Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Curriculum engineering: A South African case

Constructive alignment of curricula in terms of content, formative and summative assessments are imperative for student success in higher education and career pursuit. The development of curricula in an open distance learning context also considers notional hours and credits through institutional guidelines. All formal qualifications are approved by the Council of Higher Education and registered with South African Qualifications Framework, therefore cognizance is taken of portability of qualifications and learning pathways. Articulation is an important facet of curriculum development with regards to student learning progression from undergraduate to postgraduate studies. Curriculum review and the review cycle considers comparability, response to Higher Education Qualifications Framework (HEQF), national and international benchmarks, professional bodies such as the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA), Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA), student and employer feedback and market trends. The institution follows a team approach in curriculum development with consultation from all internal and external stakeholders. In view of the theme of the conference which has a focus on technological innovation a range of resources are provided to create an enabling environment for students to be successful in their studies through open distance learning. Curriculum implementation evaluates the financial viability, alignment to the vision and mission of the institution and market penetration as well as the pedagogy and technology applicable for the qualification. This paper aims to evaluate a curriculum in open distance learning (ODL) in terms of programme offering using a case study methodology.
A melanin‐independent interaction between Mc1r and Met signaling pathways is required for HGF‐dependent melanoma

Melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) signaling stimulates black eumelanin production through a cAMP‐dependent pathway. MC1R polymorphisms can impair this process, resulting in a predominance of red phaeomelanin. The red hair, fair skin and UV sensitive phenotype is a well‐described melanoma risk factor. MC1R polymorphisms also confer melanoma risk independent of pigment. We investigated the effect of Mc1r deficiency in a mouse model of UV‐induced melanoma. C57BL/6‐Mc1r+/+‐HGF transgenic mice have a characteristic hyperpigmented black phenotype with extra‐follicular dermal melanocytes located at the dermal/epidermal junction. UVB induces melanoma, independent of melanin pigmentation, but UVA‐induced and spontaneous melanomas are dependent on black eumelanin. We crossed these mice with yellow C57BL/6‐Mc1re/e animals which have a non‐functional Mc1r and produce predominantly yellow phaeomelanin. Yellow C57BL/6‐Mc1re/e‐HGF mice produced no melanoma in response to UVR or spontaneously even though the HGF transgene and its receptor Met were expressed. Total melanin was less than in C57BL/6‐Mc1r+/+‐HGF mice, hyperpigmentation was not observed and there were few extra‐follicular melanocytes. Thus, functional Mc1r was required for expression of the transgenic HGF phenotype. Heterozygous C57BL/6‐Mc1re/+‐HGF mice were black and hyperpigmented and, although extra‐follicular melanocytes and skin melanin content were similar to C57BL/6‐Mc1r+/+‐HGF animals, they developed UV‐induced and spontaneous melanomas with significantly less efficiency by all criteria. Thus, heterozygosity for Mc1r was sufficient to restore the transgenic HGF phenotype but insufficient to fully restore melanoma. We conclude that a previously unsuspected melanin‐independent interaction between Mc1r and Met signaling pathways is required for HGF‐dependent melanoma and postulate that this pathway is involved in human melanoma.
Bird assemblages along a tropical forest succession gradient in the Pacific lowlands of southern Costa Rica

In den meisten tropischen Regionen existieren aktuell nur noch stark fragmentierte Regenwalder, welche in eine vom Menschen stark veranderte Landschaftsmatrix eingebettet sind. Diese weist fur Waldarten eine nur geringe Permeabilitat auf und schrankt somit raumliche Bewegungen von an Walder gebundene Organismen stark ein. In dieser Studie wurde die Bedeutung von Sekundarwaldern in verschiedenen Sukzessionsstadien als mogliche Trittstein- oder Korridorhabitate fur Waldarten am Rande geschutzter Waldgebiete im Pazifischen Tiefland im sudlichen Teil Costa Ricas untersucht. Dazu wurden Vogel auf Brachen mit einzelnen Baumen und Buschen, in jungen Sekundarwaldern (angepflanzt und enstanden durch naturliche Sukzession), in alten Sekundarwaldern und in alten Kakao-Agroforstsystemen (N = 4 raumliche Replikate pro Habitattyp) mittels Punktzahlungen (Dauer: 20 min; 10 Wiederholungen pro Standort) zwischen November 2010 und Janner 2011 erfasst. Zudem wurden folgende Habitatvariablen gemessen oder geschatzt: Dichte groser Baume, Dichte kleiner Baume, maximale Baumhohe, Baumkronenschluss, Unterwuchsdichte und Krautschichtdeckung. Insgesamt wurden 115 Waldvogelarten festgestellt, darunter 54 Waldspezialisten (Vorkommen beschrankt auf geschlossene Waldflachen) und 61 Waldgeneralisten. Neben einer signifikanten Auswirkung auf die Artenzusammensetzung, erwies sich die Dichte groser Baume (DBH >10 cm) als bester Pradiktor fur Veranderungen der Artenzahl an Waldspezialisten. Deren Artenzahl nahm mit zunehmeder Anzahl an grosen Baumen zu. Diese Ergebnisse betonen die Bedeutung groser Baume als wichtige strukturelle Komponente von Sekundarwaldern fur Waldspezialisten. Dies hat wichtige Konsequenzen fur Wiederbewaldungsmasnahmen, welche bevorzugt auf das Potential schnell-wachsender einheimischer Baumarten setzen sollten, um den naturschutzfachlichen Wert von Sekundarwaldern fur Waldvogel in moglichst kurzen Zeitspannen effizient zu erhohen.
Effect of monensin on the assembly of Uukuniemi virus in the Golgi complex

The effect of the carboxylic ionophore monensin on the maturation of Uukuniemi virus, a bunyavirus, and the transport of its two membrane glycoproteins, G1 and G2, were studied in chicken embryo fibroblasts and baby hamster kidney cells. Virus maturation, which occurs in the Golgi complex (E. Kuismanen, K. Hedman, J. Saraste, and R. F. Pettersson, Mol. Cell. Biol. 2:1444-1458, 1982; E. Kuismanen, B. Bång, M. Hurme, and R. F. Pettersson, J. Virol. 51:137-146, 1984), was effectively inhibited by the drug (1 or 10 microM) as studied by electron microscopy and by assaying the release of infectious or radiolabeled virus. Immunoelectron microscopy showed that association of viral nucleocapsids with the cytoplasmic surface of glycoprotein-containing Golgi membranes, a prerequisite for virus budding, was unaffected by monensin. In the presence of the drug, the virus glycoproteins assembled into long, tubular structures extending into the lumen of Golgi-derived vacuoles, suggesting that monensin inhibited a terminal step in the assembly of the virus. Intracellular transport and expression of the virus membrane glycoproteins G1 and G2 at the cell surface were not inhibited by monensin as studied by immunocytochemical and radiolabeling techniques. Pulse-chase experiments in the presence of monensin showed that intracellular G1 acquired only partially endo-H-resistant glycans. The sialylation of G1 appearing on the cell surface in the presence of the drug was decreased, whereas sialylation of G2 apparently was inhibited to a lesser extent, as shown by external labeling of the cells with the periodate-boro[3H]hydride method. Thus, monensin exerted a differential effect on the terminal glycosylation of G1 and G2. Unlike several membrane and secretory glycoproteins, both G1 and G2 could enter a functional transport pathway in the presence of monensin and become expressed at the cell surface.
High resolution multicolor-banding: a new technique for refined FISH analysis of human chromosomes

A new multicolor-banding technique has been developed which allows the differentiation of chromosome region specific areas at the band level. This technique is based on the use of differently labeled overlapping microdissection libraries. The changing fluorescence intensity ratios along the chromosomes are used to assign different pseudo-colors to specific chromosome regions. The multicolor banding of human chromosome 5 is presented as an example.
Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas sobre el tabaquismo en estudiantes de medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Asunción: un breve estudio descriptivo

En Paraguay, segun el Informe sobre Control del Tabaco de la Organizacion Panamericana de la Salud del 2011, la prevalencia de consumo de tabaco era del 30% en hombres y del 14% en mujeres. En cuanto a los adolescentes la prevalencia era del 20,8% en hombres y del 12,9%, respectivamente. Estudio observacional, descriptivo, de corte transversal, realizado en 65 estudiantes del 1o al 3o curso de la Carrera de Medicina de la Universidad Nacional de Asuncion en octubre del 2014. Se utilizo una version modificada de la encuesta mundial de estudiantes de la salud. Los resultados fueron expresados en medias, desviaciones estandar, frecuencias y porcentajes. El 56,9% fueron mujeres y la edad media de 21,2 anos. El 44,6% declaro haber fumado por lo menos una vez y el 29,2% lo hizo por primera vez entre los 15 y 18 anos. La prevalencia de tabaquismo encontrada fue del 7,7%. Mas del 80% mostro practicas y actitudes favorables a la lucha contra el tabaquismo. La prevalencia de tabaquismo fue menor que la encontrada en las carreras de Enfermeria y Obstetricia de la Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, que la hallada en la carrera de Medicina de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid y, tambien, que la prevalencia de fumadores en la poblacion general paraguaya. Los estudiantes mostraron actitudes favorables a la lucha contra el tabaquismo.
Attribution of extreme weather to anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions: Sensitivity to spatial and temporal scales

Recent studies have examined the anthropogenic contribution to specific extreme weather events, such as the European (2003) and Russian (2010) heat waves. While these targeted studies examine the attributable risk of an event occurring over a specified temporal and spatial domain, it is unclear how effectively their attribution statements can serve as a proxy for similar events occurring at different temporal and spatial scales. Here we test the sensitivity of attribution results to the temporal and spatial scales of extreme precipitation and temperature events by applying a probabilistic event attribution framework to the output of two global climate models, each run with and without anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Attributable risk tends to be more sensitive to the temporal than spatial scale of the event, increasing as event duration increases. Globally, correlations between attribution statements at different spatial scales are very strong for temperature extremes and moderate for heavy precipitation extremes.
Remote visualization and parallelism using existing networks

A method for using existing networks and available parallel channels to provide the needed throughput for remote visualization is proposed. This method keeps the functionalities of the traditional protocol stack but introduces parallelism at all points where bottlenecks can develop. The approach allows the use of existing protocol standards and off-the-shelf hardware to permit new applications that require higher bandwidths. The design tradeoffs in this approach are discussed to develop working architectures needed to solve the animation problems of 5, 10, and 33 frames/s, or 10 Mb every 200 ms, 100 ms, and 30 ms, respectively. <<ETX>>
Sandwich‐Like, Graphene‐Based Titania Nanosheets with High Surface Area for Fast Lithium Storage

IO N Rechargeable lithium ion batteries have been regarded as one of the most promising candidates for applications in electric and hybrid vehicles, although their rate performances need to be further improved. [ 1–4 ] In general, graphitic carbons with the operating voltage below 0.2 V versus Li/Li + are employed as anode materials for commercial lithium ion batteries. [ 5 ] This voltage is close to the lithium electroplating potential, especially at high rates, which would cause serious safety issues. [ 6 ] In addition, a layer of thermally unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is inevitably formed on the surface of carbonaceous materials below a voltage of 1.0 V, which represents another potential safety hazard and results in a high capacity loss. [ 6–8 ] In this respect, titania is becoming attractive as an anode material for lithium storage since it exhibits a relatively high lithium insertion/extraction voltage at about 1.7 V. [ 9 , 10 ] This feature can effi ciently avoid the formation of SEI layers and electroplating of lithium during the cycling processes. Moreover, titania is an abundant, low cost and environmentally benign material with a very low volume change (3–4%), [ 11 , 12 ] which is vital for large-scale energy storage. Unfortunately, the low electrical conductivity ( ∼ 10–13 S cm − 1 ) [ 6 ] of titania constitutes a major obstacle for its practical application in lithium storage given that a high overpotential is commonly applied during the cycling processes and thus dramatically diminishes its rate performances. [ 10 , 11 ] To circumvent the above drawback of titania, various metals, metal oxides and carbonaceous materials with high electrical conductivity have been utilized as matrices or conductive additives to improve its electrochemical performance. Thus, TiO 2 / Ag, [ 13 ] TiO 2 /RuO 2 , [ 10 ] TiO 2 /carbon nanotubes [ 14 , 15 ] and TiO 2 / graphene [ 16 ] nanocomposites have been explored for lithium storage. Compared with other additives, graphene appears particularly promising to improve the rate capability and cycle performance of titania owing to its unique characteristics including superior electrical conductivity, large surface area and excellent mechanical fl exibility. [ 16–19 ] Moreover, one expects from the atomic-thick feature and large-aspect ratio of graphene that a very low weight fraction of the conductive additive in nanocomposites can be achieved. [ 20 ] Nevertheless, due to the strong π -interaction of graphene sheets and their intrinsic incompatibility with inorganic components, a homogeneous dispersion of titania nanoparticles onto graphene remains a challenge. [ 16–21 ]
Effect of a weight loss program on body composition and metabolic syndrome markers in obese weight cyclers.

AIM to evaluate the effect of weight loss program on fat mass, visceral fat rating and metabolic syndrome markers in obese subjects with weight cycling. METHODS this was an 8-week open trial. The subjects were recruited consecutively from Balai Kota DKI Jaya. Subjects were classified into two groups according to the fluctuation of weight gain (weight cycling/WC and first encounter obesity/FEO group). Both groups were assigned to receive weight loss program consisted with following goals: a 1000 kcal energy intake reduction and 45 minutes mild-to-moderate intensity physical activity three times a week. Body composition (fat mass, visceral fat rating), and metabolic syndrome markers (waist circumference and triglyceride levels) were measured at baseline, week 4 and at the end of study. RESULTS seventy two subjects completed the study (34 subjects in WC group and 38 subjects in FEO group). Following weight loss program, a decrease in fat mass, visceral fat rating, and waist circumference was lower in WC group compared with FEO group but it was not statistically significant (p>0.05). Triglyceride levels were decreased in the FEO group while it was increased in WC group. However the difference was not significant (p=0.055). CONCLUSION weight loss program may contribute to changes in body composition and metabolic syndrome markers in obese subjects, which the response appears to be worse in weight cyclers.
Pharmaceutical crops in California, benefits and risks. A review

Crops are being genetically engineered to produce a wide variety of drugs, vaccines and other pharmaceutical proteins. Although these crops may open the door to less expensive and more readily available drugs, there is concern regarding the potential for contamination of human food and livestock feed, as well as environmental harm. The outlook for the production of pharmaceutical crops in California currently appears mixed. To date, 18 federal permits for field trials involving pharmaceutical or industrial proteins have been approved in California. However, the state’s farming community and general public have thus far rejected pharmaceutical crop production, and a handful of local governments have recently banned the cultivation of genetically modified crops, including pharmaceutical crops. In light of the many pros and cons, three major approaches — the precautionary approach, risk analysis and cost-benefit analysis — could be used to move the debate about pharmaceutical crops forward.
Robustness Analysis of Visual QA Models by Basic Questions

Visual Question Answering (VQA) models should have both high robustness and accuracy. Unfortunately, most of the current VQA research only focuses on accuracy because there is a lack of proper methods to measure the robustness of VQA models. There are two main modules in our algorithm. Given a natural language question about an image, the first module takes the question as input and then outputs the ranked basic questions, with similarity scores, of the main given question. The second module takes the main question, image and these basic questions as input and then outputs the text-based answer of the main question about the given image. We claim that a robust VQA model is one, whose performance is not changed much when related basic questions as also made available to it as input. We formulate the basic questions generation problem as a LASSO optimization, and also propose a large scale Basic Question Dataset (BQD) and Rscore (novel robustness measure), for analyzing the robustness of VQA models. We hope our BQD will be used as a benchmark for to evaluate the robustness of VQA models, so as to help the community build more robust and accurate VQA models.
Clinical improvement following dermabrasion of photoaged skin correlates with synthesis of collagen I.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN The ability of superficial dermabrasion to improve clinical features of photoaged skin is well known, but the specific biological mechanisms involved are poorly understood. The so-called repair zone, as visualized by routine histologic examination, has been attributed to new collagen formation within the papillary dermis and may be responsible for clinical improvement following dermabrasion. We investigated molecular and histologic events occurring in dermabraded skin and correlated them with clinical improvement. Ten photoaged patients (mean age, 59 years) underwent facial dermabrasion to the level of the papillary dermis. Clinical severity of photoaging was graded in a blinded manner at baseline and 12 weeks after dermabrasion. Biopsy specimens obtained at baseline and 3 and 12 weeks after dermabrasion were analyzed histologically and by in situ hybridization for fibroblast procollagen I mRNA, immunohistologically and by Western blotting with a monoclonal antibody specific for the aminoterminal cleavage site of procollagen I. RESULTS Masson's trichrome staining demonstrated an increase in collagen from baseline (as an upper dermal band in the dermabrasion "repair zone") at 3 and 12 weeks' postdermabrasion. Immunohistologic examination demonstrated papillary dermal fibroblast staining for procollagen I at baseline that increased by threefold at 3 weeks' postdermabrasion and by 1.5-fold at 12 weeks' postdermabrasion. Western blotting demonstrated an average-fold increase in pN collagen I of 4.2 +/- 1.5 at 3 weeks and of 2.7 +/- 0.7 at 12 weeks. By in situ hybridization, baseline levels of procollagen I mRNA in papillary dermal fibroblasts increased sixfold at weeks 3 and 12 postdermabrasion. Increase in procollagen I mRNA correlated with clinical improvement, ie, reduction in wrinkling. CONCLUSION Superficial dermabrasion clinically improves photoaged skin, and this improvement correlates strongly with increased collagen I gene expression.
Secretion of the incretin hormones glucagon-like peptide-1 and gastric inhibitory polypeptide correlates with insulin secretion in normal man throughout the day.

BACKGROUND The insulinotropic hormones gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP) and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), secreted from the K-cells of the upper small intestine and from the L-cells of the lower small intestine, respectively, are thought to be responsible for intestinal stimulation of insulin secretion. If true, their plasma concentrations should parallel the meal-related diurnal changes in plasma insulin concentrations. METHODS Using COOH-terminal assays, thought to reflect accurately their rates of secretion, we measured circulating levels of GIP and GLP-1 in six normal subjects for 15 h of a day, during which they ate three mixed meals. RESULTS Both GIP and GLP-1 concentrations increased significantly and in parallel with insulin in response to all three meals. The plasma insulin concentrations correlated significantly with both GIP and GLP-1 values throughout the study period (correlation coefficients, 0.49 +/- 0.07 and 0.56 +/- 0.05; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS These results support the notion that GLP-1 and GIP are important incretin hormones.
Serotonin‐containing neurons in basal insects: In search of ground patterns among tetraconata

The ventral nerve cord of Tetraconata contains a comparably low number of serotonin‐immunoreactive neurons, facilitating individual identification of cells and their characteristic neurite morphology. This offers the rather unique possibility of establishing homologies at the single cell level. Because phylogenetic relationships within Tetraconata are still discussed controversially, comparisons of individually identifiable neurons can help to unravel these issues. Serotonin immunoreactivity has been investigated in numerous tetraconate taxa, leading to reconstructions of hypothetical ground patterns for major lineages. However, detailed descriptions of basal insects are still missing, but are crucial for meaningful evolutionary considerations. We investigated the morphology of individually identifiable serotonin‐immunoreactive neurons in the ventral nerve cord of Zygentoma (Thermobia domestica, Lepisma saccharina, Atelura formicaria) and Archaeognatha (Machilis germanica, Dilta hibernica). To improve immunocytochemical resolution, we also performed preincubation experiments with 5‐hydroxy‐L‐tryptophan and serotonin. Additionally, we checked for immunolabeling of tryptophan hydroxylase, an enzyme associated with the synthesis of serotonin. Besides the generally identified groups of anterolateral, medial, and posterolateral neurons within each ganglion of the ventral nerve cord, we identified several other immunoreactive cells, which seem to have no correspondence in other tetraconates. Furthermore, we show that not all immunoreactive neurons produce serotonin, but have the capability for serotonin uptake. Comparisons with the patterns of serotonin‐containing neurons in major tetraconate taxa suggest a close phylogenetic relationship of Remipedia, Cephalocarida, and Hexapoda, supporting the Miracrustacea hypothesis. J. Comp. Neurol. , 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:79–115, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.