Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterizing the relation between depressive symptoms and Parkinson's disease in a sample of Swedish twins

Characterizing the Relation Between Depressive Symptoms and Parkinson’s Disease in a Sample of Swedish Twins Rebecca K. Widoe Depression commonly co-occurs with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Psychosocial stressors and biochemical changes associated with PD have both been implicated in the etiology of depression in PD. The purpose of the current study was to examine whether genetic or environmental influences contribute to the increased risk for depressive symptoms among individuals with PD in a population of twins. Among individuals with PD, 24% endorsed a moderate-severe level of depressive symptoms, and 64% endorsed at least a mild level of depressive symptoms. Casecontrol results indicated that PD is a significant risk factor for both mild (OR = 3.11, CI = 1.825.31) and moderate-severe (OR = 3.23, CI = 1.77-5.89) depressive symptoms, adjusting for age, sex, and prior history of major depression. Odds ratios were not significantly attenuated in the co-twin control analysis compared to the case control analysis for either mild or moderate-severe depressive symptoms, suggesting that genetic influences are unlikely to account for the increased risk of depressive symptoms among PD patients. Further support for environmental rather than genetic influences on the PD-depression relation was revealed by examining the risk of depressive symptoms among co-twins of PD patients versus co-twins of non-PD controls. Controlling for age, sex, and prior history of depression, PD in the co-twin was not a risk factor for mild or moderate-severe depressive symptoms in twins without PD. These findings indicate that environmental influences likely play an important role in the etiology of depressive symptoms in individuals with Parkinson’s disease. Alternatively, brain changes associated with PD may heighten biological vulnerability to depressive symptoms.
Is Continuous Subglottic Suctioning Cost-Effective for the Prevention of Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia?

Objective. To establish whether continuous subglottic suctioning (CSS) could be cost-effective. Design. Cost-benefit analysis, based on a hypothetical replacement of conventional ventilation (CV) with CSS. Setting. A surgical intensive care unit (SICU) of a tertiary care university hospital in France. Patients. All consecutive patients receiving ventilation in the SICU in 2006. Methods. Efficacy data for CSS were obtained from the literature and applied to the SICU of our hospital. Costs for CV and CSS were provided by the hospital pharmacy; costs for ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) were obtained from the literature. The cost per averted VAP episode was calculated, and a sensitivity analysis was performed on VAP incidence and on the number of tubes required for each patient. Results. At our SICU in 2006, 416 patients received mechanical ventilation for 3,487 ventilation-days, and 32 VAP episodes were observed (7.9 episodes per 100 ventilated patients; incidence density, 9.2 episodes per 10,000 ventilation-days). Based on the hypothesis of a 29% reduction in the risk of VAP with CSS than CV, 9 VAP episodes could have been averted. The additional cost of CSS for 2006 was estimated to be €10,585.34. The cost per averted VAP episode was €1,176.15. Assuming a VAP cost of €4,387, a total of 3 averted VAP episodes would neutralize the additional cost. For a low VAP incidence of 6.6%, the cost per averted VAP would be €1,323. If each patient required 2 tubes during ventilation, the cost would be €1,383.69 per averted VAP episode. Conclusion. Replacement of CV with CSS was cost-effective even when assuming the most pessimistic scenario of VAP incidence and costs.
Failure to confirm ferritin and caeruloplasmin as risk factors for the angiographic extent of coronary arteriosclerosis

Background It has been suggested that iron overload, as assessed by increased serum ferritin concentration, may be a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). Recent studies have reported conflicting data on the role of ferritin and other parameters of oxidative metabolism in CAD. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relation between the extent of CAD and parameters of oxidation. Methods We studied 275 patients (208 men aged 55.1 ± 9.6 years and 67 women aged 54.6 ± 10.0 years) who underwent coronary angiography or percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty for the first time. The parameters assessed were: iron, ferritin, transferrin, copper, caeruloplasmin and lipid. Cinefilms were assessed by the use of three scores: (1) Vessel score: 0‐3 points; 1 point for each of the three main coronary arteries with a stenosis >70%. (2) Stenosis score: 0‐32 points; the coronary artery tree was divided into eight segments that were scored 1‐4 points per segment with respect to the maximal degree of stenosis. (3) Extent score: 0‐100 points; extent of diffuse coronary lesions in each segment in relation to the length of the vessel. Multiple regression analyses were used to evaluate the results. Results Total cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (P< 0.001) in women, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (P<0.05) in men, and patient age showed a significant correlation with all three scores, but none of the parameters of oxidative metabolism (iron, transferrin, ferritin, copper, caeruloplasmin) correlated significantly with any of the three scores. Conclusion This study demonstrated a correlation between lipoproteins and the angiographic extent of CAD, but did not confirm a role for serum ferritin and other oxidative parameters as risk factors for the extent of CAD.
Science Achievement Gaps Begin Very Early, Persist, and Are Largely Explained by Modifiable Factors

We examined the age of onset, over-time dynamics, and mechanisms underlying science achievement gaps in U.S. elementary and middle schools. To do so, we estimated multilevel growth models that included as predictors children’s own general knowledge, reading and mathematics achievement, behavioral self-regulation, sociodemographics, other child- and family-level characteristics (e.g., parenting quality), and school-level characteristics (e.g., racial, ethnic, and economic composition; school academic climate). Analyses of a longitudinal sample of 7,757 children indicated large gaps in general knowledge already evident at kindergarten entry. Kindergarten general knowledge was the strongest predictor of first-grade general knowledge, which in turn was the strongest predictor of children’s science achievement from third to eighth grade. Large science achievement gaps were evident when science achievement measures first became available in third grade. These gaps persisted until at least the end of eighth grade. Most or all of the observed science achievement gaps were explained by the study’s many predictors. Efforts to address science achievement gaps in the United States likely require intensified early intervention efforts, particularly those delivered before the primary grades. If unaddressed, science achievement gaps emerge by kindergarten and continue until at least the end of eighth grade.
Using Big Data to Estimate Consumer Surplus: The Case of Uber

Estimating consumer surplus is challenging because it requires identification of the entire demand curve. We rely on Uber’s “surge” pricing algorithm and the richness of its individual level data to first estimate demand elasticities at several points along the demand curve. We then use these elasticity estimates to estimate consumer surplus. Using almost 50 million individual-level observations and a regression discontinuity design, we estimate that in 2015 the UberX service generated about $2.9 billion in consumer surplus in the four U.S. cities included in our analysis. For each dollar spent by consumers, about $1.60 of consumer surplus is generated. Back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that the overall consumer surplus generated by the UberX service in the United States in 2015 was $6.8 billion.
Interleukin-5 Transgenic Mice Show Enhanced Resistance to Primary Infections with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis but Not Primary Infections withToxocara canis

ABSTRACT In this study, interleukin-5 (IL-5) transgenic mice with lifelong eosinophilia were assessed for resistance to primary infections with two tissue-invading nematodes, Nippostrongylus brasiliensisand Toxocara canis. Relative to nontransgenic littermates, three lines of IL-5 transgenic mice with varying degrees of eosinophilia all displayed enhanced resistance to N. brasiliensis. Although the timing of final worm expulsion was similar in transgenic and nontransgenic hosts, intestinal worms in transgenic mice were fewer in number throughout infection, failed to increase in size over the course of the infection, and were much less fecund. In contrast, T. canis larvae were recovered in similar numbers from tissues of transgenic mice with “low” or “high” eosinophilia and from nontransgenic mice. These results and other data suggest that eosinophils can contribute to host resistance to some parasite species. Parasite transit time through the host may correlate with relative sensitivity to eosinophils.
The child with Down syndrome: risk and protective factors from the perspective of the Bioecological Theory of Human Development

The birth of a child requires a rearrangement of roles in the family. However, if this birth is marked by the arrival of a child with a disability, it may cause instability in the family, due to the break of parental expectations about an ideal baby. The present article aims at presenting a review of research findings and discussing them in order to promote a reflection on the characteristics of Down syndrome (DS) and its impact on child development and family, focusing on the risk and protection factors that affect this population ́s health. The Bioecological theory of Human Development, which establishes inter relationship of individual and environmental factors, has been used as theoretical framework for the discussions of the results.From this theory, the Birth of a child with Down syndrome requires an adaptation of the family context, since children with DS are exposed to environmental factors that may influence their development. Nevertheless, scientific literature points out to the advances of knowledge in the area, and it identifies risk and protective factors that can work for the development of children with DS. In conclusion, the risk and protection factors potentially of children with DS are very similar to the children without disabilities. An important emphasis should be placed on factors of the macrosystem for the population with disabilities, more specifically for people with DS, as the advancement of knowledge about this syndrome and the development of specific public policies can increase life quality and
A Preliminary Examination of Some Complex Job Scope-Growth Need Strength Interactions.

This paper examines two extensions to the Hackman and Oldham (1976) job characteristics model of work motivation. One extension described a curvilinear relationship between psychological response and job scope. The second extension viewed the degree of curvature in this relationship to be a function of growth need strength. Only the first extension proved to be a statistically significant improvement over the basic model. Implications of these results for the job characteristics model are discussed.
The indirect pathway of allorecognition. The occurrence of self-restricted T cell recognition of allo-MHC peptides early in acute renal allograft rejection and its inhibition by conventional immunosuppression.

There is evidence that T cells can "directly" recognize intact allo-MHC molecules on the surface of allogeneic stimulator or target cells, and/or "indirectly" recognize processed allo-MHC peptides presented by self antigen-presenting cells (APCs). We and others have recently demonstrated that in vivo-primed rat CD4+ T cells recognize and proliferate to specific polymorphic amino acid sequences when presented as MHC allopeptides by self APCs. Studies on the mechanisms of indirect T cell recognition of alloantigen are now reported. First, we studied the immunogenicity of 4 synthetic polymorphic class II MHC allopeptides representing full-length sequences of the hypervariable domains of RT1.Du beta (DR or I-E-like) in several responder strains: LEW (RT1(l)), ACI (RT1a), BUF (RT1b), BN (RT1n), and control syngeneic WF (RT1u) strains. Immunogenicity of the individual 25mer allopeptides varied in the different responder strains, indicating that self-restricted T cell recognition of allo-MHC peptides is determined not only by polymorphisms, but also by the responder MHC genotype. Self-restricted CD4+ T cell recognition of processed allo-MHC peptides has been shown to occur during acute skin and cardiac allograft rejection, and there is evidence that this pathway may play an important role in initiating and amplifying the immune response to allografts. T cells from LEW animals primed in vivo by WF (RT1u) vascularized renal allografts were capable of proliferating to the RT1.Du beta peptides as early as 3 days postengraftment, when presented by self APCs. We then tested the effects of various immunosuppressive drugs on self-restricted primed T cell proliferative response to an immunogenic MHC allopeptide in vitro. Methylprednisolone, cyclosporine, and FK506 inhibited the proliferative response of RT1.Du beta 2-primed LEW T cells in a dose-dependent fashion. In addition, a single injection of cyclosporine (25 mg/kg i.m.) to LEW recipients of WF renal allografts on the day of transplantation completely abolished the proliferative response of in vivo-primed T cells to RT1.Du beta 2, indicating the susceptibility of the indirect pathway of allorecognition to conventional immunosuppressive drugs.
PREDICTION OF MENTAL HEALTH AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF STUDENTS WITHIN COGNITIVE EMOTIONAL REGULATION STRATEGIES IN MEDICAL SCIENCES UNIVERSITY OF JUNDISHAPUR IN AHVAZ

The aim of this study was the examination of cognitive emotional regulation strategies as predictors of mental health and educational outcomes of students in Ahvaz Jundishapour University of Medical Sciences. In this study, 230 students were selected by random cluster sampling and also two questionnaires to examine the variables of this study were cognitive emotional regulation strategies (CERQ) and general health questionnaire (GHQ). In order to measure the academic performance of students, the average of scores that they already had passed was used. The multivariate analysis (logistic regression) showed that acceptance, belonged to compatible cognitive emotional regulation strategies and catastrophising belonged to incompatible cognitive emotional regulation strategies were significant predictors of psychological health. In addition, the multivariate regression showed that none of cognitive emotional regulation strategies were significant predictors of academic performance. The catastrophising strategy also played more roles in predicting the psychological health. Furthermore, it was revealed that males more than females used self-blame strategy and catastrophising. According to the results of this study, cognitive emotional regulation strategies would be useful for cognitive-behavioral interventions
Association of haplotypes of the TLR8 locus with susceptibility to Crohn's and Behçet's diseases.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the role of the TLR8, a mediator of innate inflammatory response, in susceptibility to two immune-mediated disorders characterised by dysregulation of the immune response, Crohn's and Behçet's diseases (CD and BD). METHODS A total of 844 CD, 371 BD patients and 1385 controls were genotyped in 8 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (tSNPs) in the locus TLR8 (chromosome X). All these tSNPs have a minor allele frequency greater than 0.05 in the Caucasian population. RESULTS The rs2407992 and the rs5744067 were associated with susceptibility to BD and CD, respectively (OR=1.34, 95%CI=1.10-1.62, p=0.0025 and OR=0.82, 95%CI=0.68-0.99, p=0.045, respectively). Although after stratification by gender, statistically significant differences in the distribution of the aforementioned SNPs were only observed in the females groups (BD OR=1.31, 95%CI=1.06-1.64, p=0.012 and CD OR=0.84, 95%CI=0.72-0.98, p=0.044) the trend was similar among males. Since the rs5744067 and rs2407992 are located in the same linkage disequilibrium block, we performed a haplotypic analysis by combination of the tSNPs. One haplotype (H1) was identified as a protective factor in BD (OR=0.75, 95%CI=0.62-0.90, p=0.0027) and another (H2) as a protective factor in CD (OR=0.78, 95%CI=0.64-094, p=0.0102). No statistically significant differences in the mean of the levels of expression attributable to the haplotype variants were found in the in silico analysis performed. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest a relationship between the TLR8 and the susceptibility to CD and BD. Nevertheless, these differences could not be imputed to the levels of expression.
Asparagine assimilation is critical for intracellular replication and dissemination of Francisella

In order to develop a successful infectious cycle, intracellular bacterial pathogens must be able to adapt their metabolism to optimally utilize the nutrients available in the cellular compartments and tissues where they reside. Francisella tularensis, the agent of the zoonotic disease tularaemia, is a highly infectious bacterium for a large number of animal species. This bacterium replicates in its mammalian hosts mainly in the cytosol of infected macrophages. We report here the identification of a novel amino acid transporter of the major facilitator superfamily of secondary transporters that is required for bacterial intracellular multiplication and systemic dissemination. We show that inactivation of this transporter does not affect phagosomal escape but prevents multiplication in the cytosol of all cell types tested. Remarkably, the intracellular growth defect of the mutant was fully and specifically reversed by addition of asparagine or asparagine‐containing dipeptides as well as by simultaneous addition of aspartic acid and ammonium. Importantly, bacterial virulence was also restored in vivo, in the mouse model, by asparagine supplementation. This work unravels thus, for the first time, the importance of asparagine for cytosolicmultiplication of Francisella. Amino acid transporters are likely to constitute underappreciated players in bacterial intracellular parasitism.
Smart multi-task scheduling for OpenCL programs on CPU/GPU heterogeneous platforms

Heterogeneous systems consisting of multiple CPUs and GPUs are increasingly attractive as platforms for high performance computing. Such platforms are usually programmed using OpenCL which provides program portability by allowing the same program to execute on different types of device. As such systems become more mainstream, they will move from application dedicated devices to platforms that need to support multiple concurrent user applications. Here there is a need to determine when and where to map different applications so as to best utilize the available heterogeneous hardware resources. In this paper, we present an efficient OpenCL task scheduling scheme which schedules multiple kernels from multiple programs on CPU/GPU heterogeneous platforms. It does this by determining at runtime which kernels are likely to best utilize a device. We show that speedup is a good scheduling priority function and develop a novel model that predicts a kernel's speedup based on its static code structure. Our scheduler uses this prediction and runtime input data size to prioritize and schedule tasks. This technique is applied to a large set of concurrent OpenCL kernels. We evaluated our approach for system throughput and average turn-around time against competitive techniques on two different platforms: a Core i7/Nvidia GTX590 and a Core i7/AMD Tahiti 7970 platforms. For system throughput, we achieve, on average, a 1.21x and 1.25x improvement over the best competitors on the NVIDIA and AMD platforms respectively. Our approach reduces the turnaround time, on average, by at least 1.5x and 1.2x on the NVIDIA and AMD platforms respectively, when compared to alternative approaches.
Beyond the finite in automatic hardware verification

We present a new approach to hardware veriication based on describing circuits in Monadic Second-order Logic (M2L). We show how to use this logic to represent generic designs like n-bit adders, which are para-meterized in space, and sequential circuits, where time is an unbounded parameter. M2L admits a decision procedure, implemented in the Mona tool 16], which reduces formulas to canonical automata. The decision problem for M2L is non-elementary decidable and thus unlikely to be usable in practice. However, we have used Mona to automatically verify, or nd errors in, a number of circuits studied in the literature. Previously published machine proofs of the same circuits are based on deduction and may involve substantial interaction with the user. Moreover, our approach is orders of magnitude faster for the examples considered. We show why the underlying computations are feasible and how our use of Mona generalizes standard BDD-based hardware reasoning.
Collaborative learning in pre-service teacher education: primary school teachers' competence and educational practice

In this study, the actual position of collaborative learning (CL) in teacher education is examined. 120 teacher educators and 369 student teachers are surveyed on general educational beliefs, mental models, and conceptions related to CL. The self-efficacy and the implementation of CL are also taken under scrutiny. The results reveal that CL is highly valued as an instructional strategy for primary school children, however student teachers do not prefer to collaborate themselves during their learning process. Student teachers’ self-efficacy towards the use of CL is moderate. CL is implemented occasionally once in a while in teacher education, but student teachers are not intensively trained in the pedagogical use of CL for their future classroom practice.