Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-Regulation and Peer Influence as Determinants of Senior Secondary School Students' Achievement in Science

The study investigated self-regulation and peer influence as determinants of senior secondary school students’ achievement in science. Descriptive research design was used to carry out the study. Two hundred and four (204) students were randomly selected from the three geopolitical zones of Katsina State. Three (3) instruments were used to collect data for the study viz: (1) Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SRQ); (2) Peer Influence Questionnaire (PIQ); and (3) Science Achievement Test (SAT). Data collected were analysed using Multiple Regression, Linear Regression, Pearson Product- Moment Correlation Coefficient and T-test. The findings revealed that self-regulation and peer influence together accounted for 1.2%of the total variance in science achievement. (R2 =0.012, p >0.0); self-regulation alone accounted for 0.8% of the total variance in science achievement ( R 2 = .008, p>0.05); peer influence alone accounted t for 0.0% of the total variance in science achievement (R2 =0 .000, p>0.05). There was a positive significant relationship between self-regulation and peer influence (r = +0.399, p>0.05); there was a positive but not significant relationship between science achievement and self-regulation (r = +0.090, p> 0.05). There was no significant difference between male and female students in self-regulation, peer influence and science achievement (t = -1.777, 0 .218 and 0 .678, p >0.05 respectively). It was recommended among others that teachers should be able to counsel students to manage their time and avoid negative peer influence that might negatively affect their performance. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014. v5n7p374
An Improved DAQ-Based Method for Ferrite Characterization

In this paper, we propose an improved version of the classical volt-amperometric measurement method for the characterization of magnetic hysteresis and losses in soft magnetic cores. Using an appropriate circuital solution for the automatic cancellation of the measurement offset and a synchronous data-acquisition-based scheme for both generation and acquisition of signals, we are able to implement a high performance and low error fully automatic test system. This reduces the testing time, while allowing the use of new segmentation algorithms for the study of both major and minor hysteresis loops and the extraction of all the desired properties. We tested the system on a ferrite core, reproducing results already known from the literature with a higher degree of accuracy and reliability, and propose a test to assess the limits of applicability of the method. Energetic magnetic behavior during the formation of asymmetric minor loops is shown and discussed throughout this paper.
Pulsed magnetic field enhances therapeutic efficiency of mesenchymal stem cells in chronic neuropathic pain model

Cell‐based or magnetic field therapies as alternative approaches to pain management have been tested in several experimental pain models. The aim of this study therefore was to investigate the actions of the cell‐based therapy (adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells; ADMSC) or pulsed magnetic field (PMF) therapy and magneto‐cell therapy (combination of ADMSC and PMF) in chronic constriction nerve injury model (CCI). The actions of individual ADMSC (route dependent [systemic or local], time‐dependent [a day or a week after surgery]), or PMF and their combination (magneto‐cell) therapies on hyperalgesia and allodynia were investigated by using thermal plantar test and a dynamic plantar aesthesiometer, respectively. In addition, various cytokine levels (IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐10) of rat sciatic nerve after CCI were analyzed. Following the CCI, both latency and threshold significantly decreased. ADMSC or PMF significantly increased latencies and thresholds. The combination of ADMSC with PMF even more significantly increased latency and threshold when compared with ADMSC alone. However, ADMSC‐induced decrease in pro‐inflammatory or increase in anti‐inflammatory cytokines levels were partially prevented by PMF treatments. Present findings may suggest that both cell‐based and magnetic therapies can effectively attenuate chronic neuropathic pain symptoms. Combined magneto‐cell therapy may also efficiently reverse neuropathic signs. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:255–264, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Interaction between RAX and PKR Modulates the Effect of Ethanol on Protein Synthesis and Survival of Neurons*

Ethanol exposure inhibits protein synthesis and causes cell death in the developing central nervous system. The double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated protein kinase (PKR), a serine/threonine protein kinase, plays an important role in translational regulation and cell survival. PKR has been well known for its anti-viral response. Upon activation by viral infection or dsRNA, PKR phosphorylates its substrate, theα-subunit of eukaryotic translation initiation factor-2 (eIF2α) leading to inhibition of translation initiation. It has recently been shown that, in the absence of a virus or dsRNA, PKR can be activated by direct interactions with its protein activators, PACT, or its mouse homologue, RAX. We have demonstrated that exposure to ethanol increased the phosphorylation of PKR and eIF2α in the developing cerebellum. The effect of ethanol on PKR/eIF2α phosphorylation positively correlated to the expression of PACT/RAX in cultured neuronal cells. Using PKR inhibitors and PKR null mouse fibroblasts, we verified that ethanol-induced eIF2α phosphorylation was mediated by PKR. Overexpression of a wild-type RAX dramatically enhanced sensitivity to ethanol-induced PKR/eIF2α phosphorylation, as well as translational inhibition and cell death. In contrast, overexpression of a mutant (S18A) RAX inhibited ethanol-mediated PKR/eIF2α activation. Ethanol promoted PKR and RAX association in cells expressing wild-type RAX but not in cells expressing S18A RAX. S18A RAX functioned as a dominant negative protein and blocked ethanol-induced inhibition of protein synthesis and cell death. Our results suggest that the interactions between PKR and PACT/RAX modulate the effect of ethanol on protein synthesis and cell survival in the central nervous system.
The Combinatorial Structure of Wait-Free Solvable Tasks

This paper presents a self-contained study of wait-free solvable tasks. A new necessary condition for wait-free solvability, based on a restricted set of executions, is proved. This set of executions induces a very simple-to-understand structure, which is used to prove tight bounds for k-set consensus and renaming. The framework is based on topology, but uses only elementary combinatorics, and, in contrast to previous works, does not rely on algebraic or geometric arguments.
Kinome Profiling Reveals an Interaction Between Jasmonate, Salicylate and Light Control of Hyponastic Petiole Growth in Arabidopsis thaliana

Plants defend themselves against infection by biotic attackers by producing distinct phytohormones. Especially jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) are well known defense-inducing hormones. Here, the effects of MeJA and SA on the Arabidopsis thaliana kinome were monitored using PepChip arrays containing kinase substrate peptides to analyze posttranslational interactions in MeJA and SA signaling pathways and to test if kinome profiling can provide leads to predict posttranslational events in plant signaling. MeJA and SA mediate differential phosphorylation of substrates for many kinase families. Also some plant specific substrates were differentially phosphorylated, including peptides derived from Phytochrome A, and Photosystem II D protein. This indicates that MeJA and SA mediate cross-talk between defense signaling and light responses. We tested the predicted effects of MeJA and SA using light-mediated upward leaf movement (differential petiole growth also called hyponastic growth). We found that MeJA, infestation by the JA-inducing insect herbivore Pieris rapae, and SA suppressed low light-induced hyponastic growth. MeJA and SA acted in a synergistic fashion via two (partially) divergent signaling routes. This work demonstrates that kinome profiling using PepChip arrays can be a valuable complementary ∼omics tool to give directions towards predicting behavior of organisms after a given stimulus and can be used to obtain leads for physiological relevant phenomena in planta.
Varicella-zoster virus open reading frame 4 encodes an immediate-early protein with posttranscriptional regulatory properties

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) encodes four putative immediate-early proteins based on sequence homology with herpes simplex virus type 1: the products of ORF4, -61, -62, and -63. Until now, only two VZV proteins have been described as being truly expressed with immediate-early kinetics (IE62 and IE63). The ORF4-encoded protein can stimulate gene expression either alone or in synergy with the major regulatory protein IE62. Making use of a sequential combination of transcription and protein synthesis inhibitors (actinomycin D and cycloheximide, respectively), we demonstrated the immediate-early nature of the ORF4 gene product, which can thus be named IE4. The fact that IE4 is expressed with kinetics similar to that of IE62 further underlines the possible cooperation between these two VZV proteins in gene expression. Analysis of the IE4-mediated autologous or heterologous viral gene expression at the mRNA levels clearly indicated that IE4 may have several mechanisms of action. Activation of the two VZV genes tested could occur partly by a posttranscriptional mechanism, since increases in chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) mRNA levels do not account for the stimulation of CAT activity. On the other hand, stimulation of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat- or the cytomegalovirus promoter-associated CAT activity is correlated with an increase in the corresponding CAT mRNA.
A SNP resource for human chromosome 22: extracting dense clusters of SNPs from the genomic sequence.

The recent publication of the complete sequence of human chromosome 22 provides a platform from which to investigate genomic sequence variation. We report the identification and characterization of 12,267 potential variants (SNPs and other small insertions/deletions) of human chromosome 22, discovered in the overlaps of 460 clones used for the chromosome sequencing. We found, on average, 1 potential variant every 1.07 kb and approximately 18% of the potential variants involve insertions/deletions. The SNPs have been positioned both relative to each other, and to genes, predicted genes, repeat sequences, other genetic markers, and the 2730 SNPs previously identified on the chromosome. A subset of the SNPs were verified experimentally using either PCR-RFLP or genomic Invader assays. These experiments confirmed 92% of the potential variants in a panel of 92 individuals. [Details of the SNPs and RFLP assays can be found at http://www.sanger. ac.uk and in dbSNP. ]
Comparison of an Oscillometric Method with Cardiac Magnetic Resonance for the Analysis of Aortic Pulse Wave Velocity

Objectives Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the proposed gold-standard for the assessment of aortic elastic properties. The aim of this study was to compare aortic PWV determined by a recently developed oscillometric device with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). Methods PWV was assessed in 40 volunteers with two different methods. The oscillometric method (PWVOSC) is based on a transfer function from the brachial pressure waves determined by oscillometric blood pressure measurements with a common cuff (Mobil-O-Graph, I.E.M. Stolberg, Germany). CMR was used to determine aortic PWVCMR with the use of the transit time method based on phase-contrast imaging at the level of the ascending and abdominal aorta on a clinical 1.5 Tesla scanner (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). Results The median age of the study population was 34 years (IQR: 24–55 years, 11 females). A very strong correlation was found between PWVOSC and PWVCMR (r = 0.859, p < 0.001). Mean PWVOSC was 6.7 ± 1.8 m/s and mean PWVCMR was 6.1 ± 1.8 m/s (p < 0.001). Analysis of agreement between the two measurements using Bland-Altman method showed a bias of 0.57 m/s (upper and lower limit of agreement: 2.49 m/s and -1.34 m/s). The corresponding coefficient of variation between both measurements was 15%. Conclusion Aortic pulse wave velocity assessed by transformation of the brachial pressure waveform showed an acceptable agreement with the CMR-derived transit time method.
Mathematical modeling provides kinetic details of the human immune response to vaccination

With major advances in experimental techniques to track antigen-specific immune responses many basic questions on the kinetics of virus-specific immunity in humans remain unanswered. To gain insights into kinetics of T and B cell responses in human volunteers we combined mathematical models and experimental data from recent studies employing vaccines against yellow fever and smallpox. Yellow fever virus-specific CD8 T cell population expanded slowly with the average doubling time of 2 days peaking 2.5 weeks post immunization. Interestingly, we found that the peak of the yellow fever-specific CD8 T cell response was determined by the rate of T cell proliferation and not by the precursor frequency of antigen-specific cells as has been suggested in several studies in mice. We also found that while the frequency of virus-specific T cells increased slowly, the slow increase could still accurately explain clearance of yellow fever virus in the blood. Our additional mathematical model described well the kinetics of virus-specific antibody-secreting cell and antibody response to vaccinia virus in vaccinated individuals suggesting that most of antibodies in 3 months post immunization were derived from the population of circulating antibody-secreting cells. Taken together, our analysis provided novel insights into mechanisms by which live vaccines induce immunity to viral infections and highlighted challenges of applying methods of mathematical modeling to the current, state-of-the-art yet limited immunological data.
Observing conversational laughter in frontotemporal dementia

Background We performed an observational study of laughter during seminaturalistic conversations between patients with dementia and familial caregivers. Patients were diagnosed with (1) behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), (2) right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia (rtFTD), (3) semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), (4) non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) or (5) early onset Alzheimer’s disease (eoAD). We hypothesised that those with bvFTD would laugh less in response to their own speech than other dementia groups or controls, while those with rtFTD would laugh less regardless of who was speaking. Methods Patients with bvFTD (n=39), svPPA (n=19), rtFTD (n=14), nfvPPA (n=16), eoAD (n=17) and healthy controls (n=156) were recorded (video and audio) while discussing a problem in their relationship with a healthy control companion. Using the audio track only, laughs were identified by trained coders and then further classed by an automated algorithm as occurring during or shortly after the participant’s own vocalisation ('self' context) or during or shortly after the partner’s vocalisation ('partner' context). Results Individuals with bvFTD, eoAD or rtFTD laughed less across both contexts of self and partner than the other groups. Those with bvFTD laughed less relative to their own speech comparedwith healthy controls. Those with nfvPPA laughed more in the partner context compared with healthy controls. Conclusions Laughter in response to one’s own vocalisations or those of a conversational partner may be a clinically useful measure in dementia diagnosis.
A roadmap of clustering algorithms: finding a match for a biomedical application

Clustering is ubiquitously applied in bioinformatics with hierarchical clustering and k-means partitioning being the most popular methods. Numerous improvements of these two clustering methods have been introduced, as well as completely different approaches such as grid-based, density-based and model-based clustering. For improved bioinformatics analysis of data, it is important to match clusterings to the requirements of a biomedical application. In this article, we present a set of desirable clustering features that are used as evaluation criteria for clustering algorithms. We review 40 different clustering algorithms of all approaches and datatypes. We compare algorithms on the basis of desirable clustering features, and outline algorithms' benefits and drawbacks as a basis for matching them to biomedical applications.
DEVELOPMENT OF ENERGY EFFICIENT OPTIMAL CONTROL FOR SERVO PNEUMATIC CYLINDERS

paper conducts energy efficiency analysis of servo pneumatic actuator systems and presents a method of energy efficient optimal control. The system is linearised through input/output state feedback and then energy efficient optimal control theory is applied to the linearised system. An optimal control strategy is developed with respect to the transformed states of the linear system model. An energy efficient velocity profile is derived which depends on the final state and initial state. Through the inverse transformation, the new states are converted back to the original system state and control variable. In this way, a nonlinear energy efficient controller is derived for the servo pneumatic actuator system.
cTrust: Trust Management in Cyclic Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

Mobility model and network topology play important roles in mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs). Most existing trust and reputation management systems in a MANET do not address mobility issues adequately. In this paper, we study the trust management problem in a MANET with cyclic movement patterns. In a cyclic MANET (cMANET) where nodes periodically move, we formulate trust management problems and propose the cTrust scheme to handle trust establishment and aggregation issues. Unlike trust management in conventional schemes, trust management in cMANET involves not only neighbor trust relationships but location and time factors as well. We model trust relations as a trust graph in cMANET to enhance accuracy and efficiency of trust establishment among nodes. Leveraging the distributed Bellman-Ford algorithm and stochastic Markov chain process for fast and lightweight aggregation of trust scores, the cTrust scheme is a decentralized and self-configurable trust aggregation scheme. To evaluate the performance, we implement the proposed cTrust scheme. We use the student contact patterns on the National University of Singapore (NUS) campus and Seattle metro bus traces as case studies for our cMANET communication model. The simulation results demonstrate the features of trust relationship dissemination in real environments and the efficiency, accuracy, scalability, and robustness of the cTrust scheme. With increasing scales of ad hoc networks and complexities of trust topologies, cTrust scales well with marginal overheads.
Factors Influencing the Adoption of E-government Services

E-government initiatives are in their infancy in many developing countries. The success of these initiatives is dependent on government support as well as citizens’ adoption of e-government services. This research identified the attitudes and perceptions of the citizens of Kuwait, a developing country, towards the adoption of e-government services. Based on previous research exploring the determinants of the adoption of e-government services using an amended version of the UTAUT model, the study reported here investigates the factors that influence the take-up of such services. These factors are related to usefulness, ease of use, reforming bureaucracy, cultural and social influences, technology issues and lack of awareness. Conclusions and implication for decision makers are also considered in this paper.
Preclinical Activity Profile and Therapeutic Efficacy of the HSP90 Inhibitor Ganetespib in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Purpose: Treatment options for patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) are largely limited to systemic chemotherapies, which have shown disappointing efficacy in the metastatic setting. Here, we undertook a comprehensive evaluation of the activity of ganetespib, a potent inhibitor of HSP90, in this malignancy. Experimental Design: The antitumor and antimetastatic activity of ganetespib was investigated using TNBC cell lines and xenograft models. Combinatorial drug analyses were performed with chemotherapeutic agents and concomitant effects on DNA damage and cell-cycle disruption were assessed in vitro; antitumor efficacy was assessed in vivo. Metabolic and objective tumor responses were evaluated in patients with metastatic TNBC undergoing ganetespib treatment. Results: Ganetespib simultaneously deactivated multiple oncogenic pathways to potently reduce cell viability in TNBC cell lines, and suppressed lung metastases in experimental models. Ganetespib potentiated the cytotoxic activity of doxorubicin via enhanced DNA damage and mitotic arrest, conferring superior efficacy to the doxorubicin–cyclophosphamide regimen in TNBC xenografts. Ganetespib also promoted mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis in combination with taxanes in vitro, and these effects translated to significantly improved combinatorial activity in vivo. Marked tumor shrinkage of metastatic lung and lymphatic lesions were seen in patients on ganetespib monotherapy. Conclusion: The preclinical activity profile and clinical evidence of tumor regression suggest that ganetespib offers considerable promise as a new therapeutic candidate to target TNBC. Clin Cancer Res; 20(2); 413–24. ©2013 AACR.
Persistence of some additive functionals of Sinai's walk

We are interested in Sinai's walk $(S\_n)\_{n\in\mathbb{N}}$. We prove that the annealed probability that $\sum\_{k=0}^n f(S\_k)$ is strictly positive for all $n\in[1,N]$ is equal to $1/(\log N)^{\frac{3-\sqrt{5}}{2}+o(1)}$, for a large class of functions $f$, and in particular for $f(x)=x$. The persistence exponent $\frac{3-\sqrt{5}}{2}$ first appears in a non-rigorous paper of Le Doussal, Monthus and Fischer, with motivations coming from physics. The proof relies on techniques of localization for Sinai's walk and uses results of Cheliotis about the sign changes of the bottom of valleys of a two-sided Brownian motion.
Operative mortality in colorectal cancer: prospective national study

Abstract Objective To develop a mathematical model that will predict the probability of death after surgery for colorectal cancer. Design Descriptive study using routinely collected clinical data. Data source The database of the Association of Coloproctology of Great Britain and Ireland (ACPGBI), encompassing 8077 patients with a new diagnosis of colorectal cancer in 73 hospitals during a 12 month period. Statistical analysis A three level hierarchical logistic regression model was used to identify independent predictors of operative mortality. The model was developed on 60% of the patient population and its validity tested on the remaining 40%. Results Overall postoperative mortality was 7.5% (95% confidence interval 6.9% to 8.1%). Independent predictors of death were age, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) grade, Dukes's stage, urgency of the operation, and cancer excision. When tested the predictive model showed good discrimination (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve = (0.775) and calibration (comparison of observed with expected mortality across different procedures; Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic = 6.34, 8 df, P = 0.610). Conclusions Clinicians can predict postoperative death by using a simple numerical table derived from the statistical model of the ACPGBI. The model can be used in everyday practice for preoperative counselling of patients and their carers as a part of multidisciplinary care. It may also be used to compare the outcomes between multidisciplinary teams for colorectal cancer.