Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality Assessment and the Tension between Teaching and Research

In 1992, the United Kingdom government introduced a formal system for the assessment of teaching quality in higher education, the Teaching Quality Assessment (TQA). One of the key aims of the TQA was to encourage continuous quality improvement in teaching and learning. This study analyses the experiences of senior staff, responsible for the management and development of quality in teaching and learning, and explores the perceived impact of the TQA, on the value and esteem of teaching. Utilising semi-structured interviews, conducted with senior academic personnel of the 13 Scottish universities, it was noted that senior management perceived difficulties in making judgements about the teaching aspect of academic work and were reluctant to promote staff on the basis of teaching performance. The respondents' statements further indicated that this reluctance was compounded by the continuing tension between teaching and research, in which research-based criteria took precedence over other matters. These findings are in line with previous research in the United States and Australia, which has suggested that the prioritisation of research may have created disincentives to the development of innovative teaching and learning processes. The TQA, in the United Kingdom, has fallen short of its goal of raising the profile of teaching, as an activity in higher education, primarily because competing demands for research output have taken precedence over attempts to improve teaching.
Circulating Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein-4 (IGFBP-4) is not Regulated by Parathyroid Hormone and Vitamin D in vivo: Evidence from Children with Rickets

Objective: Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-4 (IGFBP-4), inhibits IGF actions under a variety of experimental conditions. Parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1.25-hydroxy(OH)vitamin D, IGF-I, IGF-II and transforming growth factor (TGF)-b are the major regulators of IGFBP-4 production in vitro. However, little is known about the in vivo regulation of circulating IGFBP-4 in humans. Methods: We measured serum concentrations of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), PTH, vitamin D, IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and IGFBP-4 in infants (n=22) with nutritional rickets before and after treatment of rickets with vitamin D (300 000 U single dose po). Results: The mean±SD age of the patients was 1.3±1.6 years (range 0.2-3). Serum Ca and P increased, whereas ALP and PTH decreased after treatment (Ca from 6.6±1.4 to 9.5±1.6 mg/dL, P from 3.9±1.4 to 5.4±0.8 mg/dL, ALP from 2590±2630 to 1072±776 IU/mL and PTH from 407±248 to 27.4±20.8 ng/dL, respectively). Vitamin D levels were low (7.8±2.5 ng/mL) and increased after treatment (18.1±4.0 ng/mL, p<0.001). Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels both increased after treatment (IGF-I: 13.5±12.2 vs. 23.7±14.2 ng/mL, p<0.001 and IGFBP-3: 1108±544 vs. 1652±424 ng/mL, p<0.001). However, serum IGFBP-4 levels did not change significantly after treatment (18.8±8.0 vs. 21.5±4.8 ng/mL). No correlation between PTH and IGF-I, IGFBP-3 or IGFBP-4 was detected. Significant correlations were observed between PTH and ALP (r=0.53, p<0.05), and between IGF-I and IGFBP-3 (r=0.46, p<0.05). Conclusion: The results demonstrate that contrary to in vivo studies, circulating IGFBP-4 levels are not influenced by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D deficiency rickets since IGFBP-4 levels did not change after normalization of PTH with vitamin D treatment. Conflict of interest:None declared.
Dosage Calculation for Intravenous Thrombolysis of Ischemic Stroke: To Weigh or to Estimate

Background: Estimation is a widely used method of assessing the weight of patients with acute stroke. Because the dosage of tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is weight-dependent, errors in estimation lead to incorrect dosing. Methods: We installed a ground-level scale in the computed tomography (CT) suite of our hospital and also integrated a scale into the CT table of our Mobile Stroke Unit in order to prospectively assess the differences between reported, estimated, and measured weights of acute stroke patients. An independent rater asked patients to report their weight. The patients’ weights were also estimated by the treating physician and measured with a scale. Differences between reported, estimated, and measured weights were analyzed statistically. Results: For 100 consecutive patients, weighing was possible without treatment delays. Weights estimated by the physician diverged from measured weights by 10% or more for 27 patients and by 20% or more for 6 patients. Weights reported by the patient diverged from measured weights by 10% or more for 12 patients. Weights reported by the patients differed significantly less from measured weights (mean, 4.1 ± 3.1 kg) than did weights estimated by the physician (5.7 ± 4.4 kg; p = 0.003). Conclusion: This first prospective study of weight assessment in acute stroke shows that the use of an easily accessible scale makes it feasible to weigh patients with acute stroke without the treatment delay associated with additional patient transfers. Physicians’ estimates of patients’ weights demonstrated substantial aberrations from measured weights. Avoiding these deviations would improve the accuracy of tPA dosage.
Vasopressin‐stimulated [3H]‐inositol phosphate and [3H]‐phosphatidylbutanol accumulation in A10 vascular smooth muscle cells

1 The characteristics of vasopressin‐stimulated phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) and phosphatidylcholine (PtdCh) hydrolysis were examined in A10 vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), by assessing the formation of [3H]‐inositol phosphates ([3H]‐IP) and the accumulation of the phospholipase D (PLD) specific product, [3H]‐phosphatidylbutanol ([3H]‐PtdBuOH). 2 Vasopressin ([Arg8]‐VP) and a number of related analogues stimulated the accumulation of [3H]‐IP and [3H]‐PtdBuOH with similar EC50 values, generating the same rank order of potency for each response (Arg8‐VP = vasotocin = Lys8‐VP ≫ oxytocin). 3 Inhibition of vasopressin‐stimulated [3H]‐IP and [3H]‐PtdBuOH accumulation by the V1a receptor antagonists, Des‐Gly9[β‐mercapto‐β,β,‐cyclopentamethylene propionyl, O‐Et‐Tyr2,Val4,Arg8]‐vasopressin generated similar IC50 values suggesting that both these responses are mediated through the activation of a single V1a receptor subtype. 4 The onset of vasopressin‐stimulated inositol‐1,4,5‐trisphosphate (Ins(1,4,5)P3) mass formation proceeded [3H]‐PtdBuOH accumulation indicating that PtdCh hydrolysis was activated subsequent to PtdIns(4,5)P2 breakdown. 5 The protein kinase C (PKC) activator, tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA) also stimulated [3H]‐PtdBuOH accumulation. Preincubation with the PKC inhibitor Ro‐31–8220 abolished both TPA‐ and vasopressin‐stimulated [3H]‐PtdBuOH, suggesting that the intermediate activation of protein kinase C is involved in the regulation of PLD by vasopressin. 6 Pretreatment of the A10 VSMC with Ro‐31–8220 (100 μm) also potentiated vasopressin‐stimulated Ins(1,4,5)P3 mass formation. Therefore stimulation of PKC may have opposing roles in the regulation of agonist activation of PLC and PLD. 7 Preincubation of the cells with EGTA, verapamil, or the receptor‐operated calcium channel antagonist, SK&F 96365, reduced vasopressin‐stimulated [3H]‐PtdBuOH accumulation by approximately 30%, suggesting that influx of calcium has a significant role to play in the regulation of vasopressin‐stimulated PLD activity.
Acoustic Indices for Biodiversity Assessment and Landscape Investigation

Jérôme Sueur1), Almo Farina2), Amandine Gasc1,3), Nadia Pieretti2), Sandrine Pavoine3,4) 1) Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Département Systématique et Évolution, UMR 7205-CNRS ISYEB, 45 rue Buffon, Paris, France. sueur@mnhn.fr 2) Department of Basic Sciences and Foundations, Urbino University, Urbino, Italy 3) Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Département Ecologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité, UMR 7204 CNRS-UPMC CESCO, 55-61 rue Buffon, 75005 Paris, France 4) Mathematical Ecology Research Group, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3PS, UK
Nonsingular systems of generalized Sylvester equations: An algorithmic approach

We consider the uniqueness of solution (i.e., nonsingularity) of systems of r generalized Sylvester and ⋆‐Sylvester equations with n×n coefficients. After several reductions, we show that it is sufficient to analyze periodic systems having, at most, one generalized ⋆‐Sylvester equation. We provide characterizations for the nonsingularity in terms of spectral properties of either matrix pencils or formal matrix products, both constructed from the coefficients of the system. The proposed approach uses the periodic Schur decomposition and leads to a backward stable O(n3r) algorithm for computing the (unique) solution.
Proteomic Analysis Reveals Selective Impediment of Neuronal Remodeling upon Borna Disease Virus Infection

ABSTRACT The neurotropic virus Borna disease virus (BDV) persists in the central nervous systems of a wide variety of vertebrates and causes behavioral disorders. BDV represents an intriguing example of a virus whose persistence in neurons leads to altered brain function in the absence of overt cytolysis and inflammation. The bases of BDV-induced behavioral impairment remain largely unknown. To better characterize the neuronal response to BDV infection, we compared the proteomes of primary cultures of cortical neurons with and without BDV infection. We used two-dimensional liquid chromatography fractionation, followed by protein identification by nanoliquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. This analysis revealed distinct changes in proteins implicated in neurotransmission, neurogenesis, cytoskeleton dynamics, and the regulation of gene expression and chromatin remodeling. We also demonstrated the selective interference of BDV with processes related to the adaptative response of neurons, i.e., defects in proteins regulating synaptic function, global rigidification of the cytoskeleton network, and altered expression of transcriptional and translational repressors. Thus, this work provides a global view of the neuronal changes induced by BDV infection together with new clues to understand the mechanisms underlying the selective interference with neuronal plasticity and remodeling that characterizes BDV persistence.
Network failures support for traffic monitoring mechanisms in software-defined networks

Nowadays, monitoring per-flow metrics, such as throughput and delay, in OpenFlow networks represents an important input to implement traffic engineering approaches. Per-flow monitoring mechanisms require to uniquely identify the complete network path followed by all the packets of the corresponding flow. For example, in order to measure path delay, monitoring mechanisms regularly inject probe packets at the first switch of the path, such that these packets travel exactly along the same path of the corresponding flow till the last switch, which is in charge of sending them back to the network controller to compute the path delay. However, while a flow is active, any of the switches of the corresponding path can suffer different kinds of failure. In this situation, a new path must be recomputed for this flow by the controller in a timely manner, and the monitoring tool must be also updated. In this paper we present a mechanism which improves the behavior of per-flow monitoring modules allowing them to react in the face of network failures.
On the use of photoacoustics to detect red blood cell aggregation

The feasibility of detecting red blood cell (RBC) aggregation with photoacoustics (PAs) was investigated theoretically and experimentally using human and porcine RBCs. The theoretical PA signals and spectra generated from such samples were examined for several hematocrit levels and aggregates sizes. The effect of a finite transducer bandwidth on the received PA signal was also examined. The simulation results suggest that the dominant frequency of the PA signals from non-aggregated RBCs decreases towards clinical frequency ranges as the aggregate size increases. The experimentally measured mean spectral power increased by ~6 dB for the largest aggregate compared to the non-aggregated samples. Such results confirm the theoretical predictions and illustrate the potential of using PA imaging for detecting RBC aggregation.
Improved cortical thickness measurement from MR images using partial volume estimation

Accurate cortical thickness estimation is important for the study of many neurodegenerative diseases. Amongst the approaches previously proposed in the literature, mesh based techniques typically lack computational efficiency, whereas voxel based techniques tend to be faster but are less accurate. The aim of this work is to propose a novel voxel based method using the Laplacian definition of thickness, being both accurate and computationally efficient. A subvoxel estimate of the location of the boundary is obtained through ray-casting using both partial volume estimation and the direction of the streamlines. This estimate is then used to initialise the boundary conditions when computing the length of the streamlines. The approach was validated on synthetic phantoms and real data, showing an improved accuracy and reproducibility.
Endovascular Management of Wide‐Necked Aneurysms

Learning Objectives: After reading this article, the participant should be able to:Recall the causes of difficulties that arise in endovascular treatment of wide‐necked aneurysms.Describe the indications, techniques, and potential complications of the endovascular treatment of wide‐necked aneurysms.Identify the currently available and potential future options to be used in the endovascular treatment of wide‐necked aneurysms.
Robust Face Detection Using Circular Multi Block Local Binary Pattern and Integral Haar Features

In real world applications, it is very challenging to implement a good detector which gives best performance with great speed and accuracy. There is always a trade-off in terms of speed and accuracy, when we consider performance of a face detector. In the current work we have implemented a robust face detector which uses the new concept called integral Haar histograms with CMBLBP or CSMBLBP (circular multi block local binary operator). Our detector runs for real world applications and its performance is far better than any of the present detector. It works with good speed and enough accuracy with varying face sizes, varying illumination, varying angle, different face expressions, rotation, scaling like challenges which are mostly issues of concern in the domain of face detection. We use Matlab and Image processing tool box for the implementation of the above mentioned technique.
Coping Abilities and Prisoners’ Perception of Suicidal Risk Management

Two hundred prisoners, in Scottish penal establishments, identified ‘at risk’ of suicidal behaviour were interviewed. Difficulty coping with imprisonment was associated with previous suicidal behaviour prior to custody, difficulties mixing with other prisoners, fewer friends in prison, previous psychological/psychiatric treatment whilst imprisoned, and history of alcohol-related problems. Level of coping ability was not related to whether or not this was the first time in custody. However, the longer the period currently in custody, the greater the difficulty coping. Prisoners reported the main disadvantages of location on suicidal supervision as sensory deprivation, degrading aspects of the regime, negative emotional effects and social isolation. Benefits reported of the regime included prevention of suicide and self-injury, time for reflection, solitude and protection. Results are discussed in relation to prisoner characteristics, coping abilities and methods of achieving a humane and safe environment for those ‘at risk’.
Gate-Variable Optical Transitions in Graphene

Two-dimensional graphene monolayers and bilayers exhibit fascinating electrical transport behaviors. Using infrared spectroscopy, we find that they also have strong interband transitions and that their optical transitions can be substantially modified through electrical gating, much like electrical transport in field-effect transistors. This gate dependence of interband transitions adds a valuable dimension for optically probing graphene band structure. For a graphene monolayer, it yields directly the linear band dispersion of Dirac fermions, whereas in a bilayer, it reveals a dominating van Hove singularity arising from interlayer coupling. The strong and layer-dependent optical transitions of graphene and the tunability by simple electrical gating hold promise for new applications in infrared optics and optoelectronics.
The molecular cloning and identification of a gene product specifically required for nuclear movement in Aspergillus nidulans

A temperature-sensitive mutation in the nudC gene (nudC3) of Aspergillus nidulans specifically prevents the microtubule-based movement of nuclei in this organism at the restrictive temperature. The mutation does not affect short term growth, nuclear division, or the movement of other subcellular organelles. Immunofluorescence analysis of cells blocked at the restrictive temperature, using antitubulin antibodies, shows that the inability of nuclei to move under these conditions is not related to an inability of a particular class of microtubule to form. The inability to move nuclei in this mutant is also shown to be independent of both mitosis and the number of nuclei in the cell as a double mutant carrying both nudC3 and a cell cycle- specific mutation blocks with a single immotile nucleus at the restrictive temperature. The molecular cloning of the nudC gene and sequence analysis reveal that it encodes a previously unidentified protein of 22 kd. Affinity-purified antisera reactive to the nudC protein cross reacts to a single protein of 22 kD in Aspergillus protein extracts. This purified sera failed to reveal a subcellular location for the nudC protein at the level of indirect immunofluorescence. The data presented suggest that the 22-kD nudC gene product functions by interacting between microtubules and nuclei and/or is involved in the generation of force used to move nuclei during interphase.
An alternate method for determining functional gain of hearing aids.

The functional gain of a hearing aid typically is determined by comparing aided and unaided behavioral thresholds. With this method, however, true gain may be underestimated in frequency regions of normal or near-normal hearing sensitivity (i.e., in cases of sloping, rising, or trough-shaped audiograms). Internal hearing-aid noise and/or amplified room noise imposes a lower limit on obtainable aided thresholds. In these cases, comparing aided and unaided acoustic-reflex thresholds may be a valuable clinical alternative to traditional means of determining real-ear gain. This study compared sound-field behavioral threshold and acoustic-reflex threshold estimates of functional gain for individuals with a variety of audiometric configurations. The sound-field behavioral threshold measurements were found to underestimate functional gain if unaided thresholds approached the normal hearing range. In regions of greater hearing loss, behavioral and acoustic-reflex estimates of functional gain were in good agreement.
MR angiography of saccular aneurysms after treatment with Guglielmi detachable coils: preliminary experience.

PURPOSE To review our experience using MR angiography to assess the cerebral vasculature after aneurysmal treatment with Guglielmi detachable coils (GDCs). METHODS Forty three-dimensional time-of-flight MR angiographic studies were performed in 23 patients after endovascular aneurysmal therapy with GDCs. Digital subtraction angiographic (DSA) studies were evaluated retrospectively for the following findings: parent artery patency, branch vessel patency, residual flow within the aneurysm, and residual aneurysmal neck. The MR angiographic examinations were inspected for the same findings, as well as for the degree of signal loss surrounding the coil mass. Clinical histories were reviewed to determine the impact of MR angiographic findings on therapy. RESULTS Patency status of the parent artery was correctly identified on 25 of 26 MR angiographic examinations with DSA confirmation. Thirty-four of 37 patent branch vessels were identified by MR angiography. Residual neck was correctly identified in seven studies of six aneurysms, with no false-negative or false-positive results. Intraaneurysmal flow was correctly identified in five of eight studies of six aneurysms with residual flow shown by DSA. Artifact and hemorrhage mimicked residual flow in two of 18 MR angiographic studies of aneurysms with no residual flow shown by DSA. In eight patients, MR angiography provided clinically useful information that affected therapy. CONCLUSIONS MR angiography can identify flow within an aneurysm after treatment with GDCs as well as in the adjacent parent and branch vessels. This technique may be a useful adjunct to DSA in some clinical situations.
Graffiti vs. unistrokes: an empirical comparison

Unistrokes and Graffiti are stylus-based text entry techniques. While Unistrokes is recognized in academia, Graffiti is commercially prevalent in PDAs. Though numerous studies have investigated the usability of Graffiti, none exists to compare its long-term performance with that of Unistrokes. This paper presents a longitudinal study comparing entry speed, correction rate, stroke duration, and preparation (i.e., inter-stroke) time of these two techniques. Over twenty fifteen-phrase sessions, performance increased from 4.0 wpm to 11.4 wpm for Graffiti and from 4.1 wpm to 15.8 wpm for Unistrokes. Correction rates were high for both techniques. However, rates for Graffiti remained relatively consistent at 26%, while those for Unistrokes decreased from 43% to 16%.
Fast Screening of Antibacterial Compounds from Fusaria

Bio-guided screening is an important method to identify bioactive compounds from fungi. In this study we applied a fast digital time-lapse microscopic method for assessment of the antibacterial properties of secondary metabolites from the fungal genus Fusarium. Here antibacterial effects could be detected for antibiotic Y, aurofusarin, beauvericin, enniatins and fusaric acid after six hours of cultivation. The system was then used in a bio-guided screen of extracts from 14 different Fusarium species, which had been fractionated by HPLC. In this screen, fractions containing the red pigments aurofusarin and bikaverin showed effects against strains of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. The IC50 for aurofusarin against Lactobacillus acidophilus was 8 µM, and against Bifidobacterium breve it was 64 µM. Aurofusarin only showed an effect on probiotic bacteria, leading to the speculation that only health-promoting bacteria with a positive effect in the gut system are affected.
Low-Order Harmonic Suppression for Open-End Winding IM With Dodecagonal Space Vector Using a Single DC-Link Supply

This paper proposes a technique to suppress low-order harmonics for an open-end winding induction motor drive for a full modulation range. One side of the machine is connected to a main inverter with a dc power supply, whereas the other inverter is connected to a capacitor from the other side. Harmonic suppression (with complete elimination of fifth- and seventh-order harmonics) is achieved by realizing dodecagonal space vectors using a combined pulsewidth modulation (PWM) control for the two inverters. The floating capacitor voltage is inherently controlled during the PWM operation. The proposed PWM technique is shown to be valid for the entire modulation range, including overmodulation and six-step mode of operation of the main inverter. Experimental results have been presented to validate the proposed technique.