Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender Differences in Educational Achievement in a New Zealand Birth Cohort

Gender differences in educational outcomes were examined in a birth cohort of over 1,000 Christchurch born children studied from the point of school entry to the age of 18. This analysis suggested three major conclusions: i) Throughout the school career of this cohort males achieved less well than females. Gender differences were evident in the results of standardised testing, teacher ratings of school performance and in the school leaving outcomes of the cohort. At no point of the school career of this cohort was there evidence to suggest that females performed less well than males. ii) Gender differences in educational achievement could not be explained by gender differences in intelligence since boys and girls had very similar IQ test scores. iii) However, the higher rate of educational under-achievement in males was adequately explained by gender related differences in classroom behaviours with males being more prone to disruptive and inattentive classroom behaviours that appeared to impede male learning and lead to a male educational disadvantage. It is concluded that the traditional educational disadvantage shown by females has largely disappeared and has been replaced by an emerging male disadvantage. The implications of these findings for contemporary educational policies are discussed.
Microscopy as a useful tool to study the proteolytic activation of influenza viruses

The influenza virus surface protein hemagglutinin (HA) mediates the first step in the viral replication cycle, viral entry into target cells. For this, HA binds to cellular receptors, proteins or lipids modified with α-2,3 or α-2,6 sialic acid, and facilitates the fusion of the viral and the endosomal membrane – a process essential for infectious entry. However, the HAprotein is synthesized as an inactive precursor, HA0, and must be activated by proteolytic cleavage to acquire the capacity to fuse membranes. Since influenza virus does not encode proteases and HA does not undergo autocatalytic activation, the virus critically depends on host cell proteases for acquisition of infectivity and the respective enzymes are potential targets for therapeutic intervention. The type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs), in particular TMPRSS2, were shown to activate influenza virus and other respiratory viruses in cell culture. Moreover, a recent study demonstrated that expression of TMPRSS2 is essential for spread and pathogenesis of H1N1 influenza viruses in mice. In this review, we provide an overview of the proteolytic activation of influenza virus, with the main focus on type II transmembrane serine proteases, and we outline how microscopy can be used to analyze the cellular localization of HA activation.
A Theory of Adaptive Pattern Classifiers

This paper describes error-correction adjustment procedures for determining the weight vector of linear pattern classifiers under general pattern distribution. It is mainly aimed at clarifying theoretically the performance of adaptive pattern classifiers. In the case where the loss depends on the distance between a pattern vector and a decision boundary and where the average risk function is unimodal, it is proved that, by the procedures proposed here, the weight vector converges to the optimal one even under nonseparable pattern distributions. The speed and the accuracy of convergence are analyzed, and it is shown that there is an important tradeoff between speed and accuracy of convergence. Dynamical behaviors, when the probability distributions of patterns are changing, are also shown. The theory is generalized and made applicable to the case with general discriminant functions, including piecewise-linear discriminant functions.
An Exploratory Study of Social Factors Influencing Virtual Community Members' Satisfaction with Avatars

Virtual communities that feature avatars are an emerging social software business model on the Internet. Avatars are Internet users’ graphical representations of themselves in virtual environments. This study investigates how virtual community members’ satisfaction with avatars is formed. We test a research model that proposes that social factors influence virtual community members’ satisfaction with avatars. We draw upon social presence theory, social comparison theory, and self-identity theory. Data from a field experiment (N=134) is analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Our results provide empirical support for our proposed model. We report that social factors affect virtual community members’ satisfaction with the use of avatars in virtual communities. Our intended contribution is to help both managers and academics understand aspects of customer behavior and customer satisfaction when using avatars in virtual communities. This study also presents suggestions for future research regarding the use of social software in business.
Semantic contributions to immediate serial recall: Evidence from two contrasting aphasic individuals

This paper examines the effect of semantic variables on serial recall in two contrasting aphasic cases and a group of controls. Experiment 1 manipulates word imageability and Experiment 2 manipulates semantic similarity. Controls not only showed better recall of imageable/semantically grouped lists, but under some conditions they also produced proportionately fewer phonological errors. These findings suggest that increasing the effectiveness of lexical/semantic support reduces reliance on phonological support. Consistent with this proposal, case TV, whose phonological impairment should increase his reliance on lexical/semantic support, produced abnormally low rates of phonological errors under some conditions. Conversely, case NP, who had a lexical/semantic impairment, produced abnormally high rates of phonological errors under some conditions. Analysis of serial recall curves in both aphasics and controls support the hypothesis that phonological processes are particularly critical for the recall of list-final items. However, there was no evidence that semantic support is especially crucial for list-initial recall. Controls did not exhibit stronger effects of semantic variables at list-initial position. Case NP (lexical/semantic impairment) performed disproportionately poorly on these items, but only under certain conditions.
Protoplast transformation in coryneform bacteria and introduction of an alpha-amylase gene from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens into Brevibacterium lactofermentum

The goal of this study was to investigate the likelihood of developing useful transformation systems for coryneform bacteria. Two species of coryneform bacteria, Brevibacterium lactofermentum and Corynebacterium lilium, were transformed with chimeras constructed from pUB110 and a cryptic coryneform plasmid (pGX1901). C. lilium protoplasts were also efficiently transfected with phage CS1 DNA. High transformation and transfection frequencies were obtained after only 2 min of lysozyme treatment of lysozyme-sensitive mutants. A series of experiments was also conducted to determine whether DNA from other species of important industrial microbes from the genus Bacillus could be expressed in coryneform bacteria. Evidence of restriction of Bacillus subtilis DNA by B. lactofermentum was observed but could be overcome. A Bacillus amyloliquefaciens alpha-amylase gene (amyEBamP) was subcloned onto a plasmid able to replicate in B. lactofermentum. B. lactofermentum transformants for this plasmid expressed amylase activity and produced material cross-reactive to amylase antibody.
Meaningful Keyword Search over Databases with Complex Schema

Keyword search in databases helps users who are not familiar with the database schema or a query language to explore the database efficiently. An answer is a join tree of tuples that contains the query keywords. We present a new framework for finding meaningful answers to the keyword search problem over databases with complex schema. The framework uses schema-based ranking methods to rank join trees that cover the keyword roles. The experiments on TPC-E database establish the naturalness of the proposed ranking methods.
ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF PERICARP EXTRACT OF GARCINIA MANGOSTANA LINN.

Garcinia mangostana Linn is used as a phytomedicine in South East Asia for the treatment of trauma, diahorrea and skin infections. In the present study anti microbial activity of Garcinia mangostana extract powder was carried out. Antimicrobial activity was examined by determining the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) using macro dilution broth technique. Garcinia mangostana extract powder at different concentrations were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus albus, Micrococcus lutus.
Marine Microbial Gene Abundance and Community Composition in Response to Ocean Acidification and Elevated Temperature in Two Contrasting Coastal Marine Sediments

Marine ecosystems are exposed to a range of human-induced climate stressors, in particular changing carbonate chemistry and elevated sea surface temperatures as a consequence of climate change. More research effort is needed to reduce uncertainties about the effects of global-scale warming and acidification for benthic microbial communities, which drive sedimentary biogeochemical cycles. In this research, mesocosm experiments were set up using muddy and sandy coastal sediments to investigate the independent and interactive effects of elevated carbon dioxide concentrations (750 ppm CO2) and elevated temperature (ambient +4°C) on the abundance of taxonomic and functional microbial genes. Specific quantitative PCR primers were used to target archaeal, bacterial, and cyanobacterial/chloroplast 16S rRNA in both sediment types. Nitrogen cycling genes archaeal and bacterial ammonia monooxygenase (amoA) and bacterial nitrite reductase (nirS) were specifically targeted to identify changes in microbial gene abundance and potential impacts on nitrogen cycling. In muddy sediment, microbial gene abundance, including amoA and nirS genes, increased under elevated temperature and reduced under elevated CO2 after 28 days, accompanied by shifts in community composition. In contrast, the combined stressor treatment showed a non-additive effect with lower microbial gene abundance throughout the experiment. The response of microbial communities in the sandy sediment was less pronounced, with the most noticeable response seen in the archaeal gene abundances in response to environmental stressors over time. 16S rRNA genes (amoA and nirS) were lower in abundance in the combined stressor treatments in sandy sediments. Our results indicated that marine benthic microorganisms, especially in muddy sediments, are susceptible to changes in ocean carbonate chemistry and seawater temperature, which ultimately may have an impact upon key benthic biogeochemical cycles.
Quantitative Analysis of Fetal Actocardiogram: Update

Abstract Aims: The actocardiogram (ACG), which recorded fetal heart rate (FHR) and movements, was quantitatively analyzed, due to its advantage to the FHR patterns diagnosis, to recognize the effect of fetal movement on FHR, to solve controversial FHR problems, to correctly evaluate fetal disorders, and to evaluate the loss of variability and acceleration. Methods: FHR changes were diagnosed by the FHR score, fetal movements were evaluated by 4 ACG parameters, fetal behavior and abnormal FHR were quantitatively determined, physiologic sinusoidal FHR was diagnosed by the ACG and FHR frequency analysis, the developing mechanism of FHR acceleration and variability were studied to diagnose the brain damage in the loss of FHR variability. 1.3 Results: The FHR score, neural network analysis and A/B ratio predicted short and long term outcomes in the 1st stage of labor or even in pregnancy. The ACG and frequency analysis differentiated physiologic sinusoidal from the true one, Contoversial problems in FHR were solved by the quantitative ACG analysis. The loss of FHR variability was the sign of fetal brain damage even in fetal non-hypoxic insults. Results: The FHR score, neural network analysis and A/B ratio predicted short and long term outcomes in the 1st stage of labor or even in pregnancy. The ACG and frequency analysis differentiated physiologic sinusoidal from the true one, Contoversial problems in FHR were solved by the quantitative ACG analysis. The loss of FHR variability was the sign of fetal brain damage even in fetal non-hypoxic insults. Conclusion: Quantitative analyses of FHR and fetal movements in ACG were indispensable in the fetal diagnosis even in general insults. Since cerebral palsy (CP) could develop in the loss of FHR variability, C-section is recommended to perform before the loss of FHR variability.
Influence diffusion detection using the influence style (INFUSE) model

Blogs are readily available sources of opinions and sentiments that in turn could influence the opinions of the blog readers. Previous studies have attempted to infer influence from blog features, but they have ignored the possible influence styles that describe the different ways in which influence is exerted. We propose a novel approach to analyzing bloggers' influence styles and using the influence styles as features to improve the performance of influence diffusion detection among linked bloggers. The proposed influence style (INFUSE) model describes bloggers' influence through their engagement style, persuasion style, and persona. Methods used include similarity analysis to detect the creating−sharing aspect of engagement style, subjectivity analysis to measure persuasion style, and sentiment analysis to identify persona style. We further extend the INFUSE model to detect influence diffusion among linked bloggers based on the bloggers' influence styles. The INFUSE model performed well with an average F1 score of 76% compared with the in‐degree and sentiment‐value baseline approaches. Previous studies have focused on the existence of influence among linked bloggers in detecting influence diffusion, but our INFUSE model is shown to provide a fine‐grained description of the manner in which influence is diffused based on the bloggers' influence styles.
The role of rigid and hinged polypropylene ankle-foot-orthoses in the management of cerebral palsy: a case study

Ankle-foot orthoses are commonly used in the treatment of spastic cerebral palsy to hold the foot in a position conducive to a more functional gait. This study, utilizing quantitative biomechanical techniques, evaluates the effects of a rigid ankle-foot orthosis and a hinged ankle-foot orthosis on spastic cerebral palsy gait. The subject was a 4.5 year old female diagnosed as spastic diplegic cerebral palsied shortly after birth. Testing involved collection of kinematic coordinate data employing a WATSMART video system and ground reaction force' data using a Kistler force plate. Jensen's (1978) photogrammetric method was used to estimate body segment inertial parameters. The hinged ankle-foot orthosis was found to be more effective than the rigid ankle-foot orthosis. The subject exhibited a more natural ankle motion during the stance phase of gait, greater symmetry of segmental lower extremity motion, and decreased knee moments during stance while wearing a hinged ankle-foot orthosis.
Comparison of constraint-induced movement therapy and bilateral treatment of equal intensity in people with chronic upper-extremity dysfunction after cerebrovascular accident.

OBJECTIVE We compared the effectiveness of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) with bilateral treatment of equal intensity for chronic upper-extremity (UE) dysfunction caused by cerebrovascular accident (CVA). DESIGN We conducted a 2-group, randomized intervention trial with stratification by severity of UE dysfunction. Twelve community-dwelling adults were provided with 6 hr of occupational therapy for 10 days plus additional home practice. Six participants wore a mitt on the unimpaired UE, and 6 participants were intrusively and repetitively cued to use both UEs. The Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT) and the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM) were administered before and after treatment and at 6-mo follow-up. RESULTS Significant improvements were found in WMFT and COPM scores across time in both groups. No significant between-group differences were found on the WMFT. CONCLUSION High-intensity occupational therapy using a CIMT or a bilateral approach can improve UE function in people with chronic UE dysfunction after CVA. Treatment intensity rather than restraint may be the critical therapeutic factor.
The paradigm of ASIA (autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants): a concept in evolution.

Glenny and colleagues [5] described the first adjuvant effect of an aluminum compound in 1926, hypothesizing a “depot” effect and the ability to control the release of the antigen [6]. Later on, these hypotheses were questioned [7]. Today we know that an immunologic adjuvant is able to increase innate and adaptive immune responses to the injected antigen by means of several mechanisms. Indeed, the identification of Toll-like receptors as pattern-recognition receptors – responsible for recognizing evolutionary conserved molecules (i.e., lipopolysaccharide, skeletal cell wall components) and critical for sensing infections – added further insight to our understanding of the mechanisms of innate immunity in recent decades and, subsequently, of adjuvant function mechanisms. Adjuvants may act not only via TLR1-dependent mechanisms – by up-regulation of cytokines and MCH class II co-stimulatory molecules, promotion of dendritic cell migration to the T cell area of lymph node – but also via TLR-independent mechanisms by activating another class of PRR2, the NOD-like receptors, ultimately responsible for the activation of a molecular platform called "inflammasome," as shown in the case of aluminum [8]. Undoubtedly, vaccines represent one of the greatest advances of modern medicine; they are considered safe and effective by the medical community for both the general population and many categories of subjects at risk, such as the elderly and immunocompromised individuals. Adverse reactions and post-immunization phenomena following different
Optimal Organization of Health Care in Diabetic Foot Disease: Introduction to the Eurodiale Study

This article describes the rationale and protocol of a large data collection study in patients with new diabetic foot ulcers by the Eurodiale study group, a consortium of centers of expertise in the field of diabetic foot disease within Europe. This study is a multicenter, observational, prospective data collection study. Its main aim is to determine the major factors determining clinical outcome and outcome in terms of health-related quality of life and health care consumption. Between September 1, 2003, and October 1, 2004, in 14 European centers, all consecutive patients with diabetes and a new foot ulcer were included in the study and followed until the end point or for a maximum of 1 year. End points were healing of the foot, major amputation, or death. Data were collected on patient, foot, and ulcer characteristics and on diagnostic and management procedures. Furthermore, data were collected on health care organization, quality of life, and resource use. A total of 1232 patients were included in the study. Sixty-three percent of the patients were referred by their general practitioner or were self-referrals. Twenty-seven percent of the patients were admitted at the time of inclusion; 1088 patients were followed until the end point. “Optimal Organization of Health Care in Diabetic Foot Disease” is one of the first large multicenter studies in the field of diabetic foot disease on clinical presentation, clinical outcome, quality of life, resource utilization, and health care organization and their interrelationships. These data will provide us with new insights that enable us to improve care for these patients and guide the development of new studies in this area. The results of this study are the subject of a separate presentation.
Sequentially Testing Polynomial Model Hypotheses Using Power Transforms of Regressors

We provide a methodology for testing a polynomial model hypothesis by extending the approach and results of Baek, Cho, and Phillips (2015; Journal of Econometrics; BCP) that tests for neglected nonlinearity using power transforms of regressors against arbitrary nonlinearity. We examine and generalize the BCP quasi-likelihood ratio test dealing with the multifold identification problem that arises under the null of the polynomial model. The approach leads to convenient asymptotic theory for inference, has omnibus power against general nonlinear alternatives, and allows estimation of an unknown polynomial degree in a model by way of sequential testing, a technique that is useful in the application of sieve approximations. Simulations show good performance in the sequential test procedure in identifying and estimating unknown polynomial order. The approach, which can be used empirically to test for misspecification, is applied to a Mincer (1958, 1974) equation using data from Card (1995). The results confirm that Mincer’s log earnings equation is easily shown to be misspecified by including nonlinear effects of experience and schooling on earnings, with some flexibility required in the respective polynomial degrees.
Molecular cloning of genes encoding branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase of Pseudomonas putida

We cloned the structural genes for the individual subunits of the branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase multienzyme complex on a 7.8-kilobase EcoRI-SstI restriction fragment of Pseudomonas putida chromosomal DNA by cloning into the broad-host-range vector pKT230. A direct selection system for growth on valine-isoleucine agar was achieved by complementation of P. putida branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase mutants. The recombinant plasmid, pSS1-1, increased expression of branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase up to five times in wild-type P. putida. The complex was expressed constitutively in P. putida(pSS1-1) but was inducible in Escherichia coli HB101(pSS1-1) by high valine. E. coli minicells transformed with pSS1-1 produced three polypeptides which did not match the four polypeptides of the purified complex. To resolve this problem, we inserted P. putida DNA from pSS1-1 into pUC18 and pUC19. The pUC-derived plasmids were used as DNA templates in an E. coli transcription-translation system. Four polypeptides were produced from the pUC18-derived plasmid which had the correct molecular weights, showing that the structural genes had been cloned. Since only weak bands were produced with the pUC19-derived plasmid, the direction of transcription was established. The locations and order of all the structural genes of branched-chain keto acid dehydrogenase were located by restriction enzyme mapping.