Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Housecleaning Attitudes and Intimate Relationships

ABSTRACT Although the importance of the relation between the division of housework responsibilities and marital happiness/satisfaction has been frequently documented, research has infrequently focused on how attitudes toward housecleaning may mediate housework-related issues and marital interactions. Employees (368 women, 90 men) of two universities, one in Texas and one in Louisiana, participated in an online survey that included the Attitudes toward Housecleaning Scale (ATHC) as well as measures of marital quality and feelings about housework. The liking of housecleaning subscale was positively related to relationship satisfaction and, as might be expected, negatively related to feelings of conflict, guilt, resentment, and unfairness associated with housecleaning. The level of cleanliness subscale was also inversely related to negative feelings regarding housecleaning. Although women had higher levels of cleanliness, men indicated a greater liking for housecleaning tasks. These results support the utility of the ATHC in couples counseling, facilitating awareness of preferences and opinions regarding issues related to housecleaning.
Cortisol Inhibits Neuroplasticity Induction in Human Motor Cortex

We investigated whether plasticity of human motor cortex (M1) is influenced by time of day, and whether changes in circulating levels of cortisol contribute to this effect. Neuroplasticity was induced using paired associative stimulation (PAS), involving electrical stimulation of left median nerve, paired with transcranial magnetic stimulation over the right M1 25 ms later (90 pairs at 0.05 Hz). Surface EMG was recorded from the left abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and first dorsal interosseous muscle. Cortisol levels were assessed from saliva. Time-of-day modulation of PAS effectiveness was assessed in 25 subjects who were tested twice, at 8:00 A.M. and 8:00 P.M. on separate days. In a second double-blind study, 17 subjects were tested with PAS at 8:00 P.M. on two occasions after administration of oral hydrocortisone (24 mg) or placebo. The motor-evoked potential (MEP) in resting APB increased significantly after PAS in the evening (when endogenous cortisol levels were low), but not in the morning. Oral hydrocortisone prevented facilitation of the APB MEP after PAS, and in the drug study, mean salivary cortisol levels were negatively associated with PAS effectiveness. The GABAB-mediated cortical silent period for APB was longer in the morning than in the evening, and was lengthened by PAS and oral hydrocortisone. We conclude that neuroplasticity in human M1 and GABAB-dependent intracortical inhibitory systems are influenced by time of day and modified by circulating levels of cortisol.
Potter Horn and Compact Orthomode Transducer at 150 GHz

A Potter horn and a compact orthomode transducer operating at 150 GHz are designed using full wave analysis. The Potter horn patterns have good symmetry within the main beam, the sidelobe level is less than 35 dB, and the cross-polarization level reaches 21 dB. The transmission test results of the orthomode transducer and feed horn show that the bandwidth(S11 <; -20 dB) is 16 GHz. The whole dimension is only (25 mm x 70 mm) , whereas the orthomode transducer dimension is (25 mm x 20 mm x 30 mm).
Three-dimensional culture system as a model for studying cancer cell invasion capacity and anticancer drug sensitivity.

BACKGROUND Three-dimensional (3-D) culture systems that simulate the tumor extracellular microenvironment may be appropriate to test cancer cell potential for invasion and tumor cell sensitivity to anticancer drugs. MATERIALS AND METHODS Human PC-3 prostate, A549 colon, HT-29 lung and MCF-7 and MDA-MB231 breast cancer cells were embedded and grown in collagen gel surrounded by a fibrin clot. Increasing concentrations of cisplatin, doxorubicin, paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil were comparatively evaluated for their ability to inhibit tumor cell proliferation and colony formation in vitro. RESULTS All cells, except MDA, formed colonies in collagen. PC-3, A549 and HT-29 cells massively invaded fibrin forming migratory fronts. Cell colonies were also formed in fibrin (secondary tumor-like structures) apart from migratory fronts; HT-29 cells were the most aggressive in this regard MDA cells were particularly sensitive to doxorubicin, while MCF-7 cells showed sensitivity to all anticancer regimens tested. A549 cells were the tumor cell type with greatest potential for invasion and were sensitive mostly to cisplatin. PC-3 cells were primarily sensitive to cisplatin and doxorubicin, while HT-29 cells were sensitive to fluorouracil and doxorubicin. CONCLUSION 3-D collagen cell culture systems can be used to study cancer cell potential for invasion and their relative sensitivity/resistance to anticancer drugs.
Small Inhibitory RNA Duplexes for Sp1 mRNA Block Basal and Estrogen-induced Gene Expression and Cell Cycle Progression in MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells*

Small interfering RNA duplexes containing 21–22 nucleotides that mediate sequence-specific mRNA degradation and inhibitory RNA (iRNA) for Sp1 mRNA were used in this study to investigate the role of Sp1 on basal and hormone-induced growth and transactivation in MCF-7 and ZR-75 human breast cancer cells. Transfection of Sp1 iRNA in MCF-7 or ZR-75 cells for 36–44 h decreased Sp1 protein (50–70%) in nuclear extracts, and immunohistochemical analysis showed that the Sp1 protein in transfected MCF-7 cells was barely detectable. In cell cycle progression studies in MCF-7 cells, decreased Sp1 protein was accompanied by a decrease in cells in the S phase and an increase in cells in G0/G1, and estrogen-induced G0/G1 → S phase progression was inhibited in cells treated with iRNA for Sp1. Sp1 iRNA also specifically blocked basal and estrogen-induced transactivation in cells transfected with a GC-rich construct linked to a luciferase reporter gene (pSp13), and this was accompanied by decreased Sp1 binding to this GC-rich promoter as determined in gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. These results clearly demonstrate the key role of the Sp1 protein in basal and estrogen-induced growth and gene expression in breast cancer cells.
A Tour of Computing Facilities in China

China is committed to bringing its technological capabilities in line with those of Western nations by the year 2000. This followup to a separate September 1984 conference report describes computing facilities visited during the First International Conference on Computers and Applications. The People's Republic of China has put a high priority on the electronics and computer sector of its economy. It believes that these fields are key to its modernization goals. Advances in the fields of computerization and telecommunications are being sought as China attempts to create, by the year 2000, an up-to-date industrial, agricultural, scientific, technological, and defense base in line with those of Western nations. Evidence of China's commitment to technology was provided in the First International Conference on Computers and Applications held in Beijing, China, June 1984.1 It was a landmark for the PRC, since it was the first major international computing event held there. This report describes visits made to computing facilities in Beijing and Shanghai by three American conference attendees. The visits provided some representative examples of computer development and use in China as well as some indicators of current priorities and strategies for harnessing that technology. Sites visited included three universities, a government scientific institution, a radio factory, a computer factory, and a public computer store. One of the authors had previously visited China2 and was able to draw some inferences on trends and directions based on personal observations. National Institute of Metrology
Max-Margin Infinite Hidden Markov Models

Infinite hidden Markov models (iHMMs) are nonparametric Bayesian extensions of hidden Markov models (HMMs) with an infinite number of states. Though flexible in describing sequential data, the generative formulation of iHMMs could limit their discriminative ability in sequential prediction tasks. Our paper introduces max-margin infinite HMMs (M2iHMMs), new infinite HMMs that explore the max-margin principle for discriminative learning. By using the theory of Gibbs classifiers and data augmentation, we develop efficient beam sampling algorithms without making restricting mean-field assumptions or truncated approximation. For single variate classification, M2iHMMs reduce to a new formulation of DP mixtures of max-margin machines. Empirical results on synthetic and real data sets show that our methods obtain superior performance than other competitors in both single variate classification and sequential prediction tasks.
How language does (and does not) relate to theory of mind: A longitudinal study of syntax, semantics, working memory and false belief

Forty-four children (mean 3.8 years) were given three false belief, a working memory, and four language tasks (each designed to tap a different aspect of syntax or semantics), and were tested again 6 months later. Once the range of scores in the language and false belief tasks were equated, there was a bidirectional relation between language and theory of mind. There was no evidence for syntax playing a unique role in the contribution of language to theory of mind. No one measure of syntax or semantics was more likely than any other to predict later false belief. Nor was false belief related more to one aspect of later language (syntax vs. semantics) than another. Our data, taken with other findings, are consistent with the idea that both syntax and semantics contribute to false belief understanding. Working memory did not mediate the relation between language and theory of mind, nor did it facilitate later false belief.
A modified peripheral neuropathy scale: the Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale

A new peripheral neuropathy activities measure, the Overall Neuropathy Limitations Scale (ONLS), was derived by modifying the Overall Disability Sum Score (ODSS) slightly. Its inter-rater reliability was found to be high and its correlation with the ODSS (r = 0.97), 36-item Short Form Questionnaire Physical Component Summary Score, and participation and impairment measures was significant. Acceptable responsiveness (standardised response mean 0.76) was shown by the ONLS. The results obtained from the questionnaire agreed closely with those obtained from observation of the tasks on the ONLS, but were not equivalent. The simplicity of the ODSS is shared by the ONLS, but the ONLS has better content validity and less ceiling effect, which may make it more useful for clinical practice and research.
Hippocampal circuitry dysfunction in the 5-HT1A knockout mouse

Anxiety disorders are the most prevalent class of mental illness, yet currently available treatments are often ineffective or inadequate, leaving many patients with lingering symptoms. The serotonin 1A receptor (1AR) has been implicated in the etiology of these disorders, which often show comorbidity with cognitive dysfunction. Mice with the 1AR genetically deleted or "knocked out" (1AKO) during a critical period in development (postnatal days 13-21) exhibit anxiety-like behavior and learning and memory deficits, and may therefore represent a useful genetic model in studying the neurobiological effects of this receptor. The hippocampus has been shown to highly express the 1AR and to be a key mediator in memory and the regulation of emotion. The experiments in this thesis focus on the structural and functional hippocampal changes in the 1AKO mouse compared to wild-type mice in order to elucidate the cellular mechanisms behind the alterations in behavior. Electrophysiology was used in the CA1 region of the hippocampus to show that pyramidal neurons in the 1AKO mouse receive less glutamatergic input than control mice during the critical period, resulting in decreased AMPA-mediated excitation and LTP in the adult. Interestingly, morphological analyses demonstrated a significant enhancement in proximal dendritic branching in both the juvenile and adult 1AKO mouse that may be the result of the developmental effects of increased serotonergic efflux. Additional experiments focused on the role of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) in the 1AKO mouse, based on the fact that peak hippocampal levels of this neuropeptide coincide in time with the critical period of development when 1AR deletion has pronounced effects. We found that adult 1AKO mice showed increased numbers of CRF-containing interneurons and that CRF1 receptor antagonism restored CA1 LTP to control levels. Taken together, these results reveal a complex interplay of decreased synaptogenesis and number of AMPA receptors, and excessive activation of CRF1 receptors that may underlie the cognitive deficits and anxiety-like behavior of the 1AKO mouse. The experiments support the continued research into the neurobiological mechanisms of human anxiety disorders. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Neuroscience First Advisor Sheryl G. Beck
Skill Development Through Competency-Based Education.

Abstract This study compares the efficacy of experimental, competency-based methods of teaching the interpersonal skills of empathic communication, respect, and genuineness with traditional didactic methods. An experimental design using randomly-chosen experimental and control groups of first-year graduate students was employed. Experimental conditions involved communication laboratories consisting of didactic and experiential learning opportunities organized in a systematic and sequential fashion. The findings supported the hypothesis that the experimental groups would significantly outperform the control groups on the criterion variable. A second hypothesis, that the control groups would not achieve significant gains, was refuted.
A Side of Data With My Robot

The consideration of data set design, collection, and distribution methodology is becoming increasingly important as robots move out of fully controlled settings, such as assembly lines, into unstructured environments. Extensive knowledge bases and data sets will potentially offer a means of coping with the variability inherent in the real world. In this study, we introduce three new data sets related to mobile manipulation in human environments.
Analysis of the giant genomes of Fritillaria (Liliaceae) indicates that a lack of DNA removal characterizes extreme expansions in genome size

Summary Plants exhibit an extraordinary range of genome sizes, varying by > 2000‐fold between the smallest and largest recorded values. In the absence of polyploidy, changes in the amount of repetitive DNA (transposable elements and tandem repeats) are primarily responsible for genome size differences between species. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the relative importance of amplification of repetitive DNA versus its deletion in governing genome size. Using data from 454 sequencing, we analysed the most repetitive fraction of some of the largest known genomes for diploid plant species, from members of Fritillaria. We revealed that genomic expansion has not resulted from the recent massive amplification of just a handful of repeat families, as shown in species with smaller genomes. Instead, the bulk of these immense genomes is composed of highly heterogeneous, relatively low‐abundance repeat‐derived DNA, supporting a scenario where amplified repeats continually accumulate due to infrequent DNA removal. Our results indicate that a lack of deletion and low turnover of repetitive DNA are major contributors to the evolution of extremely large genomes and show that their size cannot simply be accounted for by the activity of a small number of high‐abundance repeat families.
A General Framework for Spatial Correlation Modeling in VLSI Design

Many characteristics of VLSI designs, such as process variations, demonstrate strong spatial correlations. Accurately modeling of these correlated behaviors is crucial for many timing and power analyses to be valid. This paper proposes a new spatial model with a long-range trend component, a smooth correlation component, as well as a truly random component. The efficient method to construct such a spatial model is based on the Generalized Least Square fitting and the structured correlation functions, which are actually the generalization of the popular Pelgrom mismatch models. Experimental results on industrial benchmarks show that the method is not only highly effective for variability modeling, but can also be used for other spatially distributed characteristics such as IR drops and on-chip temperature distributions.
Max-min fair rate control of ABR connections with nonzero MCRs

Traffic sources that do not have intrinsic temporal characteristics are expected to be transported over ATM networks using the available bit rate (ABR) service. These sources are amenable to reactive flow control and are expected to use bandwidth left over after servicing the guaranteed QoS services (CBR and VBR). Fair allocation of the available bandwidth to competing ABR connections is based on the concept of max-min fairness. The ABR service definition allows sources to specify a minimum cell rate (MCR) that is acceptable to them. Most studies of max-min fair rate allocation assume zero MCRs. In this paper, we first develop a natural extension of the concept of max-min fair rate allocation to the case of ABR sessions with nonzero MCR values. Then we present a centralised algorithm and discuss the construction of distributed algorithms for obtaining the max-min allocation. We show that the max-min allocation can be obtained as the solution of a certain vector equation, and discuss how such a perspective can help in designing stochastic approximation type algorithms for obtaining the max-min allocation when the available capacity is randomly varying.
Making ICU alarms meaningful: a comparison of traditional vs. trend-based algorithms

Much of the work in the ICU revolves around information that is recorded by electronic devices. Such devices typically incorporate simple alarm functions that trigger when a value exceeds predefined limits. Depending on the parameter followed, these "boundary based" alarms tend to produce vast numbers of false alarms. Some are the result of false reading and some the result of true but clinically insignificant readings. We present a computerized module that analyzes real-time data from multiple monitoring devices using a customizable logic engine. The module was tested on 6 intensive care unit patients over 5 days, running alarm algorithms for heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure as well as arterial oxygen saturation. Results show a ten-fold increase in positive predictive value of alarms from 3% using monitor alarms to 32% using the module. The module's overall sensitivity was 82%, failing to detect 18% of significant alarms as defined by the ICU staff. The results suggests that implementation of such methodology may assist in filtering false and insignificant alarms in the ICU setting.
Analyzing regional characteristics of living activities of elderly people from large survey data with probabilistic latent spatial semantic structure modeling

This paper analyzes a questionnaire survey data on elderly people in order to investigate regional characteristics of their living activities. For the purpose, we use Probabilistic Latent Spatial Semantic (PLSS) Modeling, which is integrated the two methods: probabilistic latent semantic analysis (pLSA) and Bayesian network (BN). First, we aggregate each individual's survey record by postal code; Second, we find characteristics of the region by pLSA; Third, we use BN to clarify factors of this regional disparity. From the study, we are able to identify critical information to support decisions for a manager in a local government: i) The responses of the elderly are correlated with their resident areas; and ii) The regional disparity of social network will improve by neighborhood facilities. Such information will be of use for designing the super-aged society in the near future.
Do workplace interventions reduce disability rates?

Background Increasing life expectancy and decreasing fertility have led to a shift in the workforce age structure towards older age groups. Deteriorating health and reduced work capacity are among the challenges to retaining older workers in the labour force. Aims To examine whether workplace interventions to facilitate work among employees with health problems or reduced work capacity affect disability rates among employees aged 50 years and older. Methods Data from a survey of Norwegian companies (n = 713) were linked with registry data on their employees aged 50-61 years (n = 30771). By means of a difference-in-differences approach, we compared change in likelihood of receiving a full disability pension among employees in companies with and without workplace interventions. Results Employees in companies reporting to have workplace interventions in 2005 had a higher risk of receiving full disability pension during the period 2001-03 compared with employees in companies without such interventions [odds ratio (OR) 1.25, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.07-1.45]. During the period 2005-07, there was an overall reduction in disability rates (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.96) in both the intervention and control group. However, employees in companies reporting to have interventions in 2005 experienced an additional reduction in an employee’s likelihood of receiving a full disability pension (OR 0.80, 95% CI 0.64-0.99) compared with employees in companies without interventions. Conclusions Interventions to facilitate work among employees with health problems or reduced work capacity have reduced disability rates among employees aged 50-61. This suggests that companies’ preventive interventions are an effective means to retain older workers with deteriorating health.
Illegitimate expression of apolipoprotein A-II in Caco-2 cells is due to chromatin organization.

Transcriptional activity of the human apolipoprotein (apo) A-II promoter has been reported in transiently transfected Caco-2 cells, but not in the intestine in vivo. In the present study we established that the transcription of a stably transfected reporter gene under the control of the -911/+29 human apo A-II, decreases with the onset of the differentiation process. This decrease paralleled that of the expression of the endogenous apo A-II gene. The decrease in apo A-II expression is also followed by a marked increase in the expression of the intestine-specific apo A-IV gene, analyzed here as a marker of enterocytic differentiation. Using clonal glucose metabolic variants of Caco-2 cells we have also observed that the lowest levels of apo A-II mRNA are associated with the lowest rates of glucose consumption. The illegitimate apo A-II transcriptional activity observed in Caco-2 cells is linked to the presence of DNase-I hypersensitive sites within the enhancer. This reflects a chromatin organization which allows, in Caco-2 cells as in the liver, the communication between the apo A-II enhancer and the proximal promoter, unlike what is observed in intestinal epithelial cells.
Empirical Processes , and the Kolmogorov – Smirnov Statistic Math 6070 , Spring 2006

1 Some Basic Theory 1 1.1 Consistency and Unbiasedness at a Point . 1 1.2 The Kolmogorov–Smirnov Statistic . 2 1.3 Order Statistics . 3 1.4 Proof of the Kolmogorov–Smirnov Theorem . 4