Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plumbagin reverses proliferation and resistance to apoptosis in experimental PAH

Like cancer, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterised by a pro-proliferative and anti-apoptotic phenotype. In PAH, pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) proliferation is enhanced and apoptosis suppressed. The sustainability of this phenotype requires the activation of pro-survival transcription factors, such as signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3 and nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT). There are no drugs currently available that are able to efficiently and safely inhibit this axis. We hypothesised that plumbagin (PLB), a natural organic compound known to block STAT3 in cancer cells, would reverse experimental pulmonary hypertension. Using human PAH-PASMC, we demonstrated in vitro that PLB inhibits the activation of the STAT3/NFAT axis, increasing the voltage-gated K+ current bone morphogenetic protein receptor type II (BMPR2), and decreasing intracellular Ca2+ contentration ([Ca2+]i), rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK)1 and interleukin (IL)-6, contributing to the inhibition of PAH-PASMC proliferation and resistance to apoptosis (proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), TUNEL, Ki67 and anexine V). In vivo, PLB oral administration decreases distal pulmonary artery remodelling, mean pulmonary artery pressure and right ventricular hypertrophy without affecting systemic circulation in both monocrotaline- and sugen/chronic hypoxia-induced PAH in rats. This study demonstrates that the STAT3/NFAT axis can be therapeutically targeted by PLB in human PAH-PASMC and experimental PAH rat models. Thus, PLB could be considered a specific and attractive future therapeutic strategy for PAH.
PENGASUHAN OTORITER BERPOTENSI MENURUNKAN KECERDASAN SOSIAL, SELF-ESTEEM, DAN PRESTASI AKADEMIK REMAJA

Analysis of relation between parenting style perception and academic achievement, social intelligence, and self-esteem become the main issue of the research. This research involved 107 respondents of college students that consist of 55 male and 52 female of 1 st grade. Respondents were chosen by proportional random sampling. Authoritative, authority, and permissive choosen as parenting style. Female students had significant correlation with authoritative perception scores. Meanwhile, family income had significant and positive correlation with permissive perception scores. Result showed that higher scores of authoritative that perceived by adolescents then higher scores of social intelligence and self-esteem. In the other hand, higher score of authoritarian that perceived by adolescents then lower scores of sosial intelligence, self-esteem, and academic achievement. Permissive parenting style had positive and significant correlation with academic achievement. Sosial intelligence had positive and significant correlation with self-esteem, meanwhile social intelligence and self-esteem did not had significant correlation with academic achievement.
The Plasmodium bottleneck: malaria parasite losses in the mosquito vector

Nearly one million people are killed every year by the malaria parasite Plasmodium. Although the disease-causing forms of the parasite exist only in the human blood, mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles are the obligate vector for transmission. Here, we review the parasite life cycle in the vector and highlight the human and mosquito contributions that limit malaria parasite development in the mosquito host. We address parasite killing in its mosquito host and bottlenecks in parasite numbers that might guide intervention strategies to prevent transmission.
The Bigraphical Lasso

The i.i. d. assumption in machine learning is endemic, but often flawed. Complex data sets exhibit partial correlations between both instances and features. A model specifying both types of correlation can have a number of parameters that scales quadratically with the number of features and data points. We introduce the bigraphical lasso, an estimator for precision matrices of matrix-normals based on the Cartesian product of graphs. A prominent product in spectral graph theory, this structure has appealing properties for regression, enhanced sparsity and interpretability. To deal with the parameter explosion we introduce l1 penalties and fit the model through a flip-flop algorithm that results in a linear number of lasso regressions. We demonstrate the performance of our approach with simulations and an example from the COIL image data set.
Evaluation of temperature–pulse centile charts in identifying serious bacterial illness: observational cohort study

Background Distinguishing serious bacterial infection (SBI) from milder/self-limiting infections is often difficult. Interpretation of vital signs is confounded by the effect of temperature on pulse and respiratory rate. Temperature–pulse centile charts have been proposed to improve the predictive value of pulse rate in the clinical assessment of children with suspected SBI. Objectives To assess the utility of proposed temperature–pulse centile charts in the clinical assessment of children with suspected SBI. Study design and participants The predictive value for SBI of temperature–pulse centile categories, pulse centile categories and Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) defined tachycardia were compared among 1360 children aged 3 months to 10 years presenting with suspected infection to a hospital emergency department (ED) in England; and among 325 children who presented to hospitals in the UK with meningococcal disease. Main outcome measure SBI. Results Among children presenting to the ED, 55 (4.0%) had SBI. Pulse centile category, but not temperature–pulse centile category, was strongly associated with risk of SBI (p=0.0005 and 0.288, respectively). APLS defined tachycardia was also strongly associated with SBI (OR 2.90 (95% CI 1.60 to 5.26), p=0.0002). Among children with meningococcal disease, higher pulse and temperature–pulse centile categories were both associated with more severe disease (p=0.004 and 0.041, respectively). Conclusions Increased pulse rate is an important predictor of SBI, supporting National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations that pulse rate be routinely measured in the assessment of febrile children. Temperature–pulse centile charts performed more poorly than pulse alone in this study. Further studies are required to evaluate their utility in monitoring the clinical progress of sick children over time.
A Linear Time Algorithm for Quantum 2-SAT

The Boolean constraint satisfaction problem 3-SAT is arguably the canonical NP-complete problem. In contrast, 2-SAT can not only be decided in polynomial time, but in fact in deterministic linear time. In 2006, Bravyi proposed a physically motivated generalization of k-SAT to the quantum setting, defining the problem "quantum k-SAT". He showed that quantum 2-SAT is also solvable in polynomial time on a classical computer, in particular in deterministic time O(n^4), assuming unit-cost arithmetic over a field extension of the rational numbers, where n is number of variables. In this paper, we present an algorithm for quantum 2-SAT which runs in linear time, i.e. deterministic time O(n+m) for n and m the number of variables and clauses, respectively. Our approach exploits the transfer matrix techniques of Laumann et al. [QIC, 2010] used in the study of phase transitions for random quantum 2-SAT, and bears similarities with both the linear time 2-SAT algorithms of Even, Itai, and Shamir (based on backtracking) [SICOMP, 1976] and Aspvall, Plass, and Tarjan (based on strongly connected components) [IPL, 1979].
EKSPERIMENTASI MODEL PEMBELAJARAN PROBLEM POSING DAN PROBLEM SOLVING DENGAN PENDEKATAN PMR TERHADAP PRESTASI BELAJAR DAN KEMAMPUAN KOMUNIKASI MATEMATIS DITINJAU DARI KREATIVITAS SISWA KELAS VII SMP NEGERI DI KABUPATEN SUKOHARJO

Abstract: The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of learning models with realistic mathematic education (RME) approach on learning achievement and mathematical communication ability viewed from student creativity. The learning models compared were Problem Posing (PP), Problem Solving (PS) and direct learning models. This research used a quasi-experimental research. The population were the seventh grade students of junior high school in Sukoharjo. The samples of this research were taken by using the stratified cluster random sampling technique. The proposed hypothesis of this research was analyzed by using the two way multivariate analysis of variance with unbalanced cells. The results of the research are as follows: (1) model of PP learning and model of PS learning with RME approach result the same achievement, but model of PP learning with RME approach results in a better mathematical communication ability than model of PS learning with RME. Model of PP learning and model of PS learning with RME approach result in better achievement and mathematical communication ability than direct learning model. (2) the students with the high creativity have better achievement and mathematical communication ability than those with the moderate or low creativity, but the students with the moderate and low creativity have the same achievement and mathematical communication ability. (3) in each creativities of students, model of PP learning and model of PS learning with RME approach result in better achievement and mathematical communication ability than direct learning model. Model of PP learning and model of PP learning with RME approach result the same achievement, but model of PP learning with RME approach results in a better mathematical communication ability than model of PS learning with RME. (4) in each learning models, the students with high creativity have better achievement and mathematical communication ability than those with medium and low creativity, and the students with moderate and low creativity have the same achievement and mathematical communication ability. Keywords: PP Learning, PS Learning, RME Approach, Direct Learning, Mathematical Communication Ability, Achievement, and Creativity of students.
Navigation in space – the role of the macaque ventral intraparietal area

Goal‐directed self‐motion through space is anything but a trivial task. What we take for granted in everyday life requires the complex interplay of different sensory and motor systems. On the sensory side most importantly a target of interest has to be localized relative to one's own position in space. On the motor side the most critical step in neural processing is to define and perform a movement towards the target as well as the avoidance of obstacles. Furthermore, the multisensory (visual, tactile and auditory) motion signals as induced by one's own movement have to be identified and differentiated from the real motion of visual, tactile or auditory objects in the outside world. In a number of experimental studies performed in recent years we and others have functionally characterized a subregion within monkey posterior parietal cortex (PPC) that appears to be well suited to contribute to such multisensory encoding of spatial and motion information. In this review I will summarize the most important experimental findings on the functional properties of this very region in monkey PPC, i.e. the ventral intraparietal area.
Ghrelin increases intake of rewarding food in rodents

We investigated whether ghrelin action at the level of the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a key node in the mesolimbic reward system, is important for the rewarding and motivational aspects of the consumption of rewarding/palatable food. Mice with a disrupted gene encoding the ghrelin receptor (GHS‐R1A) and rats treated peripherally with a GHS‐R1A antagonist both show suppressed intake of rewarding food in a free choice (chow/rewarding food) paradigm. Moreover, accumbal dopamine release induced by rewarding food was absent in GHS‐R1A knockout mice. Acute bilateral intra‐VTA administration of ghrelin increased 1‐hour consumption of rewarding food but not standard chow. In comparison with sham rats, VTA‐lesioned rats had normal intracerebroventricular ghrelin‐induced chow intake, although both intake of and time spent exploring rewarding food was decreased. Finally, the ability of rewarding food to condition a place preference was suppressed by the GHS‐R1A antagonist in rats. Our data support the hypothesis that central ghrelin signaling at the level of the VTA is important for the incentive value of rewarding food.
Sensation-Seeking and Delinquent Substance Use: An Extension of Learning Theory

The paper allows an explicit test of a sensation-seeking perspective to help account for substance use (legal and illegal) among a sample of nearly 1,600 high school students responding to a survey conducted in 1991. We present analyses specific to drinking alcohol, getting drunk, tobacco use, use of marijuana or hash, and use of harder drugs to determine if factors common to a sensation-seeking perspective help explain both the prevalence and frequency of substance use among adolescents. Findings provide strong support for considering sensation-seeking variables like thrillseeking, immediate gratification, and impulsivity to help explain self-reported substance use. Our results show that for each of the five substance delinquencies examined, sensation-seeking factors generate statistically significant influences. Results point toward intrinsic rewards that initially promote and subsequently reinforce substance use, and which center on the fun, thrills, and excitement of risky, illegal substance use, and the physiological high generated by drug or alcohol use. Finally, the relevance of a sensation-seeking approach to social learning theory is explored.
Bcl2 Signaling Pathways Dendritic Cells by Targeting YWHAZ and Modulate the Survival and Longevity of Multiple Tumor-Associated MicroRNAs

Tumors use a wide array of immunosuppressive strategies, such as reducing the longevity and survival of dendritic cells (DCs), to diminish immune responses and limit the effect of immunotherapy. In this study, we found that tumors upregulate the expression of multiple microRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-16-1, miR-22, miR-155, and miR-503. These tumor-associated miRNAs inﬂuenced the survival and longevity of DCs by affecting the expression of multiple molecules that are associated with apoptotic signaling pathways. Speciﬁcally, miR-22 targeted YWHAZ to interrupt the PI3K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, and miR-503 downregulated Bcl2 expression. The result of the increased expression of miR-22 and miR-503 in the tumor-associated DCs was their reduced survival and longevity. Thus, tumor-associated miRNAs can target multiple intracellular signaling molecules to cause the apoptosis of DCs in the tumor environment. Use of miR-22 and miR-503 as inhibitors may therefore represent a new strategy to improve DC-based immunotherapies against tumors. The Journal of Immunology , 2013, 190: 2437–2446.
Factors Associated with Leaving Hospital against Medical Advice among People Who Use Illicit Drugs in Vancouver, Canada

Background Leaving hospital against medical advice (AMA) is common among people who use illicit drugs (PWUD) and is associated with severe health-related harms and costs. However, little is known about the prevalence of and factors associated with leaving AMA among PWUD. Methods Data were collected through two Canadian prospective cohort studies involving PWUD between September 2005 and July 2011 and linked to a hospital admission/discharge database. Bivariable and multivariable generalized estimating equations were used to examine factors associated with leaving hospital AMA among PWUD who were hospitalized. Results Among 488 participants who experienced at least one hospitalization, 212 (43.4%) left the hospital AMA at least once during the study period. In multivariable analyses, factors positively and significantly associated with leaving hospital AMA included: unstable employment (AOR = 1.92; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.22–3.03); recent incarceration (AOR = 1.63; 95%CI: 1.07–2.49); ≥ daily heroin injection (AOR = 1.49; 95%CI: 1.05–2.11); and younger age per year younger (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.04; 95%CI: 1.02–1.06). Conclusions We found a substantial proportion of PWUD in this setting left hospital AMA and that various markers of risk and vulnerability were associated with this phenomenon. Our findings highlight the need to address substance abuse issues early following hospital admission. These findings further suggest a need to develop novel interventions to minimize PWUD leaving hospital prematurely.
Atmospheric Teleconnection over Eurasia Induced by Aerosol Radiative Forcing during Boreal Spring

Abstract The direct effects of aerosols on global and regional climate during boreal spring are investigated based on numerical simulations with the NASA Global Modeling and Assimilation Office finite-volume general circulation model (fvGCM) with Microphyics of Clouds with the Relaxed–Arakawa Schubert Scheme (McRAS), using aerosol forcing functions derived from the Goddard Ozone Chemistry Aerosol Radiation and Transport model (GOCART). The authors find that anomalous atmospheric heat sources induced by absorbing aerosols (dust and black carbon) excite a planetary-scale teleconnection pattern in sea level pressure, temperature, and geopotential height spanning North Africa through Eurasia to the North Pacific. Surface cooling due to direct effects of aerosols is found in the vicinity and downstream of the aerosol source regions, that is, South Asia, East Asia, and northern and western Africa. Significant atmospheric heating is found in regions with large loading of dust (over northern Africa and the Middle.
Shifting dimensions of autonomy in students’ research and employment

ABSTRACT This study considers the conceptual space, or extent of autonomy, given to coursework Masters students before, during and after a Business Ethics course that explicitly developed and assessed their research skills. This vocationally oriented and academically challenging course used the Research Skill Development framework as its conceptual model to reshape the learning and assessment environment, articulating to students not only the research skills required, but also clarifying the resulting autonomy in their research-orientated learning. In the study, seven students attended semi-structured interviews and transcript analysis of interviews revealed the level of student-declared autonomy before commencing coursework Masters, while completing the Business Ethics course, and near the end of their Masters degree. All of the students interviewed were studying part-time and working part-time, and so the applicability of the research skills to students’ work environment emerged as a major issue of interest. This paper richly represents the students’ perceptions, and is the first paper to directly address coursework Masters student autonomy in research in a longitudinal manner; as such it provides a deep and nuanced understanding of the conceptual space that students need for success in study and as preparation for employment.
A new wireless modulation scheme based on frequency-offset

A new RF modulation scheme based on a frequency-offset technique is presented. Instead of using sinusoidal carriers, pure noise is applied as information bearer. The transmitted signal is a combination of modulated noise and unmodulated noise acting as a reference. The reference and modulated signals are separated by a frequency offset Δf which is much smaller than the transmission bandwidth. When using the technique, very large processing gains can be obtained which provides robustness in interference-prone environments. In addition, very simple transceiver implementations result. The paper shows both analytical and experimental results.
Maintenance of physical activity and body weight in relation to subsequent quality of life in postmenopausal breast cancer patients.

BACKGROUND We prospectively examined the association between physical activity, body weight and quality of life in Dutch postmenopausal early breast cancer patients treated with adjuvant endocrine therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS In this side study of a large clinical trial, lifestyle and quality-of-life questionnaires were filled out 1 and 2 years after the start of endocrine therapy (T1 and T2, respectively) and included a pre-diagnosis lifestyle assessment (T0). A total of 435 breast cancer patients returned both questionnaires. RESULTS Individuals with a physical activity level above the median who maintained this level from T0 to T1 reported the best global quality of life and physical functioning and the least fatigue at T2, as compared with individuals with low levels of physical activity which further decreased after diagnosis (difference of +16, +14, and -22 points on a 0-100 quality-of-life scale, respectively; P < 0.01). Overweight or obese women who gained body weight after diagnosis reported worst quality of life and most fatigue as compared with women who maintained a stable body weight (difference of -8, -10 and +2 points, respectively; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Maintaining high pre-diagnosis physical activity levels and a healthy body weight is associated with better quality of life after breast cancer.
Designing and Implementing the OP and OP2 Web Browsers

Current web browsers are plagued with vulnerabilities, providing hackers with easy access to computer systems via browser-based attacks. Browser security efforts that retrofit existing browsers have had limited success because the design of modern browsers is fundamentally flawed. To enable more secure web browsing, we design and implement a new browser, called the OP web browser, that attempts to improve the state-of-the-art in browser security. We combine operating system design principles with formal methods to design a more secure web browser by drawing on the expertise of both communities. Our design philosophy is to partition the browser into smaller subsystems and make all communication between subsystems simple and explicit. At the core of our design is a small browser kernel that manages the browser subsystems and interposes on all communications between them to enforce our new browser security features. To show the utility of our browser architecture, we design and implement three novel security features. First, we develop flexible security policies that allow us to include browser plugins within our security framework. Second, we use formal methods to prove useful security properties including user interface invariants and browser security policy. Third, we design and implement a browser-level information-flow tracking system to enable post-mortem analysis of browser-based attacks. In addition to presenting the OP browser architecture, we discuss the design and implementation of a second version of OP, OP2, that includes features from other secure web browser designs to improve on the overall security and performance of OP. To evaluate our design, we implemented OP2 and tested both performance, memory, and filesystem impact while browsing popular pages. We show that the additional security features in OP and OP2 introduce minimal overhead.