Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple Births in Sub-Saharan Africa: Epidemiology, Postnatal Survival, and Growth Pattern

The study endeavored to assess the epidemiology, postnatal survival, and growth pattern of multiple births in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). It was based on the data of 25 demographic health surveys conducted in the subcontinent since 2008. The records of 213,889 children born in the preceding 59 months of the surveys were included. The multiple birth rate was computed as the number of multiple confinements per 1,000 births. Factors associated with multiple births were identified using logistic regression and their survival pattern was assessed using the Kaplan–Meier method. The multiple birth rate was 17.1 (95% confidence interval: 17.7–16.6) and showed considerable variation across the 25 countries included in the study. Odds of multiple births were significantly increased with advanced maternal age, parity, and maternal height but not with wealth index, age at first birth, and month of birth. At the end of the fourth year of age, the cumulative survival probability was as low as 0.77 in multiple births as compared to 0.93 in their counterparts. The odds of neonatal, infant and under-five mortality were 5.55, 4.39, and 3.72 times increased in multiple births, respectively. Multiple births tend to be malnourished than singletons and the odds of wasting, stunting, and underweight were 1.31, 1.83, and 1.73 times raised, consecutively. Nevertheless, multiple births regain their weight-for-age (WFA) and height-for-age (HFA) deficits by the end of the fourth year of age. Counseling pregnant mothers with multiple gestation to give birth at a health institution and providing close medical follow-up during and after the neonatal period can improve the survival of multiple births.
Dynamics of Brassinosteroid Response Modulated by Negative Regulator LIC in Rice

Brassinosteroids (BRs) regulate rice plant architecture, including leaf bending, which affects grain yield. Although BR signaling has been investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana, the components negatively regulating this pathway are less well understood. Here, we demonstrate that Oryza sativa LEAF and TILLER ANGLE INCREASED CONTROLLER (LIC) acts as an antagonistic transcription factor of BRASSINAZOLE-RESISTANT 1 (BZR1) to attenuate the BR signaling pathway. The gain-of-function mutant lic-1 and LIC–overexpressing lines showed erect leaves, similar to BZR1–depleted lines, which indicates the opposite roles of LIC and BZR1 in regulating leaf bending. Quantitative PCR revealed LIC transcription rapidly induced by BR treatment. Image analysis and immunoblotting showed that upon BR treatment LIC proteins translocate from the cytoplasm to the nucleus in a phosphorylation-dependent fashion. Phosphorylation assay in vitro revealed LIC phosphorylated by GSK3–like kinases. For negative feedback, LIC bound to the core element CTCGC in the BZR1 promoter on gel-shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and repressed its transcription on transient transformation assay. LIC directly regulated target genes such as INCREASED LEAF INCLINATION 1 (ILI1) to oppose the action of BZR1. Repression of LIC in ILI1 transcription in protoplasts was partially rescued by BZR1. Phenotypic analysis of the crossed lines depleted in both LIC and BZR1 suggested that BZR1 functionally depends on LIC. Molecular and physiology assays revealed that LIC plays a dominant role at high BR levels, whereas BZR1 is dominant at low levels. Thus, LIC regulates rice leaf bending as an antagonistic transcription factor of BZR1. The phenotypes of lic-1 and LIC–overexpressing lines in erect leaves contribute to ideal plant architecture. Improving this phenotype may be a potential approach to molecular breeding for high yield in rice.
An Intriguing Endoscopic Case of Asymptomatic Crohn’s Disease

We present the case of a 64-year old male with Crohn’s disease, who has intriguing endoscopic findings. Upon initial diagnosis at age 20, he received steroid therapy, but has not required any further medical intervention. He has remained relatively asymptomatic and keeps a healthy lifestyle. At routine colonoscopy, we identified pseudopolyps as well as tissue bridges within the colon, giving an unusual “swiss cheese” appearance. This case exemplifies the heterogeneity of Crohn’s disease, emphasizing the possibility of finding evidence of ongoing disease despite lack of symptoms.
Explaining Attitudes toward Immigration: The Role of Regional Context and Individual Predispositions

Existing research makes competing predictions and yields contradictory findings about the relationships between natives’ exposure to immigrants and their attitudes toward immigration. Engaging this disjuncture, this article argues that individual predispositions moderate the impact of exposure to immigrants on negative attitudes toward immigrants. Negative attitudes toward immigration are more likely among individuals who are most sensitive to such threats. Because country-level studies are generally unable to appropriately measure the immigration context in which individuals form their attitudes, this article uses a newly collected dataset on regional immigration patterns in Austria, Germany, and Switzerland to test the argument. The data show that increasing and visible diversity is associated with negative attitudes toward immigrants, but only among natives on the political right. This finding improves the understanding of attitudes toward immigrants and immigration and has implications for the study of attitudes toward other policies and for immigration policy itself.
MUC4 is negatively regulated through the Wnt/β-catenin pathway via the Notch effector Hath1 in colorectal cancer

MUC4 is a transmembrane mucin lining the normal colonic epithelium. The aberrant/de novo over-expression of MUC4 is well documented in malignancies of the pancreas, ovary and breast. However, studies have reported the loss of MUC4 expression in the majority of colorectal cancers (CRCs). A MUC4 promoter analysis showed the presence of three putative TCF/LEF sites, implying a possible regulation by the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which has been shown to drive CRC progression. Thus, the objective of our study was to determine whether MUC4 is regulated by β-catenin in CRC. We first knocked down (KD) β-catenin in three CRC cell lines; LS180, HCT-8 and HCT116, which resulted in increased MUC4 transcript and MUC4 protein. Additionally, the overexpression of stabilized mutant β-catenin in LS180 and HCT-8 resulted in a decrease in MUC4 expression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) of mouse colon tissue harboring tubular adenomas and high grade dysplasia showed dramatically reduced Muc4 in lesions relative to adjacent normal tissue, with increased cytosolic/nuclear β-catenin. Luciferase assays with the complete MUC4 promoter construct p3778 showed increased MUC4 promoter luciferase activity in the absence of β-catenin (KD). Mutation of all three putative TCF/LEF sites showed that MUC4 promoter luciferase activity was increased relative to the un-mutated promoter. Interestingly, it was observed that MUC4 expressing CRC cell lines also expressed high levels of Hath1, a transcription factor repressed by both active Wnt/β-catenin and Notch signaling. The KD of β-catenin and/or treatment with a Notch γ-secretase inhibitor, Dibenzazepine (DBZ) resulted in increased Hath1 and MUC4 in LS180, HCT-8 and HCT116. Furthermore, overexpression of Hath1 in HCT-8 and LS180 caused increased MUC4 transcript and MUC4 protein. Taken together, our results indicate that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway suppresses the Notch pathway effector Hath1, resulting in reduced MUC4 in CRC.
Dose-Rate Effect on Transgenerational Mutation Frequencies in Spermatogonial Stem Cells of the Medaka Fish

Abstract Shimada, A. , Eguchi, H. , Yoshinaga, S. and Shima, A. Dose-Rate Effect on Transgenerational Mutation Frequencies in Spermatogonial Stem Cells of the Medaka Fish. Radiat. Res. 163, 112–114 (2005). The estimation of transgenerational genetic risk of radiation exposure to non-human species is crucial for the protection of ecosystems. Here we determined the frequency of specific-locus mutations at the five pigmentation loci in medaka spermatogonial stem cells after γ irradiation at 0.03 cGy/min and 95 cGy/min. At each total dose, the mutation frequency was significantly lower in the 0.03-cGy/min group than in the 95-cGy/min group, suggesting a dose-rate effect. The ratio of the induced mutation frequency at 0.03 cGy/min to that at 95 cGy/min was ∼0.42 from 0 to 1.9 Gy and ∼0.33 from 1.9 to 4.75 cGy. In the mouse, this ratio is estimated to be 0.33 (Russell and Kelly, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 79, 542–544, 1982). It is thus possible that the magnitude of the dose-rate effect on transgenerational mutation frequencies is comparable between mouse and medaka spermatogonia, suggesting similar dose-rate effects among vertebrates.
Efficient PAPR reduction techniques for MIMO-OFDM based cognitive radio networks

This paper presents an efficient peak to average power ratio (PAPR) reduction schemes for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based cognitive radio (CR) network. The proposed scheme makes use of a constrained adaptive Markov chain Monte Carlo (CAMCMC) technique to select peak reduction tones (PRT) for the tone reservation (TR) technique. The CAMCMC algorithm exploits non contiguous (NC) subcarriers available for a secondary user (SU) and make appropriate selection of the PRT set to reduce the PAPR of a MIMO-OFDM based CR system. To the selected PRT set, adaptive amplitude clipping (AAC) technique as well as convex optimization based schemes are employed to reduce the PAPR of the SU with multiple transmit antennas. Numerical simulations are provided to corroborate the efficacy of the designed PRT set with the AAC algorithm and the convex optimization technique.
Perspectives for Monocyte/Macrophage-Based Diagnostics of Chronic Inflammation

Low-grade chronic inflammation underlies the development of the most dangerous cardiometabolic disorders including type 2 diabetes and its vascular complications. In contrast to acute inflammation induced by bacteria and viruses, chronic inflammation can be driven by abnormal reaction to endogenous factors, including Th2 cytokines, metabolic factors like advanced glycation end products (AGEs), modified lipoproteins, or hyperglycemia. The key innate immune cells that recognize these factors in blood circulation are monocytes. Inflammatory programming of monocytes which migrate into tissues can, in turn, result into generation of tissue macrophages with pathological functions. Therefore, determination of the molecular and functional phenotype of circulating monocytes is a very promising diagnostic tool for the identification of hidden inflammation, which can precede the development of the pathology. Here we propose a new test system for the identification of inflammatory programming of monocytes: surface biomarkers and ex vivo functional system. We summarize the current knowledge about surface biomarkers for monocyte subsets, including CD16, CCR2, CX3CR1, CD64, stabilin-1 and CD36, and their association with inflammatory human disorders. Furthermore, we present the design of an ex vivo monocyte-based test system with minimal set of parameters as a potential diagnostic tool for the identification of personalized inflammatory responses.
COSMOLOGICAL HAWKING RADIATION AND UNRUH EFFECT

We discuss the applications of Gauge Theory Gravity (GTG) within the language of geometric algebra to the Dirac equation in the de Sitter and Rindler metrics as well as to the Unruh effect. We rederive the Hawking temperature for each case. The derivation of both the correct Fermi-Dirac statistics as well as the Hawking temperature may suggest that the method of calculations we employ here geometric algebra is really powerful in dealing with the problems in various gravitational backgrounds.
Ensemble-based background error covariance implementations using spatial recursive filters in NCEP's grid-point statistical interpolation system

A methodology for specifying ensemble-based background error covariances within the recursivefilter (RF) formalism of the NCEP Grid-point Statistical Interpolation (GSI) is proposed and tested using a low-resolution version of the North-American Regional Data Assimilation System. Perturbation fields from six-hour forecasts from the 80-member NCEP Global Ensemble Forecast System are used to represent the background errors. The RF-generated covariances are found to agree fairly well with the exact covariances computed directly from the ensemble perturbation fields in the vicinity of the selected test points. In addition, they are necessarily free of the spurious correlations at long ranges that characterize the covariance-matrix of the low-dimension space of the sample ensemble perturbations. The anisotropies are found to be rather weak when the 80-member ensemble is used without any further treatment to prescribe the local aspect tensor required by the recursive filter. However, a remarkable enhancement of the anisotropy is obtained when the ensemble size is artificially increased through a special type of local averaging. Results from a case study reveal an improvement of the 500 hPa geopotential height skill scores when the convariances with enhanced anisotropy are applied.
Cyclodextrins in Asymmetric and Stereospecific Synthesis

Since their discovery, cyclodextrins have widely been used as green and easily available alternatives to promoters or catalysts of different chemical reactions in water. This review covers the research and application of cyclodextrins and their derivatives in asymmetric and stereospecific syntheses, with their division into three main groups: (1) cyclodextrins promoting asymmetric and stereospecific catalysis in water; (2) cyclodextrins’ complexes with transition metals as asymmetric and stereospecific catalysts; and (3) cyclodextrins’ non-metallic derivatives as asymmetric and stereospecific catalysts. The scope of this review is to systematize existing information on the contribution of cyclodextrins to asymmetric and stereospecific synthesis and, thus, to facilitate further development in this direction.
A Circuit-Level Model of Hippocampal, Entorhinal and Prefrontal Dynamics Underlying Rodent Maze Navigational Learning

Interactions between the hippocampus, parahippocampal regions and the prefrontal cortex are thought to underlie the formation, consolidation, and retrieval of short term memories and play an important role in the learning processes. To date, only conceptual models have been offered to explain the potential interactions among these regions, but their connectivity and synaptic regulation remain unknown. To better understand sequential learning and decision making during spatial navigation, a largescale biological model was needed to further guide experimental studies. The results of a putative entorhinal grid cell and hippocampal place cell circuit-level model was reported, incorporating Hebbian learning, ion channels, and asynchronous background activity in the context of recent in vivo findings showing specific intracellular-extracellular precession disparities and place field destabilization by entorhinal lesioning. A more complex model was then proposed by adding another hippocampal formation structure, the subiculum, in a complete recurrent loop with the prefrontal cortex. The model replicated some of the dynamics of the mammalian hippocampal-frontal loop microcircuitry, including phase synchrony of prefrontal cells to hippocampal theta oscillations. It also demonstrated short-term augmentation of navigational sequences, decision making, and learning reinforcement. To demonstrate the computational model’s functionality, a graphic environment with a navigating virtual mouse was created and could be used for further real-time simulations. Finally, to refute or support the proposed mechanisms of hippocampal-entorhinal dynamics, future experimental studies were proposed to test the types of extrinsic connectivity between the entorhinal cortex and the hippocampus and the intrinsic connectivity within the subiculum.
Descriptive core logs, high-resolution images and derived data for Holocene reef cores collected from 1976 to 2017 along the Florida Keys reef tract

The USGS core archive (Reich and others, 2009; https://olga.er.usgs.gov/coreviewer/) houses an extensive collection of coral-reef cores that USGS researchers have collected from throughout the Florida Keys reef tract (FKRT). USGS scientists have compiled all available data on the 71 core records that recovered Holocene reef framework, including radiometric ages (radiocarbon and U-series), data on reef development (timing of reef initiation and senescence, reef accretion, and reef thickness) and geospatial information. High-resolution core photographs and descriptive core logs for each of the cores were also produced. For further information regarding data collection and analysis methods refer to Toth and others, 2018 (in review). This research is a part of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coral Reef Ecosystem Studies Project (https://coastal.er.usgs.gov/crest/).
Views of the Interrelationships of the Dimensions of Developmental Idealism and Family Life: Evidence from Nepal

We examine how people understand and conceptualize developmental idealism – a cultural schema that links ideas about societal and familial development. For centuries, scholars and policy makers have written that the world is dynamic, changing from traditional to modern, that modern families are causes of modern societies, that modern societies are causes of modern families, and that modern societies and families are better than traditional ones. These ideas have spread widely around the world, with the capacity for fostering change. The question motivating our research concerns the extent to which people link together the various aspects of developmental idealism as a package. Do individuals who endorse one aspect of developmental idealism endorse other aspects, or is there little relationship between how individuals evaluate the various aspects? We investigate these issues using 2008 data collected in Nepal. Our data indicate that Nepalis link some aspects of developmental idealism together but not others. Interrelationships of Developmental Idealism and Family Life in Nepal 3
Deep Reinforcement Learning Radio Control and Signal Detection with KeRLym, a Gym RL Agent

This paper presents research in progress investigating the viability and adaptation of reinforcement learning using deep neural network based function approximation for the task of radio control and signal detection in the wireless domain. We demonstrate a successful initial method for radio control which allows naive learning of search without the need for expert features, heuristics, or search strategies. We also introduce Kerlym, an open Keras based reinforcement learning agent collection for OpenAI's Gym.
Regulation of Cyclic AMP Formation in Cultures of Human Foetal Astrocytes by β2‐Adrenergic and Adenosine Receptors

Two cell cultures, NEP2 and NEM2, isolated from human foetal brain have been maintained through several passages and found to express some properties of astrocytes. Both cell cultures contain adenylate cyclase stimulated by catecholamines with a potency order of isoprenaline > adrenaline > salbutamol < noradrenaline, which is consistent with the presence of β2‐adrenergic receptors. This study reports that the β2‐adrenergic‐selective antagonist ICI 118,551 is ˜ 1,000 times more potent at inhibiting isoprenaline stimulation of cyclic AMP (cAMP) formation in both NEP2 and NEM2 than the β1adrenergic‐selective antagonist practolol. This observation confirms the presence of β2‐adrenergic receptors in these cell cultures. The formation of cAMP in NEP2 is also stimulated by 5′‐(N‐ethylcarboxamido)adenosine (NECA) more potently than by either adenosine or N6‐(L‐phenylisopropyl)adenosine (L‐PIA), which suggests that this foetal astrocyte expresses adenosine A2 receptors. Further more, L‐PIA and NECA inhibit isoprenaline stimulation of cAMP formation, a result suggesting the presence of adenosine A1 receptors on NEP2. The presence of A1 receptors is confirmed by the observation that the A1‐selective antagonist 8‐cyclopentyl‐1,3‐dipropylxanthine reverses the inhibition of isoprenaline stimulation of cAMP formation by L‐PIA and NECA. Additional evidence that NEP2 expresses adenosine receptors linked to the adenylate cyclase‐inhibitory GTP‐binding protein is provided by the finding that pretreatment of these cells with pertussis toxin reverses the adenosine inhibition of cAMP formation stimulated by either isoprenaline or forskolin.
2016 Ieee International Conference on Big Data (big Data) Fine-grained Mining of Illicit Drug Use Patterns Using Social Multimedia Data from Instagram

—According to NSDUH (National Survey on Drug Use and Health), 20 million Americans consumed drugs in the past few 30 days. Combating illicit drug use is of great interest to public health and law enforcement agencies. Despite of the importance, most of the existing studies on drug uses rely on surveys. Surveys on sensitive topics such as drug use may not be answered truthfully by the people taking them. Selecting a representative sample to survey is another major challenge. In this paper, we explore the possibility of using big multimedia data, including both images and text, from social media in order to discover drug use patterns at fine granularity with respect to demographics. Instagram posts are searched and collected by drug related terms by analyzing the hashtags supplied with each post. A large and dynamic dictionary of frequent drug related slangs is used to find these posts. User demographics are extracted using robust face image analysis algorithms. These posts are then mined to find common trends with regard to the time and location they are posted, and further in terms of age and gender of the drug users. Furthermore, by studying the accounts followed by the users of drug related posts, we extract common interests shared by drug users.
Proportional Hit Rate in Caching Service: A Feedback Control Approach

As the heterogeneity of Web clients increasing, the differentiated service (DifferSer) becomes an important issue especially for e-commerce Web site. Web caching as a key accelerator on the internet plays an important role in alleviating the client-perceived delay. Based on feedback control theory, this paper proposes an isolated cache model and designs a storage controller to achieve proportional hit rate. Through system identification, the linear model of isolated cache is identified to design controller. At each sampling time, by dynamically reallocating cache spaces between different web objects, the controller could guarantee the priority Web objects a higher hit rate and the proportions of hit rates between different kinds of Web objects constant. The experimental results demonstrate the proposed approach achieves the proportional hit rat guarantee under GDSF, LRU and LFU cache replacement algorithms. Keywords-component; formatting; Proportional hit rate; Web caching; Differentiated service
Effect of glyphosate (Roundup® formulation) on microphytobenthic communities of the Gulf of Gdańsk - new report

The experiments testing the toxicity of glyphosate Roundup® formulation were conducted on the natural microphytobenthic communities collected from the Gulf of Gdansk. The toxic effect of glyphosate was assessed by changes in the biomass of microphytobenthos cells [mm · ml], chlorophyll a concentration and reduction of efficiency of photosystem II. Negative impact of glyphosate on microphytobenthic communities, both at the cellular and population scale, was determined. Hence it can be concluded that certain concentrations of the herbicide Roundup (glyphosate – active substance), in the marine environment may adversely impact natural microphytobenthic communities, and in consequence also other elements of the ecosystem.