Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationship between challenging behaviour, burnout and cognitive variables in staff working with people who have intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND There is evidence to suggest a relationship between the way in which staff perceive challenging behaviour and burnout in staff working with people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and challenging behaviour. However, the evidence of a direct link is equivocal and it is possible that a number of different variables mediate this relationship. The aim of the study is to confirm whether there is a relationship between challenging behaviour and staff burnout, and in addition, to test whether staff perceptions about challenging behaviour mediate this relationship. METHOD Seventy-eight staff completed measures of burnout, challenging behaviour and perceptions about challenging behaviour. The perceptions explored included beliefs about the timeline of behaviour, staff's perception of whether they themselves have control over the behaviour, beliefs about clients' ability to control the behaviour and staff's negative emotional responses. RESULTS Significant positive correlations were found between challenging behaviour and burnout, challenging behaviour and cognitive variables, and cognitive variables and burnout. Regression analyses demonstrated that negative emotions mediate the relationship between challenging behaviour and burnout. CONCLUSIONS The results show evidence that there is a relationship between challenging behaviour and burnout that is mediated by negative emotion, namely the fear of potential assault.
The role of alprazolam for the treatment of panic disorder in Australia

Objective: To investigate the potential impact of increasing prescription rates of alprazolam for the treatment of panic disorder (PD) in Australia through a review of efficacy, tolerability and adverse outcome literature. Methods: Data were sourced by a literature search using MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and a manual search of scientific journals to identify relevant articles. Clinical practice guidelines from the American Psychiatric Association, National Institute of Clinical Excellence, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry were sourced. Prescription data were sourced from Australian governmental sources. Results: Alprazolam has shown efficacy for control of PD symptoms, particularly in short-term controlled clinical trials, but is no longer recommended as a first-line pharmacological treatment due to concerns about the risks of developing tolerance, dependence and abuse potential. Almost no evidence is available comparing alprazolam to current first-line pharmacological treatment. Despite this, prescription rates are increasing. A number of potential issues including use in overdose and impact on car accidents are noted. Conclusion: Although effective for PD symptoms in clinical trials, a number of potential issues may exist with use. Consideration of its future place in PD treatment in Australia may be warranted.
Method to generate distribution maps of the material parameters of the human body using robotic and dynamic simulation systems

The present paper proposes a new method by which to generate distribution maps of the material parameters of the human body for use in medical applications. In addition, a system design concept to realize the proposed method is presented, wherein the system integrates a robotic component and a numerical simulation component. The robotic component is used to measure the contact force and displacement at each point on the human body contacted by a robotic probe. The numerical simulation component generates an optimal distribution map of the material parameters using the proposed method, where three data are used, namely, (1) the measured data from the robotic part, (2) simulated deformation data obtained by the finite element method, and (3) distribution map data obtained using distribution models. In order to validate the proposed method, we implemented a virtual system including a sensing robot and a human body. We conducted numerical simulation experiments using this virtual system, and the results of experiments showed that optimal distribution maps were accurately generated.
The Role of Computer Simulation in Neurolinguistics

As a result of present-day technological standards, the technique of computer simulation is constantly gaining influence in cognitive science. Neurolinguistics is a special branch of this field in which cognitive capacities connected with language are related to the structure and functions of the brain. It is argued that computer simulation is a useful technique for evaluating neurolinguistic models. This is demonstrated with respect to neural network models of the process of language production.
Apoptosis induced by mild hyperthermia in human and murine tumour cell lines: A study using electron microscopy and DNA gel electrophoresis

Mild hyperthermia is known to enhance apoptosis in a range of normal and neoplastic cell populations. Studies of tumours previously shown to respond to heating in this manner might be expected to provide insights not only into the mechanism of hyperthermic cell killing, but also into the apoptotic process in general. In the present study, cell death induced by 43°C heating for 30 min in two human Burkitt's lymphoma lines, BM 13674 and WW1, and in murine mastocytoma P‐815 × 2·1 was found to be exclusively apoptotic in type, identification being based on light and electron microscopic appearances and on the presence of internucleosomal cleavage of DNA into fragments that are multiples of 180–200 base pairs, which was demonstrated by agarose gel electrophoresis. The heat‐induced apoptosis was prevented by the presence of zinc sulphate, an inhibitor of the endonuclease considered to be responsible for the DNA cleavage, but was not suppressed by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. The findings question the validity of the widely held view that active protein synthesis is an invariable prerequisite for the execution of apoptosis. It is suggested that an inositol triphosphate‐mediated increase in cytosolic Ca2+, resulting from limited membrane damage, might be the critical event responsible for activation of apoptosis by mild hyperthermia.
Evaluation of causal sentences in automated summaries

This paper presents an experiment to show the importance of causal sentences in summaries. Presumably, causal sentences hold relevant information and thus summaries should contain them. We perform an experiment to refute or validate this hypothesis. We have selected 28 medical documents to extract and analyze causal and conditional sentences from medical texts. Once retrieved, classic metrics are used to determine the relevance of the causal content among all the sentences in the document and, so, to evaluate if they are important enough to make a better summary. Finally, a comparison table to explore the results is showed and some conclusions are outlined.
VLSI Architecture Study of a Real-Time Scalable Optical Flow Processor for Video Segmentation

An optical flow processor architecture is proposed. It offers accuracy and image-size scalability for video segmentation extraction. The Hierarchical Optical flow Estimation (HOE) algorithm [1] is optimized to provide an appropriate bit-length and iteration number to realize VLSI. The proposed processor architecture provides the following features. First, an algorithm-oriented data-path is introduced to execute all necessary processes of optical flow derivation allowing hardware cost minimization. The data-path is designed using 4-SIMD architecture, which enables high-throughput operation. Thereby, it achieves real-time optical flow derivation with 100% pixel density. Second, it has scalable architecture for higher accuracy and higher resolution. A third feature is the CMOS-process compatible on-chip 2-port DRAM for die-area reduction. The proposed processor has performance for CIF 30 fr/s with 189 MHz clock frequency. Its estimated core size is 6.02 x 5.33 mm 2 with six-metal 90-nm CMOS technology.
The cold shock response of the psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas fragi involves four low-molecular-mass nucleic acid-binding proteins

The psychrotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas fragi was subjected to cold shocks from 30 or 20 to 5 degrees C. The downshifts were followed by a lag phase before growth resumed at a characteristic 5 degrees C growth rate. The analysis of protein patterns by two-dimentional gel electrophoresis revealed overexpression of 25 or 17 proteins and underexpression of 12 proteins following the 30- or 20-to-5 degrees C shift, respectively. The two downshifts shared similar variations of synthesis of 20 proteins. The kinetic analysis distinguished the induced proteins into cold shock proteins (Csps), which were rapidly but transiently overexpressed, and cold acclimation proteins (Caps), which were more or less rapidly induced but still overexpressed several hours after the downshifts. Among the cold-induced proteins, four low-molecular-mass proteins, two of them previously characterized as Caps (CapA and CapB), and heat acclimation proteins (Haps) as well as heat shock proteins (Hsps) for the two others (TapA and TapB) displayed higher levels of induction. Partial amino acid sequences, obtained by microsequencing, were used to design primers to amplify by PCR the four genes and then determine their nucleotide sequences. A BamHI-EcoRI restriction fragment of 1.9 kb, containing the complete coding sequence for capB, was cloned and sequenced. The four peptides belong to the family of small nucleic acid-binding proteins as CspA, the major Escherichia coli Csp. They are likely to play a major role in the adaptative response of P. fragi to environmental temperature changes.
Pharmacological and Toxicological Properties of Eugenol

Eugenol is a volatile phenolic constituent of clove essential oil obtained from Eugenia caryophyllata buds and leaves. It is a functional ingredient of numerous products which have been used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic industry in restricted concentrations. Its derivatives have been used in medicine as a local antiseptic and anesthetic. The wide range of eugenol activities includes antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antioxidant. Although eugenol is considered safe as a product, due to the vast range of different applications and extensive use, there has been a great concern about its toxicity in recent years. However, studies about cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of eugenol are very limited and controversial. The pharmacological and toxicological properties of eugenol will be discussed in this review.
Effect of basic fibroblast growth factor incorporating gelatin microspheres on erectile function in the diabetic rat.

PURPOSE We report the potential of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) incorporating gelatin microspheres to preserve erectile function in a diabetic rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 48 adult male rats were divided into 3 groups, namely control (nondiabetic rats), diabetes mellitus (DM) (diabetic rats that received gelatin microspheres with saline) and bFGF (diabetic rats that received gelatin microspheres with bFGF). After 4 and 8 weeks we examined intracavernous pressure responses with electrical stimulation to the cavernous nerve. For histological examination of the penis we performed Azan-Mallory staining for smooth muscle and collagen, and immunohistochemistry for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in endothelium and neuronal NOS in cavernous nerve fiber. RESULTS Although the intracavernous pressure response was significantly lower in the DM group than in the control group, pressure in the bFGF group was maintained at the normal level found in controls. Azan-Mallory staining showed a mass decrease in smooth muscle in cavernous tissue in the DM group. However, that in the bFGF group was maintained. There was no significant difference in endothelial NOS positive areas and the distribution of the diameter of neuronal NOS positive nerve fibers in cavernous tissue among the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS We report the maintenance of erectile function with bFGF incorporating gelatin microspheres in diabetic rats. The rationale of this maneuver is smooth muscle preservation by the long-term release of bFGF. This is a novel therapeutic option that is clinically applicable for diabetes induced erectile dysfunction.
Structure preserving Stochastic Impulse Methods for stiff Langevin systems with a uniform global error of order 1 or 1/2 on position

Impulse methods are generalized to a family of integrators for Langevin systems with quadratic stiff potentials and arbitrary soft potentials. Uniform error bounds (independent from stiff parameters) are obtained on integrated positions allowing for coarse integration steps. The resulting integrators are explicit and structure preserving (quasi-symplectic for Langevin systems).
Structural modification of the hamster sperm acrosome during posttesticular development in the epididymis

The acrosome of the mature spermatozoon functions as a regulated secretory vesicle which performs several critical functions in mammalian fertilization. Acrosome assembly occurs throughout spermiogenesis and continues during posttesticular sperm maturation in the epididymis, resulting in a structurally polarized membrane‐bounded organelle that contains an assortment of hydrolases and a stable infrastructure termed the acrosomal matrix. The role of stable acrosomal matrix assemblies in acrosomal biogenesis and function are poorly understood. This article presents ultrastructural, immunocytochemical, and biochemical data on the remodeling of the hamster acrosomal matrix during spermiogenesis and posttesticular sperm maturation in the epididymis. Specific posttranslational modifications of the major acrosomal matrix protein are evident in late, step 16, spermatids and matrix protein processing continues within specific acrosomal subdomains of caput epididymal spermatozoa. At the completion of sperm maturation, the acrosomal matrix consists of two structurally distinct domains which are adherent to the outer acrosomal membrane and exhibit a localized distribution pattern. Coincident with acrosomal matrix differentiation, a paracrystalline cytoskeletal complex is assembled onto the outer acrosomal membrane of epididymal spermatozoa. This cytoskeletal network appears to establish transmembrane structural interactions with the acrosomal matrix and may maintain attachment of the acrosomal cap to the sperm head during the early steps of the acrosome reaction. Microsc. Res. Tech. 61:46–55, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Ghrelin and New Metabolic Frontiers

Background: A growing body of literature has profiled the complex identities and interactions of ghrelin analogues and their known and unknown receptors, which constitute the ghrelin system. In humans, acylated ghrelin (AG) induces a rapid rise in glucose and insulin levels. However, coadministration of unacylated ghrelin (UAG) counteracts this effect. Accumulating data support the existence of a specific receptor for UAG in addition to the corticotropin-releasing factor 2 receptor and the growth hormone secretagogue type 1a receptor. Preclinically, mice that overexpress UAG exhibit decreased body weight, food intake, free fatty acid levels and fat pad mass weight and moderately decreased linear growth. In humans, intravenous infusion of UAG in normal subjects enhances the early insulin response to meals, improves glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity and inhibits lipolysis. Conclusions: AG and UAG play an important regulatory role in metabolism.
Guidelines for respiratory motion management in radiation therapy

Respiratory motion management (RMM) systems in external and stereotactic radiotherapies have been developed in the past two decades. Japanese medical service fee regulations introduced reimbursement for RMM from April 2012. Based on thorough discussions among the four academic societies concerned, these Guidelines have been developed to enable staff (radiation oncologists, radiological technologists, medical physicists, radiotherapy quality managers, radiation oncology nurses, and others) to apply RMM to radiation therapy for tumors subject to respiratory motion, safely and appropriately.
Infections and airway inflammation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease severe exacerbations.

RATIONALE Severe exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are major causes of health care costs mostly related to hospitalization. The role of infections in COPD exacerbations is controversial. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether COPD exacerbations requiring hospitalization are associated with viral and/or bacterial infection and evaluated relationships among infection, exacerbation severity, assessed by reduction of FEV1, and specific patterns of airway inflammation. METHODS We examined 64 patients with COPD when hospitalized for exacerbations, and when in stable convalescence. We measured lung function, blood gases, and exhaled nitric oxide, and examined sputum for inflammation and for viral and bacterial infection. RESULTS Exacerbations were associated with impaired lung function (p < 0.01) and increased sputum neutrophilia (p < 0.001). Viral and/or bacterial infection was detected in 78% of exacerbations: viruses in 48.4% (6.2% when stable, p < 0.001) and bacteria in 54.7% (37.5% when stable, p = 0.08). Patients with infectious exacerbations (29.7% bacterial, 23.4% viral, 25% viral/bacterial coinfection) had longer hospitalizations (p < 0.02) and greater impairment of several measures of lung function (all p < 0.05) than those with noninfectious exacerbations. Patients with exacerbations with coinfection had more marked lung function impairment (p < 0.02) and longer hospitalizations (p = 0.001). Sputum neutrophils were increased in all exacerbations (p < 0.001) and were related to their severity (p < 0.001), independently of the association with viral or bacterial infections; sputum eosinophils were increased during (p < 0.001) virus-associated exacerbations. CONCLUSIONS Respiratory infections are associated with the majority of COPD exacerbations and their severity, especially those with viral/bacterial coinfection. Airway neutrophilia is related to exacerbation severity regardless of viral and/or bacterial infections. Eosinophilia is a good predictor of viral exacerbations.
Ease of juggling: studying the effects of manual multitasking

Everyday activities often involve using an interactive device while one is handling various other physical objects (wallets, bags, doors, pens, mugs, etc.). This paper presents the Manual Multitasking Test, a test with 12 conditions emulating manual demands of everyday multitasking situations. It allows experimenters to expose the effects of design on "manual flexibility": users' ability to reconfigure the sensorimotor control of arms, hands, and fingers in order to regain the high performance levels they experience when using the device on its own. The test was deployed for pointing devices on laptops and Qwerty keyboards of mobile devices. In these studies, we identified facilitative design features whose absence explains, for example, why the mouse and stylus function poorly in multi-object performance. The issue deserves more attention, because interfaces that are nominally similar (e.g., "one-handed input") can vary dramatically in terms of "ease of juggling".
MgtC as a Host-Induced Factor and Vaccine Candidate against Mycobacterium abscessus Infection

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium abscessus is an emerging pathogenic mycobacterium involved in pulmonary and mucocutaneous infections, presenting a serious threat for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). The lack of an efficient treatment regimen and the emergence of multidrug resistance in clinical isolates require the development of new therapeutic strategies against this pathogen. Reverse genetics has revealed genes that are present in M. abscessus but absent from saprophytic mycobacteria and that are potentially involved in pathogenicity. Among them, MAB_3593 encodes MgtC, a known virulence factor involved in intramacrophage survival and adaptation to Mg2+ deprivation in several major bacterial pathogens. Here, we demonstrated a strong induction of M. abscessus MgtC at both the transcriptional and translational levels when bacteria reside inside macrophages or upon Mg2+ deprivation. Moreover, we showed that M. abscessus MgtC was recognized by sera from M. abscessus-infected CF patients. The intramacrophage growth (J774 or THP1 cells) of a M. abscessus knockout mgtC mutant was, however, not significantly impeded. Importantly, our results indicated that inhibition of MgtC in vivo through immunization with M. abscessus mgtC DNA, formulated with a tetrafunctional amphiphilic block copolymer, exerted a protective effect against an aerosolized M. abscessus challenge in CF (ΔF508 FVB) mice. The formulated DNA immunization was likely associated with the production of specific MgtC antibodies, which may stimulate a protective effect by counteracting MgtC activity during M. abscessus infection. These results emphasize the importance of M. abscessus MgtC in vivo and provide a basis for the development of novel therapeutic tools against pulmonary M. abscessus infections in CF patients.
An online incremental learning algorithm for time series

Mining time series data has been revived in the last decade due to the increasing availability of time series datasets. This paper presents an online incremental learning algorithm for time series based on the self-organizing incremental neural network (SOINN) and fast dynamic time warping (FastDTW), referred to as OILFTS. The proposed method OILFTS adopts FastDTW distance as the similarity measure, meeting the requirements of most real-time applications. Moreover, OILFTS achieves online and incremental learning of data series which are of equal or unequal length. We test our method with UCR time series datasets, and experimental results show that, from the respect of classification accuracy, the proposed OILFTS is much better than the state-of-the-art similarity measure approaches and widely investigated kernel-based SVMs.
Cleavage mechanism of human Mus81–Eme1 acting on Holliday-junction structures

Recombination-mediated repair plays a central role in maintaining genomic integrity during DNA replication. The human Mus81–Eme1 endonuclease is involved in recombination repair, but the exact structures it acts on in vivo are not known. Using kinetic and enzymatic analysis of highly purified recombinant enzyme, we find that Mus81–Eme1 catalyzes coordinate bilateral cleavage of model Holliday-junction structures. Using a self-limiting, cruciform-containing substrate, we demonstrate that bilateral cleavage occurs sequentially within the lifetime of the enzyme–substrate complex. Coordinate bilateral cleavage is promoted by the highly cooperative nature of the enzyme and results in symmetrical cleavage of a cruciform structure, thus, Mus81–Eme1 can ensure coordinate, bilateral cleavage of Holliday junction-like structures.
Mobile Media Thumbnailing

With the development of Multimedia and Internet techniques, massively increasing visual data, such as image and video, need to be shown and browsed as thumbnails in various digital display platforms, like PC, cell phone, etc. This demonstration presents a grid based adaptive media thumb-nailing approach to maximize user experience in mobile image and video browsing. After representative frame extraction by spectral clustering and salient region detection, we obtain thumbnails with three resizing operators: cropping, warping and scaling, and adaptively fuse them into a unified grid based convex programming problem which could be solved simultaneously and efficiently through numerical optimization. Extensive experiments and comparisons on HUAWEI Honor 6 and Samsung S5 demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an excellent information preservation for thumbnails in mobile devices.