Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neurodegenerative disorders, bullous pemphigoid and psoriasis: a comparative study in ethnic Poles indicates that Parkinson’s disease is more relevant to bullous pemphigoid

Introduction Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering dermatosis of the elderly with autoimmunity to hemidesmosomal proteins, BP180 and BP230, which are expressed also in neuronal tissue. Aim The aim here was to retrospectively compare the prevalence of neurodegenerative disorders (ND), particularly Parkinson’s disease (PD), unspecified conditions manifesting as dementia and stroke, in two groups of ethnic Poles, with BP and with psoriasis (Ps), in order to obtain data whether BP is more prone to coexist with ND than Ps in the elderly. Psoriasis was chosen in this comparative study as it was considered to be a paradigm of cutaneous disease with systemic manifestations. Material and methods The available medical records of 96 BP patients and 149 Ps patients over 70 years of age were analyzed for the presence of ND. Results There were no statistically significant differences in prevalence of ND without specifying the type and ND types analyzed between BP and Ps groups, except for a higher prevalence of PD in the BP group. Conclusions Thus, regarding population aging and increasing incidence and prevalence of BP corresponding with that phenomenon in various ethnicities, it appears justified to expand studies of a possible immunopathogenic relationship, appearing to be PD-related, between BP and ND.
Peripheral Nerve Injury: Stem Cell Therapy and Peripheral Nerve Transfer

Peripheral nerve injury can lead to great morbidity in those afflicted, ranging from sensory loss, motor loss, chronic pain, or a combination of deficits. Over time, research has investigated neuronal molecular mechanisms implicated in nerve damage, classified nerve injury, and developed surgical techniques for treatment. Despite these advancements, full functional recovery remains less than ideal. In this review, we discuss historical aspects of peripheral nerve injury and introduce nerve transfer as a therapeutic option, as well as an adjunct therapy to transplantation of Schwann cells and their stem cell derivatives for repair of the damaged nerve. This review furthermore, will provide an elaborated discussion on the sources of Schwann cells, including sites to harvest their progenitor and stem cell lines. This reflects the accessibility to an additional, concurrent treatment approach with nerve transfers that, predicated on related research, may increase the efficacy of the current approach. We then discuss the experimental and clinical investigations of both Schwann cells and nerve transfer that are underway. Lastly, we provide the necessary consideration that these two lines of therapeutic approaches should not be exclusive, but conversely, should be pursued as a combined modality given their mutual role in peripheral nerve regeneration.
Hippocampal Long-Term Potentiation Is Supported by Presynaptic and Postsynaptic Tyrosine Receptor Kinase B-Mediated Phospholipase Cγ Signaling

Neurotrophins have been shown to play a critical role in activity-dependent synaptic plasticity such as long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampus. Although the role of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its tyrosine kinase receptor [tyrosine receptor kinase B (TrkB)] is well documented, it still remains unresolved whether presynaptic or postsynaptic activation of TrkB is involved in the induction of LTP. To address this question, we locally and specifically interfered with a downstream target of the TrkB receptor, phospholipase Cγ (PLCγ). We prevented PLCγ signaling by overexpression of the PLCγ pleckstrin homology (PH) domain with a Sindbis virus vector. The isolated PH domain has an inhibitory effect and thereby blocks endogenous PLCγ signaling and consequently also IP3 production. Surprisingly, concurrent presynaptic and postsynaptic blockade of PLCγ signaling was required to reduce LTP to levels comparable with those in TrkB and BDNF knock-out mice. Blockade of presynaptic or postsynaptic signaling alone did not result in a significant reduction of LTP.
The meaning of work and cultural psychology: Ideas for new directions

Work is one arena in which human beings constitute their identities and participate in collective-cultural enterprises. But research on factors affecting the meaning of work and its outcomes focuses mostly on individual-level variables related to workers’ experience. However, scholars have recently proposed a shift towards a more collective dimension of meaningfulness, in particular, the cultural level. This article discusses and expands on this recent trend, demonstrating how growing attention to cultural factors of work’s meaning raises some problematic, crucial issues about the very definition of culture and its role in meaning-making. A particular issue is the assumption that culture is transmitted to people, that it is primarily a collective endeavour based on shared values and that culture can endow work with meaning. Based on a cultural psychology perspective, we revisit both the relationship between person and culture and the idea of work as a cultural phenomenon. We argue that work is inherently a meaningful activity, mediating between personal and collective culture. We end by proposing some potential new directions to explore.
Prefrontal activation during executive tasks in children with developmental coordination disorder : a NIRS study

iii Chapter 1 – Introduction.1 Chapter 2 – Review of Literature.5 Chapter 3 Prefrontal Activation during Executive Tasks in Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A NIRS Study.24 Introduction.24 Methods.29 Results. 36 Discussion.41 References.43 Acknowledgements.49
The self-efficacy of primary teachers in supporting the inclusion of children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract In the context of a trend towards inclusive practice in Irish primary schools, many teachers feel ill-equipped to cope with this new challenge. Scope exists within the Irish education system to transform mainstream schools into autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) friendly environments. Research into teacher perceptions of inclusion has found that teachers’ views impact on how inclusionary practices are implemented. This study utilised semi-structured interviews with six primary school teachers. The data were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Findings from this study suggest that the majority of teachers were apprehensive and lacked confidence at the initial prospect of teaching a child with ASD. The majority of the teachers interviewed also described feelings of uncertainty in managing the behaviour of a child with ASD. These findings were analysed in the context of teachers’ perceptions of systemic issues such as lack of access to resources, support and training in ASD-specific approaches.
DOA Estimation of Temporally and Spatially Correlated Narrowband Noncircular Sources in Spatially Correlated White Noise

The main contribution of our work consists in developing for the first time a method of estimating the direction of arrival (DOA) parameters assuming noncircular and temporally and spatially correlated signals. This new approach, based on a significant enhancement of the two-sided instrumental variable signal subspace fitting (IV-SSF) method, outperforms its classical version in terms of lower bias and error variance. Moreover, it will be shown that our new method is statistically more efficient than the MODE method especially in the case of partly and fully coherent signals where only the extended and the classical two-sided IV-SSF methods are applicable. We also derive an explicit expression for the stochastic Cramér-Rao bound (CRB) of the DOA estimates from temporally and spatially correlated signals generated from noncircular sources. The new CRB is compared to those of circular temporally correlated and noncircular independent and identically distributed signals to show that the CRB obtained assuming both noncircular sources and temporally correlated signals is lower than the CRBs derived considering only one of these two assumptions. This illustrates the potential gain that both noncircularity and temporal correlation provide when considered together. It will also be proven that the difference between the three CRBs increases with the number of snapshots. However, as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) increases, the CRBs merge together and decrease linearly. Moreover, at low SNR values it will be shown that temporal correlation is more informative about the unknown DOA parameters than noncircularity. Finally, the CRB derived assuming noncircular and temporally correlated signals depends on the noncircularity rate, the circularity phase separation, and the DOA separation.
Image denoising through multi-scale learnt dictionaries

Over the last decade, a number of algorithms have shown promising results in removing additive white Gaussian noise from natural images, and though different, they all share in common a patch based strategy by locally denoising overlapping patches. While this lowers the complexity of the problem, it also causes noticeable artifacts when dealing with large smooth areas. In this paper we present a patch-based denoising algorithm relying on a sparsity-inspired model (K-SVD), which uses a multi-scale analysis framework. This allows us to overcome some of the disadvantages of the popular algorithms. We look for a sparse representation under an already sparsifying wavelet transform by adaptively training a dictionary on the different decomposition bands of the noisy image itself, leading to a multi-scale version of the K-SVD algorithm. We then combine the single scale and multi-scale approaches by merging both outputs by weighted joint sparse coding of the images. Our experiments on natural images indicate that our method is competitive with state of the art algorithms in terms of PSNR while giving superior results with respect to visual quality.
Tidal forcing, energetics, and mixing near the Yermak Plateau

Abstract. The Yermak Plateau (YP), located northwest of Svalbard in Fram Strait, is the final passage for the inflow of warm Atlantic Water into the Arctic Ocean. The region is characterized by the largest barotropic tidal velocities in the Arctic Ocean. Internal response to the tidal flow over this topographic feature locally contributes to mixing that removes heat from the Atlantic Water. Here, we investigate the tidal forcing, barotropic-to-baroclinic energy conversion rates, and dissipation rates in the region using observations of oceanic currents, hydrography, and microstructure collected on the southern flanks of the plateau in summer 2007, together with results from a global high-resolution ocean circulation and tide model simulation. The energetics (depth-integrated conversion rates, baroclinic energy fluxes and dissipation rates) show large spatial variability over the plateau and are dominated by the luni-solar diurnal (K1) and the principal lunar semidiurnal (M2) constituents. The volume-integrated conversion rate over the region enclosing the topographic feature is approximately 1 GW and accounts for about 50% of the M2 and approximately all of the K1 conversion in a larger domain covering the entire Fram Strait extended to the North Pole. Despite the substantial energy conversion, internal tides are trapped along the topography, implying large local dissipation rates. An approximate local conversion–dissipation balance is found over shallows and also in the deep part of the sloping flanks. The baroclinic energy radiated away from the upper slope is dissipated over the deeper isobaths. From the microstructure observations, we inferred lower and upper bounds on the total dissipation rate of about 0.5 and 1.1 GW, respectively, where about 0.4–0.6 GW can be attributed to the contribution of hot spots of energetic turbulence. The domain-integrated dissipation from the model is close to the upper bound of the observed dissipation, and implies that almost the entire dissipation in the region can be attributed to the dissipation of baroclinic tidal energy.
Developing a self-assessment tool for English language teachers

In the context of increasing global interest in teacher evaluation, this article describes the development of a self-assessment tool (SAT) for teachers of English and analyses responses to it by 1,716 teachers from around the world. One feature of respondents’ self-assessments was that they were mostly positive, and this issue is discussed in relation to concerns about the accuracy of self-assessed competence more generally. Teachers also provided feedback on the tool itself and their comments on its relevance, clarity, coverage and value were mostly positive too. The teachers did, though, suggest ways in which the SAT could be developed further, and a number of design enhancements are discussed. Two particular challenges highlighted by the results of this study are also considered: the feasibility of developing a self-assessment tool that teachers of English in all contexts can use, and the extent to which teachers are able to assess their competence without reference to the specific circumstances in which they work. The potential for further research around the SAT is also noted, particularly in terms of how it can be combined with classroom observations to provide a more robust overall picture of what teachers are able to do.
Face Motion Influences Eye Movement Patterns and Face Processing in Children

The present study examined the influence of face motion on processing strategy and eye movement patterns in 4to 6-year-old children. The results indicated that face motion influenced featural processing similar to previous studies with adults, though this effect was not different from that of static images. Consistent with previous studies in infancy and childhood, eye-tracking analyses revealed that observing moving faces attracted longer fixation times in the mouth region and less at the eye regions compared to static images. These findings suggest that, while face processing strategy was no different when shown in motion compared to static, face motion influences eye movement patterns in
Expression of Survivin and Cortactin in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: Association with Clinicopathological Parameters

Objective: Survivin and cortactin are factors that promote tumor progression. We tested the hypothesis that survivin and cortactin expressions correlate with the clinico-pathological parameters of colorectal adenocarcinomas and survival time. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of survivin and cortactin were performed using tissue microarrays of 119 specimens from 18 well, 50 moderately, and 27 poorly differentiated colorectal adenocarcinomas and 24 colorectal adenomas with dysplasia. As control, 10 specimens of normal colorectal epithelia were included. Results: The percentage of cells immunostained and the immunostaining scores for survivin and cortactin were all significantly higher in well-, moderately, and poorly differentiated colorectal adenocarcinomas than in normal colorectal epithelia. The survivin immunostaining score was significantly correlated with T, M, and AJCC/TNM stages (p `0.05). For cortactin, the score was significantly correlated with T and M stages (p ` 0.05). Higher survivin immunostaining score was associated with higher mortality. Conclusions: Higher expression of survivin and cortactin correlates significantly with tumor stages and shorter survival time. Survivin and cortactin may be good biomarkers of aggressiveness of colorectal adenocarcinomas. Our findings require validation in independent cohorts and these data support the potential targeting of survivin and cortactin for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Dynamic generation of data broadcasting programs for a broadcast disk array in a mobile computing environment

We explore in this paper the problem of generating hierarchical broadcast programs with the data access frequencies and the number of broadcast disks in a broadcast disk array given. Specifically, we first transform the problem of generating hierarchical broadcast programs into the one of constructing a channel allocation tree with variant-fanout. By exploiting the feature of tree generation with variantfanout, we develop a heuristic algorithm VF to minimize the expected delay of data items in the broadcast program. Performance of these algorithms is analyzed. It is shown by our simulation results that by exploiting the feature of variant-fanout in constructing the channel allocation tree, the solution obtained by algorithm VF is of very high quality and is in fact very close to the optimal one.
Localization of the Riemann–Roch Character

Abstract We present a K-theoretic approach to the Guillemin–Sternberg conjecture (V. Guillemin and S. Sternberg, Invent. Math. 67 (1982), 515–538), about the commutativity of geometric quantization and symplectic reduction, which was proved by E. Meinrenken ( J. Amer. Math. Soc. 9 (1996), 373–389; Adv. Math. 134 , (1998), 240–277) and Tian–Zhang (Y. Tian and W. Zhang, Invent. Math. 132 (1998), 229–259). Besides providing a new proof of this conjecture for the full non-Abelian group action case, our methods lead to a generalization for compact Lie group actions on manifolds that are not symplectic; these manifolds carry an invariant almost complex structure and an abstract moment map.
Participant Self-Assessment of Development Center Performance

In order to navigate the political and cultural realities of modern organizations, individuals must possess an accurate self-perception (Ostroff, Atwater, & Feinberg, 2004). One way to gauge the accuracy of a person’s self-perception is to compare that individual’s selfassessment against other people’s assessments of him or her. This technique is known as selfother rating agreement (SORA). Heneman (1980) posited that development centers are an ideal setting in which to study self-assessment and SORA. The present study examined selfassessment and SORA in development centers. Particular attention was paid to exercises, competencies, and gender differences in self-ratings and SORA. Correlations and t-tests were conducted to investigate gender effects, self-rating tendencies, and SORA of participants’ selfassessments of performance. Results revealed that men self-rated higher than observers on 4 of 6 exercises and 4 of 7 competencies, women self-rated accurately on 4 of 6 exercises and 6 of 7 competencies, and men self-rated higher than women on all competencies and all but one exercises. This study’s sample size was undesirably small, which unfortunately precluded the investigation of two proposed hypotheses. While these findings do little to advance the theory behind SORA, they still contribute to existing literature about gender, self-assessment, and development center exercises and competencies. Provided a much larger sample size could be obtained, future research should further investigate gender effects, self-rating tendencies, and SORA of participants’ self-assessments of development center performance, in the hopes of helping participants improve their self-perception.
Creating an innovative generic virtual learning lab

The use of multimedia technology and gamification has offered an alternative way of delivering information in education. Interactive Multimedia has the potential to revolutionize the way we work, learn and communicate. With gamification and interactive multimedia, the learning process becomes active, not passive and it ensures that users are doing, not simply watching. Also the Laboratory has a great role in enhancing students' skills as it is a vital environment of a variety of activities and experiments in which science is delivered. In this paper we introduce our concept of designing a Generic Virtual Lab (GVL) and its architecture. GVL is an interactive learning environment to be used mainly by children or students of ages 8-15 to increase their understanding of some difficult subjects. It is a comprehensive easy-to-use architecture that also enables teachers to create labs and experiments in different fields and subjects to ease the way of education.
Functional Protein Network Activation Mapping Reveals New Potential Molecular Drug Targets for Poor Prognosis Pediatric BCP-ALL

Background In spite of leukemia therapy improvements obtained over the last decades, therapy is not yet effective in all cases. Current approaches in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) research focus on identifying new molecular targets to improve outcome for patients with a dismal prognosis. In this light phosphoproteomics seems to hold great promise for the identification of proteins suitable for targeted therapy. Methodology/Principal Findings We employed Reverse Phase Protein Microarrays to identify aberrantly activated proteins in 118 pediatric B-cell precursor (BCP)-ALL patients. Signal transduction pathways were assayed for activation/expression status of 92 key signalling proteins. We observed an increased activation/expression of several pathways involved in cell proliferation in poor clinical prognosis patients. MLL-rearranged tumours revealed BCL-2 hyperphosphorylation through AMPK activation, which indicates that AMPK could provide a functional role in inhibiting apoptosis in MLL-rearranged patients, and could be considered as a new potential therapeutic target. Second, in patients with poor clinical response to prednisone we observed the up-modulation of LCK activity with respect to patients with good response. This tyrosine-kinase can be down-modulated with clinically used inhibitors, thus modulating LCK activity could be considered for further studies as a new additional therapy for prednisone-resistant patients. Further we also found an association between high levels of CYCLIN E and relapse incidence. Moreover, CYCLIN E is more expressed in early relapsed patients, who usually show an unfavourable prognosis. Conclusions/Significance We conclude that functional protein pathway activation mapping revealed specific deranged signalling networks in BCP-ALL that could be potentially modulated to produce a better clinical outcome for patients resistant to standard-of-care therapies.
Winter Olympic Games, cities, and tourism: a systematic literature review in this domain

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study is to present the current state of scientific knowledge on the Winter Olympic Games (2000 to present-day) and their urban and tourism-related impacts. To achieve this, a scoping review was performed using established methodology. Of the 1694 English and French peer-reviewed sources identified from 14 different databases, 47 met the specific inclusion criteria and were retained for analysis. Findings were divided into three sections according to our objectives: (1) methodological profiles of the selected articles; (2) urban impacts; (3) tourism-related impacts. First, the reviewed sources – mainly qualitative – generally showed that mega-events such as the Winter Olympic Games are a catalyst for the urban renewal of host cities. However, these urban transformations must be part of a global scenario to ensure long-term viability. Although research shows that the Games represent an opportunity for the development of the tourism industry, the scoping review showed mixed results in terms of tourist flows and the enhancement of the city’s image. The concluding remarks identify the limitations of this study and offer opportunities and areas of research regarding the next Winter Games.