Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Short- and Long-Term Effects of U.S. Migration Experience on Mexican Women's Fertility

Using retrospective fertility and migration histories from a binational study of Mexico-U.S. migration, we test for the presence of separation, assimilation, adaptation, diffusion, and selectivity effects of migration on annual birth probabilities and completed fertility. Our results reveal that spousal separation due to temporary migration reduces birth probabilities in the short term but does not reduce marital fertility in the long term. However, when women migrate to the U.S. either as temporary migrants or as long-term settled migrants, their experiences lead to lower birth probabilities while in the U.S. as well as to fewer total births. By contrast, U.S. migration experience among men who return to Mexico is associated with higher marital fertility in Mexico, suggesting that temporary migrants are selected for higher fertility.
Space-Optimal Majority in Population Protocols

Population protocols are a model of distributed computing, in which $n$ agents with limited local state interact randomly, and cooperate to collectively compute global predicates. An extensive series of papers, across different communities, has examined the computability and complexity characteristics of this model. Majority, or consensus, is a central task, in which agents need to collectively reach a decision as to which one of two states $A$ or $B$ had a higher initial count. Two complexity metrics are important: the time that a protocol requires to stabilize to an output decision, and the state space size that each agent requires. It is known that majority requires $\Omega(\log \log n)$ states per agent to allow for poly-logarithmic time stabilization, and that $O(\log^2 n)$ states are sufficient. Thus, there is an exponential gap between the upper and lower bounds. We address this question. We provide a new lower bound of $\Omega(\log n)$ states for any protocol which stabilizes in $O( n^{1-c} )$ time, for any $c > 0$ constant. This result is conditional on basic monotonicity and output assumptions, satisfied by all known protocols. Technically, it represents a significant departure from previous lower bounds. Instead of relying on dense configurations, we introduce a new surgery technique to construct executions which contradict the correctness of algorithms that stabilize too fast. Subsequently, our lower bound applies to general initial configurations. We give an algorithm for majority which uses $O(\log n)$ states, and stabilizes in $O(\log^2 n)$ time. Central to the algorithm is a new leaderless phase clock, which allows nodes to synchronize in phases of $\Theta(n \log{n})$ consecutive interactions using $O(\log n)$ states per node. We also employ our phase clock to build a leader election algorithm with $O(\log n )$ states, which stabilizes in $O(\log^2 n)$ time.
Turkish color terms: tests of Berlin and Kay’s theory of color universals and linguistic relativity

We report a study of Turkish color terms with four main aims: to establish the inventory of BASIC color terms; to compare this inventory with Berlin and Kay's 11 color universals; to see if Turkish is an exception to the theory by having two basic terms for blue; and if it is, to explore whether there are cognitive effects of the two blue terms. Eighty children aged from eight to 14 years and 153 adults performed a color-term list task (write down as many color terms as you can) and a subset of these two samples went on to perform a color-naming task. In the naming task, they were asked to name 65 representative color tiles. Measures of salience and consensus derived from the two tasks converge to suggest that Turkish has 12 basic color terms. The denotations of these terms and the glosses provided by dictionaries and Turkish-speaking consultants are consistent with 11 of the terms being Turkish tokens of Berlin and Kay's 11 universal categories. The twelfth term - lacivert dark blue'- lies between the foci of the universal blue and purple and its range overlaps with the dark-blue term of Russian, sinij. However, in a third phase of the investigation, the majority of informants said that lacivert dark blue' was a kind of mavi blue', thus violating one of Berlin and Kay's criteria (noninclusion) for basicness. Thus we have the unusual, but logically possible, case of a term being used with prevalence, consensus, and specificity, while at the same time being acknowledged as a subset of another term. Whatever the status of the two blue terms, however, we found evidence that the cognitive representation of the blue region of color space may reflect the salience of the two blue terms using color grouping, similarity judgments, and same different tasks
Genetics, Dementia, and the Elderly

Whether or not an individual develops dementia is powerfully influenced by genes. For Alzheimer's disease, the most common type of dementia, one susceptibility gene with major effects has been identified, but progress finding other susceptibility genes has stalled. Twin studies have revealed that nongenetic risk also plays an important role, as there are many monozygotic twin pairs in which only one individual has dementia. Scientists have argued that gene-by-environment interactions will be key to understanding vulnerability to Alzheimer's disease; but to date, few substantial gene-by-environment interactions have been replicated. Often, too, the nongenetic or lifestyle factor appears to have a protective effect only for those individuals not carrying the risky version of the gene, not for those individuals who are at genetic risk.
Subgroup discovery

Subgroup discovery is a broadly applicable descriptive data mining technique for identifying interesting subgroups according to some property of interest. This article summarizes fundamentals of subgroup discovery, before that it also reviews algorithms and further advanced methodological issues. In addition, we briefly discuss tools and applications of subgroup discovery approaches. In that context, we also discuss experiences and lessons learned and outline some of the future directions in order to show the advantages and benefits of subgroup discovery. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2015, 5:35–49. doi: 10.1002/widm.1144
Psychosocial and Demographic Factors as Predictors of Attitude Towards Mental Illness by Caregivers in Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Aro Abeokuta

This study investigated general health, self efficacy, social support and demographic variables as predictors of attitude to mental illness and care givers burden of psychiatric patients. For the study, five hypotheses were tested, one was confirmed, while four were partially confirmed. The study used 200 participants (89 (44.5%) males and 111 (55.5%) females) who are caregivers at the Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital Aro-Abeokuta. An 89 item questionnaire was used to tap information on the care givers’ demographic and psychological variables. Multistage sampling technique was used. The study adopted multiple regression, 2x2x2x2x2 analysis of variance and Manova to test the significance of the demographic and psychosocial variables on attitude to mental illness and care givers burden of psychiatric patients.
The Importance of Sex‐of‐Stimulus Object: Age Trends and Sex Differences in Empathic Responsiveness

The main goals of the study were to examine age trends and sex differences in empathic responsiveness, particularly empathic concern for others in distress. It was based on four cohorts of Norwegian students aged 13 to 16, comprising a total of 1193 boys and 1093 girls. The key measurement instrument was a partly new questionnaire on empathic responsiveness in which sets of items were differentiated according to sex-of-stimulus object. The empirical analyses showed convincingly that differentiation of the items with regard to sex-of-stimulus object was of critical importance for the discovery of the age trends that were present for boys and girls. Girls showed the most straightforward development, with an increase over age in empathic concern towards both girl and boy stimuli. The boys evinced a similar developmental pattern with regard to girls as stimuli but showed a clearly deviating, decreasing trend in emphatic concern for other boys in distress. Failure to consider sex-of-stimulus object is probably the main explanation for the inconsistent results previously reported for developmental trends in empathic responsiveness from age 11. In addition, and in agreement with previous research, we found very marked sex differences, with a strong predominance of low-empathic boys and a similarly marked predominance of high-empathic girls. Finally, the empirical analyses indicated the meaningfulness of partly separating out another facet of empathic responsiveness, i.e. empathic distress in which the emotional reaction is assumed to be more oriented toward the self than to the other, while the opposite is true of empathic concern. The results are discussed within an evolutionary perspective.
A Cluster-Based Approach to Consensus Based Distributed Task Allocation

This paper presents a novel extension to the Consensus-Based Bundle Algorithm (CBBA), which we have named Cluster-Formed Consensus-Based Bundle Algorithm (CFCBBA). CF-CBBA is designed to reduce the amount of communication required to complete a distributed task allocation process, by partitioning the problem and processing it in parallel clusters. CF-CBBA has been shown, in comparison with baseline CBBA, to require less communication when allocating tasks. Three key aspects of task allocation have been investigated, (a) the time taken to allocate tasks, (b) the amount of communication necessary to satisfy the requirements of distributed task allocation algorithms such as CBBA, and (c) the efficiency with which a collection of tasks (a mission) is completed by a group of robots (a collective).
KSHV LANA—The Master Regulator of KSHV Latency

Kaposi’s sarcoma associated herpesvirus (KSHV), like other human herpes viruses, establishes a biphasic life cycle referred to as dormant or latent, and productive or lytic phases. The latent phase is characterized by the persistence of viral episomes in a highly ordered chromatin structure and with the expression of a limited number of viral genes. Latency Associated Nuclear Antigen (LANA) is among the most abundantly expressed proteins during latency and is required for various nuclear functions including the recruitment of cellular machineries for viral DNA replication and segregation of the replicated genomes to daughter cells. LANA achieves these functions by recruiting cellular proteins including replication factors, chromatin modifying enzymes and cellular mitotic apparatus assembly. LANA directly binds to the terminal repeat region of the viral genome and associates with nucleosomal proteins to tether to the host chromosome. Binding of LANA to TR recruits the replication machinery, thereby initiating DNA replication within the TR. However, other regions of the viral genome can also initiate replication as determined by Single Molecule Analysis of the Replicated DNA (SMARD) approach. Recent, next generation sequence analysis of the viral transcriptome shows the expression of additional genes during latent phase. Here, we discuss the newly annotated latent genes and the role of major latent proteins in KSHV biology.
XMM-Newton View of PKS 2155–304: Hardness Ratio and Cross-Correlation Analysis of EPIC pn Observations

With currently available XMM-Newton EPIC pn observations spanned over about 3 yr, we present a detailed spectral and temporal variability of the 0.2-10 keV X-ray emission from the X-ray-bright BL Lac object PKS 2155-304. The spectral variability is examined with a model-independent hardness ratio method. We find that the spectral evolution of the source follows the light curves well, indicating that the spectra harden when the fluxes increase. The plots of hardness ratios versus count rates show that the spectral changes are particularly significant during flares. The cross-correlation functions (CCFs) show that the light curves in the different energy bands are well correlated at different time lags. The CCF peaks (i.e., the maximum correlation coefficients) tend to become smaller with larger energy differences, and the variabilities in the different energy bands are more correlated for the flares than for the other cases. In most cases the higher energy band variations lead the lower energy band, but in two cases we observed the opposite behavior, that the lower energy variability possibly leads the higher energy variability. The time lags increase with the energy differences between the two cross-correlated light curves. The maximum lag is found to be up to about 1 hr, supporting the findings obtained with previous low Earth orbit X-ray missions. We discuss our results in the context of the particle acceleration, cooling, and light-crossing timescales.
Hiatal hernia size is the dominant determinant of esophagitis presence and severity in gastroesophageal reflux disease

OBJECTIVE:Although reflux esophagitis is a multifactorial disease, the relative importance of these pathogenetic factors has not been clearly established. In this study, regression analysis was used to model the major determinants of esophagitis in patients with symptomatic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). METHODS:Sixty-six GERD patients and 16 asymptomatic controls were evaluated. All patients underwent upper endoscopy, esophageal manometry, and 24-h pH monitoring. Esophagrams were performed in 38 of the GERD patients and all controls. Stepwise regression was performed using esophagitis severity as the dependent variable. Logistic regression was performed grouping subjects as controls, nonerosive GERD, or erosive esophagitis.RESULTS:Hiatal hernia size, lower esophageal sphincter pressure, esophageal acid exposure, and number of reflux episodes >5 min significantly correlated with esophagitis severity. Stepwise regression identified hiatal hernia size (p = 0.0001) and lower esophageal sphincter pressure (p = 0.0024) as significant predictors of esophagitis. Logistic regression also identified hiatal hernia size (χ2 = 17.07, p < 0.0001) and lower esophageal sphincter pressure (χ2 = 5.97, p = 0.0146) as significant predictors of erosive esophagitis.CONCLUSION:Esophagitis severity is best predicted by hiatal hernia size and lower esophageal sphincter pressure. Of these, hiatal hernia size is the strongest predictor.
Clinical application of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in the revised chronic kidney disease classification.

BACKGROUND A revised classification of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was proposed by the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) in 2012. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) was considered as one of the most promising biomarkers in clinical nephrology. The aim of this study was to examine the level of NGAL in patients with different impairment of GFR based on the new classification, and to evaluate whether NGAL in serum or urine was associated with different risk categories in CKD patients. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed in 240 patients with CKD. NGAL, serum cystatin C, β₂-macroglobulin (β₂-MG), urine α₁-macroglobulin (α₁-MG) and albuminuria were tested in patients with various degrees of renal impairment. RESULTS Good correlation was found between the NGAL and the cystatin C, β₂-MG and the α₁-MG (r > 0.7). The level of sNGAL in CKD stage 3b was more than that in CKD stage 3a (P = 0.025). The concentration of the NGAL increased progressively with the increasing of risk categories (proposed by the revised CKD classification). The cutoff value of NGAL was calculated from stage 2 to stage 5. ROC analysis showed good AUC (sNGAL > 0.8, uNGAL > 0.7) and high specificity (sNGAL > 87%, uNGAL > 90%) on the cutoff value of NGAL. CONCLUSION The results confirm NGAL as a useful biomarker in clinical nephrology which is helpful to diagnosis and evaluate the categories for CKD proposed by the KDIGO.
Clinical and Pathologic Changes in a Guinea Pig Aerosol Challenge Model of Acute Q Fever

ABSTRACT Acute Q fever is a zoonotic disease caused by the obligate intracellular bacterium Coxiella burnetii and can manifest as a flu-like illness, pneumonia, or hepatitis. A need exists in Q fever research for animal models mimicking both the typical route of infection (inhalation) and the clinical illness seen in human cases of Q fever. A guinea pig aerosol challenge model was developed using C. burnetii Nine Mile phase I (RSA 493), administered using a specialized chamber designed to deliver droplet nuclei directly to the alveolar spaces. Guinea pigs were given 101 to 106 organisms and evaluated for 28 days postinfection. Clinical signs included fever, weight loss, respiratory difficulty, and death, with the degree and duration of response corresponding to the dose of organism delivered. Histopathologic evaluation of the lungs of animals infected with a high dose showed coalescing panleukocytic bronchointerstitial pneumonia at 7 days postinfection that resolved to multifocal lymphohistiocytic interstitial pneumonia by 28 days. Guinea pigs receiving a killed whole-cell vaccine prior to challenge with the highest dose of C. burnetii were protected against lethal infection and did not develop fever. Clinical signs and pathological changes noted for these guinea pigs were comparable to those seen in human acute Q fever, making this an accurate and valuable animal model of human disease.
Membrane-permeant Esters of Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-Trisphosphate*

Phosphoinositide 3-OH kinases and their products, D-3 phosphorylated phosphoinositides, are increasingly recognized as crucial elements in many signaling cascades. A reliable means to introduce these lipids into intact cells would be of great value for showing the physiological roles of this pathway and for testing the specificity of pharmacological inhibitors of the kinases. We have stereospecifically synthesized di-C8-PIP3/AM and di-C12-PIP3/AM, the heptakis(acetoxymethyl) esters of dioctanoyl- and dilauroylphosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate, in 14 steps from myo-inositol. The ability of these uncharged lipophilic derivatives to deliver phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate across cell membranes was demonstrated on 3T3-L1 adipocytes and T84 colon carcinoma monolayers. Insulin stimulation of hexose uptake into adipocytes was inhibited by the kinase inhibitor wortmannin and was largely restored by di-C8-PIP3/AM, which had no effect in the absence of insulin. Thus phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate or a metabolite was necessary but not sufficient for stimulation of hexose transport. In T84 epithelial monolayers, di-C12-PIP3/AM mimicked epidermal growth factor in inhibiting chloride secretion and potassium efflux, suggesting that phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate was sufficient to modulate these fluxes and mediate epidermal growth factor’s action.
Health information identification and de-identification toolkit

Health identifiers are required for health information systems ranging in scope from the national to the smallest clinical study. Identification systems will differ in the tradeoffs of privacy and control that they represent. The Health Information Identification and De-Identification Toolkit (HIIDIT) is a generator of health identification systems that allows a system architect to specify the set of tradeoffs that are desired for any particular health information system.
How Close Can I Be? - A Comprehensive Analysis of Cellular Interference on ATC Radar

Increasing data traffic demands over wireless spectrum have necessitated spectrum sharing and coexistence between heterogeneous systems such as radar and cellular communications systems. In this context, we specifically investigate the co- channel coexistence between an air traffic control (ATC) radar and a wide area cellular communication (comms) system. We present a comprehensive characterization and analysis of interference caused by the comms system on the ATC radar with respect to multiple parameters such as radar range, protection radius around the radar, and radar antenna elevation angle. The analysis suggests that maintaining a protection radius of $50$ km around the radar will ensure the required INR protection criterion of $-10$ dB at the radar receiver with $\sim 0.9$ probability, even when the radar beam is in the same horizon as the comms BS. Detailed evaluations of the radar target detection performance provide a framework to choose appropriate protection radii around the radar to meet specific performance requirements.
Rhythmic Engagement With Music in Early Childhood

The purpose of this study was to replicate and extend previous findings on spontaneous movement and rhythmic engagement with music in infancy. Using the identical stimuli and procedures from the original study, I investigated spontaneous rhythmic movements in response to music, infant-directed speech, and contrasting rhythmic patterns in 30 Brazilian infants (ages 5, 11, and 19 months). Findings were consistent with the original study in that more spontaneous rhythmic movements were found in response to music and metrically regular stimuli than to speech. Brazilian babies, however, showed higher means for spontaneous rhythmic movement to music than those reported in the original study. Consistent with the developmental systems approach, these results suggest that culture plays a larger role in spontaneous rhythmic engagement to music and rhythmic entrainment than previously suggested.
Environmental Problems in Sao Paulo: The Challenge for Co‐Responsibility and Innovative Crisis Management

This article describes and analyzes the main environmental problems that affect the city of Sao Paulo. The article views the impacts of the local dynamics of urbanization and its effects on daily life. The discussion is centered on the complexity of the environmental management processes and the implementation of conventional and non-conventional policies and programmes to prevent environmental degradation. Possible solutions to alleviate the effects of floods and climate factors on households are debated as well as the possibilities of formulating more participatory oriented policies to engage citizens in the knowledge of environmental risks. These issues represent a very complex challenge to the urban government of Sao Paulo.
Change detection of marine reclamation using multispectral images via patch-based recurrent neural network

Marine reclamation plays an increasingly important role in expanding living space, which should be monitored to ensure legitimate development. In this paper, a patch-based recurrent neural network is developed for change detection of marine reclamation. To capture spatial difference of image patches in two images, a patch-based recurrent neural network is proposed to extract features, where patches from two multispectral images are stacked as a sequence for inputting. After training the deep network, Softmax classifier is applied to detect the changed region. It is illustrated that our network can obtain the difference of two images to improve detection accuracies. Experiments on the study area of the Jinzhou Bay demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms other approaches.