Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does Citizenship Education Work? Evidence from a Decade of Citizenship Education in Secondary Schools in England

In 2002 compulsory lessons on citizenship were introduced into secondary schools in England following the recommendations of an advisory group chaired by the late Bernard Crick. This study examines if this initiative has been successful in affecting the civic engagement of young people who were exposed to the citizenship curriculum over the decade since it was introduced. It utilises a survey of 18-26 year olds conducted in 2011 and compares respondents who were exposed to the curriculum with those who were not in what is a natural experiment. The findings are that citizenship education had a positive impact on three key components of civic engagement: efficacy, political participation and political knowledge. This suggests that the reform is likely to help offset some of the trends in civic participation among young people which have shown a sharp decline in key activities like voting and voluntary activities over time. The study concludes by speculating on the likely effects of the coalition governments decision to drop citizenship education as a compulsory subject in the national curriculum in schools in 2014.
A Repository of Variation Patterns for Multiword Expressions

One of the crucial issues in the analysis and processing of MWEs is their internal variability. Indeed, the feature that mostly characterises MWEs is their fixedness at some level of linguistic analysis, be it morphology, syntax, or semantics. The morphological aspect is not trivial in languages which exhibit a rich morphology, such as Romance languages. The issue is relevant in at least three aspects of MWE representation and processing: lexicons, identification, and extraction (Calzolari et al., 2002). At the lexicon level, MWEs are usual stored as one form only, the so-called quotation form (or citation form). However, some variations of the quotation form might also be valid instances of MWEs (Bond et al., 2005) — some but not all, as some of them might actually be plain compositional phrases. This becomes relevant for automatic identification and extraction. If a lexicon stores the quotation form only, identification on a corpus done via matching lexicon strings as such would miss valid variations of a given MWE. Identification could be done exploiting lemmas rather than quotation forms, but an unrestricted match would also possibly return compositional phrases. Extraction is usually done applying association measures over instances of given POS patterns (Evert and Krenn, 2005), and because lemmas are matched, no restrictions on internal variation is enforced as such. Knowing which variations should be allowed for the quotation form of a given MWE would help in increasing recall while keeping precision high. However, specifying such variations for each MWE would be too costly and wouldn’t help in extraction, as no specifications could be done a priori on yet unknown MWEs. Optimally, one would need to find more general variation patterns that could be applied to classes of MWEs. Indeed, the main idea behind this work is that MWEs can be handled through more general patterns. This is also claimed, for instance, by Masini (2007) whose analysis on Italian MWEs takes a constructionist perspective (Goldberg, 2003), by Weller and Heid (2010), who treat verbal expressions in German, and also by Gregoire (2010), who bases his work on the Equivalence Class Method (ECM, (Odijk, 2004)) assuming that MWEs may be clustered according to their syntactic pattern and treated homogeneously. We suggest that variation patterns can be found and defined over POS sequences. Working on Italian, in this paper we report the results of ongoing research and show how such patterns can be derived, we then propose a way to encode them in a repository, which can be combined with existing lexicons of MWEs. For the moment, we restrict our study to contiguous MWEs although we are aware that non-contiguous expressions are common and should be treated, too (see also (Pianta and Bentivogli, 2004)). Thus, only morphological variation is considered at this stage, while phenomena such as insertion and word order variation are left for future work.
Role of porins in intrinsic antibiotic resistance of Pseudomonas cepacia

The measured outer membrane permeability of Pseudomonas cepacia to the beta-lactam nitrocefin was low: approximately 10 times less than that of Escherichia coli and comparable to that of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The purified P. cepacia porin demonstrated an average single channel conductance in 1 M KCl of 0.23 nS.
The role of reading activity on the modulation of motor cortical outputs to the reading hand in braille readers

We studied the cortical motor output maps of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) of both hands and the abductor digitiminimi of the reading hand in 6 blind proficient Braille readers. The maps were generated using transcranial magnetic stimulation. We compared the maps obtained on a day in which they worked as Braille proofreaders (reading Braille for approximately 6 hours) with the maps obtained on a day they took off from work. On the work day, the maps for the FDI of the reading hand were significantly larger after the working shift than in the morning after having been off work for 2 days. These changes were not seen for the same muscle on the day off work or on any of the 2 days in the other two muscles studied. These results illustrate the rapid modulation in motor cortical outputs in relation to preceding activity and emphasize the importance of precise timing in studies of the neurophysiological correlates of skill acquisition.
Determinants of Repayment in Microcredit: Evidence from Programs in the United States

Many microcredit programs have been created in the United States in the past decade that replicate design features of their counterparts in the third world. Yet few systematic studies have been carried out to examine what determines these programs' loan repayment performance. We attempt to fill this gap by studying the determinants of loan repayment for four of the oldest group-based microcredit programs in the US. Our findings suggest that these programs are faced with a set of social and institutional environments that are both similar to and different from those faced by their third-world counterparts. On the one hand we find that higher levels of education and proximity to the lending agency increase the chances of loan repayment. Low transaction costs for accessing loans and high borrower-costs in the event of default also enhance loan repayment performance. On the other hand key variables such as gender and homogeneity of borrowers are not significantly related to loan repayment. We conclude by examining the implications of these findings for program design in the US. Copyright Joint Editors and Blackwell Publishers Ltd 2002.
Financiamento da inovação: uma estratégia competitiva

Resumo Este artigo e resultado de uma pesquisa sobre estrategias de inovacao e competitividade com empresas emergentes na area de biotecnologia. Atraves de um estudo de caso, o trabalho mostra as dificuldades e os desafios enfrentados por uma empresa de biotecnologia na busca de aumentar a competitividade, a relevância da estrategia de segmentacao da cadeia produtiva e sua integracao atraves da construcao de redes de inovacao, bem como os resultados alcancados na implementacao da rede com a participacao do venture capital. A conclusao aponta para a importância do financiamento de venture capital nas empresas de biotecnologia. Diante da complexidade do setor, tais empresas tendem a atuar num modelo de arquitetura aberta, considerando que para superar tais condicoes elas buscam organizar-se de modo a favorecer o estabelecimento de relacoes de complementaridade, num esforco continuo de construcao e reconstrucao. Palavras chave: Inovacao, financiamento, estrategia competitiva. Abstract This paper is resulted of a research on strategies of innovation and competitiveness with emerging companies in the biotechnology industry. Through a case study, the work shows to the difficulties and challenges faced by a company in search of biotechnology to increase the competitiveness, the relevance of the strategy of segmentation of the productive chain and its integration by building networks of innovation as the results reached in the implementation of the network with the participation of venture capital. The conclusion points to the importance of funding for venture capital in biotechnology companies. Given the complexity of the industry, such companies tend to act in a model of open architecture, considering those to overcome such conditions they seek organize themselves in order to promote the establishment of relations of complimentary, in an effort to continue construction and reconstruction. Key words: Innovation, financial support, competitive strategy.
The Nature of, Perceptual Illusions

Abstract Perceptual illusions are defined as consistent and persistent discrepancies between a physial state of affairs and its representation in consciousness. It is argued that for the most part these discrepancies occur mainly as a consequence of the activation of perceptual processes by contrived, artificial stimuli. When activated by their normal or natural stimuli the processes result in veridical perception. When activated by artificial or unnatural stimuli the same processes result frequently in nonveridical, illusory, perception. Thus illusions provide a means for isolating and investigating the sensory and cognitive processes associated with normal perception. A number of independent classes of perceptual illusion – induced depth by stereopsis, intersecting-line effects, object-field and component-object illusions, induced contrast effects and illusory contours – are here described and analysed.
Characterization of Cellulose Synthesis in Plant Cells

Cellulose is the most significant structural component of plant cell wall. Cellulose, polysaccharide containing repeated unbranched β (1-4) D-glucose units, is synthesized at the plasma membrane by the cellulose synthase complex (CSC) from bacteria to plants. The CSC is involved in biosynthesis of cellulose microfibrils containing 18 cellulose synthase (CesA) proteins. Macrofibrils can be formed with side by side arrangement of microfibrils. In addition, beside CesA, various proteins like the KORRIGAN, sucrose synthase, cytoskeletal components, and COBRA-like proteins have been involved in cellulose biosynthesis. Understanding the mechanisms of cellulose biosynthesis is of great importance not only for improving wood production in economically important forest trees to mankind but also for plant development. This review article covers the current knowledge about the cellulose biosynthesis-related gene family.
Racioethnic perceptions of job characteristics and job satisfaction

Given the growing racioethnic heterogeneity of today's global workforce, it is necessary for researchers and practitioners to continuously examine the impact of racioethnic diversity in various organizational contexts, both foreign and domestic. The impact of racioethnic diversity has received a lot of attention in the literature with respect to various organizational attitudes and behaviors. However, after canvassing the literature, there is a void with respect to assessing whether various dimensions of a job intrinsically motivate racioethnically‐diverse individuals differently. This line of research should be of interest to both researchers and practitioners, considering it is widely accepted that motivation is a precursor to various organizational outcomes, such as job satisfaction, absenteeism, and productivity. This study revealed that there are differences with respect to job satisfaction and the intrinsic motivation racioethnically‐diverse individuals derive from their jobs.
Research on Lane Change Decision for Autonomous Vehicles Based on Multi-Kernels Least Squares Policy Iteration

The vehicle lane change decision is a greet challenge for autonomous driving in the dynamic traffic environment. This problem is a sequential decision problem with high dimensional and continuous state spaces. Traditional methods such as the rule-based method is difficult to solve such complex optimization decision problems. Recently, solving the problem by using the reinforcement learning method has become a hot topic in the field of autonomous driving. In this paper, a method based on multi-kernels least squares policy iteration (MKLSPI) is proposed to solve the lane change decision problem. The weighted multi-kernels function with different widths can solve the problem that the width of single kernel is difficult to determine and this reduces the difficulty of adjustment and optimization of learning parameters. In this way, the final policy can be obtained by training and learning from the samples data. The efficiency of the policy is verified in the highway simulation environment.
A Specific Population of Abnormal Prion Protein Aggregates Is Preferentially Taken Up by Cells and Disaggregated in a Strain-Dependent Manner

ABSTRACT Prion diseases are characterized by the conversion of the soluble protease-sensitive host-encoded prion protein (PrPC) into its aggregated, protease-resistant, and infectious isoform (PrPSc). One of the earliest events occurring in cells following exposure to an exogenous source of prions is the cellular uptake of PrPSc. It is unclear how the biochemical properties of PrPSc influence its uptake, although aggregate size is thought to be important. Here we show that for two different strains of mouse prions, one that infects cells (22L) and one that does not (87V), a fraction of PrPSc associated with distinct sedimentation properties is preferentially taken up by the cells. However, while the fraction of PrPSc and the kinetics of uptake were similar for both strains, PrPSc derived from the 87V strain was disaggregated more rapidly than that derived from 22L. The increased rate of PrPSc disaggregation did not correlate with either the conformational or aggregate stability of 87V PrPSc, both of which were greater than those of 22L PrPSc. Our data suggest that the kinetics of disaggregation of PrPSc following cellular uptake is independent of PrPSc stability but may be dependent upon some component of the PrPSc aggregate other than PrP. Rapid disaggregation of 87V PrPSc by the cell may contribute, at least in part, to the inability of 87V to infect cells in vitro.
What is a hydrogen bond? Resonance covalency in the supramolecular domain

We address the broader conceptual and pedagogical implications of recent recommendations of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) concerning the re-definition of hydrogen bonding, drawing upon the recommended IUPAC statistical methodology of mutually correlated experimental and theoretical descriptors to operationally address the title question. Both direct and statistical lines of evidence point to the essential resonance covalency of H-bonding interactions, rather than the statistically insignificant “dipole–dipole” character that is persistently advocated in current textbooks. The revised conception of H-bonding is both supported by modern quantum chemical technology and consistent with the pre-quantal insights of G. N. Lewis and other bonding pioneers. We offer specific suggestions for how relatively minor changes in the usual discussion of Lewis-structural and resonance concepts—supported by modern web-based computational modeling tools—can readily accommodate this fundamental change of perspective.
HIV-associated tuberculosis in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIF : Determiner l'effet d'un traitement antiretroviral (HAART) tres actif sur le risque de tuberculose (TB) parmi les sujets infectes par le virus de l'immunodeficience humaine (VIH) et examiner les tendances evolutives de la TB. METHODES : Pour l'etude des facteurs de risque, nous avons examine les donnees provenant du projet «Adult/ Adolescent Spectrum of HIV Disease» (ASD) de janvier 1996 a juin 1998. ASD est une etude d'observation de cohortes conduite dans plus de 100 polycliniques et hopitaux dans 11 villes des Etats Unis. Pour la modelisation de l'incidence de la TB, l'on a etudie la regression de Poisson, tout en veillant a controler le mode d'exposition au VIH, la race, le pays d'origine, le decompte de CD4, la chimiotherapie preventive de la TB et le semestre du diagnostic. Nous avons egalement examine les tendances de l'incidence de la TB entre janvier 1992 et juin 1998. RESULTATS : Pendant la periode d'analyse des facteurs de risque, 80 cas de TB sont survenus sur 16 032 annees-personne (5,0 cas/1000 annees-personne). Dans l'analyse multivariee, le risque de TB s'est avere beaucoup plus bas parmi les personnes a qui HAART avait ete prescrit (RR 0,2 ; IC95% 0,1-0,5 ; P < 0,001); ce risque est egalement plus faible parmi les personnes recevant d'autres therapies antiretrovirales (RR 0,6; IC95% 0,4-1,0; P < 0,05 ) que chez les personnes ne beneficiant pas d'un traitement antiretroviral. En outre, les taux de TB ont diminue de janvier 1992 a juin 1998 (P < 0,001). CONCLUSION: L'utilisation elargie de HAART a reduit le risque de TB et pourrait entrainer des decroissances ulterieures de la TB parmi les sujets infectes par le VIH.
Targeted Disruption of Ras-Grf2 Shows Its Dispensability for Mouse Growth and Development

ABSTRACT The mammalian Grf1 and Grf2 proteins are Ras guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) sharing a high degree of structural homology, as well as an elevated expression level in central nervous system tissues. Such similarities raise questions concerning the specificity and/or redundancy at the functional level between the two Grf proteins. grf1-null mutant mice have been recently described which showed phenotypic growth reduction and long-term memory loss. To gain insight into the in vivo function of Grf2, we disrupted its catalytic CDC25-H domain by means of gene targeting. Breeding among grf2+/− animals gave rise to viable grf2 −/− adult animals with a normal Mendelian pattern, suggesting that Grf2 is not essential for embryonic and adult mouse development. In contrast to Grf1-null mice, analysis of grf2 −/− litters showed similar size and weight as their heterozygous or wild-type grf2 counterparts. Furthermore, adult grf2 −/− animals reached sexual maturity at the same age as their wild-type littermates and showed similar fertility levels. No specific pathology was observed in adult Grf2-null animals, and histopathological studies showed no observable differences between null mutant and wild-type Grf2 mice. These results indicate that grf2 is dispensable for mouse growth, development, and fertility. Furthermore, analysis of double grf1/grf2 null animals did not show any observable phenotypic difference with single grf1 −/− animals, further indicating a lack of functional overlapping between the two otherwise highly homologous Grf1 and Grf2 proteins.
Differences in brain activation during motor imagery and action observation of golf putting

The purpose of this research is to investigate the differences in brain activation between motor imagery and action observation by analyzing suppression of mu rhythm during motor imagery and action observation of golf performance. Eighteen male university students participated in the study and were randomly assigned to one of three groups: action observation, motor imagery with eyes open or motor imagery with eyes closed. During the experiment, the action observation group observed the putting performance of a model, whereas the other groups imagined golf putting with their eyes either open or closed. Electroencephalographic (EEG) activities were measured in 3 brain areas (C3, Cz and C4) while the participants performed experimental tasks and mu rhythm suppression was calculated based on the measured data. The calculated variable was analyzed by three-way ANOVA (3 groups × 3 distances × 3 brain areas) based on repeated measurement of the last 2 factors. Mu rhythm was suppressed more significantly in the action observation group compared to the two motor imagery groups. This result suggests that action observation can activate the brain areas involved in the performance of an actual task more effectively than motor imagery.
A Secure E-Cash Transfer System Based on the Elliptic Curve Discrete Logarithm Problem

Electronic commerce (e-commerce) is a relatively new, emerging and constantly changing area of business management and information technology. One of the technological innovations in banking, finance and e-commerce is the electronic cash (e-cash) transfer system. E-cash transfer systems refers to the technological breakthrough that enables us to perform financial transactions electronically. In this paper we propose a secure e-cash transfer system based on the elliptic curve cryptography. In order to protect the honest participants of the e-cash system we use an elliptic curve blind signature scheme and also we need a trusted third party to trace the criminals.
A Survey on Techniques and Fundamentals of Internet Access in VANET-INTERNET Integration Scenarios

Vehicular Ad-hoc Network (VANET) is wireless networking domain, which allow information exchange between vehicles and with the infrastructure without any central administration. VANET allow safety, traffic efficiency and commercial applications to incorporate into modern automobile design. To enhance efficiency applications in vehicular network VANET is connected to Internet. To connect Infrastructure less VANET to Internet either Road Side Units (RSU) or mobile gateway node is elected which act as bridge between two networks. Various wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi, 3G, WiMax and more are used with VANET for efficient, robust, flexible internet access solution from a VANET. Performance of mobile gateways affects efficiency of handling request for internet access. So gateway selection, gateway handover, gateway discovery are the key mechanism on which more research has done to increase performance. This paper discusses various fundamentals of VANET-Internet integration techniques. This review paper concludes with the further investigation and points. Keywords— VANET, Internet, Wireless networks, Routing protocols, Mobile gateways.
Guidance law design for synchronized path following of underactuated unmanned surface vehicles based on distributed observer

This paper presents a guidance law design for synchronized path following of multiple underactuated unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) without using a global reference velocity. Firstly, a distributed observer is proposed to eliminate the need of reference velocity known to all the vehicles. Secondly, a line-of-sight based guidance law is derived to force each vehicle to follow a parameterized path. Finally, a neighbor-based coordination design is developed to synchronize the path variables. The equilibrium point of the close-loop system is shown to be globally uniformly asymptotically stable. Simulation results validate the efficacy of the proposed cooperative guidance law.