Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Facial profile preferences, self-awareness and perception among groups of people in the United Arab Emirates

Objectives: The objective of this study is to assess the differences in facial profile preference among different layers of people in the United Arab Emirates. Facial profile self-awareness among the different groups was also evaluated. Materials and Methods: A total sample of 222 participants (mean [standard deviation] age = 25.71 [8.3] years, almost 80% of the participants were of Arab origin and 55% were males); consisting of 60 laypersons, 60 dental students, 60 general practitioners, 16 oral surgeons, and 26 orthodontists. Facial profile photographs of a male and female adult with straight profiles and a Class I skeletal relationship were used as a baseline template. Computerized photographic image modification was carried out on the templates to obtain seven different facial profile silhouettes for each gender. To assess differences in facial profile perception, participants were asked to rank the profiles of each gender on a scale from most to least attractive (1 [highest score] and 7 [least score]). Awareness and satisfaction with the facial appearance on a profile view was assessed using questionnaires completed by the non-expert groups. Results: The straight facial profile was perceived to be highly attractive by all five groups. The least attractive profiles were the bimaxillary protrusion and the mandibular retrusion for the male and the female profiles, respectively. Lip protrusion was more esthetically acceptable in females. Significant differences in perception existed among groups. The female profile esthetic perception was highly correlated between the expert groups (P > 0.05). Overall agreement between the non-expert group's perceptions of their own profiles and evaluation by the expert orthodontist was 51% (κ = 0.089). Candidates who perceived themselves as having a Class III facial profile were the least satisfied with their profile. Conclusions: Dental professionals, dental students, and laypersons had a similar perception trends in female and male aesthetic preference. Laypersons were more tolerant to profiles with bi-maxillary retrusion. The expert group's esthetic perception was highly correlated only for the female profiles. Most of the non-experts were unable to correctly identify their facial profile.
The Functional Paradox of CD43 in Leukocyte Recruitment: A Study Using CD43-deficient Mice

Although there is considerable evidence implicating a role for CD43 (leukosialin) in leukocyte cell–cell interactions, its precise function remains uncertain. Using CD43-deficient mice (CD43−/−) and intravital microscopy to directly visualize leukocyte interactions in vivo, we investigated the role of CD43 in leukocyte–endothelial cell interactions within the cremasteric microcirculation under flow conditions. Our studies demonstrated significantly enhanced leukocyte rolling and adhesion after chemotactic stimuli in CD43−/− mice compared with wild type mice. Using an in vitro flow chamber, we established that the enhanced rolling interactions of CD43−/− leukocytes, primarily neutrophils, were also observed using immobilized E-selectin as a substrate, suggesting that passive processes related to steric hindrance or charge repulsion were likely mechanisms. Despite increased adhesion and rolling interactions by CD43−/− leukocytes, we uncovered a previously unrecognized impairment of CD43−/− leukocytes to infiltrate tissues. Oyster glycogen–induced neutrophil and monocyte infiltration into the peritoneum was significantly reduced in CD43−/− mice. In response to platelet activating factor, CD43−/− leukocytes were impaired in their ability to emigrate out of the vasculature. These results suggest that leukocyte CD43 has a dual function in leukocyte–endothelial interactions. In addition to its role as a passive nonspecific functional barrier, CD43 also facilitates emigration of leukocytes into tissues.
Disturbances of Person Identification in Alzheimer's Disease: A Retrospective Study

Person identification disturbances in Alzheimer's disease (AD) add to the suffering of both patients and caregivers. We assessed the prevalence of person identification disturbances in the records of 217 outpatients with AD. These disturbances occurred in 25.4% (N = 55) and included transient misidentifications of familiar persons (N = 34), the Capgras syndrome (N = 11), misidentification of themselves in mirrors (N = 5), prosopagnosia (N = 3), misidentification of unfamiliar persons as familiar (N = 1), and misidentiflcation of another person as oneself (N = 1). Transient misidentifications were easily corrected misperceptions, and the Capgras syndrome and mirror difficulties were associated with suspiciousness/paranoia and delusions. In AD, these findings suggest that misidentifications of familiar persons result from misinterpretations due to cognitive impairments, and the Capgras syndrome and mirror difficulties ensue when these misinterpretations are elaborated by paranoid delusions.
Mean stress effects in stress-life fatigue and the Walker equation

Mean stress effects in finite-life fatigue are studied for a number of sets of experimental data for steels, aluminium alloys and one titanium alloy. Specifically, the agreement with these data is examined for the Goodman, Morrow, Smith-Watson-Topper and Walker equations. The Goodman relationship is found to be highly inaccurate. Reasonable accuracy is provided by the Morrow and by the Smith-Watson-Topper equations. But the Morrow method should not be used for aluminium alloys unless the true fracture strength is employed, instead of the more usual use of the stress-life intercept constant. The Walker equation with its adjustable fitting parameter y gives superior results. For steels, y is found to correlate with the ultimate tensile strength, and a linear relationship permits y to be estimated for cases where non-zero mean stress data are not available. Relatively high-strength aluminium alloys have γ ≈ 0.5, which corresponds with the SWT method, but higher values of y apply for relatively low-strength aluminium alloys. For both steels and aluminium alloys, there is a trend of decreasing γ with increasing strength, indicating an increasing sensitivity to mean stress.
Hepatitis C virus infection in patients with overt B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in a French center.

To the Editor: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been shown to be the main etiologic agent of type II mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC),[1][1] [2][2] a disease associated with an underlying B-cell clonal proliferation, predisposing to B-cell malignancy, in 2% to 11% of the cases. [3][3] Italian studies have
Supplementation with DHA and the psychological functioning of young adults

The grey matter of the brain contains high levels of the essential nutrient DHA. Although the role of DHA in the developing brain and in dementia has attracted attention, its influence on the brain of the healthy adult has been little considered. A total of 285 young adult females took 400 mg of DHA, in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, for 50 d. After 50 d, recently acquired information was more likely to be forgotten by those who had consumed DHA. No significant differences in mood, reaction times, vigilance or visual acuity were found.
Existence of an Endogenous Circadian Blood Pressure Rhythm in Humans That Peaks in the Evening

Rationale: Blood pressure (BP) usually decreases during nocturnal sleep and increases during daytime activities. Whether the endogenous circadian control system contributes to this daily BP variation has not been determined under appropriately controlled conditions. Objective: To determine whether there exists an endogenous circadian rhythm of BP in humans. Methods and Results: In 28 normotensive adults (16 men), we assessed BP across 3 complementary, multiday, in-laboratory protocols performed in dim light, throughout which behavioral and environmental influences were controlled and/or uniformly distributed across the circadian cycle via: (1) a 38-hour “constant routine,” including continuous wakefulness; (2) a 196-hour “forced desynchrony” with 7 recurring 28-hour sleep/wake cycles; and (3) a 240-hour forced desynchrony with 12 recurring 20-hour sleep/wake cycles. Circadian phases were derived from core body temperature. Each protocol revealed significant circadian rhythms in systolic and diastolic BP, with almost identical rhythm profiles among protocols. The peak-to-trough amplitudes were 3 to 6 mm Hg for systolic BP and 2 to 3 mm Hg for diastolic BP (always P<0.05). All 6 peaks (systolic and diastolic BP in 3 protocols) occurred at a circadian phase corresponding to ≈9:00 PM (ie, the biological evening). Based on substantial phase differences among circadian rhythms of BP and other variables, the rhythm in BP appeared to be unrelated to circadian rhythms in cortisol, catecholamines, cardiac vagal modulation, heart rate, or urine flow. Conclusions: There exists a robust endogenous circadian rhythm in BP. The highest BP occurred at the circadian time corresponding to ≈9:00 PM, suggesting that the endogenous BP rhythm is unlikely to underlie the well-documented morning peak in adverse cardiovascular events.
Efficient in Vivo Manipulation of Alternative Pre-mRNA Splicing Events Using Antisense Morpholinos in Mice*

Mammalian pre-mRNA alternative splicing mechanisms are typically studied using artificial minigenes in cultured cells, conditions that may not accurately reflect the physiological context of either the pre-mRNA or the splicing machinery. Here, we describe a strategy to investigate splicing of normal endogenous full-length pre-mRNAs under physiological conditions in live mice. This approach employs antisense vivo-morpholinos (vMOs) to mask cis-regulatory sequences or to disrupt splicing factor expression, allowing functional evaluation of splicing regulation in vivo. We applied this strategy to gain mechanistic insight into alternative splicing events involving exons 2 and 16 (E2 and E16) that control the structure and function of cytoskeletal protein 4.1R. In several mouse tissues, inclusion of E16 was substantially inhibited by interfering with a splicing enhancer mechanism using a target protector morpholino that blocked Fox2-dependent splicing enhancers in intron 16 or a splice-blocking morpholino that disrupted Fox2 expression directly. For E2, alternative 3′-splice site choice is coordinated with upstream promoter use across a long 5′-intron such that E1A splices almost exclusively to the distal acceptor (E2dis). vMOs were used to test the in vivo relevance of a deep intron element previously proposed to determine use of E2dis via a two-step intrasplicing model. Two independent vMOs designed against this intronic regulatory element inhibited intrasplicing, robustly switching E1A splicing to the proximal acceptor (E2prox). This finding strongly supports the in vivo physiological relevance of intrasplicing. vMOs represent a powerful tool for alternative splicing studies in vivo and may facilitate exploration of alternative splicing networks in vivo.
A New Evolutionary Morphological-Rank-Linear Approach for Time Series Prediction

This work presents a new evolutionary morphological-rank-linear approach in order to overcome the random walk dilemma for time series prediction. The proposed approach, referred to as Evolutionary Morphological-Rank-Linear Forecasting (EMRLF) method, consists of an intelligent hybrid model composed of a Morphological-Rank-Linear (MRL) filter combined with a Modified Genetic Algorithm (MGA), which performs an evolutionary search for the minimum number of relevant time lags capable of a fine tuned characterization of the time series, as well as for the initial (sub-optimal) parameters of the MRL filter. Each individual of the MGA population is improved using the Least Mean Squares (LMS) algorithm to further adjust the parameters of the MRL filter, supplied by the MGA. After built the prediction model, the proposed method performs a behavioral statistical test with a phase fix procedure to adjust time phase distortions that can appear in the modeling of financial time series. An experimental analysis is conducted with the method using two real world stock market time series according to a group of performance metrics and the results are compared to both MultiLayer Perceptron (MLP) networks and a more advanced, previously introduced, Time-delay Added Evolutionary Forecasting (TAEF) method.
A Likelihood Ratio Test of Speciation with Gene Flow Using Genomic Sequence Data

Genomic sequence data may be used to test hypotheses about the process of species formation. In this paper, I implement a likelihood ratio test of variable species divergence times over the genome, which may be considered a test of the null model of allopatric speciation without gene flow against the alternative model of parapatric speciation with gene flow. Two models are implemented in the likelihood framework, which accommodate coalescent events in the ancestral populations in a phylogeny of three species. One model assumes a constant species divergence time over the genome, whereas another allows it to vary. Computer simulation shows that the test has acceptable false positive rate but to achieve reasonable power, hundreds or even thousands of genomic loci may be necessary. The test is applied to genomic data from the human, chimpanzee, and gorilla.
Plastic Compressed Collagen as a Novel Carrier for Expanded Human Corneal Endothelial Cells for Transplantation

Current treatments for reversible blindness caused by corneal endothelial cell failure involve replacing the failed endothelium with donor tissue using a one donor-one recipient strategy. Due to the increasing pressure of a worldwide donor cornea shortage there has been considerable interest in developing alternative strategies to treat endothelial disorders using expanded cell replacement therapy. Protocols have been developed which allow successful expansion of endothelial cells in vitro but this approach requires a supporting material that would allow easy transfer of cells to the recipient. We describe the first use of plastic compressed collagen as a highly effective, novel carrier for human corneal endothelial cells. A human corneal endothelial cell line and primary human corneal endothelial cells retained their characteristic cobblestone morphology and expression of tight junction protein ZO-1 and pump protein Na+/K+ ATPase α1 after culture on collagen constructs for up to 14 days. Additionally, ultrastructural analysis suggested a well-integrated endothelial layer with tightly opposed cells and apical microvilli. Plastic compressed collagen is a superior biomaterial in terms of its speed and ease of production and its ability to be manipulated in a clinically relevant manner without breakage. This method provides expanded endothelial cells with a substrate that could be suitable for transplantation allowing one donor cornea to potentially treat multiple patients.
Effects of Dripper Discharge and Irrigation Amount on Soil-Water Dynamics under Subsurface Drip Irrigation

Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) that has a wide application prospect is one of the high efficiency water-saving irrigation techniques. Research on regulation of soil-water dynamics in irrigation design parameters of SDI has important points in improving its irrigation design and guiding its practical function. In this study, soil wetting patterns were investigated in laboratory experiments which were operated at three different dripper discharges (0.76, 1.15 and 1.25 l h-1) and two different irrigation amounts (4.6 and 9.2 l). The results showed that, (1) with the increase of dripper discharges from 0.76 l h-1 to 1.25 l h-1, water content around the emitter are increasing from 0.225 cm3 cm-3 to 0.300 cm3 cm-3, (2) increasing the dripper discharge and irrigation amount increased the size of the wetted zone, (3) upward distance of the wetting front is less than downward distance and horizontal distance of the wetting front presents symmetry distribution at the same the dripper discharges and irrigation amount, (4) with the increase of irrigation amounts from 4.6 l to 9.2 l, water contents of the vertical and horizontal direction are increasing 10% to 20%.
Analysis of antibiotic consumption in burn patients

Infection control is very important in burn care units, because burn wound infection is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality among burn patients. Thus, the appropriate prescription of antibiotics can be helpful, but unreasonable prescription can have detrimental consequences, including greater expenses to patients and community alike. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of antibiotic therapy on the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 525 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus were isolated from 335 hospitalized burn patients. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed after identification the strains. The records of patients were audited to find the antibiotic used. The results indicated that P. aeruginosa is the most prevalent Gram-negative bacteria. Further, it showed a relation between abuse of antibiotics and emergence of antibiotic resistance. Control of resistance to antibiotics by appropriate prescription practices not only facilitates prevention of infection caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms, but it can also decrease the cost of treatment.
Antimyeloma Effects of the Heat Shock Protein 70 Molecular Chaperone Inhibitor MAL3-101

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy and remains incurable, primarily due to the treatment-refractory/resistant nature of the disease. A rational approach to this compelling challenge is to develop new drugs that act synergistically with existing effective agents. This approach will reduce drug concentrations, avoid treatment resistance, and also improve treatment effectiveness by targeting new and nonredundant pathways in MM. Toward this goal, we examined the antimyeloma effects of MAL3-101, a member of a new class of non-ATP-site inhibitors of the heat shock protein (Hsp) 70 molecular chaperone. We discovered that MAL3-101 exhibited antimyeloma effects on MM cell lines in vitro and in vivo in a xenograft plasmacytoma model, as well as on primary tumor cells and bone marrow endothelial cells from myeloma patients. In combination with a proteasome inhibitor, MAL3-101 significantly potentiated the in vitro and in vivo antimyeloma effects. These data support a preclinical rationale for small molecule inhibition of Hsp70 function, either alone or in combination with other agents, as an effective therapeutic strategy for MM.
Congenital hypothyroidism: no adverse effects of high dose thyroxine treatment on adult memory, attention, and behaviour

Background: In congenital hypothyroidism (CH) it has been questioned whether high dose thyroxine replacement therapy has detrimental effects on memory, attention, and behaviour. Aims: To describe memory, attention, and behaviour problems in young adults with CH, and to study possible negative effects of high dose thyroxine replacement therapy. Methods: A cohort based follow up study of 49 young adults (mean age 20 years) with early treated CH, and sibling controls (n = 41). Results: Controlled for age and sex, the CH group attained significantly lower scores than sibling controls on some tests of memory (Wechsler Logical Memory part II: 12.9 versus 17.8; difference 5.2, 95% CI 3.6 to 6.8) and attention (Wechsler Freedom From Distractibility factor: 95.6 versus 104.8; difference 9.9, 95% CI 6.4 to 13.4). They rated themselves with more behaviour problems than did sibling controls (52.7 versus 44.7; difference −7.6, 95% CI −11.2 to −4.0) on the Achenbach Self Report. A high thyroxine starting dose, high serum thyroxine treatment levels during the first six childhood years, and high levels at assessment had no adverse effects on outcome measures at age 20. On the contrary, the results suggest better outcome with higher childhood treatment levels. Conclusions: Long term outcome revealed deficits in some aspects of memory, attention, and behaviour in young adults with CH relative to sibling controls. No adverse effects of high dose thyroxine therapy were found on measures of memory, attention, and behaviour problems.
Peacock

Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) is a popular topic modeling technique in academia but less so in industry, especially in large-scale applications involving search engine and online advertising systems. A main underlying reason is that the topic models used have been too small in scale to be useful; for example, some of the largest LDA models reported in literature have up to 103 topics, which difficultly cover the long-tail semantic word sets. In this article, we show that the number of topics is a key factor that can significantly boost the utility of topic-modeling systems. In particular, we show that a “big” LDA model with at least 105 topics inferred from 109 search queries can achieve a significant improvement on industrial search engine and online advertising systems, both of which serve hundreds of millions of users. We develop a novel distributed system called Peacock to learn big LDA models from big data. The main features of Peacock include hierarchical distributed architecture, real-time prediction, and topic de-duplication. We empirically demonstrate that the Peacock system is capable of providing significant benefits via highly scalable LDA topic models for several industrial applications.
Thirty years of search and capture: The complex simplicity of mitotic spindle assembly

Cell division is enacted by a microtubule-based, self-assembling macromolecular machine known as the mitotic spindle. In 1986, Kirschner and Mitchison proposed that by undergoing dynamic cycles of growth and disassembly, microtubules search for chromosomes. Capture of microtubules by the kinetochores progressively connects chromosomes to the bipolar spindle. 30 years later, “search and capture” remains the cornerstone of spindle assembly. However, a variety of facilitating mechanisms such as regulation of microtubule dynamics by diffusible gradients, spatially selective motor activities, and adaptive changes in chromosome architecture have been discovered. We discuss how these mechanisms ensure that the spindle assembles rapidly and with a minimal number of errors.
The effect of alloy content on the grain refinement of aluminium alloys

A recent model that predicts the effect of solute content on grain size was shown to predict the effect of titanium additions on the grain size of pure aluminium and an AlSi7Mg0.3 alloy. The model assumes that nucleation on substrates is facilitated by constitutional undercooling in front of a growing grain. To determine how generally applicable the model is to a broad range of aluminium alloys, titanium additions were made to five wrought alloys containing the same level of TiB2. It was found that the grain size obtained is a function of the reciprocal of mc0(k-1), the growth restriction factor, and that there is a lower limit to the grain size that can be achieved for the casting conditions used in the experiments. It was also found that at least stoichiometric levels of titanium are required for TiB2 particles to be effective nucleants.