Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sexual Risk Outcomes of an Emotion Regulation Intervention for At-Risk Early Adolescents

With this study, we examined the efficacy of teaching ER strategies for reducing sexual risk behaviors among early adolescents with suspected mental health symptoms. OBJECTIVE: With this study, we examined the efficacy of a health intervention program that was focused on emotion regulation (ER) skills in reducing sexual risk behaviors among early adolescents with suspected mental health symptoms. METHODS: Seventh grade adolescents with suspected mental health symptoms participated in a 6-week, after-school sexual risk prevention trial in which a counterbalanced, within-school design comparing an ER focused program to a time- and attention-matched comparison group was used. Adolescents completed a computer-based survey regarding their sexual behavior at 6-month intervals for 2.5 years. RESULTS: Adolescents who received ER skills training exhibited a delay in the transition to vaginal sex over 30 months compared with those in the comparison condition (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.61; 95% confidence interval [0.42 to 0.89]). They also reported fewer instances of condomless sex over the follow-up period (adjusted rate ratio = 0.36; 95% confidence interval [0.14 to 0.90]). Among those who were sexually active, those in the ER condition reported fewer instances of vaginal or anal sex (adjusted rate ratio = 0.57; 95% confidence interval [0.32 to 0.99]). CONCLUSIONS: An intervention used to teach ER skills for the context of health decision-making resulted in lower risk among young adolescents with suspected mental health symptoms by delaying the onset of vaginal sex as well as reducing penetrative acts without a condom. Incorporating emotion education into health education may have important health implications for this age group.
Association between urinary free light chains and progression to end stage renal disease in chronic kidney disease

Background Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at an increased risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We assessed for the first time whether urinary free light chains (FLC) are independently associated with risk of ESRD in patients with CKD, and whether they offer incremental value in risk stratification. Materials and methods We measured urinary FLCs in 556 patients with CKD from a prospective cohort study. The association between urinary kappa/creatinine (KCR) and lambda/creatinine (LCR) ratios and development of ESRD was assessed by competing-risks regression (to account for the competing risk of death). The change in C-statistic and integrated discrimination improvement were used to assess the incremental value of adding KCR or LCR to the Kidney Failure Risk Equation (KFRE). Results 136 participants developed ESRD during a median follow-up time of 51 months. Significant associations between KCR and LCR and risk of ESRD became non-significant after adjustment for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), although having a KCR or LCR >75th centile remained independently associated with risk of ESRD. Neither KCR nor LCR as continuous or categorical variables provided incremental value when added to the KFRE for estimating risk of ESRD at two years. Conclusions Urinary FLCs have an association with progression to ESRD in patients with CKD which appears to be explained to a degree by their correlation with eGFR and ACR. Levels above the 75th centile do have an independent association with ESRD, but do not improve upon a current model for risk stratification.
Current Status of Methods for Defining the Applicability Domain of (Quantitative) Structure-Activity Relationships

This is the 52nd report of a series of workshops organised by the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM). The main objective of ECVAM, as defined in 1993 by its Scientific Advisory Committee, is to promote the scientific and regulatory acceptance of alternative methods which are of importance to the biosciences, and that reduce, refine or replace the use of laboratory animals. The ECVAM workshop on the quantitative structure-activity relationship applicability domain was held at ECVAM on 29 September–1 October 2004, under the chairmanship of Andrew Worth. The workshop was attended by experts from academia, industry, international organisations and regulatory authorities. The aim of the workshop was to review the state of the art of methods for identifying the domain of applicability of structure-activity relationships (SARs) and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs), collectively referred to as (Q)SARs. The report is intended to provide a source of input to the development of an OECD Guidance Document on (Q)SAR Validation. The report also makes recommendations for further research needed to understand and apply the concept of the (Q)SAR applicability domain (AD).
Effects of Fire Retardants on the Combustion Behavior of High-Density Fiberboard

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of certain fire-retardant chemicals on the combustion resistance of high-density fiberboard (HDF). Borax (BX), boric acid (BA), ammonium polyphosphate (APP), and alpha-x (AX) were added into the fibers made from 50% scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and 50% beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) woods at 3%, 6%, and 9% levels based on oven-dry fiber weight. HDF panels were produced in 6.5 mm thickness. HDF panels’ combustion behavior was explored. To detect combustion resistance, the panels were tested according to the ASTM-E 69 and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) tests. It was determined that fire-retardant (FR) chemicals enhanced the combustion resistance of the panels to varying degrees. As a result, the FR chemicals’ type and concentrations are effective for determining the combustion resistance of HDF panels.
Components of gender-nonconformity prejudice

ABSTRACT Indices were developed to assess discomfort with specific behavioral violations of gender heteronormative gender roles, gender identity, and sexual orientation. A three-component model that proposes specific threats to social status as mechanisms of gender-based prejudice was then used to assess whether homophobia and transphobia were triggered by the non-gender heteronormative social identity status of the outgroup member or by perceived violations of specific gender heteronormative behaviors. For a sample of 145 female and 194 male gender heteronormative U.S. college undergraduates, path analyses showed that homophobia was particularly associated with discomfort with violations of sexual orientation norms while transphobia was particularly associated with discomfort with violations of gender identity norms. For men and women, discomfort with sexual orientation norms significantly mediated the relationships linking right-wing authoritarianism and benevolent sexism to homophobia while discomfort with violations of gender identity norms significantly mediated the relationships linking right-wing authoritarianism and benevolent sexism to transphobia. Discomfort with sexual orientation norms significantly mediated the relationships between religious fundamentalism and homophobia for men only, while this same discomfort mediated the relationship between benevolent sexism and homophobia for women only. A significant direct path from physical aggression proneness to homophobia was found for men only.
Radiolabeled Nanoparticles in Nuclear Oncology

During recent years, a plethora of pioneering radiolabeled nanoparticles have grown to be an integral part of nuclear medicine as theranostic tools. Herein, we focus on the most representative examples of nanoparticles of the past decade, which have been investigated in conjunction with radioisotopes aiming to serve as drug delivery or imaging agents. The present review highlights the key attributes of each nanosystem and the following classification of radiolabeled nanovehicles is based on increasing mass number (A) of radioisotopic elements.
Computational modeling guides tissue-engineered heart valve design for long-term in vivo performance in a translational sheep model

Computational modeling–inspired heart valve designs guide tissue remodeling and ensure long-term functionality in tissue-engineered heart valves in sheep. Modeling remodeling Patients with valvular heart disease such as aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve in the heart) receive artificial or bioprosthetic valve replacements, but these have limited longevity and cannot grow with younger patients. Emmert et al. used computational modeling to design tissue-engineered heart valves from polymer scaffolds seeded with vascular cells. After 4 weeks of bioreactor culture, the grafts were decellularized before transcatheter implantation in sheep as pulmonary valve replacements. Nine of the 11 grafts remained functional up to 1 year later. Computational modeling predicted that valve leaflets would shorten in vivo during dynamic remodeling before reaching equilibrium, which was confirmed in the sheep. This work suggests that tissue engineering strategies should incorporate computational simulation to lead to more successful outcomes and more predictable clinical translation. Valvular heart disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Current heart valve prostheses have considerable clinical limitations due to their artificial, nonliving nature without regenerative capacity. To overcome these limitations, heart valve tissue engineering (TE) aiming to develop living, native-like heart valves with self-repair, remodeling, and regeneration capacity has been suggested as next-generation technology. A major roadblock to clinically relevant, safe, and robust TE solutions has been the high complexity and variability inherent to bioengineering approaches that rely on cell-driven tissue remodeling. For heart valve TE, this has limited long-term performance in vivo because of uncontrolled tissue remodeling phenomena, such as valve leaflet shortening, which often translates into valve failure regardless of the bioengineering methodology used to develop the implant. We tested the hypothesis that integration of a computationally inspired heart valve design into our TE methodologies could guide tissue remodeling toward long-term functionality in tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHVs). In a clinically and regulatory relevant sheep model, TEHVs implanted as pulmonary valve replacements using minimally invasive techniques were monitored for 1 year via multimodal in vivo imaging and comprehensive tissue remodeling assessments. TEHVs exhibited good preserved long-term in vivo performance and remodeling comparable to native heart valves, as predicted by and consistent with computational modeling. TEHV failure could be predicted for nonphysiological pressure loading. Beyond previous studies, this work suggests the relevance of an integrated in silico, in vitro, and in vivo bioengineering approach as a basis for the safe and efficient clinical translation of TEHVs.
Degenerate-band-edge engineering inspired by nonlocal transformation optics

We address the engineering of degenerate-band-edge effects in nonlocal metamaterials. Our approach, inspired by nonlocal-transformation-optics concepts, is based on the approximation of analytically-derived nonlocal constitutive “blueprints”. We illustrate the synthesis procedure, and present and validate a possible implementation based on multilayered metamaterials featuring anisotropic constituents. We also elucidate the physical mechanisms underlying our approach and proposed configuration, and highlight the substantial differences with respect to other examples available in the topical literature.
EHD2 restrains dynamics of caveolae by an ATP-dependent, membrane-bound, open conformation

Significance The EHD2 protein controls the association of membrane pits termed caveolae to cell surfaces. Caveolae are implicated in muscle, pulmonary, and lipid disorders. We establish functionally, and structurally, how EHD2 cycles between an active, membrane-bound state and an inactive state in solution. We present an approach to resolve the structure of proteins in their membrane-bound state, which is difficult to obtain otherwise. A dramatic conformational change of EHD2 upon membrane binding is demonstrated. ATP binding is required for partial membrane insertion and subsequent oligomerization. In solution, internal regulatory regions inhibit the conformational change. This stringently regulated mechanistic cycle might be prototypical for a large family of proteins involved in membrane fission and may open avenues to control the process in vivo. The EH-domain–containing protein 2 (EHD2) is a dynamin-related ATPase that confines caveolae to the cell surface by restricting the scission and subsequent endocytosis of these membrane pits. For this, EHD2 is thought to first bind to the membrane, then to oligomerize, and finally to detach, in a stringently regulated mechanistic cycle. It is still unclear how ATP is used in this process and whether membrane binding is coupled to conformational changes in the protein. Here, we show that the regulatory N-terminal residues and the EH domain keep the EHD2 dimer in an autoinhibited conformation in solution. By significantly advancing the use of infrared reflection–absorption spectroscopy, we demonstrate that EHD2 adopts an open conformation by tilting the helical domains upon membrane binding. We show that ATP binding enables partial insertion of EHD2 into the membrane, where G-domain–mediated oligomerization occurs. ATP hydrolysis is related to detachment of EHD2 from the membrane. Finally, we demonstrate that the regulation of EHD2 oligomerization in a membrane-bound state is crucial to restrict caveolae dynamics in cells.
The relation of unsupportive actions by the spouse to marital satisfaction

Despite the demonstrated benefits of social relationships, there is a growing recognition that such relationships also contain a significant proportion of negative interactions. Even though research has shown that such negative interactions have detrimental effects on outcomes such as marital satisfaction, little is known about how these interactions come to be associated with outcomes. One hundred and three couples having at least one child from a previous relationship living with them completed a telephone interview. As predicted, the results suggest that higher levels of perceived spousal unhelpfulness was related to lower marital satisfaction. Although spousal criticism was not related to marital satisfaction as hypothesized, reports of a failure of the spouse to provide support was linked to low marital satisfaction for husbands. Contrary to predictions, characterological attributions were not related to marital satisfaction although the hypothesized relation between levels of blame in the attribution and marital satisfaction was supported. However, when controlling for demographics and the type and seriousness of the stressor, extent of blame predicted marital satisfaction only for wives. Wives who expressed more blame towards their spouse had lower DAS scores than did wives expressing less blame. No significant interactions between behavior and attribution were found.
Issues in data stream management

Traditional databases store sets of relatively static records with no pre-defined notion of time, unless timestamp attributes are explicitly added. While this model adequately represents commercial catalogues or repositories of personal information, many current and emerging applications require support for on-line analysis of rapidly changing data streams. Limitations of traditional DBMSs in supporting streaming applications have been recognized, prompting research to augment existing technologies and build new systems to manage streaming data. The purpose of this paper is to review recent work in data stream management systems, with an emphasis on application requirements, data models, continuous query languages, and query evaluation.
Ex Vivo Continuous Glucose Monitoring With Microdialysis Technique: The Example of GlucoDay

The use of a glucose biosensor in conjunction with a microdialysis probe used to sample the interstitial fluid of the patient has been demonstrated to be extremely useful and advantageous for obtaining a continuous glucose monitoring instrument capable of detecting glycemic level in real time for a long period. The first example of this kind of instrument which was cleared for commercialization is the GlucoDay made by Menarini. The approach used by the GlucoDay presents several advantages if compared with other instruments and its features and future prospective are thoroughly discussed.
Game Elements for Learning Programming: A Mapping Study

Serious games have been used as a tool to support learning in several areas and subjects. To achieve its educational goals, a serious game must consist of a set of game elements that are related to the learning outcomes. In Computer Science, educators are also using serious games and their elements to enhance learning of programming-related disciplines, which are often considered challenging by first-year students. It is important for educators in Computer Science to know what are the types of game elements used in games to learn programming. Besides that, it is also important to know how game elements are evaluated and what are the game elements that mostly contribute to learning achievements. In this work, we aim to verify how serious games and their composing elements are used and evaluated to support learning programming. To achieve this goal, we conducted a systematic mapping study on the use and evaluation of game elements for learning programming. Our results indicate that game elements are only evaluated indirectly by means of their serious games. Furthermore, we identify some shortcomings in game elements evaluation, such as the lack of evaluation in some primary studies and low number of quantitative studies.
Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SSP13 modulates quorum sensing regulated virulence and biofilm formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1

Abstract Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic nosocomial pathogen causing the majority of acute and persistent infections in human beings. The ability to form biofilm adds a new dimension to its resistance to conventional therapeutic agents. In the present study, down-regulation of quorum sensing regulated virulence and biofilm development resulting from exposure to Aspergillus ochraceopetaliformis SSP13 extract was investigated. The in vitro results inferred impairment in the production of LasA protease, LasB elastase, chitinase, pyocyanin, exopolysaccharides and rhamnolipids. In addition, motility and biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa PAO1 was significantly altered. The in vitro results were further supported by molecular docking studies of the metabolites obtained from GC-MS analysis depicting the quorum sensing attenuation by targeting the receptor proteins LasR and RhlR. The in vitro and in silico studies suggested new avenues for the development of bioactive metabolites from A. ochraceopetaliformis SSP13 extract as potential anti-infective agents.
A Strategy for Architecture Design of Crystalline Perovskite Light‐Emitting Diodes with High Performance

All present designs of perovskite light‐emitting diodes (PeLEDs) stem from polymer light‐emitting diodes (PLEDs) or perovskite solar cells. The optimal structure of PeLEDs can be predicted to differ from PLEDs due to the different fluorescence dynamics and crystallization between perovskite and polymer. Herein, a new design strategy and conception is introduced, “insulator–perovskite–insulator” (IPI) architecture tailored to PeLEDs. As examples of FAPbBr3 and MAPbBr3, it is experimentally shown that the IPI structure effectively induces charge carriers into perovskite crystals, blocks leakage currents via pinholes in the perovskite film, and avoids exciton quenching simultaneously. Consequently, as for FAPbBr3, a 30‐fold enhancement in the current efficiency of IPI‐structured PeLEDs compared to a control device with poly(3,4ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) as hole‐injection layer is achieved—from 0.64 to 20.3 cd A−1—while the external quantum efficiency is increased from 0.174% to 5.53%. As the example of CsPbBr3, compared with the control device, both current efficiency and lifetime of IPI‐structured PeLEDs are improved from 1.42 and 4 h to 9.86 cd A−1 and 96 h. This IPI architecture represents a novel strategy for the design of light‐emitting didoes based on various perovskites with high efficiencies and stabilities.
Interacting with dehumanized others? Only if they are objectified

Members of dehumanized groups are somehow accepted in a variety of menial roles. Three studies verified when and why people might approach members of animalistically and mechanistically dehumanized groups. In Studies 1 and 2, participants showed a greater intention to interact with (Study 1) and attributed higher ratings of success (Study 2) to members of an animalistically dehumanized group in a social context. On the contrary, participants expected that members of a mechanistically dehumanized group would be more successful and were preferred to interact with in a professional context. In Study 3, the psychological process underlying these preferences was investigated. Interestingly, results showed that the objectification of dehumanized group members led participants to interact with them. Taken together these studies show that people approach dehumanized others not because they are liked, but because they are objectified.
Efficient Statistical Estimation of 1-year VaR Economic Capital Overview

Estimation of 1-year Value-at-Risk capital requirements using simulation involves the statistical estimation of a tail (e.g. 99.5) percentile. Much work has been done in academia and banking on how to efficiently estimate percentile statistics when using simulation. Interestingly, this work has generally not found its way into insurers’ economic capital model implementations (yet). In this paper we survey some of the most popular statistical methods that have been developed and implemented for percentile estimation, and we use an insurance case study to investigate the potential effectiveness of these techniques in the specific context of a 99.5% 1-year VaR capital assessment. Authors Steven Morrison PhD Laura Tadrowski PhD
A microbiome variable in the HIV-prevention equation

Vaginal microbes thwart an antiretroviral microbicide The healthy vaginal microbiota is typically characterized by the predominance of Lactobacillus species (including L. crispatus, L. jensenii, L. gasseri, and L. iners). These bacteria are thought to protect against pathogens through a variety of mechanisms, including competitive inhibition, secretion of bacteriocins (substances that inhibit the growth of bacteria), and the production of lactic acid, which lowers the vaginal pH and has immunomodulatory effects (1). Consequently, vaginal dysbiosis is currently defined by the presence of polymicrobial bacterial populations with reduced or absent lactobacilli. This low-lactobacillus state characterizes bacterial vaginosis, a clinical condition that is a common cause of vaginal symptoms in reproductive-aged women (2). Decreased bacterial diversity in the gut has been linked to a number of pathologic conditions (3), whereas increased vaginal bacterial diversity has been associated with a variety of poor patient outcomes including preterm birth and the acquisition and spread of sexually transmitted infections (4, 5). On page 938 of this issue, Klatt et al. (6) add to this list a decrease in the efficacy of the vaginal antiretroviral gel tenofovir to prevent HIV acquisition.