Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Symptom Overlap and Screening for Symptoms of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Psychosis Risk in Help-Seeking Psychiatric Patients

Symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and psychosis risk share features which might represent an early vulnerability marker for schizophrenia. Early detection of individuals with this symptomatic overlap is relevant and may assist clinicians in their decision making for diagnosis and treatment. This study sought to analyze the capability of different instruments in the screening of patients for ADHD symptoms or at psychosis risk, assess their classification accuracy, and describe the extent of symptoms overlap between them. 243 adult patients completed one instrument screening for ADHD and two instruments screening for psychosis risk symptoms [Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale Symptom Checklist (ASRS-v1.1); Prodromal Questionnaire Brief Version (PQ-16); Self-Screen Prodrome (SPro)]. The ability of these instruments to distinguish between the symptomaticity of these patients appears modest. The most satisfactory scale to identify subjects at psychosis risk was SPro with its subscale psychosis risk. ASRS-v1.1 showed good reliability in assessing individuals as not having ADHD symptoms and had higher probability to achieve its own and the cut-off of another questionnaire. Subjects having symptoms of psychosis risk and ADHD showed elevated symptomatology. Reliable instruments capable of separating ADHD symptoms from those of psychosis risk are needed to better identify the symptomatic overlap of this two conditions.
Digital Rights Management and Corporate Hegemony: Avenues for Reform

To the extent that data constitutes creative work in a tangible form, it represents intellectual property and implicates copyright. Understanding data mining, thus, invokes an appreciation of the principle and law of copyright. With the advent of digital rights management (DRM), the discourse of the U.S. law of copyright has shifted from fair use to circumventions of copyright-protecting software by hackers. In light of the ever-rising market power of transnational media corporations, this essay engages the political philosophy of Antonio Gramsci to address a normative question of who ought to control protected content and to what extent. It identifies six inflection points for any effort to divest copyright law of the disproportionate influence of corporate lobbying. Underlying the discussion is a presumption that reform of the law of copyright through dialogue among key stakeholders – creative individuals, technology innovators, legislators, policy makers, international mediators, data miners and other scholars, and transnational corporations – would help preempt any Gramsci-prescribed socialist reaction to the exclusive copyright regime enabled by DRM.
Radiotherapy and temozolomide for newly diagnosed glioblastoma: recursive partitioning analysis of the EORTC 26981/22981-NCIC CE3 phase III randomized trial.

PURPOSE The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer and National Cancer Institute of Canada trial on temozolomide (TMZ) and radiotherapy (RT) in glioblastoma (GBM) has demonstrated that the combination of TMZ and RT conferred a significant and meaningful survival advantage compared with RT alone. We evaluated in this trial whether the recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) retains its overall prognostic value and what the benefit of the combined modality is in each RPA class. PATIENTS AND METHODS Five hundred seventy-three patients with newly diagnosed GBM were randomly assigned to standard postoperative RT or to the same RT with concomitant TMZ followed by adjuvant TMZ. The primary end point was overall survival. The European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer RPA used accounts for age, WHO performance status, extent of surgery, and the Mini-Mental Status Examination. RESULTS Overall survival was statistically different among RPA classes III, IV, and V, with median survival times of 17, 15, and 10 months, respectively, and 2-year survival rates of 32%, 19%, and 11%, respectively (P < .0001). Survival with combined TMZ/RT was higher in RPA class III, with 21 months median survival time and a 43% 2-year survival rate, versus 15 months and 20% for RT alone (P = .006). In RPA class IV, the survival advantage remained significant, with median survival times of 16 v 13 months, respectively, and 2-year survival rates of 28% v 11%, respectively (P = .0001). In RPA class V, however, the survival advantage of RT/TMZ was of borderline significance (P = .054). CONCLUSION RPA retains its prognostic significance overall as well as in patients receiving RT with or without TMZ for newly diagnosed GBM, particularly in classes III and IV.
Multi-Level Mapping of Nanocomputer Architectures Based on Hardware Reuse

In this paper, we study the problem of mapping large applications onto hierarchical architectures based on novel nanodevices. We combine both intellectual property (IP) reuse and multi-level mapping concepts in order to cope with application complexity and reduce circuit design time. In this context, we introduce an “O-cycle” design flow that exploits the IP reuse concept for the development and further reuse of hardware component libraries through recursive multi-level mapping. The proposed mapping method chooses among different power and delay characteristics of reconfigurable logic cells that vary depending on cell internal function, e.g., NAND, OR, etc. This allows the whole system to be optimized to lower power consumption, critical path delay and area. Experimental results demonstrate 31% of power reduction for systolic array and 42% of critical path delay improvement for the “Butterfly” topology. A side-by-side comparison with existing algorithms reveals 49% and 15% reduction in area and critical path delay, respectively.
An experimental evaluation of scaffolded educational games design for programming

The effectiveness of educational games design has been the issue of many researches in recent years to support Computer Science (CS) novices, especially in the context of learning introductory programming courses. This issue has been highlighted due to the difficulties faced by students in developing algorithms related to programming concept, program construction as well as understanding and applying programming control structures. To overcome the identified difficulties and improve teaching and learning of programming, a number of research works have proposed educational games to motivate and engage their novices. However, to our knowledge, past research had applied general scaffolding characteristics in their games, but none has adapted these characteristics in the context of educational games design. As a result, three scaffolded educational games design characteristics are adapted to be embedded into our games. As proof of concept, a number of puzzle-based educational games which focus on decision-making structures are redesigned and redeveloped for teaching and learning programming. To validate the design, an experiment is conducted to 30 CS novices, who are randomly assigned into control and experimental groups. The results showed the educational games design-scaffolding characteristics are perceivably effective in assisting CS novices in learning programming. Therefore, the findings suggest these scaffolding characteristics have successfully been embedded as an effective educational games design technique.
An adaptive resampling algorithm based on CFSFDP

This paper presents a novel adaptive resampling algorithm based on the clustering by fast search and find of density peaks (CFSFDP) algorithm and the synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE), named DP-SMOTE. The essential idea of the proposed method is to use the improved CFSFDP algorithm to find the subclasses and removing noisy data automatically, and then to generate the minority samples within minority subclasses to prevent the synthetic samples falling inside the majority regions, with giving the boundary data higher oversampling weights. Experiments on UCI datasets show that the proposed DP-SMOTE algorithm is more efficient and adaptive than other oversampling algorithms.
Understanding variation in the efficacy of financial participation across Europe: The role of country-level factors

Little is known about variation in the efficacy of financial participation across countries. This article examines the relationship between two types of financial participation (profit-sharing and employee share-ownership) and labour productivity across 29 European countries using a representative workplace survey. Consistent with theoretical expectations, profit-sharing is associated with superior labour productivity when it is open to all employees, whilst the evidence for employee share-ownership is more mixed. Analysis reveals considerable variation in the efficacy of both schemes across Europe. Country-level collective bargaining coverage has the greatest explanatory power in accounting for cross-country variation in efficacy. In countries with higher levels of collective bargaining coverage, profit-sharing performs less well, whereas employee share-ownership performs better, relative to countries with lower collective bargaining coverage. These findings shed light on the comparative dimension of the financial participation–labour productivity link.
THE EFFECTS OF TRADE LIBERALIZATION ON REAL EXCHANGE RATE: EVIDENCE FROM NIGERIA

The study examines the Nigerian data between 1960- 2000 to see what support it provides for the traditional theory of real exchange rate. U sing the well-known Johansen’s (1992; 1995) methods for estimating models whose variables are nonstationary but cointegrated, the study found that the decisive trade liberalization programme of 1986-87 led to about 13 per cent depreciation in t he Nigerian real exchange rate and made the real rate more responsive to changes in its terms of trade. However, other less decisive changes in trade regime prod uced no significant changes in the real exchange rate.
Divergent modes of action among cationic allosteric modulators of muscarinic M2 receptors.

We tested the hypothesis that structurally related modulators of ligand binding to muscarinic M2 receptors may not use a common recognition site. The applied test compounds are potent allosteric modulators [i.e., two bispyridinium model compounds substituted symmetrically either with phthalimidomethyl (WDuo3) or dichlorobenzyl (Duo3), a phthalimidoethyl-substituted hexamethonium compound (W84), alcuronium, and, for sake of comparison, gallamine]. As introduced by Ellis and Seidenberg as a tool to check for a common allosteric site [Mol. Pharmacol. 42:638-641 (1992)], obidoxime was used to antagonize the actions of the test compounds. The allosteric delay of the dissociation of [3H]N-methylscopolamine ([3H]NMS) from porcine heart muscarinic receptors was measured in 5 mM sodium/potassium phosphate buffer (4 mM Na2HPO4 and 1 mM KH2PO4, pH 7.4) at 23 degrees (control t1/2 = 4 min). The concentration-effect curve of obidoxime, which has a weak potency and submaximal efficacy to allosterically retard [3H]NMS dissociation, was better described with a two-site model than with a one-site model. The concentration-effect curves of the test compounds for the allosteric delay of [3H]NMS dissociation were shifted to the right in the presence of obidoxime, yet to a different extent. For WDuo3, W84, alcuronium, and gallamine, the shift induced by increasing concentrations of obidoxime was compatible with a competitive interplay. The pKb values of obidoxime against these modulators lay in a narrow range from pKb = 4.70 with gallamine to pKb = 4.16 with WDuo3. In contrast, the ability of obidoxime to shift the concentration-effect curve of Duo3 was weak (pA2 = 3.00) and not compatible with a competitive interplay. In conclusion, cationic allosteric modulators may stabilize [3H]NMS binding to M2 receptors by divergent modes of allosteric action. The findings suggest that the M2 receptor protein contains more than one allosteric recognition site on its extracellular face.
Analysis of the Mechanism for Chromatin Remodeling in Embryos Reconstructedby Somatic Nuclear Transfer1

Abstract The objective of the present study was to understand the molecular/biochemical nature of chromatin remodeling that occurs in the somatic nuclei transferred into oocytes. We produced the reconstructed mouse embryos by two different protocols of nuclear transfer. The nucleus of a cumulus cell was transferred into enucleated unfertilized oocytes (transferred before activation, TA protocol) or activated oocytes (activated before transfer, AT protocol). More than half (56.1%) of the embryos reconstructed using the TA protocol developed to the morula/blastocyst stage, whereas very few (1.0%) of the embryos reconstructed using the AT protocol reached the morula/blastocyst stage. These embryos were analyzed for the events associated with transcriptional regulation. Changes in transcriptional activity, nuclear accumulation of TATA box binding protein (TBP), and DNase I sensitivity were examined after nuclear transfer. In the embryos reconstructed by TA protocol, all of these events occurred in a manner similar to that in the control diploid parthenogenetic embryos. The transcriptional activity was silenced after nuclear transfer and resumed at the late 1-cell stage. TBP was displaced and subsequently accumulated at the early and the late 1-cell stage, respectively. DNase I sensitivity was increased and then decreased at the early and late 1-cell stage, respectively. In contrast, embryos reconstructed using the AT protocol did not show such changes in transcriptional activity, TBP accumulation, and DNase I sensitivity. These events would be necessary for differentiated nuclei to restore totipotency and are useful indices to evaluate successful chromatin remodeling.
EFFECT OF MIRROR VISUAL FEEDBACK ON HAND FUNCTIONS IN CHILDREN WITH HEMIPARESIS

Background: Hemiparetic and hemiplegic cerebral palsy(CP) constitute at least a third of all people with CP. Children with hemiparesis are suffering from weak hand muscles and retarded hand use.Mirror therapy is a relatively new ap proach in rehabilitation used in different neurological disorders. In mirror therapy a mirror is positioned orthogonally in front of the center of the patient’s body. The less-affected (healthy) extremity is moved and observed in the mirror. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of mirror visual feedback on improving hand functions in chil dren with hemiparesis. Methods: Forty children with hemiparesis of both sexes, ranged in age from five to seven years old, participated in thisstudy. They were divided randomly into two groups of equal number (control and study). The control group re ceived a specially designed physical therapy exercise program for four successive weeks while the study group received mirrorexercise program in addition to the same program of the control group. Hand functions assessments was done usinggrasping and object manipulation subtests of Peabody developmental motor scale (PDMS-2). Hand grip strength was performed using handheld dynamometer. Evaluation was performed pre and post treatment program. Results:There was no significant difference between both groups in the pre-treatment mean values of all measured variables. Also, the results of this study revealed a significant improvement in the scores of the PDMS-2 andin grasp strength of the 2 groups. Post treatment results revealed more improvement in favor of the study group as compared with the control group. Conclusion: Using the mirror visual feedback could help in improving hand functions in children with hemiparesis.
Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle as targets for novel bronchodilators

Introduction: There is an unmet need for a new class of direct bronchodilators for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease. Unexpectedly, bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) have been localized on airway smooth muscle and when activated cause marked smooth muscle relaxation through a mechanism that is distinct from β2-adrenegic receptors. Thus TAS2R agonists have emerged as a novel class of bronchodilator. Areas covered: A synopsis of the TAS2R family and its biology for bitter taste perception on the tongue is provided, followed by a review of the identification and molecular and physiological characterization of TAS2R subtypes on human and mouse airway smooth muscle. The proposed molecular mechanisms leading to the relaxation response are provided, along with gaps in our understanding at certain points in the signaling cascade. Unresolved issues that may need to be considered for drug development are discussed. Expert opinion: TAS2R agonists show promise as a new class of highly efficacious bronchodilators for treatment of obstructive lung disease. With tens of thousands of known natural and synthetic bitter compounds, there is substantial diversity within the known agonists, and, a ready source of agents for screening and further development of an inhaled TAS2R agonist for therapeutic purposes.
Efficacy of the Oxygen-Charged Static Two-Layer Method for Short-Term Pancreas Preservation and Islet Isolation from Nonhuman Primate and Human Pancreata1

Previous reports indicate that the two-layer method (TLM) of human pancreas preservation is superior to University of Wisconsin solution (UW) when pancreata are preserved for extended periods (i.e., >24 h) prior to islet isolation. In this study, the efficacy of using the TLM for preserving pancreata for short periods (i.e., <13 h) was evaluated using both nonhuman primate and human pancreata preserved with a TLM kit precharged with oxygen. An oxygen precharged TLM (static TLM) was established and compared with the original TLM with continuous oxygen supply. For the static TLM, the perfluorochemical was fully oxygenated and the oxygen supply removed prior to pancreas preservation. In the primate model, pancreata were preserved by the static TLM, the original TLM, and UW for 5 h prior to islet isolation. In the human model, pancreata were preserved with the static TLM or the original TLM or UW for 4–13 h. Both primate and human pancreata were processed by intraductal collagenase injection and digestion followed by continuous density gradient purification to isolate islets. Islets were assessed for islet yield, purity, viability, and in vitro functionality. In the primate model, islet yield, viability, and in vitro functionality were significantly improved by both the static TLM and the original TLM with similar results. Postculture islet yields were 23,877 ± 3619 IE/g in the static TLM, 21,895 ± 3742 IE/g in the original TLM, and 6773 ± 735 IE/g in UW. In the human model, both the static TLM and the original TLM significantly increased islet yield compared with UW with postculture islet yields of 2659 ± 549 IE/g in the static TLM, 2244 ± 557 IE/g in the original TLM, and 1293 ± 451 IE/g in UW. Nonhuman primate and human pancreata stored in the static TLM, immediately upon procurement, yield isolated islets of a substantially higher quantity than when pancreata are stored in UW. Thus, the use of the static TLM should replace the use of UW for storage of pancreata during transport prior to islet isolation.
How golden is silence? Teaching undergraduates the power and limits of RNA interference.

It is hard and getting harder to strike a satisfying balance in teaching. Time dedicated to student-generated models or ideas is often sacrificed in an effort to "get through the syllabus. " I describe a series of RNA interference (RNAi) experiments for undergraduate students that simultaneously explores fundamental concepts in gene regulation, develops cutting-edge laboratory skills, and embraces student-directed learning. Students design a small interfering RNA (siRNA) against luciferase, add it to cells expressing this gene, and then quantitatively assess the siRNA's effect on both intended and unintended targets, using a luciferase assay and a DNA microarray. Because both RNAi and microarray technologies are relatively new, with no clear consensus on their analysis or limitations, students are encouraged to explore different approaches to the design of their reagents and interpretations of their data. The ability to creatively formulate a hypothesis-driven experimental approach to a scientific question and to critically evaluate collected data is stressed. Equally important, this experiment emphasizes how modern scientific ideas emerge, are debated, tested, and decided.
An Examination of Millennials’ Attitudes toward Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) Foods: Is It Franken-Food or Super-Food?

This study reports on a survey of Millennials in the USA regarding GMO foods. Potential benefits of GMO food crops include improving agricultural productivity, such as insect-resistant and drought-resistant crops, and alleviating world hunger, particularly in developing countries. Scientific research fully supports the health and safety of GMO foods. However, opponents to GMO foods still exist, some motivated by economic self-interest and others by fear of science and technology. The debate over GMO foods is widely considered the single-biggest issue facing modern agriculture, characterised as a clash between pro-science and anti-science forces, the outcome having ramifications extending far beyond agriculture and GMOs. To effectively market GMO foods to Millennials and others, agricultural producers, distributors, and food retailers will need to educate consumers about the overwhelming scientific support for the health benefits and safety of GMO foods.
Survivin-deltaEx3 and survivin-2B: two novel splice variants of the apoptosis inhibitor survivin with different antiapoptotic properties.

Recently, a novel antiapoptosis gene, i.e., survivin, was identified as a structurally unique member of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein family. Survivin expression is turned off during fetal development and not found in non-neoplastic adult human tissues but is again turned on in the most common human cancers. The antiapoptotic properties of survivin might provide a significant growth advantage in tumors and possibly also contribute to chemoresistance of cancer. Therefore, we analyzed the expression of survivin in human renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), known to be largely resistant to chemotherapy. Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR revealed survivin expression in newly established RCC cell lines (n = 11) of all major histological types. Moreover, we identified two novel splice variants of survivin, lacking exon 3 (survivin-deltaEx3) or retaining a part of intron 2 as a cryptic exon (survivin-2B). Both sequence alterations cause marked changes in the structure of the corresponding proteins, including structural modifications of the baculovirus inhibitor of apoptosis protein repeat domain. The role of the novel isoforms in the regulation of apoptosis was assessed in transfection experiments, showing conservation of antiapoptotic properties for survivin-deltaEx3 and a markedly reduced antiapoptotic potential for survivin-2B. In conclusion, our observations suggest a complex regulatory balance between the different isoforms of survivin, which might determine the response to proapoptotic stimuli, not only in human RCCs but also in fetal tissues and other types of cancer.