Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential association theory and juvenile delinquency in Ghana's capital city - Accra: The case of Ghana borstal institute

Current sociological theories argue that, delinquency results from economic and family relational problems. Unable to have their parents meet their material needs, children turn to all sorts of activities, many of which eventually lead to delinquent acts. Other theories focus on the role of peer relationships in determining deviancy. Using Edwin Sutherland’s differential association theory, this study explores the notion that, delinquency in inmates of the Ghana borstal institute is a reflection of the peer groups/friendship relations they hanged out with. Data for the study were collected from the Ghana borstal institute, a correctional institution for reforming juvenile offenders with structured questionnaire. The findings point to the presence of Differential Association at the onset of inmate’s delinquent behaviours though circumspection is recommended in the attempts to validate differential association as the study was carried out on institutionalized, verified group of delinquent juveniles. The close relationship between differential association and delinquency may not be present in noninstitutionalized juvenile offenders.
Human liver microsomal thiol methyltransferase: inhibition by arylalkylamines.

1. Thiol methyltransferase (TMT) is a microsomal enzyme catalyzing the S-methylation of aliphatic sulphydryl drugs and xenobiotics. Studies of the functional significance of S-methylation catalysed by TMT have been hampered by lack of a potent, relatively specific, non-toxic inhibitor of the enzyme. 2. Human hepatic microsomal TMT was inhibited by the arylalkylamine 2,3-dichloro-alpha-methylbenzylamine (DCMB), and by a series of arylalkylamines, as well as the arylamine, aniline. 3. Inhibition kinetic studies with DCMB, benzylamine, aniline, phenylethylamine and phenylethanolamine, five compounds with a wide range of IC50 values, showed 'mixed' inhibition of TMT with respect to the methyl acceptor substrate, 2-mercaptoethanol. Kis and Kii values were, respectively, 1.1 and 0.29 microM for DCMB, 160 microM each for benzylamine, 680 and 370 microM for aniline, 1640 and 1380 microM for phenylethylamine, and 2300 and 1400 microM for phenylethanolamine. Inhibition was at least partially reversible. 4. H.p.l.c. analyses were carried out with the products of enzyme reactions performed in the presence of aniline, benzylamine, and phenylethylamine to ascertain whether these compounds inhibited TMT by acting as methyl acceptors. Results showed that they did not act as methyl acceptor substrates.
Comparative Study of Different Data Mining Prediction Algorithms

: The main objective of this research paper is to prove the efficiency of high dimensional data analysis and different algorithms in the prediction process of Data mining. The approach made for this survey includes, an extensive literature search on published papers in the application of Data mining in prediction. The main algorithms which were involved in this study include classification using decision tree, clustering algorithm, Apriori algorithm and association rules. All the algorithms were analyzed with different data sets which were collected from real life applications. KeywordsClassification, Clustering, Data mining, Decision tree, High Dimensional data analysis. Prediction.
Gating and habituation of the startle reflex in schizophrenic patients.

• Schizophrenic patients exhibit impairments in both sensorimotor gating and habituation in a number of paradigms. Through human and animal model research, these fundamental cognitive deficits have well-described neurobiologic bases and offer insights into the neuroanatomic and neurotransmitter abnormalities that characterize patients with schizophrenic spectrum disorders. In this context, the startle response is particularly interesting, because it is a crossspecies response to strong stimuli that is plastic or alterable using experimental and neurobiologic manipulations. Thirty-nine medicated schizophrenic patients and 37 normal control subjects were studied in a new electromyography based startle response paradigm in which both prepulse inhibition (an operational measure of sensorimotor gating) and habituation (the normal decrease in response magnitude to repeated stimuli over time) can be separated and assessed in one test session. The results indicate that schizophrenic patients have extensive deficits in both intramodal and cross-modal sensorimotor gating and a trend to show acoustic startle habituation deficits. The deficit in prepulse inhibition of startle amplitude exhibited by schizophrenic patients was evident when an acoustic prepulse stimulus preceded either an acoustic or a tactile startle stimulus. No deficit was observed in the prepulseinduced facilitation of startle latencies, indicating that the failure of gating was not due to a failure of stimulus detection. These findings suggest centrally mediated deficits in sensorimotor gating in schizophrenic patients.
Adenosine Diphosphate-Induced Aggregation of Human Platelets in Flow Through Tubes: III. Shear and Extrinsic Fibrinogen-Dependent Effects

Summary The effect of shear rate and fibrinogen concentration on adenosine diphosphate-induced aggregation of suspensions of washed human platelets in Poiseuille flow at 23°C was studied using a previously described double infusion technique and resistive particle counter size analysis (1). Using suspensions of multiple-centrifuged and -washed cells in Tyrodes-albumin [3 × 105 μl−1; (17)] with [fibrinogen] from 0 to 1.2μM, the, rate and extent of aggregation with 0.7 μM ADP in Tyrodes-albumin were measured over a range of mean transit times from 0.2 to 43 s, and at mean tube shear rates, Ḡ, = 41.9, 335 and 1,335 s−1. As measured by the decrease in singlet concentration, aggregation at 1.2 μM fibrinogen increased with increasing Ḡ up to 1,335 s1, in contrast to that previously reported in citratcd plasma, in which aggregation reached a maximum at Ḡ = 335 s−1. Without added fibrinogen, there was no aggregation at Ḡ = 41.9 s1; at Ḡ = 335 s1, there was significant aggregation but with an initial lag time, aggregation increasing further at Ḡ = 1,335 s−1. Without added fibrinogen, aggregation was abolished at all Ḡ upon incubation with the hexapeptide GRGDSP, but was almost unaffected by addition of an F(ab’)2 fragment of an antibody to human fibrinogen. Aggregation in the absence of added fibrinogen was also observed at 37°C. The activation of the multiple-washed platelets was tested using flow cytometry with the fluorescently labelled monoclonal antibodies FITC-PAC1 and FITC-9F9. It was shown that 57% of single cells in unactivated PRT expressed maximal GPIIb-IIIa fibrinogen receptors (MoAb PAC1) and 54% expressed pre-bound fibrinogen (MoAb 9F9), with further increases on ADP activation. However, incubation with GRGDSP and the F(ab’)2 fragment did not inhibit the prebound fibrinogen. Moreover, relatively unactivated cells (8% expressing receptor, 14% prebound fibrinogen), prepared from acidified cPRP by single centrifugation with 50 nM of the stable prostacyclin derivative, ZK 36 374, and resuspension in Tyrodes-albumin at 5 × 104 μl−1, aggregated with 2 and 5 μM ADP at Ḡ = 335 and 1,335 s−1 in the absence of added fibrinogen. We therefore postulate that a protein such as von Willebrand factor, secreted during platelet isolation or in flow at sufficiently high shear rates, may yield the observed shear-rate dependent aggregation without fibrinogen.
Militarism, Resistance, and Early State Development in Oaxaca, Mexico

Recent research in Oaxaca, Mexico has revealed that the early Monte Alb an state did not expand in a gradual, concentric fashion, but instead exhibited a non-uniform, mosaic pattern of territorial growth. Certain small regions outside the Valley of Oaxaca proper appear to have been subjugated by Monte Alban before all areas within the Valley were incorporated into the early state polity. In this paper we consider some of the strategies of resistance that were pursued by certain polities that managed to withstand, for a time, the expansionist actions of the early Monte Alban state. These resistance strategies included the shifting of settlement to a more defensible location, the construction of fortifications, greater nu-cleation of population, and the development of a more hierarchical political organization. We then suggest how such resistance by non-compliant, or rival, polities may have helped to shape the developmental trajectory of the Monte Alban state itself.
Effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ on placentation, adiposity, and colorectal cancer

Targeting of the nuclear prostaglandin receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) by homologous recombination results in placental defects and frequent (>90%) midgestation lethality. Surviving PPARδ−/− mice exhibit a striking reduction in adiposity relative to wild-type levels. This effect is not reproduced in mice harboring an adipose tissue-specific deletion of PPARδ, and thus likely reflects peripheral PPARδ functions in systemic lipid metabolism. Finally, we observe that PPARδ is dispensable for polyp formation in the intestine and colon of APCmin mice, inconsistent with its recently proposed role in the establishment of colorectal tumors. Together, these observations reveal specific roles for PPARδ in embryo development and adipocyte physiology, but not cancer.
Early Migration Pattern of the Uncemented CLS Stem in Total Hip Arthroplasties

We performed this investigation to determine the possible migration starting immediately after surgery and the effect of different weightbearing regimens on the migration pattern of an uncemented hip stem (CLS). Stem migration was determined with radiostereometry analysis with baseline when the patients still were anesthetized. Subsequent examinations were done up to 1 year. Twenty-nine patients (mean age, 55 years; range, 26-63 years) were randomized to either unrestricted weightbearing combined with intensive physiotherapy from the first day after surgery or to partial weightbearing and a conservative training regimen for the first 3 months after surgery. At 1 week, subsidence was −0.03 mm in the unrestricted weightbearing group and 0.01 mm in the partial weightbearing group. At 1 year, subsidence was 1.01 mm in the unrestricted weightbearing group and 0.51 mm in the partial weightbearing group. One patient in the unrestricted weightbearing group had revision surgery because of aseptic loosening at 1.5 years after surgery. The CLS stem did not have any migration from the end the surgery until 1 week, but there was small migration from 1 week to 3 months after which the stem remained stable. The degree of early weightbearing did not affect the migration pattern.Level of Evidence: Level I, therapeutic study (randomized study). See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
A Human Immunodeficiency Virus Screening Algorithm to Address the High Rate of False-Positive Results in Pregnant Women in Japan

Background Prenatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing is essential for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission. However, false-positive results of screening testing are a concern as they may cause unnecessary emotional stress to pregnant women waiting for confirmatory test results. In regions with an extremely low prevalence, the positive predictive values of screening are unacceptably low rate. Here, we propose a HIV screening algorithm consisting of serial two fourth-generation enzyme immunoassays to reduce the number of false-positive screening results. Methodology/Principal Findings When 6461 pregnant women presenting to two maternity hospitals located in the Tokyo metropolitan area of Japan from September, 2004 to January, 2006 were tested using Enzygnost HIV Integral as a first screening test, 27 showed positive reactions. When these positive reaction samples were tested using VIDAS HIV DUO Quick as a second screening test, only one of them had a positive reaction, and the remaining 26 were nonreactive. Confirmatory Western blots and nucleic acid amplification test also showed that one was positive and the remaining 26 were negative; the subject who was positive with the confirmatory tests was identical to the subject who was positive with the second screening test. Thus, by adding the second screening test, the false-positive rate was improved from 0.4% to 0%, and the positive predictive value from 3.7% to 100%, compared with the single screening test. Conclusion By applying our serial screening algorithm to HIV testing in maternity hospitals, many uninfected pregnant women would not need to receive confirmatory tests and be subjected to emotional turmoil while waiting for their confirmatory test results. This algorithm would be suitable for HIV testing of pregnant women living in low prevalence regions such as Japan.
c-Jun N-terminal kinase regulates mGluR-dependent expression of post-synaptic FMRP target proteins

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the loss of functional fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Loss of FMRP results in an elevated basal protein expression profile of FMRP targeted mRNAs, a loss of local metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR)‐regulated protein synthesis, exaggerated long‐term depression and corresponding learning and behavioral deficits. Evidence shows that blocking mGluR signaling in FXS models ameliorates these deficits. Therefore, understanding the signaling mechanisms downstream of mGluR stimulation may provide additional therapeutic targets for FXS. Kinase cascades are an integral mechanism regulating mGluR‐dependent protein translation. The c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) pathway has been shown to regulate mGluR‐dependent nuclear transcription; however, the involvement of JNK in local, synaptic signaling has not been explored. Here, we show that JNK is both necessary and sufficient for mGluR‐dependent expression of a subset of FMRP target proteins. In addition, JNK activity is basally elevated in fmr1 knockout mouse synapses, and blocking JNK activity reduces the over‐expression of post‐synaptic proteins in these mice. Together, these data suggest that JNK may be an important signaling mechanism downstream of mGluR stimulation, regulating FMRP‐dependent protein synthesis. Furthermore, local, post‐synaptic dysregulation of JNK activity may provide a viable target to ameliorate the deficits involved in FXS.
Bucketing Coding and Information Theory for the Statistical High-Dimensional Nearest-Neighbor Problem

The problem of finding high-dimensional approximate nearest neighbors is considered when the data is generated by some known probabilistic model. A large natural class of algorithms (bucketing codes) is investigated, Bucketing information is defined, and is proven to bound the performance of all bucketing codes. The bucketing information bound is asymptotically attained by some randomly constructed bucketing codes. The example of <i>n</i> Bernoulli(1/2) very long (length <i>d</i> → ∞) sequences of bits is singled out. It is assumed that <i>n</i> - 2<i>m</i> sequences are completely independent, while the remaining <i>2m</i> sequences are composed of <i>m</i> dependent pairs. The interdependence within each pair is that their bits agree with probability <i>1/2 <; p</i> ≤ 1. It is well known how to find most pairs with high probability by performing order of <i>n</i><sup>log</sup><sub>2</sub>2/<i>p</i> comparisons. It is shown that order of <i>n</i><sup>1/p+∈</sup>comparisons suffice, for any ∈ <i>> 0</i>. A specific 2-D inequality (proven in another paper) implies that the exponent <i>1/p</i> cannot be lowered. Moreover, if one sequence out of each pair belongs to a known set of <i>n</i><sup>(2p-1)</sup><sup>2</sup> sequences, pairing can be done using order <i>n</i><sup>1+∈</sup> comparisons!
Social Ostracism by Coworkers: Does Rejection Lead to Loafing or Compensation?

A new theoretical model and research paradigm are introduced to investigate the phenomenon of social ostracism-being ignored by others who are in one's presence. The authors examined the effects of social ostracism on individuals' subsequent contributions to a group task. Social loafing Optically occurs on collective tasks. However; to regain their sense of belonging to the group, the authors expected ostracized individuals to socially compensate-to work harder collectively than coactively. Participants were asked to generate as many uses as they could for an object, either coactively or collectively with two others who had either ostracized or included them in an earlier ball-tossing exchange. Ostracized females socially compensated, whereas nonostracized females neither loafed nor compensated. Ostracized and nonostracized males socially loafed. Based on these data and the accompanying attributional and nonverbal analyses, the authors surmised that males and females interpret and respond to social ostracism differently.
Preclinical detection of PrPSc in nictitating membrane lymphoid tissue of sheep

observed in donkeys infected by larvae of Rhinoestrus usbekistanicus (Kaboret and others 1996). The pathology is probably caused by permanent antigenic stimulation during the infection. In both of these myiases, considerable numbers of eosinophils and mast cells have been observed in the lung parenchyma, mainly in the peribronchial region. In the absence of any other lung parasite and any cause of allergic pneumonia it is presumed that aspirated larval antigen induces pulmonary sensitisation. It has recently been suggested that mast cells could induce lung fibrosis; histamine and serotonin stimulate the growth factor for fibroblasts in vitro and in vivo. In vitro co-cultivation of fibroblasts and mast cells resulted, first, in the maturation of mast cells which, in turn, stimulated the growth of fibroblasts and the synthesis of collagen (Tunon de Lara and others 1996). The same hypothesis could possibly explain the development of interstitial pneumonia in oestrosis in both sheep and donkeys.
A review of executive teamwork

In the present review, top management groups (TMGs) are examined within the context of small group models and recent research studies. Differences and similarities among TMGs and other types of groups are highlighted. Five models of small groups are discussed. In this review, these models are summarized and organized using systems theory by identifying key inputs, processes, outcomes, and moderators for each model. Finally, key research conducted with TMGs, including demography, is examined and synthesized.
Analysis of Experimental Data on the Electric Strength of Long Air Gaps

This paper presents an analysis of published experimental data used for calculating the electric strength of long air gaps between conductor-ground and conductor-tower, using the "critical-charge" method. The study of actual testing conditions provides a basis for explaining certain discrepancies in the results reported by different authors. The paper concludes that the electric strength of long air gaps increases steadily with their length and that no saturation limit exists.
An OFDMA RRM strategy based on QoE maximization and radio resource redistribution

The optimal allocation of power and subcarrier resources in Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) systems represents a hot topic widely dealt with in literature, given the need to balance the tradeoff between efficiency and fairness. Current state-of-the-art solutions are suboptimal. Indeed, efficiency often privileges users that can exploit favorable channel conditions, while fairness ignores the notion that different users might have different requirements. In this paper, we propose a balanced OFDMA Radio Resource Management (RRM) strategy targeted at maximizing the Quality-of-Experience (QoE), rather than Quality-of-Service (QoS). The proposed RRM is inspired by Game Theory and aims at maximizing the application-oriented Mean-Opinion Score (MOS). The proposed work is intended to go beyond the state-of-the-art by enabling flexibility and dynamicity through re-allocation of resources utilized by those users strongly disadvantaged by adverse channel conditions. The radio resources “wasted” by such users (not able to reach the required QoE level) can be reassigned to the remaining users in order to increase their MOS metrics. Preliminary results showed a sensible QoE increase for the users' population after the radio resource redistribution, in particular for low signal-to-noise ratios and larger number of users.
Predicting the clustering properties of galaxy clusters detectable by the Planck satellite

We study the clustering properties of the galaxy clusters detectable by the Planck satellite owing to their thermal Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) effect. We take the past light-cone effect and the redshift evolution of both the underlying dark matter correlation function and the cluster bias factor into account. A theoretical mass–temperature relation allows us to convert the sensitivity limit of a catalogue into a minimum mass for the dark matter haloes hosting the clusters. We confirm that the correlation length is an increasing function of the sensitivity limits defining the survey. Using the expected characteristics of the Planck cluster catalogue, which will be a quite large and unbiased sample, we predict the two-point correlation function and power spectrum for different cosmological models. We show that the wide redshift distribution of the Planck survey will allow us to constrain the cluster clustering properties up to z≈ 1. The dependence of our results on the main cosmological parameters (the matter density parameter, the cosmological constant and the normalization of the density power spectrum) is extensively discussed. We find that future Planck clustering data will place only mild constraints on the cosmological parameters, because the results depend on the physical characteristics of the intracluster medium, like the baryon fraction and the mass–temperature relation. Once the cosmological model and the Hubble constant are determined, the clustering data will allow a determination of the baryon fraction with an accuracy of a few per cent.
PROTEIN STRUCTURE COMPARISON VIA CONTACT MAP ALIGNMENT

VALENTIM, Felipe Leal. Protein Structure Comparison via Contact Map Alignment. 2010. 77 p. Master thesis (Master in Plant Biotechnology) Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras. * Proteins are primary components in almost all biological processes in living organisms. It is known that the variety of protein functions is a result of the differences in protein structures. Therefore, understanding and comparing the structure of proteins is a major challenge in modern molecular biology. The structural alignment and comparison of proteins became an essential task, whose solution is instrumental in aiding other problems such as drug design, protein structure/function prediction, and protein clustering. One promising class of approaches for measuring protein similarity relies on the alignment of the protein contact maps. The most common mathematical statement of the contact map comparison problem is called the Maximum Contact Map Overlap (MAX-CMO). In this context, in this Master’s thesis it has been proposed the hybrid heuristic Greedy Random Adaptive Search Procedure with Path-relinking for the Maximum Contact Map overlap problem which have been revealed able to find improved solutions. Another proposal which has been presented in this work is the implementation of a computational tool that allows the structural alignment of proteins through the proposed heuristic. The chapters 2 and 3 of this dissertation represent the manuscripts describing these two proposals and a final chapter that contains the conclusion and outlines the possibilities for future work.