Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phospho-epitope binding by the BRCT domains of hPTIP controls multiple aspects of the cellular response to DNA damage

Human (h)PTIP plays important but poorly understood roles in cellular responses to DNA damage. hPTIP interacts with 53BP1 tumour suppressor but only when 53BP1 is phosphorylated by ATM after DNA damage although the mechanism(s) and significance of the interaction of these two proteins are unclear. Here, we pinpoint a single ATM-phosphorylated residue in 53BP1—Ser25—that is required for binding of 53BP1 to hPTIP. Binding of phospho-Ser25 to hPTIP in vitro and in vivo requires two closely apposed pairs of BRCT domains at the C-terminus of hPTIP and neither pair alone can bind to phospho-Ser25, even though one of these BRCT pairs in isolation can bind to other ATM-phosphorylated epitopes. Mutations in 53BP1 and in hPTIP that prevent the interaction of the two proteins, render cells hypersensitive to DNA damage and weaken ATM signalling. The C-terminal BRCT domains of hPTIP are also required for stable retention of hPTIP at sites of DNA damage but this appears to be independent of binding to 53BP1. Thus, the BRCT domains of hPTIP play important roles in the cellular response to DNA damage.
Perspectives of older people living in long-term care facilities and of their family members toward advance care planning discussions: a systematic review and thematic synthesis

Objective We aimed to search and synthesize qualitative studies exploring the perspectives of older people living in long-term care facilities and of their family members about advance care planning (ACP) discussions. Methods The enhancing transparency in reporting the synthesis of qualitative research (ENTREQ) framework was used to guide the review and report its results. PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO were searched for studies published between January 2000 and November 2015. All included studies were assessed for comprehensiveness of reporting, and a thematic synthesis of their results was performed. Results The nine included studies differed in terms of qualitative method used, comprehensiveness of reporting, and geographical origin. The thematic synthesis led to the identification of four main themes: 1) plans already made; 2) end-of-life care and decision-making; 3) opinions and attitudes toward ACP; and 4) how, when, about what, and with whom to do ACP. Conclusion Despite their willingness to be involved in a shared decision-making process, older residents and their families still have little experience with ACP. Practical implications In view of implementing ACP for elders living in long-term care facilities, it would be important to rethink ACP and also to incorporate their nonmedical preferences, according to their own priorities.
Predictive Encoding: Planning for Opportunities*

Suspended goals are those that are postponed by an agent because they do not fit into the agent's current, ongoing agenda of plans. Recognizing later opportunities to achieve suspended goals is an important cognitive ability because it means that one can defer work on a goal until one is in a better position to achieve the goal. This paper focuses on when and how such opportunities are recognized in everyday planning situations. According to our account of the phenomenon, suspended goals are associated at the time of encoding with features of the environment in which goal achievement would likely be possible. This process is referred to as predictive encoding. Later, when these features are perceived in the environment through normal inferential processes, the agent is reminded of suspended goals * This work was supported by the Office of Naval Research under contract N0014-85-K010 to the University of Chicago and contract N0014-91-J-1128 to the University of Michigan. through features previously associated with them, and recognizes the opportunity to achieve the goals. This approach is compared with other recent theories of opportunistic planning, and empirical work is presented which supports predictive encoding as an explanation for opportunistic planning behavior.
Range expansion with mutation and selection: dynamical phase transition in a two-species Eden model

The colonization of unoccupied territory by invading species, known as range expansion, is a spatially heterogeneous non-equilibrium growth process. We introduce a two-species Eden growth model to analyze the interplay between uni-directional (irreversible) mutations and selection at the expanding front. While the evolutionary dynamics leads to coalescence of both wild-type and mutant clusters, the non-homogeneous advance of the colony results in a rough front. We show that roughening and domain dynamics are strongly coupled, resulting in qualitatively altered bulk and front properties. For beneficial mutations the front is quickly taken over by mutants and growth proceeds Eden-like. In contrast, if mutants grow slower than wild-types, there is an antagonism between selection pressure against mutants and growth by the merging of mutant domains with an ensuing absorbing state phase transition to an all-mutant front. We find that surface roughening has a marked effect on the critical properties of the absorbing state phase transition. While reference models, which keep the expanding front flat, exhibit directed percolation critical behavior, the exponents of the two-species Eden model strongly deviate from it. In turn, the mutation-selection process induces an increased surface roughness with exponents distinct from that of the classical Eden model.
Patient education preferences in ophthalmic care

Background The learning preferences of ophthalmology patients were examined. Methods Results from a voluntary survey of ophthalmology patients were analyzed for education preferences and for correlation with race, age, and ophthalmic topic. Results To learn about eye disease, patients preferred one-on-one sessions with providers as well as printed materials and websites recommended by providers. Patients currently learning from the provider were older (average age 59 years), and patients learning from the Internet (average age 49 years) and family and friends (average age 51 years) were younger. Patients interested in cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and dry eye were older; patients interested in double vision and glasses were younger. There were racial differences regarding topic preferences, with Black patients most interested in glaucoma (46%), diabetic retinopathy (31%), and cataracts (28%) and White patients most interested in cataracts (22%), glaucoma (22%), and macular degeneration (19%). Conclusion Most ophthalmology patients preferred personalized education: one-on-one with their provider or a health educator and materials (printed and electronic) recommended by their provider. Age-related topics were more popular with older patients, and diseases with racial risk factors were more popular with high risk racial groups.
Study on Face Detection Algorithm Based on Skin Color Segmentation and AdaBoost Algorithm

Because skin color detection had high false detecting rate in color image with complex background and the AdaBoost face detection algorithm does not work well in multi-pose and multi-face images. In this paper, a new face detection algorithm is introduced combined the skin color segmentation and the AdaBoost algorithm. The simulated experiment results show that this algorithm mentioned in this paper, not only reduces the false detecting rate and missing rate, but also obviously improves the detection speed. And the algorithm can be applied to more complex background face detection which has multi-pose and multi-face of large images.
Behavioural Correlates of Cognitive Skill Learning in Parkinson’s Disease

The impact of basal ganglia dysfunction on cognitive skill learning was explored using a learning version of the Tower of London (TOL) task, which places a heavy load on working memory and is not confounded by declarative mem- ory, as have been previous tasks. Two subgroups of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients were assessed and also completed a selection of neuropsychological tests: the first was unmedicated (de novo, n=12) and the second included patients nor- mally receiving L-DOPA, but tested off medication (n=12). Overall, neither subgroup was impaired when learning the task compared to control participants (n=22). Six patients, however, failed to improve their performance with practice. Their learning deficit could not be explained in terms of their functional status; instead, it was related to deficits on span tests. Thus, the inability to acquire a new cognitive skill in PD may not be due to learning impairments per se, but rather, it appears to be secondary to working memory deficits.
MIMO transmission with residual transmit-RF impairments

Physical transceiver implementations for multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) wireless communication systems suffer from transmit-RF (Tx-RF) impairments. In this paper, we study the effect on channel capacity and error-rate performance of residual Tx-RF impairments that defy proper compensation. In particular, we demonstrate that such residual distortions severely degrade the performance of (near-)optimum MIMO detection algorithms. To mitigate this performance loss, we propose an efficient algorithm, which is based on an i.i. d. Gaussian model for the distortion caused by these impairments. In order to validate this model, we provide measurement results based on a 4-stream Tx-RF chain implementation for MIMO orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM).
Jordanian Mothers’ and Female Preschool Teachers’ Perceptions of Men Working in Preschools

In Jordan less than 1% of preschool teachers are male. This study investigated a sample of mothers and female preschool teachers about their perceptions of male preschool teachers. A survey was developed to collect data from the participants. Results showed that participants perceive the work of men in preschools as being acceptable, yet they were of the opinion that preschool teaching is the work of females. Mothers agreed that children gain diverse experiences when taught by males or females. Female schoolteachers disagreed that male teachers have more control over their student during field trips. Most notably, female schoolteachers ages 19 to 29 were more accepting of the idea of male preschool teachers than other age groups.
Plant Surface Cues Prime Ustilago maydis for Biotrophic Development

Infection-related development of phytopathogenic fungi is initiated by sensing and responding to plant surface cues. This response can result in the formation of specialized infection structures, so-called appressoria. To unravel the program inducing filaments and appressoria in the biotrophic smut fungus Ustilago maydis, we exposed cells to a hydrophobic surface and the cutin monomer 16-hydroxy hexadecanoic acid. Genome-wide transcriptional profiling at the pre-penetration stage documented dramatic transcriptional changes in almost 20% of the genes. Comparisons with the U. maydis sho1 msb2 double mutant, lacking two putative sensors for plant surface cues, revealed that these plasma membrane receptors regulate a small subset of the surface cue-induced genes comprising mainly secreted proteins including potential plant cell wall degrading enzymes. Targeted gene deletion analysis ascribed a role to up-regulated GH51 and GH62 arabinofuranosidases during plant penetration. Among the sho1/msb2-dependently expressed genes were several secreted effectors that are essential for virulence. Our data also demonstrate specific effects on two transcription factors that redirect the transcriptional regulatory network towards appressorium formation and plant penetration. This shows that plant surface cues prime U. maydis for biotrophic development.
The Causes of Halo Shape Changes Induced by Cooling Baryons: Disks versus Substructures

Cold dark matter cosmogony predicts triaxial dark matter halos, whereas observations find quite round halos. This is most likely due to the condensation of baryons leading to rounder halos. We examine the halo phase space distribution basis for such shape changes. Triaxial halos are supported by box orbits, which pass arbitrarily close to the density center. The decrease in triaxiality caused by baryons is thought to be due to the scattering of these orbits. We test this hypothesis with simulations of disks grown inside triaxial halos. After the disks are grown we check whether the phase space structure has changed by evaporating the disks and comparing the initial and final states. While the halos are substantially rounder when the disk is at full mass, their final shape after the disk is evaporated is not much different from the initial. Likewise, the halo becomes (more) radially anisotropic when the disk is grown, but the final anisotropy is consistent with the initial. Only if the baryons are unreasonably compact or massive does the halo change irreversibly. We show that the character of individual orbits is not generally changed by the growing mass. Thus, the central condensation of baryons does not destroy enough box orbits to cause the shape change. Rather, box orbits merely become rounder along with the global potential. However, if angular momentum is transferred to the halo, either via satellites or via bars, a large irreversible change in the halo distribution occurs. The ability of satellites to alter the phase space distribution of the halo is of particular concern to galaxy formation simulations since halo triaxiality can profoundly influence the evolution of disks.
Abnormal Cortical Networks in Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease

Recently, many researchers have used graph theory to study the aberrant brain structures in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and have made great progress. However, the characteristics of the cortical network in Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) are still largely unexplored. In this study, the gray matter volumes obtained from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for all brain regions except the cerebellum were parcellated into 90 areas using the automated anatomical labeling (AAL) template to construct cortical networks for 98 normal controls (NCs), 113 MCIs and 91 ADs. The measurements of the network properties were calculated for each of the three groups respectively. We found that all three cortical networks exhibited small-world properties and those strong interhemispheric correlations existed between bilaterally homologous regions. Among the three cortical networks, we found the greatest clustering coefficient and the longest absolute path length in AD, which might indicate that the organization of the cortical network was the least optimal in AD. The small-world measures of the MCI network exhibited intermediate values. This finding is logical given that MCI is considered to be the transitional stage between normal aging and AD. Out of all the between-group differences in the clustering coefficient and absolute path length, only the differences between the AD and normal control groups were statistically significant. Compared with the normal controls, the MCI and AD groups retained their hub regions in the frontal lobe but showed a loss of hub regions in the temporal lobe. In addition, altered interregional correlations were detected in the parahippocampus gyrus, medial temporal lobe, cingulum, fusiform, medial frontal lobe, and orbital frontal gyrus in groups with MCI and AD. Similar to previous studies of functional connectivity, we also revealed increased interregional correlations within the local brain lobes and disrupted long distance interregional correlations in groups with MCI and AD.
Kinds of Contexts and their Impact on Semantic Similarity Measurement

Semantic similarity measurement gained attention over the last years as a non-standard inference service for various kinds of knowledge representations including description logics. Most existing similarity measures compute an undirected overall similarity, i.e., they do not take the context of the similarity query into account. If they do, the notion of context is usually reduced to the selection of particular concepts for comparison (instead of comparing all concepts within an examined ontology). The importance of context in deriving meaningful similarity judgments is beyond question and has been examined within recent research. This paper argues that there are several kinds of contexts. Each of them has its own impact on the resulting similarity values, but also on their interpretation. To support this view, the paper introduces definitions for the examined contexts and illustrates their influence by example.
Turkish and Ethiopian Teachers' Views about Students' Undesirable Behaviours in the Classroom and the Techniques They Use to Cope up With: A Case Study.

The overall purpose of this study was to identify teachers’ views about types and causes of students’ undesirable behaviours and the techniques they use to cope up with. This study is qualitative in nature, and in the pattern of a holistic multiple case study. To identify the schools, the researchers used convenience sampling technique. The work group was determined using maximum variable sampling. As a result, the working group consisted of four participants from Turkish school and four from Ethiopian school. The data were collected be a semi-structured questionnaire interviewing the participants face to face. The data were analysed by the help of computer program called Nvivo using content analysis technique. The observed behaviours common to both schools were being late, cheating, not doing the given tasks, talking without permission during the lesson, hyperactivity and lack of attention, complaining about their teacher to family, not paying attention to personal hygiene and being rude. On the other hand, In Ethiopia, attaching nickname to friends, picking up and leaving the class in the middle of lesson, eating and drinking at the wrong time, insulting and not sitting properly; in Turkey producing a variety of excuses and complaints, silence, selfishness, naughtiness, swearing, lack of interest in cultural activities and theatre play, smoking cigarettes secretly were undesirable behaviours determined peculiar to each culture. A close, positive and supportive relationship between all school stakeholders is essential for developing a mutual relationship of respect and for managing undesirable behaviours successfully. Article visualizations:
The Type of Writing Instruction and Practice Matters: The Direct and Indirect Effects of Writing Instruction and Student Practice on Reading Achievement

Previous research has demonstrated that writing instruction can support reading achievement (Graham & Hebert, 2011); however much of this work involved carefully designed interventions. In this study, we evaluated a conceptual framework of the direct and indirect effects of typical writing instruction and student writing practice on reading achievement in first grade. Fall reading, vocabulary, and writing data were collected from 391 students, and classroom writing instruction and student writing practice were observed in 50 classrooms. The effects of writing instruction on spring reading achievement were evaluated using a 2-level, fixed effects structural equation model. In a multiple mediator model, the total indirect effect of composing writing instruction through student writing practice on spring reading achievement was positive and statistically significant (&bgr; = .17, p = .029), with a modest effect of composing writing instruction mediated by generative writing practice (&bgr; = .15, p = .024). The final model explained 86% and 59% of the variability in spring reading achievement at the student and classroom levels, respectively. These results suggest that generative writing practice mediates the relationship between composing instruction and spring reading achievement. The results also highlight some potentially positive effects of typical writing instruction and student writing practice after controlling for reading instruction and fall reading achievement.
Dopamine, reward learning, and active inference

Temporal difference learning models propose phasic dopamine signaling encodes reward prediction errors that drive learning. This is supported by studies where optogenetic stimulation of dopamine neurons can stand in lieu of actual reward. Nevertheless, a large body of data also shows that dopamine is not necessary for learning, and that dopamine depletion primarily affects task performance. We offer a resolution to this paradox based on an hypothesis that dopamine encodes the precision of beliefs about alternative actions, and thus controls the outcome-sensitivity of behavior. We extend an active inference scheme for solving Markov decision processes to include learning, and show that simulated dopamine dynamics strongly resemble those actually observed during instrumental conditioning. Furthermore, simulated dopamine depletion impairs performance but spares learning, while simulated excitation of dopamine neurons drives reward learning, through aberrant inference about outcome states. Our formal approach provides a novel and parsimonious reconciliation of apparently divergent experimental findings.
Factors associated with diabetes among the elderly receiving care at a specialized gerontology-geriatric outpatient clinic

1 Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem. Recife, PE, Brasil. 2 Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Medicina Social, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Enfermagem. Recife, PE, Brasil. 3 Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Enfermagem. Recife, PE, Brasil. 4 Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Medicina Social, Programa de Pós-graduação Integrado em Saúde Coletiva. Recife, PE, Brasil.
Permeability of the landscape matrix between amphibian breeding sites

For organisms that reproduce in discrete habitat patches, land cover between patches (known as the matrix) is important for dispersal among breeding sites. Models of patchy populations often incorporate information on the permeability of the matrix to dispersal, sometimes based on expert opinion. I estimated the relative resistance to gene flow of land cover types and barriers using FST calculated from microsatellite markers in two amphibians, within an 800-km2 area in northern Switzerland. The species included a frog (Rana temporaria: 996 individuals, 48 populations, seven markers) and a newt (Triturus alpestris: 816 individuals, 41 populations, seven markers). Open fields and urban areas were more resistant to gene flow than forested land; roads and highways also reduced permeability. Results were similar for the two species. However, differences in resistance among matrix elements were relatively low: gene flow through urban areas was reduced by only 24–42% relative to forest; a divided highway reduced gene flow by 11–40% and was 7–8 times more resistant than a secondary road. These data offer an empirically based alternative to expert opinion for setting relative resistance values in landscape models.