Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Screened Intimacies: Tinder and the Swipe Logic

This article seeks to amplify discursive constructions of social connection through technology with an examination of the proposed and presumed intimacies of the Tinder app. In the first half, we ethnographically examine the sociotechnical dynamics of how users navigate the app and take up or resist the subject positions encouraged by the user interface feature of swiping. In the second half, we provide a discussion of the implications of the swipe logic through post-structural conceptual lenses interrogating the ironic disruption of intimacy of Tinder’s interface.
A Research Note on the Public–Private Partnership of India’s Infrastructure Development

To clip infrastructure inadequacy both in India and rest of the World Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) emerged as an alternative to the traditional mode of infrastructure provisions of governments. The article analyses trends and patterns of various infrastructure sectors and regional distribution of PPPs at India’s national and sub-national levels to identify to what extent this has been able to curb infrastructure deficit. The growth empirics reveal that there has been a sharp increase in the number of PPP projects. This has been contributing to enhanced regional and sectoral infrastructure availability. In addition, the article has observed that PPP projects under the national highway category are time and cost efficient as compared to the non-PPP projects. However, these projects have tended to concentrate in certain sector and regions, thus being the case both in the global and Indian context. This is despite the incentives available for the purpose. The present article explores the possible reasons for this uneven growth in India to be due to differences in the political will among the national and sub-national governments in promotion of the infrastructure PPP policies, effective functioning of governments’ various infrastructure executive departments including PPP nodal agencies for identifying, executing, coordinating various departments and in promotion of projects for hassle-free quick implementation and to redress the various differences. Financial assurances to the concessionaires on their investments, availability of land and other incentives like tax incentives, capital grant (viability gap funding), and coordination by users and nature of project risks, and the degree of private sector risk management capacity are some the important factors explaining the differences.
Aberrant melanogenesis and melanocytic tumour development in transgenic mice that carry a metallothionein/ret fusion gene.

We generated four independent transgenic mouse lines that showed severe melanosis of the whole body by introducing the ret oncogene fused to the mouse metallothionein (MT)‐I promoter‐enhancer (MT/ret). Whereas melanogenesis was accelerated without distinct proliferative disorders in one line, melanocytic tumours frequently developed in the other three lines. Northern hybridization and in situ hybridization analyses showed that tumour cells and non‐tumorous melanin‐producing cells expressed the transgene at high levels. The aberrant melanogenesis and tumour development were influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Furthermore, crossbreeding experiments between the transgenic mice and Wv mice suggested that the ret gene product can partially compensate for the defect of melanocyte development in Wv mice. This is a novel mammalian model in which melanosis and melanocytic tumours develop stepwise, triggered by a single transgene.
Optimization and FROC analysis of rule-based detection schemes using a multiobjective approach

Computerized detection schemes have the potential of increasing diagnostic accuracy in medical imaging by alerting radiologists to lesions that they initially overlooked. These schemes typically employ multiple parameters such as threshold values or filter weights to arrive at a detection decision. In order for the system to have high performance, the values of these parameters need to be set optimally. Conventional optimization techniques are designed to optimize a scalar objective function. The task of optimizing the performance of a computerized detection scheme, however, is clearly a multiobjective problem: the authors wish to simultaneously improve the sensitivity and false-positive rate of the system. In this work the authors investigate a multiobjective approach to optimizing computerized rule-based detection schemes. In a multiobjective optimization, multiple objectives are simultaneously optimized, with the objective now being a vector-valued function. The multiobjective optimization problem admits a set of solutions, known as the Pareto-optimal set, which are equivalent in the absence of any information regarding the preferences of the objectives. The performances of the Pareto-optimal solutions can be interpreted as operating points on an optimal free response receiver operating characteristic (FROG) curve, greater than or equal to the points on any possible FROG curve for a given dataset and detection scheme. It is demonstrated that generating FROG curves in this manner eliminates several known problems with conventional FROG curve generation techniques for rule-based detection schemes. The authors employ the multiobjective approach to optimize a rule-based scheme for clustered mirocalcification detection that has been developed in the authors' laboratory.
Optimal Synchronization for Networks of Noisy Double Integrators

In this technical note, we present a novel synchronization protocol to synchronize a network of controlled discrete-time double integrators which are nonidentical, with unknown model parameters and subject to additive measurement and process noise. This framework is motivated by the typical problem of synchronizing a network of clocks whose speeds are nonidentical and are subject to variations. This synchronization protocol is formally studied in its synchronous implementation. In particular, we provide a completely distributed strategy that guarantees convergence for any undirected connected communication graph and we also propose an optimal design strategy when the underlaying communication graph is known. Moreover, this protocol can be readily used to study the effect of noise and external disturbances on the steady-state performance. Finally, some simulations including also randomized implementation of the proposed algorithm are presented.
Atrophy of the corpus callosum associated with a decrease in cortical benzodiazepine receptor in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases

OBJECTIVES It remains controversial whether selective neuronal ischaemic change develops in patients with occlusion of the large cerebral arteries. Previous studies have shown atrophy of the corpus callosum with reduced cortical oxygen metabolism in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases, which might be indirect evidence of loss of the neurons in cortical layer 3. Recent studies of patients with ischaemic cerebrovascular diseases have demonstrated reduced central benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) binding in the normal appearing cortical areas, which might be more direct evidence of changes of the neurons. Although pathophysiology of the decreased BZR is unclear, a decrease in the cortical BZR binding with neuronal loss would cause atrophy of the corpus callosum. The purpose of this study was to determine whether atrophy of the corpus callosum is associated with a decrease in cortical BZR binding in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases. METHODS Seven patients with occlusive diseases of the middle cerebral or internal carotid artery and only minor subcortical infarctions were studied. Single photon emission tomographic images of 123I labelled iomazenil (IMZ) obtained 180 minutes after injection were analysed for BZR binding. The midsagittal corpus callosum area/skull area ratio (on T1 weighted magnetic resonance images) was compared with the cerebral IMZ uptake/cerebellar IMZ uptake ratio. RESULTS Compared with 23 age and sex matched control subjects, the patients had significantly decreased callosal area/skull area ratio. The degree of corpus callosum atrophy was significantly and strongly (ρ=0.99, p<0.02) correlated with that of the decreases in the mean cerebral cortical IMZ uptake ratio. CONCLUSION Corpus callosum atrophy may occur in association with a decrease in cortical BZR binding in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases. Corpus callosum atrophy with decreased cortical BZR binding might reflect cortical neuronal damage in large cerebral arterial occlusive diseases.
Effects of Prostratin on T-Cell Activation and Human Immunodeficiency Virus Latency

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication is linked to cellular gene transcription and requires target cell activation. The latent reservoir of HIV-1 in quiescent T cells is thought to be a major obstacle to clearance of infection by highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Thus, identification of agents that can induce expression of latent virus may, in the presence of HAART, allow elimination of the infected cells by the immune response. We previously used the SCID-hu (Thy/Liv) mouse model to establish that activation-inducible HIV can be generated at high frequency during thymopoiesis. Latently infected mature thymocytes can be exported into the periphery, providing an efficient primary cell model to determine cellular activation signals that induce renewed expression of latent virus. Here we characterized the effects of prostratin, a non-tumor-promoting phorbol ester, on primary human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) and assessed its ability to reactivate latent HIV infection from thymocytes and PBLs in the SCID-hu (Thy/Liv) model. Prostratin stimulation alone did not induce proliferation of quiescent PBLs; however, it could provide a secondary signal in the context of T-cell receptor stimulation or a primary activation signal in the presence of CD28 stimulation to induce T-cell proliferation. While prostratin alone was not sufficient to allow de novo HIV infection, it efficiently reactivated HIV expression from latently infected cells generated in the SCID-hu mouse. Our data indicate that prostratin alone is able to specifically reactivate latent virus in the absence of cellular proliferation, making it an attractive candidate for further study as an adjunctive therapy for the elimination of the latent HIV reservoir.
Prevalence and Risk Factors for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence of and risk factors for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in a representative Korean population. Materials and Methods: A nationwide population-based cross-sectional study was conducted among the civilian, noninstitutionalized Korean population aged 40 and older (mean age, 55.7 years; 95% confidence interval [CI], 55.4–56.0). A total of 16,109 older (≥40 years of age) subjects participated in the Korean National Health and Nutrition Survey 2008–2011. All participants underwent standardized interviews and comprehensive ophthalmic examinations. Using physiologic mydriasis, a 45° digital fundus photograph was taken of both eyes of each participant. All fundus photographs were graded according to an international classification and grading system. Main outcome measures consisted of prevalence of early- and late-AMD. Results: Of the 16,109 subjects, fundus photographs were gradable for 14,352 (89.1%). The prevalence of early- and late-AMD in the Korean population was 6.0 and 0.6%, respectively. The prevalence of early-AMD increased from 1.5% in those aged 40–49 years to 16.2% in those aged ≥70 years. After adjusting for confounders, the prevalence of early-AMD increased with increasing age (odds ratio [OR], 1.08; CI, 1.06–1.09). For late-AMD, old age (OR, 1.09; CI, 1.04–1.14), male gender (OR, 2.45; CI, 1.11–5.37), high systolic blood pressure (OR, 1.03; CI, 1.00–1.06) and high fasting glucose level (OR, 0.97; CI, 0.94–0.99) were significant risk factors. Smoking was not associated with either early- or late-AMD in this Korean population. Conclusions: The present study provides the first population-based data on the prevalence of and risk factors for AMD in a representative Korean population. The prevalences of early- and late-AMD in this population were 6.0 and 0.6%, respectively. The prevalence of AMD in Koreans is higher than for those in other Asian countries and similar to that of Caucasians in Western countries.
Framework for the Social Determinants of Early Child Development

The Total Environment Assessment Model for Early Child Development (see Figure 1 – TEAM-ECD) was developed for the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health to highlight the environments and experiences that influence ECD. 1 TEAM-ECD builds on the bio-ecological model, 2 developmental psychology, 3 the concept of “biological embedding,” 4 the social determinants of health, 5,6 research regarding social relations in human society, 7 and political economy. 8 It features interacting and interdependent spheres of influence that are instrumental for ECD: the individual, family and dwelling, residential and relational communities, programs and services, regional, national and global environments, and civil society.
Hydroxyapatite Functionalized with 1,2-Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin as Scaffolds for Antibiotic Release in Bone Tissue

Background: The difficulty of eliminating bacteria infecting bone tissue during bone healing treatments or surgery makes it desirably to develop solid scaffolds capable of sustained release of antibiotics to achieve the regeneration of the damaged tissue. Methods: With this function in view, in this work we prepared HA scaffolds functionalized with1,2- Hydroxypropyl-β-Cyclodextrin to increase the loading and sustained release for ciprofloxacin. Results: The lowest amount of CD was sufficient to fabricate HA functionalized microparticles and allowing for the CPX loading to be increased more than 40 times with respect to the non-functionalized HA particles. Spray-drying process rendered spherical particles with irregular surface that improved the release and the solubility of low soluble CPX in pH 7.4 medium in form of free drug and cyclodextrin complexes although free cyclodextrins were also released to the medium. Conclusion: It is concluded that the synthesized microparticles based on HA functionalized with Hydroxypropyl -β-Cyclodextrin merit further investigation to be used as platform for delivering antibiotics in bone regeneration.
Entrepreneurship education: the role of local business

Abstract Entrepreneurship education is high on political agendas for its contributions to cultural change and economic growth. Scholars have suggested that the local context may influence the results of entrepreneurship education, and have recommended that educators strengthen their relationships with local businesses and help students learn from actual business settings. By combining policy analysis with empirical data, the present qualitative study explores two issues. First, we look at how the role of local business is expressed in entrepreneurship education policy documents. Second, we explore how local entrepreneurial activity and culture may influence how policies are understood and translated into practice at the local level. The findings indicate that collaboration between schools and business life may strengthen, rather than change, existing local development paths. The present paper contributes to the literature and understanding of the interplay between entrepreneurship education policy and the local context and proposes several policy recommendations emerging from the empirical study.
Review: Nicotinic receptors and stages of nicotine dependence

Smoking is one of the leading causes of preventable death, where nicotine has been identified as the primary addictive constituent of tobacco. Consequently, there have been extensive investigations into the neuroadaptations that occur as nicotine dependence develops, where numerous neurological systems have been implicated. The focus of this review was on nicotinic acetylcholine receptor neuroadaptations that occur during the development of nicotine dependence. This focus was selected because (1) the nicotinic receptors are the primary binding sites for both nicotine and the most efficacious pharmacological smoking cessation treatments and (2) the receptors are located throughout the brain with considerable neuromodulatory ability. However, there was difficulty associated in outlining the role of nicotinic receptors in the development of nicotine dependence because it comprises a series of stages involving different neurological systems rather than a single state. To address this issue, the review adopts a novel approach and considers the role of nicotinic receptor subtypes at separate stages of the nicotine dependence cycle. This information was then used to examine the nicotinic receptor-related therapeutic mechanisms of three main pharmacological smoking cessation treatments.
An Analysis of the Class-E Zero-Voltage-Switching Rectifier Using the Common-Grounded Multistep-Controlled Shunt Capacitor

This paper presents an analysis of the Class-E ZVS rectifier using a common-grounded multistep controlled Shunt Capacitor (CSC). The Class-E ZVS rectifier using a common-grounded multistep CSC can regulate the output voltage by changing the shunt capacitance. The voltage over the diode and shunt capacitor in the conventional Class-E ZVS rectifier is shared by the series connected capacitors. In this paper, the Class-E ZVS rectifier using a common-grounded multistep CSC is analyzed, simulated, and experimented. Especially, the power conversion efficiency is discussed in detail.
Shifting linkages in ethnic mobilization: the case of RMDSZ and the Hungarians in Transylvania

The Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ) has been the most stable actor in the Romanian party system over the past two decades. However, in this article, we argue that beyond this apparent stability, the linkages between RMDSZ and its voters have undergone a gradual, yet significant shift. The ethnic block voting of Transylvanian Hungarians was closely connected to the concept of a self-standing and parallel “Minority Society,” and to the practices of institution building that the minority elites engaged in in the early 1990s. However, since its first participation in the Romanian government in 1996, RMDSZ has gradually departed from this strategy, a phenomenon that was also closely connected to a process of elite change within the organization. The present RMDSZ leadership puts less and less emphasis on policy programs that could reinforce the institutional system of the minority; consequently, it is unable (and unwilling) to organizationally integrate the community activists of the minority society who previously had played a key role in the process of (electoral) mobilization. At the rhetorical level, RMDSZ did not abandon the goal of building a parallel Hungarian minority society, but in its linkages to the Hungarian electorate, clientelistic exchanges have become predominant.
Feed intake and digestibility by cattle consuming bermudagrass or orchardgrass hay supplemented with soybean hulls and(or) corn.

Effects of supplementing cattle consuming tropical or temperate grass with corn and (or) soybean hulls on feed intake and digestibility were determined. In Exp. 1, eight Holstein steer calves (210 +/- 9.2 and 269 +/- 9.4 kg initial and final BW, respectively), in two simultaneous Latin squares, were given ad libitum access to bermudagrass (B) or orchardgrass (O) hay without supplementation or with (DM basis) . 5% of BW of ground corn (C), . 7% of BW of soybean hulls (H), or . 25% of BW of corn plus . 35% of BW of soybean hulls (CH). Total OM intake was greater (P < .05) with than without supplementation (5.05, 6.04, 5.95, 6.06, 6.04, 6.81, 6.61, and 6.69 kg/d), and digestible OM intake was affected by forage source (P < .05), mixing of supplement types (CH versus the mean of C and H; P < .09), and the forage source x supplementation interaction (P < .09; 2.65, 3.40, 3.33, 3.46, 3.71, 4.14, 3.98, and 4.30 kg/d for B, B-C, B-H, B-CH, O, O-C, O-H, and O-CH, respectively). Total tract NDF digestibility was greater (P < .05) for O than for B diets and for H than for C (56.4, 53.9, 58.1, 56.9, 68.5, 64.9, 67.7, and 69.6% for B, B-C, B-H, B-CH, O, O-C, O-H, and O-CH, respectively). In Exp. 2, mature cannulated beef cattle (524 +/- 1.6 kg BW) were used in a design similar to Exp. 1 with comparable dietary supplement levels. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Retreatment of very late recurrent invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix with irradiation. II. Criteria for patients' selection to achieve the success

Very late recurrent invasive squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix (over 10 years) after successful initial radiation treatment is a very rare occurrence (∼0.5%). Even though the treatment of choice has been radical surgery, there are a number of patients in whom surgery was regarded as undesirable. Ten such patients were reirradiated for these late recurrences after the full course of irradiation some 10 or more years ago. Six patients (six of ten) survived disease‐free several years, while the remainder experienced relief of their symptoms. Factors determining success and failure are: (1) the extent of the recurrence (clinical stage); (2) the degree of tumor necrosis; (3) status of normal surrounding tissues; and (4) radiation treatment and doses, integration and individualization of the external beam and brachytherapy. Criteria for patient selection and treatment technique are discussed.
Demosthenes 21 (Against Meidias): democratic abuse

The title given to speech number twenty-one of Demosthenes at some time in antiquity, although surely not by Demosthenes himself, is ΚΑΤΑ ΜΕΙΔΙΟΥ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΟΥ ΚΟΝΔΥΛΟΥ –‘Against Meidias, concerning the punch’. This refers of course to the punch on the cheek which Demosthenes received from Meidias in the very orchestra of the theatre of Dionysos at Athens on the day of the competition in the men's dithyramb, in which Demosthenes was chorēgos for his phylē, Pandionis, at the Great Dionysia of 348 B.C. – an act of physical abuse perpetrated under the gaze of ‘more than 30,000 Greeks’ – (that is the Platonic Sokrates' exaggeration, not mine) – in that place and at that time of maximum Athenian self-regard. The act which forms the ostensible basis of Demosthenes' case is thus self-evident: for by the powerful trope of the homogeneity across time and place of the Athenian dēmos, the spectators who were in the theatre on that day are identical to those citizens at the subsequent ekklēsia which met (also in the theatre) to hear complaints arising from the conduct of individuals at the festival, and they are the same men empanelling the court today. They booed and hissed Meidias in the theatre, passed a preliminary motion against him in the ekklēsia and so, today, their course of action is clear.