Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship between Behavioral Activation/Inhibition Systems (BAS/BIS) and Bullying/ Victimization Behaviors among Male Adolescents

Objective This research was conducted to investigate the relationship between behavioral activation-inhibition systems and bullying-victimization behaviors among adolescents. Method This was a correlational and cross-sectional study. Two hundred and thirty school boys were selected randomly by multistage cluster sampling method, and participated in this research. This sample responded to a demographic questionnaire, the Revised Olweus Bully/ Victim questionnaire and the child version of behavioral inhibition/activation systems Scale in their classrooms and in the presence of the researcher. The collected data were analyzed by Pearson's correlation and multiple regressions. Result The results showed that bullying and victimization were correlated with both behavioral activation and behavioral inhibition systems (p < 0.01). The results also showed that 18% of the variance in victimization and 31% of the variance in bullying were explained by behavioral inhibition and behavioral activation systems respectively. Conclusion The results of this study implied that BAS and BIS may play a role in the manifestation of bullying in adolescents.
The effect of glucosamine supplementation on people experiencing regular knee pain

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of oral glucosamine supplementation on the functional ability and degree of pain felt by individuals who had regular knee pain, most likely due to previous articular cartilage damage, and possibly osteoarthritis. Methods: Subjects were randomly supplemented with either glucosamine (G) (n=24) or placebo (P) (lactose) (n=22) for 12 weeks at a dose of 2000 mg per day. Over this period, four testing sessions were conducted, with changes in knee pain and function assessed by clinical and functional tests, (joint line palpation, a 3 metre “duck walk” and a repeated, walking stair climb), two questionnaires (the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) and the Knee Pain Scale (KPS)) and participant subjective evaluations. Results: The clinical and functional test scores improved with time (main effects: p<0.05, p<0.01) but there were no significant differences between the two groups. The questionnaire results also recorded a significant main effect for time (p<0.05), but the glucosamine group was found to have significantly better KOOS quality of life scores at week eight and 12 (p<0.05), and lower KPS scores (p<0.05) at week eight than the placebo group. On self report evaluations of changes across the 12 week supplementation period, 88% (n=21) of the glucosamine group reported some degree of improvement in their knee pain versus only 17% (n=3) in the placebo group. Conclusions: These results suggest that glucosamine supplementation can provide some degree of pain relief and improved function in persons who experience regular knee pain, which may be caused by prior cartilage injury and/or osteoarthritis. The trends in the results also suggest that, at a dosage of 2000 mg per day, the majority of improvements are present after eight weeks.
Providing eco-driving feedback to corporate car drivers: what impact does a smartphone application have on their fuel efficiency?

The personal transport sector constitutes an important target of energy conservation and emission reduction programs. In this context, eco-feedback technologies that provide information on the driving behavior have shown to be an effective means to stimulate changes in driving in favor of both, reduced costs and environmental impact. This study extends the literature on eco-feedback technologies as it demonstrates that a smartphone application can improve fuel efficiency even under conditions where monetary incentives are not given, i.e. where the drivers do not pay for fuel. The field test, which took place with 50 corporate car drivers, demonstrates an improvement in the overall fuel efficiency by 3.23%. The theoretical contribution underlines the assumption that context-related feedback can favorably influence behavior even without direct financial benefits for the agent. Given the large share of corporate cars, findings are also of high practical importance and motivate future research on eco-driving feedback technologies.
Combining Super-Structuring and Abstraction on Sequence Classification

We present an approach to adapting the data representation used by a learner on sequence classification tasks. Our approach that exploits the complementary strengths of super-structuring (constructing complex features by combining existing features) and abstraction (grouping of similar features to generate more abstract features), yields smaller and, at the same time, accurate models. Super-structuring provides a way to increase the predictive accuracy of the learned models by enriching the data representation (and hence, increases the complexity of the learned models) whereas abstraction helps reduce the number of model parameters by simplifying the data representation. The results of our experiments on two data sets drawn from macromolecular sequence classification applications show that adapting data representation by combining super-structuring and abstraction, makes it possible to construct predictive models that use significantly smaller number of features (by one to three orders of magnitude) than those that are obtained using super-structuring alone, without sacrificing predictive accuracy. Our experiments also show that simplifying data representation using abstraction yields better performing models than those obtained using feature selection.
Viral microRNA profile in Epstein‐Barr virus‐associated peripheral T cell lymphoma

Effie Liakopoulou Hayley M. Greenfield Bronwen E. Shaw Sudhir Tauro Jennifer L. Byrne Mike Dennis John Burthem Guy S. Lucas Charles Craddock Nigel H. Russell John A. Liu Yin University Department of Haematology, Manchester Royal Infirmary, Manchester, Department of Haematology, Christie Hospital, Manchester, Department of Haematology, City Hospital, Nottingham, and Department of Haematology, University Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. E-mail: john.yin@cmmc.nhs. uk
Improved grid map layout by point set matching

Associating the regions of a geographic subdivision with the cells of a grid is a basic operation that is used in various types of maps, like spatially ordered treemaps and OD maps. In these cases the regular shapes of the grid cells allows easy representation of extra information about the regions. The main challenge is to find an association that allows a user to find a region in the grid quickly. We call the representation of a set of regions as a grid a grid map.
The effect of platelet-rich plasma and bone marrow on murine posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis with bone morphogenetic protein.

BACKGROUND Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has had limited success in stimulating osteogenesis at the site of posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis when used at the currently approved human dose for anterior lumbar interbody arthrodesis. The objective of the present study was to investigate the effect of co-administration of fresh harvested autologous bone marrow aspirate and platelet-rich plasma on rhBMP-2-mediated in vivo murine posterolateral lumbar spine arthrodesis. METHODS Forty adult male mice underwent posterolateral intertransverse process arthrodesis from L4 to L6. In three experimental groups, a collagen sponge was placed on each side, overlaying the decorticated transverse processes. Each collagen sponge was presoaked for fifteen minutes with 31 microg of rhBMP-2 in a 100-microL solution containing either saline solution (n = 10), platelet-rich plasma (n = 10), or donor bone-marrow cells (n = 10). Control mice underwent decortication alone (n = 10). The lumbar spine was harvested four weeks after surgery, and spinal fusion was evaluated on the basis of radiographs, computed tomography, and histological analysis. RESULTS Control mice showed no evidence of spinal fusion. The rate of fusion was radiographically and histologically similar in all three experimental groups. The area, volume, and density of the fusion mass were significantly greater (p < 0.05) for the group treated with rhBMP-2 and bone marrow as compared with the group treated with rhBMP-2 alone. The group treated with rhBMP-2 and platelet-rich plasma had intermediate fusion area and density. Histologically, the spines treated with rhBMP-2 alone consistently showed the presence of cortical bone between the two transverse processes but fewer trabeculae within the fusion mass; bone marrow co-augmentation resulted in more trabeculae within the fusion mass and a thicker cortical perimeter. CONCLUSIONS The present study quantitatively confirmed a synergistic effect of bone marrow cells when added to rhBMP-2 in an in vivo mouse posterolateral lumbar spine fusion model. The volume, area, and density of the fusion mass were significantly increased by augmentation with bone marrow cells.
MicroRNA-134 activity in somatostatin interneurons regulates H-Ras localization by repressing the palmitoylation enzyme, DHHC9

Significance Most brain regions comprise numerous neural cell types that are distinct in function and molecular characteristics. We examined microRNA-134 (miR-134) activity in cortical cultures using a microRNA sensor and discovered that miR-134 was induced in response to neuronal activity in somatostatin- and calretinin-expressing interneurons but not in pyramidal neurons. We identified the palmitoylation enzyme DHHC9 as a direct target of miR-134 and showed that it contributed to the regulation of H-Ras in somatostatin interneurons. H-Ras is a signaling molecule crucial for neuronal development and function. This study uncovered an activity-dependent miR-134 regulatory pathway in cortical interneurons that can potentially affect membrane localization of multiple signaling molecules. MicroRNA-134 (miR-134) serves as a widely accepted model for microRNA function in synaptic plasticity. In this model, synaptic activity stimulates miR-134 expression, which then regulates dendrite growth and spine formation. By using a ratiometric microRNA sensor, we found, unexpectedly, that miR-134 activity in cortical neurons was restricted to interneurons. Using an assay designed to trap microRNA–mRNA complexes, we determined that miR-134 interacted directly with the mRNA encoding the palmitoylation enzyme, DHHC9. This enzyme is known to palmitoylate H-Ras, a modification required for proper membrane trafficking. Treatment with bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist, decreased DHHC9 expression in somatostatin-positive interneurons and membrane localization of an H-Ras reporter in a manner that depended on miR-134. Thus, although miR-134 has been proposed to affect all types of neurons, we showed that functionally active miR-134 is produced in only a selected population of neurons where it influences the expression of targets, such as DHHC9, that regulate membrane targeting of critical signaling molecules.
Supplementary Material and Methods

Preparation of Rituximab engineered nanoparticles Rituximab engineered NP (NP-Rt) were prepared starting from unloaded (NP) PLGA-nanoparticles applying the methodology for Ab-surface engineering of NP. Briefly, in the presence of 150 mg of 1-Ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide (EDC; Sigma Aldrich, Saint Luis, MO) and 50 mg of N-Hydroxy-succinimide (NHS, Sigma Aldrich), used to conjugate the free primary amine groups on the particle surface with the carboxylic groups on the antibody molecules, 50 mg of each NP preparation was suspended and stirred at room temperature for 1 hour in 2-(N-morpholino) ethanesulfonic acid (MES, Sigma Aldrich) buffer. The activated NP were collected by ultracentrifugation at 15.000 rpm for 10 min at 4°C and the excess of reagents were removed. NP were re-suspended in MES and stirred at room temperature for 1 hour with the designated volume of Rituximab (100 µl of 1 mg/mL stock solution) in order to obtain Rituximab engineered NP (NP-Rt). After the reaction, the suspension of the engineered NP-Rt were collected by centrifugation and further washed twice by distilled water. NP-Rt were then lyophilized (LyoLab 3000, Heto-Holten, Allerod, Denmark) using D-(+)-trehalose (Fluka-Sigma Aldrich) as cryo-preservative at 1:3 w/w polymer/trehalose ratio. Physicochemical characterization of the nanoparticles Mean particle size and polydispersivity index (PDI) of the NP (in distilled water) were determined at 25°C by photon correlation spectroscopy (PCS) using a Zetasizer Nano ZS normalized with respect to a polystirene standard solution. The z-potential was measured (in similar–plasma fluid, pH 7.4±0.1) using the same equipment with a combination of laser
Event-Triggered Master–Slave Synchronization With Sampled-Data Communication

In this brief, the event-triggered synchronization is investigated for a class of heterogeneous master-slave coupling systems consisting of a high-dimensional master system but a low-dimensional slave system. An event-triggered sampled-data transmission strategy is designed, which allows the event-triggered condition to be examined only at sampling instants. With the assumption that only some sampled-data outputs of the master system are available to the slave system, a kind of observer-based synchronization controller is constructed and utilized. Based on a delayed-input approach, the master-slave synchronization problem is equivalently converted into the asymptotical stability problem of a time-delay system. By constructing an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and employing the free-weighting matrix approach, some sufficient synchronization criteria in terms of linear matrix inequalities are derived. Numerical simulations are finally provided to verify the theoretical results.
Effect of Post-Sintering Annealing Treatment on Magnetic Properties of Some Nd Fe b Based Magnets

Effects of post-sintering annealing treatment between 300 and 1000oC for up to 8 hrs time periods followed by either furnace cooling (FC) or air-cooling (AC) on the hard magnetic properties of some Nd-Fe-B based sintered magnets was investigated. It was shown that the intrinsic coercivity (Hci), second quadrant demagnetization loop shape and thus the energy density (BH)max varied considerably as a result of the annealing treatment. However, no significant changes occurred in the remanence (J) values of the magnets. Annealing at 500oC for 1 hr followed by FC resulted in a considerable deterioration in the demagnetization loop shapes and thus in (BH)max values in all the magnets. These changes were almost recoverable. By annealing at 500oC, followed by AC, no deterioration in the demagnetization loop shape occurred for any of the magnets and thus there were some increases in (BH)max values of the magnets due to increase in their Hci values. The highest Hci in magnets A and C was obtained by a standard annealing treatment for 1 hr at 600oC, while in magnet B, the highest Hci occurred after an annealing treatment for 2 hrs at 500oC, both followed by AC. No deterioration in the demagnetization loop shape was identified for any of the magnets either in FC or AC from 600oC. However, the coercivity enhancement in magnet A and in particular, in magnet B, was found to be much higher after AC than FC. In all the annealing treatments, the improvement in Hci and/or (BH)max values occurred in the first 1 or 2 hrs of annealing. Any further annealing beyond these times resulted in significant falls in the magnetic properties. Thus, long term annealing for up to 300 hrs at 400oC resulted in dramatic reductions in the hard magnetic properties, which could only be partially recovered. This behavior has been related to the oxidation of the magnets during long term annealing in a roughing pump vacuum. In this paper, the changes in Hci and (BH)max values during these annealing treatments are related to possible microstructural changes reported elsewhere.
Colchicine-induced degeneration of the micronucleus during conjugation in Tetrahymena

ABSTRACT One of the most dramatic examples of nuclear morphogenesis occurs during conjugation in Tetrahymena when the micronucleus elongates to a size longer than the cell itself. After contraction to a spherical shape, the nucleus moves directly to chromosome separation in the first meiotic division. Here we investigate the consequences of interrupting the elongation process. Colchicine, a microtubule inhibitor, caused retraction of elongated structures. With time, cells began to lose their micronuclei, and by five hours more than half of the paired cells had at least one cell missing a micronucleus. After reversing the colchicine block, existing micronuclei did not undergo elongation again, nor did meiosis occur. These observations indicate that micronuclear elongation is critical to subsequent meiotic division. Further, nuclear elimination occurs, which could be due to meiotic failure or possibly a problem downstream from meiosis. An analysis of the process of colchicine-induced micronuclear degeneration indicated that it was regulated by a caspase-dependent mechanism, characteristic of apoptosis, and then resorbed by a lysosome-dependent autophagic mechanism. Amicronucleate cells failed to grow when returned to nutrient medium, likely because of a lesion in the post-conjugation reconstruction of a functioning oral apparatus. The ease by which a large number of nuclei are induced to “self-destruct” may make this system useful in investigating the link between colchicine treatment and nuclear death in Tetrahymena, and in investigating how nuclear death could be regulated in living cells more generally. Finally, we note that this phenomenon might relate to the evolution of amicronucleate species of Tetrahymena.
BEEM studies on metal high K-dielectric HfO2 interfaces

In this work, we present an investigation of the Pt and Pd-HfO2-p-Si interfaces using ballistic electron emission microscopy. The band alignment of the Pt-HfO2-p-Si structure is inferred. The potential drop in the oxide has been determined. Oscillations in the collector current with increasing bias enable estimation of the effective mass of electrons in HfO2 in the range of 0.35-0.44 m0. Stressing studies indicate modest resistance to stressing, with a threshold of 0.5 nC for damage to the base/oxide. Our work is the first successful application of the BEEM technique to metal-high K dielectric interfaces.
Risk factors for early rebleeding after endoscopic band ligation for colonic diverticular hemorrhage

Background and study aims: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) has been used for hemostasis of colonic diverticular hemorrhage. However, early rebleeding (< 30 days after EBL) has been reported in some cases. The aim of this study was to elucidate risk factors for early rebleeding after EBL in treatment of colonic diverticular hemorrhage. Patients and methods: A total of 101 patients with definite diverticular hemorrhage treated using EBL from June 2009 to October 2014 were included in the retrospective cohort study and divided into rebleeding and non-rebleeding groups, depending on the presence or absence of early rebleeding. Patients’ ages, comorbid diseases, stigmata of recent hemorrhage (SRH) [active bleeding (AB), non-bleeding visible vessel (NBVV), or adherent clot (AC)], locations of bleeding diverticula, and eversions of the diverticula after EBL were retrospectively evaluated in each group. Results: Early rebleeding occurred in 15 cases. The median time (range) of early rebleeding occurrence was 5 days (range, 2 h to 26 days). Early rebleeding could be managed conservatively and/or endoscopically, except in one case in which surgery was done. Multivariate analysis revealed that age under 50 (adjusted OR, 8.7; 95 % CI 1.6 – 52.5; P = 0.014) and AB (adjusted OR, 4.21; 95 % CI 1.15 – 18.1; P = 0.03) were shown to be significant risk factors. The right side of the colon carried less risk than did the left side (adjusted OR, 0.21; 95 % CI 0.04 – 0.84; P = 0.028). Conclusions: Younger age, AB of SRH, and leftsided lesions were identified as the risk factors for early rebleeding after EBL in the treatment of colonic diverticular hemorrhage.
On the MOSFET Threshold Voltage Extraction by Transconductance and Transconductance-to-Current Ratio Change Methods: Part I—Effect of Gate-Voltage-Dependent Mobility

This paper presents a study of the effect of the gate-voltage-dependent mobility on the threshold voltage extraction in long-channel MOSFETs by the transconductance change method and recently proposed transconductance-to-current ratio change method, using analytical modeling and experimental data obtained on advanced silicon-on-insulator (SOI) FinFETs and ultrathin-body SOI MOSFETs with ultrathin high- gate dielectrics. It is shown that, at vanishingly small drain voltage and constant mobility, both methods yield the same values, coinciding with the position of the maximum of the second derivative of the inversion carrier density in respect to the gate voltage. However, such is not the case anymore when considering gate-voltage dependence of mobility around threshold. Analytical expressions for the errors in the values obtained by both methods due to mobility variation around threshold are obtained. Based on analytical modeling and experimental data, it is demonstrated that, for the same mobility variation, the resulting error on the extraction caused by the gate-voltage-dependent mobility is much smaller for the transconductance-to-current ratio change method than for the transconductance change method.
Synthesis, characterization and adsorption ability of UiO-66-NH2

In this study UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH2 were synthesized by solvothermal method. The effect of preparation conditions on the quality of UiO-66-NH2 was studied. The obtained material has been characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), infrared spectroscopy (IR), thermogravimatric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen physisorption measurements (BET). The CO2 and CH4 physisorption measurements were carried out using a high pressure volumetric analyzer (Micromeritics HPVA—100). The results showed that the UiO-66-NH2 of ball shape crystalline had been obtained and characterized by high surface area (BET) up to 876 m2 g−1, specific volume 0.379 cm3 g−1, pore radius 9.5 Å and thermal stability up to 673 K, respectively. The experiments indicated that in comparison with UiO-66 the addition of NH2 is able to increase the CO2 and CH4 storage capacity at 1 bar and 303 K twice from 28.43 cm3 g−1 up to 52 cm3 g−1 and from 6.68 cm3 g−1 to 11.1 cm3 g−1, respectively.
VHR image segmentation using over segmented regions in a MRF model

This paper presents a segmentation method that exploits object based region merging to delineate the context of the image under investigation. There are two main steps. Initially, primitive objects are obtained by morphological operations that generate spectrally homogenous primitives. We assume that primitives are components of semantic objects that are of interest. Next, these primitives therefore are modeled and merged based on expectation maximization. We presented the results of the experiments applied to QuickBird images of rural and urban areas taken from the city of Ankara, Turkey. Experimental results demonstrate the capabilities of these methods along with their limitations.