Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Too Much of a Good Thing: Random Practice Scheduling and Self-Control of Feedback Lead to Unique but Not Additive Learning Benefits

We examined the impact of self-controlled knowledge of results on the acquisition, retention, and transfer of anticipation timing skill as a function of random and blocked practice schedules. Forty-eight undergraduate students were divided into experimental groups that practiced under varying combinations of random or blocked as well as self-controlled or yoked practice conditions. Anticipation timing performance (5, 13, and 21 mph) was recorded during acquisition and during a short term no-feedback retention test. A transfer test, administered 24 h after the retention test, consisted of two novel anticipation timing speeds (9, 17 mph). Absolute error (AE) and variable error (VE) of timing served as the dependent measures. All participants improved their accuracy and consistency across acquisition blocks; however, those who practiced under blocked rather than random conditions had greater accuracy (lower AE) regardless of feedback delivery. During retention and transfer, those who practiced under random conditions showed greater consistency (lower VE) compared to their blocked counterparts. Finally, participants who controlled their feedback schedule were more accurate (lower AE) and less variable (lower VE) during transfer compared to yoked participants, regardless of practice scheduling. Our findings indicate that practicing under a random schedule improves retention and transfer consistency, while self-control of feedback is advantageous to both the accuracy and consistency with which anticipation timing skill transfers to novel task demands. The combination of these learning manipulations, however, does not improve skill retention or transfer above and beyond their orthogonal effects.
Erlotinib for elderly patients with non-small-cell lung cancer: Subset analysis from a population-based observational study by the Ibaraki Thoracic Integrative (POSITIVE) Research Group

The incidence and mortality of lung cancer have increased worldwide over the last decades, with an observed increased incidence particularly among elderly populations. It has not yet been determined whether erlotinib therapy exhibits the same efficacy and safety in elderly and younger patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this retrospective subgroup analysis of data from a population-based observational study was to assess the efficacy and safety of erlotinib in an elderly (≥75 years, n=74) and a younger group of patients (<75 years, n=233) who received treatment for NSCLC. The time to treatment failure was similar in the elderly [median, 62 days; 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 44–80 days] compared with the younger group (median, 46 days; 95% CI: 35–53 days) (P=0.2475). The overall survival did not differ between the elderly and younger groups (median, 170 days; 95% CI: 142–239 days vs. median, 146 days; 95% CI: 114–185 days, respectively) (P=0.7642). The adverse events did not differ in incidence between the groups and were manageable, regardless of age. Among the NSCLC patients receiving erlotinib treatment, the outcomes of the elderly (≥75 years) and younger (<75 years) groups of patients were similar in our population-based observational study.
Diffusive coupled cyclic negative feedback systems

Oscillations in networks composed of Cyclic Negative Feedback systems (CNF systems) are widely used to mimic many periodic phenomena occurring in systems biology. In particular, the possible coexistence of different attractors permits to suitably describe the differentiating processes arising in living cells. The aim of the manuscript is to characterize, through a spectral based techniques, the complex global dynamical behaviors emerging in arrays of diffusively coupled CNF systems.
The Relationship between Teacher's Technology Integration Ability and Usage

Despite a steady supply of equipment and continuous training, teachers' use of computers for instruction seems to be limited. Whether the problem is due to teachers' ability or usage of computers for instruction is not well understood. In order to better understand the role of ability and usage in technology integration, teachers' proficiency of technology integration was evaluated by separate ability and usage scales. Based on performance indicators from the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE), two scales were developed that measured teachers' self-perceived ability and their frequency of usage of technology integration. The survey was administered to grade 1–9 teachers in Taiwan (n = 3729). The results showed a positive correlation between teachers' technology integration ability and usage (Pearson r = .56). Further examination using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) confirmed the structure of the scales and revealed a higher correlation between the two scales after adjusting for measurement error.
Spectroscopic analysis of southern B and Be stars

Spectroscopic monitoring of 141 southern field B-type stars, 114 of them known to exhibit the Be phenomenon, allowed the estimation of their projected rotational velocities, effective temperatures and superficial gravities from both line and equivalent width fitting procedures. Stellar ages, masses and bolometric luminosities were derived from internal structure models. Without taking into account the effects of gravity darkening, we note the occurrence of the Be phenomenon in later stages of main-sequence phase.
Disorders of Sleep and Ventilatory Control in Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is an imprinted genetic disorder conferred by loss of paternal gene expression from chromosome 15q11.2-q13. Individuals with PWS have impairments in ventilatory control and are predisposed toward sleep disordered breathing due to a combination of characteristic craniofacial features, obesity, hypotonia, and hypothalamic dysfunction. Children with PWS progress from failure to thrive during infancy to hyperphagia and morbid obesity during later childhood and onward. Similarly, the phenotype of sleep disordered breathing in PWS patients also evolves over time from predominantly central sleep apnea in infants to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in older children. Behavioral difficulties are common and may make establishing effective therapy with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) more challenging when OSA persists after adenotonsillectomy. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is also common in patients with PWS and may continue after OSA is effectively treated. We describe here the characteristic ventilatory control deficits, sleep disordered breathing, and excessive daytime sleepiness seen in individuals with PWS. We review respiratory issues that may contribute to sudden death events in PWS patients during sleep and wakefulness. We also discuss therapeutic options for treating sleep disordered breathing including adenotonsillectomy, weight loss, and CPAP. Lastly, we discuss the benefits and safety considerations related to growth hormone therapy.
Agent-based computational model of the prevalence of gonococcal infections after the implementation of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis guidelines

Recently, the first comprehensive guidelines were published for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for the prevention of HIV infection in populations with substantial risk of infection. Guidelines include a daily regimen of emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF/FTC) as well as condom usage during sexual activity. The relationship between the TDF/FTC intake regimen and condom usage is not yet fully understood. If men who have sex with men (MSM,) engage in high-risk sexual activities without using condoms when prescribed TDF/FTC they might be at an increased risk for other sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Our study focuses on the possible occurrence of behavioral changes among MSM in the United States over time with regard to condom usage. In particular, we were interested in creating a model of how increased uptake of TDF/FTC might cause a decline in condom usage, causing significant increases in non-HIV STD incidence, using gonococcal infection incidence as a biological endpoint. We used the agent-based modeling software NetLogo, building upon an existing model of HIV infection. We found no significant evidence for increased gonorrhea prevalence due to increased PrEP usage at any level of sample-wide usage, with a range of 0-90% PrEP usage. However, we did find significant evidence for decreased prevalence of HIV, with a maximal effect being reached when 5% to 10% of the MSM population used PrEP. Our findings appear to indicate that attitudes of aversion, within the medical community, toward the promotion of PrEP due to the potential risk of increased STD transmission are unfounded.
Backdoors in Satisfiability Problems

Although satisfiability problems (SAT) are NP-complete, state-of-the-art SAT solvers are able to solve large practical instances. The notion of backdoors has been introduced to capture structural properties of instances. Backdoors are a set of variables for which there exists some value assignment that leads to a polynomial-time solvable sub-problem. I address in this thesis the problem of finding all minimal backdoors, which is essential for studying value and variable ordering mistakes. I discuss our definition of sub-solvers and propose algorithms for finding backdoors. I implement our proposed algorithms by modifying a state-of-the-art SAT solver, Minisat. I analyze experimental results comparing our proposed algorithms to previous algorithms applied to random 3SAT, structured, and real-world instances. Our proposed algorithms improve over previous algorithms for finding backdoors in two ways. First, our algorithms often find smaller backdoors. Second, our algorithms often find a much larger number of backdoors.
Clusters, Convergence, and Economic Performance

This paper evaluates the role of regional cluster composition in regional industry performance. On the one hand, diminishing returns to specialization in a location can result in a convergence effect: the growth rate of an industry within a region may be declining in the level of economic activity of that industry. At the same time, positive spillovers across complementary economic activities can provide an impetus for agglomeration: the growth rate of an industry within a region may be increasing in the “strength” (i.e., relative presence) of related industries. Building on Porter (1998, 2003), we develop a systematic empirical framework to analyze the role of regional clusters – groups of closely related industries operating within a particular region – in the growth of regional industries. We exploit data from the US Cluster Mapping Project to examine the effects of agglomeration within regional clusters after controlling for convergence at the region-industry level. Our findings suggest that industries located in a strong cluster register higher employment and patenting growth. Regional industry growth also increases with the strength of related clusters in the region and with the strength of similar clusters in adjacent regions. We also find evidence of the complementarity between employment and innovation performance in regional clusters: both the initial employment and patenting strength of a cluster have a separate positive effect on the employment and patenting growth of the constituent industries. Finally, we find that new regional industries emerge where there is a strong cluster. These findings are consistent with multiple types of externalities arising in clusters, including knowledge, skills, and input–output linkages.
Buffer Schemes for VBR Video Streaming over Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

With the co-existence of different wireless networks, which exhibit largely different bandwidth and coverage characteristics, much interest has been involved in integrating these networks to support smooth and efficient multimedia services. In this paper, we present an analytical framework for variable-bit-rate (VBR) video streaming in a two-tier wireless network with VBR channels. We derive the expected number of jitters and average buffering delay during video playback as measures of system performance. Our objective is to discover heterogeneous networking attributes that may influence the streaming performance, in terms of the tradeoff between jitter frequency and buffering delay. Through experimenting with a wide range of fixed, separate, and jointly optimal jitter-recovery buffering schemes, based on buffering delay, buffered data, and buffered playback duration, we quantify the benefit of incorporating user location information in streaming over heterogeneous wireless networks.
CI and CO in the nearby spiral galaxies IC 342 and Maffei 2

We present J = 2 1, J = 3 2, J = 4 3 12 CO and 492 GHz (CI) maps as well as J = 2 1a ndJ = 3 2 13 CO measurements of the central regions in the nearby Sc galaxies IC 342 and Maei 2. In both galaxies, the distribution of CO and (CI) is strongly concentrated towards the center. These centers harbour modest starbursts. Both galaxies have nearly identical 12 CO transitional ratios but the relative intensities of their 13 CO and (CI) emission lines dier significantly. The observed sets of line intensities require modelling with a multi-component molecular gas. In both galaxies, a dense component must be present (n(H2) 10 4 10 5 cm 3 ) with kinetic temperatures Tkin = 10 20 K (IC 342) or 20 60 K (Maei 2), as well as a less dense (IC 342: a few hundred cm 3 at most; Maei 2: 3 10 3 cm 3 ) and hotter (Tkin= 100 150 K) component. In both galaxies, neutral and ionized atomic carbon amounts are between 1.5 and 2.5 times those of CO. In both starburst centers about half to two thirds of the molecular gas mass is associated with the hot PDR phase. The center of IC 342 contains within R= 0:25 kpc an (atomic and molecular) gas mass of 110 7 M and a peak face-on gas mass density of about 70 M pc 2 . F or Maei 2 these numbers are less clearly defined, mainly because of uncertainties in its distance and carbon abundance. We find a gass mass Mgas 0:5 10 7 M, and a peak face-on gas mass density of about 35 M pc 2 .
Tooth Loss May Predict Poor Cognitive Function in Community-Dwelling Adults without Dementia or Stroke: The PRESENT Project

Periodontal disease is a potential predictor of stroke and cognitive impairment. However, this association is unclear in adults aged 50 yr and above without a history of stroke or dementia. We evaluated the association between the number of teeth lost, indicating periodontal disease, and cognitive impairment in community-dwelling adults without any history of dementia or stroke. Dental examinations were performed on 438 adults older than 50 yr (315 females, mean age 63±7.8 yr; 123 males, mean age 61.5±8.5 yr) between January 2009 and December 2010. In the unadjusted analysis, odds ratios (OR) of cognitive impairment based on MMSE score were 2.46 (95% CI, 1.38-4.39) and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.57-4.64) for subjects who had lost 6-10 teeth and those who had lost more than 10 teeth, respectively, when compared with subjects who had lost 0-5 teeth. After adjusting for age, education level, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and smoking, the relationship remained significant (OR, 2.0; 95% CI, 1.08-3.69, P=0.027 for those with 6-10 teeth lost; OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.27-4.02, P=0.006 for those with more than 10 teeth lost). The number of teeth lost is correlated with cognitive impairment among community-dwelling adults aged 50 and above without any medical history of stroke or dementia.
A Low-Power Ultra-Wideband CMOS True RMS Power Detector

This paper introduces a low-power ultra-wideband true root-mean-square power detector with a 0.13-mum CMOS process operating from 125 MHz to 8.5 GHz. The detector utilizes the MOS transistor's square-law characteristic in the strong inversion region to obtain the power information of the input RF signal, and its exponential characteristic in the weak inversion region to realize the linear-in-decibel output. Measured dynamic ranges are 20 dB at 125 MHz and 18 dB at 8.5 GHz, respectively, with tolerances of plusmn0.5-dB error. WiMedia-ultrawideband and wireless local area network 802.11a signals with different modulation techniques and data rates are measured. The integrated detector operates at 1.2-V supply voltage, and its static power consumption is 0.18 mW.
Social Economic Factors, Depression, and Resilience among Women with Breast Cancer in Surakarta

Background : Women with breast cancer will experience physical and psychological changes that can cause depression. Social factors related to depression can affect the resilience of breast cancer sufferers. This study aimed to determine the factors that affect depression and resilience in women with breast cancer. Subjects and Met hod : This was a cross-sectional study conducted in Kerten, Surakarta, from November to December 2018. A total of 200 women was selected for this study using simple random sampling. The dependent variable was the resilience of women with breast cancer. The independent variables were depression, family support, peer support, group support, self-efficacy, and coping mechanism. The data were collected by questionnaire and analyzed by path analysis run on Stata 13. Results : Resilience was directly affected by depression (b= -0.09; 95% CI= -0.14 to -0.05; p <0.001), family support (b = 0.22; 95% CI= 0.11 to 0.32; p<0.001), peer support (b = 0.23 ; 95% CI= 0.12 to 0.34; p <0.001), group support (b= 0.18; 95% CI= 0.06 to 0.29; p= 0.002), self-efficacy (b = 0.15; 95% CI= 0.06 to 0.24; p = 0.001), and coping mechanism (b= 0.05; 95% CI= 0.03 to 0.09; p= 0.001). Resilience was indirectly affected by family support, peer support, group support, and self efficacy. Conclusions : The resilience of women with breast cancer is directly affected by depression, family support, peer support, group support, self-efficacy, and coping mechanism, but it is indirectly affected by family support, peer support, group support, and self-efficacy. Keywords : resilience, breast cancer, depression, support, self-efficacy, the coping mechanism Correspondence: Gayatri Kintan Larasati. Masters Program in Public Health, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Jl. Ir. Sutami No. 36 A, Surakarta, Central Java 57126. Email: gayatrikintanlarasati@gmail.com. Mobile: +6285655084332. Indonesian Journal of Medicine, (2018), 3(2): 110-118 https://doi.org/10.26911/theijmed.2018. 03.02. 07
Transcriptional Activation of p21waf1/cip1 by Alkylphospholipids

Alkylphospholipids (ALKs) are a novel class of antitumor agents with an unknown mechanism of action. The first ALK tested in the clinic, miltefosine, has been approved recently in Europe for the local treatment of patients with cutaneous metastasis. Perifosine, the only available oral ALK, is being studied currently in human cancer clinical trials. We have shown previously that perifosine induces p21waf1/cip1 in a p53-independent fashion and that induction of p21waf1/cip1 is required for the perifosine-induced cell cycle arrest because cell lines lacking p21waf1/cip1 are refractory to perifosine. In this report, we investigated the mechanism by which perifosine induces p21waf1/cip1 protein expression. We observed that perifosine induces the accumulation of p21waf1/cip1 mRNA without affecting p21waf1/cip1 mRNA stability. Using several p21waf1/cip1 promoter-driven luciferase reporter plasmids, we observed that perifosine activates the 2.4-kb full-length p21waf1/cip1 promoter as well as a p21 promoter construct lacking p53-binding sites, suggesting that perifosine activates the p21waf1/cip1 promoter independent of p53. The minimal p21 promoter region required for perifosine-induced p21 promoter activation contains four consensus Sp1-binding sites. Mutations in each particular Sp1 site block perifosine-induced p21waf1/cip1 expression. Moreover, we showed that perifosine activates the mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase pathway, and this activation promotes the phosphorylation of Sp1 in known mitogen-activated protein kinase residues (threonine 453 and 739), thereby leading to increased Sp1 binding and enhanced p21waf1/cip1 transcription. These results represent a novel mechanism by which alkylphospholipids modulate transcription, and may contribute to the discovery of new signal transduction pathways crucial for normal and neoplastic cell cycle control.
Periodic Dynamic Conditional Correlations between Stock Markets in Europe and the US

This study extends the dynamic conditional correlation model to allow day-specific correlations of shocks across international stock markets. The properties of the resulting periodic dynamic conditional correlation (PDCC) model are examined, with the model then applied to study the intra-week interactions between six developed European stock markets and the US over the period 1993 - 2005. We find very strong evidence of periodic effects in the conditional correlations of the shocks. The highest correlations are generally observed on Thursdays, with these Thursday correlations in some cases being twice those on Monday or Tuesday. Prior to estimating the PDCC model, periodic mean and volatility effects are removed using a PAR model for returns combined with a periodic EGARCH specification for the variance equation. Strong periodic mean effects are found for returns in the French, Italian and Spanish stock markets, whereas such effects are present in volatility for all stock markets except Italy.
Use of thermography to monitor the bone regenerate during limb lengthening--preliminary communication.

BACKGROUND Bone regenerate is routinely assessed on X-ray images obtained every 7 to 14 days in the distraction period and every 14 to 28 days during the stabilisation period. Tissue reconstruction during new bone formation and increased metabolism in the tissues being lengthened are associated with an increase in the temperature of the limb. The aim of this study was to establish a correlation between the bone regenerate, assessed on the basis of X-ray evidence, and thermographic images of the limb registered in a non-invasive manner with a thermographic camera. A positive correlation would enable a reduction in the number of X-ray studies in the future. MATERIALS AND METHODS Bone lengthening using the Ilizarov technique of distraction osteogenesis was performed in 18 patients (9 men and 9 women) aged 12-74. The lengthened segments included the crus in 13 patients, the thigh in 4 patients and lower arm in 1 patient. Assessments of the bone regenerate were made during periodic follow-up visits on the basis of X-ray images and compared to thermographic images, on the basis of which thermal indices were established. The indices comprised the difference in the temperatures between the lengthened limb at the lengthening site and the contralateral limb at the same level, as well as the difference in the temperature of the lengthened limb at the lengthening site and at selected nearby points. RESULTS A statistical analysis of the results of the monitoring of distraction osteogenesis established a statistically significant correlation between the regenerate status and thermal indices. The strongest correlation between X-ray and thermographic images was obtained in the frontal view for the crural bones. Mean values of Spearman's correlation coefficient for the tibia and femur were rS = 0.925 (p < 0.01) and 0.724 (p < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS As a non-invasive method of measuring temperature thermography is a valuable adjunct to the traditional diagnostic methods and can be used successfully to monitor and evaluate the formation and remodelling of the regenerate at all stages of the treatment. It is particularly useful for the assessment of the bone regenerate in the tibia. The robust correlation between the regenerate and thermal indices measured with Spearman's correlation index enables a reduction in the number of radiographic studies of up to 50% in most cases. Moreover, thermography enables early detection of soft tissue inflammation around Kirschner wires.