Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Dynamic Pathways of Agrarian Transformation in the Northeastern Thai–Lao Borderlands

ABSTRACT Rural livelihoods in the northeastern Thai borderlands have moved away from being predominantly agrarian, yet farming remains a desirable alternative for many people. The empirical findings from fieldwork in a village in the northeastern Thai–Lao borderlands indicate how dependence on agriculture is determined by family contexts, such as land ownership, education level of household members, their gender and age. Cheap Lao labour and government price-support policies have enabled farmers to remain in production and diversify. Some educated rural people have successfully found employment opportunities outside the village as migratory wage labour, and are able to attain higher social status back in the village. Successful migrants have invested their earnings on cash-crop production and become rural entrepreneurs. Conversely, less educated migrants were unsuccessful in finding good jobs in the city and viewed agriculture as a more favourable alternative and valuable security. Geographical, cultural and economic specificities conditioned rural transformation and contributed to increasingly diverse and geographically extended livelihoods.
Projecting partial least square and principle component regression across microarray studies

The study was to compare principle component (PC) versus partial least square (PLS) regression, the former unsupervised and the latter supervised gene component analysis, for highly complicated and correlated microarray gene expression profile. Projection of derived classifiers into independent samples for clinical phenotype prediction was evaluated as well. Previous studies had suggested that PLS might be superior to PC regression in the task of tumor classification since the covariance between predictive and respondent variables was maximized for latent factor extraction. We applied both algorithms for classifier construction and validated their prediction performance on independent microarray experiments. The statistical strategy could reduce high-dimensionality of microarray features and avoid the collinearity problem inherited in gene expression profiles. Proposed predictive model could discriminate breast cancers with positive and negative estrogen receptor status successfully and was feasible for both Taiwanese and Chinese females, both with the same Han Chinese ethnic origin.
Characterization of myocilin-myocilin interactions.

PURPOSE To determine whether myocilin (MYOC; also referred to as TIGR) is present as a complex in human aqueous humor, whether part of the complex formation may be due to MYOC-MYOC interactions and to characterize the sites of interaction. METHODS Human aqueous humor was analyzed by using a gel filtration column for the identification of MYOC complexes. MYOC-MYOC interactions were studied with a yeast two-hybrid system. Expression of full-length and truncated MYOC proteins in AH109 yeast was analyzed for growth and color on minimal medium. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to selectively mutate eight leucine residues within the leucine zipper motif. In vitro transcription and translation was used to verify yeast two-hybrid analysis. RESULTS MYOC was found to be present in human aqueous humor as a complex ranging from 120 to 180 kDa. Expression of full-length MYOC in yeast as well as in vitro binding studies revealed that MYOC can interact with itself. MYOC-MYOC interactions occurred mainly within amino acids 117-166, a region containing a leucine zipper domain. Glycine substitution for selective leucine residues confirmed that MYOC-MYOC interactions occurred mainly within the leucine zipper domain. CONCLUSIONS MYOC is present in human aqueous humor, not as a monomer but as a complex. Part of this complex may form due to MYOC-MYOC interactions that take place mainly within the leucine zipper domain.
OCD or Obsessive-Compulsive Character?

The conception of OCD as a brain disease, as it is presented by Dr. Judith Rapoport, is refuted by clinical evidence. This evidence shows obsessive-compulsive symptoms to emerge from a variety of rigid, that is, rule-directed, character. All the well-known obsessive and compulsive symptoms can be derived from character of this sort, in particular from the special, rigid conscientiousness that is its central feature. Deficiencies in the psychoanalytic understanding of symptom formation weaken its case against the reductionistic conception of OCD.
HU Protein of Escherichia coli Binds Specifically to DNA That Contains Single-strand Breaks or Gaps (*)

In this study, we have identified a protein in Escherichia coli that specifically binds to double-stranded DNA containing a single-stranded gap of one nucleotide. The gap-DNA binding (GDB) protein was purified to apparent homogeneity. The analysis of the amino-terminal sequencing of the GDB protein shows two closely related sequences we identify as the α and β subunits of the HU protein. Furthermore, the GDB protein is not detected in the crude extract of an E. coli double mutant strain hupA hupB that has no functional HU protein. These results led us to identify the GDB protein as the HU protein. HU binds strongly to double-stranded 30-mer oligonucleotides containing a nick or a single-stranded gap of one or two nucleotides. Apparent dissociation constants were measured for these various DNA duplexes using a gel retardation assay. The Kvalues were 8 nM for the 30-mer duplex that contains a nick and 4 and 2 nM for those that contain a 1- or a 2-nucleotide gap, respectively. The affinity of HU for these ligands is at least 100-fold higher than for the same 30-mer DNA duplex without nick or gap. Other single-stranded breaks or gaps, which are intermediate products in the repair of abasic sites after incision by the Fpg, Nth, or Nfo proteins, are also preferentially bound by the HU protein. Due to specific binding to DNA strand breaks, HU may play a role in replication, recombination, and repair.
Patients with MS under daclizumab therapy mount normal immune responses to influenza vaccination

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the potential immunosuppressive role of daclizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody against the α chain of the interleukin 2 receptor, in vivo, by comparing immune responses to the 2013 seasonal influenza vaccination between patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) on long-term daclizumab therapy and controls. Methods: Previously defined subpopulations of adaptive immune cells known to correlate with the immune response to the influenza vaccination were evaluated by 12-color flow cytometry in 23 daclizumab-treated patients with MS and 14 MS or healthy controls before (D0) and 1 day (D1) and 7 days (D7) after administration of the 2013 Afluria vaccine. Neutralizing antibody titers and CD4+, CD8+ T cell, B cell, and natural killer cell proliferation to 3 strains of virus contained in the Afluria vaccine were assessed at D0, D7, and 180 days postvaccination. Results: Daclizumab-treated patients and controls demonstrated comparable, statistically significant expansions of previously defined subpopulations of activated CD8+ T cells and B cells that characterize the development of effective immune responses to the influenza vaccine, while proliferation of T cells to influenza and control antigens was diminished in the daclizumab cohort. All participants fulfilled FDA criteria for seroconversion or seroprotection in antibody assays. Conclusion: Despite the mild immunosuppressive effects of daclizumab in vivo demonstrated by an increased incidence of infectious complications in clinical trials, patients with MS under daclizumab therapy mount normal antibody responses to influenza vaccinations.
Analysis and Definition of a Language Independent Refactoring Catalog

Refactoring is an emergent trend in software evolution. There are activities and work lines not yet covered in this process. Assistance to refactoring with a certain language independence is one of them. This work presents a proposal to the refactoring process definition based on a model language, with the aim of establishing a solid base to the development of software tools, which use refactoring with a language independence. In particular, we pretend to refactor in the context of object-oriented languages, statically typed with advanced inheritance and genericity.
A review on various multipliers designs in VLSI

In this paper we are going to study Array multiplier, Wallace multiplier, Bypassing multiplier, Modified Booth multiplier, Vedic multiplier and Booth recorded Wallace tree multiplier which have been proposed by different researchers. When the study of the various multipliers have been performed, Array multiplier is found to have the largest delay and large power consumption while Booth encoded Wallace tree multiplier has the least delay though it also have a large area. We also realized that, with proper optimization the performance of the multipliers can be increased significantly, irrespective of the type. Temporal tilling method optimized array multiplier delay and power dissipation is found to increase by 50% and 30% respectively while using the partially guarded technique power consumption is reduced by 10-44% with 30-36% less area overhead. Booth recorded Wallace tree multiplier is found to be 67% faster than the Wallace tree multiplier, 53% faster than the Vedic multiplier, 22% faster than the radix 8 booth multipliers. We also study various optimization techniques for Wallace multiplier, bypassing multiplier, modified booth multiplier and Vedic multiplier.
Prediction of Length of Stay of First-Ever Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Accurate information about hospital resource utilization is necessary for management of healthcare service. The purpose of this study was to determine the demographic and clinical predictors of length of hospital stay (LOS) of acute care hospitalization for first-ever ischemic stroke patients. Methods— A group of 330 patients who suffered from first-ever ischemic stroke and were consecutively admitted to a medical center in southern Taiwan were followed prospectively. Because our intention was to identify the major predictors of LOS from the information available at admission, we evaluated only those factors that could be assessed at the time of admission. Univariate analysis and multiple regression analysis were used to identify the main predictors of LOS. Results— The median LOS was 7 days (mean, 11 days; range, 1 to 122 days). Among the prespecified demographic and clinical characteristics, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score at admission, the quadratic term of the initial NIHSS score, modified Barthel Index score at admission, small-vessel occlusion stroke, sex, and smoking were the main explanatory factors for LOS. In particular, for each 1-point increase in the total score of NIHSS, LOS increased approximately 1 day for patients with mild or moderate (score 0 to 15 points) neurological impairments, while LOS decreased approximately 1 day for patients with severe (score >15 points) neurological impairments. Conclusions— The severity of stroke, as rated by the total score on NIHSS, is an important factor that influences LOS after acute stroke hospitalization.
Genome-Wide Analysis of the Biology of Stress Responses through Heat Shock Transcription Factor

ABSTRACT Heat shock transcription factor (HSF) and the promoter heat shock element (HSE) are among the most highly conserved transcriptional regulatory elements in nature. HSF mediates the transcriptional response of eukaryotic cells to heat, infection and inflammation, pharmacological agents, and other stresses. While HSF is essential for cell viability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, oogenesis and early development in Drosophila melanogaster, extended life span in Caenorhabditis elegans, and extraembryonic development and stress resistance in mammals, little is known about its full range of biological target genes. We used whole-genome analyses to identify virtually all of the direct transcriptional targets of yeast HSF, representing nearly 3% of the genomic loci. The majority of the identified loci are heat-inducibly bound by yeast HSF, and the target genes encode proteins that have a broad range of biological functions including protein folding and degradation, energy generation, protein trafficking, maintenance of cell integrity, small molecule transport, cell signaling, and transcription. This genome-wide identification of HSF target genes provides novel insights into the role of HSF in growth, development, disease, and aging and in the complex metabolic reprogramming that occurs in all cells in response to stress.
Television and Children's Conceptions of Nutrition: Unhealthy Messages

This cultivation analysis examined the relation between television viewing and conceptions relating to health and nutrition in a sample of 200 fourth- and fifth-grade students. Generally and in most demographic subgroups, there was a strong positive relation between television viewing and having bad eating habits that withstood simultaneous controls for sex, reading level, race, parent occupation, and parents' education level. Television viewing was also related, again under conditions of simultaneous controls, to having unhealthy conceptions about food and incorrect knowledge about principles of nutrition.
A novel strategy to maximize the efficacy of left ventricular assist devices as a bridge to recovery.

Heart failure is one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality in both developed and developing countries. Despite advances in the medical management of heart failure the only real effective form of therapy for patients with advanced heart failure is cardiac transplantation. Heart transplantation is, however, becoming increasingly limited by the shortage of donor organs. There is, therefore, a pressing need for the development of alternative therapies for these patients. Left ventricular assist devices are being used in patients with advanced heart failure, generally as a bridge to transplantation. A small number of these patients have shown a significant improvement in myocardial function, which has been sufficient in some cases to allow explantation of the device. The exact proportion of these patients is still unknown, but is thought to be very small. In addition, the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. Maximizing the rate of recovery depends on understanding the cellular, molecular and biophysical changes and the mechanisms responsible for progression and/or regression of heart failure in these patients. Although heart failure is known to be a multifactorial disease, there is now compelling evidence that a process of progressive hypertrophy or remodelling plays a major part. Although hypertrophy starts as a physiological adaptive response to increased load from a variety of causes, it becomes maladaptive and results in a self perpetuating pathological process of remodelling, ending in terminal heart failure. An intriguing aspect of this process is that it is not unidirectional, but can be traced back through a process of ‘reverse remodelling’ towards normality. As the initial stimulus is almost invariably stretching of the myocardium, it follows that unloading with
Alina Ślesińska: sculpture, idea and model

Observing Ślesińska since her first exhibition at Kordegarda, through exhibitions in Poland and reproductions of her current works, one can conclude that the sculptor has changed her manner of dealing with sculptural form . Those which are currently being shown at Krzywe Koło . do not constitute a sculptural project, such as would result from cooperation with an architect, but rather they are a sculptor’s dream about the form – in the field, by the water, against the clouds. So, they are not models but sculpturemodels . which contain sculpture’s qualities, when you take into account their scale.
Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries: clues for prenatal diagnosis

Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries (ccTGA) is an uncommon cardiac defect characterized by the atria connecting with the anatomically discordant ventricles and the ventricles connecting with discordant and transposed great arteries. Parallel vessels are evident in corrected TGA, but as this sign is also present in complete TGA, a heart anomaly requiring major cardiac surgery in the postnatal period, it is important to differentiate between the entities prenatally. Most cases of ccTGA have associated anomalies but isolated forms or those with a mild associated cardiac anomaly are infrequently detected prenatally. We report on three cases detected between 21 and 25 weeks' gestation on screening ultrasound with associated mild findings. One fetus had an isolated ventricular septal defect (VSD) first detected at 34 weeks. The child developed heart block at 4 years of age. The second case was associated with a small VSD, a tiny pulmonary trunk and a persistent right umbilical vein. After birth, mild pulmonary stenosis was found as an additional cardiac finding at 4 months of age. The third fetus had no additional cardiac anomalies prenatally, but after birth a bicuspid aortic valve was detected. The first case needed pacemaker implantation but the other two children required no cardiac surgery. Two of the cases were referred because abnormal vessel anatomy was detected on screening ultrasound. As prenatal detection of TGA is becoming a more frequent occurrence, this paper aims to present clues aiding in the prenatal diagnosis of atrioventricular and ventriculoarterial discordance, especially in its differentiation from complete transposition. These details are crucial for counseling and perinatal management. Copyright © 2003 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Flexible and formal modeling of microprocessors with application to retargetable simulation

Given the growth in application-specific processors, there is a strong need for a retargetable modeling framework that is capable of accurately capturing complex processor behaviors and generating efficient simulators. We propose the operation state machine (OSM) computation model to serve as the foundation of such a modeling framework. The OSM model separates the processor into two interacting layers: the operation layer where operation semantics and timing are modeled, and the hardware layer where disciplined hardware units interact. This declarative model allows for direct synthesis of micro-architecture simulators as it encapsulates precise concurrency semantics of microprocessors. We illustrate the practical benefits of this model through two case studies - the StrongARM core and the PowerPC-750 superscalar processor The experimental results demonstrate that the OSM model has excellent modeling productivity and model efficiency. Additional applications of this modeling framework include derivation of information required by compilers and formal analysis for processor validation.
Target-Absent Eyewitness Identification Line-Ups: Why Do Children Like to Choose

Children generally fail to reject target-absent line-ups correctly as not containing the “perpetrator”. This experiment aimed to investigate this issue of higher rate of choosing behaviour in children by offering an alternative selection choice. One hundred and forty-eight children aged six to seven years actively participated in live craft events conducted by an adult male who later became the target to be identified. Supporting the hypotheses, the use of the alternative procedure was found to be significantly associated with the children's ability to reject the line-up correctly when the target was absent. Importantly, this was not accompanied by reduced performance in target-present conditions. Also supporting the hypothesis, children made correct decisions faster than incorrect decisions. The implications of these findings to applied forensic practice are discussed.
Needs of High Functioning Teenagers and Adults with Autism (Tips From a Recovered Autistic)

Editor's Note: The current issue of Focus on Autistic Behavior is authored by Temple Grandin, PhD. Dr. Grandin was diagnosed with autism as a child and thus personal insights and experiences have shaped her unique perspective. Readers are advised to keep this in mind as they consider Dr. Grandin's interpretations and positions. Professionals are also advised to consider that the information contained herein, though nontraditional, can be extremely useful in fostering increased awareness and sensitivity to the needs of persons with autism.
Differential expression patterns of matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors during development of osteoarthritis in a transgenic mouse model

Objective: To characterise the expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) during degeneration of articular cartilage in a transgenic Del1 mouse model for osteoarthritis. Methods: Northern analysis was used to measure mRNA levels of MMP-2, -3, -8, -9, -13, and -14, and TIMP-1, -2, and -3 in total RNA extracted from knee joints of transgenic Del1 mice, harbouring a 15 amino acid deletion in the triple helical domain of the α1(II) collagen chain, using their non-transgenic littermates as controls. Immunohistochemistry was used to study the presence of cleavage products (neoepitopes) of type II collagen, and the distribution of MMP-13 and TIMP-1 in degenerating cartilage. Results: Each of the MMP and TIMP mRNAs analysed exhibited distinct expression patterns during development and osteoarthritic degeneration of the knee joint. The most striking change was up regulation of MMP-13 mRNA expression in the knee joints of Del1 mice at the onset of cartilage degeneration. However, the strongest immunostaining for MMP-13 and its inhibitor TIMP-1 was not seen in the degenerating articular cartilage but in synovial tissue, deep calcified cartilage, and subchondral bone. The localisation of type II collagen neoepitopes in chondrocytes and their pericellular matrix followed a similar pattern; they were not seen in cartilage fibrillations, but in adjacent unaffected cartilage. Conclusion: The primary localisation of MMP-13 and TIMP-1 in hyperplastic synovial tissue, subchondral bone, and calcified cartilage suggests that up regulation of MMP-13 expression during early degeneration of articular cartilage is a secondary response to cartilage erosion. This interpretation is supported by the distribution of type II collagen neoepitopes. Synovial production of MMP-13 may be related to removal of tissue debris released from articular cartilage. In the deep calcified cartilage and adjacent subchondral bone, MMP-13 probably participates in tissue remodelling.
Siblings, Birth Order, and Cooperative-Competitive Social Behavior

Several researchers have suggested that the consistently found Anglo-American/ Mexican-American difference in cooperative-competitive social behavior is at least partly a result of the relatively larger Mexican-American family size. To test that hypothesis, 126 Anglo-American and 63 Mexican-American children were administered the Social Behavior Scale and their mothers were interviewed to determine the number of siblings and the ordinal position of the child. The results revealed cultural, age, and sex differences similar to those obtained in previous studies, and indicated that the Mexican-American children did indeed have more siblings and differed significantly in birth order compared to the Anglo-American children. However, the results did not demonstrate a significant relation between cooperative-competitive social behavior and the number of siblings or birth order; and after statistically controlling for the number of siblings and birth order, the cultural, age, and sex difference in cooperative-competitive social behavior remained statistically significant. The results are discussed in terms of alternative explanations of the observed cultural difference.