Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neprilysin and Aβ Clearance: Impact of the APP Intracellular Domain in NEP Regulation and Implications in Alzheimer’s Disease

One of the characteristic hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an accumulation of amyloid β (Aβ) leading to plaque formation and toxic oligomeric Aβ complexes. Besides the de novo synthesis of Aβ caused by amyloidogenic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP), Aβ levels are also highly dependent on Aβ degradation. Several enzymes are described to cleave Aβ. In this review we focus on one of the most prominent Aβ degrading enzymes, the zinc-metalloprotease Neprilysin (NEP). In the first part of the review we discuss beside the general role of NEP in Aβ degradation the alterations of the enzyme observed during normal aging and the progression of AD. In vivo and cell culture experiments reveal that a decreased NEP level results in an increased Aβ level and vice versa. In a pathological situation like AD, it has been reported that NEP levels and activity are decreased and it has been suggested that certain polymorphisms in the NEP gene result in an increased risk for AD. Conversely, increasing NEP activity in AD mouse models revealed an improvement in some behavioral tests. Therefore it has been suggested that increasing NEP might be an interesting potential target to treat or to be protective for AD making it indispensable to understand the regulation of NEP. Interestingly, it is discussed that the APP intracellular domain (AICD), one of the cleavage products of APP processing, which has high similarities to Notch receptor processing, might be involved in the transcriptional regulation of NEP. However, the mechanisms of NEP regulation by AICD, which might be helpful to develop new therapeutic strategies, are up to now controversially discussed and summarized in the second part of this review. In addition, we review the impact of AICD not only in the transcriptional regulation of NEP but also of further genes.
The Effects of the First Part of the CoRT Program for Teaching Thinking (BREADTH) on the Development of Communication Skills among a Sample of Students from Al al-Bayt University in Jordan.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of the first part of the CoRT program for teaching thinking (BREADTH) on the development of communication skills among a sample of students from Al al-Bayt University in Jordan. The study sample consisted of all the students enrolled in the training session for the first part of the CoRT program held by the Excellence and Innovation Center at Al al-Bayt University during the second semester of 2014/2015 academic year. It included 36 participants (20 females and 16 males) from different specializations and academic levels at the university. The researcher prepared a training program and a scale for communication skills, for which he extracted validity and reliability. Diagrams for arithmetic averages, standard deviations, T-test and Wilcoxon W test were used to answer the questions of the study. The results showed that there were statistically significant differences (α=0.05) between the pre and post measurements for members of the experimental group on the communication skills scale in favor of the post measurement. This indicates the effectiveness of the first part of the CoRT program (BREADTH) on the development of communication skills as well as the lack of statistically significant differences based on sex in the post measurement. The study recommended the need to implement the training program for more than one person including all the university students to develop their effective communication skills. Key words: The first part of the CoRT program (BREADTH), communication skills, university students.
A study of the properties of chlorine dioxide gas as a fumigant

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is a strong oxidant that possesses an antimicrobial activity. We demonstrated here that ClO2 gas is easily generated by mixing 3.35% sodium chlorite solution (Purogene) and 85% phosphoric acid at a 10:1 volume ratio without using an expensive machine. In a test room (87 m3), experiments were carried out using various amounts of sodium chlorite solution (0.25 ml/m3 to 20.0 ml/m3). The gas concentration increased in a sodium chlorite volume-dependent manner and reached peak values of from 0.8 ppm to 40.8 ppm at 2 h–3 h, and then gradually decreased. No differences in gas concentrations were observed between 0.1 and 2.5 m above the floor, indicating that the gas was evenly distributed. Under high-humidity (approximately 80% relative humidity), colony formation of both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli was completely inhibited by ClO2 gas exposure at 1.0 ml/m3 sodium chlorite solution (mean maximal concentration of 3.0 ppm). Exposure at 4.0 ml/m3 sodium chlorite solution (mean maximal concentration of 10.6 ppm) achieved complete inactivation of Bacillus atrophaeus spores. In contrast, without humidification, the efficacy of ClO2 gas was apparently attenuated, suggesting that the atmospheric moisture is indispensable. Delicate electronic devices (computer, camera, etc.) operated normally, even after being subjected to more than 20 times of fumigation. Considering that our method for gas generation is simple, reproducible, and highly effective at decontaminating microbes, our approach is expected to serve as an inexpensive alternative method for cleaning and disinfecting animal facilities.
Short-Term Capital Flows

We provide a conceptual and empirical framework for evaluating the effects of short-term capital flows. A simple model of the joint determination of the maturity and cost of external borrowing highlights the role played by self-fulfilling crises. The model also specifies the circumstances under which short-term debt accumulation is socially excessive. The empirical analysis shows that the short-term debt to reserves ratio is a robust predictor of financial crises, and that greater short-term exposure is associated with more severe crises when capital flows reverse. Higher levels of M2/GDP and per-capita income are associated with shorter-term maturities of external debt. The level of international trade does not seem to have any relationship with levels of short-term indebtedness, which suggests that trade credit plays an insignificant role in driving short-term capital flows. Our policy analysis focuses on ways in which potential illiquidity can be avoided.
GPU Asynchronous Stochastic Gradient Descent to Speed Up Neural Network Training

The ability to train large-scale neural networks has resulted in state-of-the-art performance in many areas of computer vision. These results have largely come from computational break throughs of two forms: model parallelism, e.g. GPU accelerated training, which has seen quick adoption in computer vision circles, and data parallelism, e.g. A-SGD, whose large scale has been used mostly in industry. We report early experiments with a system that makes use of both model parallelism and data parallelism, we call GPU A-SGD. We show using GPU A-SGD it is possible to speed up training of large convolutional neural networks useful for computer vision. We believe GPU A-SGD will make it possible to train larger networks on larger training sets in a reasonable amount of time.
Who studies religion at Advanced level: Why and to what effect?

Abstract This study was established to profile students currently studying religion at Advanced level (A level) in terms of their demography, motivation, experience and attitudes. Eight specific areas were identified for examination: their personal motivation to study religion at A level, the personal challenges posed by the subject, their personal experience of studying the subject, their growth in understanding stimulated by the subject, the impact of their study on respecting religious diversity, the impact on their personal development, the impact on spiritual and religious development, and the connection between studying religion at A level and their personal faith. Data were provided by 462 students at the end of the first year of A level study. Key findings demonstrated that 78% of students opted for the subject because they enjoyed their earlier experiences of religious studies in school, that 80% of students have become more tolerant of religious diversity, and that only 7% of students feel that studying religion at A level has undermined their personal religious faith while three times that number feel that it has affirmed their religious faith.
Systematic review of the evidence on the effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health interventions in humanitarian crises

Objectives This systematic review aims to evaluate evidence on the effectiveness of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions delivered in humanitarian crises. Setting Crisis affected low-income or middle-income countries. Participants Crisis-affected populations in low-income or middle-income countries. Method Peer-reviewed and grey literature sources were systematically searched for relevant papers detailing interventions from 1 January 1980 until the search date on 30 April 2013. Data from included studies were then extracted, and the papers’ quality evaluated using criteria based on modified STROBE and CONSORT checklists. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcomes include, but are not limited to, changes in morbidity, mortality, sexually transmitted infection (STI) diagnosis or gender-based violence. Secondary outcomes include, but are not limited to, reported condom use or skilled attendance at birth. Primary outputs include, but are not limited to, condoms distributed or education courses taught. Results Of 7149 returned citations, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. Only one randomised controlled trial was identified. The remaining observational studies were of moderate quality, demonstrating limited use of controls and inadequate attempts to address bias. Evidence of effectiveness was available for the following interventions: impregnated bed nets for pregnant women, subsidised refugee healthcare, female community health workers, and tiered community reproductive health services. Conclusions The limited evidence base for SRH interventions highlights the need for improved research on the effectiveness of public health interventions in humanitarian crises. While interventions proven efficacious in stable settings are being used in humanitarian efforts, more evidence is required to demonstrate the effectiveness of delivering and scaling-up such interventions in humanitarian crises.
Osteology of the Basal Hadrosauroid Eolambia caroljonesa (Dinosauria: Ornithopoda) from the Cedar Mountain Formation of Utah

Background Eolambia caroljonesa is known from copious remains from the lower Cenomanian Mussentuchit Member of the Cedar Mountain Formation in eastern Utah; however, the taxon has been only briefly described. Thus, we present herein a complete osteological description of Eolambia. Methodology/Principal Findings The description of Eolambia presented here is based upon the holotype partial skeleton (CEUM 9758), paratype partial skull (CEUM 5212), and abundant disarticulated elements from two bonebeds that contain juvenile individuals. These remains allow the skeletal anatomy of Eolambia to be documented almost fully and a revised diagnosis to be proposed. Conclusions/Significance The description provided here facilitates comparisons between Eolambia and other iguanodontians and allows Eolambia to be coded for additional characters in phylogenetic analyses. The close affinity between Eolambia and Probactrosaurus gobiensis from the Early Cretaceous of China supports previous hypotheses of faunal interchange between Asia and North America in the early Late Cretaceous.
Transformational Leaders and Work Performance: The Mediating Roles of Identification and Self-efficacy

In this study we investigate the connections between transformational leadership and subordinate formal and contextual performance among Brazilian employees. We also proposed and tested two mediating processes through which transformational leaders would enhance the performance of their staff: stronger follower identification with the leader and efficacy beliefs. These relations were tested with a sample of 107 managers from a multinational company that operates in the financial sector. The proposed structural equation model was assessed with Partial Least Squares (PLS) techniques. The results suggest that perceived transformational leadership is associated with higher levels of task performance and helping behaviors. Moreover, the proposed mediating processes were empirically supported. We discuss implications for theory and practice.
GPX3 methylation in bone marrow predicts adverse prognosis and leukemia transformation in myelodysplastic syndrome

Epigenetic inactivation of GPX3 has been identified in various cancers including leukemia. Moreover, aberrant DNA methylation was also found as a dominant mechanism of disease progression in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). This study intended to explore GPX3 promoter methylation and its clinical relevance in 110 patients with MDS. GPX3 methylation was examined by real‐time quantitative methylation‐specific PCR (RQ‐MSP) and bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP). GPX3 methylation was identified in 15% (17/110) MDS patients, and significantly higher than controls, and lower than acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients (P = 0.024 and 0.041). GPX3 methylated patients had older age and higher frequency of DNMT3A mutation (P = 0.015 and 0.066). Cases with GPX3 methylation showed significantly shorter overall survival (OS) time than those with GPX3 unmethylation analyzed with Kaplan–Meier analysis (P = 0.012). Moreover, Cox regression analysis revealed that GPX3 methylation might act as an independent prognostic indicator in MDS (HR = 1.847, P = 0.072). GPX3 methylation density was significantly increased during the progression from MDS to secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) in three follow‐up paired patients. Our study concludes that GPX3 methylation in bone marrow is associated with adverse prognosis and leukemia transformation in MDS.
Evaluating the impact of RTS-CTS in OLPC's XOs' Mesh Networks

– RTS-CTS is a mechanism used to solve the hidden node and exposed node problems in a wireless environment. However, it has been shown by analysis and simulations that in general in a multiple hop network RTS-CTS is not always beneficial, and can, in fact, hurt throughput. In this paper, we measure the performance of a layer-2 mesh network implementation with and without the RTS-CTS mechanism. The test results shown in this paper were obtained through experiments performed using OLPC's XOs laptops. The mesh network plays a vital part in OLPC’s project, both by allowing easy collaboration within a school with no further infra-structure and also by potentially being a tool for digital inclusion by extending Internet connectivity to students’ homes by multi-hop paths. The main contribution of this paper is the use of actual hardware for experiments, since the majority of the research done is based on simulations, which may not account for all effects seen on the experiments.
US Newsprint Demand Forecasts to 2020

The purpose of this study is to provide projections of newsprint demand for the United States (US) up to 2020. Three different approaches were used to compute the projections. First, various specifications of the standard model used in forest product demand literature, which we call the "classical model", were estimated using annual data from 1971-2000. The results indicated that structural change in the newsprint consumption pattern took place at the end of the 1980s. The classical model fails to explain and forecast the structural change. It appears that changes related to the development of consumers preferences and information technology (IT) may have caused the break down of the widely accepted positive relationship between the gross domestic product (GDP) and newsprint demand. These observations motivated the formulation of alternative models. Thus, a "Bayesian" model that allows industry experts' prior knowledge about the future demand for newsprint to be included in the projections was estimated. Also, an "ad hoc" model, in which newsprint demand is a function of changes in newspaper circulation, was used to compute projections. Finally, the forecasts of these models are evaluated along with some of the existing projections. Besides providing an outlook for US newsprint demand, the study contributes to the existing literature of long-term forest product demand by raising some methodological questions and by applying new models to compute projections. Contrary to some recent projections (e.g., FAO), the results indicate that US newsprint demand is likely to decline in the long run.
Improvement of a Lattice-based Signature Scheme

Recently, Boyen at PKC 2010 proposed a lattice-based signature scheme in the standard model. In this paper, we show that his signature scheme does not satisfy strong unforgeability. In other words, an adversary can produce a new signature for a message M after seeing a signature of the message M. Then we present an improved scheme and prove that the improved scheme satisﬁes strong unforgeability. Furthermore, the improved signature scheme is as eﬃcient as Boyen’s signature scheme
The Structure of Co-Occurring Bullying Experiences and Associations with Suicidal Behaviors in Korean Adolescents

Objective This study had two main goals: to examine the structure of co-occurring peer bullying experiences among adolescents in South Korea from the perspective of victims and to determine the effects of bullying on suicidal behavior, including suicidal ideation and suicide attempts, among adolescents. Method This study used data gathered from 4,410 treatment-seeking adolescents at their initial visits to 31 local mental health centers in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. The structure of peer bullying was examined using latent class analysis (LCA) to classify participants’ relevant experiences. Then, a binomial logistic regression adjusted by propensity scores was conducted to identify relationships between experiences of being bullied and suicidal behaviors. Results The LCA of experiences with bullying revealed two distinct classes of bullying: physical and non-physical. Adolescents who experienced physical bullying were 3.05 times more likely to attempt suicide than those who were not bullied. Victims of (non-physical) cyber bullying were 2.94 times more likely to attempt suicide than were those who were not bullied. Conclusions Both physical and non-physical bullying were associated with suicide attempts, with similar effect sizes. Schools and mental health professionals should be more attentive than they currently are to non-physical bullying.
Epistemological beliefs of European physiotherapists – a multi-countrycross-cultural adaptation for the DEBQ and the CAEB questionnaires

Abstract This article assumes that epistemological beliefs of physiotherapists are an important determinant in improving the concept of evidence-based practice. Little research has been done on epistemological beliefs in physiotherapy. In order to measure the sophistication of epistemological beliefs in future research, two complementary questionnaires (DEBQ and CAEB) were cross-culturally adapted in nine different countries and seven languages in Europe. A standardized seven-step guideline was used to translate and culturally validate the questionnaires. The questionnaires were distributed in the respective countries, resulting in 1386 participants. The psychometric values were analysed in order to verify consistency and validity. Based on the validation process, the instruments are considered to be validly adapted for the countries involved. The uniformity in the adaptation process allows for future comparison of the countries.
Commodity Price Uncertainty and Shocks: Implications for Economic Growth

It has long been believed that commodity price variability causes problems for primaryproducing developing countries, but there is less agreement about which particular manifestations of commodity price movements matter to developing countries. This paper tests the effects of ex post shocks and ex ante price uncertainty on economic growth using the Burnside and Dollar (1997) data set. The shock and uncertainty variables are constructed using a new data set of unique aggregate commodity price indices for 113 developing countries over the period 1957Q1-1997Q4. The analysis shows that per capita growth rates are significantly reduced by large discrete negative commodity price shocks. The magnitude of the effect of negative shocks on growth is very substantial, and appears to work independently of investment, which suggests that adjustment is achieved through severe reductions in capacity utilization. Negative shocks remain highly significant after controlling for government economic policy and institutional quality, which indicates that the result is not attributable exclusively to inappropriate policy responses on the part of governments. The paper also shows that positive shocks have no lasting impact on growth, which is consistent with the findings of both Deaton and Miller (1995) and Collier and Gunning (1999a), but overturns an earlier result which suggested that the long run effects of positive temporary shocks are negative. The third key result is that ex ante uncertainty does not affect growth, which holds for nine different definitions of uncertainty. Hence, what reduces growth is not the prospect of volatile world prices, but the actual realizations of negative shocks. The results are robust to changes in sample composition, changing the time series dimensions of the data, instrumenting for endogenous regressors, and across different estimation methods. Acknowledgements: This paper is based in part on my D.Phil Thesis. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions expressed in this paper are entirely my own. Many thanks are extended to my supervisors Jan Willem Gunning and Paul Collier. Richard Mash, Christopher L. Gilbert, and Panayotis N. Varangis also gave very considerable help and support. Special thanks are extended to Craig Burnside and David Dollar for permission to use their data, and to the Danish Trust Fund of the World Bank for financial Support.
The role of analytic thinking in moral judgements and values

While individual differences in the willingness and ability to engage analytic processing have long informed research in reasoning and decision making, the implications of such differences have not yet had a strong influence in other domains of psychological research. We claim that analytic thinking is not limited to problems that have a normative basis and, as an extension of this, predict that individual differences in analytic thinking will be influential in determining beliefs and values. Along with assessments of cognitive ability and style, religious beliefs, and moral values, participants judged the wrongness of acts considered disgusting and conventionally immoral, but that do not violate care- or fairness-based moral principles. Differences in willingness to engage analytic thinking predicted reduced judgements of wrongness, independent of demographics, political ideology, religiosity, and moral values. Further, we show that those who were higher in cognitive ability were less likely to indicate that purity, patriotism, and respect for traditions and authority are important to their moral thinking. These findings are consistent with a “Reflectionist” view that assumes a role for analytic thought in determining substantive, deeply-held human beliefs and values.