Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Food habits and physical activity patterns among Palestinian adolescents: findings from the national study of Palestinian schoolchildren (HBSC-WBG2004)

Abstract Objective To describe the food habits and physical (in)activity patterns and to investigate the relationship with sociodemographic factors among Palestinian adolescents. Design and subjects The Palestinian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) is a cross-sectional survey of grades 6, 8, 10 and 12. Students completed a modified version of the international HBSC questionnaire. A total of 8885 students were included in this analysis; 53% were from the West Bank and 47% from the Gaza Strip. Results Adolescents in the West Bank consume more fruit, meat, chicken, sweets and soft drinks, but less vegetables than adolescents in Gaza (P < 0.01). Girls reported more daily consumption of fruit, vegetables and sweets than boys (P < 0.001), and less consumption of soft drinks, milk, meat and chicken (P < 0.01). Boys were physically more active than girls (P < 0.01), whereas girls reported doing more homework (P < 0.001). Both boys and girls reported less physical activity with increasing age (P < 0.001). Consumption of fruit and milk was positively associated with both parents' education, while consumption of meat, chicken and soft drinks was positively associated with mother's education only. Having breakfast on schooldays was positively associated with the father's education. Physical activity and television viewing were associated with the mother's education (P < 0.01). The parents' level of education had no effect on vegetable consumption and dieting status. Conclusion This study indicated that there are problems with Palestinian adolescents' eating, dieting and physical activity. Regional, gender and parental socio-economic status differences should be taken into account in developing interventions. More detailed studies are needed with more elaborate instruments about food habits and physical activity of adolescents.
Event Boundary Detection Using Autonomous Agents in a Sensor Network

A novel approach to event boundary detection is proposed, where autonomous agents are deployed in order to minimize the number of transmissions required to discover an event boundary. The goal of the algorithm is to localize node transmission along the event boundary, since the sensory data from nodes not along the boundary is not required for event boundary detection. Simulations demonstrate that the algorithm has a linear efficiency function when related to event radius of sufficient size and further demonstrates that the boundary of an event may be successfully mapped using agents.
Short Telomeres Result in Organismal Hypersensitivity to Ionizing Radiation in Mammals

Here we show a correlation between telomere length and organismal sensitivity to ionizing radiation (IR) in mammals. In particular, fifth generation (G5) mouse telomerase RNA (mTR)−/− mice, with telomeres 40% shorter than in wild-type mice, are hypersensitive to cumulative doses of gamma rays. 60% of the irradiated G5 mTR−/− mice die of acute radiation toxicity in the gastrointestinal tract, lymphoid organs, and kidney. The affected G5 mTR−/− mice show higher chromosomal damage and greater apoptosis than similarly irradiated wild-type controls. Furthermore, we show that G5 mTR−/− mice show normal frequencies of sister chromatid exchange and normal V(D)J recombination, suggesting that short telomeres do not significantly affect the efficiency of DNA double strand break repair in mammals. The IR-sensitive phenotype of G5 mTR−/− mice suggests that telomere function is one of the determinants of radiation sensitivity of whole animals.
Technological innovation and inequality in health

The effect of education on health has been increasing over the past several decades. We hypothesize that this increasing disparity is related to health-related technical progress: more-educated people are the first to take advantage of technological advances that improve health. We test this hypothesis using data on disease-specific mortality rates for 1980 and 1990, and cancer registry data for 1973–1993. We estimate education gradients in mortality using compulsory schooling as a measure of education. We then relate these gradients to two measures of health-related innovation: the number of active drug ingredients available to treat a disease, and the rate of change in mortality from that disease. We find that more-educated individuals have a greater survival advantage in those diseases for which there has been more health-related technological progress.
Plasticity of human auditory-evoked fields induced by shock conditioning and contingency reversal

We used magnetoencephalography (MEG) to assess plasticity of human auditory cortex induced by classical conditioning and contingency reversal. Participants listened to random sequences of high or low tones. A first baseline phase presented these without further associations. In phase 2, one of the frequencies (CS+) was paired with shock on half its occurrences, whereas the other frequency (CS−) was not. In phase 3, the contingency assigning CS+ and CS− was reversed. Conditioned pupil dilation was observed in phase 2 but extinguished in phase 3. MEG revealed that, during phase-2 initial conditioning, the P1m, N1m, and P2m auditory components, measured from sensors over auditory temporal cortex, came to distinguish between CS+ and CS−. After contingency reversal in phase 3, the later P2m component rapidly reversed its selectivity (unlike the pupil response) but the earlier P1m did not, whereas N1m showed some new learning but not reversal. These results confirm plasticity of human auditory responses due to classical conditioning, but go further in revealing distinct constraints on different levels of the auditory hierarchy. The later P2m component can reverse affiliation immediately in accord with an updated expectancy after contingency reversal, whereas the earlier auditory components cannot. These findings indicate distinct cognitive and emotional influences on auditory processing.
The essence of XML

The World-Wide Web Consortium (W3C) promotes XML and related standards, including XML Schema, XQuery, and XPath. This paper describes a formalization of XML Schema. A formal semantics based on these ideas is part of the official XQuery and XPath specification, one of the first uses of formal methods by a standards body. XML Schema features both named and structural types, with structure based on tree grammars. While structural types and matching have been studied in other work (notably XDuce, Relax NG, and a previous formalization of XML Schema), this is the first work to study the relation between named types and structural types, and the relation between matching and validation.
Introduction to Cross-Entropy Clustering The R Package CEC

The R Package CEC performs clustering based on the cross-entropy clustering (CEC) method, which was recently developed with the use of information theory. The main advantage of CEC is that it combines the speed and simplicity of $k$-means with the ability to use various Gaussian mixture models and reduce unnecessary clusters. In this work we present a practical tutorial to CEC based on the R Package CEC. Functions are provided to encompass the whole process of clustering.
Cumulative Activation of Akt and Consequent Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 by Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) seem to play key roles in mediating neuronal plasticity in the hippocampus. In the current studies, we have used cultured hippocampal neurons to study possible interactions between the two growth factors in modulating neuronal signaling pathways. BDNF and IGF-1 were found to each effectively activate the neuroprotective Akt pathway, with the magnitude of activation being at least additive when cultures were simultaneously treated with supramaximal concentrations of peptides. Likewise, a cumulative inhibitory Akt-dependent phosphorylation of proapoptotic glycogen synthase kinase-3 was observed. Immunofluorescent studies demonstrated that a single population of neurons responded to BDNF and IGF-1. In contrast, the magnitude of BDNF-stimulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) activation was found to be much greater than that of IGF-1-stimulated ERK, such that the difference in magnitude stimulated by BDNF in the presence and absence of IGF-1 did not reach statistical significance. Consistent with the observed agonist-stimulated activation of Akt, BDNF and IGF-1 were both found to act as neurotrophins, enhancing neuronal survival under low-insulin culture conditions. Maximal survival was achieved when both growth factors were present. These findings provide insight into the significance of multiple growth factors stimulating activation of ERK and Akt in the central nervous system. In some cases, the magnitude of activation required to elicit biological responses may be achieved only with a combination of compounds.
Endothelial Shear Stress and Coronary Plaque Characteristics in Humans: Combined Frequency-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography and Computational Fluid Dynamics Study

Background—Despite the exposure of the entire vasculature to the atherogenic effects of systemic risk factors, atherosclerotic plaques preferentially develop at sites with disturbed flow. This study aimed at exploring in vivo the relationship between local endothelial shear stress (ESS) and coronary plaque characteristics in humans using computational fluid dynamics and frequency-domain optical coherence tomography. Methods and Results—Three-dimensional coronary artery reconstruction was performed in 21 patients (24 arteries) presenting with acute coronary syndrome using frequency-domain optical coherence tomography and coronary angiography. Each coronary artery was divided into sequential 3-mm segments and analyzed for the assessment of local ESS and plaque characteristics. A total of 146 nonculprit segments were evaluated. Compared with segments with higher ESS [≥1 Pascal (Pa)], those with low ESS (<1 Pa) showed higher prevalence of lipid-rich plaques (37.5% versus 20.0%; P=0.019) and thin-cap fibroatheroma (12.5% versus 2.0%; P=0.037). Overall, lipid plaques in segments with low ESS had thinner fibrous cap (115 &mgr;m [63–166] versus 170 &mgr;m [107–219]; P=0.004) and higher macrophage density (normalized standard deviation: 8.4% [4.8–12.6] versus 6.2% [4.2–8.8]; P=0.017). Segments with low ESS showed more superficial calcifications (minimum calcification depth: 93 &mgr;m [50–140] versus 152 &mgr;m [105–258]; P=0.049) and tended to have higher prevalence of spotty calcifications (26.0% versus 12.0%; P=0.076). Conclusions—Coronary regions exposed to low ESS are associated with larger lipid burden, thinner fibrous cap, and higher prevalence of thin-cap fibroatheroma in humans. Frequency-domain optical coherence tomography–based assessment of ESS and wall characteristics may be useful in identifying vulnerable coronary regions. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT01110538.
Multiscale Systems‐Pharmacology Pipeline to Assess the Prophylactic Efficacy of NRTIs Against HIV‐1

While HIV‐1 continues to spread, the use of antivirals in preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has recently been suggested. Here we present a modular systems pharmacology modeling pipeline, predicting PrEP efficacy of nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) at the scale of reverse transcription, target‐cell, and systemic infection and after repeated viral exposures, akin to clinical trials. We use this pipeline to benchmark the prophylactic efficacy of all currently approved NRTIs in wildtype and mutant viruses. By integrating pharmacokinetic models, we find that intracellular tenofovir‐diphosphate builds up too slowly to halt infection when taken “on demand” and that lamivudine may substitute emtricitabine in PrEP combinations. Lastly, we delineate factors confounding clinical PrEP efficacy estimates and provide a method to overcome these. The presented framework is useful to screen and optimize PrEP candidates and strategies and to understand their clinical efficacy by integrating the diverse scales which determine PrEP efficacy.
Evidence that DmMANF is an invertebrate neurotrophic factor supporting dopaminergic neurons

In vertebrates the development and function of the nervous system is regulated by neurotrophic factors (NTFs). Despite extensive searches no neurotrophic factors have been found in invertebrates. However, cell ablation studies in Drosophila suggest trophic interaction between neurons and glia. Here we report the invertebrate neurotrophic factor in Drosophila, DmMANF, homologous to mammalian MANF and CDNF. DmMANF is expressed in glia and essential for maintenance of dopamine positive neurites and dopamine levels. The abolishment of both maternal and zygotic DmMANF leads to the degeneration of axonal bundles in the embryonic central nervous system and subsequent nonapoptotic cell death. The rescue experiments confirm DmMANF as a functional ortholog of the human MANF gene thus opening the window for comparative studies of this protein family with potential for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
Plasmid-Mediated Quinolone Resistance in Clinical Isolates of Escherichia coli from Shanghai, China

ABSTRACT Although quinolone resistance usually results from chromosomal mutations, recent studies indicate that quinolone resistance can also be plasmid mediated. The gene responsible, qnr, is distinct from the known quinolone resistance genes and in previous studies seemed to be restricted to Klebsiella pneumoniae and Escherichia coli isolates from the University of Alabama in Birmingham, where this resistance was discovered. In Shanghai, the frequency of ciprofloxacin resistance in E. coli has exceeded 50% since 1993. Seventy-eight unique ciprofloxacin-resistant clinical isolates of E. coli from Shanghai hospitals were screened for the qnr gene by colony blotting and Southern hybridization of plasmid DNA. Conjugation experiments were done with azide-resistant E. coli J53 as a recipient with selection for plasmid-encoded antimicrobial resistance (chloramphenicol, gentamicin, or tetracycline) and azide counterselection. qnr genes were sequenced, and the structure of the plasmid DNA adjacent to qnr was analyzed by primer walking with a sequential series of outward-facing sequencing primers with plasmid DNA templates purified from transconjugants. Six (7.7%) of 78 strains gave a reproducible hybridization signal with a qnr gene probe on colony blots and yielded strong signals on plasmid DNA preparations. Quinolone resistance was transferred from all six probe-positive strains. Transconjugants had 16- to 250-fold increases in the MICs of ciprofloxacin relative to that of the recipient. All six strains contained qnr with a nucleotide sequence identical to that originally reported, except for a single nucleotide change (CTA→CTG at position 537) encoding the same amino acid. qnr was located in complex In4 family class 1 integrons. Two completely sequenced integrons were designated In36 and In37. Transferable plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance associated with qnr is thus prevalent in quinolone-resistant clinical strains of E. coli from Shanghai and may contribute to the rapid increase in bacterial resistance to quinolones in China.
Inhibitory effects of Citrus flavonoids on starch digestion and antihyperglycemic effects in HepG2 cells.

Flavonoids are a class of important bioactive natural products and are being extensively used in functional foods. In the present study, the effects of four Citrus flavonoids (i.e., hesperidin, naringin, neohesperidin, and nobiletin) on amylase-catalyzed starch digestion, major digestive enzyme activities (e.g., pancreatic α-amylase and α-glucosidase), and glucose use in HepG2 cells were investigated. The results showed that all of the tested Citrus flavonoids significantly inhibited amylase-catalyzed starch digestion. Moreover, naringin and neohesperidin mainly inhibited amylose digestion, whereas hesperidin and nobiletin inhibited both amylose and amylopectin digestion. However, these flavonoids showed weak inhibitory activities against digestive enzymes. Furthermore, glucose consumption, glycogen concentration, and glucokinase activity were significantly elevated, and glucose-6-phosphatase activity was markedly decreased by Citrus flavonoids. These results demonstrate that Citrus flavonoids play important roles in preventing the progression of hyperglycemia, partly by binding to starch, increasing hepatic glycolysis and the glycogen concentration, and lowering hepatic gluconeogenesis. This work suggests that Citrus flavonoids might be potentially used for the prevention of postprandial hyperglycemia.
PDH activation by dichloroacetate reduces TCA cycle intermediates at rest but not during exercise in humans.

We hypothesized that dichloroacetate (DCA), which stimulates the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDH), would attenuate the increase in muscle tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediates (TCAI) during exercise by increasing the oxidative disposal of pyruvate and attenuating the flux through anaplerotic pathways. Six subjects were infused with either saline (Con) or DCA (100 mg/kg body mass) and then performed a moderate leg kicking exercise for 15 min, followed immediately by intense exercise until exhaustion (Exh; ∼4 min). Resting active fraction of PDH (PDHa) was markedly increased ( P ≤ 0.05) after DCA vs. Con (2.65 ± 0.27 vs. 0.64 ± 0.07 mmol ⋅ min-1 ⋅ kg wet wt-1); however, there were no differences between trials after 1 or 15 min of exercise or at Exh. The sum of five measured TCAI (ΣTCAI; ∼90% of total TCAI pool) was lower ( P ≤ 0.05) after DCA vs. Con at rest (0.78 ± 0.11 vs. 1.52 ± 0.23 mmol/kg dry wt, respectively). However, the net increase in muscle TCAI during the first minute of exercise was higher ( P≤ 0.05) in the DCA trial vs. Con (3.05 ± 0.45 vs. 2.44 ± 0.55 mmol ⋅ min-1 ⋅ kg dry wt-1, respectively), and consequently, the ΣTCAI was not different between trials during exercise. We conclude that DCA reduced TCAI pool size at rest by increasing the flux through PDH and diverting pyruvate away from anaplerotic pathways. The reason for the similar absolute increase in TCAI during exercise is not clear but may be related to 1) an initial mismatch between glycolytic flux and PDH flux that provided sufficient pyruvate for anaplerosis in both trials; or 2) a transient inhibition of PDH flux during the DCA trial due to an elevated resting acetyl-CoA-to-CoASH ratio, which augmented the anaplerotic flux of carbon during the rest-to-work transition.
On the comparison between OFDM and single carrier modulation with a DFE using a frequency-domain feedforward filter

Most comparisons between single carrier and multicarrier modulations assume frequency-domain linear equalization of the channel. We propose a new frequency-domain decision feedback equalizer (FD-DFE) for single carrier modulation, which makes use of a data block transmission format similar to that of the orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing with cyclic prefix (OFDM). The scheme is a nonadaptive DFE where the feedforward part is implemented in the frequency domain, while feedback signal is generated by time-domain filtering. Through simulations in a HIPERLAN-2 scenario, we show that FD-DFE yields a capacity very close to that of OFDM. This result is also confirmed by analytical derivations for a particular case. Furthermore, when no channel loading is considered, FD-DFE performs closely to OFDM for the same averaged frame error rate in a coded transmission. Design methods of the FD-DFE are investigated and a reduced complexity technique is developed, with the result that FD-DFE and OFDM have a similar computational complexity in signal processing.
Biological Factors Influencing Optimum Fractionation in Radiation Therapy

Optimum fractionation in radiotherapy occurs when tumor control is improved without enhancement of complications. The main influence on choice of overall time, total dose and fraction size is biological: the proliferation status of tumors. For rapidly proliferating tumors, shorter schedules than 6 to 8 weeks are necessary. Optimum overall time is similar to Tk, the time after beginning cytotoxic treatment when rapid proliferation in tumors starts: 21 to 35 days in head and neck tumors. These, and non-small cell lung tumors, have a clonogenic cell doubling time during radiotherapy of about 3 days. New developments in designing optimum schedules for such tumors are presented: carefully regulated hypofractionation (CRH). For slowly proliferating tumors, especially prostate adenocarcinoma, intracellular repair is large, so larger doses per fraction will be necessary. New evidence is presented showing that their f g ratio may indeed be lower than 3 Gy. For an entirely different reason from that above, hypofractionation should be tested.
The role of a culture of compliance in information technology governance

Ethics has been perceived as one of the most important factors in establishing good corporate governance. Information Technology (IT) plays an increasing role in helping modern organizations to achieve their goals, and it has become critical in creating and implementing effective IT governance mechanisms. This study examines the extent to which an ethic or culture of compliance in IT within an organization influences the overall effectiveness of IT governance, and the factors that contribute to this effect. Responses from 122 internal auditors, members of ISACA (Information Systems and Audit Control Association) Australia, show that two factors contributed to the ethics or culture of compliance in IT: corporate communication systems and the involvement of senior management in IT. This study advances our understanding of the roles of IT governance mechanisms and their impact on the overall effectiveness of IT governance. Furthermore, the findings of this study provide empirical results on the IT governance mechanisms that have been previously studied mainly by normative and case study approaches.
Customer-Base Valuation in a Contractual Setting: The Perils of Ignoring Heterogeneity

The past few years have seen increasing interest in taking the notion of customer lifetime value (CLV) and extending it to value a customer base (with subsequent links to corporate valuation). The application of standard textbook discussions of CLV leads to calculations based on a single retention rate. However, at the cohort level, retention rates typically increase over time. It has been suggested that these observed dynamics are due, in large part, to a sorting effect in a heterogeneous population. We show that failing to recognize these dynamics yields a downward-biased estimate of the residual value of the customer base (compared to an aggregate analysis that ignores these dynamics). We also explore the implications of failing to account for retention dynamics when computing retention elasticities and find that the frequently reported values underestimate the true effect of increases in underlying retention rates in a heterogeneous world.