cometadata/datacite-rtg-text-other-reclassification-records huggingface dataset:
T(AHR)getting the AHR: mapping the road of a xenobiotic sensor, from disease to a therapeutic target
Creators: name: Castro-Almeida, I.
name: Janowska, A.
name: Saitch, R.
name: Lian, Y.
name: Delgado, A.
name: Protze, J.
name: Moura-Alves, P.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) is a highly conserved ligand-dependent transcription factor, which recently gained recognition, beyond its role as a toxicity sensor, as a major player in different biological circumstances [1]. Our group and others have shown that AHR modulation in different scenarios, including by therapeutic drugs, impacts disease outcomes and treatment efficacy, in conditions such as cancer and bacterial infections [1-3]. For example, therapeutic drugs designed to target other molecules also bind to and modulate AHR activity [1,2]. Albeit, the extent of clinically approved drugs with AHR modulatory properties and the elicited AHR functions is largely unknown. Objective: Identify drugs with AHR modulatory properties. Methods: The AHR modulatory properties of 3178 drugs were examined using a luciferase cell reporter assay, in silico binding studies, and data analysis, through Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and data mining [2,4,5]. Results: We unbiasedly identified 228 hits as potential AHR agonists or antagonists (including known AHR ligands, validating our approach) and calculated the respective EC50s or IC50s. Next, AHR modelling studies predicted 53 agonists and 31 antagonists to bind to AHR. According to the data analysis, we classified the hits according to their roles in different pathways, diseases, and targets. We decided to initially focus on drugs with known roles in cancer or infection. An anticancer and anti-infection molecule is currently being tested for its AHR modulatory properties, and for the assessment of the AHR role(s) in its therapeutic mechanism and drug-resistance phenotypes. Further validation studies will involve in vitro and in vivo approaches (e.g. in zebrafish). Conclusions: In all, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of the biology of AHR in disease and its role in resistance mechanisms and identify potential repurposing drugs to target this receptor, paving the ground for future therapeutic approaches.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Proposal to study $B_s \to \bar D_{sJ}$ transitions
Creators: name: Becirevic, Damir
name: Yaouanc, Alain Le
name: Oliver, Luis
name: Raynal, Jean-Claude
name: Roudeau, Patrick
name: Serrano, Justine
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: High Energy Physics - Phenomenology (hep-ph)
subject: High Energy Physics - Experiment (hep-ex)
subject: High Energy Physics - Lattice (hep-lat)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: It is proposed to clear some of the puzzles of B decay to the broad $\bar{D}^{\ast\ast}$ states by studying the corresponding decay with strange states $B_s^0 \to D_{s0}^{\ast -} π^+$ at LHCb. Interpretation of the results should be easier due to the narrowness of the $D_{s0}^{\ast -}$ state.
description: 21 pages
Sex estimation using canines’ maximum length and width: a preliminary study in orthopantomograms
Creators: name: Sousa-Matos, C.
name: Caldas, I. M.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: Sex estimation is fundamental in the forensic context, as it reduces the number of possibilities identity to a half [1]. In this field, several dental methods can be used, as teeth are very resistant structures and can provide valuable data regarding this estimation [2]. Canines have been described as the most dimorphic teeth in human dentition [3,4]. Objective: To aid in the forensic sex estimation process by adding new data considering canines’ measurements performed in radiographs. Methods: Image J was used to measure canines’ maximum length and width in 30 orthopantograms (opts), in pixels, from the clinical services of the Faculty of Dental Medicine, University of Porto. To minimize distortion, the ratio between length and width was analyzed. SPSS version 28.0 was used for data analysis. Categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages, whereas continuous variables were described using maximal and minimal values, the mean and standard deviation. Mean values of the different ratios were compared, by sex, using the independent samples t-test. Statistical significance was set at 5%. Results: Most opts belonged to male subjects (n=17, 56.7%). Males displayed superior ratio mean values in all canines, which ranged from 3.59 to 3.62, whereas, in females, values ranged between 3.38 and 3.52. Regardless of the canine (upper, lower, right or left) no differences were found in the mean ratio between sexes (p>0,05). Conclusions: Although male displayed bigger mean ratio in all canines, these differences do not seem to be enough for sex estimation. It is possible that different results may be achieved if the sample is increased.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Segmentation and Evaluation of Adipose Tissue from Whole Body MRI Scans
Creators: name: Jin, Yinpeng
name: Imielinska, Celina Z.
name: Laine, Andrew F.
name: Udupa, Jayaram
name: Shen, Wei
name: Heymsfield, Steven B.
Publisher: name: Columbia University
Year: 2003
Subjects: Biomedical engineering

description: Accurate quantification of total body and the distribution of regional adipose tissue using manual segmentation is a challenging problem due to the high variation between manual delineations. Manual segmentation also requires highly trained experts with knowledge of anatomy. We present a hybrid segmentation method that provides robust delineation results for adipose tissue from whole body MRI scans. A formal evaluation of accuracy of the segmentation method is performed. This semi-automatic segmentation algorithm reduces significantly the time required for quantification of adipose tissue, and the accuracy measurements show that the results are close to the ground truth obtained from manual segmentations.
Shadows of the Raj : Anglo-Indian visions of empire, the Raj Revival, and the literary crafting of national character
Creators: name: Gagne-Hawes, Genevieve
Publisher: name: University of British Columbia
Year: 2012

description: In my dissertation, I argue for a relationship of influence between the authors of what I define as the Raj novel genre, or works by British writers who lived in India between 1858 and 1947 and produced novels set in that country, and authors of the so-called “Raj Revival” in 1970s and 1980s Great Britain. The latter encompasses bestselling, award-winning novels (M.M. Kaye’s The Far Pavilions, Paul Scott’s Raj Quartet; J.G. Farrell’s The Siege of Krishnapur, Ruth Prawer Jhabvala’s Heat and Dust) and films (David Lean’s A Passage to India) that nostalgically revisit the Raj experience. Both movements claim ideal British character is manifested by Anglo-Indians, British persons living and working in India, who develop a series of exemplary character traits through the rigors of daily service in the subcontinent. In the Raj novel genre, this model of Anglo-Indian character—and the concurrent denigration of Indian character—is used as a strategy by which to elevate the nascent Anglo-Indian community. In the Raj Revival, the Raj novel genre’s ideals are deployed in support of the conservative shift that occurred during Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s tenure (1979-1990). Where the Raj novel genre’s image of Anglo-Indian ideality is prescriptive, the Raj Revival renders it nostalgic and comforting, a means of asserting lost national prominence through familiar markers of British imperial identity. The specificity and scope of the Raj texts’ influence necessitates, I argue, ongoing attention to the constitutive power of the Raj model of ideal British character in analyses of British literature and rhetoric in the wake of empire.
ocean as a source of new anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic molecules
Creators: name: Martins, M. S.
name: Long, S.
name: Pinto, M. M. M.
name: Almeida, I. F.
name: Cruz, M. T.
name: Sousa, E.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: Pruritus, the most common symptom of skin diseases, is considered a chronic condition when experienced for more than six weeks. Although the etiology of the symptom remains elusive, chronic pruritus has been associated with neurokinin 1 receptor (NK1R) and its agonist substance P [1]. Since pruritus and inflammation often go together, the development of compounds with dual activity, specifically anti-inflammatory and anti-pruritic, is an upcoming strategy [1,2]. Objective: The present work aimed the discovery of new molecules inspired in models from the sea, a source of unique chemical structures with anti-pruritic and anti-inflammatory activities. Methods: Seventy marine-inspired compounds were tested in silico regarding their binding affinity to NK1R and their pharmacokinetic properties evaluated using SwissADME software. In vitro molecules’ cytotoxicity was evaluated in cells representative of the skin constitution, namely keratinocytes (HaCaT), macrophages (Raw 264.7), and fibroblasts (3T3). The anti-inflammatory properties were investigated in macrophages, by evaluating nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein levels (Western blot analysis), nitric oxide (NO) production (Griess assay) and NO scavenging potential using an in chimico assay. Results: The tested compounds demonstrated a high binding affinity for NK1R in silico and no relevant cytotoxicity in vitro. Some compounds were able to reduce inflammation through the decrease of the pro-inflammatory mediator NO, not because of their NO scavenging potential, but by decreasing iNOS protein levels, thus suggesting the blockade of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways upstream iNOS synthesis, namely the transcription factor NF-kB. Importantly, most tested marine-inspired compounds presented MW up to 500 and log P in the range 2.40-5.76 which favours good skin permeation. Conclusions: The ocean is a potential source of anti-inflammatory compounds and NK1R antagonists for the treatment of skin conditions associated with pruritus and inflame mation.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Mutations of succinyl-CoA synthetase to study the swinging of the phosphohistidine loop
Creators: name: Puri, Rishika
Publisher: name: Science
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: succinyl-CoA synthetase
subject: phosphohistidine loop
subject: Education--Sciences
subject: Biology--Cell
subject: Genetics
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Biology--Molecular

description: Succinyl-CoA synthetase (SCS), an enzyme of the citric acid cycle, has two active sites 35 Ȧ apart. A histidine in the α-subunit gets phosphorylated during the reaction and is on a loop that swings between the active sites. The goal was to gain insights into the mechanism of the swinging of the phosphohistidine loop. To test whether a previously published mutation of a second histidine in the α-subunit (Luo, G. X., & Nishimura, J. S. (1991). Site-directed mutagenesis of Escherichia coli succinyl-CoA synthetase: Histidine 142α is a facilitative catalytic residue. J. Biol. Chem. 266, 20781-20785) affected the swinging of the phosphohistidine loop, the mutation was made in human GTP-specific succinyl-CoA synthetase (G-SCS) by site-directed mutagenesis. The mutant protein was produced in E. coli and purified by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid, size exclusion and ion exchange chromatography. Its specific activity and apparent Michaelis constants (Kmapp) were measured, with the expectation that the specific activity would be low compared to the wild-type, but the Kmapp values would be similar. When the human G-SCS mutant protein had high specific activity, the mutation was made in E. coli SCS, as done by Luo and Nishimura. Unexpectedly, the E. coli SCS mutant protein also had high specific activity, contradicting the previously published results. In case a different histidine had been mutated by Luo and Nishimura, the remaining four histidine residues in the α-subunit were mutated, and all four mutant proteins had high specific activity. It was concluded that the previous publication had a second, accidental mutation present in their mutant protein.
Enumeration of saturated chains in Dyck lattices
Creators: name: Ferrari, Luca
name: Munarini, Emanuele
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Combinatorics (math.CO)
subject: Formal Languages and Automata Theory (cs.FL)
subject: FOS: Mathematics
subject: FOS: Computer and information sciences
subject: 05A15, 05A05, 06A07

description: We determine a general formula to compute the number of saturated chains in Dyck lattices, and we apply it to find the number of saturated chains of length 2 and 3. We also compute what we call the Hasse index (of order 2 and 3) of Dyck lattices, which is the ratio between the total number of saturated chains (of length 2 and 3) and the cardinality of the underlying poset.
description: 9 pages
Regularization of PET Reconstruction Using Multi-scale Adaptive Thresholding
Creators: name: Jin, Yinpeng
name: Esser, Peter D.
name: Aikawa, Taro
name: Kuang, Barbara
name: Duan, Sheila
name: Laine, Andrew F.
Publisher: name: Columbia University
Year: 2004
Subjects: Biomedical engineering
Tomography, Emission

description: A multi-scale adaptive thresholding scheme is presented in this study. It was evaluated as a regularization process to filtered back-projection (FBP) for reconstructing clinical PET brain data. Adaptive selection of thresholding operators for each multi-scale sub-band enabled a unified process for noise removal and feature enhancement. A cross-scale regularization process was utilized as an effective signal recovering operator. Together with non-linear thresholding and enhancement operators, they offered remarkable postprocessing to FBP reconstructed data. In addition, such effectiveness was formulated as a regularization process to optimize FBP reconstruction. A comparison study with multiscale regularized FBP (MFBP), standard FBP with clinical settings and iterative reconstruction (OSEM) was reported. The proposed regularization process has shown competitive improvement in the image quality of PET reconstructions when compared to the current state-of-the-art method used in clinical commercial systems (OSEM).
title: Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik
Creators: name: Richert, Peter
Publisher: name: FH Münster
Year: 2002
Subjects: subject: 620 Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten

description: Diese Vorlesung Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik im Studiengang Physikalische Technik beruht im wesentlichen auf den Büchern [MP92], [CW92] und [FB82]. [MP92] Anfängern, besser Fachfremden ist ein Studium von [MP92] empfohlen, das für Studenten des Fachbereiches Wirtschaft ausgelegt ist. [CW92] Bei vorhandenen Grundkenntnissen bietet sich [CW92] an, das über den Stoff der Vorlesung hinaus die Elektrotechnik theoretisch erläutert. [FB82] Aus dem Bereich Maschinenbau kommt [FB82], das für den Teil der elektrischen Maschinen als Vorlage diente. Es kann aber auch Fachfremden für ein allgemeines Verständnis empfolen werden.
Synthesis of a rosamine-based lipid probe for the study of lipid phenomena in membrane biomimetic models
Creators: name: Varandas, P. A. M. M.
name: Cobb, A. J. A.
name: Segundo, M. A.
name: Silva, E. M. P.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: Rosamines are a class of fluorescent dyes, structurally related to rhodamines, that are commonly used as fluorophores in biological research since they have high quantum yields, photostability, and sensitivity to changes in their environment [1,2]. Rhodamines can also be derivatized to be coupled with lipids to create fluorescent lipid probes. These probes are useful for visualizing and studying various lipid-related processes, such as lipid metabolism, lipid transport, lipid signaling, and lipid dynamics in real-time [3]. Objective: The aim of the present work was to synthesize and characterize the spectroscopic fluorescence properties of lipids tagged with a rhodamine derivative for assessment of lipid phenomena using liposomes as biomimetic models. Methods: The synthetic strategy envisioned considers the preparation of a rosamine containing a (2-iodoacetyl)piperazin-1-yl moiety (RosPi) that would allow the bioconjugation with the amino group of 2-oleoyl-1-palmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE). Results: The synthesis of RosPi, based on previously described procedures, was achieved in seven steps in 12% overall yield [4,5]. Firstly, a microwave assisted cyclization of a tetrahydroxybenzophenone in water led to the synthesis of the xanthone intermediate (90% yield). Then, triflic anhydride was used to form the corresponding ditrifilxanthone (94% yield) which in turn reacted with the Boc-piperazine to deliver the aminated xanthene (65%). Nucleophilic addition of 1,3-dimethoxybenzene to the xanthone carbonyl (66%) followed by Boc-deprotection provided the unmasked bisammonium salt (74%). Finally, the salt was reacted with the 2-chloroacetyl chloride to give the diamide (67%) which was transformed into the final iodoacetamide derivative by reaction with sodium iodide (69%). Several attempts for the bioconjugation of RosPi with POPE were performed and purification and structural characterization of the product are in progress. Conclusions: The preparation of RosPi was successfully achieved. The structural characterization and spectroscopy studies of the bioconjugate POPE-RosPi are ongoing.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Segmentation of RT3D Ultrasound with Implicit Deformable Models Without Gradients
Creators: name: Angelini, Elsa D.
name: Holmes, Jeffrey W.
name: Laine, Andrew F.
name: Homma, Shunichi
Publisher: name: Columbia University
Year: 2003
Subjects: Biomedical engineering

description: This paper presents the implementation and validation of a new 3D deformable model method, based on the Mumford-Shah functional for segmentation of three-dimensional real-time ultrasound. An experiment on 10 patients with primary hypertension was carried out to compare three segmentation methods for quantification of right and left ventricular ejection fraction: (1) manual tracing by an expert cardiologist, (2) 2D parametric deformable model, and (3) 3D implicit deformable model implemented with a level set framework. Deformable model segmentations were performed on denoised data using a (3D+Time) brushlet expansion. The clinical study showed superior performance of the deformable model in assessing ejection fraction when compared to MRI measures. It also showed that the three-dimensional deformable model improved EF measures, which is explained by a more accurate segmentation of small and convoluted ventricular shapes when integrating the third spatial dimension.
High-pressure study of non-Fermi liquid and spin-glass-like behavior in CeRhSn
Creators: name: Zocco, D. A.
name: Slebarski, A.
name: Maple, M. B.
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: Strongly Correlated Electrons (cond-mat.str-el)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: We present measurements of the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity of CeRhSn up to ~ 27 kbar. At low temperatures, the electrical resistivity varies linearly with temperature for all pressures, indicating non-Fermi liquid behavior. Below a temperature Tf ~ 6 K, the electrical resistivity deviates from a linear dependence. We found that the low-temperature feature centered at T = Tf shows a pressure dependence dTf/dP ~ 30 mK/kbar which is typical of canonical spin glasses. This interplay between spin-glass-like and non-Fermi liquid behavior was observed in both CeRhSn and a Ce0.9La0.1RhSn alloy.
description: 5 pages, 3 figures, accepted for publication to Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter
Disgrace and Agency: Pompeiian Gladiators and Infamia in the Julio-Claudian Period
Creators: name: Lodermeier, Erica A.
Publisher: name: Arts
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Pompeii
subject: Gladiators
subject: Roman Empire
subject: Infamia
subject: Julio-Claudian Period
subject: History--Ancient

description: Roman gladiators have received no shortage of scholarly and public attention over the last few decades. However, many contradictions remain in our understanding of these individuals. More specifically, the legal term infamia has been central to recent scholarship, yet the focus of these studies does not emphasize the extent to which the concept impacted gladiators. Instead, infamia is generally discussed as a static term that is primarily based on literary evidence as opposed to considering variables like time, location, and the ample material culture from Pompeii, for example. In this study, I question how infamia played out in material culture pertaining to Pompeiian gladiators during the Julio-Claudian period (14-68 CE), a time when the popularity of gladiator spectacles rises. Additionally, Pompeii is an important consideration for this study, not only because of the abundance of material culture (graffiti, epigraphy, and physical representations) pertaining to gladiators, but also because of the local connections to the origins of gladiatorial combat. Additionally, the gendered aspects of infamia require attention since gladiators were subject to infamia partially because of their failure to adhere to Roman society’s gendered expectations for men (viri). Most importantly, graffiti authored by gladiators themselves will be considered as a potential avenue for gladiators to gain agency over their marginalized position in society and as a means of gaining insight into their own subjectivity. I also use other examples of Pompeiian material culture (funerary monuments, advertisements, and physical representations) as supporting evidence to understand the position of gladiators in Pompeiian society and to show how infamia potentially impacted them. Finally, I address the implicit contradictions that arise when studying Pompeiian gladiators. My intention is to provide voices to this group of individuals to gain a deeper understanding of how gladiators themselves may have experienced infamia in their daily lives.
High-dimensional generalizations of the kagome and diamond crystals and the decorrelation principle for periodic sphere packings
Creators: name: Zachary, Chase E.
name: Torquato, Salvatore
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2011
Subjects: subject: Statistical Mechanics (cond-mat.stat-mech)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: In this paper, we introduce constructions of the high-dimensional generalizations of the kagome and diamond crystals. The two-dimensional kagome crystal and its three-dimensional counterpart, the pyrochlore crystal, have been extensively studied in the context of geometric frustration in antiferromagnetic materials. Similarly, the polymorphs of elemental carbon include the diamond crystal and the corresponding two-dimensional honeycomb structure, adopted by graphene. The kagome crystal in d Euclidean dimensions consists of vertex-sharing d-dimensional simplices in which all of the points are topologically equivalent. The d-dimensional generalization of the diamond crystal can then be obtained from the centroids of each of the simplices, and we show that this natural construction of the diamond crystal is distinct from the D_d^+ family of crystals for all dimensions d\neq 3. We analyze the structural properties of these high-dimensional crystals, including the packing densities, coordination numbers, void exclusion probability functions, covering radii, and quantizer errors. Our results demonstrate that the so-called decorrelation principle, which formally states that unconstrained correlations vanish in asymptotically high dimensions, remarkably applies to the case of periodic point patterns with inherent long-range order. We show that the decorrelation principle is already exhibited in periodic crystals in low dimensions via a "smoothed" pair correlation function obtained by convolution with a Gaussian kernel. These observations support the universality of the decorrelation principle for any point pattern in high dimensions, whether disordered or not. This universal property in turn suggests that the best conjectural lower bound on the maximal sphere-packing density in high Euclidean dimensions derived by Torquato and Stillinger [Expt. Math. 15, 307 (2006)] is in fact optimal.
description: 33 pages, 7 figures, minor changes during peer review
Aminoxanthones as building blocks for the development of BINOL-based chemosensors
Creators: name: Rocha-Nunes, A. R.
name: Borges, M. M. P.
name: Gonçalves, V. M. F.
name: Tiritan, M. E.
name: Silva, E. M. P.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: The existence of d-amino acids (d-aa) in human brain is known for a long time, but only recent findings revealed they are neuro-active and can be therapeutically useful if detected in initial stages of Alzheimer Disease (AD) cognitive decline [1]. d-serine and d/l serine ratio in serum have been proposed as biomarkers for AD progression. Knowledge related to the role of d-aa in AD pathogenesis will facilitate novel therapeutic treatments and hence, improve patient’s quality of life. An accurate, timely diagnosis and simple method is crucial to access early treatments and the xanthone scaffold has the desirable photophysical properties to be explore as fluorophores. Objective: Develop chiral xanthone derivative-based fluorophores as enantioselective probes for detection and quantification of d-aa and d/l aa ratios for AD diagnoses. Methods: To develop the new xanthone-based chiral derivatives, a strategy based in the synthesis of a xanthone containing a maleimide moiety (MX) obtained from an aminoxanthone (XNH2) was envisioned. The MX could then act as Michael acceptor for the reaction with 1,1’-bi-2-naphthol (BINOL), the chiral moiety that will allow the enantioselective interactions with aa. Results: The synthesis of XNH2 was achieved in two steps: nitration reaction of the xanthone with KNO3 in H2SO4 followed by reduction with SnCl2 in concentrated HCl [2,3]. The product was recrystallized in ethanol and allowed to react with maleic anhydride followed by reaction with sodium acetate in acetic anhydride to produce the MX derivative. Finally, the 1,4-addition of BINOL to MX was performed [2,3]. Structure elucidation and spectroscopic characterization of the xanthone-BINOL derivative are ongoing. Conclusions: The aminoxanthone was successfully employed for the synthesis of the maleimide intermediate that allowed the conjugation with the BINOL chiral moiety. The spectroscopy studies are in progress, but preliminary results revealed the potential use of the new molecule as a fluorescence probe.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Examining Educators' Perceptions About Teaching Students Identified with Reading Disabilities
Creators: name: Funke Robinson, Kirstin
Publisher: name: Werklund School of Education
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: sociocultural theory
subject: secondary sociocultural artifacts
subject: reading disabilities
subject: special education
subject: inclusive education
subject: perspectives on disabilities
subject: teacher self-efficacy
subject: Education--Curriculum and Instruction
subject: Education--Elementary
subject: Education--Reading
subject: Education--Sociology of
subject: Education--Special

description: The purpose of this study was to explore the influence of secondary sociocultural artifacts on educators’ perceptions about teaching students identified with reading disabilities (RD). This investigation offered an alternative to traditional special education research by considering sociocultural influences, rather than emphasizing innate characteristics within students. A definitive conceptual model that explained how secondary sociocultural artifacts shape educators’ perceptions of teaching students identified with RD was not found in a review of related literature. Therefore, a specific examination of these perceptions of educators as situated within the unique context within which they were employed was sought. Using a descriptive case study design, a detailed account of the themes within sociocultural artifacts and the perceptions of educators across various roles were gathered within one school district. Since RD tends to be identified in late elementary grades, educators with responsibilities for grades 4-7 were included. Data were gathered across three phases using the methods of document analysis, questionnaires, and interviews. Twelve participants completed the questionnaires and six participants completed interviews. Four major findings were identified from this study. First, the contents of the secondary sociocultural artifacts salient to this school district aligned with either a special or an inclusive education model. Second, classroom teachers’ perspectives on reading disabilities aligned with a fixed deficit model overall, rationalized by their personal experiences with artifacts of special education. Third, classroom teachers’ beliefs about their own self-efficacy to teach students identified with RD varied, based on different aspects emphasized in their reflections on teaching students identified with RD. Fourth, those artifacts aligned with special education were perceived as inhibiting classroom teaching of students identified with RD. The findings from this study contributed to a conceptual framework for how secondary sociocultural artifacts shape educators’ perceptions. Given the important influence of educators’ perceptions on their actual practices, this study was critical to understand how to stimulate actions aimed at improving teaching practices for students identified with RD.
title: Praktikum Grundlagen der Elektrotechnik
Creators: name: Richert, Peter
Publisher: name: FH Münster
Year: 2002
Subjects: subject: 620 Ingenieurwissenschaften und zugeordnete Tätigkeiten

description: Die vorliegende Praktikumsanleitung ist in wesentlichen Teilen in Inhalt und Layout überarbeitet worden. Dazu haben neben Kollegen auch Studenten beigetragen, deren Ergebnisse Sie nun nutzen können. Um die Qualität weiter zu sichern und den Nutzen zu steigern, bitten wir Sie um folgende Mitarbeit: Sollten Sie bei der Vorbereitung Ihres 1. Versuches inhaltliche Fehler oder Rechtschreib- und Grammatikfehler feststellen, so teilen Sie uns diese bitte mit. Sollten Sie nach Abschluß des Praktikums Wünsche oder Anregungen haben, so teilen Sie uns diese bitte ebenfalls mit.
Design and application of small-scale quantum information processors
Creators: name: Dalal, Archismita
Publisher: name: Science
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: quantum gates
subject: neutral atoms
subject: quantum annealing
subject: machine learning
subject: Physics

description: The field of quantum computing is developing rapidly, with extensive research being undertaken in several topics ranging from designing novel computing architectures to developing algorithms for achieving quantum advantage. I address two research directions from this wide spectrum of topics and define my PhD research goals. My first objective is to design high-fidelity controlled-Z (CZ) gates for neutral atoms, and my second objective is to construct a quantum-assisted machine-learning model for solving non-linear regression problems. The potential of neutral-atom quantum computer stems from its unique ability to coherently control several stable qubits with the possibility of strong, long-range interactions between qubits; however the fidelity of a native two-qubit entangling gate on this platform lags behind competing platforms of superconducting systems and trapped ions. We propose gate procedures that rely on simultaneous driving of a pair of Caesium (Cs) atoms using broadband laser pulses and predict high-fidelity CZ gates. Using smooth and globally-optimized adiabatic pulse shapes, our simulations predict fidelities exceeding 0.997 in the presence of spontaneous emission from excited energy levels of Cs. By transitionless quantum driving of each Cs atom, we yield a CZ gate with fidelity 0.9985 over an operation time of 0.12 μs in the presence of spontaneous emission and major technical imperfections. The support vector regression (SVR) is a widely-used classical machine-learning model for regression tasks, including prediction of weather, stock market and real-estate pricing; yet, a currently-feasible quantum SVR model is missing from literature. We formulate quantum-assisted SVR based on quantum annealing, and compare its empirical performance against classical models for the task of detecting facial landmarks. By training the quantum-assisted model using the state-of-the-art quantum annealer, we demonstrate comparable performance of this model and two classical models for the landmark-detection task.Our results on high-fidelity CZ gates show that our gate procedures carry significant potential for achieving scalable quantum computing using atoms. On the other hand, our quantum-assisted SVR acts as a feasible quantum alternative for non-linear regression tasks.
Zebrafish as a valuable vertebrate model to study teratogenicity of pharmaceuticals and psychoactive substances
Creators: name: Ribeiro, O.
name: Félix, L.
name: Ribeiro, C.
name: Monteiro, S. M.
name: Carrola, J. S.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: The number of pharmaceuticals and psychoactive substances on the market increases each year, posing a need to understand their teratogenic effects on vertebrates. In the last two decades, there has been a growing interest in alternative vertebrate models, as part of the 3 R's principle (Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement) which led to the increased use of the zebrafish (Danio rerio) [1]. Besides, the easy observation of embryo development and the early developmental stages are not classified as experimental animals in the guidelines of the European Directive 2010/63/EU [2], which highlights the ethical advantages in teratogenic potential evaluation [3]. Objective: The study aimed to make a minireview of zebrafish as a model to assess the potential of teratogenicity of pharmaceuticals and psychoactive substances and analyse the major methodologies used to evaluate the malformations severity. Methods: The scientific literature search was done using ScienceDirect and PubMed search engine, looking for: zebrafish, Danio rerio, ecotoxicology, toxicology, malformations, teratogenicity, teratogen potential, and a selection of original papers and review was done. Results: This review confirm that zebrafish is a good model to make a pre-screening of the teratogenicity of pharmaceuticals and psychoactive substances, among others. However, the results reflect that several methodologies are used to assess the zebrafish malformations, showing a high variability and inconsistency in the evaluated endpoints and the nomenclature used. Additionally, each study uses its own scale of malformations severity, which can be evaluated using a quantitative method (different degrees of severity) or a binary method (present or absent). Conclusions: Zebrafish are a suitable alternative and complementary model to rodents (and other vertebrates) for massive screening of the potential teratogenic substances despite presenting differences for rodents. In addition, there is a need to standardize the classification and severity system for assessing malformations to improve the reproducibility and comparison between studies.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Zebrafish as a model for biomedical research of acute kidney injury: an ultrastructural study
Creators: name: Fernandes-Pontes, F.
name: Resende, A. D.
name: Silva, P.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) is a highly lethal health syndrome that results in a sudden loss of kidney function. It leads to nephron epithelial cells destruction and compromises urine output and the excretion of nitrogenous wastes, which are used as biomarkers [1,2]. In most cases, a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure occurs with further activation of other mechanisms to stabilize the blood volume and flow and to maintain body homeostasis [3,4]. Objective: Since a gentamicin-induced zebrafish (Danio rerio) model has already been used as an animal model for AKI, we aim to exhaustively describe this model regarding the histopathological and ultrastructural renal alterations, being one of the first studies providing this type of description [5]. Methods: Two groups of 15 zebrafish, gentamicin and control groups, were retroperitoneal injected and collected to light (four and six fish at 48 and 96h after injection, respectively) and electron microscopy (10 fish in each sampling time) analysis. In addition to the qualitative observation, we performed a semiquantitative analysis of the different renal tubules in the semithin and ultrathin sections. Results: We verified that the most affected cells are from the proximal tubule epithelium, mainly due to a damaged brush border that could lead to a defective absorption. Furthermore, using a semiquantitative approach, we verified a decrease in mitochondria quantity and size, while lysosomes and lipid droplets increased. Conclusions: This is the first study providing a detailed histological and ultrastructural description of the gentamicin-induced zebrafish kidney, which is essential for studying AKI and other kidney-related diseases. These results allow cellular and subcellular abnormalities identification, which could help the development of new treatments and therapies. This model is a valuable tool for studying kidney diseases, and a thorough understanding of kidney anatomy and physiology is critical for advancing our knowledge of these complex diseases.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Metalloproteinases and cellular components in saliva from periodontitis patients: preliminary study
Creators: name: Aguilera, S.
name: Relvas, M.
name: Viana Da Costa, A.
Publisher: name: Scientific Letters
Year: 2023

description: Background: Metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular matrix macromolecules important in cellular development and morphogenesis, being capable of activating growth factors nearby, cell surface receptors, adhesion molecules and immune mediators [1]. Because type I collagen is the major component of the periodontal extracellular matrix, special attention is given to the role of collagenases, among them MMP-8, which is involved in the degradation of this matrix. Periodontitis (PD) is a destructive inflammatory disease of the supporting tissues of the teeth, affecting 11% of the world’s population. Disease results from the interaction between the oral biofilm and the immune system's response [2]. Moreover, salivary MMP levels are associated with aggravation of periodontitis [3, 4], but no relation with which leukocytes populations yet. Objective: Our aim is to evaluate MMP-8 salivary levels and the corresponding leukocyte populations in patients with periodontitis stage I/II, stage III/IV and healthy controls. Methods: The study includes patients from the Dental Clinic appointments of the University Clinic of IUCS (7 healthy, 5 stage I/II, 7 stage III/IV). Collection of unstimulated saliva samples, followed by quantification of MMP-8 by ELISA and cellular recovery for leucocyte analysis by flow cytometry. Results: In a small sample of 19 individuals, studied so far, we observed that PD patients had higher MPP-8 levels than healthy controls. For cellular analysis, only 3 samples were studied, 3 healthy individuals. However, it has not yet been possible to establish any association with MMP-8 levels. Conclusions: In a near future, we expect our results to allow a possible association between MMP-8 salivary levels and periodontitis disease expression - stage versus grade. Flow cytometry analyses will allow for the evaluation of the leukocyte populations in saliva and their link with MMP-8 levels, in order to find a potential biomarker for periodontitis.
description: Scientific Letters, Vol. 1 No. Sup 1 (2023)
Three years of Fermi GBM Earth Occultation Monitoring: Observations of Hard X-ray/Soft Gamma-Ray Sources
Creators: name: Wilson-Hodge, Colleen A.
name: Case, Gary L.
name: Cherry, Michael L.
name: Rodi, James
name: Camero-Arranz, Ascension
name: Jenke, Peter
name: Chaplin, Vandiver
name: Beklen, Elif
name: Finger, Mark
name: Bhat, Narayan
name: Briggs, Michael S.
name: Connaughton, Valerie
name: Greiner, Jochen
name: Kippen, R. Marc
name: Meegan, Charles A.
name: Paciesas, William S.
name: Preece, Robert
name: von Kienlin, Andreas
Publisher: name: arXiv
Year: 2012
Subjects: subject: High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena (astro-ph.HE)
subject: FOS: Physical sciences

description: The Gamma ray Burst Monitor (GBM) on board Fermi has been providing continuous data to the astronomical community since 2008 August 12. In this paper we present the results of the analysis of the first three years of these continuous data using the Earth occultation technique to monitor a catalog of 209 sources. From this catalog, we detect 99 sources, including 40 low-mass X-ray binary/neutron star systems, 31 high-mass X-ray binary neutron star systems, 12 black hole binaries, 12 active galaxies, 2 other sources, plus the Crab Nebula, and the Sun. Nine of these sources are detected in the 100-300 keV band, including seven black-hole binaries, the active galaxy Cen A, and the Crab. The Crab and Cyg X-1 are also detected in the 300-500 keV band. GBM provides complementary data to other sky-monitors below 100 keV and is the only all-sky monitor above 100 keV. Up-to-date light curves for all of the catalog sources can be found at http://heastro.phys.lsu.edu/gbm/.
description: 24 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication in ApJS
New method of electrostatic separation of the oxidized iron ore
Creators: name: Idres, Abdelaziz
name: Bouhedja, Ahcène
name: Bounouala, Mohamed
name: Benselhoub, Aissa
Publisher: name: Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology
Year: 2016
Subjects: efficiency, electrostatic separation, iron ore, reagent-collector reagent - depressant

description: Mining Science
Investigating the impact of skull vibrations during focused ultrasound neuromodulation and methods to mitigate them
Creators: name: Hesselink, Jake Willem
Publisher: name: Schulich School of Engineering
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Focused ultrasound
subject: Neuromodulation
subject: Skull vibrations
subject: Motor responses
subject: Neuroscience
subject: Engineering
subject: Engineering--Biomedical

description: Focused ultrasound (FUS) neuromodulation offers the potential to non-invasively alter brain activity at targets throughout the brain, circumventing limitations of other neurostimulation techniques. FUS likely modulates neural tissue excitability through acoustic radiation force (ARF). The ultrasound signal exerts a mechanical force with dynamics of the carrier envelope, determined by the pulse repetition frequency (PRF). Thus, PRF has been tied both to modulatory effects of FUS and indirect auditory activation caused by FUS delivery through the skull. This auditory confound challenged motor responses to FUS, a common proxy measure of neuromodulation efficacy in rodents, and presents a hurdle for translation. Auditory activation has been linked to skull vibrations related to the PRF. Randomized PRF could prevent constructive interference of skull vibrations caused by ARF and minimize possible sensitivity of the skull to vibrate at PRFs. We hypothesized that randomizing the PRF would reduce skull vibrations without affecting motor response rates. We also hypothesized that while FUS delivery may cause skull vibrations, this auditory artifact was not the cause of motor responses and FUS neuromodulation would produce motor activity more reliably than piezoelectrically-induced skull vibrations. This study first aimed to record the amplitude of skull vibrations during FUS over a range of PRF values to assess the likelihood of skull vibrations depending on PRF. Second, vibrations were compared between randomized and fixed PRF conditions. Lastly, motor responses to FUS neuromodulation were compared between fixed PRF, random PRF, a positive control of air-puff stimulation, a sham condition, and vibration induction via a piezoelectric actuator. To obtain motor responses, isoflurane anesthesia was reduced during stimulus delivery. Motor activity was recorded via video and electromyography. A contact microphone recorded skull vibrations. The results of this work revealed the influence of PRF on skull vibrations and suggested that they do not significantly impact motor responses to FUS neuromodulation. The random PRF method slightly reduced skull vibrations and may be adapted in future studies of the neuromodulatory effects of FUS.
Applications of ANOVA in mineral processing
Creators: name: Niedoba, Tomasz
name: Pięta, Paulina Kinga
Publisher: name: Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology
Year: 2016
Subjects: ANOVA, mineral processing, copper-molybdenum sulphides flotation, hard coal properties, multidimensional analysis

description: Mining Science
Comparison of Ventricular Geometry for Two Real Time 3D Ultrasound with Three Dimensional Level Set
Creators: name: Angelini, Elsa D.
name: Otsuka, R.
name: Homma, Shunichi
name: Laine, Andrew F.
Publisher: name: Columbia University
Year: 2004
Subjects: Biomedical engineering

description: This paper presents new results for segmentation of 3D ultrasound using a robust and smooth segmentation method based on a homogeneity-driven three dimensional level set algorithm. The segmentation was applied to echocardiographic data from healthy volunteers acquired with two 3D ultrasound machines based on matrix-phased array technology. A comparison of ventricular volumes and geometry is performed based on manual and automatic methods of segmentation. Results showed good agreement of the segmentation methods and the ultrasound machines for ventricular geometry and quantitative assessment of cardiac function.