Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing Protein D isulfide Bonding Prediction Accuracy with Context-based F eatures

Accurately predicting protein disulfide bonds from sequences is important for modeling the structural and functional characteristics of many proteins. In this paper, we introduce a new approach to enhance disulfide bonding prediction accuracy. We firstly generate the first-order and second-order mean-force potentials according to the amino acid environment around cysteine residues from large number of cysteine samples. The mean-force potentials are integrated as context-based scores to estimate the favorability of a cysteine residue in disulfide bonding state as well as a cysteine pair in disulfide bond connectivity. These context-based scores are then incorporated as features together with other protein sequence and evolutionary information to train neural networks for disulfide bonding state prediction and connectivity prediction. Our computational results have shown that the context-based scores are effective features to enhance the prediction accuracies of both disulfide bonding state prediction and connectivity prediction. The 10-fold cross validated accuracy is 90.8% at residue-level and 85.6% at protein-level in classifying an individual cysteine residue as bonded or free, which is around 2% accuracy improvement. The average accuracy for disulfide bonding connectivity prediction is improved as well, which yields overall sensitivity of 73.42% and specificity of 91.61%. Index Terms — Disulfide bonds, Context-based scores, Mean-force potentials, Neural Networks
Decentralized Learning of Nash Equilibria in Multi-Person Stochastic Games With Incomplete Information

A multi-person discrete game where the payoff after each play is stochastic is considered. The distribution of the random payoff is unknown to the players and further none of the players know the strategies or the actual moves of other players. A learning algorithm for the game based on a decentralized team of learning automata is presented. It is proved that all stable stationary points of the algorithm are Nash equilibria for the game. Two special cases of the game are also discussed, namely, game with common payoff and the relaxation labelling problem. The former has applications such as pattern recognition and the latter is a problem widely studied in computer vision. For the two special cases it is shown that the algorithm always converges to a desirable solution. >
Auditory Cortical Neurons Convey Maximal Stimulus-Specific Information at Their Best Frequency

Sensory neurons are often thought to encode information about their preferred stimuli. It has also been proposed that neurons convey the most information about stimuli in the flanks of their tuning curves, where firing rate changes most steeply. Here we demonstrate that the responses of rat auditory cortical neurons convey maximal stimulus-specific information about sound frequency at their best frequency, rather than in the flanks of their tuning curves. Theoretical work has shown that stimulus-specific information shifts from tuning curve slope to peak as neuronal variability increases. These results therefore suggest that with respect to the most informative regions of the tuning curve, auditory cortical neurons operate in a regime of high variability.
Emotion dysregulation mediates the longitudinal relation between peer rejection and depression

The goal of the current investigation was to test emotion dysregulation as a mechanism explaining the longitudinal association between peer rejection and depressive symptoms across 1 school year in middle childhood and to determine whether this process differed based on gender and grade. Youth in Grades 3 through 6 (N = 131; 71 girls) and their primary school teachers (n = 8) were recruited from a Midwestern elementary school. Youth reported on their emotion dysregulation and depressive symptoms at two time points (T1 and T2), approximately 6 months apart. Teachers completed ratings of peer rejection at T1. Peer rejection at T1 predicted youth-report of depressive symptoms at T2, even after controlling for depression at T1. Moderated mediation suggested that change in emotion dysregulation mediated the relation of peer rejection to depressive symptoms over time, but only for older boys. Results underscore the importance of considering gender-specific processes within interpersonal risk models of depression, and provide support for peer rejection as a critical social process shaping emotion regulation in middle childhood.
Attachment organization as a moderator of the link between friendship quality and adolescent delinquency

Abstract This study examined attachment organization as a moderator of the link between the quality of the adolescents' current friendships and delinquent behavior. Data were gathered from a moderately at-risk sample of 71 ethnically and socioeconomically diverse adolescents. Results revealed a moderating effect of attachment organization (as assessed by the AAI) such that strong and supportive friendships were linked to lower levels of delinquency, but only when adolescents' attachment organization reflected an orientation toward heightened attention to attachment relationships (via preoccupation or via clear lack of dismissal of attachment). These results suggest that attachment organization plays an important role in delineating the conditions under which the qualities of social relationships are likely to be linked to important psychosocial outcomes.
Opportunistic Infections among People Living with HIV (PLHIV) with Diabetes Mellitus (DM) Attending a Tertiary Care Hospital in Coastal City of South India

Background HIV/AIDS and Diabetes Mellitus are the diseases’ known to supress cell mediated immunity and predispose patients for opportunistic infections. Hence, we conducted a study to compare the common opportunistic infections (OIs) between People Living with HIV with DM (PLHIV-DM) and PLHIV without DM (PLHIV). Methodology PLHIV with DM and without DM (1:1) were prospectively included in the study from January 2011 to January 2012 at a tertiary care hospital in Mangalore city. Patients were classified as Diabetic if their fasting plasma glucose was ≥ 7.0mmol/l (126mg/dl) or 2–h plasma glucose was ≥11.1mmol/l (200mg/dl). Standard procedures and techniques were followed for diagnosis of OIs as per WHO guidelines. The data was entered and analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5. Findings The study included 37 PLHIV with DM and 37 PLHIV without DM and both groups were treated with Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). The median age was 47 years (IQR: 41-55years) for PLHIV-DM as compared to 40 years (IQR: 35–45.5 years) for PLHIV (p<0.0001). PLHIV-DM had median CD4 counts of 245 (IQR: 148–348) cells/μl compared to 150(IQR: 70–278) cells/μl for PLHIV (p = 0.02). Common OIs included oral candidiasis (49% of PLHIV-DM and 35% of PLHIV); Cryptococcal meningitis (19% of PLHIV-DM and 16% of PLHIV); Pneumocystis jiroveci pneumonia (5% of PLHIV-DM and 18% of PLHIV); extra pulmonary tuberculosis (22% of PLHIV-DM and 34.5% of PLHIV); and Cerebral toxoplasmosis (11% of PLHIV–DM and 13.5% of PLHIV). Microbiological testing of samples from PLHIV- DM, C krusei was the most common Candida species isolated from 9 out of 18 samples. Out of six pulmonary TB samples cultured, four grew Non-tuberculosis mycobacteria (NTM) and two Mycobacterium tuberculosis complexes. Conclusions Study did not identify any significant difference in profile of opportunistic infections (OIs) between PLHIV with and without Diabetes.
“I don't know if she likes reading”: Are teachers perceived to be keen readers, and how is this determined?

Abstract The benefits of regular recreational reading for literacy development have been widely acknowledged, and as such, encouraging children to be life‐long readers is an educational imperative. Teachers who are models of keen recreational reading can play an important role in fostering a keen love of reading in children, so that they regularly engage in the practice. However, it is not known if all teachers have the time, inclination and awareness to actively model a love of reading in their classrooms. This article explores data from the 2016 Western Australian Study in Children's Book Reading to ascertain which teacher behaviours and attitudes children deem indicative of a love of reading. While many children did not know if their teachers liked reading or not, teachers who were perceived to be readers talked about books in the context of pleasure, were seen to read independently at school, and read aloud to the class with expression and emotional connection.
The Effect of Body Mass Index on Survival in Advanced Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Controversy remains regarding the effect of obesity on the survival of patients with ovarian cancer in Asia. This study examined the impact of obesity on the survival outcomes in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) using Asian body mass index (BMI) criteria. The medical records of patients undergoing surgery for advanced (stage III and IV) EOC were reviewed. Statistical analyses included ANOVA, chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox regression analysis. Among all 236 patients, there were no differences in overall survival according to BMI except in underweight patients. In a multivariate Cox analysis, surgical optimality and underweight status were independent and significant prognostic factors for survival (HR, 2.302; 95% CI, 1.326-3.995; P=0.003 and HR, 8.622; 95% CI, 1.871-39.737; P = 0.006, respectively). In the subgroup of serous histology and optimal surgery, overweight and obese I patients showed better survival than normal weight patients (P = 0.012). We found that underweight BMI and surgical optimality are independent risk factors for the survival of patients with advanced ovarian cancer. High BMI groups (overweight, obese I and II) are not associated with the survival of advanced EOC patient. However, in the subgroup of EOC patients with serous histology and after optimal operation, overweight and obese I group patients show better survival than the normal weight group patients. Graphical Abstract
Cognition of and Demand for Education and Teaching in Medical Statistics in China: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Although a substantial number of studies focus on the teaching and application of medical statistics in China, few studies comprehensively evaluate the recognition of and demand for medical statistics. In addition, the results of these various studies differ and are insufficiently comprehensive and systematic. Objectives This investigation aimed to evaluate the general cognition of and demand for medical statistics by undergraduates, graduates, and medical staff in China. Methods We performed a comprehensive database search related to the cognition of and demand for medical statistics from January 2007 to July 2014 and conducted a meta-analysis of non-controlled studies with sub-group analysis for undergraduates, graduates, and medical staff. Results There are substantial differences with respect to the cognition of theory in medical statistics among undergraduates (73.5%), graduates (60.7%), and medical staff (39.6%). The demand for theory in medical statistics is high among graduates (94.6%), undergraduates (86.1%), and medical staff (88.3%). Regarding specific statistical methods, the cognition of basic statistical methods is higher than of advanced statistical methods. The demand for certain advanced statistical methods, including (but not limited to) multiple analysis of variance (ANOVA), multiple linear regression, and logistic regression, is higher than that for basic statistical methods. The use rates of the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software and statistical analysis software (SAS) are only 55% and 15%, respectively. Conclusion The overall statistical competence of undergraduates, graduates, and medical staff is insufficient, and their ability to practically apply their statistical knowledge is limited, which constitutes an unsatisfactory state of affairs for medical statistics education. Because the demand for skills in this area is increasing, the need to reform medical statistics education in China has become urgent.
Compact Suux Array ?

Suux array is a data structure that can be used to index a large text le so that queries of its content can be answered quickly. Basically a suux array is an array of all suuxes of the text in the lexico-graphic order. Whether or not a word occurs in the text can be answered in logarithmic time by binary search over the suux array. In this work we present a method to compress a suux array such that the search time remains logarithmic. Our experiments show that in some cases a suux array can be compressed by our method such that the total space requirement is about half of the original.
Motivations to Study Among Tourism and Hospitality Students

ABSTRACT Knowing the motivations for why students study is important because it helps plan for prospective students. This study investigated the motivations for undergraduate students to seek studies in tourism and hospitality in a Taiwanese private university and the possibility of obtaining a postgraduate degree. A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed within two different programs; 899 questionnaires were returned, for a response rate of 89.9%. Students chose tourism and hospitality as majors because of the scores they achieved on the joint university entrance exam, the possibility to contact people from other countries, and the potential for career growth. Among the reasons to study abroad after graduation were opportunities to learn a foreign language and develop relationships with foreign professors and friends. The results of this study help revise pedagogy, policies, curriculum; train teachers; and provide more state-of-the-art facilities to keep students motivated and progressing.
Genetic Variation in the Testis-Specific Poly(A) Polymerase Beta(PAPOLB) Gene Among Japanese Males

The testis-specific poly(A) polymerase beta (PAPOLB) gene was first identified as the intronless gene TPAP in mice. In TPAP-deficient mice, spermiogenesis is arrested due to altered post-transcriptional gene regulation, including translational activation via the cytoplasmic polyadenylation of mRNAs. To investigate the possible association between variations in PAPOLB and impaired spermatogenesis in Japanese males, we screened for genetic variations in PAPOLB using DNA from 282 sterile male patients and 96 proven-fertile male volunteers using direct sequencing methods on blood samples. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding sequence and one DNA insertion in the 5' untranslated region of PAPOLB were found. These genetic variations were not present at statistically significant levels; however, the results of this study may be useful in future large-scale analyses of the association between PAPOLB and male infertility.
Using metabolic fingerprinting of plants for evaluating nitrogen deposition impacts on the landscape level

Nitrogen emissions and atmospheric deposition are globally significant with the potential to alter ecosystem nutrient balance, provoking changes in vegetation composition. Shifts in plant biochemistry are good indicators of nitrogen pollution and have been used to monitor vegetation health. Fourier transform‐infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy has previously been shown to be a rapid and relatively inexpensive method for evaluating leaf biochemistry. In the present study, FT‐IR spectra were collected from Galium saxatile samples taken from sites across the United Kingdom. Spectral changes in the tissue samples were correlated with a gradient of N deposition using partial least squares regression analysis. We show that FT‐IR analysis of G. saxatile leaf tissue is an effective way to evaluate nitrogen deposition across the entire UK landscape.
Children born in the summer have increased risk for coeliac disease

Study objective: Coeliac disease, also called permanent gluten sensitive enteropathy, is being recognised as a widespread health problem. Defining the possible role of environmental factors in its aetiology might open doors to primary prevention. This study therefore analysed if the risk for coeliac disease varies with month of birth as a proxy for a seasonal pattern for possible causal environmental exposure(s). Design: A population based incidence register of coeliac disease in children below 15 years of age covering the period from 1973 to 1997. Incidence rates were calculated by month of birth, stratified for age at diagnosis. Poisson regression analyses were used to estimate the relative risk for coeliac disease for children below 2 years of age by season of birth, also taking into account gender and time period of diagnosis. Setting: Sweden. Participants: All 2151 children in the study base with verified coeliac disease. Main results: The risk for coeliac disease was significantly higher if born during the summer as compared with the winter (RR=1.4, 95% CI 1.2 to 1.7), but only in children below 2 years of age at diagnosis. This relative seasonal risk pattern prevailed during a 10 year epidemic of coeliac disease, although incidence rates varied threefold. The incidence was constantly higher among girls as compared with boys, but boys showed a more pronounced seasonal variation in risk than girls. Conclusions: An increased coeliac disease risk in children born in the summer compared with the winter reflects causal environmental exposure(s) with a seasonal pattern. Infections might be the exposure of importance, either by means of a direct causal role and/or through interaction with other exposures, for example, gluten intake. However, non-infectious exposures should also be explored as possible contributing causal factors.
Synchronous Multifocal Osteosarcoma: Case Report and Literature Review

Background. Multifocal osteosarcoma is usually described as the occurrence of the tumour at two or more sites in a patient without pulmonary metastases and may be synchronous or metachronous. Case report. A previously well 21-year old male, who presented with a swollen, painful right knee with no history of trauma, was found to have a high-grade osteosarcoma of the distal tibia and proximal femur. He underwent resection and prosthetic replacement of the distal femur and proximal tibia and remains well 19 months after diagnosis. Discussion. Multifocal osteosarcoma is a rare condition with a poor prognosis. There is debate about whether it represents multiple primary tumours or metastatic disease.
Investigating the Outcomes of Social and Individual Learning by Students’ Active Participation in the Learning Management System: A Casual Model

Introduction Learning Management Systems (LMS) of virtual universities have influenced multiple aspects of students’ lives. The present study aimed at investigating the relationship between the application of LMS, learning outcomes, and social learning from the viewpoint of Mehr Alborz University students. Methods The population of this descriptive, correlational-casual study included 300 students of four different disciplines. According to Krejcie and Morgan’s table, a sample of 169 students was selected. The instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire, including 26 questions. To analyze the data, descriptive statistics of Pearson correlation coefficient and structural equation modeling (path diagram) with SPSS 21 and Amos 18 were used. Results Results indicated that student’s engagement in the learning management system was significantly associated with social outcomes (P < 0.01), including socialization (0.65) and acculturation (0.47), and learning outcomes, including self-esteem (0.38), students’ life satisfaction (0.58), and performance proficiency (0.43). Moreover, the structural model showed that student’s LMS engagement had a direct effect on learning outcomes, and helped students acquire socialization and acculturation, both of which indirectly influenced learning outcomes to a great extent (CFI = 0.96, TLI = 0.92, NFI = 0.94, GFI = 0.96, and RMSEA = 0.07). Conclusions This study presented a new approach for educational institutions to verify the influence of peers. In other words, it provides supportive infrastructures to enable students to work in LMS social networks, and to increase interactions among peers. Furthermore, instructional designers can design educational practices on the basis of learning management systems, and benefit from these systems.
Mechanics of pulmonary circulation in isolated rabbit lungs.

A new method has been devised for measuring the compliance (volume change ÷ pressure change) of the pulmonary arterial tree (down to the capillaries), in isolated, Krebs-Ringer-perfused rabbit lungs. The lungs were suspended in a plethysmograph and inflated with N2O. Fluid was introduced into the pulmonary artery by a motor driven syringe and the volume injected was recorded. The capillary flow was deduced from the plethysmograph pressure change which resulted from N2O uptake. Vascular volume change equaled arterial inflow minus outflow into capillaries. The compliance of the venous tree was similarly measured by retrograde perfusion. Mean compliance of the pulmonary arterial tree was 0.17 (S.E. 0.02) ml/cm H2O in six rabbits, mean weight, 4.4 kg. Mean compliance of the pulmonary venous tree was 0.41 (S.E. 0.03) ml/cm H2O in five rabbits, mean weight, 4.3 kg. Compliance of the whole bed (not including the left atrium) was 0.69 (S.E. 0.06) ml/ cm H2O in six rabbits, mean weight, 4.4 kg. Equations were derived relating the length, diameter and number of vessels in the vascular bed. From these the inertance of the blood in the pulmonary arterial tree was estimated to be 8 gm cm–4 in rabbit lungs and 1 gm cm–4 in human lungs. The flow response to sinusoidal pressure waves of different frequencies was calculated, assuming a system with lumped compliance, inertance and resistance. The input impedance of the pulmonary vascular bed, in the rabbit and in man, was minimum for a frequency midway between the fundamental frequency and the second harmonic of the resting heart rate.
The initial conditions of star formation – VIII. An observational study of the Ophiuchus cloud L1688 and implications for the pre‐stellar core mass function

We reanalyse all of the archived observations of the Ophiuchus dark cloud L1688 that were carried out with the submillimetre common-user bolometer array on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. For the first time, we put together all the data that were taken of this cloud at different times to make a deeper map at 850 μm than has ever been published. Using this new, deeper map, we extract the pre-stellar cores from the data. We use updated values for the distance to the cloud complex, and also for the internal temperatures of the pre-stellar cores to generate an updated core mass function (CMF). This updated CMF is consistent with previous results in so far as they went, but our deeper map gives an improved completeness limit of 0.1 M⊙ (0.16 Jy), which enables us to show that a turnover exists in the low-mass regime of the CMF. The L1688 CMF shows the same form as the stellar initial mass function (IMF), and can be mapped on to the stellar IMF, showing that the IMF is determined at the pre-stellar core stage. We compare L1688 with the Orion star-forming region and find that the turnover in the L1688 CMF occurs at a mass roughly a factor of 2 lower than the CMF turnover in Orion. This suggests that the position of the CMF turnover may be a function of environment.