Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An enzyme in yeast mitochondria that catalyzes a step in branched‐chain amino acid biosynthesis also functions in mitochondrial DNA stability.

The yeast mitochondrial high mobility group protein Abf2p is required, under certain growth conditions, for the maintenance of wild‐type (rho+) mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). We have identified a multicopy suppressor of the mtDNA instability phenotype of cells with a null allele of the ABF2 gene (delta abf2). The suppressor is a known gene, ILV5, encoding the mitochondrial protein, acetohydroxy acid reductoisomerase, which catalyzes a step in branched‐chain amino acid biosynthesis. Efficient suppression occurs with just a 2‐ to 3‐fold increase in ILV5 copy number. Moreover, in delta abf2 cells with a single copy of ILV5, changes in mtDNA stability correlate directly with changes in conditions that are known to affect ILV5 expression. Wild‐type mtDNA is unstable in cells with an ILV5 null mutation (delta ilv5), leading to the production of mostly rho‐ petite mutants. The instability of rho+ mtDNA in delta ilv5 cells is not simply a consequence of a block in branched‐chain amino acid biosynthesis, since mtDNA is stable in cells with a null allele of the ILV2 gene, which encodes another enzyme of that pathway. The most severe instability of rho+ mtDNA is observed in cells with null alleles of both ABF2 and ILV5. We suggest that ILV5 encodes a bifunctional protein required for branched‐chain amino acid biosynthesis and for the maintenance of rho+ mtDNA.
Design and performance of a scalable real time control protocol: simulations and evaluations

Scalability problems which arise when the real time control protocol (RTCP) is used in large multicast groups include: increased feedback delay, increased storage state at every member; and ineffective RTCP bandwidth usage. This paper presents a scalable RTCP (S-RTCP). S-RTCP is based on a hierarchical structure in which members are grouped into local regions. For every region, there is an aggregator (AG) which receives the feedback receiver reports (RRs) of the local members, summarizes important information in the RRs, derives some statistics, and sends them to a manager. The manager performs additional statistical analysis to monitor the transmission quality and to identify regions of high congestion. A simulation of S-RTCP using the network simulator (NS) shows that S-RTCP alleviates some of RTCP scalability problems. Consequently, the feedback provides timely and useful QoS information required for network monitors and for adaptive applications. The main contribution of this paper is the presentation of the simulations' details and performance analysis that show the advantages of using S-RTCP over the original RTCP.
Risk Perceptions for Wearable Devices

Wearable devices, or "wearables," bring great benefits but also potential risks that could expose users' activities with- out their awareness or consent. In this paper, we report findings from the first large-scale survey conducted to investigate user security and privacy concerns regarding wearables. We surveyed 1,782 Internet users in order to identify risks that are particularly concerning to them; these risks are inspired by the sensor inputs and applications of popular wearable technologies. During this experiment, our questions controlled for the effects of what data was being accessed and with whom it was being shared. We also investigated how these emergent threats compared to existent mobile threats, how upcoming capabilities and artifacts compared to existing technologies, and how users ranked technical and nontechnical concerns to sketch a concrete and broad view of the wearable device landscape. We hope that this work will inform the design of future user notification, permission management, and access control schemes for wearables.
Eco-Evolutionary Dynamics Enable Coexistence via Neighbor-Dependent Selection

Recent studies suggest that selection can allow coexistence in situations where ecological dynamics lead to competitive exclusion, provided that there is a trade-off between traits optimal for interacting with conspecifics and traits optimal for interacting with heterospecifics. Despite compelling empirical evidence, there is no general framework for elucidating how and when selection will allow coexistence in natural communities. Here we develop such a framework for a mechanism that we term “neighbor-dependent selection. ” We show that this mechanism can both augment coexistence when ecological conditions allow for niche partitioning and enable coexistence when ecological conditions lead to competitive exclusion. The novel insight is that when ecological conditions lead to exclusion, neighbor-dependent selection can allow coexistence via cycles driven by an intransitive loop; selection causes one species to be a superior interspecific competitor when it is rare and an inferior interspecific competitor when it is abundant. Our framework predicts the conditions under which selection can enable coexistence, as opposed to merely augmenting it, and elucidates the effects of heritability on the eco-evolutionary feedbacks that drive coexistence. Given increasing evidence that evolution operates on ecological timescales, our approach provides one means for evaluating the role of selection and trait evolution in species coexistence.
CONFIDENTIALITY IN GROUP WORK PRACTICE

Despite a growing array of challenges and other obstacles, social caseworkers have had some success in buttressing the need for privacy in worker-client relations by means of the legal expression of confidentiality. Because of particular circumstances in the group setting, however, the same degree of legal protection may not be extended to group workers and their clients. Group workers, therefore, must grapple with the issue of confidentiality in their practice, while advocating for legal recognition of the privacy of group communications.
The Structural Modeling for Nurses' Interpersonal Competence within an Organization

Purpose: This study was designed to identify a path model that anticipates the interpersonal competence of nurses by anticipating factors that explain interpersonal competence within an organization, and analyzing the effects of these factors. A hypothetical model was formulated based on a literature review of interpersonal competence. For the study, influential factors were divided into two variables: exogenous variables including communication style, coaching leadership, and social support, and endogenous variables of self-efficacy, job satisfaction, and organizational commitment. Methods: The sample included 202 hospital nurses. Data were collected through questionnaires and analyzed using SPSS and AMOS. Results: The overall fitness was good (x 2 =74.707, p<.001), d.f=19, x 2 /df= 3.932, GFI=. 940, AGFI=. 826, RMR=. 009). Social support, self-efficacy, horizontal communication and organizational commitment directly affected the interpersonal competence of the nurses, and informal type of communication, horizontal, upward communication and coaching leadership indirectly effected the interpersonal competence of the nurses. Horizontal communication, social support, self-efficacy, and organizational commitment explained 46.5% of the variance in interpersonal competence of nurses. Conclusion: Based on the study results, nurses in hospitals need informal types of communication, horizontal, upward communication and coaching leadership to increase their interpersonal competence.
Challenges of implementing a personalized mental task near-infrared spectroscopy brain–computer interface for a non-verbal young adult with motor impairments

Abstract Purpose: Near-infrared spectroscopy brain–computer interfaces (NIRS-BCIs) have been proposed as potential motor-free communication pathways. This paper documents the challenges of implementing an NIRS-BCI with a non-verbal, severely and congenitally impaired, but cognitively intact young adult. Methods: A 5-session personalized mental task NIRS-BCI training paradigm was invoked, whereby participant-specific mental tasks were selected either by the researcher or by the user, on the basis of prior performance or user preference. Results: Although the personalized mental task selection and training framework had been previously demonstrated with able-bodied participants, the participant was not able to exceed chance-level accuracies. Challenges to the acquisition of BCI control may have included disinclination to BCI training, structural or functional brain atypicalities, heightened emotional arousal and confounding haemodynamic patterns associated with novelty and reward processing. Conclusions: Overall, we stress the necessity for further clinical NIRS-BCI research involving non-verbal individuals with severe motor impairments.
Higher education leadership in Russia: a case study of mid-level academic management at an elite State university

This paper analyzes the Head of Department (HoD) role at an elite State university in Russia. It draws upon documentary analysis of government texts and focus groups with both HoDs and lecturers. It concludes that most HoDs are invited to apply for the role by more senior university colleagues. Once in post, they are offered a range of helpful courses, but also learn from experience and by observing others. The primary purpose of the role is seen as clarifying and interpreting central university expectations, though there is scope for influencing the departmental vision. Whilst the role is very time-consuming, it does not seem to generate the kind of managerialist ‘values' conflict reported elsewhere. The paper ends with a tentative framework for explaining how certain contextual factors (motivation, mode of appointment, perceived level of surveillance and previous experience of higher and/or lower levels of centralized control) might increase or decrease ‘values' conflict.
Epidemiology of burn injuries in south-eastern Iran: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE To explore the epidemiology of burn injuries in Zahedan, Southeastern Iran. METHODS A retrospective review of 730 medical records, of burnt patients, for a period of two years was done. Predesigned data recording forms were used to collect data. The SPSS-15 was used to analyze data. RESULTS Overall, 713 medical records were analyzed: two-thirds (62.0%) were fire-related and one-third related to scalds (33.1%). Intentional self-harm injuries accounted for 14.3% of all admissions. A significant difference existed between patients' age or sex and the causes of burns (P < 0.001). Burns more than 60% closely correlated with death rate and hospital stay (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Lack of the necessary, socio-economic infrastructure, language and cultural barriers, low level of literacy, flammability of women's clothes and unsafe application/design of stove and heaters are likely to contribute to the high frequency of burn injuries in this area.
The m1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor transactivates the EGF receptor to modulate ion channel activity

Intracellular tyrosine kinases link the G protein‐coupled m1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mAChR) to multiple cellular responses. However, the mechanisms by which m1 mAChRs stimulate tyrosine kinase activity and the identity of the kinases within particular signaling pathways remain largely unknown. We show that the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a single transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase, becomes catalytically active and dimerized through an m1 mAChR‐regulated pathway that requires protein kinase C, but is independent of EGF. Finally, we demonstrate that transactivation of the EGFR plays a major role in a pathway linking m1 mAChRs to modulation of the Kv1.2 potassium channel. These results demonstrate a ligand‐independent mechanism of EGFR transactivation by m1 mAChRs and reveal a novel role for these growth factor receptors in the regulation of ion channels by G protein‐coupled receptors.
Psychosocial Factors are Linked to Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Population Based Nested Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND:It is widely accepted based on volunteer studies that levels of psychological distress are similar in those with functional gastrointestinal (GI) disorders and health in the community, while increased psychological distress in outpatients is largely explained by health-care seeking.AIMS:To determine if psychological distress, life event stress, or social support is associated with functional GI disorders in a population-based study.METHODS:A nested case-control study was performed by first mailing a self-report bowel disease questionnaire to a random sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota, aged 20–50 yr. All persons who reported symptoms of nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) (cases), or an absence of GI symptoms (controls), were invited to complete a series of validated questionnaires designed to measure psychological distress, life event stress, social support, current symptoms, and physician visits.RESULTS:103 subjects with functional GI disorders and 119 controls participated (85% of eligible). Functional GI disorders were more likely to be reported by those with higher scores on each of the nine SCL-90-R scales used to measure psychological distress (except phobic anxiety), and those with more negative and total life event stress. In a multiple logistic regression model (including age and gender), somatization, interpersonal sensitivity, and total life event stress were independently associated with functional GI disorders. Findings were similar when subjects with the IBS and NUD were analyzed separately compared to controls.CONCLUSIONS:Contrary to current dogma, psychosocial factors were significantly associated with functional GI disorders in this community sample. This suggests that these factors may be involved in the etiopathogenesis rather than just driving health-care utilization.
Depression following death of a spouse

Major depressive illnesses are well known to be prevalent during the stress of bereavement. The nature of these depressive syndromes is that they are persistent and disabling and add to the burden of mood changes associated with bereavement. This issue contains a study by Haroon Rashid Chaudhry and colleagues on frequency of depression after the death of spouse. Though it has certain limitations as it was a hospital based descriptive study and the number of patients enrolled were too small and even the number of female patients were much less 35% compared to 65% male, but it does highlight the problem which needs attention of healthcare professionals in general and the psychiatrists in particular. Fortunately, a substantial number of bereaved individuals may suffer from these depressive symptoms that do not require quite the requisite number to meet the criteria for major depressive episode; and yet they may be quite disabling, if not be the actual forerunner of the major depression. This spectrum of depressive phenomena after spousal bereavement is commonly prevalent but unrecognized and persists during the first two years of bereavement. These individuals complain of poor physical health, dissatisfaction from work and disturbed social activities and ongoing relationships with friends. Persistence of depressive symptoms, for an average of one year after the loss of a spouse may reflect a pathological condition rather than normal grieving. Experience of grief persists for at least 30 months in both older men and women who have lost their spouse 1,2. Another study has indicated substantial morbidity
Spatial-Range Mean-Shift Filtering and Segmentation Applied to SAR Images

The mean-shift (MS) algorithm is applied for reducing speckle noise and segmenting synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. Two coastal images acquired by Envisat's advanced SAR (ASAR) [European Space Agency (ESA)] are used. Studies of the MS parameters are carried out according to the desired product: a speckle filtered image where textures and edges are preserved, or a segmented image, where land and sea are distinguished, as a previous stage for obtaining a land mask and detecting the coastal line. In all cases, Gaussian kernels are used. Speckle filtering results are compared with those obtained using uniform kernels, proving that the former provides better results than the latter. A segmentation approach based on the positions and frequencies at which the MS converges is applied. The use of a combined spatial-range processing and the corresponding bandwidths makes the MS suitable for the two proposed problems. The solid theoretical basis of this procedure allows designing a guided search of the best parameters according to the desired solution, avoiding a tedious trial-and-error process. Although the used images have different characteristics, results prove that similar sets of parameters can be used, showing some degree of robustness with respect to the image, for a given sensor and image acquisition mode.
Memory formation and retrieval in auditory cortex

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Preschoolers with autism show greater impairment in receptive compared with expressive language abilities.

BACKGROUND In early typical language development, children understand words before they are able to use them in speech. Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) generally show impairments in both the comprehension and the production of language. However, the relative degree of delay or impairment in each of these sub-domains may also be atypical and remains less well-understood. AIMS Relative delay in receptive and expressive language skills was examined within a large sample of preschoolers with autism. Children's language abilities varied from pre-verbal to fluent speech. METHOD & PROCEDURES Scores on one direct clinician assessment and two parent-report measures of language were obtained for 152 preschoolers with core autism. OUTCOMES & RESULTS As expected, on average, the language ability of the children with autism was lower than typical age norms, albeit with substantial individual variability. On all three language measures, receptive ability was relatively more impaired than expressive ability. Higher non-verbal ability was associated with such an atypical language profile. CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS Recognition of the marked receptive language impairment relative to expressive language, found to affect at least one-third of preschoolers with autism in this sample, has important implications for interacting with these children and for informing appropriate targets in language and communication intervention.
Measuring churner influence on pre-paid subscribers using fuzzy logic

In the last decades, mobile phones have become the major medium for communication between humans. The site effect is the loss of subscribers. Consequently, Telecoms operators invest in developing algorithms for quantifying the risk to churn and to influence other subscribers to churn. The objective is to prioritize the retention of subscribers in their network due to the cost of obtaining a new subscriber is four times more expensive than retaining subscribers. Hence, we use Extremely Random Forest to classify churners and non-churners obtaining a Lift value at 10% of 5.5. Then, we rely on graph-based measures such as Degree of Centrality and Page rank to measure emitted and received influence in the social network of the carrier. Our methodology allows summarising churn risk score, relying on a Fuzzy Logic system, combining the churn probability and the risk of the churner to leave the network with other subscribers.
Post-stroke depression inhibits improvement in activities of daily living in patients in a convalescent rehabilitation ward

[Purpose] There have been no investigations into the improvement of activities of daily living among patients suffering from post-stroke depression on admission to convalescent rehabilitation wards in Japan. This study aimed to assess the improvement of activities in daily living in patients with or without post-stroke depression at the time of admission to a convalescent rehabilitation ward. [Subjects and Methods] This retrospective study included 108 stroke patients divided into two groups according to their Geriatric Depression Scale 15-item short form scores. Activities of daily living were assessed using the Functional Independence Measure. The degree of improvement on the Functional Independence Measure was defined as the difference between scores on admission and at discharge. [Results] The Functional Independence Measure gain score was significantly different from the Functional Independence Measure total score. There was a significant interaction between time period and post-stroke depression factors for the Functional Independence Measure total score. A multiple regression analysis revealed a significant association between Geriatric Depression Scale score and Functional Independence Measure total score. [Conclusion] The present study suggests that post-stroke depression has a negative impact on recovery of activities of daily living and on rehabilitation outcomes in a convalescent rehabilitation ward setting.
Utilizing Non-redundant Association Rules from Multi-level Datasets

Association rule mining and recommender systems are two popular methods for obtaining knowledge and information from datasets. However, both of these methods suffer from limitations. Traditionally association rule mining has focused on extracting as many rules as possible from flat datasets. More recently, issues over the number of rules and obtaining rules from datasets with multiple concept levels have come into focus. Recommender systems have been popular with users when it comes to helping find similar interests to those they already have. However, recommender systems suffer from two major problems, cold start and novelty. The aims of our research is to develop an approach for extracting non-redundant multi-level and cross-level association rules from datasets with multiple concept levels and utilise them in a recommender system with the aim of potentially solving the cold start and novelty problems.