Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Utility of Education and Attractiveness for Females' Status Attainment Through Marriage.

A study of a U.S. national sample of females ages 25 through 40 reveals a moderate association of education, and a weaker association of physical attractiveness, with husbands' occupational prestige. Consistent with earlier findings reported by Elder, the contribution of education to females' status attainment through marriage seems to vary positively with level of origins and the contribution of attractiveness seems to vary inversely, except that the apparent effects for farmers' daughters resemble those for high-origin rather than low-origin females. The contribution of attractiveness seems almost nil for both farmers' daughters and high-origin females and does not seem to vary systematically by age. Among daughters of low-manual workers, education and attractiveness seem to interact, so that each enhances the utility of the other. It is concluded that the exchange involved in mate selection must be very complex and that the major exchange theories of mate selection probably underestimate the influence of highly variable needs, preferences and tastes.
Rhotekin, a New Putative Target for Rho Bearing Homology to a Serine/Threonine Kinase, PKN, and Rhophilin in the Rho-binding Domain*

Using a mouse embryo cDNA library, we conducted a two-hybrid screening to identify new partners for the small GTPase Rho. One clone obtained by this procedure contained a novel cDNA of 291 base pairs and interacted strongly with RhoA and RhoC, weakly with RhoB, and not at all with Rac1 and Cdc42Hs. Full-length cDNAs were then isolated from a mouse brain library. While multiple splicing variants were common, we identified three cDNAs with an identical open reading frame encoding a 61-kDa protein that we named rhotekin (from the Japanese “teki,” meaning target). The N-terminal part of rhotekin, encoded by the initial cDNA and produced in bacteria as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein, exhibited in vitro binding to 35S-labeled guanosine 5′-3-O-(thio)triphosphate-bound Rho, but not to Rac1 or Cdc42Hs in ligand overlay assays. In addition, this peptide inhibited both endogenous and GTPase-activating protein-stimulated Rho GTPase activity. The amino acid sequence of this region shares ~30% identity with the Rho-binding domains of rhophilin and a serine/threonine kinase, PKN, two other Rho target proteins that we recently identified (Watanabe, G., Saito, Y., Madaule, P., Ishizaki, T., Fujisawa, K., Morii, N., Mukai, H., Ono, Y., Kakizuka, A., and Narumiya, S. (1996) Science 271, 645-648). Thus, not only is rhotekin a novel partner for Rho, but it also belongs to a wide family of proteins that bear a consensus Rho-binding sequence at the N terminus. To our knowledge, this is the first conserved sequence for Rho effectors, and we have termed this region Rho effector motif class 1.
The Significance of Relationships: Academic Engagement and Achievement among Newcomer Immigrant Youth

Background/Context Newcomer immigrant students are entering schools in the United States in unprecedented numbers. As they enter new school contexts, they face a number of challenges in their adjustment. Previous literature suggested that relationships in school play a particularly crucial role in promoting socially competent behavior in the classroom and in fostering academic engagement and school performance. Purpose The aim of this study was to examine the role of school-based relationships in engagement and achievement in a population of newcomer immigrant students. Research Design The Longitudinal Immigrant Student Adaptation Study (LISA) used a mixed-methods approach, combining longitudinal, interdisciplinary, qualitative, and quantitative approaches to document adaptation patterns of 407 recently arrived immigrant youth from Central America, China, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Mexico over the course of five years. Based on data from the last year of the study, we examine how the role of relationships mediates newcomers’ challenges with academic engagement and performance. We identify factors that account for patterns of academic engagement and achievement, including country of origin, gender, maternal education, English language proficiency, and school-based relationships. Findings Multiple regression analyses suggest that supportive school-based relationships strongly contribute to both the academic engagement and the school performance of the participants. Qualitative interview data and case studies serve to elucidate the relational processes inside and outside school that influence different academic outcomes.
Reconfigurable fast filter bank based on node-modulation

This paper presents a new reconfigurable fast filter bank based on node-modulation. Compared with current reconfigurable filter bank, the proposed method has stronger control ability to the sub-bands. Not only the bandwidths but also the center frequencies of sub-bands can be controlled flexibility and accurately in a wide range without changing the filter bank structure. The filter bank is achieved based on a combination of variable digital filter (VDF), fast filter bank and node-modulation unit. Because the VDF have linear-phase, the proposed filter also keep the linear-phase. Design example shows that the proposed filter bank have better flexibility and comparable complexity.
Mental Preparation Strategies of Olympic Archers During Competition: an exploratory investigation

Extensive interviews were conducted with all eight members of the 1996 Italian Olympic archery team regarding psychological factors associated with excellence and mental preparation strategies adopted during competition. Hierarchical inductive analysis revealed that positive expectations, concentration, facilitating emotions, body awareness and technical preparation were the mental aspects described by archers necessary for effective performance. Furthermore, the archers outlined a variety of mental preparation strategies including (a) autonomic control (emotion control, somatic control, internal dialogue, and focus on shooting), (b) imagery (visualization, self‐talk), (c) task‐focused concentration (body and action control, thought control) and (d) reaction to mistake (focus on correct execution, mistake disregard, shooting analysis). The idiosyncratic nature of the athlete's competition strategies highlights the need of gaining information about the particular demands of the sport and the mental procedu.
Inhibition of Atherosclerosis Associated with Reduction of Arterial Intramural Stress in Rabbits

Atherosclerotic lesions commonly develop at arterial branch sites, which are also the sites of high arterial Intramural stress produced by Intralumlnal pressure. We Investigated the effect of reduced Intramural stress on the development of atherosclerotic lesions. We exposed the origin of the left renal artery In five rabbits and the aortic bifurcation in another five, lowered the mean arterial pressure to 35 to 45 mm Hg, and poured a dental acrylic liquid around the branch to form a rigid cast When the rabbits recovered and the arterial pressure Increased to normal, the casts prevented the arteries from expanding, thereby maintaining a low Intramural stress. These rabbits plus two unoperated, two sham-operated, two with silicons rubber casts placed at similar pressures, and four with casts placed at 95 mm Hg pressure were given a 2% cholesterol-enriched diet for 7 to 11 weeks, and then their arteries were examined. In all rabbits, atherosclerotic lesions developed at the origins of the Intercostal, cellac, superior mesenterlc, and both renal arteries, and at the aortic bifurcation, with these notable exceptions: no lesions developed at the origins of casted renal arteries or at the casted aortic bifurcations when the cast was placed at a low pressure. Measurements of the diameter and thickness of the aorta In the left renal branch and aortic bifurcation areas, with and without the casts, indicated that there was no significant narrowing of the aortic lumen or thinning of the aorta due to the cast In conclusion, the Inhibition of the development of atherosclerotic lesions appears to be associated with the reduction of arterial Intramural stress.
Medical student milestones in emergency medicine.

OBJECTIVES Medical education is a continuum from medical school through residency to unsupervised clinical practice. There has been a movement toward competency-based medical education prompted by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) using milestones to assess competence. While implementation of milestones for residents sets specific standards for transition to internship, there exists a need for the development of competency-based instruments to assess medical students as they progress toward internship. The objective of this study was to develop competency-based milestones for fourth-year medical students completing their emergency medicine (EM) clerkships (regardless of whether the students were planning on entering EM) using a rigorous method to attain validity evidence. METHODS A literature review was performed to develop a list of potential milestones. An expert panel, which included a medical student and 23 faculty members (four program directors, 16 clerkship directors, and five assistant deans) from 19 different institutions, came to consensus on these milestones through two rounds of a modified Delphi protocol. The Delphi technique builds content validity and is an accepted method to develop consensus by eliciting expert opinions through multiple rounds of questionnaires. RESULTS Of the initial 39 milestones, 12 were removed at the end of round 1 due to low agreement on importance of the milestone or because of redundancy with other milestones. An additional 12 milestones were revised to improve clarity or eliminate redundancy, and one was added based on expert panelists' suggestions. Of the 28 milestones moving to round 2, consensus with a high level of agreement was achieved for 24. These were mapped to the ACGME EM residency milestone competency domains, as well as the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) core entrustable professional activities for entering residency to improve content validity. CONCLUSIONS This study found consensus support by experts for a list of 24 milestones relevant to the assessment of fourth-year medical student performance by the completion of their EM clerkships. The findings are useful for development of a valid method for assessing medical student performance as students approach residency.
Novel biosensor development for monitoring children's brain tumor

In this paper we present our current joint work (Georgia Tech $Northwestern University) in developing diagnosis of children's brain cancer and lays down the requirements for fabricating, integrating and testing a bio compactable embedded RF cancer sensor for in vivo monitoring of the recurrence of brain tumor after treatment. The paper presents a detailed literature search on diagnosis of brain tumor. Several techniques used for the treatment and symptoms of recurrence of brain tumor is also presented. A case study done on a group of children is also presented. Through the study the parameters required for an in vivo sensor understood. Advanced bio materials and conductive polymers are used to fabricate a shape memory biosensor. The sensors response to a change in temperature and change in PhH of fluid. The sensor fabrication and its applications is in progress. The data collected till date and required improvements are presented at the conference
Particularistic Trust and General Trust: A Network Analysis in Chinese Organizations[1]

In this paper, I examine the structural positions in two different types of networks and their relationship to trust. I propose two types of trust: particularistic which is trust in specific other individuals and general trust in colleagues and the organization as a whole. The findings suggest that both centrality in the friendship network and the go-between position in advice networks are related to particularistic trust towards the other individuals in the networks. Particularistic trust, in turn, is associated with the two kinds of general trust. I introduce the Chinese concept of pao to explain the Chinese dynamic of trust formation in interpersonal networks.
Hidden Neural Networks

A general framework for hybrids of hidden Markov models (HMMs) and neural networks (NNs) called hidden neural networks (HNNs) is described. The article begins by reviewing standard HMMs and estimation by conditional maximum likelihood, which is used by the HNN. In the HNN, the usual HMM probability parameters are replaced by the outputs of state-specific neural networks. As opposed to many other hybrids, the HNN is normalized globally and therefore has a valid probabilistic interpretation. All parameters in the HNN are estimated simultaneously according to the discriminative conditional maximum likelihood criterion. The HNN can be viewed as an undirected probabilistic independence network (a graphical model), where the neural networks provide a compact representation of the clique functions. An evaluation of the HNN on the task of recognizing broad phoneme classes in the TIMIT database shows clear performance gains compared to standard HMMs tested on the same task.
The Mycobacterium tuberculosis DosR Regulon Assists in Metabolic Homeostasis and Enables Rapid Recovery from Nonrespiring Dormancy

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium tuberculosis survives in latently infected individuals, likely in a nonreplicating or dormancy-like state. The M. tuberculosis DosR regulon is a genetic program induced by conditions that inhibit aerobic respiration and prevent bacillus replication. In this study, we used a mutant incapable of DosR regulon induction to investigate the contribution of this regulon to bacterial metabolism during anaerobic dormancy. Our results confirm that the DosR regulon is essential for M. tuberculosis survival during anaerobic dormancy and demonstrate that it is required for metabolic processes that occur upon entry into and throughout the dormant state. Specifically, we showed that regulon mechanisms shift metabolism away from aerobic respiration in the face of dwindling oxygen availability and are required for maintaining energy levels and redox balance as the culture becomes anaerobic. We also demonstrated that the DosR regulon is crucial for rapid resumption of growth once M. tuberculosis exits an anaerobic or nitric oxide-induced nonrespiring state. In summary, the DosR regulon encodes novel metabolic mechanisms essential for M. tuberculosis to survive in the absence of respiration and to successfully transition rapidly between respiring and nonrespiring conditions without loss of viability.
An Improved Performance Direct-Drive Permanent Magnet Wind Generator Using a Novel Single-Layer Winding Layout

Direct-drive permanent magnet (PM) generators have become a strong contender in medium and large rating wind energy conversion systems as they not only provide higher efficiency and annual energy production, but also reduce the operational and maintenance cost. PM generators with nonoverlap single-layer windings provide a cost-effective design variation that eases manufacturing, reduces torque ripples, enhances voltage quality, and provides fault tolerant capability. The performance of such machines depends mainly on the proper selection of the pole and slot numbers, which results in negligible coupling between phases. The preferred slots per phase per pole (SPP) ratios eliminate the effect of low order harmonics in the stator magnetomotive force (MMF), and thereby the vibration and stray loss are reduced. This paper proposes a new three-phase winding configuration based on the 20 slots/18 poles five-phase PM machine. The proposed design is compared with the well-known 24 slots/20 poles three-phase PM machine. The comparison shows that the proposed generator offers reduced torque ripples, improved output voltage quality, and less core loss for the same machine volume.
p53-Independent Apoptosis Disrupts Early Organogenesis in Embryos Lacking Both Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated and Prkdc

The ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) protein and the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway play crucial roles in sensing and repairing DNA double-strand breaks in postnatal cells. However, each pathway is dispensable for early embryogenesis. Loss of both ATM and Prkdc/Ku is synthetically lethal, but neither the developmental processes perturbed nor the mechanisms of lethality have been determined by previous reports. Here, we show that ATM and Prkdc collaborate to maintain genomic stability during gastrulation and early organogenesis, a period of rapid proliferation and hypersensitivity to DNA damage. At E7.5 to E8.5, ATM−/−Prkdcscid/scid embryos displayed normal proliferation indices but exhibited excessive apoptosis and elevated expression of Ser15-phosphorylated p53. Thus, this crucial regulatory residue of p53 can be phosphorylated in the absence of ATM or Prkdc. However, loss of p53 did not abrogate or delay embryonic lethality, revealing that apoptosis is p53 independent in these in ATM−/−Prkdcscid/scid embryos. Because mice with combined disruptions of ATM and other NHEJ components (ligase IV, Artemis) are viable, our data suggest a novel NHEJ-independent function for Prkdc/Ku that is required to complete early embryogenesis in the absence of ATM. (Mol Cancer Res 2006;4(5):311–8)
Different regional effects of voluntary exercise on the mechanical and electrical properties of rat ventricular myocytes

Short‐term (6 weeks) voluntary wheel running exercise in young female rats that were in an active growth phase resulted in whole‐heart hypertrophy and myocyte concentric hypertrophy, when compared to sedentary controls. The cross‐sectional area of ventricular myocytes from trained rats was significantly greater than for those isolated from sedentary rats, with the greatest change in morphology seen in sub‐endocardial cells. There was no statistically significant effect of training on cell shortening in the absence of external mechanical loading, in [Ca2+]i transients, or in myofilament Ca2+ sensitivity (assessed during re‐lengthening following tetanic stimulation). Under the external mechanical load of carbon fibres, absolute force developed in myocytes from trained rats was significantly greater than in those from sedentary rats. This suggests that increased myocyte cross‐sectional area is a major contractile adaptation to exercise in this model. Training did not alter the passive mechanical properties of myocytes or the relative distribution of titin isomers, which was exclusively of the short, N2B form. However, training did increase the steepness of the active tension‐sarcomere length relationship, suggesting an exercise‐induced modulation of the Frank‐Starling mechanism. This effect would be expected to enhance cardiac contractility. Training lengthened the action potential duration of sub‐epicardial myocytes, reducing the transmural gradient in action potential duration. This observation may be important in understanding the cellular causes of T‐wave abnormalities found in the electrocardiograms of some athletes. Our study shows that voluntary exercise modulates the morphological, mechanical and electrical properties of cardiac myocytes, and that this modulation is dependent upon the regional origin of the myocytes.
Bacteriophages and Their Role in Food Safety

The interest for natural antimicrobial compounds has increased due to alterations in consumer positions towards the use of chemical preservatives in foodstuff and food processing surfaces. Bacteriophages fit in the class of natural antimicrobial and their effectiveness in controlling bacterial pathogens in agro-food industry has led to the development of different phage products already approved by USFDA and USDA. The majority of these products are to be used in farm animals or animal products such as carcasses, meats and also in agricultural and horticultural products. Treatment with specific phages in the food industry can prevent the decay of products and the spread of bacterial diseases and ultimately promote safe environments in animal and plant food production, processing, and handling. This is an overview of recent work carried out with phages as tools to promote food safety, starting with a general introduction describing the prevalence of foodborne pathogens and bacteriophages and a more detailed discussion on the use of phage therapy to prevent and treat experimentally induced infections of animals against the most common foodborne pathogens, the use of phages as biocontrol agents in foods, and also their use as biosanitizers of food contact surfaces.
Girls’ interactions with teachers in mixed physics classes: results of classroom observation

An observation schedule was developed to find out if girls have less interaction with teachers than boys in physics lessons. The schedule was intended to be used by a single observer with pencil and paper. It was also intended that the analysis of the data collected should be as straightforward as possible, without the need for video or audio playback, as all interpretation of the classroom interaction takes place during the live observation. It was found that boys received more ‘public’ interactions concerning the cognitive content of their physics lessons than girls. This seemed to be related to the higher incidence of boys calling out answers, rather than the teachers initiating more interactions with the boys.
Subsequent sexually transmitted infections among adolescent women with genital infection due to Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, or Trichomonas vaginalis.

OBJECTIVE To identify factors associated with subsequent sexually transmitted infection (STI) (within 1 year of initial infection) due to Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae or Trichomonas vaginalis. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING A sexually transmitted diseases clinic and four community-based primary care clinics for adolescents. PARTICIPANTS Female patients (ages 15 to 19 years) with initial diagnosis of chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomonas. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Subsequent infection by chlamydia, gonorrhea, or trichomonas. RESULTS More than 40% of subjects were subsequently infected by at least one STI. Reinfection was common, but infections with sexually transmitted organisms other than the initial infecting organism were also common. Predictors of subsequent infection were black race, gonorrhea as the initial infection, two or more sex partners in the previous 3 months, and inconsistent condom use. CONCLUSIONS Subsequent STI frequently follow an initial STI, but there is substantial variation in the causal organism. These data suggest the importance of comprehensive STI prevention programs for adolescents rather than organism-specific interventions.