Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Practice of breast self-examination among women in Malaysia.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to examine the practice and associated factors of breast self- examination (BSE) among Malaysian women. METHODS For this cross-sectional study 250 women were selected by a simple random sampling technique. The questionnaire was consisted of three parts: socio-demographic characteristics, knowledge about BSE, and practice of BSE. Obtained data was analyzed using SPSS version 13. T-test and ANOVA test were used to explore the relation between socio-demographic characteristics and the practice of BSE. RESULTS About 32% of the participants reported that they have had family history of cancer and about 20% of the participants reported that they have had family history of breast cancer. The majority of the participants (88.8%) have heard about breast cancer and 78.4% of the participants have heard about BSE. Race, marital status, residency, regular exercise, awareness about breast cancer, belief that breast cancer can be detected early, belief that early detection improves the chance of survival, family history of cancer, family history of breast cancer, awareness about BSE, and belief that BSE is necessary, significantly influenced the practice of BSE among women. Practice of BSE on monthly basis was found to be 47.2% among the study participants. CONCLUSION The socio-demographic characteristics significantly influence the practice of BSA among women in Malaysia. The findings of this study might not only influence the planning of specific screening interventions and strategies in Malaysia but might also be important for the relevant international communities, interested in the peculiarities of BSE incidence in different countries.
Stéréophotométrie microscopique sans démosaïquage

Nous montrons comment estimer la couleur et les micro-structures geometriques d’une surface opaque par stereophotometrie, a l’aide d’un instrument dedie. Afin de limiter les reflets, cet instrument est equipe d’un eclairage diffus reglable, que nous etalonnons grâce a une procedure specifique. Nous montrons aussi qu’il est necessaire de manipuler les images brutes, sans demosaiquage, afin d’eviter toute transformation sur les donnees, ce qui simplifie l’estimation de l’albedo colore et l’estimation du relief.
Model and World: Generalizing the Ontic Conception of Scientific Explanation

OF THE DISSERTATION Model and World: Generalizing the Ontic Conception of Scientific Explanation by Mark Adam Povich Doctor of Philosophy in Philosophy-Neuroscience-Psychology Washington University in St. Louis, 2017 Professor Carl F. Craver, Chair Model and World defends a theory of scientific explanation that I call the “Generalized Ontic Conception” (GOC), according to which a model explains when and only when it provides (approximately) veridical information about the ontic structures on which the explanandum phenomenon depends. Causal and mechanistic explanations are species of GOC in which the ontic structures on which the explanandum phenomenon depends are causes and mechanisms, respectively, and the kinds of dependence involved are causal and constitutive/mechanistic, respectively. The kind of dependence relation about which information is provided determines the species of the explanation. This provides an intuitive typology of explanations and opens the possibility for non-causal, non-mechanistic explanations that provide information about noncausal, non-mechanistic kinds of dependence (Pincock 2015; Povich forthcoming a). What unites all these forms of explanation is that, by providing information about the ontic structures on which the explanandum phenomenon depends, they all can answer what-if-things-had-beendifferent questions (w-questions) about the explanandum phenomenon. This is what makes causal explanations, mechanistic explanations, and non-causal, non-mechanistic explanations all explanations.
Expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin in mouse lens epithelial cells during development in vivo and during proliferation and differentiation in vitro: Comparison with the developmental appearance of GFAP in the mouse central nervous system

Analysis of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin in mouse lens epithelial cells (MLEC) during ontogenesis revealed a two‐step developmental expression similar to that observed in astrocytcs. Vimentin was first immunostained at E11 corresponding with the closure of the lens vesicle, whereas GFAP was detected only after a further 7 days (E18); this protein appeared simultaneously in the mouse lens and CNS. In the latter case, it was present in the hypothalamic tanycytes and spinal cord. This similarity in the timing of appearance of GFAP in the non‐neural MLEC and in fetal astrocytes suggests a common mechanism for its expression in tissues of different embryological origin. However, it has previously been observed that, in contrast to the situation in astrocytes, GFAP disappears from differentiating MLEC in vivo. We have shown that in vitro this protein also disappears rapidly from MLEC in the presence of fetal calf serum (FCS). However, the use of mouse serum instead of FCS inhibited the migration of MLEC out of the explant, and in these cells GFAP persisted.
Myriocin slows the progression of established atherosclerotic lesions in apolipoprotein E gene knockout mices⃞ Published, JLR Papers in Press, October 31, 2007.

The serine palmitoyl transferase inhibitor myriocin potently suppresses the development of atherosclerosis in apolipoprotein E (apoE) gene knockout (apoE−/−) mice fed a high-fat diet. This is associated with reduced plasma sphingomyelin (SM) and glycosphingolipid levels. Furthermore, oral administration of myriocin decreases plasma cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) levels. Here, we aimed to determine whether myriocin could inhibit the progression (or stimulate the regression) of established atherosclerotic lesions and to examine potential changes in hepatic and plasma lipid concentrations. Adult apoE−/− mice were fed a high-fat diet for 30 days, and lesion formation was histologically confirmed. Replicate groups of mice were then transferred to either regular chow or chow containing myriocin (0.3 mg/kg/day) and maintained for a further 60 days. Myriocin significantly inhibited the progression of established atherosclerosis when combined lesion areas (aortic sinus, arch, and celiac branch point) were measured. Although the inhibition of lesion progression was observed mainly in the distal regions of the aorta, regression of lesion size was not detected. The inhibition of lesion progression was associated with reductions in hepatic and plasma SM, cholesterol, and TG levels and increased hepatic and plasma apoA-I levels, indicating that the modulation of pathways associated with several classes of atherogenic lipids may be involved.
Optimized Design of a Brushless DC Permanent Magnet Motor for Propulsion of an Ultra Light Aircraft

The paper presents an optimized design of a low mass brushless DC (BLDC) permanent magnet motor for propulsion of an ultra light aircraft. The optimization has been carried out using Differential Evolution algorithm implemented in Matlab combined with SPEED and MotorCAD software packages for electromagnetic and thermal modeling of the BLDC motor using ActiveX technology. The credibility of the models created with SPEED and MotorCAD has been confirmed by comparing the results of simulation and measurement performed on a 12 kW synchronous permanent magnet motor available in the laboratory. The goal of the optimization has been to minimize the weight of the motor under condition that the motor delivers rated power of 15 kW at rated speed of 3000 rpm with hot-spot temperature not exceeding the temperature limits of class F insulation (155 °C). Two optimal BLDC motor designs with slot/pole combinations 12/10 and 18/16 have been obtained. The motor with 18 slots and 16 poles yields the highest torque density with the lowest mass of active parts (copper+laminations+magnets) of only 5.1 kg.
High efficiency PFC with Enabling Window Control and active input bridge

Conventional CCM Boost (CB) PFC has been widely used for the PFC applications because of its high input power factor and simplicity, but it suffers from conduction loss in the input rectifier bridge and switching loss due to the high switching frequency. The efficiency decreases significantly under the low input voltage or the light load work condition. In this paper, a novel Enabling Window Control (EWC) method is proposed to reduce the switching loss, and an active input bridge is used to replace the traditional diode bridge for high efficiency. The principle and design of proposed method is presented, furthermore, the validity of the proposed method is verified by experimental results obtained from a 500W prototype.
HIV Transmission Risk at a Gay Bathhouse

Previous research found up to 14% of men who go to bathhouses engage in unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) and tend to have multiple sexual partners during their bathhouse visit, thus appearing to support concerns that such venues could foster acute outbreaks of new HIV infections. We conducted a two-stage probability sample of men exiting a gay bathhouse, and focused our analysis on whether the partnering patterns of the men who engaged in UAI present such a risk. Among patrons who had oral or anal sex during their visit (n = 758), 16.7% were HIV+, and 13.9% engaged in UAI. Although men had multiple sex partners during a visit, they had UAI with only one of those partners, on average, and withdrawal prior to ejaculation occurred in the vast majority of UAI incidences. Thus, the risk of sexual transmission of HIV during the bathhouse visit was typically within isolated dyads rather than patterns of multiple sexual encounters that might put many men at risk during a single visit, and men who did engage in UAI tended to withdraw prior to ejaculation, potentially mitigating the risk of HIV transmission.
An Algorithm for the Computation of Binary Logarithms

The author presents a simple algorithm for the computation of the base-2 logarithm of a given binary number. The concept can be easily extended to base-N. Unlike other methods, this is not a curve fitting of the base-2 logarithm of a given binary number. The algorithm constitutes a simple step-by-step, bit-by-bit, computation of the logarithm of binary numbers. It can be easily implemented in simple microcode, and offers precision that is proportional to the number of performed iterations. Thus, it asymptotically converges to the true logarithm of the given number. >
Cognitive flexibility in adults with high functioning autism

The goal of the current study was to evaluate presetting, response inhibition, set shifting, and a priori planning in autism: abilities that can be lumped together under the term cognitive flexibility. Cognitive flexibility is an aspect of executive functioning, which in turn is mediated by the prefrontal cortical lobes. A group of adults with high-functioning autism (HFA; n = 23) were compared with a normal control group (n = 32), by using a computerized variant of the Sternberg response bias paradigm. Contrary to the results of earlier studies, no deficit was found in presetting, response inhibition, set shifting, and a priori planning in participants with autism, even when the medication factor was taken into account. Methodological issues that could be explanatory for this difference are discussed. An additional finding was, that individuals with HFA (especially those on medication) were slow in reacting. Possible origins and consequences of this slowness, also for cognitive flexibility, are discussed.
Two Optimum Secret Sharing Schemes Revisited

In 2006, Obana et al proposed two optimum secret sharing schemes secure against cheating. They extend the secret s in the Shamir's scheme to an array of three elements, (s, e0, e1), and construct two equations for checking validity. Each item in the equations should be reconstructed using Lagrange's interpolation. In this paper, we revisit these schemes by introducing a public hash function to construct equations for checking validity. The revisited schemes become more efficient because they only extend the secret to an array of two elements. The new scheme for a single secret saves about 1/3 cost of the original.
Soluble CD14 Truncated at Amino Acid 152 Binds Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and Enables Cellular Response to LPS (*)

CD14 is a 55-kDa glycoprotein which binds lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and enables LPS-dependent responses in a variety of cells. In order to identify the domains in CD14 required for function, we deleted increasing amounts of CD14 from the C terminus. Truncated CD14 cDNA sequences were transfected into COS-7 cells and serum-free conditioned medium was analyzed for mutant CD14 expression and bioactivity. Mutant CD14s containing as few as 152 amino acids were found to have activity equivalent to full-length sCD14. To further characterize the mutant CD14, we constructed a stable Chinese hamster ovary cell line expressing sCD14 and purified the protein to homogeneity. sCD14 bound radioactive LPS, enabled U373 cells to synthesize interleukin 6 in response to LPS, and enabled human neutrophils to respond to smooth LPS. In all of these assays, the behavior of sCD14 was quantitatively similar to full-length sCD14. We also found that two neutralizing anti-CD14 antibodies (3C10 and MEM-18) bound and neutralized sCD14. We conclude from these experiments that the N-terminal 152 amino acids of CD14 are sufficient to bind LPS and confer essentially wild-type bioactivity in vitro.
Light to Moderate Alcohol Consumption Is Associated With Better Cognitive Function Among Older Male Veterans Receiving Primary Care

Among older persons, the effects of light to moderate alcohol consumption on cognitive function remain inadequately defined. The authors sought to determine whether light to moderate drinking is associated with better cognitive function among older men. Participants included men aged 65 years or older enrolled in a Veteran’s Administration (VA) primary care clinic. Current (past 1 year) and lifetime use, cognitive functioning (as determined by the Trail Making Part B, Symbol Digit, FAS, and Hopkins Verbal Learning tests), and demographic, psychosocial, and medical status were obtained using standardized methods. Participants (N = 760) had a mean age of 74 (range, 65-89) years. Current drinkers (n = 509) as compared with never (n = 31) and former (n = 220) drinkers demonstrated significantly better cognitive performance on 3 (Trails B, Symbol Digit, and Hopkins Verbal Learning) of the 4 tests (P < .01 for all comparisons). In multiple linear regression models, current light to moderate drinking (ie, 7 or fewer drinks per week), as compared to a reference group of never and former drinkers, was associated with better performance on the Trails B, Symbol Digit, and Hopkins Verbal Learning tests (P < .01 for all comparisons). The number of years drinking 7 or fewer drinks per week also was independently associated with better cognitive performance. Current consumption of 7 or fewer drinks per week and the number of years drinking at this level are both associated with better cognitive performance in older male veterans receiving primary care. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that light to moderate drinking confers cognitive benefits to older persons.
Non-Lyapunov stability of the fractional-order time-varying delay systems

In this paper, the finite-time stability criteria are extended to nonlinear nonhomogeneous perturbed fractional-order systems including multiple time-varying delays. The sufficient conditions of a stability for the fractional systems with multiple time delays are obtained by using the generalized and classical Gronwall's approach. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the validity of the obtained result.
Aerobic Fitness of 17-Year-Old Soccer Players Throughout the Annual Training Cycle According to Their Playing Position

The purpose of the study was to assess the level of aerobic fitness in U17 Slovak elite soccer players throughout the annual training cycle according to their playing position. The participants were 14 soccer players who played for the 1st league U17 soccer team. To assess their levels of aerobic fitness, players performed the Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test Level 1 (Yo-Yo IRTL1) during four different phases of the annual training cycle. The results showed that the greatest distance covered by a player was 2,476 m during the final testing session after the regular season. Therefore, we may conclude that according to the total distance covered in Yo-Yo IRTL1 players showed test results at the level of international players.
Evaluation of the Validity of the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire–Simplified-Wording Form (MPQ-SF) in Adolescents With Treatment Histories

The Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) is a widely used personality assessment instrument informing lower- and higher-order personality dimensions. Despite recent developments of brief (MPQ-BF) and simplified wording (MPQ-SF) forms, there is relatively little work on the utility and validity of the MPQ in younger samples with lower reading levels. This study is the first to assess the reliability, factor structure, and criterion validity of the MPQ-SF in a sample of treatment-referred mid-adolescents (N = 105; 12-17 years). Results suggest adequate reliabilities for most of the lower-order primary scales and support a three-factor structure of the MPQ-SF, consistent with previous research with adult and college-aged samples. However, there were also notable cross-loadings for particular scales, which we discuss in relation to the four-factor MPQ model and the Five Factor Model of Personality. Relationships between MPQ personality dimensions and psychopathology using youth, parent, and clinician-rated psychopathology indices supported criterion-related validity. Together, these results confirm the utility of the MPQ in youth with treatment histories.
Calcium and Iron Regulate Swarming and Type III Secretion in Vibrio parahaemolyticus

ABSTRACT Here, we probe the response to calcium during growth on a surface and show that calcium influences the transcriptome and stimulates motility and virulence of Vibrio parahaemolyticus. Swarming (but not swimming) gene expression and motility were enhanced by calcium. Calcium also elevated transcription of one of the organism's two type III secretion systems (T3SS1 but not T3SS2) and heightened cytotoxicity toward host cells in coculture. Calcium stimulation of T3SS gene expression has not been reported before, although low calcium is an inducing signal for the T3SS of many organisms. EGTA was also found to increase T3SS1 gene expression and virulence; however, this was demonstrated to be the consequence of iron rather than calcium chelation. Ectopic expression of exsA, encoding the T3SS1 AraC-type regulator, was used to define the extent of the T3SS1 regulon and verify its coincident induction by calcium and EGTA. To begin to understand the regulatory mechanisms modulating the calcium response, a calcium-repressed, LysR-type transcription factor named CalR was identified and shown to repress swarming and T3SS1 gene expression. Swarming and T3SS1 gene expression were also demonstrated to be linked by LafK, a σ54-dependent regulator of swarming, and additionally connected by a negative-feedback loop on the swarming regulon propagated by ExsA. Thus, calcium and iron, two ions pertinent for a marine organism and pathogen, play a signaling role with global consequences on the regulation of gene sets that are relevant for surface colonization and infection.
Health information systems in developing countries: benefits, problems, and prospects

Health information systems are important support tools in the management of health care services delivery in both developed and less developed countries. An adequate health information system is vital not only for assessing the health needs of populations and groups, but also for planning and implementation of health interventions. It is equally important in the evaluation of programmes from both the perspectives of effectiveness and coverage. This paper examines the practical difficulties of health care provision amidst inadequate statistics to inform decisions. Major obstacles to the introduction of effective health information systems in developing countries are examined, and practical suggestions on measures to overcome them discussed. It is concluded that the establishment of well co-ordinated information collection systems at the various levels of the health care system in developing countries, using appropriate staff, could contribute greatly to improvements in health care delivery.
Evaluating Data Sources for Crawling Events from the Web

The bottleneck of event recommender systems is the availability of actual, up-to-date information on events. Usually, there is no single data feed, thus information on events must be crawled from numerous sources. Ranking these sources helps the system to decide which sources to crawl and how often. In this paper, a model for event source evaluation and ranking is proposed based on well-known centrality measures from social network analysis. Experiments made on real data, crawled from Budapest event sources, shows interesting results for further research.
Efficacy of divalproex vs lithium and placebo in the treatment of mania. The Depakote Mania Study Group.

OBJECTIVE To compare the effectiveness of divalproex sodium with that of lithium and placebo in patients with acute mania. DESIGN Randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study of treatment outcomes in patients with manic-depressive illness. PATIENTS A total of 179 hospitalized, acutely manic patients meeting the Research Diagnostic Criteria for manic disorder, approximately half of whom had been nonresponsive to lithium previously, were studied at nine university-affiliated hospitals. INTERVENTIONS After a minimum 3-day washout period, random assignment for 21 days to divalproex, lithium, or placebo in a 2:1:2 ratio. Dosage of divalproex and lithium was increased if tolerated to a target concentration of 1041 mumol/L (150 micrograms/mL) or 1.5 mmol/L (conventionally expressed as milliequivalents per liter), respectively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome measures were changes in the Mania Rating scale derived from the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. RESULTS Intent-to-treat analysis for efficacy was based on data from 68, 35, and 73 patients in the divalproex, lithium, and placebo groups, respectively. Groups were initially comparable except that all eight patients with four or more manic episodes in the previous year were in the divalproex group. In 30%, 33%, and 51% of the above groups, treatment was prematurely terminated due to lack of efficacy, with fewer premature terminations from divalproex than placebo (P = .017). The proportions of patients improving at least 50% were higher for divalproex and lithium groups than for the placebo group: 48% for divalproex (P = .004) and 49% for lithium (P = .025) vs 25% for placebo. Divalproex was as effective in rapid-cycling manic patients as in other patients. CONCLUSIONS Both divalproex and lithium were significantly more effective than placebo in reducing the symptoms of acute mania. The efficacy of divalproex appears to be independent of prior responsiveness to lithium.