Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A basic technology-aided programme for leisure and communication of persons with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: performance and social rating

Abstract Purpose: This study assessed (a) the impact of a technology-aided programme on the leisure and communication engagement of persons with advanced amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and (b) the opinion of rehabilitation and care personnel regarding the programme. Method: The programme’s impact was assessed with four participants who were allowed to activate leisure and communication options through basic responses (e.g. knee, finger or lip movements) and microswitches. Forty-two care and health professionals rated the programme after watching video clips of persons with ALS (three of the four involved in this study and three involved in previous studies) during and outside of the programme. Results: The programme was effective with all participants. Their mean percentages of session time with independently initiated leisure and communication engagements were zero during baseline and increased to between nearly 70 and 80 during the intervention. The care and health professionals rated the technology-aided programme as beneficial for the participants’ positive engagement and social image, fairly practical for daily contexts and interesting from a personal standpoint. Conclusions: The programme might be viewed as a viable resource for persons with advanced ALS. Implications for Rehabilitation A programme characterised by versatility, simplicity and relatively low cost could be considered practically relevant for persons with ALS and their contexts. A programme that is effective in fostering participants’ independent leisure and communication engagement and is positively rated by care and rehabilitation personnel is more likely to be accepted and used with consistency. Any programme directed at persons affected by ALS needs to be adapted to the persons’ progressive deterioration, starting from the response and microswitch used for accessing the programme’s options.
Transforming Growth Factor-α Null and Senescent Mice Show Decreased Neural Progenitor Cell Proliferation in the Forebrain Subependyma

The adult mammalian forebrain subependyma contains neural stem cells and their progeny, the constitutively proliferating progenitor cells. Using bromodeoxyuridine labeling to detect mitotically active cells, we demonstrate that the endogenous expression of transforming growth factor-α (TGFα) is necessary for the full proliferation of progenitor cells localized to the dorsolateral corner of the subependyma and the full production of the neuronal progenitors that migrate to the olfactory bulbs. Proliferation of these progenitor cells also is diminished with age (in 23- to 25-months-old compared with 2- to 4-months-old mice), likely because of a lengthening of the cell cycle. Senescence or the absence of endogenous TGFα does not affect the numbers of neural stem cells isolated in vitro in the presence of epidermal growth factor. These results suggest that endogenous TGFα and the effects of senescence may regulate the proliferation of progenitor cells in the adult subependyma, but that the number of neural stem cells is maintained throughout life.
Feedback in commercial educational applications: Guidelines and conceptual framework

In recent years, schools made large investments to increase the integration and use of contemporary technologies in teaching and learning. Today iPads and educational applications are growing in popularity and are commonly used. These technologies have a potential beneficial effect on the learning, but studies show that some applications have flaws that hinder these positive effects, for example regarding the feedback provided to the user. This study has determined a number of guidelines for effective feedback in a learning situation and has further shown how well these guidelines can be reached in an educational application today. The study shows that there are both advantages and disadvantages of feedback in an application compared to giving feedback in a more traditional learning situation. Many of the guidelines for effective feedback were found to be possible to reach in an application, and the greatest advantage found in applications is that they can provide feedback timely on each action taken by the pupils.
Optimized Engagement Across Life Domains in Adult Development: Balancing Diversity and Interdomain Consequences

Adaptive life-span development involves individuals’ simultaneous coordination of motivational engagement across multiple domains of life. The present study tests this proposition using data from the Midlife in the United States National Longitudinal Study of Health and Well-Being (MIDUS I and II). Results from multilevel model analyses indicate that participants’ engagement with, perceived control over, and reported quality in the domains of work, health, and family relationships follow general trajectories across adulthood that reflect age-graded and socially structured opportunities. Furthermore, individuals adaptively managed their engagement across these central domains of adulthood, in that cross-domain associations were positive or at least nondetrimental.
Lower cellular immune responses to influenza A (H3N2) in the elderly

Influenza epidemic is an important cause of severe illness in the elderly. Age‐dependent morbidity of influenza in the elderly is associated with weakened immunity. The baseline age‐related memory T cell activity in Chinese persons who are exposed to influenza virus through natural infection, are associated with the protective response to the virus after vaccination, thus providing important pre‐vaccination information. A cohort from the general population was established at the end of an influenza season in an area where influenza occurs regularly, and followed for 24 weeks. The subjects had no vaccination history for 5 years. Memory T cell responses were evaluated using a set of peptides spanning the influenza A (H3N2) entire proteome in a gamma interferon (IFN‐γ)‐enzyme‐linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay, prior to the next influenza season. Changes of hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody titers were also evaluated. IFN‐γ+ T cell responses against influenza peptides were significantly lower in subjects of 60 years and older. Although the age‐related decline of cellular immune response was clear, no significant association of antibody titers with age was found. The pre‐vaccination baseline of memory IFN‐γ+ T cell immunity state in elderly Chinese was significantly lower than in people younger than 60 years. Measurement of the ex vivo cellular immune responses to influenza should be incorporated into the evaluation of protective immunity in elderly persons. J. Med. Virol. 81:1471–1476, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of leukotoxin gene types of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans in brazilians with aggressive periodontitis

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (Aa) tem sido associado com diferentes formas de doencas periodontais, mas tal especie e considerada o principal agente etiologico da doenca periodontal agressiva. Algumas cepas de Aa apresentam uma delecao de 530 pb na regiao promotora do operon do gene da leucotoxina, produzindo assim maiores quantidades de leucotoxina. Tal fato pode ter um importante papel na patogenese das doencas periodontais. A proposta do presente estudo foi determinar a prevalencia do Aa e a ocorrencia da delecao genetica da leucotoxina em pacientes com periodontite agressiva generalizada (PAG) de uma amostra da populacao brasileira. Trinta individuos com saude periodontal e 29 pacientes com PAG participaram do estudo. Profundidade de bolsa a sondagem (PBS), nivel clinico de insercao (NCI), presenca de placa supragengival (PL) e sangramento a sondagem (SAS) foram avaliados em 6 sitios/dente de todos os pacientes. Amostras de saliva foram coletadas para isolamento do DNA bacteriano. A deteccao do Aa e a ocorrencia da delecao genetica foram realizadas atraves da tecnica de PCR diretamente nas amostras. Diferencas nos parâmetros clinicos e microbiologicos entre os grupos foram avaliadas atraves dos testes de Mann-Whitney, Fisher e Qui-quadrado. Associacoes entre os parâmetros clinicos e microbiologicos foram testadas atraves do teste de Pearson. Aa foi detectado com maior frequencia em pacientes com PAG (96,6%) do que pacientes saudaveis (76,7%) (c2 = 4,9; p < 0,05). A delecao genetica foi observada em 16 dos 28 (57,1%) pacientes com PAG que foram positivos para Aa. Porem, nenhuma das amostras de individuos com saude periodontal apresentaram a delecao (c2 = 19,15; p < 0,001). Correlacoes significantes entre a presenca da delecao e os parâmetros clinicos PBS (r=0,312, p<0,05), NCI (r=0,406, p<0,01), PL (r=0,278, p<0,05) e SAS (r=0,409, p<0,01) foram observadas. Uma alta prevalencia de Aa foi observada em brasileiros com PAG e saude periodontal, entretanto o genotipo altamente leucotoxico foi detectado somente em pacientes com doenca agressiva.
An information fusion approach to recognizing microphone array speech in the CHiME-3 challenge based on a deep learning framework

We present an information fusion approach to robust recognition of microphone array speech for the recently launched 3rd CHiME Challenge. It is based on a deep learning framework with a large neural network consisting of subnets with different architectures. Multiple knowledge sources are integrated via an early fusion of normalized noisy features with different beamforming techniques, speech enhanced features, speaker related features, and other auxiliary features concatenated as the input to each subnet, and a late fusion by combining the outputs of all subnets to produce one single output set. Our experiments demonstrate that all information sources are complementary in our proposed framework. Our best system achieves an average word error rate reduction of 68% from the officially released baseline results on the test set of real data.
Commissurally projecting inhibitory interneurons of the rat hippocampal dentate gyrus: A colocalization study of neuronal markers and the retrograde tracer fluoro‐gold

Improved methods for detecting neuronal markers and the retrograde tracer Fluoro‐Gold (FG) were used to identify commissurally projecting neurons of the rat hippocampus. In addition to the dentate hilar mossy cells and CA3 pyramidal cells shown previously to transport retrograde tracers after injection into the dorsal hippocampus, FG‐positive interneurons of the dentate granule cell layer and hilus were detected in numbers greater than previously reported. FG labeling of interneurons was variable among animals, but was as high as 96% of hilar somatostatin‐positive interneurons, 84% of parvalbumin‐positive cells of the granule cell layer and hilus combined, and 33% of hilar calretinin‐positive cells. By comparison, interneurons of the dentate molecular layer and all hippocampal subregions were conspicuously FG‐negative. Whereas hilar mossy cells and CA3 pyramidal cells were FG‐labeled throughout the longitudinal axis, FG‐positive interneurons exhibited a relatively homotopic distribution. “Control” injections of FG into the neocortex, septum, and ventral hippocampus demonstrated that the homotopic labeling of dentate interneurons was injection site‐specific, and that the CA1‐CA3 interneurons unlabeled by contralateral hippocampal FG injection were nonetheless able to transport FG from the septum. These data suggest a hippocampal organizing principle according to which virtually all commissurally projecting hippocampal neurons share the property of being monosynaptic targets of dentate granule cells. Because granule cells innervate their exclusively ipsilateral target cells in a highly lamellar pattern, these results suggest that focal granule cell excitation may result in commissural inhibition of the corresponding “twin” granule cell lamella, thereby lateralizing and amplifying the influence of the initiating discharge. J. Comp. Neurol. 441:324–344, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Heterobivalent ligands crosslink multiple cell-surface receptors: the human melanocortin-4 and delta-opioid receptors.

Cell-surface receptor mediated signaling is mechanistically complex. Hetero- and homo-multimerization of receptors appears to occur naturally and is a significant regulatory component of signal transduction. [1] Additionally, exogenous entities, such as cells and viruses, can interact with multiple heterologous receptors and induce clustering. [2] Such multivalent interactions are characterized by enhanced affinities (avidities) relative to monovalent binding and enhanced specificities with heteromultivalent interactions. For example, polymers containing α-MSH (α-melanocyte stimulating hormone) ligands bind with higher affinity to melanoma cells compared to monovalent α-MSH ligands. [3–5] Recapitulation of these natural phenomena using synthetic multivalent agents has been proposed for many years. [3–9] Although homomultivalent agents are known, there is little precedent for synthetic heteromultivalent targeting of cell-surface receptors. Herein we detail the synthesis and bioevaluation of heterobivalent ligands (htBVLs) targeted to two heterologous cell-surface receptors.
Initial Experience with a New Image Integration Module Designed for Reducing Radiation Exposure During Electrophysiological Ablation Procedures

Reduction of radiation exposure during cardiac arrhythmia ablation procedures is desirable. We sought to evaluate the utility of a new image integration module (CARTOUNIVUTM) in reducing fluoroscopy times and dosages during left atrial arrhythmia (LAA) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation procedures.
GTP‐dependent polymerization of the tubulin‐like RepX replication protein encoded by the pXO1 plasmid of Bacillus anthracis

RepX protein encoded by the pXO1 plasmid of Bacillus anthracis is required for plasmid replication. RepX harbours the tubulin signature motif and contains limited amino acid sequence homology to the bacterial cell division protein FtsZ. Although replication proteins are not known to polymerize, here we show by electron microscopy that RepX undergoes GTP‐dependent polymerization into long filaments. RepX filaments assembled in the presence of GTPγS were more stable than those assembled in the presence of GTP, suggesting a role for GTP hydrolysis in the depolymerization of the filaments. Light scattering studies showed that RepX underwent rapid polymerization, and substitution of GTP with GTPγS stabilized the filaments. RepX exhibited GTPase activity and a mutation in the tubulin signature motif severely impaired its GTPase activity and its polymerization in vitro. Unlike FtsZ homologues, RepX harbours a highly basic carboxyl‐terminal region and exhibits GTP‐dependent, non‐specific DNA binding activity. We speculate that RepX may be involved in both the replication and segregation of the pXO1 plasmid.
Inactivation of Serpulina hyodysenteriae flaA1 and flaB1 periplasmic flagellar genes by electroporation-mediated allelic exchange

Serpulina hyodysenteriae, the etiologic agent of swine dysentery, contains complex periplasmic flagella which are composed of multiple class A and class B polypeptides. To examine the role these proteins play in flagellar synthesis, structure, and function and to develop strains which may provide insight into the importance of motility in the etiology of this pathogen, we constructed specific periplasmic flagellar mutations in S. hyodysenteriae B204. The cloned flaA1 and flaB1 genes were disrupted by replacement of internal fragments with chloramphenicol and/or kanamycin gene cassettes. Following delivery of these suicide plasmids into S. hyodysenteriae, homologous recombination and allelic exchange at the targeted chromosomal flaA1 and flaB1 genes was verified by PCR, sequence, and Southern analysis. The utility of a chloramphenicol resistance gene cassette for targeted gene disruption was demonstrated and found more amenable than kanamycin as a selective marker in S. hyodysenteriae. Immunoblots of cell lysates of the flagellar mutants with antiserum raised against purified FlaA or FlaB confirmed the absence of the corresponding sheath or core protein. Both mutations selectively abolished expression of the targeted gene without affecting synthesis of the other flagellar polypeptide. flaA1 and flaB1 mutant strains exhibited altered motility in vitro and were less efficient in movement through a liquid medium. Paradoxically, isogenic strains containing specifically disrupted flaA1 or flaB1 alleles were capable of assembling periplasmic flagella that were morphologically normal as evidenced by electron microscopy. This is the first report of specific inactivation of a motility-associated gene in spirochetes.
Effect of UV illumination on the passivation quality of AlOx/c-Si interfaces

We report on the stability of the c-Si surface passivation quality by aluminum oxide (AIO<inf>x</inf>), silicon nitride (SiN<inf>y</inf>), and AlO<inf>x</inf>/SiN<inf>y</inf>, stacks under UV illumination. Low-temperature annealed AlO<inf>x</inf> shows a weak degradation during UV illumination, with surface recombination velocities (SRVs) of 25 cm/s after a UV dose of 275 kWh/m<sup>2</sup>. This degradation is less pronounced compared to that of fired SiN<inf>y</inf> layers with an SRV of 117 cm/s. After a firing step, the AlO<inf>x</inf> layer show even an improvement during UV illumination, resulting in stabilized SRVs of down to 1 cm/s. The improvement is mainly due to an increase of the negative fixed charge density in the AlO<inf>x</inf> layer up to a large value of −1.2×10<sup>13</sup> cm<sup>−2</sup>.
Norovirus Binding to Ligands Beyond Histo-Blood Group Antigens

Histo-blood group antigens (HBGAs) are commonly accepted as the cellular receptors for human norovirus. However, some human noroviruses have been found not to bind any HBGA ligand, suggesting potential additional co-factors. Some ligands have been found to bind noroviruses and have the potential to be additional cellular receptors/attachment factors for human norovirus or inhibitors of the HBGA interaction. The studies identifying these mostly characterize different chemical, human, food, or bacterial components and their effect on norovirus binding and infection, although the mechanism of interaction is unknown in many cases. This review seeks to supplement the already well-covered HBGA-norovirus literature by covering non-HBGA human norovirus ligands and inhibitors to provide investigators with a more comprehensive view of norovirus ligands.
Three proteins regulating integrin function - filamin, 14-3-3 and RIAM

Takala, Heikki Three proteins regulating integrin function – filamin, 14-3-3 and RIAM Jyvaskyla: University of Jyvaskyla, 2011, 78 p. (Jyvaskyla Studies in Biological and Environmental Science ISSN 1456-9701; 232) ISBN 978-951-39-4523-7 (nid.) ISBN 978-951-39-4524-4 (PDF) Yhteenveto: Kolme integriinin toimintaa saatelevaa proteiinia – filamiini, 14-3-3 ja RIAM Diss. Integrins are transmembrane adhesion receptors important in cell adhesion, migration and survival. Integrin activation is regulated by cytoplasmic protein– protein interactions. Talin activates integrins by binding to integrin cytoplasmic tails. As dozens of other cytoplasmic proteins interact with integrins, their mutual interactions and function in integrin cytoplasmic adhesion structures have to be carefully regulated. This is achieved, e.g., by protein recruitment, competitive binding, alternative splicing and protein phosphorylation. The Rap1-GTP interacting adapter molecule (RIAM) recruits talin to integrins with Rap1 GTPase, thereby facilitating integrin activation. Filamins compete with talin for integrin binding. This is expected to be particularly important for a splice variant-1 (var-1) of filamin A (FLNa) that lacks a segment with an autoinhibitory role in integrin binding. The cytoplasmic tail of 2 integrin is phosphorylated on a threonine residue upon inside-out activation events, which is accompanied by 14-3-3 binding. In this thesis, the structural and functional properties of RIAM, FLNa var-1 and 14-3-3 were studied. RIAM contains a Ras-association (RA) domain followed by a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. We showed that the RA domain is responsible for the binding to Rap1, whereas the PH domain accounts for the stability of the protein. FLNa var-1 lacks a segment of 41 residues. We showed that this absence causes domain 19 to be unstructured and unable to bind ligands, but it does not seem to significantly affect the binding properties of domain 21. The crystal structure of 14-3-3 in complex with the phosphorylated 2 integrin peptide reveals at the atomic level how this interaction is dependent on the phosphate moiety. The same phosphorylation abrogates FLNa binding but does not affect the binding of talin. However, talin binding to the phosphopeptide is outcompeted by 14-33 , which is explained by the partially overlapping binding sites on the integrin.
COMPARISON OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE AND STATISTICAL TECHNIQUES FOR PROBABILISTIC FORECASTING OF SKY CONDITION

A range of military, civil and commercial activities require cloud-free sky conditions. Passive optical or thermal remote sensors, such as those on unmanned aerial systems, need a cloud-free-line-of-sight in order to sense their targets (Norquist 1999). Solar energy available to fuel photovoltaic power generation is strongly modulated by clouds (Girodo et al. 2006) due to their ability to reflect incoming shortwave radiation, combined with their high spatial and temporal variability. Additionally, electricity demand on power grids is correlated to the amount of solar irradiance. Very short-range (i.e., up to 6-hr) sky condition forecasts are useful to decision makers for these applications. In this paper, we present findings from the development and testing of six, advanced obsbased prediction algorithms. These algorithms have emerged from a number of technical disciplines including statistics, applied mathematics, artificial intelligence (AI), cognitive psychology, engineering, and knowledge discovery in databases. The time frame from near-zero up to approximately six hours into the future represents a sweet spot for obs-based weather forecasting techniques (Bankert and Hadjimichael 2007, Hansen 2007, Vislocky and Fritsch 1997). Each algorithm chosen for this investigation was implemented to produce 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5-hr probabilistic forecasts of cloud-free (i.e., clear) sky condition for six areas of regard (AORs) representing different weather regimes within the continental United States (CONUS) (Fig. 1). The AORs are labeled according to familiar map features associated with the location of the area’s center pixel including Boston, Buffalo, Cape Canaveral (Cape), Denver, Ft Hood, and