Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Risk Factors for Life-Threatening Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Children: A Retrospective Study in an Urban City in Malaysia

Aim Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs) are an important cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in low income countries. The aim of this study was to determine risk factors of life-threatening LRTIs in hospitalised children in Malaysia. Methods This retrospective study included children aged less than 18 years admitted for LRTIs over 13 months in a tertiary referral centre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Neonates, children with asthma and those with either no or a normal chest radiograph were excluded. Life-threatening infection was defined as that needing non-invasive ventilation or admission to the paediatric intensive care unit. Routine blood investigations and nasopharyngeal secretion results (bacterial and viral) were obtained. Chest radiographs were reviewed by a designated radiologist. Environmental data (rainfall, particulate matter ≤10 µm [PM10] and air pollution index [API]) was obtained from the respective government departments. Results Three hundred and ninety-one episodes of LRTIs were included. Viruses were implicated in 48.5% of LRTIs, with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) being detected in 44% of viral LRTIs. Forty-six (11.8%) children had life-threatening disease and the overall mortality rate was 1.3% (5 children). RSV was detected in 26% of children with life-threatening LRTIs. In multivariate logistic regression, chronic lung disease, presenting history of apnoea and signs of hypoxia, was associated with life threatening LRTIs. Increased LRTI admissions were associated with low rainfall but not PM10 nor API. Of those on follow-up, 39% had persistent respiratory symptoms. Conclusion One in nine children admitted with LRTI had a life-threatening LRTI. The aetiology was viral in almost half of admitted children. RSV was detected in a quarter of children with life-threatening LRTIs. Children who present with LRTIs and either have chronic lung disease, presenting history of apnoea or signs of hypoxia, should be observed carefully as the risk of deterioration to life-threatening illness is high.
Upregulating Noxa by ER Stress, Celastrol Exerts Synergistic Anti-Cancer Activity in Combination with ABT-737 in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

The human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents biologically aggressive and chemo-resistant cancers. Owing to the low affinity with the apoptotic factor Mcl-1, the BH3 mimetic drug ABT-737 failed to exert potent cancer-killing activities in variety of cancer models including HCC. The current study demonstrated that combining ABT-737 and Celastrol synergistically suppressed HCC cell proliferation, and induced apoptosis which was accompanied with the activation of caspase cascade and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria. Further study revealed that the enhanced Noxa caused by Celastrol was the key factor for the synergy, since small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of Noxa expression in HCC cells resulted in decreased apoptosis and attenuated anti-proliferative effects of the combination. In addition, our study unraveled that, upon Celastrol exposure, the activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, specifically, the eIF2α-ATF4 pathway played indispensable roles in the activation of Noxa, which was validated by the observation that depletion of ATF4 significantly abrogated the Noxa elevation by Celastrol. Our findings highlight a novel signaling pathway through which Celastrol increase Noxa expression, and suggest the potential use of ATF4-mediated regulation of Noxa as a promising strategy to improve the anti-cancer activities of ABT-737.
Bacterial Genotoxins: Merging the DNA Damage Response into Infection Biology

Bacterial genotoxins are unique among bacterial toxins as their molecular target is DNA. The consequence of intoxication or infection is induction of DNA breaks that, if not properly repaired, results in irreversible cell cycle arrest (senescence) or death of the target cells. At present, only three bacterial genotoxins have been identified. Two are protein toxins: the cytolethal distending toxin (CDT) family produced by a number of Gram-negative bacteria and the typhoid toxin produced by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi. The third member, colibactin, is a peptide-polyketide genotoxin, produced by strains belonging to the phylogenetic group B2 of Escherichia coli. This review will present the cellular effects of acute and chronic intoxication or infection with the genotoxins-producing bacteria. The carcinogenic properties and the role of these effectors in the context of the host-microbe interaction will be discussed. We will further highlight the open questions that remain to be solved regarding the biology of this unusual family of bacterial toxins.
Identifying early links between temperament, short-term and working memory in preschoolers

ABSTRACT The present study aimed to investigate early interrelationships between temperament, short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM), while also relating them to incipient anxious traits in a sample of 4–7-year-olds. Preschoolers were evaluated using verbal and visuospatial STM and WM tasks, while parental reports were used to assess children’s temperamental predispositions (impulsivity, negative affect, and effortful control) and trait anxiety. Although STM and WM performances increased with age, findings revealed that irrespective of age-related improvements, (1) greater visuospatial short-term spans were predicted by higher levels of effortful control, and by lower levels of impulsivity and (2) better verbal and visuospatial WM performances were predicted by lower levels of impulsivity. The analyses did not confirm the anticipated impact of negative affect and trait anxiety; yet the overall low levels of trait anxiety impede us from drawing firm conclusions. Current findings expand our understanding regarding WM development variations by emphasizing the influential role of temperament.
Mobile technology keeping people with dementia independent and socially active

A main issue of people with dementia and older people in general is the feeling of being dependent on others and being lonely at the same time. Based on a preventive approach of supporting these people in their independent living and social interaction, two design concepts for mobile technology for this support have been developed and are introduced in this paper: The Shared diary helps carrying out every day tasks by sharing daily task-lists. Meet me is collaborative tool for managing meetings.
Oral Administration of a Small Molecule Targeted to Block proNGF Binding to p75 Promotes Myelin Sparing and Functional Recovery after Spinal Cord Injury

The lack of effective therapies for spinal cord injury points to the need for identifying novel targets for therapeutic intervention. Here we report that a small molecule, LM11A-31, developed to block proNGF-p75 interaction and p75-mediated cell death crosses the blood–brain barrier efficiently when delivered orally. Administered starting 4 h postinjury, LM11A-31 promotes functional recovery without causing any toxicity or increased pain in a mouse model of spinal contusion injury. In both weight-bearing open-field tests and nonweight-bearing swim tests, LM11A-31 was effective in improving motor function and coordination. Such functional improvement correlated with a >50% increase in the number of surviving oligodendrocytes and myelinated axons. We also demonstrate that LM11A-31 indeed inhibits proNGF-p75 interaction in vivo, thereby curtailing the JNK3-mediated apoptotic cascade. These results thus highlight p75 as a novel therapeutic target for an orally delivered treatment for spinal cord injury.
Physiological Evaluation of Chemical Protective Suit Systems (CPSS) in Hot Conditions

This job-related experiment investigated physiological strain in subjects wearing impermeable chemical protective suit systems (CPSSs) weighing about 28 kg. Two types of CPSSs were studied: the self-contained breathing apparatus was carried either inside or outside the suit. Eight healthy and physically fit male firefighter instructors aged 32 to 45 years volunteered for the study. The test drill, performed at a dry, windless ta of 40 °C, was divided into 2 consecutive work sessions of 14.5 min (a 20-min rest between) including typical operational work tasks. Considerable thermal and maximal cardiovascular strain and intense subjective discomfort measured in the firefighters emphasize the need to limit working time in hot conditions to only 10–12 min while wearing CPSSs. The present results indicate that the exceptionally heavy physical load and psychological stress during operations in chemical emergencies must be considered in the assessment of the cardiovascular capacity of ageing firefighters using CPSSs.
Robust Multiframe Super-Resolution Employing Iteratively Re-Weighted Minimization

Multiframe super-resolution algorithms reconstruct high-resolution images by exploiting complementary information in multiple low-resolution frames. However, despite their success under ideal conditions, most existing methods rely on simplistic approximations to the physics of image acquisition and show limited robustness in real-world applications. This paper proposes spatially adaptive Bayesian modeling and an iterative algorithm for robust super-resolution imaging. In particular, we introduce a weighted Gaussian observation model to consider space variant noise and weighted bilateral total variation to exploit sparsity of natural images. Based on this model, we develop a majorization-minimization algorithm implemented as iteratively re-weighted minimization. The proposed method simultaneously estimates model parameters and the super-resolved image in an iterative coarse-to-fine scheme. Compared to prior work, our approach combines the benefits of achieving robust and edge preserving image reconstruction with small amount of parameter tuning, while being flexible in terms of motion models, computationally efficient and easy to implement. Our experimental evaluation confirms that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art algorithms under various practical conditions, e.g., inaccurate geometric and photometric registration or invalid measurements.
Concentrations in commercial real estate lending

This Economic Letter examines the rise in commercial real estate (CRE) lending concentration at commercial banks and the performance of CRE loans since the early 1990s. The analysis shows that while concentration in CRE lending has increased substantially at many banks, for those banks with CRE concentrations, the subsequent performance of their CRE loan portfolios, as well as their overall loan portfolios, has not been notably different from other banks. In terms of capital, CRE-concentrated banks have slightly lower capital ratios, although they also have exhibited higher capital growth rates. On balance, the evidence suggests that, in what has been a relatively benign economic environment, banks focusing on CRE lending have been as effective as other banks in managing their lending risks. However, more analysis is needed to understand the differences in levels of capitalization.
MODIS OBSERVATIONS OF DEEP CONVECTIVE CLOUD TOPS

Past studies of the NOAA AVHRR/2 and GOES I-M imagery (e.g., Setvák et al., 1996) have shown that frozen tops of deep convective storms occasionally exhibit significant increase of cloud top reflectivity when observed in the 3.7 or 3.9 μm spectral bands. Similar storm top features have been documented in the NOAA-KLM AVHRR/3 1.6 μm spectral band (Setvák et al., 2003). Consequently, cross-comparison of storm top features observed simultaneously in the NOAA-KLM AVHRR/3 1.6 μm imagery and in the GOES I-M 3.9 μm imagery has shown similar patterns in these spectral bands (Setvák et al., 2003). The present work focuses on storm top observations utilizing the MODIS instrument. The older Terra satellite operates in a late morning orbit (descending node 10:30 a.m.), when deep convection over land is typically at a minimum. Thus, this study utilizes namely data from the Aqua satellite, which has an early afternoon overpass (ascending node 1:30 p.m.), when conditions are more favorable for deep convective development. The main goal of this work is to examine the spectral characteristics of enhanced reflectivity features observed on or above thunderstorm anvils using the multiple visible and infrared bands of MODIS. An additional goal is to improve understanding of moisture entrainment into the stratosphere. For this, we examine the differences in brightness temperature between window and water vapor absorption bands to estimate water vapor above and surrounding deep convective cloud elements which penetrate into the stratosphere (e.g. Schmetz et al., 1997). For both of the previously mentioned topics, the present work targets storms that exhibit plumes above anvil tops (Setvák and Doswell, 1991; Levizzani and Setvák, 1996). The latest observations of plumes from MODIS suggest a new possible interpretation of the “cold-U/V” features, observed occasionally at storm tops (e.g., McCann, 1983).
A Review of Educational Practices for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Students with Comorbid Autism

Abstract The population of students who are deaf/hard of hearing (D/HH) that have additional disabilities remains at over 40 per cent. One population of particular concern is the group of D/HH students with a comorbid diagnosis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The prevalence of ASD in the D/HH population is 1 in 59 (Szymanski et al., 2012. Deaf Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 42(10):2028–37. ). This is thought to be an underestimate of the actual prevalence. The presence of two language-impacting disabilities increases the need for strong evidence-based practices. A review of existing literature on educational practices for D/HH students with comorbid ASD was conducted. The purpose of this review was to identify educational practices or interventions used with this population. Further, additional aspects related to educational practices were identified that were not specifically intervention research. A Boolean search across five databases in conjunction with a hand search of literature resulted in nine reviewed articles. This review revealed a dearth of available resources and direction for teachers and professionals supporting students with comorbid D/HH and ASD. The review provided information on potential educational practices as well as implications for teacher training. Implications for future research were also outlined.
Academic Goals, Student Homework Engagement, and Academic Achievement in Elementary School

There seems to be a general consensus in the literature that doing homework is beneficial for students. Thus, the current challenge is to examine the process of doing homework to find which variables may help students to complete the homework assigned. To address this goal, a path analysis model was fit. The model hypothesized that the way students engage in homework is explained by the type of academic goals set, and it explains the amount of time spend on homework, the homework time management, and the amount of homework done. Lastly, the amount of homework done is positively related to academic achievement. The model was fit using a sample of 535 Spanish students from the last three courses of elementary school (aged 9 to 13). Findings show that: (a) academic achievement was positively associated with the amount of homework completed, (b) the amount of homework completed was related to the homework time management, (c) homework time management was associated with the approach to homework, (d) and the approach to homework, like the rest of the variables of the model (except for the time spent on homework), was related to the student's academic motivation (i.e., academic goals).
Oscillating flames: multiple-scale analysis

A complete multiple-scale solution is constructed for the one-dimensional problem of an oscillating flame in a tube, ignited at a closed end, with the second end open. The flame front moves into the unburnt mixture at a constant burning velocity relative to the mixture ahead, and the heat release is constant. The solution is based upon the assumption that the propagation speed multiplied by the expansion ratio is small compared with the speed of sound. This approximate solution is compared with a numerical solution for the same physical model, assuming a propagation speed of arbitrary magnitude, and the results are close enough to confirm the validity of the approximate solution. Because ignition takes place at the closed end, the effect of thermal expansion is to push the column of fluid in the tube towards the open end. Acoustics set in motion by the impulsive start of the column of fluid play a crucial role in the oscillation. The analytical solution also captures the subsequent interaction between acoustics and the reaction front, the effect of which does not appear to be as significant as that of the impulsive start, however.
The neuropharmacology of attentional modulation in primate visual cortex

This thesis aims to shed light on the mechanisms of spatial attention, a selective process allowing prioritizing spatial locations in the visual field, on a psychophysical as well as on a perceptual level. The first and the second manuscript address the psychophysical aspects of spatial attention. Here, I investigated the influence of varying magnitudes of spatial attention on human subjects’ performance in discriminating visual motion directions. With the chosen stimuli I aim to target area MT, an area in the extrastriate cortex thought to underlie the perception of linear motion. As area MT is involved in early stages of cortical processing, I was targeting bilateral vs. unilateral visual field differences in the first manuscript. In the second manuscript I was interested to equate the effects of attention with the effects of signal strength and to measure their individual as well as their interactive influence on perceptual performance. The third and the fourth manuscript address physiological aspects, in particular the neuropharmacology of spatial attention. The focus of the third manuscript lies on the methodological approach of pressure injection. This method allows a reversible pharmacological manipulation of the direct vicinity of the recording electrode and therefore exerts temporary influence on the local neurotransmitter network. Using this method, I investigated the cholinergic contribution to spatial attention modulation in the macaque monkey medial temporal area MT.
Model-order selection: a review of information criterion rules

The parametric (or model-based) methods of signal processing often require not only the estimation of a vector of real-valued parameters but also the selection of one or several integer-valued parameters that are equally important for the specification of a data model. Examples of these integer-valued parameters of the model include the orders of an autoregressive moving average model, the number of sinusoidal components in a sinusoids-in-noise signal, and the number of source signals impinging on a sensor array. In each of these cases, the integer-valued parameters determine the dimension of the parameter vector of the data model, and they must be estimated from the data.
SenticNet 2: A Semantic and Affective Resource for Opinion Mining and Sentiment Analysis

Web 2.0 has changed the ways people communicate, collaborate, and express their opinions and sentiments. But despite social data on the Web being perfectly suitable for human consumption, they remain hardly accessible to machines. To bridge the cognitive and affective gap between word-level natural language data and the concept-level sentiments conveyed by them, we developed SenticNet 2, a publicly available semantic and affective resource for opinion mining and sentiment analysis. SenticNet 2 is built by means of sentic computing, a new paradigm that exploits both AI and Semantic Web techniques to better recognize, interpret, and process natural language opinions. By providing the semantics and sentics (that is, the cognitive and affective information) associated with over 14,000 concepts, SenticNet 2 represents one of the most comprehensive semantic resources for the development of affect-sensitive applications in fields such as social data mining, multimodal affective HCI, and social media marketing.
Molecular Architecture of the Basal Transcription Factor B-TFIID*

BTAF1 (formerly named TAFII170/TAF-172) is an essential, evolutionarily conserved member of the SNF2-like family of ATPase proteins and together with TATA-binding protein (TBP) forms the B-TFIID complex. BTAF1 has been proposed to play a key role in the dynamic regulation of TBP function in RNA polymerase II transcription. We have determined the structure of native B-TFIID purified from human cells by electron microscopy and by image analysis of single particles at a resolution of 28 Å. B-TFIID is 15 × 9 nm in size and is organized into a large domain of about 170 kDa, which can be subdivided into two domains. Extending from this domain is a long thumb, which in turn is divided into subdomains of about 25, 15, and 35 kDa, the largest of which is located at the end of the thumb. Immunolabeling experiments localize the extreme carboxyl terminus of BTAF1 within the 170-kDa domain, whereas the amino terminus and TBP co-localize to the end of the protruding thumb. The central portion of BTAF1 localizes to the base of the thumb. Comparison of the native B-TFIID with its recombinant form shows that both share a similar domain organization. Collectively, these data provide the first structural model of the B-TFIID complex and map its key functional domains.
Reduction and enhancement by phenobarbital of hepatocarcinogenesis induced in the rat by 2-acetylaminofluorene.

Summary The effects of dietary phenobarbital on hepatocarcinogenesis in rats fed 2-acetylaminofluorene (AAF) were studied. The simultaneous feeding of AAF and phenobarbital reduced the hepatocarcinogenic effects of AAF. In contrast, the sequential feeding of AAF and phenobarbital resulted in a significant increase in the incidence of hepatomas. No ill effects were observed in rats fed phenobarbital alone. AAF and phenobarbital each stimulated the proliferation of hepatocytes, but, whereas the effect of AAF was maintained for the duration of exposure, the effect of phenobarbital was short lived. Phenobarbital fed simultaneously with AAF decreased the effect of AAF on liver cell proliferation.