Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
MMP12, lung function, and COPD in high-risk populations.

Hunninghake et al. (Dec. 31 issue)1 report an association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in MMP12 and lung function in children with asthma and in adults who smoke, as well as an association with a reduced risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in adult smokers. However, a statistical genetic association may be observed when the implicated SNP is in strong linkage disequilibrium with another ungenotyped, but “causative,” SNP, often one that is in close proximity to the implicated SNP. To determine whether their findings could be explained by linkage disequilibrium, the authors present data for neighboring genes MMP3 and MMP13. Surprisingly, the authors did not present data for MMP1 (encoding interstitial collagenase), which is adjacent to MMP3 on chromosome 11 and is closer to MMP12 than is MMP13. Moreover, MMP1 has been strongly implicated in the pathogenesis of both COPD2 and asthma.3 It is a testable hypothesis that MMP1 encodes the protease that drives lung pathology. The association described by Hunninghake et al. could be attributable to SNPs within MMP1.
Stereotype Threat and Women's Math Performance

Abstract When women perform math, unlike men, they risk being judged by the negative stereotype that women have weaker math ability. We call this predicament stereotype threat and hypothesize that the apprehension it causes may disrupt women's math performance. In Study 1 we demonstrated that the pattern observed in the literature that women underperform on difficult (but not easy) math tests was observed among a highly selected sample of men and women. In Study 2 we demonstrated that this difference in performance could be eliminated when we lowered stereotype threat by describing the test as not producing gender differences. However, when the test was described as producing gender differences and stereotype threat was high, women performed substantially worse than equally qualified men did. A third experiment replicated this finding with a less highly selected population and explored the mediation of the effect. The implication that stereotype threat may underlie gender differences in advanced math performance, even those that have been attributed to genetically rooted sex differences, is discussed.
FPGA based hardware accelerator for calculations of the parallel robot inverse kinematics

The paper presents an application of field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) to support the calculation of the inverse kinematics problem of a parallel robot. The presented robot is designed for milling by moving the spindle along a desired trajectory generated in the Cartesian space. This means that for each point of the trajectory a solution of the inverse kinematics problem is needed. The resulting sequence of data creates the joint space trajectory that must be calculated on-line at high frequency. The paper shows how to decrease the calculation time preserving required accuracy, by augmenting the arithmetic-logic unit (ALU) of a microprocessor with custom instructions. The hardware implementation of the accelerator is described and results of calculations performed in an Altera FPGA chip are analyzed.
Mental health of farmers in Southern Queensland: issues and support.

OBJECTIVE To inform the development of an initiative designed to support the mental well-being of farmers in Queensland. DESIGN Interactive focus groups. SETTING Rural and remote Queensland. PARTICIPANTS Health professionals, farmers and representatives of organisations and agencies working with farmers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Determination of factors contributing to the declining mental health of rural landholders. Content material for inclusion into mental health first aid programs held for field officers. RESULTS Key areas identified to contribute to the decline in mental health of farmers were: increasing isolation in its varying forms, the ongoing drought, increased government regulations and widening of the schism between urban and rural Australians. The issues that affect farmers are recognised to have a 'knock-on' effect on the people who interact with them. In particular, rural support organisations are concerned for the well-being of their staff, prompting some to begin to put protocols in place to address their staff need for mental health support. Additional mental health training of field officers that involves awareness, recognition, communication skills, understanding and empathy was recognised by participants to be beneficial. CONCLUSION Training of field officers was considered to be of benefit to the support of farmers. An understanding of the various and diverse issues that rural landholders face should be a fundamental component of that training.
Research Methodology and Analytic Techniques Used in the Journal Obstetrics & Gynecology

OBJECTIVE: To quantify trends over time in the research methodology and statistical reporting of published articles in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology between the years 1991 and 2001. METHODS: We reviewed 226 articles reporting original clinical research in Obstetrics & Gynecology, including 75 consecutive articles from 1991 and 1996 and 76 consecutive studies from 2001. Articles were classified by research methodology and level of evidence: I for randomized trials; II for controlled trials and observational, analytic studies; and III for case reports or case series. We also noted whether the investigators reported a research hypothesis, P values, effect sizes, 95% confidence intervals, and sample size/power calculations. We calculated &khgr;2 for linear trend to evaluate changes over this 10-year period. RESULTS: Seventy-four percent of the 226 studies evaluated were level II. The percentage of randomized trials did not increase from 1991 to 2001. However, level II studies increased from 71% in 1991 to 88% in 2001 (P = .01). During the same period, level III studies (case reports and case series) declined from 19% in 1991 to 1% in 2001 (P < .001). We also noted that a clearly stated research hypothesis, effect measures (and respective confidence intervals), and sample size calculations were more common in more recent years. CONCLUSION: In the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, we noted that observational, analytic studies increased in frequency, anecdotal reports decreased, and statistical reporting has improved. However, there still exists considerable opportunities for improvement. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II-3
The NMR-Derived Conformation of Orexin-A: An Orphan G-Protein Coupled Receptor Agonist Involved in Appetite Regulation and Sleep

Abstract The conformation of orexin-A, an orphan G-protein coupled receptor agonist (the human sequence is: has been determined when bound to sodium dodecylsulphate-d25 (SDS) micelles by 1H and 13C NMR and molecular modeling. Orexin-A has been implicated in sleep-wakefulness and feeding regulation. The conformational preference of orexin-A consists of a short helical section, involving Asp5 to Gln9 that makes up helix I, followed by a bend from Lys10 to Ser13. Residues Leu16 to Gly22 make up helix II. The conformation of orexin-A can now be used to explain the results of earlier Ala substitution mutagenesis experiments (J. G. Darker, et al. Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 11, 737–740 (2001); S. Ammoun, et al. J. Pharmacol. Expt. Ther. 305, 507–514 (2003)). Darker et al., working with orexin-A (15–33) amide, observed a significant drop in functional potency at the OX1R receptor when Leu16, Leu19, Leu20, His26, Gly29, Ile30, Leu31, Thr32, and Leu33 were replaced by Ala. Ammoun et al. identified three areas of interest, which were the same for OX1R and OX2 R receptors, as amino acids 15–17, 20 and 25–26 with the most marked reduction in activity being produced by the replacement of Leu20 by Ala. We suggest that Leu16, Leu19, and Leu20, which are in helix II, are likely responsible for binding orexin-A to the surface of the micelle.
Dreams of Recovering Alcoholics: Mood, Dream Content, Discovery, and the Storytelling Method of Dream Interpretation

The current study examined the dream content and dream meaning (discovery) via The Storytelling Method of Dream Interpretation (TSM) from the dreams of recovering alcoholics (N=29) compared to a matched sample of non-alcoholics (N=29). The study also examined the dreams and meaning of dreams in relation to waking day mood. Findings from the study revealed that the dreams of recovering alcoholics differ significantly from non-alcoholics and the dreams provide insight into the mood of recovering alcoholics. Discovery via TSM was found to be relevant, meaningful, and helpful in terms of waking life issues. Furthermore, regression analyses provide predictive evidence of discovery from the dream content for recovering alcoholics. Analyses comparing discovery categories revealed that the major discovery categories for recovering alcoholics include: sobriety, past events, emotions, and a positive future. It appears that TSM is a useful mode of therapy for gaining insight into recovery of alcohol addiction and waking day mood. Limitations, future research, and clinical applications are discussed.
Optimal usage of LCD projectors for polarized stereoscopic projection

Polarized stereoscopic projection involves the polarization of the two projected images in orthogonal directions -- e.g. +/- 45 degrees for linear polarization, or clockwise and counter- clockwise for circular polarization. When LCD projectors are used for polarized stereoscopic projection it is important to take into consideration the fact that the output of these types of projectors is already polarized -- but not necessarily in the directions required for stereoscopic projection. The paper considers the amount of light loss of various polarized stereoscopic projection configurations to recommend optimal configurations. The paper also points out that it is advantageous that the output of an LCD projector is already polarized. In general, there will be less light loss in the polarization process when an LCD projector is used for stereoscopic projection as compared to when a projector which outputs unpolarized light is used (e.g. CRT and DMD/DLP).
Canadian Experience With Implementation of an Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Booster-Dose Program in Adolescents: Implications for the United States

Background: In Canada, the epidemiology of pertussis has changed during the past decade such that more cases occur in adolescents than in any other age cohort. Methods: The implications of the Canadian experience, as well as the experiences of France, Germany, and Australia, on the universal implementation of an acellular pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus booster vaccine in the United States are discussed. Results: In 1999, an acellular pertussis vaccine combined with diphtheria and tetanus toxoids formulated for adolescents and adults was licensed for use in Canada. It has taken >5 years for this vaccine to be introduced universally into the immunization programs of all provinces and territories. The delay in implementation has likely been the result of insufficient epidemiologic data available to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization and the lack of a consensus on the appropriate goals of the national pertussis control strategy. Implementation of an immunization program in all parts of the country occurred only after a national consensus was achieved and federal funding was made available for vaccine purchase. Conclusions: The Canadian experience demonstrates that an adolescent pertussis vaccine program can be implemented on a national scale after several factors have been considered.
Advances in trace element ‘fingerprinting’ of gem corundum, ruby and sapphire, Mogok area, Myanmar.

Mogok gem corundum samples from twelve localities were analyzed for trace element signatures (LA-ICP-MS method) and oxygen isotope values (δ 18 O, by laser fluorination). The study augmented earlier findings on Mogok gem suites that suggested the Mogok tract forms a high vanadium gem corundum area and also identified rare alluvial ruby and sapphire grains characterised by unusually high silicon, calcium and gallium, presence of noticeable boron, tin and niobium and very low iron, titanium and magnesium contents. Oxygen isotope values (δ 18 O) for the ruby and high Si-Ca-Ga corundum (20‰-25‰) and for sapphire (10‰-20‰) indicate typical crustal values, with values >20‰ being typical of carbonate genesis. The high Si-Ca-Ga ruby has high chromium (up to 3.2 wt % Cr) and gallium (up to 0. 08 wt % Ga) compared to most Mogok ruby ( 6), and with other features suggest a potential skarn-like, carbonate-related genesis with a high degree of magmatic fluid input The overall trace element results widen the range of different signatures identified within Mogok gem corundum suites and indicate complex
Effect of Think-Aloud Instruction on Elementary Students' Comprehension Monitoring Abilities

This study investigated the effectiveness of explicit instruction in think aloud as a means to promote elementary students' comprehension monitoring abilities. Sixty-six fourth-grade students were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: (a) a Think-Aloud (TA) group, in which students were taught various comprehension monitoring strategies for reading stories (e.g., self-questioning, prediction, retelling, rereading) through the medium of thinking aloud; (b) a Directed Reading-Thinking Activity (DRTA) group, in which students were taught a predict-verify strategy for reading and responding to stories; or (c) a Directed Reading Activity (DRA) group, an instructed control, in which students engaged in a noninteractive, guided reading of stories. The primary quantitative analyses involved two planned orthogonal contrasts—effect of instruction (TA + DRTA vs. 2 x DRA) and intensity of instruction (TA vs. DRTA)—for three whole-sample dependent measures: (a) an error detection test, (b) a comprehension monitoring questionnaire, and (c) a modified cloze test. Results of effect of instruction contrasts revealed that TA and DRTA students were more skillful at comprehension monitoring than DRA students (TA + DRTA>DRA for all three measures). Results of intensity of instruction contrasts indicated that although TA-trained students had greater awareness of comprehension monitoring abilities (TA>DRTA for the questionnaire), DRTA students' performance equaled (TA = DRTA for the cloze test) or exceeded (TA<DRTA for the error detection test) that of the TA students. Qualitative data from student interviews, however, revealed that TA students both reported and demonstrated using a greater depth and breadth of comprehension monitoring abilities than either DRTA or DRA students. It was concluded that both TA and DRTA strategies are effective for enhancing elementary students' comprehension monitoring abilities but that additional research is needed to determine the relative effectiveness of TA and DRTA approaches.
Levels of Antibody against Glycopeptidolipid Core as a Marker for Monitoring Treatment Response in Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease: a Prospective Cohort Study

ABSTRACT The diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease (MAC-PD) is sometimes complicated and time-consuming. A serodiagnostic kit that measures the serum levels of IgA antibodies against the glycopeptidolipid (GPL) core is commercially available and has good diagnostic accuracy for MAC-PD. However, the significance of measurement of GPL core IgA antibody levels in monitoring for chemotherapy response in patients with MAC-PD was not well investigated. Thirty-four treatment naive MAC-PD patients who were started on multidrug chemotherapy were enrolled. Their antibody levels were prospectively measured at regular intervals. The relationships between their antibody levels and the therapeutic outcomes were examined. The patients were classified into three groups (conversion, recurrence, and nonconversion) based on the bacteriological outcomes after chemotherapy. There were no significant differences in the antibody levels before treatment between the culture conversion (n = 19), recurrence (n = 7), and nonconversion (n = 8) groups (P = 0.9881). The levels decreased significantly after the chemotherapy (P < 0.0001). Recurrence and/or worsening of chest radiography findings were observed in cases whose antibody levels subsequently increased after cessation of the chemotherapy. No significant difference in the percent decrease in antibody levels by the chemotherapy was observed between the culture conversion and recurrence groups (P = 0.9338). The initial antibody levels are not a predictor of therapeutic outcomes, and also the percent decrease in antibody levels is not a sufficient indicator of the cessation of chemotherapy. However, serial measurements of antibody levels may allow objective monitoring of disease activity in individual MAC-PD patients.
MODEL PEMBELAJARAN PENDIDIKAN KESETARAAN BERBASIS KETERAMPILAN VOKASIONAL

Tujuan penelitian ini mengetahui mutu proses pembelajaran, faktor penentu mutu proses, dan merumuskan model yang dipandang tepat dalam pembelajaran kesetaraan berbasis keterampilan vokasional. Pengumpulan data dilakukan melalui wawancara, dan observasi. Prosedur penelitian ini mengikuti alur studi literatur, servei lapangan, dan penyusunan model. Temuan penelitian menunjukkan: mutu perencanaan pembelajaran memberikan pengaruh signifikan terhadap mutu pelaksanaan pembelajaran; mutu perencanaan pembelajaran dan mutu pelaksanaan pembelajaran memberikan pengaruh signifikan terhadap perolehan hasil belajar warga belajar; penentu mutu proses pembelajaran dipengaruhi oleh faktor tutor, disamping sarana prasarana, pembiayaan, kepemimpinan, dan iklim kerja; pendidikan kesetaraan dikembangkan bermuatan keterampilan vokasional sesuai dengan kemampuan warga belajar dan daya dukung lokal, melalui proses yang dikembangkan dalam pembelajaran berdasarkan potensi keunggulan lokal memnajadikan warga belajar sebagai pelaku-pelaku yang memberdayakan potensi lokal didaerahnya.
The Costs of Emotional Attention: Affective Processing Inhibits Subsequent Lexico-semantic Analysis

The human brain has evolved to process motivationally relevant information in an optimized manner. The perceptual benefit for emotionally arousing material, termed motivated attention, is indexed by electrocortical amplification at various levels of stimulus analysis. An outstanding issue, particularly on a neuronal level, refers to whether and how perceptual enhancement for arousing signals translates into modified processing of information presented in temporal or spatial proximity to the affective cue. The present studies aimed to examine facilitation and interference effects of task-irrelevant emotional pictures on subsequent word identification. In the context of forced-choice lexical decision tasks, pictures varying in hedonic valence and emotional arousal preceded word/ pseudoword targets. Across measures and experiments, high-arousing compared to low-arousing pictures were associated with impaired processing of word targets. Arousing pleasant and unpleasant pictures prolonged word reaction times irrespective of stimulus-onset asynchrony (80 msec, 200 msec, 440 msec) and salient semantic category differences (e.g., erotica vs. mutilation pictures). On a neuronal level, interference was reflected in reduced N1 responses (204264 msec) to both target types. Paralleling behavioral effects, suppression of the late positivity (404704 msec) was more pronounced for word compared to pseudoword targets. Regional source modeling indicated that early reduction effects originated from inhibited cortical activity in posterior areas of the left inferior temporal cortex associated with orthographic processing. Modeling of later reduction effects argues for interference in distributed semantic networks comprising left anterior temporal and parietal sources. Thus, affective processing interferes with subsequent lexico-semantic analysis along the ventral stream.
Buddhist Enlightenment and the Destruction of Attractor Networks: A Neuroscientific Speculation on the Buddhist Path from Everyday Consciousness to Buddha-Awakening

: Buddhist philosophy asserts that human suffering is caused by ignorance regarding the true nature of reality. According to this, perceptions and thoughts are largely fabrications of our own minds, based on conditioned tendencies which often involve problematic fears, aversions, compulsions, etc. In Buddhist psychology, these tendencies reside in a portion of mind known as Store consciousness. Here, I suggest a correspondence between this Buddhist Store consciousness and the neuroscientific idea of stored (Hebbian) synaptic weights. These weights are strong synaptic connections built in through experience. Buddhist philosophy claims that humans can find relief from suffering through a process in which the Store consciousness is transformed. Here, I argue that this Buddhist ‘transformation at the base’ corresponds to a loosening of the learned synaptic connections. I will argue that Buddhist meditation practices create conditions in the brain which are optimal for diminishing the strength of our conditioned perceptual and behavioural tendencies.
Increasing Responsibility, Safety, and Trust Through a Dialogical Approach: A Case Study in Couple Therapy for Psychological Abusive Behavior

This article reports an analysis of conjoint therapy for psychological intimate partner violence, treated via a dialogical approach. The article reviews current controversies surrounding this treatment modality and its outcome. The dialogical approach is presented as an appropriate method for analyzing and understanding the issue of violence, but it is emphasized that the focus on communication does not involve a return to a systemic perspective on intimate partner violence. Four important dimensions are identified as emerging in conjoint treatment for psychological intimate partner violence, namely responsibility, safety, trust, and the role of the therapists. The Dialogical Investigations of Happenings of Change method was used to analyze the transcripts of the therapy sessions. The results on these four dimensions, as identified via a dialogical method, are illustrated with transcript vignettes. Finally, there is discussion of the contribution that the dialogical approach can make in conjoint therapy for psychological intimate partner violence, with mention also of the implications for research and for clinical practice.
A METHOD FOR SCENARIO RECOMMENDATION IN INTELLIGENT E-LEARNING SYSTEMS

Intelligent E-learning systems attract attention because they facilitate personalized learning to the particular characteristics of the users. In this article the overall architecture and structure of an intelligent E-learning system is presented. The intelligent E-learning system described has a typical architecture for this kind of system and consists of three modules: the student module, the domain module, and the pedagogical module. Each part of the system is responsible for different functions and activities. Methods and algorithms applied in the modules are also presented. In addition, a proof of the statement that a personalized learning scenario should provide better effects than a randomized scenario is included. It has been pointed out that the probability of passing all lessons from the learning scenario is greater if the opening learning scenario is determined using a worked-out method than if the opening learning scenario is chosen randomly. The obtained results have significant implications for development of an intelligent E-learning system.