Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Viewing a Face (Especially One's Own Face) Being Touched Enhances Tactile Perception on the Face

Observing touch on another person's body activates brain regions involved in tactile perception, even when the observer's body is not directly stimulated. Previous work has shown that in some synaesthetes, this effect induces a sensation of being touched. The present study shows that if perceptual thresholds are experimentally manipulated, viewing touch can modulate tactile experience in nonsynaesthetes as well. When observers saw a face being touched by hands, rather than a face being merely approached by hands, they demonstrated enhanced detection of subthreshold tactile stimuli on their own faces. This effect was specific to observing touch on a body part, and was not found for touch on a nonbodily stimulus, namely, a picture of a house. In addition, the effect was stronger when subjects viewed their own faces rather than another person's face. Thus, observing touch can activate the tactile system, and if perceptual thresholds are manipulated, such activation can result in a behavioral effect in nonsynaesthetes. The effect is maximum if the observed body matches the observer's body.
Application Driven Comparison of T-MPLS/MPLS-TP and PBB-TE - Driver Choices for Carrier Ethernet

This paper describes qualitatively and through applications the comparison of PBB-TE and T-MPLS/MPLS-TP approaches to Carrier Ethernet. Carrier Ethernet has currently been proposed as a method to transport Ethernet in metro networks with carrier class service attributes. Two approaches have been considered - one based on backbone bridging called PBB-TE and the other based on TMPLS/ MPLS-TP that has evolved from MPLS minus some redundant features. We qualitatively understand the two technologies, delve into their working and compare these from multiple standpoints. We then develop scenarios where these are used including data-center, mobile back-haul and IPTV (video on demand). Both PBB-TE and T-MPLS are applied to each of these three leading metro application (that are expected to dominate much of future metro services). Cost and performance comparisons are shown.
Liberalisation, Multinational Enterprises and Export Performance: Evidence from Indian Manufacturing

This article tests two empirical hypotheses: one, MNE affiliates perform distinctly better than their local counterparts in the export markets in a globalised economy, and two, the MNE affiliates have greater comparative advantages in high-tech than in low- and medium-tech industries. Tobit estimates of a large data set of Indian manufacturing firms for the late 1990s provide relatively weak support to the first hypothesis. A disaggregated industry-group-wise analysis indicates that MNE affiliates perform no better than their local counterparts in high-tech industries. Thus, even with a higher level of integration with the global economy in the 1990s India appears to have failed in attracting efficiency-seeking FDI on a significant scale, particularly in high-tech industries. R&D and efficiency of manpower emerge as two significant determinants of international competitiveness in technology-based sectors (high- and medium-high tech sectors). Imports of raw materials enhance the export competitiveness of firms in all industry groups. Finally, large firms are found to be more export oriented, implying the need for creating large flagship companies in the country.
Occupational injury and illness among migrant and seasonal farmworkers in New York State and Pennsylvania, 1997-1999: pilot study of a new surveillance method.

BACKGROUND Traditional worksite injury surveillance methods are often ineffective for Northeastern farms employing seasonal harvest labor. Many are small farms, exempt from mandatory injury reporting. The high proportion of foreign workers and the temporary nature of the work further discourages reporting. Therefore, an alternative migrant health center-based occupational injury and illness surveillance system was piloted during 1997-1999. METHODS Anonymous medical chart data from nine migrant health centers and four regional hospital emergency rooms was collected during 1997-1999. RESULTS There were 516 injury/illness cases over two seasons. Joint/muscle straining (31%), falling (18%), poison ivy contact (10%), and object strikes (8%) were most common injurious events. The participation rate of health care was 75%; 130 cases were reported by hospital emergency rooms; and optimal health center participation was associated with: being a farmworker-dedicated program, and including the chart reviewer in the health center's decision to participate. CONCLUSIONS Further development of a medical records-based surveillance system should include hospital emergency rooms and focus on identified health center performance factors.
Avaliação da fixação biológica de nitrogênio na soja em áreas de primeiro cultivo no cerrado de Roraima.

Os trabalhos de pesquisa com soja tem desenvolvido novas tecnologias de cultivo e materiais geneticos que resultam em incremento sucessivo de produtividade e, por consequencia, maior necessidade de nitrogenio (N). O N e o nutriente requerido em maior quantidade pela cultura, cerca de 80 kg a cada tonelada de graos produzidos. As principais fontes de N disponiveis para a soja sao os fertilizantes nitrogenados e a fixacao biologica de nitrogenio (FBN) atmosferico. No Brasil, a FBN representa a fonte economicamente e ecologicamente mais viavel para a cultura. A simbiose, que ocorre entre esta leguminosa e as bacterias do genero Bradyrhizobium (bacterias do grupo rizobio) resulta na formacao de nodulos nas raizes da planta, possibilitando a obtencao de todo o N que a cultura necessita, mesmo com expectativa de alta produtividade de graos. Avaliacoes realizadas em diversas regioes produtoras de soja indicam que a FBN e responsavel por mais de 80% do nitrogenio acumulado pela planta, o que significa ate 300 kg/ha a cada safra. Isto demonstra que o sucesso da soja, no Brasil, se deve em grande parte a exploracao do processo de FBN.
Time course for inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced lung injury by genistein: Relationship to alteration in nuclear factor-&kgr;B activity and inflammatory agents*

ObjectiveThis study determined the time course for inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced acute lung injury following a single dose of genistein. In addition, the study investigated whether a multiple dosing schedule with genistein retained the inhibitory effects on acute lung injury, nuclear factor-&kgr;B activation, and production of nuclear factor-&kgr;B-dependent inflammatory agents, such as matrix metalloproteinase-9 and nitric oxide. DesignProspective, randomized, laboratory study. SettingExperimental laboratory at a university. SubjectsRats weighing 280–300 g. InterventionsSaline or lipopolysaccharide (6 mg/kg of body weight) administered intratracheally with a single dose of genistein (50 mg/kg) or a multiple dosing schedule with genistein (16 mg/kg every 6 hrs for 2 days with lipopolysaccharide treatment at 24 hrs after the first administration of genistein). Measurements and Main ResultsA 2-hr pretreatment with genistein (a single dose) inhibited biochemical lung injury variables as well as neutrophil infiltration with a maximal inhibition at 4 hrs after lipopolysaccharide treatment. These inhibitory effects of genistein declined with time and were no longer significant by 14–24 hrs after lipopolysaccharide treatment. The multiple dosing schedule with genistein retained significant inhibitory effects on biochemical lung injury variables and the number of neutrophils in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid at 24 hrs after lipopolysaccharide treatment compared with a single pretreatment with genistein. The multiple dosing schedule with genistein also enhanced the inhibition of induced nuclear factor-&kgr;B activity as well as matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity and nitric oxide production at 24 hrs after lipopolysaccharide treatment. ConclusionsThis study reports the time course of the inhibitory effects of a single genistein pretreatment on acute lung injury with the maximal effects at 4 hrs after lipopolysaccharide treatment. However, a multiple dosing schedule with genistein retained the inhibitory effect on acute lung injury at 24 hrs after lipopolysaccharide treatment. The mechanisms by which genistein exerts an inhibitory effect on acute lung injury may involve the suppression of nuclear factor-&kgr;B activation, matrix metalloproteinase-9 activity, and NO production.
An achievability condition for n-dimensional behaviors with a finite frequency specification: Dissipation inequalities approach

Many of practical design specifications are provided by finite frequency properties described by inequalities over restricted finite frequency intervals. The properties are known as the important property in integrated design of plant and controller. Recently, it was proved that the property is equivalent to the dissipation inequality in time and space domain, where the dissipation inequality is an inequality which describes the energy and power interaction of a dynamical system with its outside environment. In this paper, we consider a synthesis of a controller for finite frequency properties for n-dimensional systems described by partial differential equations. As a main result, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for the achievability of a controller satisfying a finite frequency specification in terms of dissipation inequalities. This result clarifies a physical interpretation of the controller from the dissipativity viewpoint.
Advance Care Planning Knowledge and Documentation in a Hospitalized Cancer Population

To have a better understanding of our patients' knowledge of advance directive planning and execution, as well as communication with their oncologists regarding their wishes, we conducted a survey on our inpatient hematology-oncology services. A total of 68 unique hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of cancer completed surveys. Surveys were given to all oncology patients regardless of their reason for admission. Overall, 29% of the patients reported having had a discussion with their oncologist regarding their wishes if they became seriously ill or near death. Of those who did have this conversation, the majority said that they, rather than their physician, initiated it. Although the vast majority of patients (97%) knew what a living will was, only 54% had one in place. Twenty patients had a discussion with their oncologist, and 14 of them (70%) had a living will. This percentage was higher than in the group that did not have a conversation with their physician (48%; 23 of 48 patients), but the difference was not statistically significant. Most cancer patients admitted to an inpatient oncology unit either did not have or did not recall having a discussion with their oncologist regarding end-of-life issues. This study gives us a baseline of information in evaluating future interventions directed to improve the quality of patient-physician communication regarding end-of-life planning.
Static magnetic fields enhance dental pulp stem cell proliferation by activating the p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway as its putative mechanism

Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) can be a potential stem cell resource for clinical cell therapy and tissue engineering. However, obtaining a sufficient number of DPSCs for repairing defects is still an issue in clinical applications. Static magnetic fields (SMFs) enhance the proliferation of several cell types. Whether or not SMFs have a positive effect on DPSC proliferation is unknown. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SMFs on DPSC proliferation and its possible intracellular mechanism of action. For methodology, isolated DPSCs were cultured with a 0.4‐T SMF. Anisotropy of the lipid bilayer was examined using a fluorescence polarization–depolarization assay. The intracellular calcium ions of the SMF‐treated cells were analysed using Fura‐2 acetoxymethyl ester labelling. The cytoskeletons of exposed and unexposed control cells were labelled with actin fluorescence dyes. Cell viability was checked when the tested cells were cultured with inhibitors of ERK, JNK and p38 to discern the possible signalling cascade involved in the proliferative effect of the SMF on the DPSCs. Our results showed that SMF‐treated cells demonstrated a higher proliferation rate and anisotropy value. The intracellular calcium ions were activated by SMFs. In addition, fluorescence microscopy images demonstrated that SMF‐treated cells exhibit higher fluorescence intensity of the actin cytoskeletal structure. Cell viability and real‐time polymerase chain reaction suggested that the p38 signalling cascade was activated when the DPSCs were exposed to a 0.4‐T SMF. F‐actin intensity tests showed that SB203580‐treated cells decreased even with SMF exposure. Additionally, the F‐/G‐actin ratio increased due to slowing of the cytoskeleton reorganization by p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase inhibition. According to these results, we suggest that a 0.4‐T SMF affected the cellular membranes of the DPSCs and activated intracellular calcium ions. This effect may activate p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase signalling, and thus reorganize the cytoskeleton, which contributes to the increased cell proliferation of the DPSCs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Missing strings of residues in protein crystal structures

A large fraction of the protein crystal structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank are incomplete, since the position of one or more residues is not reported, despite these residues are part of the material that was analyzed. This may bias the use of the protein crystal structures by molecular biologists. Here we observe that in the large majority of the protein crystal structures strings of residues are missing. Polar residues incline to occur in missing strings together with glycine, while apolar and aromatic residues tend to avoid them. Particularly flexible residues, as shown by their extremely high B-factors, by their exposure to the solvent and by their secondary structures, flank the missing strings. These data should be a helpful guideline for crystallographers that encounter regions of flat and uninterpretable electron density as well as end-users of crystal structures.
Polyomavirus microRNAs circulating in biological fluids during viral persistence

Increasing evidence suggests that microRNA‐mediated gene silencing, detected during exosome intercellular communication between cells, may be exploited by persistent human viruses. Recently, it has been reported that human polyomaviruses encode microRNAs that downregulate large T expression and target host factors, helping the virus to escape immune elimination. Consequently, viral microRNAs and their genetic variability may have roles in the induction of polyomavirus reactivation, the success of persistence or replication and the development of diseases. In vitro experiments have detected polyomavirus JC (JCPyV) microRNAs in exosomes obtained from cell supernatants after viral infection and showed that they can be carried into uninfected cells. JCPyV and BKPyV microRNAs have been sought in clinical samples obtained from patients with or at risk of severe polyomavirus‐associated diseases and from healthy subjects. Variable expressions of JCPyV and BKPyV microRNAs circulating in blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid samples were found in patients who were polyomavirus DNA positive and were also observed in negative subjects. Differences in the relationship between the JCPyV and BKPyV microRNA expressions and viral DNA load have been observed. All the data point towards a potential role of polyomavirus exosome microRNAs in viral persistence and suggest that further work is warranted to define their role in viral reactivation and to identify potential new antiviral strategies targeting these viruses.
Mechanisms underlying platelet function defect in a pedigree with familial platelet disorder with a predisposition to acute myelogenous leukemia: potential role for candidate RUNX1 targets

Familial platelet disorder with a predisposition to acute myelogenous leukemia (FPD/AML) is an inherited platelet disorder caused by a germline RUNX1 mutation and characterized by thrombocytopenia, a platelet function defect, and leukemia predisposition. The mechanisms underlying FPD/AML platelet dysfunction remain incompletely clarified. We aimed to determine the contribution of platelet structural abnormalities and defective activation pathways to the platelet phenotype. In addition, by using a candidate gene approach, we sought to identify potential RUNX1‐regulated genes involved in these defects.
Life course outcomes on mental and physical health: the impact of foster care on adulthood.

OBJECTIVE We compared the prevalence rates of mental health and physical health problems between adults with histories of childhood foster care and those without. METHODS We used 2003-2005 California Health Interview Survey data (n = 70,456) to test our hypothesis that adults with childhood histories of foster care will report higher rates of mental and physical health concerns, including those that affect the ability to work, than will those without. RESULTS Adults with a history of childhood foster care had more than twice the odds of receiving Social Security Disability Insurance because they were unable to work owing to mental or physical health problems for the past year, even after stratifying by age and adjusting for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. CONCLUSIONS Childhood foster care may be a sentinel event, signaling the increased risk of adulthood mental and physical health problems. A mental and physical health care delivery program that includes screening and treatment and ensures follow-up for children and youths who have had contact with the foster care system may decrease these individuals' disproportionately high prevalence of poor outcomes throughout their adulthood.
Structural and predictive equivalency of the Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale across three racial/ethnic groups.

INTRODUCTION The Wisconsin Smoking Withdrawal Scale (WSWS) is a valid and reliable scale among non-Latino Whites but has not been validated for use among other racial/ethnic groups despite increasing use with these populations. The current study examined the structural invariance and predictive equivalency of the WSWS across three racial/ethnic groups. METHODS The WSWS scores of 424 African American, Latino, and White smokers receiving smoking cessation treatment were analyzed in a series of factor analyses and multiple-group analyses. Additionally, hierarchical logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether WSWS scores differentially predicted smoking relapse across racial/ethnic groups. These analyses were consistent with a step-down hierarchical regression procedure for examination of test bias. RESULTS The 7-factor structure of the WSWS was largely confirmed in the current study, with the exception of the removal of two offending items. Evidence of full invariance across race/ethnicity was found in multiple-group analyses. The WSWS total score and subscales measuring anger, anxiety, concentration, and sadness predicted relapse, whereas the hunger, craving, and sleep subscales did not. None of these scales displayed differential predictive ability across race/ethnicity. The WSWS sleep subscale showed a significant interaction with race/ethnicity such that it was a significant predictor of relapse among Whites but not African Americans or Latinos. CONCLUSIONS Overall, the WSWS is similar in structure and predictive of relapse across racial/ethnic groups. Caution should be exercised when using the WSWS sleep subscale with African Americans and Latinos.
Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity Analysis of Some Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh

The antimicrobial potential of eight selected medicinal plants was evaluated against medically important thirteen pathogenic bacteria and three pathogenic fungi by using disc diffusion method. Moreover, the free radical scavenging activity was investigated for the development of anti-aging ingredient as a raw product for the cosmetic and other industries. Petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol, butanol, n-hexane water extracts of medicinal plants were used for antimicrobial and anti-oxidant investigation. The rapid evaluation of antioxidant activity of different crude extracts of Pouzolzia zeylanica, Equisetum debile, Memecylon umbellatum, Datura metel, Cauroupeta guianensis, Andrographis paniculata were determined by using DPPH free radical method. The microbial inhibition zone ranged from 7-15 mm for different extracts of Andrographis paniculata where ethyl acetate extract showed highest microbial inhibition. The petroleum ether extract of D. metel gave 9-10 mm microbial inhibition except Pseudomonas aureus. Aloe vera gave 7-9 mm inhibition against microorganism by ethyl acetate extract. The methanol extract of A. paniculata showed inhibition only against two gram-positive and five gram-negative bacteria. The methanol extract of P. zeylanica, M. umbellatum and butanol (n-BuOH) extract of A. vasica also showed different range of antimicrobial activity. The N-hexane extract of A. vera and A. vasica and methanol extract of Equisetum debile did not show any antimicrobial activity. These extracts resulted in a rapid increase and decrease of the absorbance and showed different hydrogen-donating capacity towards the 2, 2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical. A lot of differences found and showing anti-oxidant activity of different solvent extracts of different plant species. Among the species, ethyl acetate extract of E. debile, M. umbellatum, methanol extract of M. umbellatum, C. guianensis and n-BuOH extract of M. umbellatum, C. guianensis showed the maximum scavenging capacity of over 80.
Recognition based on two separated singular value decomposition-enriched faces

Abstract. In previous studies on human face recognition, illumination pretreatment has been considered to be among the most crucial steps. We propose the illumination compensation algorithm two separated singular value decomposition (TSVD). TSVD consists of two parts, namely the division of high- and low-level images and singular value decomposition, which are implemented according to self-adapted illumination compensation to resolve the problems associated with strong variation of light and to improve face recognition performance. The mean color values of the three color channels R, G, and B are used as the thresholds, and two subimages of two types of light levels are then input with the division of the maximal mean and minimal mean, which are incorporated with light templates at various horizontal levels. The dynamic compensation coefficient is proportionately adjusted to reconstruct the subimages. Finally, two subimages are integrated to achieve illumination compensation. In addition, we combined TSVD and the projection color space (PCS) to design a new method for converting the color space called the two-level PCS. Experimental results demonstrated the efficiency of our proposed method. The proposed method not only makes the skin color of facial images appear softer but also substantially improves the accuracy of face recognition, even in facial images that were taken under conditions of lateral light or exhibit variations in posture.