Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Optimal Monetary Policy with Distinct Core and Headline Inflation Rates

In a stylized DSGE model with an energy sector, the optimal policy response to an adverse energy supply shock implies a rise in core inflation, a larger rise in headline inflation, and a decline in wage inflation. The optimal policy is well-approximated by policies that stabilize the output gap, but also by a wide array of "dual mandate" policies that are not overly aggressive in stabilizing core inflation. Finally, policies that react to a forecast of headline inflation following a temporary energy shock imply markedly different effects than policies that react to a forecast of core, with the former inducing greater volatility in core inflation and the output gap.
Plate Waste and Attitudes among High School Lunch Program Participants.

that this study was published before the SY2014-15 implementation of the Smart Snacks Nutrition Standards for Competitive Food in Schools, as required by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Acts of 2010. As such, certain research relating to food in schools may not be relevant today. ABSTRACT Purpose/Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine: 1) What foods high school students participating in the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) are discarding the most? 2) How much of these foods they are discarding? and 3) What are their perceptions towards school lunch? Methods Researchers measured plate waste at two high schools using a previously validated digital photography method. Additionally, students completed a 19-item, multiple-choice lunch program experience survey. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation, and t-tests.
The Entity Name System: Enabling the web of entities

We are currently witnessing an increasing interest in the use of the web as an information and knowledge source. Much of the information sought after in the web is in this case relevant to named entities (i.e., persons, locations, organizations, etc.). An important observation is that the entity identification problem lies at the core of many applications in this context. In order to deal with this problem, we propose the Entity Name System (ENS), a large scale, distributed infrastructure for assigning and managing unique identifiers for entities in the web. In this paper, we examine the special requirements for storage and management of entities, in the context of the ENS. We present a conceptual model for the representation of entities, and discuss problems related to data quality, as well as the management of the entity lifecycle. Finally, we describe the architecture of the current prototype of the system.
Early Amyloid Deposition in the Medial Temporal Lobe of Young Down Syndrome Patients: A Regional Quantitative Analysis

The presence of the neuropathological alterations of Alzheimer's disease (AD) in essentially all older Down syndrome (DS) patients suggests that the examination of younger DS patients may clarify the early pathological progression of AD. We examined the hippocampus and parahippocampal-inferior temporal gyri of 42 DS patients (ages 4 days to 38 years) for the deposition of amyloid beta protein (Abeta) using both a modified Bielschowsky stain and immunohistochemistry for Abeta protein. The parahippocampal and inferior temporal gyri demonstrated Abeta staining in cases as young as 8 years of age. As age and degree of Abeta deposition increased, staining included the CA-1/subiculum and dentate molecular layer followed then by the remainder of the CA hippocampal regions. The first neuritic plaques were observed in the CA-1/subiculum, despite this being a later region of Abeta deposition. Although Abeta staining increased with age, there was substantial variability in the severity of Abeta deposition within age groups. These results suggest that within the hippocampal/parahippocampal region there is a progressive stereotypic deposition of Abeta. The variable severity of Abeta deposition within age groups suggests that other factors, besides DS, may be contributing to the timing and severity of Abeta deposition.
A Genomic, Evolutionary, and Mechanistic Study of MCR‐5 Action Suggests Functional Unification across the MCR Family of Colistin Resistance

A growing number of mobile colistin resistance (MCR) proteins is threatening the renewed interest of colistin as a “last‐resort” defense against carbapenem‐resistant pathogens. Here, the comparative genomics of a large plasmid harboring mcr‐5 from Aeromonas hydrophila and the structural/functional perspectives of MCR‐5 action are reported. Whole genome sequencing has identified the loss of certain parts of the Tn3‐type transposon typically associated with mcr‐5, providing a clue toward its mobilization. Phylogeny of MCR‐5 suggests that it is distinct from the MCR‐1/2 sub‐lineage, but might share a common ancestor of MCR‐3/4. Domain‐swapping analysis of MCR‐5 elucidates that its two structural motifs (transmembrane domain and catalytic domain) are incompatible with its counterparts in MCR‐1/2. Like the rest of the MCR family, MCR‐5 exhibits a series of conservative features, including zinc‐dependent active sites, phosphatidylethanolamine‐binding cavity, and the mechanism of enzymatic action. In vitro and in vivo evidence that MCR‐5 catalyzes the addition of phosphoethanolamine to the suggestive 4′‐phosphate of lipid A moieties is integrated, and results in the consequent polymyxin resistance. In addition, MCR‐5 alleviates the colistin‐induced formation of reactive oxygen species in E. coli. Taken together, the finding suggests that a growing body of MCR family resistance enzymes are functionally unified.
Molecular Pathways: Targeting Proteasomal Protein Degradation in Cancer

With the approval by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration of bortezomib for the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle cell lymphoma, the proteasome was clinically validated as a target in oncology. The proteasome is part of a complex cellular pathway that controls the specificity and rate of degradation of the majority of proteins in the cell. The search for additional drug targets in the proteasomal pathway is ongoing. In parallel, the next generation of proteasome inhibitors, exhibiting some properties distinct from that of bortezomib, are currently being studied in clinical trials. The key question will be whether these distinctions can improve upon the clinical efficacy and safety standards established by bortezomib and refine our understanding of the mechanism by which proteasome inhibitors are effective in the treatment of cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 18(1); 15–20. ©2011 AACR.
The relationship between expectation regarding aging and functional health status among older adults in China.

PURPOSE To examine the level of and factors influencing expectations regarding aging (ERA) among older Chinese adults, and to determine whether leisure-time exercise mediates the association between ERA and functional health status. METHODS A population-based, cross-sectional design was utilized in this study. A total of 550 participants completed the face-to-face interview via a questionnaire addressing ERA, physical health conditions, personality and psychological factors, leisure-time exercise, and functional health status. RESULTS More than four fifths of the older adults felt that having more aches and pains (88.0%), lower levels of energy (82.7%), and being forgetful (82.5%) were an accepted part of aging, and 74.7% of participants reported it to be true that "being depressed is normal for older adults. " The regression model showed that depression and self-mastery were factors that influence ERA among older Chinese adults (β = -0.26, p = .000; β = 0.15, p = .000). The Instrument Activity of Daily Life and World Health Organization Disability Assessment scores were not associated with ERA. Leisure-time exercise mediated the relationship between ERA and functional health status. CONCLUSIONS Older adults generally consider body function decline to be an expected part of aging. Personality and psychological factors, rather than physical health conditions, were the factors that were considered to be most influential on ERA among Chinese older adults. These findings suggest that community interventions taking into account leisure-time exercise could be influential in improving the ERA and functional health status of older adults. CLINICAL RELEVANCE For community nurses and other primary care providers, the findings of the present study may facilitate the subsequent design of community-based participatory intervention to improve ERA, as well as potentially improve the functional health status of older adults.
A Trip to the Zoo: Children's Words and Photographs

Field trips are a regular part of many programs for young children. Field trips can serve a variety of purposes, such as exposing children to new things or helping children to see familiar things in new ways. The purpose of this study was to learn the meaning children gave to a field trip. Cameras were made available to each of the children in a group of 3- to 12-year-olds (n = 21) from a campus child care center. It was suggested to them that they take pictures during the field trip to show other children, who were unable to go on the trip, what the zoo was like. Trips to the zoo were not a regular part of the center's program. The results revealed that over 80% of 6- to 12-year-olds' photographs contained animals. Older children noticed and learned new features of familiar animals and about new, unfamiliar animals. Only the 10- to 12-year-olds indicated that they understood abstract concepts such as the need to preserve animals. On the other hand, with one exception, only 56% of the preschool children's photographs contained animals, and they photographed only familiar animals, including chipmunks. They photographed action (e.g., swimming, petting). Young children also photographed the clouds, ground, and other items not uniquely associated with the zoo. The results were interpreted in light of Farrar and Goodman's SchemaConformation Deployment Model. Preschool children seem to need more than one exposure
Reducing children's television viewing to prevent obesity: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Some observational studies have found an association between television viewing and child and adolescent adiposity. OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of reducing television, videotape, and video game use on changes in adiposity, physical activity, and dietary intake. DESIGN Randomized controlled school-based trial conducted from September 1996 to April 1997. SETTING Two sociodemographically and scholastically matched public elementary schools in San Jose, Calif. PARTICIPANTS Of 198 third- and fourth-grade students, who were given parental consent to participate, 192 students (mean age, 8.9 years) completed the study. INTERVENTION Children in 1 elementary school received an 18-lesson, 6-month classroom curriculum to reduce television, videotape, and video game use. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Changes in measures of height, weight, triceps skinfold thickness, waist and hip circumferences, and cardiorespiratory fitness; self-reported media use, physical activity, and dietary behaviors; and parental report of child and family behaviors. The primary outcome measure was body mass index, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. RESULTS Compared with controls, children in the intervention group had statistically significant relative decreases in body mass index (intervention vs control change: 18.38 to 18.67 kg/m2 vs 18.10 to 18.81 kg/m2, respectively; adjusted difference -0.45 kg/m2 [95% confidence interval [CI], -0.73 to -0.17]; P = .002), triceps skinfold thickness (intervention vs control change: 14.55 to 15.47 mm vs 13.97 to 16.46 mm, respectively; adjusted difference, -1.47 mm [95% CI, -2.41 to -0.54]; P=.002), waist circumference (intervention vs control change: 60.48 to 63.57 cm vs 59.51 to 64.73 cm, respectively; adjusted difference, -2.30 cm [95% CI, -3.27 to -1.33]; P<.001), and waist-to-hip ratio (intervention vs control change: 0.83 to 0.83 vs 0.82 to 0.84, respectively; adjusted difference, -0.02 [95% CI, -0.03 to -0.01]; P<.001). Relative to controls, intervention group changes were accompanied by statistically significant decreases in children's reported television viewing and meals eaten in front of the television. There were no statistically significant differences between groups for changes in high-fat food intake, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and cardiorespiratory fitness. CONCLUSIONS Reducing television, videotape, and video game use may be a promising, population-based approach to prevent childhood obesity.
Phase IB study of the combination of docetaxel, gemcitabine, and bevacizumab in patients with advanced or recurrent soft tissue sarcoma: the Axtell regimen.

BACKGROUND To assess the response of patients with soft tissue sarcoma (STS) to the combination of docetaxel, bevacizumab, and gemcitabine. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-A levels and expression of VEGF-A and VEGF receptors 1 and 2 were evaluated. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty-eight chemotherapy-naive patients with STS were enrolled. A dose-finding study for gemcitabine from 1000, 1250, then 1500 mg/m(2) was done in nine patients (three cohorts), followed by an expansion cohort of 27 patients. Dose of docetaxel was 50 mg/m(2), bevacizumab was 5 mg/kg, and gemcitabine was 1500 mg/m(2), every 2 weeks. Serum VEGF-A was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and tissue VEGF-A and its receptors by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS The median follow-up was 36 months. The overall response rate observed was 31.4%, with 5 complete and 6 partial responses, and 18 stable diseases lasting for a median of 6 months. There was no significant hematologic toxicity. The adverse events with the highest grade were attributed to bevacizumab. There was no correlation of VEGF pathway biomarkers with outcome. CONCLUSIONS The combination of gemcitabine, docetaxel, and bevacizumab is safe and effective in patients with STS. The most concerning adverse events were consequences of bevacizumab administration. The benefit of bevacizumab in this patient population remains unclear.
When intraspecific exceeds interspecific variance: Effects of phytoplankton morphology and growth phase on copepod feeding and fitness

When different growth phases (exponential or stationary) or forms (solitary cells or colonies) of a single clone of Phaeocystis globosa were fed to three copepods, grazing, measured indirectly by fecal‐pellet production, on different types of P. globosa differed by nearly two orders of magnitude, with differences on this clone sometimes exceeding differences between different phytoplankton species. The copepods Pseudodiaptomus pelagicus and Eucalanus pileatus fed more on colonies than solitary cells, with P. pelagicus also feeding more on exponential than on stationary cultures. Feeding by Acartia tonsa was complex and dramatically more variable. A. tonsa consumed 16–92 times more P. globosa when feeding on stationary‐phase colonies than on any other P. globosa cell type. It fed five times more on stationary‐phase colonies of P. globosa than on the palatable Rhodomonas baltica, but fed more on R. baltica than on other stages of P. globosa. Diet effects on copepod fitness were not related to amounts of foods consumed. Survivorship of A. tonsa and E. pileatus did not differ on any of the P. globosa cell types, but survivorship of P. pelagicus was suppressed on colonies (which they consumed more of) versus solitary cells. A. tonsa consumed 30 times more stationary‐phase colonies than exponential‐phase solitary cells, but produced two times more eggs on the lesser consumed food. Dramatic consumption of stationary‐phase colonies may occur because this is a low‐quality food and A. tonsa attempts to compensate by consuming more. The limited consumption of other types is suggestive of chemical defenses that may be compromised when colonies enter stationary phase.
Relationship between Antibiotic Use and Incidence of MexXY-OprM Overproducers among Clinical Isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

ABSTRACT In a university hospital, time-series analysis revealed a significant relationship between antibiotic (aminoglycoside, fluoroquinolone, and cefepime) use and incidence of MexXY-OprM-overproducing Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In vitro experiments confirm that such mutants were readily selected from both PAO1 and clinical strains when grown in the presence of these antibiotics.
Assembly of phage lambda in vitro.

Edgar and Wood [1] have shown recently that it is possible to assemble, in vitro, the parts of phage T4 which accumulate in mutant infected cells to form infectious, viable phage particles. This complementation in vitro can also be demonstrated for phage lambda, as is shown below. One would expect lambda to be less complex in structure than T4, since the chromosome of lambda has only one fourth of the DNA content of T4 and presumably contains fewer genes. Indeed, it is found that the physiological functions of the genes of lambda, as revealed by in vitro assemblage, divide into two groups only-head donors and tail donors, in the terminology of Edgar and Wood [1]. Evidence is presented which suggests that the heads and tails of lambda can unite to form viable phage in the absence of other factors.
Parkinson’s Disease Protects Against Smoking?

Our aim was to estimate the pooled risk of current and former smoking for Parkinson’s disease (PD). We have reviewed all observational studies that evaluated the association between PD risk and smoking habit. Twenty six studies were identified: 21 case-control, 4 cohort and 1 cross-sectional. The cross-sectional study did not compare former with never smokers. These studies were carried out between 1968 and 2000. There was an obvious protective effect of current smoking in the pooled estimate [risk estimate 0.37 (95% confidence interval 0.33 to 0.41)]. Former versus never smokers had pooled risk estimate of 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.76 to 0.92). Current and former smoking do not, therefore, exert the same protective effect against PD so that it is unnecessary to postulate a biological mechanism through which smoking protects against PD. The results show that the reverse direction of causation is a more probable explanation, i.e. movement disorders of PD protect against smoking. Another explanation is that failure to develop strong smoking habits in early adult life might be a prodromal symptom of the disease and could perhaps be its first clinical manifestation.
Predictors of the risk of malnutrition among children under the age of 5 years in Somalia

Abstract Objective To investigate the predictors of wasting, stunting and low mid-upper arm circumference among children aged 6–59 months in Somalia using data from household cross-sectional surveys from 2007 to 2010 in order to help inform better targeting of nutritional interventions. Design Cross-sectional nutritional assessment surveys using structured interviews were conducted among communities in Somalia each year from 2007 to 2010. A two-stage cluster sampling methodology was used to select children aged 6–59 months from households across three livelihood zones (pastoral, agro-pastoral and riverine). Predictors of three anthropometric measures, weight-for-height (wasting), height-for-age (stunting) and mid-upper arm circumference, were analysed using Bayesian binomial regression, controlling for both spatial and temporal dependence in the data. Setting The study was conducted in randomly sampled villages, representative of three livelihood zones in Somalia. Subjects Children between the ages of 6 and 59 months in Somalia. Results The estimated national prevalence of wasting, stunting and low mid-upper arm circumference in children aged 6–59 months was 21 %, 31 % and 36 %, respectively. Although fever, diarrhoea, sex and age of the child, household size and access to foods were significant predictors of malnutrition, the strongest association was observed between all three indicators of malnutrition and the enhanced vegetation index. A 1-unit increase in enhanced vegetation index was associated with a 38 %, 49 % and 59 % reduction in wasting, stunting and low mid-upper arm circumference, respectively. Conclusions Infection and climatic variations are likely to be key drivers of malnutrition in Somalia. Better health data and close monitoring and forecasting of droughts may provide valuable information for nutritional intervention planning in Somalia.
Selective Packet Prioritization for Wireless Voice over IP

Voice over IP (VoIP) has the potential to be integrated with o ther Internet applications to provide interactive multimedia c ommunication services that are impossible (or at least very diffi cult) to deploy over the traditional circuit-switched wired and wir eless networks. To fully exploit the benefit of service integratio n, it is necessary that VoIP services can be seamlessly provide d with a good Quality-of-Service over several different netw ork technologies. Due to their wide availability and significan t user interest in mobile voice communications, particularly wir eless network technologies will be crucial for the success of VoIP (and vice versa). However, the legacy Internet architecture is based on the ”best effort” principle which does not guarantee a minimum amount of packet loss and a minimum delay of packet transmission required for voice communication. Considering a wirel ess access network to the Internet, QoS assurance is even more di fficult. This is due to the inherently shared nature of the medi um as well as its high medium error rate which add to the effect of congestion at routers known from wireline networks. In this paper we first analyze the concealment performance of the G.729 decoder as one prominent example of the CELP coder family which are typically employed for VoIP. Using th is result, we then develop QoS support schemes which selective ly mark packets to a higher (DiffServ) network priority at the sender dependent on the properties of the speech signal and t he expected concealment performance. On the wireless access l ink the priorities are then mapped to a simple ARQ scheme. This layered approach is in full conformance with existing stand ards. Objective quality measures (ITU-T P.861A and EMBSD) show that almost the same speech quality as if all packets of the da ta stream would have been marked as eligible for retransmissio n can be achieved while significantly reducing the number of ac tual retransmissions.
Progression through the spliceosome cycle requires Prp38p function for U4/U6 snRNA dissociation

The elaborate and energy‐intensive spliceosome assembly pathway belies the seemingly simple chemistry of pre‐mRNA splicing. Prp38p was previously identified as a protein required in vivo and in vitro for the first pre‐mRNA cleavage reaction catalyzed by the spliceosome. Here we show that Prp38p is a unique component of the U4/U6.U5 tri‐small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP) particle and is necessary for an essential step late in spliceosome maturation. Without Prp38p activity spliceosomes form, but arrest in a catalytically impaired state. Functional spliceosomes shed U4 snRNA before 5′ splice‐site cleavage. In contrast, Prp38p‐defective spliceosomes retain U4 snRNA bound to its U6 snRNA base‐pairing partner. Prp38p is the first tri‐snRNP‐specific protein shown to be dispensable for assembly, but required for conformational changes which lead to catalytic activation of the spliceosome.
Perclos: A valid psychophysiological measure of alertness as assessed by psychomotor vigilance

Driver fatigue is a significant risk factor in commercial transportation. Fatigue from combinations of sleep loss, night driving, and prolonged work time contributes substantially to the number of motor vehicle crashes. Over the past decade, driver drowsiness/fatigue has been the subject of intensified Department of Transportation interest and activity; one major initiative has been to explore technology that will enhance commercial motor vehicle (CMV) driver fatigue management.