graft disease is not well defined. This analysis sought to evaluate the clinical follow-up after treatment of stenotic saphenous vein grafts using SES in a large patient registry. Patients treated with SES for saphenous vein graft disease were compared with patients receiving SES in native vessel disease. MethodThis is a subanalysis from the prospective multicenter German Cypher Stent Registry. Only patients with completed 6 months clinical follow-up were included. The analysis comprises 344 patients with 353 lesions in saphenous vein grafts treated with 400 SES (Cypher, Cordis Inc., Cordis Corp., Warren, New Jersey, USA) and 6411 patients with 7607 native coronary artery lesions treated with 8725 SES. ResultsMean SES length per lesion was 22.6±11.7 mm and mean stent diameter 3.0±0.3 mm in saphenous vein graft lesions. Target vessel revascularization rate was 18.1% and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rate was 23.8% at 6-month follow-up after SES implantation for saphenous vein graft lesions. Even after adjustment for different baseline characteristics, target vessel failure and MACE rate were significantly higher after SES implantation for saphenous vein graft lesions than for native coronary vessel stenosis [odds ratio: 2.10 (95% confidence interval: 1.40–3.13), P<0.001] and [odds ratio: 2.15 (95% confidence interval: 1.49–3.09), P<0.001], respectively. ConclusionTreatment of saphenous vein graft disease is associated with high target vessel revascularization and MACE rates also with the use of SES if applied to unselected patients. Target vessel revascularization and MACE rates remain significantly higher after SES for saphenous vein graft lesions than after SES in native vessel disease.
Control of the single channel conductance of K2P10.1 (TREK‐2) by the amino‐terminus: role of alternative translation initiation

TREK‐2 expressed in mammalian cells exhibits small (∼52 pS) and large (∼220 pS) unitary conductance levels. Here we tested the role of the N‐terminus (69 amino acids long) in the control of the unitary conductance, and role of the alternative translation initiation as a mechanism that produces isoforms of TREK‐2 that show different conductance levels. Deletion of the first half (Δ1–36) of the N‐terminus had no effect. However, deletion of most of the N‐terminus (Δ1–66) resulted in the appearance of only the large‐conductance channel (∼220 pS). In support of the critical function of the distal half of the N‐terminus, the deletion mutants Δ1–44 and Δ1–54 produced ∼90 pS and 188 pS channels, respectively. In Western blot analysis, TREK‐2 antibody detected two immunoreactive bands at ∼54 kDa and ∼60 kDa from cells expressing wild‐type TREK‐2 that has three potential translation initiation sites (designated M1M2M3) within the N‐terminus. Mutation of the second and third initiation sites from Met to Leu (M1L2L3) produced only the ∼60 kDa isoform and the small‐conductance channel (∼52 pS). Mutants designed to produce translation from the second (M2L3) or third (M3) initiation site produced the ∼54 kDa isoform, and the large conductance channel (∼185–224 pS). M1L2L3, M2L3 and M3 were relatively selectively permeable to K+, as judged by the 51–55 mV shifts in reversal potential following a 10‐fold change in [K+]o. PNa/PK values were also similar for M1L2L3 (∼0.02), M2L3 (∼0.02) and M3 (∼0.03). Arachidonic acid, proton and membrane stretch activated, whereas dibutyryl‐cAMP inhibited all three isoforms of TREK‐2, indicating that deletion of the N‐terminus does not abolish modulation. These results show that the small and large conductance TREK‐2 channels are produced as a result of alternative translation initiation, producing isoforms with long and short N‐termini, and that the distal half of the N‐terminus controls the unitary conductance.
Physiological, Pathophysiological and Therapeutic Roles of 5-HT Systems in Learning and Memory

Multiple 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors have been identified (5-HT1A/1B/1D/1E/1F, 5-HT2A/2B/2C, 5-HT3A/3B, 5-HT4A/4B, 5-HT5A/5B, 5-HT6 and 5-HT7A/7B/7C/7D) and extensive evidence suggests that 5-HT receptors have a role in learning and memory. Indeed, available evidence strongly supports physiological, pathophysiological and therapeutic roles of 5-HT systems in cognitive processes, although the evidence seems incomplete. Indeed, there has been a clear tendency to use pre-learning administration most frequently, whereas post-learning and pre-retention administration protocols have been utilized in only a few studies, and probably this trend has led to missed relevant information. For instance, when pre- vs post-training administration of 5-HT1A agonist, 5-HT2 antagonists and 5-HT4 agonists have been compared contrasting findings were reported in aversive and appetitive learning tasks. Emerging evidence also indicates that 5-HT1A and 5-HT4 receptor agonists, as well as, 5-HT1A antagonists, 5-HT2 antagonists, 5-HT3 antagonists and 5-HT uptake inhibitors may have therapeutic utility in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and amnesia. Inasmuch as the activation or blockade of diverse 5-HT receptors is able to modulate cognitive processes, and 5-HT uptake inhibition could have therapeutic applications in the treatment of cognitive disorders, it seems evident that the role of 5-HT in learning and memory is more complex than a simple imbalance. Consequently, the notion that activation of the 5-HT systems impairs performance, whereas reduced serotonergic function may facilitate learning, must be reconsidered.
COX-2 dependent inflammation increases spinal Fos expression during rodent postoperative ileus

Background and aims: Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and prostaglandins (PGs) participate in the pathogenesis of inflammatory postoperative ileus. We sought to determine whether the emerging neuronal modulator COX-2 plays a significant role in primary afferent activation during postoperative ileus using spinal Fos expression as a marker. Methods: Rats, and COX-2+/+ and COX-2−/− mice underwent simple intestinal manipulation. The effect of intestinal manipulation on Fos immunoreactivity (IR) in the L5-S1 spinal cord, in situ circumference, and postoperative leucocytic infiltrate of the intestinal muscularis was measured. Postoperative PGE2 production was measured in peritoneal lavage fluid. The dependence of these parameters on COX-2 was studied in pharmacological (DFU, Merck- Frosst, selective COX-2 inhibitor) and genetic (COX-2−/− mice) models. Results: Postoperative Fos IR increased 3.7-fold in rats and 2.2-fold in mice. Both muscularis leucocytic infiltrate and the circumference of the muscularis increased significantly in rats and COX-2+/+ mice postoperatively, indicating dilating ileus. Surgical manipulation markedly increased PGE2 levels in the peritoneal cavity. DFU pretreatment and the genetic absence of COX-2−/− prevented dilating ileus, and leucocytic infiltrate was diminished by 40% with DFU and by 54% in COX-2−/− mice. DFU reversed postsurgical intra- abdominal PGE2 levels to normal. Fos IR after intestinal manipulation was attenuated by approximately 50% in DFU treated rats and in COX-2−/− mice. Conclusions: Postoperatively, small bowel manipulation causes a significant and prolonged increase in spinal Fos expression, suggesting prolonged primary afferent activation. COX-2 plays a key role in this response. This activation of primary afferents may subsequently initiate inhibitory motor reflexes to the gut, contributing to postoperative ileus.
Is the Real Yield Curve Inverted?

Lengwiler (2005) presents a model of an endowment economy in which economic actors have different degrees of patience. The model implies that the social discount rate declines as the time horizon increases and that the resulting term structure of the interest rate cannot be produced by a representative agent model. This paper examines the sensitivity of Lengwiler's results to changes in the model's assumptions. In particular, it examines what sort of changes to Lengwiler's model will yield an upward sloping or even flat real yield curve. Although this paper shows that it is possible to add production to Lengwiler's model without changing the results, it also shows that the results are sensitive to the curvature of the utility function. If it is assumed that utility from consumption is logarithmic, but utility from leisure is quadratic, this paper shows that it is possible for the yield curve to be upward-sloping, downward-sloping or horizontal. Finally the paper informally explores the effect of adding capital accumulation to the model and concludes that this would reinforce the tendency for the yield curve to have a downward slope. This reinforces the general conclusion that the shape of the utility function determines the shape of the real yield curve.
[Effect of botulinum toxin type A on the expression of substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, transforming growth factor beta-1 and alpha smooth muscle actin A in wound healing in rats].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of botulinum toxin type A on the expression of substance P (SP), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) and alpha smooth muscle actin A (alpha-SMA) in wound healing. METHODS 60 rats were randomly divided into group C (control) group L (low-dose) and group H (high-dose), with 20 rats in each group. The wound-healing model was established by excision of four full-thickness skin (1 cm x 1 cm, around the injection site) on the back of all SD rats on the 7th day after BTA injection. The wound size was measured and the expression of SP, CGRP, TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA in wound granulation tissue was assayed by immunohistochemical staining and computerized image analysis before operation, and 3 days, 7 days and 14 days after operation. RESULTS All the wounds healed 14 days after operation. The wound size in L and H group was not significantly different with that in C group on the 3rd day and 7th day after operation. The positive immuno-staining of SP, CGRP, TGF-beta1 and alpha-SMA in group L and H was significantly weaker than those in C group. Meanwhile, the positive immuno-staining of all above substances in H group was weaker than those in L group significantly. CONCLUSIONS Botulinum toxin type A can decrease the expression of SP, CGRP, TGF-beta1, and alpha-SMA in wound healing in a dose-dependent manner with no effect on the healing time.
Pregnancies after Human Oocyte Cryopreservation

The first successful attempt at deep freezing and thawing of the human oocyte is reported. A twin pregnancy was achieved after insemination and replacement in utero. The procedure involved reduction in size of the oocyte/cumulus-oophorus complex, the addition of the cryoprotectant dimethyl sulphoxide as a one-step procedure, slow cooling between - 7 ° C and - 36° C after ice nucleation, and rapid freezing to -196°C before storage in liquid nitrogen. Thawing was achieved rapidly by warming in a 37°C water-bath, followed by dilution of dimethyl sulphoxide as a single step. 80% of forty oocytes showed morphological survival after freezing and thawing. Thirty of these were inseminated; 83% retained their capacity to be fertilised, and 60% proceeded to cleavage division.