Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cesarean Delivery Is Associated With Celiac Disease but Not Inflammatory Bowel Disease in Children

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze a possible association between cesarean delivery and enteric inflammatory diseases in children. METHODS: A retrospective, multicenter, case-control study that included 1950 children was performed in cooperation with 26 university and 16 nonacademic children's hospitals. Information on intestinal disease manifestation, together with mode of delivery and gestational age at birth, postnatal complications, and breastfeeding, was collected by the attending physician from children and their parents who were visiting a gastrointestinal outpatient clinic for Crohn disease (CD; 516 cases), ulcerative colitis (250 cases), celiac disease (157 cases), and other gastrointestinal diseases (165 cases) and control subjects who were visiting ophthalmologic, orthodontic, and dental outpatient clinics (862 cases). RESULTS: Whereas the rate of cesarean delivery of children with Crohn disease or ulcerative colitis was similar to that of control subjects, a significantly enhanced likelihood of being born by cesarean delivery was found in children with celiac disease compared with control subjects (odds ratio: 1.8 [95% confidence interval: 1.13–2.88]; P = .014). CONCLUSIONS: The mode of delivery and associated alterations in the development of the enteric homeostasis during the neonatal period might influence the incidence of celiac disease.
Organization of the sensory input to the telencephalon in the fire‐bellied toad, Bombina orientalis

The functional organization of sensory activity in the amphibian telencephalon is poorly understood. We used an in vitro brain preparation to compare the anatomy of afferent pathways with the localization of electrically evoked sensory potentials and single neuron intracellular responses in the telencephalon of the toad Bombina orientalis. Anatomical tracing showed that the anterior thalamic nucleus innervates the anterior parts of the medial, dorsal, and lateral pallia and the rostralmost part of the pallium in addition to the subpallial amygdala/ventral pallidum region. Additional afferents to the medial telencephalon originate from the thalamic eminence. Electrical stimulation of diverse sensory nerves and brain regions generated evoked potentials with distinct characteristics in the pallium, subpallial amygdala/ventral pallidum, and dorsal striatopallidum. In the pallium, this sensory activity is generated in the anterior medial region. In the case of olfaction, evoked potentials were recorded at all sites, but displayed different characteristics across telencephalic regions. Stimulation of the anterior dorsal thalamus generated a pattern of activity comparable to olfactory evoked potentials, but it became similar to stimulation of the optic nerve or brainstem after bilateral lesion of the lateral olfactory tract, which interrupted the antidromic activation of the olfactohabenular tract. Intracellular bimodal sensory responses were obtained in the anterior pallium, medial amygdala, ventral pallidum, and dorsal striatopallidum. Our results demonstrate that the amphibian anterior pallium, medial amygdala/ventral pallidum, and dorsal striatopallidum are multimodal sensory centers. The organization of the amphibian telencephalon displays striking similarities with the brain pathways recently implicated in mammalian goal‐directed behavior. J. Comp. Neurol. 502:55–74, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social Capital and Entrepreneurship: Does the Relationship Hold in Deprived Urban Neighbourhoods?

The aim of this paper is to examine the relationship between social capital and entrepreneurship in deprived urban neighbourhoods (DUNs). While there is a great deal of research on social capital, its usage and value in deprived areas is an under-researched topic. Drawing on survey data, it is found that social capital in the form of network ties within a DUN is linked to how entrepreneurship develops in these places. The breadth and variety of network ties that individuals are able to identify as sources of advice is related to the probability of considering an entrepreneurial career, and is even more strongly related to the conversion of entrepreneurial intentions into full engagement. If entrepreneurship is to be harnessed in DUNs a starting point is the enhancement of initiatives for developing social capital incorporating local businesses, residents, and local government agencies.
Implementing Quality Assurance in Saudi Arabia: A Comparison between the MESO and the MICRO Levels at PSU

Quality assurance in higher education remains to be one of the most prominent fields of research at the present. In the Saudi Arabian higher education institutions (HEIs), quality assurance is a relatively new concept and Saudi universities seem not to effectively implement quality assurance caused by the certain obstacles. As such, there are two objectives to be addressed; first, to explore the current quality assurance mechanisms. Second, to identify factors that enhances or hinder the effectiveness of the internal quality assurance system in Saudi Arabian HEIs. A case study involving Prince Sultan University was used to examine these questions. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews with both meso and micro levels, as well as document analysis and observation. A grounded theory approach based on that advocated by Strauss and Corbin was taken to analysis the data. The findings of this study support the perceived use of many different standards based evaluative processes, which provide feedback from the various stakeholder perspectives. The findings also demonstrate perceived supportive factors of the commitment/support of leadership and management, awareness and orientation of employees/faculty. In addition, the findings also report that/faculty resistance and infrastructure limitations focused on financial and human capital constraints were perceived as inhibitive factors to QA.
Alpha effect and diffusivity in helical turbulence with shear

Aims. We study the dependence of turbulent transport coefficients, such as the components of the α tensor (αij) and the turbulent magnetic diffusivity tensor (ηij), on shear and magnetic Reynolds number in the presence of helical forcing. Methods. We use three-dimensional direct numerical simulations with periodic boundary conditions and measure the turbulent transport coefficients using the kinematic test field method. In all cases the magnetic Prandtl number is taken as unity. Results. We find that with increasing shear the diagonal components of αij quench, whereas those of ηij increase. The antisymmetric parts of both tensors increase with increasing shear. We also propose a simple expression for the turbulent pumping velocity (or γ effect). This pumping velocity is proportional to the kinetic helicity of the turbulence and the vorticity of the mean flow. For negative helicity, i.e. for a positive trace of αij, it points in the direction of the mean vorticity, i.e. perpendicular to the plane of the shear flow. Our simulations support this expression for low shear and magnetic Reynolds number. The transport coefficients depend on the wavenumber of the mean flow in a Lorentzian fashion, just as for non-shearing turbulence.
MALIGNANT TUMOURS OF THE COLON AND RECTUM.

CARCINOMA of the colon and rectum occurs about as frequently as carcinoma of the stomach. The recognition of malignancy of the colon and rectum is relatively simple, and with modern diagnostic methods should be established at a much earlier stage than obtains at the present time. The prognosis after operative intervention in malignancy of the large bowel is better than that of carcinoma of the stomach. If an individual survives operation he has at least a 50 per cent chance of being cured. The question of operative intervention depends upon the stage in which the neoplasm is diagnosed. With a rise in operability the percentage of mortality may be increased, but more patients will be alive at the end of a threeor five-year period. The anatomy and lymphatics of the large intestine and rectum determine the operative technique to be appliecL The symptomatology constitutes a triad: (1) changes in bowel rhythm and function; (2) pain; (3) blood. Add to these the barium colon enema and proctoscopy, the barium x-ray series, and a physician has all the means necessary for an accurate diagnosis. In malignancy of the rectum and recto-sigmoid the palpating finger and a proctoscopic examination can, with extremely rare exceptions, make a positive diagnosis. The apprehension in regard to colostomy is not justified: the patient with a colostomy can live a relatively normal life, with minor disabilities, if he is educated in the the care of his colostomy, and no complicated bag or apparatus is necessary in the case of a colostomized patient. A malignant growth in any portion of the gastrointestinal system is a surgical condition of major importance. Curability of cancer varies inversely with the duration of the neoplasm. An inquiring mind is somewhat surprised in looking over the operative material of any general hospital service to notice the frequency with which an operation is scheduled
Brush-and-drag: a multi-touch interface for photo triaging

Due to the convenience of taking pictures with various digital cameras and mobile devices, people often end up with multiple shots of the same scene with only slight variations. To enhance photo triaging, which is a very common photowork activity, we propose an effective and easy-to-use brush-and-drag interface that allows the user to interactively explore and compare photos within a broader scene context. First, we brush to mark an area of interest on a photo with our finger(s); our tailored segmentation engine automatically determines corresponding image elements among the photos. Then, we can drag the segmented elements from different photos across the screen to explore them simultaneously, and further perform simple finger gestures to interactively rank photos, select favorites for sharing, or to remove unwanted ones. This novel interaction method was implemented on a consumer-level tablet computer and demonstrated to offer effective interactions in a user study.
ML264, A Novel Small-Molecule Compound That Potently Inhibits Growth of Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer mortality in Western civilization. Studies have shown that colorectal cancer arises as a consequence of the modification of genes that regulate important cellular functions. Deregulation of the WNT and RAS/MAPK/PI3K signaling pathways has been shown to be important in the early stages of colorectal cancer development and progression. Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) is a transcription factor that is highly expressed in the proliferating intestinal crypt epithelial cells. Previously, we showed that KLF5 is a mediator of RAS/MAPK and WNT signaling pathways under homeostatic conditions and that it promotes their tumorigenic functions during the development and progression of intestinal adenomas. Recently, using an ultrahigh-throughput screening approach we identified a number of novel small molecules that have the potential to provide therapeutic benefits for colorectal cancer by targeting KLF5 expression. In the current study, we show that an improved analogue of one of these screening hits, ML264, potently inhibits proliferation of colorectal cancer cells in vitro through modifications of the cell-cycle profile. Moreover, in an established xenograft mouse model of colon cancer, we demonstrate that ML264 efficiently inhibits growth of the tumor within 5 days of treatment. We show that this effect is caused by a significant reduction in proliferation and that ML264 potently inhibits the expression of KLF5 and EGR1, a transcriptional activator of KLF5. These findings demonstrate that ML264, or an analogue, may hold a promise as a novel therapeutic agent to curb the development and progression of colorectal cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(1); 72–83. ©2015 AACR.
Negative complement-fixation tests with rheumatoid factor positive sera. A simple method for selective removal of rheumatoid factor.

Sera from patients with rheumatoid arthritis regularly contain inhibitors of complement fixation (CF) to antigen-antibody complexes (Heimer and Levin, 1965). Removal of rheumatoid factor (RF) by absorption of sera with heat-aggregated human y-globulin resulted in a higher number of positives and a rise in CF antibody titre against antigens from herpes simplex, mumps
Sleepless in America: Inadequate Sleep and Relationships to Health and Well-being of Our Nation's Children

OBJECTIVE. Our goal was to identify characteristics associated with inadequate sleep for a national random sample of elementary school–aged children (6–11 years) and adolescents (12–17 years). METHODS. Data from 68418 participants in the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health were analyzed by using weighted bivariate and multivariate regression models. The dependent variable was report of not getting enough sleep for a child of his or her age ≥1 night of the past week. Independent variables included demographic characteristics, child health, school and other activities, and family life. RESULTS. Parents of elementary school–aged children with inadequate sleep were more likely to report that their child was having problems at school or had a father with fair or poor health. Parents of adolescents with inadequate sleep were more likely to report that their child had an atopic condition, frequent or severe headaches, a parent with less-than-excellent emotional health, or experienced frequent parental anger. Inadequate sleep in both age groups was associated with parental report that their child usually or always displayed depressive symptomatology, family disagreements involved heated arguing, or parental concern that the child was not always safe at home, at school, or in their neighborhood. CONCLUSIONS. Approximately 15 million American children are affected by inadequate sleep. Primary care providers should routinely identify and address inadequate sleep and its associated health, school, and family factors.
Learning High-order Generative Texture Models

We introduce a new simple framework for texture modelling with Markov--Gibbs random fields (MGRF). The framework learns texture-specific high order pixel interactions described by feature functions of signal patterns. Currently, modelling of high order interactions is almost exclusively achieved by linear filtering. Instead we investigate `binary pattern' (BP) features which are faster to compute and describe quite different properties than linear filters. The features are similar to local binary patterns (LBPs) --- previously not applied as MGRF features --- but with learnt shapes. In contrast to the majority of MGRF models the set of features used is learnt from the training data and is heterogeneous. This paper shows how these features can be efficiently selected by nesting the models. Each new layer corrects errors of the previous model while allowing incremental composition of the features, and uses validation data to decide the stopping point. The framework also reduces overfitting and speeds learning due to a feasible number of free parameters to be learnt at each step. Texture synthesis results of the proposed texture models were quantitatively evaluated by a panel of observers, showing higher order BP features resulted in significant improvements on regularly and irregularly structured textures.
Fibre operating lengths of human lower limb muscles during walking

Muscles actuate movement by generating forces. The forces generated by muscles are highly dependent on their fibre lengths, yet it is difficult to measure the lengths over which muscle fibres operate during movement. We combined experimental measurements of joint angles and muscle activation patterns during walking with a musculoskeletal model that captures the relationships between muscle fibre lengths, joint angles and muscle activations for muscles of the lower limb. We used this musculoskeletal model to produce a simulation of muscle–tendon dynamics during walking and calculated fibre operating lengths (i.e. the length of muscle fibres relative to their optimal fibre length) for 17 lower limb muscles. Our results indicate that when musculotendon compliance is low, the muscle fibre operating length is determined predominantly by the joint angles and muscle moment arms. If musculotendon compliance is high, muscle fibre operating length is more dependent on activation level and force–length–velocity effects. We found that muscles operate on multiple limbs of the force–length curve (i.e. ascending, plateau and descending limbs) during the gait cycle, but are active within a smaller portion of their total operating range.
Student use of formative assessments and progress charts of formative assessments in the 7th grade science class

In this investigation formative assessments and a progress chart of formative assessments were implemented with the purpose of improving student engagement and learning. Formative assessments were taken the day after material was presented. Student progress was self-monitored by using the progress charts. Student scores on summative assessments improved by 3% and students were overwhelmingly positive about using the formative assessments and the progress charts to monitor their learning.
Game Theoretic Energy Allocation for Renewable Powered In-Situ Server Systems

In-situ server systems are deployed in very special operating environment to handle in-situ workloads that are normally generated from environmentally sensitive areas or remote places that lack established utility infrastructure. This very special operating environment of in-situ servers urges such systems to be 100 percent powered by renewable energy. However, existing energy management schemes assume a hybrid supply of grid and renewable energy, hence are not well suited for 100 percent renewable powered in-situ server systems. In this paper, we tackle the problem of allocating harvested energy to 100 percent renewable powered server systems for optimizing both the overall system throughput and throughput of individual servers. From a game theoretic perspective, we model the energy allocation problem as a cooperative game among multiple servers and derive a Nash bargaining solution. Based on the Nash bargaining solution, we then propose a heuristic algorithm that determines the energy allocation strategies according to system energy states. Experimental results show that our proposed game theoretic approach achieves a high throughput from perspectives of both the overall system and individual servers.
Screening for Intellectual Disability Using High-Resolution CMA Technology in a Retrospective Cohort from Central Brazil

Intellectual disability is a complex, variable, and heterogeneous disorder, representing a disabling condition diagnosed worldwide, and the etiologies are multiple and highly heterogeneous. Microscopic chromosomal abnormalities and well-characterized genetic conditions are the most common causes of intellectual disability. Chromosomal Microarray Analysis analyses have made it possible to identify putatively pathogenic copy number variation that could explain the molecular etiology of intellectual disability. The aim of the current study was to identify possible submicroscopic genomic alterations using a high-density chromosomal microarray in a retrospective cohort of patients with otherwise undiagnosable intellectual disabilities referred by doctors from the public health system in Central Brazil. The CytoScan HD technology was used to detect changes in the genome copy number variation of patients who had intellectual disability and a normal karyotype. The analysis detected 18 CNVs in 60% of patients. Pathogenic CNVs represented about 22%, so it was possible to propose the etiology of intellectual disability for these patients. Likely pathogenic and unknown clinical significance CNVs represented 28% and 50%, respectively. Inherited and de novo CNVs were equally distributed. We report the nature of CNVs in patients from Central Brazil, representing a population not yet screened by microarray technologies.
Tree Based Trajectory Optimization Based on Local Linearity of Continuous Non-Linear Dynamics

This technical note addresses a tradeoff in the tree based trajectory optimization algorithms for open-loop optimal control problem of rigid body system. In this technical note, linear prediction based uniform state sampling method (LPUSS), which relaxes the tradeoff between solutions' quality and computational efficiency, is proposed on the basis of the local linearity of motion equations. LPUSS has a lower calculation order than randomized kinodynamic planning (RKP) and rapid semi-optimal motion planning (RASMO). In the validation using multi degree-of-freedom (DOF) under actuated manipulator models, the solutions' quality and the computational efficiency of LPUSS were better than those of RKP and RASMO. LPUSS finished the optimization for the 6 DOF model within 40 minutes. This was the world's first success of the optimization of the swing up motion of a 6 DOF under actuated manipulator model.
Frame of Reference Model of Self-Concept and Locus of Control: A Cross Gender Study in the United Arab Emirates.

A study tested predictions for I/E (internal external) frame of reference model and extended this model to include locus of control. A sample of upper elementary (n=181) and junior high (n=191) students in the United Arab Emirates participated in the study. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analyses provided support to the external comparison predictions of the I/E frame of reference model for boys and to a lesser extent for girls. Relations among achievement, self concept, and locus of control were not the same across gender. Mathematics self concept significantly predicted both internal and external locus of control only for girls. Verbal self concept failed to predict internal and external locus of control, but verbal achievement did not have such effects. The present study confirmed previous findings for the I/E model with western samples, thus adding more to the universality of the model. However, the findings relating achievement, self concept, and locus of control may need more investigation with some emphasis directed to the level of specificity at which each of the constructs was measured. Whereas self concepts were content specific, locus of control is generalized. The validity and reliability of locus of control in non-western settings should be investigated further to achieve more reliable and consistent results. (Includes two tables and one figure. Contains 77 references.) (BT) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the oriBinal document. FRAME OF REFERENCE MODEL OF SELF-CONCEPT AND LOCUS OF CONTROL: A CROSS GENDER STUDY IN THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES