Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Use of a Mixed Methods Approach to Investigate the Support Needs of Older Caregivers to Family Members Affected by HIV and AIDS in South Africa

A mixed methods approach was used to investigate the support needs of older persons in South Africa who care for children and grandchildren infected with or affected by HIV/AIDS. A total of 305 caregivers in rural and urban areas were surveyed, and 10 case studies were constructed from follow-up interview data. Nine key informants in government and nongovernmental organizations were interviewed. Results of the analyses of the three data sets were triangulated. The outcomes indicated the impact of caregiving on the caregivers’ health and well-being, and areas in which they need support and policy intervention. The utilization of a mixed methods research design demonstrated two benefits: It increased comprehensiveness of the results and it enhanced understanding of HIV/AIDS-related caregiving.
Discovering Truths from Distributed Data

In the big data era, the information about the same object collected from multiple sources is inevitably conflicting. The task of identifying true information (i.e., the truths) among conflicting data is referred to as truth discovery, which incorporates the estimation of source reliability degrees into the aggregation of multi-source data. However, in many real-world applications, large-scale data are distributed across multiple servers. Traditional truth discovery approaches cannot handle this scenario due to the constraints of communication overhead and privacy concern. Another limitation of most existing work is that they ignore the differences among objects, i.e., they treat all the objects equally. This limitation would be exacerbated in distributed environments where significant differences exist among the objects. To tackle the aforementioned issues, in this paper, we propose a novel distributed truth discovery framework (DTD), which can effectively and efficiently aggregate conflicting data stored across distributed servers, with the differences among the objects as well as the importance level of each server being considered. The proposed framework consists of two steps: the local truth computation step conducted by each local server and the central truth estimation step taking place in the central server. Specifically, we introduce the uncertainty values to model the differences among objects, and propose a new uncertainty-based truth discovery method (UbTD) for calculating the true information of objects in each local server. The outputs of the local truth computation step include the estimated local truths and the variances of objects, which are the input information of the central truth estimation step. To infer the final true information in the central server, we propose a new algorithm to aggregate the outputs of all the local servers with the quality of different local servers taken into account. The proposed distributed truth discovery framework can infer object truths without delivering any raw data to the central server, and thus can reduce communication overhead as well as preserve data privacy. Experimental results on three real world datasets show that the proposed DTD framework can efficiently estimate object truths with accuracy guarantee, and the proposed UbTD algorithm significantly outperforms the state-of-the-art batch truth discovery approaches.
Pid Controller Design With Guaranteed Gain And Phase Margins

This paper considers the problem of designing PID controllers that achieve the guaranteed gain and phase margin specifications for a given but arbitrary single‐input single‐output plant. Using definitions of gain and phase margins, the given specifications are translated into simultaneous stabilization of two families of polynomials. Thereafter, an extension of the results of PID stabilization to the case of complex polynomials is shown to be useful in providing a solution to this simultaneous stabilization problem. A computational characterization of all admissible PID controllers is given. This characterization for all admissible PID controllers involves the solution of a linear programming problem. An example is presented to illustrate use of the design procedure in detail.
Sit-to-Walk predicts Freezing of Gait status over than cognitive load: an experimental study with Linear Discriminant Analysis

Freezing of Gait (FoG) is one of the most debilitating symptom of patients with Parkinson Disease (PwP) as it could leads to fall and loss of independence. It is common in Parkinson's disease but, interestingly, it doesn't occur in all patients [1], suggesting that PwP with FoG are a subpopulation of PwP [2]. Known triggers for FoG include, aside to normal gait, challenging events that require precise regulation of complex motor sequences to control step length and gait timing, such as step initiation and raise to walk. Motor and cognitive models have been proposed to explain the potential mechanisms behind the episodic nature of FoG [3]. FoG is typically considered a motor deficit. However, recent researches suggest that declining cognitive/executive functions, in set-shifting and inhibition, may also contribute to FoG [4, 5]. Somewhat related, individuals with Parkinson's disease who exhibit FoG have difficulty shifting their attention when performing online modification of a complex motor sequence [6]. Recent research show that FoG may be influenced by the difficulty of a voluntary switch within a task such as stepping [5, 7]. Moreover, augmented cognitive load (with an additional attentional focus) has a detrimental effects on gait in PwP with FoG [5, 8]. Therefore, it is important to ask whether motor-sequence planning is associated with FoG. FoG may be studied by finding those peculiar features of motor behavior which differentiate patients with and without FoG. We evaluated the motor behavior in simple and complex gait movements with three groups of participants: PwP with and without FoG in ON state condition, and participants without neurologic and gait disorders. All participants were required to walk, to begin to walk (Step Initiation), and raise from a chair for walking (Sit-to-Walk). These tasks were performed by themselves or with a concomitant cognitive task in order to study attentional shifting. Aim of the study was to establish whether a subgroup of patients of Parkinson's Disease and FoG, beyond freezing episodes, also show peculiar gait parameters. Such information, in fat, could be used, together with self reports, as a marker for phenotyping PwP with FoG. Analysis of variance helped to identify task-specific kinematic and kinetic variables which differentiate among the three groups. Classification accuracy of such variables was obtained by training a Linear Discriminant Analysis – LDA algorithm on reduced sub-samples, and by testing it on the left out subjects. Accuracy pattern was extracted for all the possible training/testing …
A Trinity Construction for Web Extraction Using Efficient Algorithm

Trinity - An unconventional structure for automatically catch or extract the content from the website or the webpages by the source of internet. The basic applications are done by the trinity characteristics in order to gather the data in the form of sequential or linear tree structure or format. Many users will be searching for the effective and efficient device in order to perform the optimized solution without any big loss or expenditure. In this system an automatic parser is placed at the back end of the complete trinitized format or structure. Now it performs the action or task of sub-dividing the extracted web content in the form of small pieces of web content which has three main categories as prefix, suffix and separator. Once the action of gathering is completed, now the extracted content of the located data in the relevant webpages. Gradually that data will be cleaned and formatted for the calculation which results in an effective and efficient cost comparative system. In this proposed system an 'Ant Colony Optimization ' algorithm is used in order to extract the relevant content from the website. Finally the trinity will computes and executes any major estimation problem or collision of the device or system. The Ant colony optimization provides accuracy without NP-Complete Problem.
The Effect of 3D-Modeling Training on Students’ Spatial Reasoning Relative to Gender and Grade

The aim of this research was to establish whether gender and age have an impact on spatial reasoning and its development through the use of 3D modeling. The study was conducted on a sample of 196 children from sixth to ninth grade, of whom 95 represented the experimental group and 101 the control group. The experimental group received 3D modeling training in SketchUp software. Spatial reasoning was controlled in the initial and final stages with a test comprising tasks that required mental manipulation of shapes or objects in images. It was found that 3D modeling does improve spatial reasoning, regardless of gender or age.
Modeling and propagation of noisy waveforms in static timing analysis

A technique based on the sensitivity of the output to input waveform is presented for accurate propagation of delay information through a gate for the purpose of static timing analysis (STA) in the presence of noise. Conventional STA tools represent a waveform by its arrival time and slope. However, this is not an accurate way of modeling the waveform for the purpose of noise analysis. The key contribution of our work is the development of a method that allows efficient propagation of equivalent waveforms throughout the circuit. Experimental results demonstrate higher accuracy of the proposed sensitivity-based gate delay propagation technique, SGDP, compared to the best of existing approaches. SGDP is compatible with the current level of gate characterization in conventional ASIC cell libraries, and as a result, it can be easily incorporated into commercial STA tools to improve their accuracy.
Important Considerations for Treatment with Dietary Supplement versus Prescription Niacin Products

Abstract Niacin is a water-soluble B vitamin (B3) known to have favorable effects on multiple lipid parameters, including raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and lowering triglycerides (TGs), lipoprotein(a), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C). Although LDL-C remains the primary target of lipid-altering therapy, current guidelines emphasize HDL-C and other modifiable lipid factors as key secondary targets. Thus, niacin is considered an important therapeutic option to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with mixed dyslipidemia who, in addition to high LDL-C, have elevated TGs and low HDL-C. Although available prescription niacin products, including immediate-release niacin (IR; Niacor) and an extended-release niacin formulation (Niaspan), have demonstrated safety and efficacy in randomized clinical trials, confusion remains among health care providers and their patients regarding the various commercially available nonprescription dietary supplement niacin products. These dietary supplements, which include IR, sustained-release (SR), and “no-flush” or “flush-free” niacin products, are not subject to the same stringent US Food and Drug Administration regulations as prescription drugs. In fact, both the American Heart Association and the American Pharmacists Association recommend against the use of dietary supplement niacin as a substitute for prescription niacin. Although some dietary supplement IR and SR niacin products have demonstrated a lipid response in clinical trials, products labeled as “no-flush” or “flush-free” that are intended to avoid the common niacin-associated adverse effect of flushing generally contain minimal or no free, pharmacologically active niacin and therefore lack beneficial lipid-modifying effects. To clarify important differences between available prescription and dietary supplement niacin products, this article contrasts current regulatory standards for dietary supplements and prescription drugs and provides an overview of available clinical data from key trials of niacin.
Fgf-9 is required for angiogenesis and osteogenesis in long bone repair

Bone healing requires a complex interaction of growth factors that establishes an environment for efficient bone regeneration. Among these, FGFs have been considered important for intrinsic bone-healing capacity. In this study, we analyzed the role of Fgf-9 in long bone repair. One-millimeter unicortical defects were created in tibias of Fgf-9+/− and wild-type mice. Histomorphometry revealed that half-dose gene of Fgf-9 markedly reduced bone regeneration as compared with wild-type. Both immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR analysis revealed markedly decreased levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2), osteocalcin, Vega-a, and platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1 (PECAM-1) in Fgf-9+/− defects. μCT angiography indicated dramatic impairment of neovascularization in Fgf-9+/− mice as compared with controls. Treatment with FGF-9 protein promoted angiogenesis and successfully rescued the healing capacity of Fgf-9+/− mice. Importantly, although other pro-osteogenic factors [Fgf-2, Fgf-18, and bone morphogenic protein 2 (Bmp-2)] still were present in Fgf-9+/− mice, they could not compensate for the haploinsufficiency of the Fgf-9 gene. Therefore, endogenous Fgf-9 seems to play an important role in long bone repair. Taken together our data suggest a unique role for Fgf-9 in bone healing, presumably by initiating angiogenesis through Vegf-a. Moreover, this study further supports the embryonic phenotype previously observed in the developing limb, thus promoting the concept that healing processes in adult organisms may recapitulate embryonic skeletal development.
Extracellular Mycobacterial DnaK Polarizes Macrophages to the M2-Like Phenotype

Macrophages are myeloid cells that play an essential role in inflammation and host defense, regulating immune responses and maintaining tissue homeostasis. Depending on the microenvironment, macrophages can polarize to two distinct phenotypes. The M1 phenotype is activated by IFN-γ and bacterial products, and displays an inflammatory profile, while M2 macrophages are activated by IL-4 and tend to be anti-inflammatory or immunosupressive. It was observed that DnaK from Mycobacterium tuberculosis has immunosuppressive properties, inducing a tolerogenic phenotype in dendritic cells and MDSCs, contributing to graft acceptance and tumor growth. However, its role in macrophage polarization remains to be elucidated. We asked whether DnaK was able to modulate macrophage phenotype. Murine macrophages, derived from bone marrow, or from the peritoneum, were incubated with DnaK and their phenotype compared to M1 or M2 polarized macrophages. Treatment with DnaK leads macrophages to present higher arginase I activity, IL-10 production and FIZZ1 and Ym1 expression. Furthermore, DnaK increased surface levels of CD206. Importantly, DnaK-treated macrophages were able to promote tumor growth in an allogeneic melanoma model. Our results suggest that DnaK polarizes macrophages to the M2-like phenotype and could constitute a virulence factor and is an important immunomodulator of macrophage responses.
Automaticity and Reestablishment of Executive ControlAn fMRI Study

The ability to exert control over automatic behavior is of particular importance as it allows us to interrupt our behavior when the automatic response is no longer adequate or even dangerous. However, despite the literature that exists on the effects of practice on brain activation, little is known about the neuroanatomy involved in reestablishing executive control over previously automatized behavior. We present a visual search task that enabled participants to automatize according to defined criteria within about 3 hr of practice and then required them to reassert control without changing the stimulus set. We found widespread cortical activation early in practice. Activation in all frontal areas and in the inferior parietal lobule decreased significantly with practice. Only selected prefrontal (Brodmann's areas [BAs] 9/46/8) and parietal areas (BAs 39/40) were specifically reactivated when executive control was required, underlining the crucial role of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in executive control to guide our behavior.
Candidate gene association study of insulin signaling genes and Alzheimer's disease: Evidence for SOS2, PCK1, and PPARγ as susceptibility loci

Epidemiological evidence supports the existence of a possible link between type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and late‐onset Alzheimer's disease (LOAD). Polymorphisms from candidate genes for T2DM were genotyped in a two‐stage approach to identify novel risk factors for LOAD. One hundred fifty‐two polymorphisms were initially genotyped in a case:control cohort: nine SNPs showed individual association with disease status under at least one genetic model, while an additional two SNPs showed a haplotype association. In a replication study, we confirmed significant association of SNPs within three genes—PPARγ, SOS2, and PCK1—with Alzheimer's disease. In particular, our data suggest that the effect of variants within these genes might be influenced by gender. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diabetes diminishes phosphatidic acid in the retina: a putative mediator for reduced mTOR signaling and increased neuronal cell death.

PURPOSE We demonstrated previously that pro-survival insulin receptor, PI3K-Akt, and p70 S6K signaling is diminished in models of diabetic retinopathy. As mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), an upstream activator of p70 S6Kinase is, in part, regulated by lipid-derived second messengers, such as phosphatidic acid (PA), we sought to determine if diminished mTOR/p70 S6Kinase signaling in diabetic retinas may reflect diminished PA levels. METHODS Alterations in PA mass from retinas of control and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were determined by mass spectrometry. The biochemical and biophysical mechanisms underlying the actions of PA on insulin-activated mTOR/p70 S6Kinase signaling were determined using R28 retinal neuronal cells. RESULTS We demonstrate a significant decrease in PA in R28 retinal neuronal cells exposed to hyperglycemia as well as in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat retinas. Exogenous PA augmented insulin-induced protection from interleukin-1β-induced apoptosis. Moreover, exogenous PA and insulin cooperatively activated mTOR survival pathways in R28 neuronal cultures. Exogenous PA colocalized with activated mTOR/p70 S6kinase signaling elements within lipid microdomains. The biochemical consequences of this biophysical mechanism is reflected by differential phosphorylation of tuberin at threonine 1462 and serine 1798, respectively, by PA and insulin, which reduce this suppressor of mTOR/S6Kinase signaling within lipid microdomains. CONCLUSIONS These results identify PA-enriched microdomains as a putative lipid-based signaling element responsible for mTOR-dependent retinal neuronal survival. Moreover, diabetic retinal neuronal apoptosis may reflect diminished PA mass. Elevating PA concentrations and restoring mTOR signaling may be an effective therapeutic modality to reduce neuronal cell death in diabetic retinopathy.
Frontal–Medial Temporal Interactions Mediate Transitions among Representational States in Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory (STM), the brief maintenance of information in the absence of external stimulation, is central to higher-level cognition. Behavioral and neural data indicate that information maintained in STM can be represented in qualitatively distinct states. These states include a single chunk held in the focus of attention available for immediate processing (the “focus”), a capacity-limited set of additional actively maintained items that the focus can access (the “active state”), and passively maintained items (the “passive state”). Little is known about how information is shifted among these states. Here, we used fMRI in humans to examine the neural correlates of shifting information among representational states of STM. We used a paradigm that has demonstrated dissociable performance costs associated with shifting the focus among active items and switching sets of items between active and passive states. Behavioral results confirmed distinct behavioral costs associated with different representational states. Neural results indicated that the caudal superior frontal sulcus (cSFS), in the vicinity of the frontal eye fields, was associated with shifting the focus, consistent with the role of this region in internal and external attention. By contrast, the ventral premotor cortex (PMv) was associated with shifting between active and passive states. Increased cSFS-medial temporal lobe (MTL) connectivity was associated with shifting the focus, while cSFS-MTL connectivity was disrupted when the active state was changed. By contrast, PMv–MTL connectivity increased when the active state was switched. These data indicate that dissociable frontal–MTL interactions mediate shifts of information among different representational states in STM.
Empowering Women: The Effect of Schooling on Young Women's Knowledge and Use of Contraception

Large differences in fertility between women with high and low levels of education suggest that schooling may have a direct impact on knowledge and use of contraception. We investigate this issue using information on women in Mexico. In order to identify the causal effect of schooling, we exploit temporal and geographic variation in the number of lower secondary schools built following the extension of compulsory education in Mexico from 6th to 9th grade in 1993. We show that raising females' schooling beyond 6th grade increases their knowledge of contraception during their reproductive years and increases their propensity to use contraception at sexual debut. This indicates that the impact of schooling on women's wellbeing extends beyond improved labour market outcomes and includes greater autonomy over their fertility.
Epigenetic alterations of the BDNF gene in combat‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in modulating resilience and vulnerability to stress. The aim of this study was to investigate whether epigenetic regulation of the BDNF gene is a biomarker of post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) development among veterans exposed to combat in the Vietnam War.