Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preschoolers' Dot Enumeration Abilities Are Markers of Their Arithmetic Competence

The abilities to enumerate small sets of items (e.g., dots) and to compare magnitudes are claimed to be indexes of core numerical competences that scaffold early math development. Insofar as this is correct, these abilities may be diagnostic markers of math competence in preschoolers. However, unlike magnitude comparison abilities, little research has examined preschoolers' ability to enumerate small sets, or its significance for emerging math abilities; which is surprising since dot enumeration is a marker of school-aged children's math competence. It is nevertheless possible that general cognitive functions (working memory, response inhibition in particular) are associated with preschoolers' math abilities and underlie nascent dot enumeration abilities. We investigated whether preschoolers' dot enumeration abilities predict their non-verbal arithmetic ability, over and above the influence of working memory and response inhibition. Two measures of dot enumeration ability were examined—inverse efficiency and paradigm specific (response time profiles) measures—to determine which has the better diagnostic utility as a marker of math competence. Seventy-eight 42-to-57 month-olds completed dot enumeration, working memory, response inhibition, and non-verbal addition and subtraction tasks. Dot enumeration efficiency predicted arithmetic ability over and above the influence of general cognitive functions. While dot enumeration efficiency was a better predictor of arithmetic ability than paradigm specific response time profiles; the response time profile displaying the smallest subitizing range and steepest subitizing slope, also displayed poor addition abilities, suggesting a weak subitizing profile may have diagnostic significance in preschoolers. Overall, the findings support the claim that dot enumeration abilities and general cognitive functions are markers of preschoolers' math ability.
Frequency of the Q192R and L55M polymorphisms of the human serum paraoxonase gene (PON1) in ten Amazonian Amerindian tribes

Human serum paraoxonase (PON1) is an esterase associated with high density lipoproteins (HDLs) in the plasma and may confer protection against coronary artery disease. Serum PON1 levels and activity vary widely among individuals and populations of different ethnic groups, such variations appearing to be related to two coding region polymorphisms (L55M and Q192R). Several independent studies have indicated that the polymorphism at codon 192 (the R form) is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease in some populations, although this association has not been confirmed in other populations. Given the possible associations of these mutations with heart diseases and the fact that little or nothing is known of their prevalence in Amerindian populations, we investigated the variability of both polymorphisms in ten Amazonian Indian tribes and compared the variation found with that of other Asian populations in which both polymorphisms have been investigated. The results show that the LR haplotype is the most frequent and the MR haplotype is absent in all Amerindians and Asian populations. We also found that South America Amerindians present the highest frequency of the PON1192*R allele (considered a significant risk factor for heart diseases in some populations) of all the Amerindian and Asian populations so far studied.
Membrane Transport and Intracellular Sequestration of Novel Thiosemicarbazone Chelators for the Treatment of Cancer

Iron is a critical nutrient for DNA synthesis and cellular proliferation. Targeting iron in cancer cells using specific chelators is a potential new strategy for the development of novel anticancer agents. One such chelator, 2-benzoylpyridine 4-ethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone (Bp4eT), possesses potent and selective anticancer activity (J Med Chem 50:3716–3729, 2007). To elucidate the mechanisms of its potent antitumor activity, Bp4eT was labeled with 14C. Its efficacy was then compared with the 14C-labeled iron chelator pyridoxal isonicotinoyl hydrazone (PIH), which exhibits low anticancer activity. The ability of these ligands to permeate the cell membrane and their cellular retention was examined under various conditions using SK-N-MC neuroepithelioma cells. The rate of [14C]PIH uptake into cells was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than that of [14C]Bp4eT at 37°C, indicating that the increased hydrophilicity of [14C]PIH reduced membrane permeability. In contrast, the efflux of [14C]PIH was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of [14C]Bp4eT, leading to increased cellular retention of [14C]Bp4eT. In addition, the uptake and release of the 14C-labeled chelators was not reduced by metabolic inhibitors, indicating that these processes were energy-independent. No significant differences were evident in the uptake of [14C]Bp4eT at 37 or 4°C, demonstrating a temperature-independent mechanism. Furthermore, adjusting the pH of the culture medium to model the tumor microenvironment did not affect [14C]Bp4eT membrane transport. It can be concluded that [14C]Bp4eT more effectively permeated the cell membrane and evaded rapid efflux in contrast to [14C]PIH. This property, in part, accounts for the more potent anticancer activity of Bp4eT relative to PIH.
Percutaneous Management of Benign and Postoperative Biliary Strictures

Abstract Biliary strictures are an uncommon yet challenging clinical problem. They are often iatrogenic in nature, usually the consequence of hepatobiliary surgery. Although the etiology may be benign, the clinical consequences, if unrecognized, can progress to ascending cholangitis, sepsis, and hepatic abscesses. Optimal treatment requires expertise and input from multiple specialties, including gastroenterology, surgery, infectious disease, and interventional radiology. Currently, available interventional techniques play a critical role in the management of patients with benign biliary strictures.
Probabilistic Frame Induction

In natural-language discourse, related events tend to appear near each other to describe a larger scenario. Such structures can be formalized by the notion of a frame (a.k.a. template), which comprises a set of related events and prototypical participants and event transitions. Identifying frames is a prerequisite for information extraction and natural language generation, and is usually done manually. Methods for inducing frames have been proposed recently, but they typically use ad hoc procedures and are difficult to diagnose or extend. In this paper, we propose the first probabilistic approach to frame induction, which incorporates frames, events, and participants as latent topics and learns those frame and event transitions that best explain the text. The number of frame components is inferred by a novel application of a split-merge method from syntactic parsing. In end-to-end evaluations from text to induced frames and extracted facts, our method produces state-of-the-art results while substantially reducing engineering effort.
Surgical infections: a microbiological study.

Surgical infections are mostly polymicrobial, involving both aerobes and anaerobes. One hundred seventeen cases comprised of abscesses (n=51), secondary peritonitis (n=25), necrotizing fascitis (n=22) and wounds with devitalized tissues (n=19) were studied. The number of microorganisms isolated per lesion was highest in secondary peritonitis (2.32). The aerobe/ anaerobe ratio was 0.81 in secondary peritonitis and 1.8 in necrotizing fascitis. Most secondary peritonitis (80%), necrotizing fascitis (75%) and wounds with devitalized tissues (66.7%) were polymicrobial. Common microorganisms isolated in our study were E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella spp. , Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacteroides fragilis and Peptostreptococcus spp. The most effective antibiotics for S. aureus were clindamycin (79.1%) and cefuroxime (70.8%). For Gram-negatives (Klebsiella spp., E. coli and Proteus spp.), the most effective antibiotics were cefotaxime, ceftizoxime, amikacin and ciprofloxacin. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was maximally sensitive to amikacin (35.2%) and ciprofloxacin (35.2%). The greatest degree of multidrug resistance to all the drugs was found in P. aeruginosa (52.9%), followed by Klebsiella spp. (33.3%), Proteus spp. (33.3%), E. coli (22.2%), and S. aureus (12.5%). All the anaerobes that we isolated were 100% sensitive to metronidazole and chloramphenicol, followed by clindamycin (95% to 100%). Apart from antibiotic therapy, non-antimicrobial methods, such as hyperbaric oxygen therapy and debridement also play an important role in the treatment of surgical infections.
Tobacco Advertisements on Social Media and Religiosity and Its Effect to Smoking Intention in Students Muslim

The tobacco industry tries to attract the attention of young people as potential consumers through cigarette advertisements on various platforms, one of which is cigarette advertisements on social media. Cigarette advertisements on social media appear and are broadcast directly or indirectly through television, radio, billboards, and other media. This study aims to determine how the influence of cigarette advertisements on social media and religiosity can affect smoking intentions in adolescents. This study uses quantitative research with a cross-sectional design with a population of 2,203 people and a sample size of 1000 respondents. The sampling technique in this study uses purposive sampling criteria to determine the sample, which includes 11th - 12th-grade students who have social media applications. The variables analyzed include cigarette advertisements (whether or not they have seen cigarette advertisements on social media, intensity, and duration), smoking intention (purchase intention and family smoking behavior), and self-religiosity (intensity of listening to lectures on the law of smoking and duration). This research was conducted at State Aliyah Madrasah 2 Model Medan in January 2024. Primary data came from Google Forms questionnaires distributed directly to students. To test this research, the variables analyzed were cigarette advertising, smoking intention, and religiosity. This study uses a correlation test and multiple linear regression test using SPSS version 20. This study shows the results that cigarette advertisements on social media affect adolescents' intentions regarding smoking behavior (Sig < 0.007), and there is an effect of religiosity on adolescents' intentions regarding smoking behavior (Sig < 0.001). The influence of cigarette advertisements on adolescent smoking intention and the results of religiosity research show that smoking intention is influenced by a lack of self-control and low self-confidence, so the desire to smoke cannot be minimized.Keyword: Religiosity, Smoking intention, Social Media, Teenegers, Tobacco advertisement.
Efficient Determination of Sampling Rate and Sample Size in Statistical Process Control

We propose a simple method for the determination of minimum efficacious sampling rate and sample size in Shewhart-like control charts, a controversial topic both in the academic and industrial fields dealing with Statistical Process Control (SPC). By modeling the control procedure as the sampling of a stochastic process and analyzing data in the frequency realm, it is possible to identify meaningful system time scales and apply the well-known Nyquist-Shannon sampling theorem in order to define conditions for an efficient quality control practice. Such conditions express the minimal requirements for an efficacious monitoring of quality indices, indicating the minimal efficacious sampling rate and the minimal effective size of rational subgroups in Xbar and R (or S) charts, which are useful both in the set-up phase and in the on-line control phase of the Shewhart's control charts. Results can be applied also to I-MR charts. No statistical assumptions are made on the monitored data; in particular neither statistical independence nor Gaussianity is assumed in the derivation of the results. We focus on continuous processes like those typical in, but not limited to, e.g. refining, chemical processing and mining.
Enzalutamide Maintenance Following Docetaxel in Metastatic Castration-Naive Prostate Cancer: A Pilot Feasibility Study

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and short-term efficacy of maintenance enzalutamide following first-line docetaxel plus androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) in patients with high-volume, metastatic castration-naive prostate cancer (mCNPC). Materials and Methods: The present study included 38 consecutive patients with mCNPC who did not have disease progression with ADT plus docetaxel between October 2022 and October 2023. Patients received a switch maintenance therapy with enzalutamide until progression, unacceptable toxicity, or patient withdrawal. Endpoints included time to prostate-specific antigen (PSA) progression and safety.Results: Among the 38 patients, the median age was 68 years, and the most frequently observed metastatic site was bone (n=36), followed by lymph nodes (n=28), lung (n=8), and liver (n=1). The median duration of firstline docetaxel was 2.8 months (range, 2.7–5.0 months). At the time of commencing maintenance enzalutamide, the median PSA was 3.2 ng/mL (range, 0.01–258 ng/mL). Maintenance enzalutamide was generally welltolerated. A total of 11 patients (28%) discontinued enzalutamide, and the main reasons included adverse events (prolonged fatigue of grade 1 or 2, n=6), disease progression (n=3) and financial burdens (n=2). Median time to PSA progression was not reached, and 93% were PSA progression-free at 12 months.Conclusions: Maintenance enzalutamide is a feasible treatment option with potential clinical benefit for patients with high-volume mCNPC who were progression-free after first-line ADT+docetaxel.
The Relationship between Genes, Psychological Traits, and Political Participation

Recent research demonstrates that a wide range of political attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors can be explained in part by genetic variation. However, these studies have not yet identified the mechanisms that generate such a relationship. Some scholars have speculated that psychological traits mediate the relationship between genes and political participation, but so far there have been no empirical tests. Here we focus on the role of three psychological traits that are believed to influence political participation: cognitive ability, personal control, and extraversion. Utilizing a unique sample of more than 2,000 Swedish twin pairs, we show that a common genetic factor can explain most of the relationship between these psychological traits and acts of political participation, as well as predispositions related to participation. While our analysis is not a definitive test, our results suggest an upper bound for a proposed mediation relationship between genes, psychological traits, and political participation.
Peer Functioning, Family Dysfunction, and Psychological Symptoms in a Risk Factor Model for Adolescent Inpatients' Suicidal Ideation Severity

Examined models of suicidal ideation severity that include two psychosocial risk factors (i.e., peer and family functioning) and four domains of psychological symptoms (i.e., generalized anxiety, depression, conduct problems, and substance abuse/dependence). Participants were 96 psychiatric inpatients (32 boys, 64 girls), ages 12 to 17, who were hospitalized because of concerns of suicidality. Adolescents completed a structured diagnostic interview, measures of suicidal ideation, and several dimensions of family and peer functioning. Results supported a model in which greater levels of perceived peer rejection and lower levels of close friendship support were associated directly with more severe suicidal ideation. In addition, indirect pathways included deviant peer affiliation and global family dysfunction related to suicidal ideation via substance use and depression symptoms. The results are among the first to demonstrate relations between suicidal ideation and several areas of adolescent peer functioning, as well as divergent processes for peer and family predictors of suicidal ideation.
The HEREiAM Tele-social-care Platform for Collaborative Management of Independent Living

Despite the population aging trend asks for an urgent reorganization of the assistance models, the adoption of ICT solutions for independent living has a limited diffusion. This can be due to the digital divide, hampering the access to such technologies by some elderly, and to the hyper-specialization of the available platforms, mainly conceived for health purposes and assuming a single service provider. The HEREiAM project challenges this approach, designing a system that includes leisure and home-monitoring applications in a fairly simple TV-based platform, where the collaboration between the different actors involved in the older adult care is coordinated. Preliminary results of the field testing in Italy after one-month operation indicate that the video-call service is the most used, but also the health-related services are regularly accessed for self-monitoring purposes.
Safe Randomized Load-Balanced Switching by Diffusing Extra Loads

Load-balanced switch architectures are known to be scalable in both size and speed, which is of interest due to the continued exponential growth in Internet traffic. However, the main drawback of load-balanced switches is that packets can depart out of order from the switch. Randomized load-balancing of application flows by means of hashing on the packet header is a well-known simple solution to this packet reordering problem in which all packets belonging to the same application flow are routed through the same intermediate port and hence the same path through the switch. Unfortunately, this method of load-balancing can lead to instability, depending on the mix of flow sizes and durations in the group of flows that gets randomly assigned to route through the same intermediate port. In this paper, we show that the randomized load-balancing of application flows can be enhanced to provably guarantee both stability and packet ordering by extending the approach with safety mechanisms that can uniformly diffuse packets across the switch whenever there is a build-up of packets waiting to route through the some intermediate port. Although simple and intuitive, our experimental results show that our extended randomized load-balancing approach significantly outperforms existing load-balanced switch architectures.
Microanalysis of impactors of the earth and impact products from the moon : the origin and evolution of micrometeorites, and tracking bombardment history through chemical and radioisotopic memories of lunar impact spherules

I TABLE OF CONTENTS . III LIST OF FIGURES . IX LIST OF TABLES . XXV LIST OF EQUATIONS . XXVIII PREFACE . 1 Bombardment of the Earth-Moon System . 1 The Cosmic Spherules Project . 1 Lunar Impact Spherules Project. 2 Thesis Structure . 3 CHAPTER 1: COSMIC SPHERULES PROJECT . 5 1.1 Chapter Outline . 5 1.2 Introduction . 5 1.2. 1 Objectives . 5 1.2. 2 Location . 6 1.3 Background . 8 1.3. 1 Micrometeorite Collections . 8 Deep Sea Spherule deposit (DSS) . 9 Greenland Spherules deposit (GS) . 9 Antarctic Surface Deposits (AS) . 10 South Pole Well Water deposit (SPWW) . 11 1.3. 2 Types of Micrometeorites . 13 Unmelted Micrometeorites . 13 Scoriaceous Micrometeorites . 15 Cosmic Spherules . 15 1.3. 3 Cosmic Spherule Textures and Composition . 16 Stony Spherules . 16 Iron Spherules . 18
Use of biochemical indices for analysis of growth in juvenile two-spotted gobies Gobiusculus flavescens of the Baltic Sea

Multiple biochemical measurements were evaluated as an indirect measure of juvenile fish growth rate. Juvenile two-spotted gobies, Gobiusculus flavescens (Fabricius), caught in the Kiel Bight, were incubated in a temperature gradient table at 7 different temperatures ranging from 9 to 22.7°C for up to 28 days and sampled weekly. RNA/DNA ratios (RNA/DNA), protein and lipid amounts were measured in whole fish homogenates and compared with calculated weight-based growth rates of the individuals. RNA/DNA values were not significantly correlated with weight-specific growth rates. Lipid- and protein-based growth rates, on the other hand, were highly correlated with weight-specific growth (R2 of 0.4-0.5) and lipid-based growth rate explained 45.8% variability of weight-based growth in a linear growth model. Weight-based growth rates showed a dome-shaped relationship to temperature with a maximum around 16°C, a trend mirrored in lipid-based growth rates. The results indicate a stage-dependent shift in energy storage and metabolism with a decoupling of RNA/DNA as an index of weight-based growth rate as the juvenile gobies mature and lipids become the main determinant of weight-based growth in these fish.
Cycle Inhibiting Factors (CIFs) Are a Growing Family of Functional Cyclomodulins Present in Invertebrate and Mammal Bacterial Pathogens

The cycle inhibiting factor (Cif) produced by enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli was the first cyclomodulin to be identified that is injected into host cells via the type III secretion machinery. Cif provokes cytopathic effects characterized by G1 and G2 cell cycle arrests, accumulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CKIs) p21waf1/cip1 and p27kip1 and formation of actin stress fibres. The X-ray crystal structure of Cif revealed it to be a divergent member of a superfamily of enzymes including cysteine proteases and acetyltransferases that share a conserved catalytic triad. Here we report the discovery and characterization of four Cif homologs encoded by different pathogenic or symbiotic bacteria isolated from vertebrates or invertebrates. Cif homologs from the enterobacteria Yersinia pseudotuberculosis, Photorhabdus luminescens, Photorhabdus asymbiotica and the β-proteobacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei all induce cytopathic effects identical to those observed with Cif from pathogenic E. coli. Although these Cif homologs are remarkably divergent in primary sequence, the catalytic triad is strictly conserved and was shown to be crucial for cell cycle arrest, cytoskeleton reorganization and CKIs accumulation. These results reveal that Cif proteins form a growing family of cyclomodulins in bacteria that interact with very distinct hosts including insects, nematodes and humans.
Concurrent optimal design of TCSC and PSS using symbiotic organisms search algorithm

The symbiotic organisms search (SOS), which has been recently introduced, is a robust powerful metaheuristic global optimizer. This nature-inspired algorithm imitates the symbiotic interaction strategies in an ecosystem exercised by organisms involved in interrelationships to survive and reproduce. One of the main beneficial features of the SOS in contrast to many other competent metaheuristic algorithms is that the algorithm does not need any specific algorithm parameters or tuning process. This paper applies the SOS algorithm to simultaneously design optimal controllers of a power system equipped with both a power system stabilizer (PSS) and a thyristor-controlled series compensator (TCSC). The algorithm of SOS is utilized to concurrently tune the variables of controllers for both the PSS and TCSC in the nonlinear optimization process. Simulation results reveal that the optimal SOS-based coordinated controllers can significantly stabilize the system and efficiently damp oscillations under severe disturbances. Results will also show that the optimal controllers obtained perform slightly better than the optimal controllers obtained using the two commonly used global optimization solvers, the genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization.