Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pedestrian Injury and Human Behaviour: Observing Road-Rule Violations at High-Incident Intersections

BACKGROUND Human behaviour is an obvious, yet under-studied factor in pedestrian injury. Behavioural interventions that address rule violations by pedestrians and motorists could potentially reduce the frequency of pedestrian injury. In this study, a method was developed to examine road-rule non-compliance by pedestrians and motorists. The purpose of the study was to examine the potential association between violations made by pedestrians and motorists at signalized intersections, and collisions between pedestrians and motor-vehicles. The underlying hypothesis is that high-incident pedestrian intersections are likely to vary with respect to their aetiology, and thus are likely to require individualized interventions--based on the type and rate of pedestrian and motorist violation. METHODS High-incident pedestrian injury intersections in Vancouver, Canada were identified using geographic information systems. Road-rule violations by pedestrians and motorists were documented at each incident hotspot by a team of observers at several different time periods during the day. RESULTS Approximately 9,000 pedestrians and 18,000 vehicles were observed in total. In total for all observed intersections, over 2000 (21%) pedestrians committed one of the observed pedestrian road-crossing violations, while approximately 1000 (5.9%) drivers committed one of the observed motorist violations. Great variability in road-rule violations was observed between intersections, and also within intersections at different observation periods. CONCLUSIONS Both motorists and pedestrians were frequently observed committing road-rule violations at signalized intersections, suggesting a potential human behavioural contribution to pedestrian injury at the study sites. These results suggest that each intersection may have unique mechanisms that contribute to pedestrian injury, and may require targeted behavioural interventions. The method described in this study provides the basis for understanding the relationship between violations and pedestrian injury risk at urban intersections. Findings could be applied to targeted prevention campaigns designed to reduce the number of pedestrian injuries at signalized intersections.
Who Pays for the Minimum Wage?

This paper provides a comprehensive assessment of the margins along which firms responded to a large and persistent minimum wage increase in Hungary. We show that employment elasticities are negative but small even four years after the reform; that around 75 percent of the minimum wage increase was paid by consumers and 25 percent by firm owners; that firms responded to the minimum wage by substituting labor with capital; and that disemployment effects were greater in industries where passing the wage costs to consumers is more difficult. We estimate a model with monopolistic competition to explain these findings. (JEL J23, J24, J31, J38, L13)
User Association and Resource Allocation in Unified NOMA Enabled Heterogeneous Ultra Dense Networks

Heterogeneous ultra dense networks (HUDNs) and non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) have been identified as two proposing techniques for 5G mobile communication systems due to their great capabilities to enhance spectrum efficiency. This article investigates the application of NOMA techniques in HUDNs to support massive connectivity in 5G systems. In particular, a unified NOMA framework is proposed, including power-domain NOMA and code-domain NOMA, which can be configured flexibly to serve different application scenarios. As a further advance, unified NOMA framework enabled HUDNs are further investigated, with particular focus on user association and resource allocation. Two case studies are provided for demonstrating the effectiveness of unified NOMA enabled HUDNs. Finally, some main challenges and promising research directions in NOMA enabled HUDNs are identified.
Analysis of the max‐binding protein MNT in human medulloblastomas

Medulloblastomas (MBs) are the most frequent malignant brain tumors in children. The molecular pathogenesis of these tumors is still poorly understood. Microsatellite and restriction‐fragment‐length polymorphism studies have revealed allelic loss of genetic material on the short arm of chromosome 17 in the region 17p13 in approximately 50% of MBs, suggesting the presence of a tumor‐suppressor gene in this region. A candidate for this putative tumor‐suppressor is the MNT gene, located at 17p13.3 and encoding a Max‐interacting nuclear protein with transcriptional‐repressor activity. In this study, we analyzed MNT mRNA and protein expression in 44 MB samples, including 32 primary tumors, 3 recurrent tumors and 9 MB cell lines. Allelic loss at 17p13.3 was found in 49% of informative cases. RT‐PCR showed MNT mRNA expression in all cases analyzed. Endogenous Mnt protein with an apparent molecular weight of 72 to 74 kDa was detected in lysates from MB cell lines. The presence and functional integrity of Mnt in MBs were tested in electrophoretic mobility‐shift assays. These experiments demonstrated that Mnt interacts with Max, and that this heterodimer binds DNA specifically, suggesting a functional bHLHZip domain of MB‐derived Mnt. In support, single‐strand conformation‐polymorphism (SSCP) analyses revealed no mutation in the bHLHZip region. Deletion of the Mnt Sin3 interaction domain was shown to convert Mnt from an inhibitor of myc/ras‐co‐transformation into a molecule capable of cooperating with Ras in transformation. This region therefore was screened for mutation by SSCP: again, no alterations were found. These findings indicate that the MNT gene located at 17p13.3 is not likely to be involved in the molecular pathogenesis of MBs. Int. J. Cancer 82:810–816, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of steroids on Acanthamoeba cysts and trophozoites.

PURPOSE Topical steroids are frequently used to control corneal inflammation and uveitis or is administered after surgery, to prevent corneal graft rejection. This study was undertaken to determine whether steroids could affect the pathogenicity of Acanthamoeba castellanii. METHODS The effect of dexamethasone phosphate on excystment, proliferation, and encystment of trophozoites and cysts of A. castellanii was examined in vitro. Cytolysis capacity of steroid-treated Acanthamoeba was quantified by a spectrophotometric assay, and plasminogen activators were measured by a fibrinolysis assay. The influence of steroid treatment on corneal infection in a Chinese hamster model of Acanthamoeba keratitis was examined in vivo. RESULTS Treatment of Acanthamoeba cysts with dexamethasone induced 4- to 10-fold increases in the number of trophozoites compared with untreated control cultures. Acceleration of trophozoite proliferation was observed when trophozoites were treated with dexamethasone. However, dexamethasone treatment did not affect encystment of Acanthamoeba trophozoites. Dexamethasone-treated trophozoites or cysts induced a significant cytopathic effect on corneal epithelial cells compared with untreated organisms. Supernatants collected from either dexamethasone-treated or untreated organisms failed to lyse corneal epithelial cells. Treatment of organisms with dexamethasone had no effect on production of plasminogen activators by Acanthamoeba trophozoites. Intramuscular injection of dexamethasone had a profound effect on the incidence, severity, and chronicity of keratitis. Keratitis in dexamethasone-treated hamsters was significantly more severe at all time points than in untreated animals (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate that exposure of Acanthamoeba trophozoites and cysts to dexamethasone increases the pathogenicity of the organisms. The results emphasize the importance of maintaining adequate amebicidal therapy if a topical steroid is used in the management of Acanthamoeba keratitis.
Prevalence of hypertension and its associated risk factors among secondary school students in Duhok City

Hypertension can develop in early childhood and go unnoticed unless it is screened for specifically during this developmental stage. Detecting potential hypertension risk in children is critical to avoiding the serious, long-term complications associated with the condition. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of hypertension among schoolchildren aged 13 to 18, as well as the risk factors associated with it. A cross-sectional study included 565 students aged 13 to 18 from the Duhok region. The analysis used Chi square testing and logistic regression with JMP Pro 14.3. 0 software. Of the 565 students from 32 schools chosen, 242 (42.80%) were male and 323 (57.2%) were female. Notably, 5.84% (n=33) were hypertensive. A significant correlation was found between hypertension prevalence and body mass index, as well as gender. There was no significant relationship found with other variables. Logistic regression revealed that high blood pressure was significantly associated with excess weight, obesity, and age. We concluded that there was an increase in the incidence of hypertension among high school students. Lifestyle changes appeared to play a role in hypertension development among this population. Routine school surveys are recommended to detect potential hypertension cases in children and adolescents, allowing for timely preventative interventions.
Generation of large numbers of dendritic cells from mouse bone marrow cultures supplemented with granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor

Antigen-presenting, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II- rich dendritic cells are known to arise from bone marrow. However, marrow lacks mature dendritic cells, and substantial numbers of proliferating less-mature cells have yet to be identified. The methodology for inducing dendritic cell growth that was recently described for mouse blood now has been modified to MHC class II- negative precursors in marrow. A key step is to remove the majority of nonadherent, newly formed granulocytes by gentle washes during the first 2-4 d of culture. This leaves behind proliferating clusters that are loosely attached to a more firmly adherent "stroma. " At days 4-6 the clusters can be dislodged, isolated by 1-g sedimentation, and upon reculture, large numbers of dendritic cells are released. The latter are readily identified on the basis of their distinct cell shape, ultrastructure, and repertoire of antigens, as detected with a panel of monoclonal antibodies. The dendritic cells express high levels of MHC class II products and act as powerful accessory cells for initiating the mixed leukocyte reaction. Neither the clusters nor mature dendritic cells are generated if macrophage colony-stimulating factor rather than granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is applied. Therefore, GM-CSF generates all three lineages of myeloid cells (granulocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells). Since > 5 x 10(6) dendritic cells develop in 1 wk from precursors within the large hind limb bones of a single animal, marrow progenitors can act as a major source of dendritic cells. This feature should prove useful for future molecular and clinical studies of this otherwise trace cell type.
Factors Influencing Stroke Rehabilitation

Quantitative and semiquantitative methods have been used to evaluate the clinical improvement of 62 patients with completed stroke who were admitted to a rehabilitation hospital. Improvement in motility and leg strength on the paretic side was minimal and was not influenced by facilitation exercise techniques. Observed changes in strength and motility occurred to about the same degree on both the nonparetic and paretic sides. Patients who had a short interval between onset of stroke and admission to the rehabilitation program improved significantly more on the paretic side than those with a longer interval. Practically no improvement in motility and leg strength was found two months following a stroke. Hemiplegia and hemiparesis were defined quantitatively on the basis of motility test scores. Patients with hemiparesis showed greater improvement in motility and self-care status in about half the time of hospital stay when compared with patients with hemiplegia. In spite of relatively static neurological deficits, all patients showed evidence of functional improvement as assessed by a self-care rating scale. The poorest functional outcome was seen in patients who had hemisensory losses in addition to hemiplegia. The observations indicate that early, functionally oriented stroke rehabilitation programs offer the best chance of aiding patients. Behavioral and sociological influences on final outcome are important and must be carefully evaluated to insure maximum chances of successes in rehabilitation.
Laparoscopic versus conventional appendectomy.

BACKGROUND The results of recent series suggest remarkable advantages of laparoscopic appendectomy over the conventional open appendectomy. To determine if clear advantages could be established, the charts of all patients admitted to our institution with a presumptive diagnosis of acute appendicitis and subsequent appendectomy were retrospectively reviewed. STUDY DESIGN From January 1990 through June 1992, there were 300 conventional open appendectomies and 66 laparoscopic appendectomies performed. Data from both groups were compared with respect to anesthesia time, operative time, postoperative morbidity, postoperative pain, time to regular diet, hospitalization period, cost, and return to normal activities. RESULTS There were no significant differences between the laparoscopic and open appendectomy groups with respect to operative complications, postoperative morbidity, pain medication requirements, and time to regular diet. There were significantly longer anesthesia times, operative times, and operating room costs in the laparoscopic group. For complicated appendicitis, the laparoscopic technique resulted in infectious complications that required readmission in 45.5 percent of the patients. CONCLUSIONS Laparoscopic appendectomy is a safe alternative to conventional open appendectomy for simple acute appendicitis. However, laparoscopic appendectomy is not superior to the conventional method with regard to operative time, postoperative morbidity, pain medication requirements, time to regular diet, length of stay, cost, or return to normal activity. Laparoscopic appendectomy may be contraindicated in complicated appendicitis (gangrene, perforated with abscess, or peritonitis) due to an increased rate of infectious complications requiring readmission.
Transport Capacity of Distributed Wireless CSMA Networks

In this paper, we study the transport capacity of large multi-hop wireless CSMA networks. Different from previous studies that rely on the use of a centralized scheduling algorithm and/or a centralized routing algorithm to achieve the optimal capacity scaling law, we show that the optimal capacity scaling law can be achieved using entirely distributed routing and scheduling algorithms. Specifically, we consider a network with nodes Poissonly distributed with unit intensity on a √n × √n square Bn ⊂ R2. Furthermore, each node chooses its destination randomly and independently and transmits following a CSMA protocol. By resorting to the percolation theory and by carefully tuning the three controllable parameters in CSMA protocols, i.e., transmission power, carrier-sensing threshold, and countdown timer, we show that a throughput of Θ(1/√n) is achievable in distributed CSMA networks. Furthermore, we derive the preconstant preceding the order of the transport capacity by giving an upper and a lower bound of the transport capacity. The tightness of the bounds is validated using simulations.
Telomerase Mediates the Cell Survival-Promoting Actions of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Secreted Amyloid Precursor Protein in Developing Hippocampal Neurons

Telomerase, a reverse transcriptase that maintains chromosome ends (telomeres) during successive cell divisions in mitotic cells is present in neuroblasts and early postmitotic embryonic neurons but is absent from adult neurons. The signals that control telomerase levels during development are unknown, as are the functions of telomerase in developing neurons. We now report that telomerase activity and levels of its catalytic subunit telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) are increased in embryonic hippocampal neurons by brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and a secreted form of β-amyloid precursor protein (sAPP). BDNF and sAPP promote the survival of the embryonic neurons, and these trophic effects are blocked when TERT production is suppressed using antisense technology. Telomerase is required for the long-term survival of early postmitotic neurons during a time window of ∼1 week in culture; telomerase is then downregulated and is not required for BDNF and sAPP survival signaling in mature neurons. The increase in telomerase activity and trophic effects of BDNF and sAPP are mediated by phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase and p42/p44 MAP kinases. Our findings demonstrate a requirement for telomerase in the cell survival-promoting actions of BDNF and sAPP in early postmitotic hippocampal neurons, suggesting a previously unknown role for telomerase in mediating the biological actions of neurotrophic factors during brain development.
Minitrack Introduction

Rhetoricians since Aristotle have attempted to classify communications into categories or "genres" with similar form, topic or purpose. Given a socially recognized need to communicate, individuals will typically express similar social motives, themes and topics in a communication with similar physical and linguistic characteristics, that is, they will communicate in a recognized genre.
Promoting Dietary Change Among State Health Employees in Arkansas Through a Worksite Wellness Program: The Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program (HELP)

Introduction Maintaining a healthy and productive workforce is essential for employers in public and private sectors. Poor nutrition and obesity contribute to chronic diseases and influence health care costs and productivity. Research indicates that eating a healthy diet is associated with lower body mass index and reduced risk for developing chronic disease. Methods The Arkansas Department of Health implemented the Healthy Employee Lifestyle Program to encourage wellness among state health employees. During the pilot year, participants completed a health risk assessment at baseline and again after 1 year that assessed diet and physical activity, other health risk factors, and readiness to make behavioral changes. Participants were encouraged to eat healthfully, participate in regular exercise, report health behaviors using a Web-based reporting system, accumulate points for healthy behaviors, and redeem points for incentives. Differences in participants' (n = 214) reported dietary behaviors between baseline and follow-up were assessed using χ2 analyses and tests of symmetry. Results Consumption of sweets/desserts, fats, protein, grains, processed meats, and dairy did not differ significantly from baseline to follow-up. However, at follow-up more participants reported eating 3 or more fruits and vegetables per day than at baseline and being in the action and maintenance stages of readiness to change for eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables per day and for eating a diet low in fat. Conclusion Further study is needed to examine physical activity and other health risk factors to determine whether the program merits a broader dissemination.
Modified Broström Procedure for Chronic Ankle Instability With Generalized Joint Hypermobility

Background: Chronic ankle instability with generalized joint hypermobility (GJH) is considered a contraindication for the modified Broström procedure. The most widely accepted definition of GJH is a Beighton score of ≥4 on a 9-point scale. However, it is not clear whether this criterion can be applied to determine the GJH that would lead to a poor outcome after a modified Broström procedure. Some of the previous studies that report unfavorable outcomes do not specify the tests or cutoff scores used to determine the GJH, and, in fact, some of the patients with GJH in these studies had good outcomes. Hypothesis: The modified Broström procedure results in satisfactory outcomes in patients who have chronic ankle instability with GJH if the contralateral uninjured ankle shows a normal varus talar tilt and anterior talar translation during stress tests. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Modified Broström procedure was performed in 32 patients with chronic ankle instability with GJH if the contralateral uninjured ankle showed a normal varus talar tilt and anterior talar translation on stress tests. The mean patient age at surgery was 21.7 years, and the mean follow-up duration was 27.4 months. Results: The Karlsson-Peterson ankle score significantly improved from a mean ± SD of 63.6 ± 7.1 preoperatively to 90.4 ± 6.7 at the final postoperative follow-up (P < .001). Sixteen patients were very satisfied with the results, 10 patients were satisfied, 3 patients rated their satisfaction as fair, and 1 patient was dissatisfied with the results. Nine patients sustained ankle sprains after the surgery, 6 of which were mild sprains. Although 3 of these 9 patients had a mechanically unstable ankle on stress radiographs, they were satisfied with the postoperative results. None of the patients required a reoperation. Conclusion: GJH was not a contraindication for the modified Broström procedure if the contralateral uninjured ankle showed a normal varus talar tilt and a normal anterior talar translation on stress tests. Further studies are needed to better define GJH affecting the ankle.
Functional magnetic resonance imaging during emotion recognition in social anxiety disorder: an activation likelihood meta-analysis

Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by abnormal fear and anxiety in social situations. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a brain imaging technique that can be used to demonstrate neural activation to emotionally salient stimuli. However, no attempt has yet been made to statistically collate fMRI studies of brain activation, using the activation likelihood-estimate (ALE) technique, in response to emotion recognition tasks in individuals with SAD. Methods: A systematic search of fMRI studies of neural responses to socially emotive cues in SAD was undertaken. ALE meta-analysis, a voxel-based meta-analytic technique, was used to estimate the most significant activations during emotional recognition. Results: Seven studies were eligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis, constituting a total of 91 subjects with SAD, and 93 healthy controls. The most significant areas of activation during emotional vs. neutral stimuli in individuals with SAD compared to controls were: bilateral amygdala, left medial temporal lobe encompassing the entorhinal cortex, left medial aspect of the inferior temporal lobe encompassing perirhinal cortex and parahippocampus, right anterior cingulate, right globus pallidus, and distal tip of right postcentral gyrus. Conclusion: The results are consistent with neuroanatomic models of the role of the amygdala in fear conditioning, and the importance of the limbic circuitry in mediating anxiety symptoms.