Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ciliary tip actin dynamics regulate the cadence of photoreceptor disc formation

As signalling organelles, primary cilia regulate their membrane G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) content by ectocytosis, a process requiring localised actin dynamics at their tip to alter membrane shape. (1, 2) Mammalian photoreceptor outer segments comprise an expanse of folded membranes (discs) at the tip of highly-specialised connecting cilia (CC), in which photosensitive GPCRs like rhodopsin are concentrated. In an extraordinary feat of biology, outer segment discs are shed and remade daily. (3) Defects in this process, due to genetic mutations, cause retinitis pigmentosa (RP), an untreatable, blinding disease. The mechanism by which photoreceptor cilia generate outer segments is therefore fundamental for vision yet poorly understood. Here, we show the membrane deformation required for outer segment disc genesis is driven by dynamic changes in the actin cytoskeleton in a process akin to ectocytosis. Further, we show RPGR, a leading causal RP gene, regulates activity of actin binding proteins crucial to this process. Disc genesis is compromised in Rpgr mouse models, slowing the actin dynamics required for timely disc formation, leading to aborted membrane shedding as ectosome-like vesicles, photoreceptor death and visual loss. Manipulation of actin dynamics partially rescues the phenotype, suggesting this pathway could be targeted therapeutically. These findings help define how actin-mediated dynamics control outer segment turnover.
Factors Limiting the Participation of Women Construction Professionals (WCPs) in the Nigerian Construction Sector (NCS)

: Women constitute almost half of Nigeria’s population and thus a critical mass in the potential labour force of the country. Though there has been increasing awareness to employ women professional in the construction sector yet their level of participation is still a subject of concern. Therefore, this study investigated the current level of participation of Women Construction Professionals (WCPs) and factors limiting their participation in the Nigerian Construction Sector (NCS). Convenience and purposive sampling techniques was adopted to sample WCPs and the data collected through the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The finding reveals that WCP represents only 6% of the professionals in NCS, which implies that the current level of participation of WCPs in Nigeria is still very low. Furthermore, occupational hazards/risks, matrimonial/family, sexiest attitude, expecting/nursing mother and nature of the construction industry are the factors significantly limiting the participation of WCPs in NCS. Hence, the study recommends that NCS should urgently find ways to prioritise and balance its requirements to get the best out of women with family commitment. Finally, NCS as a progressive employer should develop strategies against cultural practices detrimental to the female gender as well as improve its image among young women.
Non-perturbative procedure for stable K-brane

AbstractWe proposea novel ﬁrst-orderformalism for a type of K-branesystems. An examplesolution is presented and studied. We illustratehow the noncanonical kinetic term can aﬀect the properties of the model, such as the stability of the solutions, the localization offermion and graviton. We argue that our solution is stable against linear perturbations. The tensor zero mode of graviton can belocalized while the scalar zero mode cannot. The localization condition for fermion is also discussed.Keywords: Large extra dimension, noncanonical kinetic terms, gravitational perturbationsPACS: 04.50. -h, 11.27. +d, 98.80. Cq1. IntroductionScalar ﬁelds with noncanonicalkinetic terms, namely, the K-ﬁelds were initially introduced to cosmology as a new mech-anism of inﬂation [1–3]. Since then, K-ﬁelds are extensivelystudied in many ﬁelds. One of its interesting applications i s themodeling of thick K-branes. Unlike the standard thick branemodels, where branes are usually generated by canonical scalarﬁeld(s) (see [4–13] for some of the original papers of braneworld, and Refs. [14–17] for reviews), thick K-branes are do-main wall branes generated by scalar ﬁelds with noncanonica lkinetic terms [18–23]. Like any kind of brane world model, the study of thick K-brane models also contains at least three nontrivial issues: solu-tions, stability, and properties (for example, the localization ofbulk matter ﬁelds and gravitons). The stability of thick K-branehas been generally discussed in Ref. [24], where the stabilityconditions for solutions of a large class of thick K-brane mod-els were derived.As to the issue of ﬁndingsolutions, it is worthto mentiontha tthere are interesting dualities between some K-ﬁeld models andthe standard model. In other words, some K-ﬁeld models sup-port the same solution given by the model with standard kineticterm of scalar ﬁeld [25]. Such K-ﬁeld models are called thetwin-like models of the correspondingstandard model, and viceversa. Inspired by the original work [25], some authors studiedtwin-like models in brane world [26–29]. The twin-like dualityoﬀers us an alternative way to ﬁnd simple analytical K-branesolutions. However, some of the models can be distinguishedfrom the standard model only when linear perturbations (espe-cially, the scalar perturbations) are considered, while some are
Quality Assurance of Learning Assessments in Large Information Systems and Decision Analysis Courses

As Information Systems courses have become both more data-focused and student numbers have increased, there has emerged a greater need to assess technical and analytical skills more efficiently and effectively. Multiple-choice examinations provide a means for accomplishing this, though creating effective multiple-choice assessment items within a technical course context can be challenging. This study presents an iterative quality improvement framework based on Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) quality assurance cycle for developing and improving such multiple-choice assessments. Integral to this framework, we also present a rigorous, reliable, and valid measure of assessment and item quality using discrimination efficiency and the KR-20 assessment reliability measure. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach across exams developed and administered for two courses — one, a highly technical Information Systems introductory course and the other, an introductory data analytics course. Using this approach, we show that assessment quality iteratively improves when instructors measure items and exams rigorously and apply this PDSA framework.
Theoretical prediction of the source-detector separation distance suited to the application of the spatially resolved spectroscopy from the near-infrared attenuation data cube of tissues

The modified Beer-Lambert law (MBL) and the spatially resolved spectroscopy are used to measure the tissue oxidation in muscles and brains by the continuous wave near-infrared spectroscopy. The spatially resolved spectroscopy predicts the change in the concentration of the absorber by measuring the slope of attenuation data according to the separation and calculating the absorption coefficients of tissue on the basis of the slop in attenuation at the separation distance satisfying the linearity of this slop. This study analyzed the appropriate source-detector separation distance by using the diffuse approximation resolution for photon migration when predicting the absorption coefficient by the spatially resolved spectroscopy on the basis of the reflective image of the tissue. We imagine the 3 dimensional attenuation image with the absorption coefficient, reduced scattering coefficient and separation distance as its axes and obtained the attenuation data cube by calculating the attenuation on a certain interval of coordinate on the basis of the diffuse approximation expression. We predicted the separation distance appropriate for the application of the spatially resolved spectroscopy by calculating and analyzing the first derivatives and second derivatives of attenuation with respect to the coordinates and also doing the differential pathlength factors and first derivatives of the attenuation with respect to the absorption coefficient from the attenuation data cube. When analyzing the hemoglobin derivatives in tissues, the appropriate separation distances are 3-5cm and the value of its corresponding differential pathlength factors are from 3.5 to 5. These data agree with the preceding experimental data.
Astronomical Surveys and Big Data

Abstract Recent all-sky and large-area astronomical surveys and their catalogued data over the whole range of electromagnetic spectrum, from γ-rays to radio waves, are reviewed, including such as Fermi-GLAST and INTEGRAL in γ-ray, ROSAT, XMM and Chandra in X-ray, GALEX in UV, SDSS and several POSS I and POSS II-based catalogues (APM, MAPS, USNO, GSC) in the optical range, 2MASS in NIR, WISE and AKARI IRC in MIR, IRAS and AKARI FIS in FIR, NVSS and FIRST in radio range, and many others, as well as the most important surveys giving optical images (DSS I and II, SDSS, etc.), proper motions (Tycho, USNO, Gaia), variability (GCVS, NSVS, ASAS, Catalina, Pan-STARRS), and spectroscopic data (FBS, SBS, Case, HQS, HES, SDSS, CALIFA, GAMA). An overall understanding of the coverage along the whole wavelength range and comparisons between various surveys are given: galaxy redshift surveys, QSO/AGN, radio, Galactic structure, and Dark Energy surveys. Astronomy has entered the Big Data era, with Astrophysical Virtual Observatories and Computational Astrophysics playing an important role in using and analyzing big data for new discoveries.
Measuring Individual Bene(cid:28)ts of Medical Treatments Using Longitudinal Hospital Data with Non-Ignorable Missing Responses Caused by Patient Discharge: Application to the Study of Bene(cid:28)ts of Pain Management Post Spinal Fusion

Electronic health records (EHR) provide valuable resources for longitudinal studies and understanding risk factors associated with poor clinical outcomes. However, they may not contain complete follow-ups, and the missing data may not be at random since hospital discharge may depend in part on expected but unrecorded clinical outcomes that occur after patient discharge. These non-ignorable missing data requires appropriate analysis methods. Here, we are interested in measuring and analyzing individual treatment bene(cid:28)ts of medical treatments in patients recorded in EHR databases. We present a method for predicting individual
DNA brick crystals with prescribed depths

We describe a general framework for constructing two-dimensional crystals with prescribed depth and sophisticated three-dimensional features. These crystals may serve as scaffolds for the precise spatial arrangements of functional materials for diverse applications. The crystals are self-assembled from single-stranded DNA components called DNA bricks. We demonstrate the experimental construction of DNA brick crystals that can grow to micron-size in the lateral dimensions with precisely controlled depth up to 80 nanometers. They can be designed to display user-specified sophisticated three-dimensional nanoscale features, such as continuous or discontinuous cavities and channels, and to pack DNA helices at parallel and perpendicular angles relative to the plane of the crystals.
COMPARISON OF DIVERSITY OF TYPE IIB SUPERNOVAE WITH ASYMMETRY IN CASSIOPEIA A USING LIGHT ECHOES

We compare the diversity of spectral line velocities in a large sample of type IIb supernovae (SNe IIb) with the expected asphericity in the explosion, as measured from the light echoes (LEs) of Cassiopeia A (Cas A), which was a historical galactic SN IIb. We revisit the results of Rest et al., who used LEs to observe Cas A from multiple lines of sight and hence determine its asphericity, as seen in the velocity of three spectral lines (He i λ5876, Hα, and the Ca ii near-infrared (NIR) triplet). We confirm and improve on this measurement by reproducing the effect of the LEs in the spectra of several extragalactic SNe IIb found in the literature as well as mean SN IIb spectra recently created by Liu et al. and comparing these to the observed light echo spectra of Cas A, including their associated uncertainties. In order to quantify the accuracy of this comparison, we smooth the light echo spectra of Cas A using Gaussian processes and use a Monte Carlo method to measure the absorption velocities of these three features in the spectra. We then test the hypothesis that the diversity of ejecta velocities seen in SNe IIb can be explained by asphericity. We do this by comparing the range of velocities seen in the different LEs, and hence different lines of sight, of Cas A to that seen in the population of SNe IIb. We conclude that these two ranges are of the same order and thus asphericity could be enough to explain the diversity in the expansion velocity alone.
Education Expansion and High-Skill Job Opportunities for Workers: Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats?

IZA DP No. 15687 OCTOBER 2022 Education Expansion and High-Skill Job Opportunities for Workers: Does a Rising Tide Lift All Boats? * We examine how education expansions affect the job opportunities for workers with and without the new education. To identify causal effects, we exploit a quasi-random establishment of Universities of Applied Sciences (UASs), bachelor-granting three-year colleges that teach and conduct applied research. By applying machine-learning methods to job advertisement data, we analyze job content before and after the education expansion. We find that, in regions with the newly established UASs, not only job descriptions of the new UAS graduates but also job descriptions of workers without this degree (i.e., middle-skilled workers with vocational training) contain more high-skill job content. This upskilling in job content is driven by an increase in high-skill R&Drelated tasks and linked to employment and wage gains. The task spillovers likely occur because UAS graduates with applied research skills build a bridge between middle-skilled workers and traditional university graduates, facilitating the integration of the former into R&D-related tasks. JEL Classification: I23, J23, J24
INTENTION TO USE FINANCING PRODUCTS OF BANK MUAMALAT IN POLEWALI MANDAR

This study aims to examine the effect of attitudes, subjective norms, and knowledge of the intention to use Muamalat bank financial products in Kabupaten Polewali Mandar. Data collection and information needed in this study are primarily data where data obtained directly from the research subjects in the form of questionnaires. This study uses the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and linear regression analysis. This study's results indicate the influence simultaneously and partially on the variable attitude, subjective norms, and knowledge of the intention to use Muamalat bank financial products.
Casimir and Casimir-Polder forces with dissipation from first principles

We consider Casimir-Polder and Casimir forces with finite dissipation by coupling heat baths to the dipoles introducing, this way, dissipation from 'first principles'. We derive a representation of the free energy as an integral over real frequencies, which can be viewd as an generalization of the 'remarkable formula' introduced by Ford et. al. 1985. For instance, we obtain a nonperturbative representation for the atom-atom and atom-wall interactions. We investigate several limiting cases. From the limit $T\to0$ we show that the third law of thermodynamics cannot be violated within the given approach, where the dissipation parameter cannot depend on temperature 'by construction'. We conclude, that the given approach is insufficient to resolve the thermodynamic puzzle connected with the Drude model when inserted into the Lifshitz formula. Further we consider the transition to Matsubara representation and discuss modifications of the contribution from the zeroth Matsubara frequency.
Children’s Influence on Consumption-Related Decisions in Single-Mother Families: A Review and Research Agenda

Although social scientists have identified diverse behavioral patterns among children from dissimilarly structured families, marketing scholars have progressed little in relating family structure to consumption-related decisions. In particular, the roles played by members of single-mother families—which may include live-in grandparents, mother’s unmarried partner, and step-father with or without step-sibling(s)—may affect children’s influence on consumption-related decisions. For example, to offset a parental authority dynamic introduced by a new stepfather, the work-related constraints imposed on a breadwinning mother, or the imposition of adult-level household responsibilities on children, single-mother families may attend more to their children’s product preferences. a profile that includes socio-economic, behavioral, and psychological aspects, efficient and socially responsible marketing to single-mother buying who who differentiate single-mother our threefold goal is (1) to consolidate and highlight gaps in existing theory applied to studying children’s influence on consumption-related decision making in single-mother families, and (2) to propose a hybrid framework that merges two theories conducive to such research, and (3) to identify promising research propositions for future research.
An introduction to quantum machine learning

Machine learning algorithms learn a desired input-output relation from examples in order to interpret new inputs. This is important for tasks such as image and speech recognition or strategy optimisation, with growing applications in the IT industry. In the last couple of years, researchers investigated if quantum computing can help to improve classical machine learning algorithms. Ideas range from running computationally costly algorithms or their subroutines efficiently on a quantum computer to the translation of stochastic methods into the language of quantum theory. This contribution gives a systematic overview of the emerging field of quantum machine learning. It presents the approaches as well as technical details in an accessible way, and discusses the potential of a future theory of quantum learning.
ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University ScholarWorks @ Georgia State University Systems Biology from Virus to Humans Systems Biology from Virus to Humans

Natural infection and then recovery are considered to be the most effective means for hosts to build protective immunity. Thus, mimicking natural infection of pathogens, many live attenuated vaccines such as influenza virus, and yellow fever vaccine 17D were developed and have been successfully used to induce protective immunity. However, humans fail to generate long-term protective immunity to some pathogens after natural infection such as influenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) even if they survive initial infections. Many vaccines are suboptimal since much mortality is still occurring, which is exampled by influenza and tuberculosis. It is critically important to increase our understanding on protein components of pathogens and vaccines as well as cellular and host responses to infections and vaccinations. Here, we highlight recent advances in gene transcripts and protein analysis results in the systems biology to enhance our understanding of viral pathogens, vaccines, and host cell responses.
THE IMPACT OF INTER-ORGANISATIONAL NETWORK STRUCTURES ON RESEARCH OUTCOMES FOR ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TECHNOLOGIES

: The purpose of this study is to empirically explore the impact of inter-organizational network structures, such as alliances, on the research outcomes of artificial intelligence technologies during the adoption and diffusion phases of their lifecycle. The optimal inter-organizational network structure varies depending on the characteristics of the technology, industry and product. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology is rapidly being put to practical use, especially in the last few years, in a wide range of business domains, due to improvements in hardware performance and the increasing collection and use of big data. In collecting and using big data, collaboration among multiple organizations can be more advantageous than activities by a single organization, and the relationships among organizations are thought to have an impact on the expansion of research results. Nevertheless, the optimal structure of inter-organisational relations is thought to be influenced by the characteristics of the industry and products that use artificial intelligence technology, so we collected actual cases and carried out exploratory analysis. As a research method, we collected information about the cooperation between organizations related to artificial intelligence from press releases and newspaper articles, and analyzed the network structure between the organizations by supporting the method of social network analysis. The number of registered patents on artificial intelligence was used as an index of the research results. As a result of the statistical analysis, the research results of the organizations with weak network ties were large, mainly in the basic technology area. On the other hand, in the practical technology, there were some areas where the strong network of ties led to high research results.
Effects of grain growth on the interstellar polarization curve

We apply the time evolution of grain size distributions by accretion and coagulation found in our previous work to the modelling of the wavelength dependence of interstellar linear polarization. We especially focus on the parameters of the Serkowski curve $K$ and $\lambda_{\max}$ characterizing the width and the maximum wavelength of this curve, respectively. We use aligned silicate and non-aligned carbonaceous spheroidal particles with different aspect ratios $a/b$. The imperfect alignment of grains with sizes larger than a cut-off size $r_{V,\rm cut}$ is considered. We find that the evolutionary effects on the polarization curve are negligible in the original model with commonly used material parameters (hydrogen number density $n_\mathrm{H}=10^3$ cm$^{-3}$, gas temperature $T_\mathrm{gas}=10$~K, and the sticking probability for accretion $S_\mathrm{acc}=0.3$). Therefore, we apply the tuned model where the coagulation threshold of silicate is removed. In this model, $\lambda_{\max}$ displaces to the longer wavelengths and the polarization curve becomes wider ($K$ reduces) on time-scales $\sim (30 - 50) (n_\mathrm{H}/10^3 \mathrm{cm}^{-3})^{-1}$ Myr. The tuned models at $T < 30 (n_\mathrm{H}/10^3 \mathrm{cm}^{-3})^{-1} $ Myr and different values of the parameters $r_{V,\rm cut}$ can also explain the observed trend between $K$ and $\lambda_{\max}$. It is significant that the evolutionary effect appears in the perpendicular direction to the effect of $r_{V,\rm cut}$ on the $K$ - $\lambda_{\max}$ diagram. Very narrow polarization curves can be reproduced if we change the type of particles (prolate/oblate) and/or vary $a/b$.
BYU ScholarsArchive BYU ScholarsArchive Detailed Requirements for Robots in Autism Therapy Detailed Requirements for Robots in Autism Therapy

—Robot-based autism therapy is a rapidly developing area of research, with a wide variety of robots being developed for use in clinical settings. Specific, detailed requirements for robots and user interfaces are needed to provide guidelines for the creation of robots that more effectively assist therapists in autism therapy. This paper enumerates a set of requirements for a clinical humanoid robot and the associated human interface. The design of two humanoid robots and an intuitive and flexible user interface for use by therapists in the treatment of children with autism are described.