Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Literature Review and Comparison of Two Statistical Methods to Evaluate the Effect of Botulinum Toxin Treatment on Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy

Aim This study aimed at comparing two statistical approaches to analyze the effect of Botulinum Toxin A (BTX-A) treatment on gait in children with a diagnosis of spastic cerebral palsy (CP), based on three-dimensional gait analysis (3DGA) data. Through a literature review, the available expert knowledge on gait changes after BTX-A treatment in children with CP is summarized. Methods Part 1—Intervention studies on BTX-A treatment in children with CP between 4–18 years that used 3DGA data as an outcome measure and were written in English, were identified through a broad systematic literature search. Reported kinematic and kinetic gait features were extracted from the identified studies. Part 2—A retrospective sample of 53 children with CP (6.1 ± 2.3years, GMFCS I-III) received 3DGA before and after multilevel BTX-A injections. The effect of BTX-A on gait was interpreted by comparing the results of paired samples t-tests on the kinematic gait features that were identified from literature to the results of statistical parametric mapping analysis on the kinematic waveforms of the lower limb joints. Results Part 1–53 kinematic and 33 kinetic features were described in literature. Overall, there is no consensus on which features should be evaluated after BTX-A treatment as 49 features were reported only once or twice. Part 2—Post-BTX-A, both statistical approaches found increased ankle dorsiflexion throughout the gait cycle. Statistical parametric mapping analyses additionally found increased knee extension during terminal stance. In turn, feature analyses found increased outtoeing during stance after BTX-A. Conclusion This study confirms that BTX-A injections are a valuable treatment option to improve gait function in children with CP. However, different statistical approaches may lead to different interpretations of treatment outcome. We suggest that a clear, definite hypothesis should be stated a priori and a commensurate statistical approach should accompany this hypothesis.
Agile non functional requiremnents (NFR) traceability metamodel

Agile methodologies are well known for early and frequently releases. Besides that, it also handles functional requirement changes well during the software development without causing delays. However, the functional requirement changes may affect the non-functional requirements (NFRs). It is also possible that the agile team is not even aware of these effects causing dysfunctional system in terms of security and performance. This issue could be addressed by offering traceability mechanism that helps to trace the effect of functional requirement changes on the non-functional requirements. Unfortunately, there are a few researchers that provide study regarding this issue. Thus, this study attempts to present a Traceability Process Model (TPM) to tackle the issue of tracing NFR especially in security and performance. The TPM is compatible in Agile development processes such as Scrum and FDD.
Integrating the UB-Tree into a Database System Kernel

Multidimensional access methods have shown high potential for significant performance improvements in various application domains. However, only few approaches have made their way into commercial products. In commercial database management systems (DBMSs) the BTree is still the prevalent indexing technique. Integrating new indexing methods into existing database kernels is in general a very complex and costly task. Exceptions exist, as our experience of integrating the UB-Tree into TransBase, a commercial DBMS, shows. The UB-Tree is a very promising multidimensional index, which has shown its superiority over traditional access methods in different scenarios, especially in OLAP applications. In this paper we discuss the major issues of a UB-Tree integration. As we will show, the complexity and cost of this task is reduced significantly due to the fact that the UBTree relies on the classical B-Tree. Even though commercial DBMSs provide interfaces for index extensions, we favor the kernel integration because of the tight coupling with the query optimizer, which allows for optimal usage of the UBTree in execution plans. Measurements on a real-world data warehouse show that the kernel integration leads to an additional performance improvement compared to our prototype implementation and competing index methods.
The Behavioral Welfare Paradox: Practical, Ethical and Welfare Implications of Nudging

With decades of behavioral economic research now achieving prominence, the last decade has seen the advent of behavioral policymaking. These efforts have been widely seen as successful in that they achieve policy goals without inducing backlash on the part of policy targets. Behavioral policies create a unique challenge to welfare analysis that has not been sufficiently addressed in the literature. The existence of behavioral effects creates a paradox, at once justifying the use of paternalistic policies and undermining the empirical foundations of welfare analysis. In this paper I explore the behavioral welfare paradox and its implications for economic policy prescription.
Heteromultimeric Potassium Channels Formed by Members of the Kv2 Subfamily

Four α-subunits are thought to coassemble and form a voltage-dependent potassium (Kv) channel. Kv α-subunits belong to one of four major subfamilies (Kv1, Kv2, Kv3, Kv4). Within a subfamily up to eight different genetic isotypes exist (e.g., Kv1.1, Kv1.2). Different isotypes within the Kv1 or Kv3 subfamily coassemble. It is not known, however, whether the only two members of the vertebrate Kv2 subfamily identified thus far, Kv2.1 and Kv2.2, heteromultimerize. This might account for the lack of detection of heteromultimeric Kv2 channels in situdespite the coexpression of Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 mRNAs within the same cell. To probe whether Kv2 isotypes can form heteromultimers, we developed a dominant-negative mutant Kv2.2 subunit to act as a molecular poison of Kv2 subunit-containing channels. The dominant-negative Kv2.2 suppresses formation of functional channels when it is coexpressed in oocytes with either wild-type Kv2.2 or Kv2.1 subunits. These results indicate that Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 subunits are capable of heteromultimerization. Thus, in native cells either Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 subunits are targeted at an early stage to different biosynthetic compartments or heteromultimerization otherwise is inhibited.
Radiographic evaluation in epiphysiolysis: possible predictors of bilaterality?

Objective To identify anatomical changes and skeletal maturity through radiographic analysis, allowing more accuracy for indication of surgical management of non-slipped hips in patients with epiphysiolisys. Method A retrospective study of the radiographs of 61 patients followed until the end of skeletal growth, assigned to two groups: 37 patients with unilateral epiphysiolysis, and 24 patients with contralateral epiphysiolysis diagnosed during follow-up. The skeletal maturity was evaluated using pelvis radiographs (Oxford method) and compared between the groups for patients of the same gender. In addition, the Southwick angle (in anteroposterior and in Lauenstein view), physeal sloping angle and physeal posterior sloping angle were compared as well. Results Skeletal maturity showed a statistically significant difference between the two groups for both genders. It was observed that the lateral view of the Southwick angle is mathematically equal to the physeal posterior sloping angle, and were the only ones to show relevant differences between the groups. Conclusion The Oxford method and the Southwick angle in Lauenstein view can be utilized as parameters to help the physician to better indicate the prophylactic surgical treatment of the contralateral hip, in patients with slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). Level of Evidence III, Diagnostic Study.
Enhancing Recommender Systems with Access to Electronic Health Records and Groups of Interest in Social Networks

Recommender systems have been around for several years as tools intended to discover items that are likely to be of interest for the users, as inferred from profiles that gather information about web pages they visit, TV programs they watch or commercial products they purchase. In this paper, we introduce health-related aspects as a new dimension of the user profiles, enabling a number of features that may have a significant impact in the field of interactive services to the home. Specifically, we have enhanced an existing recommender system to process information stored in electronic health records and in groups of interest created within social networks. This has made it necessary to refine the recommendation logic in order to reckon the enabling/disabling nature of health-related data, and also to deal with the risks that arise from ignorance or commercial interest in the social context.
Predictive performance of Vancomycin population pharmacokinetic models in Iranian patients underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Objective: Many hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients receive vancomycin empirically during febrile neutropenia. There are several models for estimation of vancomycin pharmacokinetic parameters and calculation of initial dosing regimen accordingly. However, the performance of these methods in HSCT patients remained to be evaluated. The aim of the study was to determine which of the vancomycin population pharmacokinetic methods best fit Iranian HSCT patients. Methods: In order to evaluate predicted performance of seven vancomycin population pharmacokinetic models, the pharmacokinetic parameters of patients were estimated using each model’s equations. Then the predicted steady-state trough vancomycin concentration was calculated based on each model’s parameters and using a formula based on Sawchuk–Zaske method. The predicted steady-state trough vancomycin concentration and the real measured concentrations were compared to see which method was the most precise and least biased using mean squared error (MSE) and mean prediction error (ME) respectively. Findings: Forty-six patients (65% men) were included in the study. Calculated metrics showed a range of 38% under-prediction bias with Rodvold to 34% over-prediction bias with Matzke and Burton models. Birt and revised Burton methods showed no significant bias (ME [95% confidence interval (CI)]: –0.067 [–0.235–0.101] and 0.066 [–0.105–0.238]). Birt and revised Burton were not different significantly considering MSE (95% CI) of 0.385 (0.227–0.544) and 0.401 (0.255–0.546), respectively. Comparisons of precision with naive predictors revealed a delta MSE (95% CI) of –0.128 (–1.379–1.890) for Birt and 0.026 (–0.596–0.940) for revised Burton models. Conclusion: Although the Birt and Burton revised methods performed well, none of the studied models showed acceptable performance to be implemented as a routine method for initial dose calculation in HSCT patients. A vancomycin pharmacokinetic model specific for this high-risk subpopulation of Iranian patients should be designed and validated.
A Strengths-Based Approach to Coaching Mental Toughness

Developing mental toughness has become a major focus for athletes, coaches, sport teams and organizations. Emerging research has supported a variety of influences (e.g., coaches, parents, self) and mechanisms (e.g., reflecting on our experiences, coach motivational climate) by which mental toughness development likely occurs. In this article we focus on a strengths-based approach to mental toughness development, which has received scant attention within the sport psychology literature. A brief history of strengths approaches to the development of human potential is presented and contrasted with assumptions of traditional psychological skills training. We then describe how a strengths-based approach was translated into practice using an example from professional cricket. The guidelines have been shown to be effective in elite sport settings, but we believe they may also prove effective in youth sport settings.
In-TFT-Array-Process Micro Defect Inspection Using Nonlinear Principal Component Analysis

Defect inspection plays a critical role in thin film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) manufacture, and has received much attention in the field of automatic optical inspection (AOI). Previously, most focus was put on the problems of macro-scale Mura-defect detection in cell process, but it has recently been found that the defects which substantially influence the yield rate of LCD panels are actually those in the TFT array process, which is the first process in TFT-LCD manufacturing. Defect inspection in TFT array process is therefore considered a difficult task. This paper presents a novel inspection scheme based on kernel principal component analysis (KPCA) algorithm, which is a nonlinear version of the well-known PCA algorithm. The inspection scheme can not only detect the defects from the images captured from the surface of LCD panels, but also recognize the types of the detected defects automatically. Results, based on real images provided by a LCD manufacturer in Taiwan, indicate that the KPCA-based defect inspection scheme is able to achieve a defect detection rate of over 99% and a high defect classification rate of over 96% when the imbalanced support vector machine (ISVM) with 2-norm soft margin is employed as the classifier. More importantly, the inspection time is less than 1 s per input image.
Redesigning the hydrophobic core of a four‐helix‐bundle protein

Rationally redesigned variants of the 4‐helix‐bundle protein Rop are described. The novel proteins have simplified, repacked, hydrophobic cores and yet reproduce the structure and native‐like physical properties of the wild‐type protein. The repacked proteins have been characterized thermodynamically and their equilibrium and kinetic thermal and chemical unfolding properties are compared with those of wild‐type Rop. The equilibrium stability of the repacked proteins to thermal denaturation is enhanced relative to that of the wild‐type protein. The rate of chemically induced folding and unfolding of wild‐type Rop is extremely slow when compared with other small proteins. Interestingly, although the repacked proteins are more thermally stable than the wild type, their rates of chemically induced folding and unfolding are greatly increased in comparison to wild type. Perhaps as a consequence of this, their equilibrium stabilities to chemical denaturants are slightly reduced in comparison to the wild type.
Comparison of Global Gene Expression of Gastric Cardia and Noncardia Cancers from a High-Risk Population in China

Objective To profile RNA expression in gastric cancer by anatomic subsites as an initial step in identifying molecular subtypes and providing targets for early detection and therapy. Methods We performed transcriptome analysis using the Affymetrix GeneChip U133A in gastric cardia adenocarcinomas (n = 62) and gastric noncardia adenocarcinomas (n = 72) and their matched normal tissues from patients in Shanxi Province, and validated selected dysregulated genes with additional RNA studies. Expression of dysregulated genes was also related to survival of cases. Results Principal Component Analysis showed that samples clustered by tumor vs. normal, anatomic location, and histopathologic features. Paired t-tests of tumor/normal tissues identified 511 genes whose expression was dysregulated (P<4.7E-07 and at least two-fold difference in magnitude) in cardia or noncardia gastric cancers, including nearly one-half (n = 239, 47%) dysregulated in both cardia and noncardia, one-fourth dysregulated in cardia only (n = 128, 25%), and about one-fourth in noncardia only (n = 144, 28%). Additional RNA studies confirmed profiling results. Expression was associated with case survival for 20 genes in cardia and 36 genes in noncardia gastric cancers. Conclusions The dysregulated genes identified here represent a comprehensive starting point for future efforts to understand etiologic heterogeneity, develop diagnostic biomarkers for early detection, and test molecularly-targeted therapies for gastric cancer.
Need, Paradox, and Surrender: Commentary on Paper by Adam Phillips

23 © 2001 The Analytic Press, Inc.  Emmanuel Ghent, M.D. is a Clinical Professor of Psychology in the Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis at New York University, where he was the founding Chairman of the Relational Track. He is a Supervising Analyst and Faculty at the William Alanson White Institute, New York City, and is an Associate Editor of Psychoanalytic Dialogues. Need, Paradox, and Surrender
Identification of 2 Potentially Relevant Gene Mutations Involved in Strabismus Using Whole-Exome Sequencing

Background The etiology of strabismus has a genetic component. Our study aimed to localize the candidate causative gene mutant in a Chinese family with strabismus and to describe its underlying etiology. Material/Methods Genomic DNA was extracted from the affected individual and his parents in a Chinese pedigree with strabismus. The resulting exomes were sequenced by whole-exome sequencing. After variant calling and filtering, the candidate causative gene mutations were selected for the rarity and predicted damaging effect, which complied with the model of recessive disease transmission. Results We examined a Chinese strabismus pedigree with the parents unaffected and 2 offspring affected. Whole-exome sequencing and bioinformatics filtering identified 2 variants including Abelson helper integration site 1 (AHI1) gene and nebulin (NEB) gene. The variant in the AHI1 gene, c.A3257G (p.E1086G), and the altered amino acid had a damaging effect on the encoded protein predicted by Polyphen2. Moreover, this change was located in the conserved SH3 domain of AHI1. Biallelic pathogenic variant in AHI1 gene can cause Joubert syndrome-related disorders with oculomotor apraxia characteristics. Additionally, c.A914G mutation was found in nebulin (NEB) gene. Therefore, we concluded that AHI1 c.3257A>G and NEB c.914 A>G were potential causal variants in this strabismus pedigree. Conclusions We detected an AHI1 homozygous mutation in the affected individual. Whole-exome sequencing is a powerful way to identify causally relevant genes, improving the understanding of this disorder.
Cryo-EM Structure of Isomeric Molluscan Hemocyanin Triggered by Viral Infection

Hemocyanins (Hcs) of arthropods and mollusks function not only as oxygen transporters, but also as phenoloxidases (POs). In invertebrates, PO is an important component in the innate immune cascade, where it functions as the initiator of melanin synthesis, a pigment involved in encapsulating and killing of pathogenic microbes. Although structures of Hc from several species of invertebrates have been reported, the structural basis for how PO activity is triggered by structural changes of Hc in vivo remains poorly understood. Here, we report a 6.8 Å cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structure of the isomeric form of hemocyanin, which was isolated from Abalone Shriveling syndrome-associated Virus (AbSV) infected abalone (Halitotis diversicolor), and build a pseudoatomic model of isomeric H. diversicolor hemocyanin 1 (HdH1). Our results show that, compared with native form of HdH1, the architecture of isomeric HdH1 turns into a more relaxed form. The interactions between certain functional units (FUs) present in the native form of Hc either decreased or were totally abolished in the isomeric form of Hc. As a result of that, native state Hc switches to its isomeric form, enabling it to play its role in innate immune responses against invading pathogens.
Rapid Healing and Reduced Erythema after Ablative Fractional Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing Combined with the Application of Autologous Platelet‐Rich Plasma

BACKGROUND Fractional carbon dioxide laser resurfacing (FxCR) has shown considerable efficacy in reducing wrinkles, although complications such as scarring and prolonged erythema are more common and down‐time is longer than with nonablative laser treatment. Platelet‐rich plasma (PRP), a high concentration of platelets in a small volume of plasma, is known to enhance tissue healing. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the benefits of PRP in the wound healing process after FxCR. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty‐five subjects were treated with FxCR on the bilateral inner arms. PRP was prepared from 10 mL of whole blood and applied on a randomly allocated side, with normal saline being used as the contralateral control. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and skin color were measured on both sides. Skin biopsies were also taken from five subjects on day 28. RESULTS Significantly faster recovery of TEWL was seen on the PRP‐treated side. The erythema index and melanin index on the PRP‐treated side were lower than on the control side. Biopsy specimens from the PRP‐treated side showed thicker collagen bundles than those from the control side. CONCLUSION Application of autologous PRP is an effective method for enhancing wound healing and reducing transient adverse effects after FxCR treatment. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Worlds apart: The views on crime and punishment among white and minority college students

The US public is generally punitive in its views toward crime and punishment. Nevertheless, these views may not be held equally by all groups in society. Undergraduate students at two Midwestern universities were surveyed to determine whether whites and minorities differ significantly in their views of crime and punishment. In bivariate analyses, there were significant differences between white and minority students on all four crime and punishment measures: (1) of crime as a pressing social problem; (2) fear of being victimized; (3) willingness to extend rights to non‐US citizens; and (4) support for punitive punishment. The differences between the whites and minorities continued in multi‐variate analyses even after controlling for the effects of gender, age, academic level, and conservative/liberal ideology.