Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Simulation Evaluation of the Effects of Non‐Uniform Flow and Degradation Parameter Uncertainty on Subsurface‐Flow Constructed Wetland Performance

Although constructed wetland treatment systems have been used in a variety of applications, uncertainty in adequately determining flow conditions or hydraulic residence times (“hydraulic efficiencies”) and degradation model parameters remains a problem with their design. Breakthrough or impulse‐type tracer studies in constructed wetlands often result in residence‐time distributions exhibiting long skewed “tails” suggesting multiple flow channels or perhaps unrealistically large dispersion factors. A fractional‐flow analysis is developed here to quantify possible flow non‐uniformity in a subsurface‐flow constructed wetland and is then used to assess the effects of non‐uniformity and degradation model parameter variability on constituent (for example, chemical oxygen demand) removal. A model application to tracer data developed previously demonstrates how flow non‐uniformity alone can account for significant “tailing” and can be related to even moderate estimated dispersion numbers. From the analysis, it is evident that flow non‐uniformity is of greater concern than decay parameter uncertainty, and that, from a constructed wetland design and operation perspective, every effort should be made to ensure relative flow uniformity across the constructed wetland.
Proinflammatory Actions of Visfatin/Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt) Involve Regulation of Insulin Signaling Pathway and Nampt Enzymatic Activity*

Background: Visfatin regulates prostaglandin E2 synthesis in chondrocytes, through unknown pathways. Results: We characterized insulin and IGF receptor signaling and Nampt activity involved in this response. Conclusion: Proinflammatory actions of visfatin in chondrocytes implicate IR pathways, possibly through control of Nampt activity. Significance: IR, IGF-1R, and other tyrosine kinase receptor pathways need to be considered to understand visfatin signaling. Visfatin (also termed pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) or nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt)) is a pleiotropic mediator acting on many inflammatory processes including osteoarthritis. Visfatin exhibits both an intracellular enzymatic activity (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, Nampt) leading to NAD synthesis and a cytokine function via the binding to its hypothetical receptor. We recently reported the role of visfatin in prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in chondrocytes. Here, our aim was to characterize the signaling pathways involved in this response in exploring both the insulin receptor (IR) signaling pathway and Nampt activity. IR was expressed in human and murine chondrocytes, and visfatin triggered Akt phosphorylation in murine chondrocytes. Blocking IR expression with siRNA or activity using the hydroxy-2-naphthalenyl methyl phosphonic acid tris acetoxymethyl ester (HNMPA-(AM)3) inhibitor diminished visfatin-induced PGE2 release in chondrocytes. Moreover, visfatin-induced IGF-1R−/− chondrocytes released higher concentration of PGE2 than IGF-1R+/+ cells, a finding confirmed with an antibody that blocked IGF-1R. Using RT-PCR, we found that visfatin did not regulate IR expression and that an increased insulin release was also unlikely to be involved because insulin was unable to increase PGE2 release. Inhibition of Nampt activity using the APO866 inhibitor gradually decreased PGE2 release, whereas the addition of exogenous nicotinamide increased it. We conclude that the proinflammatory actions of visfatin in chondrocytes involve regulation of IR signaling pathways, possibly through the control of Nampt enzymatic activity.
Concept mapping in a critical care orientation program: a pilot study to develop critical thinking and decision-making skills in novice nurses.

BACKGROUND Newly graduated registered nurses who were hired into a critical care intensive care unit showed a lack of critical thinking skills to inform their clinical decision-making abilities. METHODS This study evaluated the effectiveness of concept mapping as a teaching tool to improve critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills in novice nurses. A self-evaluation tool was administered before and after the learning intervention. RESULTS The 25-item tool measured five key indicators of the development of critical thinking skills: problem recognition, clinical decision-making, prioritization, clinical implementation, and reflection. Statistically significant improvements were seen in 10 items encompassing all five indicators. CONCLUSION Concept maps are an effective tool for educators to use in assisting novice nurses to develop their critical thinking and clinical decision-making skills.
Peer Rejection and Perceived Quality of Relations With Schoolmates Among Children With ADHD

Objective: The main aim of the current study was to investigate the links between ADHD diagnosis and the objective and subjective dimensions of social relationships among children from primary schools. Method: We used the data from 36 regular classrooms, consisting of 718 students, with each containing at least one child with an established clinical diagnosis of ADHD (38 children). Results: For children with ADHD, the level of the perceived quality of social relations was lower than that of children without such a diagnosis. After controlling for sociometric status, the impact of ADHD on perceived status proved to be statistically nonsignificant but the indirect impact of ADHD on this status through sociometric status was statistically significant. Conclusion: Children diagnosed with ADHD are more often rejected by their peers and have a more pessimistic view of their social world. Moreover, ADHD diagnosis does not have a direct influence on the perceived quality of social relations otherwise than through sociometric status.
Delay of gratification: a comparison study of children with Down syndrome, moderate intellectual disability and typical development.

BACKGROUND Self-regulation has been found to be an important contributor to a range of outcomes, with delay of gratification (a self-regulatory skill) predicting better academic, social and personal functioning. There is some evidence that individuals with Down syndrome have difficulty with delay of gratification. We investigated the question of whether this difficulty is common to intellectual disability irrespective of aetiology, or whether it presents a particular problem for those with Down syndrome. The latter was considered a possibility because of language difficulties in this group. METHOD Three groups of children with a mean MA between 36 and 60 months participated in the study: children with Down syndrome (n = 32), children with a moderate intellectual disability from a cause other than Down syndrome (n = 26) and typically developing children (n = 50). Children completed a series of measures of language and cognitive functioning and participated in a delay of gratification task. RESULTS The group of children with Down syndrome delayed for a significantly shorter time than either of the other two groups that did not differ from each other. Receptive language was associated with delay time for the children with Down syndrome but not for the typically developing group, nor for the group with moderate intellectual disability. CONCLUSIONS Children with Down syndrome appear to have a particular difficulty with delay of gratification. Language abilities would seem to be implicated in this difficulty, although further examination of this hypothesis is required.
Transmission of evanescent wave modes through a slab of DNG material II

We study the transmission of evanescent plane-wave components through a slab of double-negative (DNG) material (i.e., a medium with relative electromagnetic material parameters /spl epsiv/<0,/spl mu/<0). As is well-known by now, the monochromatic wave components that emerge on the far side have regained the energy apparently attenuated in the DNG slab (which would have been lost in "tunneling" of an evanescent wave component through an ordinary medium). However, there is a minimal slab width d of any DNG medium beyond which the field amplitude of any signal with nonzero bandwidth will decay with increasing d. The decay appears to be unavoidable in far-field imaging through a slab of the previously studied medium. This study extends the validity of this effect to an arbitrary DNG medium.
IRF4 is essential for IL-21-mediated induction, amplification, and stabilization of the Th17 phenotype

Differentiation of murine T-helper (Th) 17 cells is induced by antigenic stimulation and the sequential action of the cytokines IL-6, IL-21, and IL-23, along with TGFβ. Current dogma proposes that IL-6 induces IL-21, which, in a STAT3-dependent manner, amplifies its own transcription, contributes to IL-17 production, and, moreover, promotes the expression of the IL-23 receptor. This, in turn, prepares cells for IL-23-mediated stabilization of the Th17 phenotype. Here we demonstrate that these effects of IL-21 on Th17 differentiation are completely dependent on IFN regulatory factor 4 (IRF4). After culturing in the presence of IL-21 plus TGFβ, IRF4-deficient (Irf4−/−) Th cells showed a profound intrinsic defect in IL-17 production and in the autocrine IL-21 loop. Likewise, the levels of IL-23 receptor and the lineage-specific orphan nuclear receptors RORα and RORγt were diminished, whereas the T regulatory (Treg) transcription factor forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) was strongly up-regulated, consistent with the reciprocal relationship between Th17 and Treg development. Despite this loss of IL-21 functions, IL-21-induced STAT3 activation was unimpaired and induced normal Socs3 expression. Forced expression of Foxp3 in WT cells inhibited IL-21-mediated IL-17 production, suggesting that the increase in Foxp3 contributes to the Irf4−/− phenotype. Additionally, the low levels of RORα and RORγt are also partially responsible, because simultaneous overexpression of both proteins restored IL-17 production in Irf4−/− cells to some extent. These data highlight IRF4 as a decisive factor during the IL-21-mediated steps of Th17 development by influencing the balance of Foxp3, RORα, and RORγt.
Canadian public health nurses' job satisfaction.

OBJECTIVES This study was undertaken to test the applicability of using a standardized questionnaire for measuring public health nurse (PHN) job satisfaction and to determine whether or not scores changed over 30 months. The importance of establishing a method for ongoing measurement of PHN job satisfaction was underscored by changing directions in practice and an emphasis on building public health capacity. METHOD A 30-month interval, repeated measures descriptive survey design was used. SAMPLE A randomly selected sample of 87 PHNs employed within 1 Canadian regional health authority participated. MEASUREMENT The survey questionnaire, the Index of Worklife Satisfaction, was designed to measure the importance of and satisfaction with 6 components of job satisfaction. RESULTS Pay and autonomy were the most important components; the order of the 4 remaining components changed from first to second surveys. Professional status, autonomy, and interaction were the most satisfying components; PHN satisfaction with professional status and interaction improved significantly over 30 months. A majority of subjects reported that direct client care/client response/making a difference were worklife aspects providing them with most satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS A valid, reliable questionnaire suitable for ongoing measurement was tested with PHNs, and baseline levels of their job satisfaction were established.
First-line antiretroviral therapy for HIV-infected children.

Current WHO guidelines advise the use lopinavir/ ritonavir as first-line treatment for HIV in children under 3 years of age but acknowledge that there are potential barriers to implementation, such as the need for a cold chain to point of dispensing, its unpalatability, cost and complexity of administration with tuberculosis treatment [1]. Ciaranello et al. [2] have undertaken a thorough modelling analysis comparing the cost-effectiveness of the ordering of antiretroviral therapy (ART) regimens for children less than 3 years of age using either lopinavir/ ritonavir as first-line ART followed by nevirapine or vice versa as well as compared with no ART in South Africa and Cote d’Ivoire. Their analysis shows tremendous benefits of either ARTorder as compared with no ART. In South Africa, providing either ART regimen is shown to be cost-saving for the first 12 years, and highly costeffective thereafter; although not cost-saving in Cote d’Ivoire, it is highly cost-effective.
Propofol Effects on Atrial Fibrillation Wavefront Delays

Since the cardiac activity during atrial fibrillation (AF) may be influenced by autonomic modulations, in this study, a novel method to quantify the effects of the most common anesthetic agent (propofol) in AF ablation procedures is introduced. This study has two main objectives: first, to assess whether the sedation earlier to radio frequency ablation affects the arrhythmia itself, and second, to provide new information that contributes to a better understanding of the influence of the autonomic nervous system on AF. The methodology presented is based on the measurement of synchronization and delay indexes between two atrial activations at adjacent intracavitary electrodes. These parameters aim to estimate whether two activations at different sites may be caused by the same propagating wavefront, or otherwise, are the consequence of independent wavefronts. The results showed that the mentioned indexes have a different behavior at both atria: the right atrium becomes more synchronized with propofol administration, whereas the synchronization index decreases at the left atrium.
Applying use cases to design versus validate class diagrams - a controlled experiment using a professional modeling tool

Several processes have been proposed for the transition from functional requirements to an object-oriented design, but these processes have been subject to little empirical validation. A use case driven development process is often recommended when applying UML. Nevertheless, it has been reported that this process leads to problems, such as the developers missing some requirements and mistaking requirements for design. This paper describes a controlled experiment, width 53 students as subjects, conducted to investigate two alternative processes for applying a use case model in an object-oriented design process. One process was use case driven, while the other was a responsibility-driven process in which the use case model was applied as a means of validating the resulting class diagram. Half of the subjects used the modeling tool Tau UML Suite from Telelogic; the other half used pen and paper. The results show that the validation process led to class diagrams implementing more of the requirements. The use case driven process did, however, result in class diagrams with a better structure. The results also show that those who used the modeling tool spent more time on constructing class diagrams than did those who used pen and paper. We experienced that it requires much more effort to organize an experiment with a professional modeling tool than with only pen and paper.
The nature and prevalence of eating disorders and eating disturbance in adolescents with cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life-threatening genetic disorder that is associated with respiratory and digestive problems and consequently inadequate nutrition and poor growth. Good nutrition is considered vital as low weight has a detrimental and potentially fatal impact upon health status in the CF population. Research has consistently revealed eating difficulties throughout childhood in the CF population but few studies have examined formal eating disorders or eating disturbance in adolescents with CF, despite clear evidence to support the notion of a developmental continuum between eating disturbance and eating disorders in the general population.1 Adolescents with CF appear to experience many of the risk factors that have been documented within the eating disorder literature, for example, eating difficulties in childhood,2 low self-esteem3 and life-stressors, including the experience of bereavement.4 The very nature of CF requires a preoccupation with food, exercise and weight, all of which are fundamental characteristics of patients with eating disorders, and thus CF may be a risk factor in itself. Adolescents with CF have been found to subscribe to the same cultural values regarding shape and weight as their non-CF peers.5 Previous studies that have attempted to examine whether or not the adolescent CF population may be at risk of developing eating disorder symptomatology appear to have a number of methodological limitations, particularly the use of self-report measures, which are unable to provide formal diagnoses, making it difficult to draw any firm conclusions.6–11 Further, such studies do not appear to have examined symptomatology if it has not met diagnostic criteria. Because eating disorders pose a particular threat to longevity in people with CF, the nature and prevalence of eating disorder symptomatology in this population requires clarification. The aim of this study was therefore to improve upon previous research designs by utilizing a semi-structured interview specifically designed to assess and diagnose eating disorder symptomatology in an adolescent population, thus examining both diagnostic difficulties and difficulties of lower frequency and severity.
Effects of small interfering RNA targeting heparanase-1 combined with heparin on invasiveness of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Heparanase-1 (HPA-1) can promote angiogenesis and metastasis of malignant tumors and plays an important role in the genesis and development of tumors. This study was to explore the effects of specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting HPA-1 combined with heparin on invasiveness of mouse hepatocellular carcinoma cells. METHODS The expression of HPA-1 in Hca-F, Hca-P, and Hepa1-6 cells, which have high, low, and no metastatic potential, respectively, was analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Western blot analysis and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). After transfection with two specific siRNAs targeting HPA-1, siRNA-1 and siRNA-2, and treatment with heparin, invasiveness of Hca-F cells was observed by Matrigel invasion assay. RESULTS HPA-1 was negative in Hepa1-6 cells while positive in both Hca-F and Hca-P cells. The expression levels of both HPA-1 mRNA and protein were obviously higher in Hca-F cells than in Hca-P cells. HPA-1 proteins could be secreted into culture supernatant of Hca-F and Hca-P cells, and the amount of secreted HPA-1 detected by Western blot analysis was larger in Hca-F cells than in Hca-P cells (1.34 ± 0.02 vs. 0.60 ± 0.01, P < 0.001), which was consistent with the results of ELISA. Both siRNA-1 and siRNA-2 downregulated the expression of HPA-1 and the siRNA-2 did more efficiently. The number of invasive Hca-F cells treated with siRNA-2 or heparin alone was larger than that of Hca-F cells treated with combination of them (9 ± 1 vs. 4 ± 1, P = 0.013; 15 ± 2 vs. 4 ± 1, P = 0.008), but smaller than that of untreated Hca-F cells (9 ± 1 vs. 22 ± 2, P = 0.006; 15 ± 2 vs. 22 ± 2, P = 0.026). CONCLUSION The combined application of specific siRNA targeting HPA-1 and heparin is more effective in inhibiting the invasiveness of mouse hepatoma cells.
Fgf15 is required for proper morphogenesis of the mouse cardiac outflow tract

Evidence in animal models indicates that signaling networks functioning in the developing pharyngeal arches regulate stereotyped processes critical for proper development of the aortic arch and cardiac outflow tract. Here, we describe the phenotype of mice lacking fibroblast growth factor 15 (Fgf15), which encodes a secreted signaling molecule expressed within the developing pharyngeal arches. Homozygous Fgf15 mutants present heart defects consistent with malalignment of the aorta and pulmonary trunk. These defects correlate with early morphological defects of the outflow tract due to aberrant behavior of the cardiac neural crest. We demonstrate that Fgf15 expression within the pharyngeal arches is unaltered by a loss of Tbx1, a key regulator of pharyngeal arch development implicated in DiGeorge syndrome. In addition, Fgf15 and Tbx1 do not interact genetically, suggesting that Fgf15 operates through a pathway independent of Tbx1. These studies reveal a novel role of Fgf15 during development of the cardiac outflow tract. genesis 41:192–201, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tracing the Colors of Clothing in Paintings with Image Analysis

The history of color is full of instances of how and why certain colors come to be associated with certain concepts, ideas, politics, status and power. Sometimes the connotations occur arbitrarily, like in the instance when pink was assigned to baby girls, and blue started to be associated with baby boys at the turn of 19 Century [Paoletti, 1987]. Sometimes though, color associations have very tangible reasons, such as in the case of Marian blue, reserved only for painting Virgin Mary over the centuries. The reason is found in the scarcity of the rock lapis lazuli –even more valuable than gold– from which the blue pigments were extracted. Individual colors have convoluted and contested histories, since they have been attached to many symbols at any given time. John Gage, an art historian who has devoted 30 years of research on the topic of color, explains the conundrum of what he terms “politics of color” in a simple fashion: “The same colors, or combinations of colors can, for example, be shown to have held quite antithetical connotations in different periods and cultures, and even at the same time and in the same place. ”[Gage, 1990]. The purpose of the present study is to introduce a method for automatically extracting color distributions and main colors of paintings, as well as color schemes of people in paintings. By visualizing these over time for cross-referencing with historical data, this study will reveal changes in how particular colors were used in a given time period and culture. In this study, we will look at artworks to find out whether certain colors or tones are associated with a specific sex, and if these connotations change over time. To that end, we apply algorithmic tools to process very large datasets automatically, and information visualization tools to depict the findings.
The health care costs of heart failure in Sweden

Abstract. Rydén‐Bergsten T, Andersson F (AstraZeneca R&D, Lund; and AstraZeneca R&D, Mölndal; Sweden). The health care costs of heart failure in Sweden. J Intern Med 1999; 246: 275–284.
Homologous Recombination in E 3 Genes of Human Adenovirus Species

Gurdeep Singh, Christopher M. Robinson, Shoaleh Dehghan, Morris S. Jones, David W. Dyer, Donald Seto, James Chodosh Department of Ophthalmology, Howe Laboratory, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts,USA; Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, School of Systems Biology, George Mason University, Manassas, Virginia, USA; Chemistry Department, American University, Washington, DC, USA; Division of Infectious Diseases, Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA