Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stimulus-Response Compatibility in a Small Sample of Cerebral Palsied Adults

Stimulus-response compatibility refers to the correspondence between a sensory event and the motor response which it specifies. A discrete aimed movement task with two conditions of stimulus-response compatibility tested whether higher compatibility would decrease the reaction time of 5 subjects with normal movement and 6 subjects with cerebral palsy. A board with 3 distances (13.5, 28.0, 40.5 cm) along each of 3 rays (45°, 90°, 135°) provided 9 target sites for a detachable leaf switch. A light on the switch was turned off or on for the low or high compatibility condition. The independent variables were the Index of Difficulty, target position and compatibility. The dependent variables were reaction time and movement time. The reaction times for both groups were less during the high compatibility condition than during the low compatibility condition as shown by a t test for differences between means. Multiple regression analyses showed that reaction time of the normal group was a positive linear function of compatibility and movement time was a positive linear function of the Index of Difficulty for both groups and of position for the normal group, 3 normal subjects and 2 cerebral palsied subjects. There were indications of ballistic rather than aimed movements. The results are discussed with regard to the role of visual fixation in aimed movement, the similarities between groups in conformance to Fitts' Law and differences between groups in reaction and movement times.
Body Mass Index and Groin Hernia: A 34-Year Follow-up Study in Swedish Men

Objective:Inguinal hernias are very common disorders, especially in men, with inguinal herniorrhaphy being one of the most frequently performed general surgical procedures in men. Theoretically, obesity might increase the risk of groin hernia by increasing intra-abdominal pressure. The objective of the present study was to investigate whether overweight and obesity in middle age could significantly predict future groin hernia in men. Summary Background Data:Design: Prospective cohort study; Setting: General population of men living in Gothenburg, Sweden; Participants: A community-based sample of 7483 men aged 47 to 55 years were followed-up from baseline (1970–1973) for a maximum of 34 years. Main Outcome Measures:A diagnosis of groin hernia according to the Swedish hospital discharge register. Results:A total of 1017 men (13.6%) were diagnosed with groin hernia. An inverse relationship was found between body mass index (BMI) and risk of groin hernia. With each BMI unit (3–4 kg), the relative risk for groin hernia decreased by 4% (P < 0.0001). Compared with men of normal weight, obese men had a 43% lower risk (P = 0.0008, 95% confidence interval 21%–59%). Heavy smokers demonstrated a 26% lower risk for groin hernia (P = 0.003, 95% confidence interval 10%–39%). Diabetes, high physical activity, and blood pressure were not associated with groin hernia. Entering other variables potentially associated with groin hernia, as age, BMI, smoking, and serum cholesterol, in a multivariable analysis left the risk estimates for BMI and smoking virtually unchanged. Conclusions:In a large community-based sample of middle-aged men overweight and obesity were associated with a lower risk for groin hernia during an extended follow-up. Obesity, in comparison with normal weight, reduced the risk of groin hernia by 43%. A reduced risk of groin hernia was also noted in heavy smokers. Obviously, hernia may be more easily detected in lean men but a true protective effect cannot be excluded.
Maggie and her students: Talking and reasoning in a reform-based mathematics classroom

In this qualitative case study, I explored how Maggie, the teacher, and her students used language to advance students' conceptual understanding of mathematics in a reform-based mathematics classroom. Specifically I sought to describe how Maggie's reform-based mathematics classroom environment impacted the quantity and quality of mathematical language spoken by her students. Maggie's eighth-grade mathematics classroom was observed during a course of study on data and statistics. Three semistructured interviews with Maggie, artifacts provided by her, and fourteen 52-minute classroom lessons, supported with field notes, were analyzed. Environmental themes were revealed as they related to Maggie, her beliefs, goals, knowledge, and what she said. Maggie's talk was framed by five productive teacher-talk moves. The quantity of student talk was analyzed according to three variations of the three-phase reform-based mathematics lesson (Direct Instruction, Guided Discovery, Open-Ended Exploration) and three talk formats (Whole-Class Discussion, Partner Talk, Small-Group Discussion). Due to the Maggie's diminished role during Partner Talk and Small-Group Discussion, an in-depth analysis was conducted to determine what students were talking about when they worked independently. This revealed a qualitative change over the course of the unit. Further analysis revealed that students engaged in two mathematical Discourses: Procedural Discourse and Conceptual Discourse. Since the focus of this study was on how language was used to advance students' conceptual understanding of mathematics, this type of talk became a focus of further analysis. Ten categories of students' mathematical reasoning emerged from the data. This study provides a rich description of a reform-based mathematics classroom environment, and the quantity and quality of student talk impacted by it. Implications for educational leadership, literacy education, mathematics education, and teacher education, as well as recommendations for future studies, are shared. MAGGIE AND HER STUDENTS: TALKING AND REASONING IN A REFORM-BASED MATHEMATICS CLASSROOM
Monetary Policy and the Term Structure of Interest Rates ∗

We analyze the effects of monetary policy on the term structure of interest rates in a medium DSGE model including long-run nominal and real risk estimated using Bayesian methods. The estimated model replicates key stylized facts of the nominal and real term structures of interest rates and term premia as well as macroeconomic variables. We quantify the effects of unexpected changes in the monetary authority’s policy rate and stance on the short and long ends of the term structure and on agents’ precautionary motives that drive the pricing of nominal and real risk in the economy. In our application to forward guidance, we find that these precautionary motives lead the pricing of risk to dampen the effects of a preannounced expansionary monetary policy on the real economy. JEL classification: E13, E31, E43, E44, E52
Superanalysis of Optimum Combining with Application to Femtocell Networks

A femtocell technology-towards the deployment of small-cell networks-is a key enabler for improving indoor coverage and throughput per network area at a low cost in future wireless networks. However, these small-cell networking inevitably increases cochannel interference due to aggressive (even uncontrolled) reuse of spectral resources. One of the attractive approaches to alleviating the cochannel interference is a multiple-antenna technique for which accurately characterizing the effects of interference is crucial but challenging. To elucidate this important problem, we analyze the performance of interference rejection diversity combining, often called the optimum combining, in an uplink two-tier femtocell network. Specifically, we consider that a single-antenna femtocell user (transmitter) communicates with a closed femtocell access point (receiver) with multiple antennas in the presence of single-antenna cochannel interferers from co-tier (femtocells) and cross-tier (macrocell) networks. We introduce a new mathematical methodology to analyze the average symbol error probability of optimum combining diversity systems in Rayleigh fading, accounting for multiple unequal-power interferers, each is spatially correlated across receiving antennas. The analysis resorts to the so-called Berezin's supermathematics that treats both commuting and Grassmann anticommuting variables on an equal footing. This powerful supermathematical framework enables us to quantify the cross- and co-tier interference effects in terms of interference power heterogeneity and spatial correlation.
Molecular and structural requirements of a lipoteichoic acid from Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790 for cytokine-inducing, antitumor, and antigenic activities

Comparison was made between the immunobiological and antigenic properties of two lipoteichoic acid (LTA) fractions (LTA-1 and -2) from Enterococcus hirae ATCC 9790, their glycolipid portions, and synthetic compounds partially mimicking the above bacterial products. The more lipophilic LTA-2 fraction was capable of inducing serum tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 in muramyldipeptide-primed mice and serum gamma interferon in those primed with Propionibacterium acnes. The LTA-2 fraction also induced tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-6, and thymocyte-activating factor (essentially interleukin-1) in murine peritoneal macrophage cultures. Consecutive intravenous injections of muramyldipeptide and the LTA-2 fraction in Meth A fibrosarcoma-bearing BALB/c mice caused hemorrhagic necrosis and marked regression leading to complete regression of the tumor with no accompanying weakening or lethal effects. The LTA-2 fraction was at least 10,000-fold less pyrogenic in rabbits than a reference endotoxic lipopolysaccharide. The more hydrophilic LTA-1 fraction, on the other hand, showed at most marginal activity in the in vivo and in vitro assays. Natural glycolipids (NGL-1 and -2) which were prepared from a chloroform-methanol extract of Streptococcus pyogenes and E. hirae cells, and comparable in structure to the lipid moieties of the LTA-1 and -2 fractions, respectively, were practically inactive in all of the assays. None of the test synthetic compounds was immunobiologically active, although synthetic partial counterparts of the structure of LTA proposed by W. Fischer (Handb. Lipid Res. 6:123-234, 1990) reacted with murine monoclonal antibody TS-2, which was raised against OK-432, a penicillin-killed S. pyogenes preparation, and capable of neutralizing the cytokine-inducing activities of the LTA-2 fraction.
Analysis of direct hippocampal cortical field CA1 axonal projections to diencephalon in the rat

The hippocampal formation is generally considered essential for processing episodic memory. However, the structural organization of hippocampal afferent and efferent axonal connections is still not completely understood, although such information is critical to support functional hypotheses. The full extent of axonal projections from field CA1 to the interbrain (diencephalon) is analyzed here with the Phaseolus vulgaris‐leucoagglutinin (PHAL) method. The ventral pole of field CA1 establishes direct pathways to, and terminal fields within, the anterior hypothalamic nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic and lateral preoptic areas, medial preoptic area, and certain other hypothalamic regions, as well as particular midline thalamic nuclei. These results suggest that hippocampal field CA1 modulates motivated or goal‐directed behaviors, and physiological responses, associated with the targeted hypothalamic neuron populations. J. Comp. Neurol. 497:101–114, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Epigenetic mechanisms in anti‐cancer actions of bioactive food components – the implications in cancer prevention

The hallmarks of carcinogenesis are aberrations in gene expression and protein function caused by both genetic and epigenetic modifications. Epigenetics refers to the changes in gene expression programming that alter the phenotype in the absence of a change in DNA sequence. Epigenetic modifications, which include amongst others DNA methylation, covalent modifications of histone tails and regulation by non‐coding RNAs, play a significant role in normal development and genome stability. The changes are dynamic and serve as an adaptation mechanism to a wide variety of environmental and social factors including diet. A number of studies have provided evidence that some natural bioactive compounds found in food and herbs can modulate gene expression by targeting different elements of the epigenetic machinery. Nutrients that are components of one‐carbon metabolism, such as folate, riboflavin, pyridoxine, cobalamin, choline, betaine and methionine, affect DNA methylation by regulating the levels of S‐adenosyl‐L‐methionine, a methyl group donor, and S‐adenosyl‐L‐homocysteine, which is an inhibitor of enzymes catalyzing the DNA methylation reaction. Other natural compounds target histone modifications and levels of non‐coding RNAs such as vitamin D, which recruits histone acetylases, or resveratrol, which activates the deacetylase sirtuin and regulates oncogenic and tumour suppressor micro‐RNAs. As epigenetic abnormalities have been shown to be both causative and contributing factors in different health conditions including cancer, natural compounds that are direct or indirect regulators of the epigenome constitute an excellent approach in cancer prevention and potentially in anti‐cancer therapy.
Submillimeter Galaxies at z ~ 2: Evidence for Major Mergers and Constraints on Lifetimes, IMF, and CO-H2 Conversion Factor

We report subarcsecond resolution IRAM PdBI millimeter CO interferometry of four z ∼ 2 submillimeter galaxies (SMGs), and sensitive CO(3-2) flux limits toward three z ∼ 2 UV/optically selected star-forming galaxies. The new data reveal for the first time spatially resolved CO gas kinematics in the observed SMGs. Two of the SMGs show double or multiple morphologies, with complex, disturbed gas motions. The other two SMGs exhibit CO velocity gradients of ~500 km s−1 across ≤0.2″ (1.6 kpc) diameter regions, suggesting that the star-forming gas is in compact, rotating disks. Our data provide compelling evidence that these SMGs represent extreme, short-lived “maximum” star-forming events in highly dissipative mergers of gas-rich galaxies. The resulting high-mass surface and volume densities of SMGs are similar to those of compact quiescent galaxies in the same redshift range and much higher than those in local spheroids. From the ratio of the comoving volume densities of SMGs and quiescent galaxies in the same mass and redshift ranges, and from the comparison of gas exhaustion timescales and stellar ages, we estimate that the SMG phase duration is about 100 Myr. Our analysis of SMGs and optically/UV selected high-redshift star-forming galaxies supports a “universal” Chabrier IMF as being valid over the star-forming history of these galaxies. We find that the 12CO luminosity to total gas mass conversion factors at z ∼ 2-3 are probably similar to those assumed at z ∼ 0. The implied gas fractions in our sample galaxies range from 20% to 50%.
Oltipraz and dithiolethione congeners inhibit hypoxia-inducible factor-1α activity through p70 ribosomal S6 kinase-1 inhibition and H2O2-scavenging effect

Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) induces tumor proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Reactive oxygen species, hypoxia, and growth factor stimulation induce HIF-1α, and the augmented HIF-1α activity confers upon cancer cells the ability to adapt to microenvironments. Oltipraz is a cancer chemopreventive agent and has an inhibitory effect on angiogenesis and tumor growth. Nonetheless, the molecular mechanism of tumor inhibition is as yet unclear. This study investigated whether oltipraz and its congeners inhibit HIF-1α activity and, if so, the molecular basis of inhibition. Oltipraz and other 1,2-dithiole-3-thiones have the ability to prevent insulin- or hypoxia-induced HIF-1α expression through an increase in ubiquitination, thereby accelerating HIF-1α degradation and inhibiting HIF-1α–dependent gene transcription. Transfection of cells with a constitutively active mutant of p70 ribosomal S6 kinase-1 (CA-S6K1) increased the basal and insulin-inducible HIF-1α activity. CA-S6K1 overexpression reversed HIF-1α inhibition by rapamycin (a mammalian target of rapamycin/S6K1 inhibitor). However, the inhibitory effect of oltipraz on HIF-1α was not reversed by CA-S6K1 despite its S6K1 inhibition. The failure of dominant negative mutant AMP-activated protein kinase-α to restore the ability of insulin to increase HIF-1α against oltipraz excluded the possible role of AMP-activated protein kinase activation in the action of oltipraz. Oltipraz treatment abrogated insulin-induced H2O2 production, thereby preventing H2O2-enhanced HIF-1α expression and promoting its ubiquitination and degradation. In an animal model, tumor regression by oltipraz was accompanied by decreases in microvessel density and vascular endothelial growth factor induction. Oltipraz inhibits HIF-1α activity and HIF-1α–dependent tumor growth, which may result from a decrease in HIF-1α stability through S6K1 inhibition in combination with an H2O2-scavenging effect. [Mol Cancer Ther 2009;8(10):2791–802]
Determinants of Banks Profitability

The study is conducted by taking 31 commercial banks operating in Pakistan for the period 2009- 2012. The results revealed that banks profitability is significantly impacted by CAP and size while loan loss provision, deposit growth are form to have negative significant coefficients our results are robust as we imply panel data estimation techniques of fixed, common, and random effect model. Our results are in line with in past research done on the impact of internal factors on banks profitability.
The U. S. Current Account: A Long and Short Run Empirical Perspective

The persistence of the U.S. current account deficit is thought to be one of America's foremost economic problems-an omen of a decline in U.S. economic hegemony that seems even more foreboding in the wake of plans for Europe 1992. The U.S. current account balance began its sustained decline in the third quarter of 1982 having earlier hovered anywhere from an annualized surplus high of $22.2 billion to a deficit low of $26.64 billion between 1973 and 1982. Beginning in the third quarter of 1982, the U.S. current account balance registered an annualized deficit of $29 billion. This would be but one of many yet one of the smallest steps down the road to the triple digit deficits that have endured throughout the 1980s and remain today. Is the persistence of the current account deficit now in its eighth year an indication of a trend which fiscal prudence, exchange rate intervention, increases in U.S. competitiveness, or demand stimulus abroad cannot suspend in the long run? These issues are investigated by using the more recent work on unit roots and cointegration, applications that have not yet been made regarding trade issues and trade related data. Granger causality tests are also used to investigate the short run causes of the current account deficit.
Outcomes in Patients With Abnormal Myocardial Perfusion Imaging and Normal Coronary Angiogram

A subset of subjects undergoing myocardial perfusion imaging has perfusion abnormalities that are subsequently labeled false positive based on coronary angiography. We evaluated the long-term prevalence of cardiovascular events in these patients. We retrospectively identified 48 patients who had reversible perfusion abnormalities with myocardial perfusion imaging and normal coronary angiography. Patients with known coronary artery disease, left ventricular dysfunction, valvular disease, and cardiomyopathy were excluded. Patient follow-up, conducted for at least 3 (mean interval, 7.4) years from the index myocardial perfusion imaging, was accomplished by a review of medical records and telephone interviews. Study endpoints were cardiovascular events defined as sudden cardiac death, myocardial infarction, percutaneous coronary revascularization, coronary artery bypass grafting, and cerebrovascular or peripheral revascularization. Thirty-one percent (15 of 48) of the patients had cardiovascular events. Six of the 48 patients had coronary events. These patients had abnormal myocardial perfusion imaging and normal coronary angiogram. The time between myocardial perfusion imaging and coronary event was 0.5 to 8.67 years. There was a strong correlation between the regions of original perfusion abnormality and the ultimate coronary ischemia or revascularization. Abnormal findings on myocardial perfusion imaging may predict a higher prevalence of coronary and peripheral vascular events than suggested by a normal coronary angiogram.
Characterization and prediction of the recognition of emotional faces and emotional bursts in temporal lobe epilepsy

Introduction: The present study sought to characterize and predict the recognition of emotional stimuli (presented in a visual or auditory modality) by patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Method: Fifty TLE patients and 50 matched controls performed two emotion recognition tasks (emotional faces and emotional bursts). Neutral stimuli were also presented, and emotional biases were monitored by analyzing errors. Demographic, cognitive, psychobehavioral and (in TLE patients only) clinical and quality of life data were also recorded. Results: Compared with controls, TLE patients were impaired in the recognition of fear expressions in both visual and auditory modality tasks. However, impairments in the two channels were not always concomitant on the individual level. In the visual modality, recognition of disgust and neutral expressions was significantly worse in TLE patients. In the auditory modality, nonsignificant trends toward poor recognition of disgust and neutral expressions were observed. Negative biases were noted in TLE patients; expressions of fear (faces and bursts) were more frequently misinterpreted as disgust, and neutral facial expressions were more frequently misinterpreted as sadness. Impairments in the recognition of facial fear were less pronounced in left TLE patients who (according to structural magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) did not have any brain lesions. In TLE patients, low levels of social support (a quality of life parameter) were associated with worse recognition of facial disgust, and higher levels of apathy were associated with better recognition of neutral faces. Conclusions: TLE patients are impaired in some aspects of emotion recognition with both visual and auditory stimuli, although the differential impact of TLE on these modalities requires further research. These emotional impairments are related to quality of life and psychobehavioral parameters.
Exchange Traded Funds Market

In this paper we assess the weak-form efficiency of Exchange Traded Funds market apply ing various parametric and non-parametric tests. The parametric tests performed concern serial correlation tests and Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) unit root test while the nonparametric tests used is the Phillips-Peron (PP) unit root test. To assess ETF market effi ciency, we employ full daily return historical data of a sample of 66 equity-linked ETFs traded in the U.S. stock over the period 2001-2010. The performed tests provide evidence on the fact that the efficient market hypothesis holds in the ETF market. In particular, the majority of serial correlation tests show the lack of such an issue in the time series of ETF returns, which is a prerequisite in order for the efficient market hypothesis to be verified. Moreover, both the parametric and non-parametric unit root tests adopted reveal the non-existence of such an issue with respect to the pricing of ETFs and, therefore, the weakform of the efficient market hypothesis seems not to be infringed in the U.S. ETF market.