Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Findings from a pilot Randomised trial of an Asthma Internet Self-management Intervention (RAISIN)

Objective To evaluate the feasibility of a phase 3 randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a website (Living Well with Asthma) to support self-management. Design and setting Phase 2, parallel group, RCT, participants recruited from 20 general practices across Glasgow, UK. Randomisation through automated voice response, after baseline data collection, to website access for minimum 12 weeks or usual care. Participants Adults (age≥16 years) with physician diagnosed, symptomatic asthma (Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score ≥1). People with unstable asthma or other lung disease were excluded. Intervention ‘Living Well with Asthma’ is a desktop/laptop compatible interactive website designed with input from asthma/ behaviour change specialists, and adults with asthma. It aims to support optimal medication management, promote use of action plans, encourage attendance at asthma reviews and increase physical activity. Outcome measures Primary outcomes were recruitment/retention, website use, ACQ and mini-Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (AQLQ). Secondary outcomes included patient activation, prescribing, adherence, spirometry, lung inflammation and health service contacts after 12 weeks. Blinding postrandomisation was not possible. Results Recruitment target met. 51 participants randomised (25 intervention group). Age range 16–78 years; 75% female; 28% from most deprived quintile. 45/51 (88%; 20 intervention group) followed up. 19 (76% of the intervention group) used the website, for a mean of 18 min (range 0–49). 17 went beyond the 2 ‘core’ modules. Median number of logins was 1 (IQR 1–2, range 0–7). No significant difference in the prespecified primary efficacy measures of ACQ scores (−0.36; 95% CI −0.96 to 0.23; p=0.225), and mini-AQLQ scores (0.38; −0.13 to 0.89; p=0.136). No adverse events. Conclusions Recruitment and retention confirmed feasibility; trends to improved outcomes suggest use of Living Well with Asthma may improve self-management in adults with asthma and merits further development followed by investigation in a phase 3 trial. Trial registration number ISRCTN78556552; Results.
Different Stability and Proteasome-Mediated Degradation Rate of SMN Protein Isoforms

The key pathogenic steps leading to spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a genetic disease characterized by selective motor neuron degeneration, are not fully clarified. The full-length SMN protein (FL-SMN), the main protein product of the disease gene SMN1, plays an established role in the cytoplasm in snRNP biogenesis ultimately leading to mRNA splicing within the nucleus. It is also involved in the mRNA axonal transport. However, to what extent the impairment of these two SMN functions contributes to SMA pathogenesis remains unknown. A shorter SMN isoform, axonal-SMN or a-SMN, with more specific axonal localization, has been discovered, but whether it might act in concert with FL-SMN in SMA pathogenesis is not known. As a first step in defining common or divergent intracellular roles of FL-SMN vs a-SMN proteins, we here characterized the turn-over of both proteins and investigated which pathway contributed to a-SMN degradation. We performed real time western blot and confocal immunofluorescence analysis in easily controllable in vitro settings. We analyzed co-transfected NSC34 and HeLa cells and cell clones stably expressing both a-SMN and FL-SMN proteins after specific blocking of transcript or protein synthesis and inhibition of known intracellular degradation pathways. Our data indicated that whereas the stability of both FL-SMN and a-SMN transcripts was comparable, the a-SMN protein was characterized by a much shorter half-life than FL-SMN. In addition, as already demonstrated for FL-SMN, the Ub/proteasome pathway played a major role in the a-SMN protein degradation. We hypothesize that the faster degradation rate of a-SMN vs FL-SMN is related to the protection provided by the protein complex in which FL-SMN is assembled. The diverse a-SMN vs FL-SMN C-terminus may dictate different protein interactions and complex formation explaining the different localization and role in the neuronal compartment, and the lower expression and stability of a-SMN.
The Productivity of Capital in a Period of Slower Growth

THE UNITED STATES has invested a smaller fraction of its gross national product in capital goods than almost any of its major international competitors in the 40 years since 1948. Over this same period, average labor productivity growth in the United States has also been among the slowest. For the first 25 years of the period there was little cause for dissatisfaction. U.S. productivity growth was higher than it was in the prewar years, and the still higher rates in Europe could easily be explained as a catch-up phenomenon. But after 1973 U.S. labor productivity growth fell to only a little more than 1 percent a year, and in the past five years net investment has dropped substantially. Many people have argued that increasing the level of physical investment in the U.S. economy would have a large payout in higher productivity growth. We agree that investment should be increased, but we suspect that the potential productivity improvements are being exaggerated. The issue is important both for economic analysis and for economic policy. If the growth payoff from increasing the capital stock is large, economic policy can concentrate on raising national saving and investment. If the payoff is small, the nation would be wise to bend some of its efforts toward other means of improving productivity growth. From the perspective of economic analysis, we want to know how to
Fault-tolerant quantum computation

The discovery of quantum error correction has greatly improved the long-term prospects for quantum computing technology. Encoded quantum information can be protected from errors that arise due to uncontrolled interactions with the environment, or due to imperfect implementations of quantum logical operations. Recovery from errors can work effectively even if occasional mistakes occur during the recovery procedure. Furthermore, encoded quantum information can be processed without serious propagation of errors. In principle, an arbitrarily long quantum computation can be performed reliably, provided that the average probability of error per gate is less than a certain critical value, the accuracy threshold. It may be possible to incorporate intrinsic fault tolerance into the design of quantum computing hardware, perhaps by invoking topological Aharonov-Bohm interactions to process quantum information.
Loan Loss Reserves , Regulatory Capital , and Bank Failures : Evidence from the 2008-2009 Economic Crisis

This paper tests the influence of regulatory capital guidelines on the link between banks’ loan loss reserve decisions in 2007 and the risk of bank failure during the 2008-2009 economic crisis. Our primary finding is that larger loan loss reserve increases in 2007 are associated with an increased risk of bank failure in 2008-2009, but only for banks that are allowed to add back loan loss reserves as Tier 2 capital. The results suggest that the ability to add back loan loss reserves to regulatory capital creates the illusion of non-declining financial health, which allows banks to avoid taking the actions necessary to reduce failure risk. Our results thus challenge the notion that the buffer created by loan loss reserves lowers bank failure risk. Simultaneously they question the soundness of recent regulatory proposals to allow even more loan loss reserves to be added back in the calculation of regulatory capital.
MicroRNA 543 suppresses breast cancer cell proliferation, blocks cell cycle and induces cell apoptosis via direct targeting of ERK/MAPK

Background Breast cancer affects millions of people with a high mortality rate throughout the world; microRNA 543 (miR-543) has been reported to suppress progression in some kinds of cancers, but has not been reported in breast cancer. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the function of miR-543 in breast cancer cells. Methods Two cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, were selected to be the research objects; the miR-543 overexpression and knockdown models were established in the study by transforming miR-543 mimics and miR-543 inhibitor. Real-time polymerase chain reaction, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, Western blot, clone formation and cell flow cytometer assay were used to test the miR-543’s function. Dual-luciferase assay was used for the detection of miR-543 and ERK2 targeting relationship. Results The results showed that the cell proliferation and cell cycle were inhibited, and the capability of cell apoptosis was upregulated when miR-543 was overexpressed; we found that there was a target relationship between ERK2 and miR-543. Furthermore, downstream factors of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2 (ERK2) pathway, including RSK2 and MSK1, were decreased in miR-543 overexpression model. Conclusion This study provides series evidences to support that breast cancer progression was inhibited by miR-543 via direct targeting of ERK2 in MAPK/ERK signal pathway, which may provide a molecular basis for better treatment for patients.
Dissociative identity disorder: validity and use in the criminal justice system

SUMMARY This review examines whether the diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder (DID) could be used to support a defence of ‘not guilty by reason of insanity’ (NGRI, or the insanity defence). The problem is that DID has doubtful validity and can easily be malingered. However, the diagnosis is listed in standard psychiatric manuals. If accepted as valid, DID would have problematic forensic implications. LEARNING OBJECTIVES After reading this article you will be able to: • understand the history of the DID diagnosis• evaluate the validity of the DID diagnosis• appreciate, from case law, use of DID in support of an insanity defence. DECLARATION OF INTEREST None.
HIV Sero-Prevalence Trend among Blood Donors in Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Southwest Ethiopia

Background HIV/AIDS epidemics continue unchecked in African countries at all level of society bearing the heaviest burden of the scourge. Different researches have been done to see the progress of disease from time to time However, information that shows the trend of HIV among the healthy population over a period of time in Ethiopia is very limited. Methods A descriptive retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out to see the trend of HIV Sero-positivity and associated socio-demographic factors. The data was retrieved from records of people who donated blood during the period of January 2007 to December 2010, at Jimma University Specialized Hospital (JUSH). Data on socio-demographic variables and serologic status of the subjects were abstracted from their records using structured format. Then the data were cleaned, edited and entered into computer and analyzed by Microsoft Excel sheet. Then Chi-Square (X2) Statistical test was used for testing associations and P value less or equal to five percent (P ≤ 0.05) was considered significant. Results A total of 3788 subjects had donated blood from 2007 to 2010 of which 3034 (80.1 %) were males. Thirty nine (1%) of the donors were positive for HIV upon screening by Enzyme Linked Immuno Sorbent Assay (ELISA) method. The prevalence of HIV infection was 1.2% for males and 0.5% for females. The age specific prevalence was highest in the age group 30–39 years (2.2%) followed by 40 – 49 (1.4%). HIV sero-prevalence was higher among rural dwellers (1.4%) than urban (0.8%); drivers and their assistants (2.8%), and daily laborers (2.6%) had higher prevalence. Similarly, those who donated blood for replacement purpose had higher sero-prevalence (1.5%) as compared to those on voluntary basis (0.3%). Conclusion There is decreasing trend of sero-positivity over the years, with higher prevalence among sexually active age groups and rural dwellers.
Recurrence of major depression in adolescence and early adulthood, and later mental health, educational and economic outcomes

Background It is unclear how the recurrence of major depression in adolescence affects later life outcomes. Aims To examine the associations between the frequency of major depression at ages 16–21 and later outcomes, both before and after controlling for potentially confounding factors. Method Data were gathered from a 25-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of New Zealand children (n=982). Outcome measures included DSM–IV symptom criteria for major depression and anxiety disorders, suicidal ideation and attempted suicide, achieving university degree or other tertiary education qualification, welfare dependence and unemployment, and income at ages 21–25 years. Results There were significant (P<0.05) associations between the frequency of depression at ages 16–21 years and all outcome measures. After adjustment for confounding factors, the association between frequency of depression and all mental health outcomes, and welfare dependence and unemployment, remained significant (P<0.05). Conclusions The frequency of depression in adolescence and young adulthood is associated with adverse mental health and economic outcomes in early adulthood.
What is the Relationship among Team Psychological Safety, Nursing Agency, and Rapid Response System Activation?

What is the Relationship among Team Psychological Safety, Nursing Agency, and Rapid Response System Activation? by Grace Mingsum Ng Advisor: Professor Donna M. Nickitas When patients show signs of clinical deterioration, nurses should activate the rapid response system (RRS) to summon specialized help to the bedside. Failure or delay to activate the RRS is associated with increased length of stay and increased mortality. Currently, nurses only activate the RRS 21-57% of the time. Nurses’ fear of criticism for making the wrong call has been identified as a reason or avoiding or delaying activation. Currently, only limited individual level factors affecting nurse RRS activation has been identified, but team-level barriers or facilitators or nurse RRS activation has not been systematically studied. A cross-sectional study was conducted to investigate the relationships among team psychological safety, nursing agency, and nurse RRS activation. Findings suggest that nurses’ personal sense of power, which may be a foundational disposition of nursing agency, is a predictor of nurse RRS activation. Strategies to develop nurses’ personal sense of power may be key to ensure nurses can exercise their full agency to overcome barriers and act on behalf of their patients.
The Relationship Between the Development of Time Perception and Delay of Gratification

Delaying gratification is the ability to resist immediate rewards for larger or more desirable delayed rewards, and is important to individual and societal success. Many factors involved in delaying gratification have been well established, but the role of time perception is not well understood. Given that individuals experience time differently, these differences may influence choices regarding temporal delays. To explore how the development of time perception plays a role in willingness to delay gratification, 20 7-year-old children participated in time perception tasks, a snack delay task, a hypothetical temporal discounting task, and a behavioral motor inhibition task. Children who had a tendency to underestimate the length of temporal durations were more willing to delay gratification than children who had a tendency to overestimate. This represents the first demonstration that tendencies to overversus underestimate time can influence decisions about delayed rewards. This work has implications for the emphasis of measuring and controlling for time perception in future delay of gratification studies, as well as teaching strategies regarding temporal education.
Identification of viral antigens recognized by ocular infiltrating T cells from patients with varicella zoster virus-induced uveitis.

PURPOSE Varicella zoster virus (VZV) is a common cause of infectious uveitis associated with an intraocular inflammatory response involving virus-specific T cells. In the current study, the functional characteristics and the antigen specificity of VZV-reactive T cells recovered from intraocular fluid (IOF) samples of five patients with VZV were determined. METHODS B-cell lines were infected with a comprehensive panel of recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing 11 individual VZV open reading frames (ORFs), or alternatively pulsed with the corresponding peptides to generate antigen-presenting cells (APCs). T-cell responsiveness of the IOF-derived VZV-specific T cells toward APCs was monitored by interferon (IFN)-gamma enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot-forming assays on bulk T-cell cultures and subsequently T-cell clones (TCCs). The cytokine-secretion profile and cytotoxicity of the VZV-specific TCCs was determined by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. RESULTS T-cell reactivity to VZV proteins encoded by ORF4, -10, -14, -18, -29, -31, -61, -62, -63, -67, and -68 was demonstrated, but specificity varied individually. T-cell epitopes on ORF62 and -68 were delineated. The TCCs secreted IFNgamma, but relatively low levels of interleukin-4 and -5, in response to VZV antigen-expressing APCs. The TCCs induced antigen-specific cytotoxic T-cell activity. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that the intraocular VZV-specific T-cell response in the patients with VZV analyzed is directed to a broad spectrum of VZV antigens, including the latency-associated VZV proteins from ORFs 4, 29, 63, and particularly ORF62. This local T-cell response was in part mediated by cytotoxic CD4(+) T cells with a Th1/0-like effector memory phenotype.
The Tumor Suppressor p53 Transcriptionally Regulates cGKI Expression during Neuronal Maturation and Is Required for cGMP-Dependent Growth Cone Collapse

The cGMP-dependent protein kinase type I (cGKI) has multiple functions including a role in axonal growth and pathfinding of sensory neurons, and counteracts Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A)-induced growth cone collapse. Within the nervous system, however, the transcriptional regulation of cGKI is still obscure. Recently, the transcription factor and tumor suppressor p53 has been reported to promote neurite outgrowth by regulating the gene expression of factors that promote growth cone extension, but specific p53 targets genes that may counteract growth cone collapse have not been identified so far. Here, we show that p53 promotes cGKI expression in neuronal-like PC-12 cells and primary neurons by occupying specific regulatory elements in a chromatin environment during neuronal maturation. Importantly, we demonstrate that p53-dependent expression of cGKI is required for the ability of cGMP to counteract growth cone collapse. Growth cone retraction mediated by Sema3A is overcome by cGMP only in wild-type, but not in p53-null dorsal root ganglia. Reconstitution of p53 levels is sufficient to recover both cGKI expression and the ability of cGMP to counteract growth cone collapse, while cGKI overexpression rescues growth cone collapse in p53-null primary neurons. In conclusion, this study identifies p53 as a transcription factor that regulates the expression of cGKI during neuronal maturation and cGMP-dependent inhibition of growth cone collapse.
The Impact of Structural Reforms on Employment Growth and Labour Productivity: Evidence from Bulgaria and Romania

Using firm-level data from Bulgaria and Romania, this paper addresses a lacuna in the transition literature, namely, the link of firm-level employment turnover with firm-level growth in labour productivity. The results suggest that while net job creation at the firm level was affected by privatization in Bulgaria, privatization in Romania did not have any effect on firm-level employment growth. Further, Olley-Pakes (1996) decomposition indicates that in Bulgaria, over time, resources moved from less productive firms to more productive firms in almost all industries, but that in Romania such a phenomenon was observed in less than half of the industries. At the same time, the Grilliches-Regev (1995) decomposition indicates that in both these countries mobility of labour across firms, i.e., the process of job creation and job destruction at the firm level, contributed more to productivity changes than did other firm-level characteristics and industry-level factors affecting productivity. Finally, we find that the rate of employment changes in Bulgarian firms has a significant impact on the country's firm-level productivity changes. Regressions using Romania data, however, do not provide any support for this observation.
Thailand's Competitiveness: Key Issues in Five Clusters

This presentation draws on ideas from Professor Porter’s articles and books, in particular, The Competitive Advantage of Nations (The Free Press, 1990), “Building the Microeconomic Foundations of Competitiveness,” in The Global Competitiveness Report 2002, (World Economic Forum, 2002), “Clusters and the New Competitive Agenda for Companies and Governments” in On Competition(Harvard Business School Press, 1998), and joint work with the Sasin Graduate School of Business on Thai competitiveness financed bythe NESDB. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise -without the permission of Michael E. Porter.Further information on Professor Porter’s work and the Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness is available at www.isc. hbs.edu
N-cadherin–dependent cell–cell contact regulates Rho GTPases and β-catenin localization in mouse C2C12 myoblasts

N-cadherin, a member of the Ca2+-dependent cell–cell adhesion molecule family, plays an essential role in skeletal muscle cell differentiation. We show that inhibition of N-cadherin–dependent adhesion impairs the upregulation of the two cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21 and p27, the expression of the muscle-specific genes myogenin and troponin T, and C2C12 myoblast fusion. To determine the nature of N-cadherin–mediated signals involved in myogenesis, we investigated whether N-cadherin–dependent adhesion regulates the activity of Rac1, Cdc42Hs, and RhoA. N-cadherin–dependent adhesion decreases Rac1 and Cdc42Hs activity, and as a consequence, c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK activity but not that of the p38 MAPK pathway. On the other hand, N-cadherin–mediated adhesion increases RhoA activity and activates three skeletal muscle-specific promoters. Furthermore, RhoA activity is required for β-catenin accumulation at cell–cell contact sites. We propose that cell–cell contacts formed via N-cadherin trigger signaling events that promote the commitment to myogenesis through the positive regulation of RhoA and negative regulation of Rac1, Cdc42Hs, and JNK activities.
Generalizations of the Karatsuba Algorithm for Efficient Implementations

In this work we generalize the classical Karatsuba Algorithm (KA) for polynomial multiplication to (i) polynomials of arbitrary degree and (ii) recursive use. We determine exact complexity expressions for the KA and focus on how to use it with the least number of operations. We develop a rule for the optimum order of steps if the KA is used recursively. We show how the usage of dummy coefficients may improve performance. Finally we provide detailed information on how to use the KA with least cost, and also provide tables that describe the best possible usage of the KA for polynomials up to a degree of 127. Our results are especially useful for efficient implementations of cryptographic and coding schemes over fixed-size fields like GF (p).