Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender-stratified models to examine the relationship between financial hardship and self-reported oral health for older US men and women.

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the relationship between financial hardship and self-reported oral health for older men and women. METHODS We focused on adults in the 2008 Health and Retirement Study (n = 1,359). The predictor variables were 4 financial hardship indicators. We used Poisson regression models to estimate the prevalence ratio of poor self-reported oral health. RESULTS In the non-gender-stratified model, number of financial hardships was not significantly associated with self-reported oral health. Food insecurity was associated with a 12% greater prevalence of poor self-reported oral health (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.04, 1.21). In the gender-stratified models, women with 3 or more financial hardships had a 24% greater prevalence of poor self-reported oral health than women with zero (95% CI = 1.09, 1.40). Number of hardships was not associated with self-reported oral health for men. For men, skipping medications was associated with 50% lower prevalence of poor self-reported oral health (95% CI = 0.32, 0.76). CONCLUSIONS Number of financial hardships was differentially associated with self-reported oral health for older men and women. Most financial hardship indicators affected both genders similarly. Future interventions to improve vulnerable older adults' oral health should account for gender-based heterogeneity in financial hardship experiences.
The influence of an appetitive conditioned stimulus on interval timing behavior

THE INFLUENCE OF AN APPETITIVE CONDITIONED STIMULUS ON INTERVAL TIMING BEHAVIOR By Joseph D. Jacobs Advisor: Professor Bruce L. Brown Pavlovian incentive motivation provides a theoretical framework on the basis of which experiments can be designed to examine the effects of motivational variables on timing behavior. The Pavlovian-Instrumental transfer (PIT) paradigm is a prototype for studying Pavlovian incentive motivation. The current study examined the effect of a Pavlovian appetitive conditioned stimulus (CS) on timing performance, based on the PIT paradigm. Nine pigeons were exposed to pairings of a 120-s conditioned stimulus (flashing or steady houselight) and unconditioned stimulus (food). The pigeons were then trained on the peak procedure (FI 30 s). In a subsequent testing phase, the effect of the CS on the performance during non-reinforced probe trials was assessed by embedding probe trials within the CS. The major effect of the CS on timing performance was to increase the time at which pigeons stopped responding on the embedded probe trials. One likely mechanism that could account for the finding of this experiment is that the motivational property of a CS changes the threshold that is applied to the decision mechanism in an information-processing clock model.
Neural Precursor Death Is Central to the Pathogenesis of Intestinal Aganglionosis in Ret Hypomorphic Mice

The RET tyrosine kinase is required for the migration, proliferation, and survival of the enteric neural crest-derived cells (ENCCs) that form the enteric nervous system (ENS). Hypomorphic RET alleles cause intestinal aganglionosis [Hirschsprung disease (HSCR)], in which delayed migration and successive nonapoptotic ENCC death are considered to be major contributory factors. The significance of ENCC death in intestinal aganglionosis, however, has remained unclear. We show that elevated expression of Bcl-xL inhibits ENCC death in both Ret-null and hypomorphic states. However, the rescued Ret-null mice showed ENS malfunction with reduced nitric oxide synthase expression in colonic neurons, revealing the requirement of RET for neuronal differentiation. In contrast, the inhibition of cell death allows morphologically and functionally normal ENS formation in Ret hypomorphic mice. These results indicate that ENCC death is a principal cause of intestinal aganglionosis in a Ret hypomorphic state, and suggest that the inhibition of cell death is a route to the prevention of HSCR.
Requirements for invasion of epithelial cells by Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, an oral bacterium implicated in human periodontal disease, was recently demonstrated to invade cultured epithelial cells (D. H. Meyer, P. K. Sreenivasan, and P. M. Fives-Taylor, Infect. Immun. 59:2719-2726, 1991). This report characterizes the requirements for invasion of KB cells by A. actinomycetemcomitans. The roles of bacterial and host factors were investigated by using selective agents that influence specific bacterial or host cell functions. Inhibition of bacterial protein synthesis decreased invasion, suggesting the absence of a preformed pool of proteins involved in A. actinomycetemcomitans invasion. Inhibition of bacterial and eukaryotic energy synthesis also decreased invasion, confirming that A. actinomycetemcomitans invasion is an active process. Bacterial adherence to KB cells was indicated by scanning electron microscopy of infected KB cells. Further, the addition of A. actinomycetemcomitans-specific serum to the bacterial inoculum reduced invasion substantially, suggesting a role for bacterial attachment in invasion. Many of the adherent bacteria invaded the epithelial cells under optimal conditions. Inhibitors of receptor-mediated endocytosis inhibited invasion by A. actinomycetemcomitans. Like that of many facultatively intracellular bacteria, A. actinomycetemcomitans invasion was not affected by eukaryotic endosomal acidification. These are the first published observations describing the requirements for epithelial cell invasion by a periodontopathogen. They demonstrate that A. actinomycetemcomitans utilizes a mechanism similar to those used by many but not all invasive bacteria to gain entry into eukaryotic cells.
Bacillus thuringiensis Resistance Influences European Corn Borer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) Larval Behavior After Exposure to Cry1Ab

ABSTRACT The behavior of pests targeted by Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops has been recognized as an important factor to define resistance management plans. However, most data do not include the possible impact resistance may have on the behavior of pests. To examine whether resistance influences behavior of European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), neonates after exposure to dietary Bt, the responses of Cry1Ab-resistant, -susceptible, and hybrid (F1) lines from two populations were compared in laboratory tests by using artificial diet mixed with 10–50% Cry1Ab or non-Bt isoline corn, Zea mays L. , tissue. In no-choice tests, resistant (and usually hybrid) lines were less likely to be irritated (i.e., to move away after physical contact with diet containing Cry1Ab) than susceptible larvae after exposure to diets containing 10–50% Cry1Ab leaf tissue. Early in the no-choice tests (8 h), neonate O. nubilalis also were more likely to move off of diets that contained 10% non-Bt tissue compared with diets with 25 or 50% non-Bt tissue. In agreement with results from no-choice tests, choice tests with 10 or 25% tissue indicated that resistant (and sometimes hybrid) larvae were more likely than susceptible neonates to be found on diet with Cry1Ab. For choice tests, differences among lines seemed dependent on the amount of Cry1Ab tissue incorporated into diets. Results suggest differences in behavior are a result of reduced physiological susceptibility to Cry1Ab and are not an independent behavioral component to resistance.
Evaluation of Lymphatic and Vascular Invasion in Relation to Clinicopathological Factors and Treatment Outcome in Oral Cavity Squamous Cell Carcinoma

AbstractThis study evaluated the associations between lymphatic and vascular invasion of oral cavity squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and clinicopathological manifestations, as well as their impact on patient outcomes after treatment.In total, 571 patients with primary OSCC who underwent surgery with or without adjuvant therapy were enrolled.Lymphatic and vascular invasion were found in 28 (5%) and 16 (3%) patients, respectively. Significant associations were found between lymphatic and vascular invasion and overall stage (P < 0.001 and P = 0.020, respectively), tumor stage (P = 0.009 and P = 0.025, respectively), nodal metastasis (both P < 0.001), extracapsular spread (both P < 0.001), perineural invasion (both P < 0.001), bone invasion (P = 0.004 and P = 0.001, respectively), depth of invasion (P < 0.001 and P = 0.001, respectively), and pathologic differentiation (P = 0.002 and P < 0.001, respectively). In the analysis of adverse events during follow-up, neither lymphatic nor vascular invasion was statistically associated with local recurrence, neck recurrence, and distant metastasis. Although lymphatic invasion exhibited significant associations with poorer overall survival (P < 0.001), disease-specific survival (P < 0.001), and disease-free survival (P = 0.01), it was not demonstrated to be an independent prognostic factor in all multivariate analyses.Although both lymphatic and vascular invasion are associated with many clinicopathological manifestations, neither affects the occurrence of locoregional recurrence and distant metastasis in patients with OSCC after treatment.
Infrastructure for Replication in Learning Analytics

There has been increasing concern about the lack of replicability in psychology ​ [2] and, while fervent discussion continues within the field and with the broader public as to the severity of the problem and the correct solutions to it [9,18] ​ , there is little doubt that there will be an impact on methodological practices ​ [11] ​ . In this position paper, we argue that many of the same concerns are applicable to the learning sciences as psychology, and that new methodologies and infrastructure have the potential to help mitigate these concerns, and help us to understand how broadly we can trust that published findings generalize. In particular, we focus on the opportunities afforded by the large-scale participation in massive open online courses, and argue that the data from MOOCs can enable meaningful large-scale replication and comparison if augmented with an appropriate sociotechnical infrastructure, which we describe in brief.
Fusidic Acid Resistance Determinants in Staphylococcus aureus Clinical Isolates

ABSTRACT A total of 71 fusidic acid-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (45 methicillin-resistant and 26 methicillin-susceptible) isolates were examined for the presence of resistance determinants. Among 45 fusidic acid-resistant methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), isolates, 38 (84%) had fusA mutations conferring high-level resistance to fusidic acid (the MIC was ≥128 μg/ml for 22/38), none had fusB, and 7 (16%) had fusC. For 26 fusidic acid-resistant methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA), only 3 possessed fusA mutations, but 15 (58%) had fusB and 8 (31%) had fusC. Low-level resistance to fusidic acid (MICs ≤ 32 μg/ml) was found in most fusB- or fusC-positive isolates. For 41 isolates (38 MRSA and 3 MSSA), with fusA mutations, a total of 21 amino acid substitutions in EF-G (fusA gene) were detected, of which R76C, E444K, E444V, C473S, P478S, and M651I were identified for the first time. The nucleotide sequencing of fusB and flanking regions in an MSSA isolate revealed the structure of partial IS257-aj1-LP-fusB-aj2-aj3-IS257-partial blaZ, which is identical to the corresponding region in pUB101, and the rest of fusB-carrying MSSA isolates also show similar structures. On the basis of spa and staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec element (SCCmec) typing, two major genotypes, spa type t037-SCCmec type III (t037-III; 28/45; 62%) and t002-II (13/45; 29%), were predominant among 45 MRSA isolates. By pulsed-field gel electrophoresis analysis, 45 MRSA isolates were divided into 12 clusters, while 26 MSSA isolates were divided into 15 clusters. Taken together, the distribution of fusidic acid resistance determinants (fusA mutations, fusB, and fusC) was quite different between MRSA and MSSA groups.
Dielectric rod antennas as optimized feed elements for focal plane arrays

Dielectric rod antennas of rectangular cross section have a number of significant advantages over conventional waveguide or horn antennas when used as feed elements in focal plane arrays. They provide a broadband input matching, a much lower mutual coupling and an appreciable reduction of spillover losses even in densely packed feed arrays. The design, simulation, optimization and experimental investigation of feed arrays with waveguide- and slotline-fed dielectric rod antennas at millimeter-wave frequencies is presented.
Design of decentralized controllers for self-reconfigurable modular robots using genetic programming

Advantages of self-reconfigurable modular robots over conventional robots include physical adaptability, robustness in the presence of failures, and economies of scale. Creating control software for modular robots is one of the central challenges to realizing their potential advantages. Modular robots differ enough from traditional robots that new techniques must be found to create software to control them. The novel difficulties are due to the fact that modular robots are ideally controlled in a decentralized manner, dynamically change their connectivity topology, may contain hundreds or thousands of modules, and are expected to perform tasks properly even when some modules fail. We demonstrate the use of genetic programming to automatically create distributed controllers for self-reconfigurable modular robots.
1 Classification and Definitions of Cardiomyopathies

Cardiomyopathies are an important and heterogeneous group of diseases. The awareness and knowledge of these diseases in both the public and medical communities historically has been impaired by persistent confusion surrounding definitions and nomenclature. Classification schemes, of which there have been many, (Thiene et al., 2000, 2004; Richardson et al., 1996) are potentially useful in drawing relationships and distinctions between complex disease states for the purpose of promoting greater understanding; indeed, the precise language used to describe these diseases are profoundly important. Cardiomyopathies are diseases of the heart muscle, characterized by abnormality in chamber size and wall thickness, or functional contractile dysfunctions mainly systolic or diastolic dysfunction in the absence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, valvular disease, or congenital heart disease (Elliott et al., 2008). These diseases are classified as either primary or secondary. Primary cardiomyopathies consist of disorders solely or predominantly confined to the heart muscle, which have genetic, non-genetic, or acquired causes. Secondary cardiomyopathies are disorders that have myocardial damage as a result of systemic or multiorgan disease (Maron et al., 2006). Cardiomyopathies are classified traditionally according to morphological and functional criteria into four categories: dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM) and arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy/dysplasia (ARVC/D). These cardiomyopathies can be primary myocardial disorders or develop as a secondary consequence of a variety of conditions, including myocardial ischemia, inflammation, infection, increased myocardial pressure or volume load and toxic agents. The definitions of cardiomyopathies presented here are in concert with the molecular era of cardiovascular disease and have direct clinical applications and implications for cardiac diagnosis. However, the classification of cardiomyopathies presented herein is not intended to provide precise methodologies or strategies for clinical diagnosis. Rather, the classification of cardiomyopathies represents a scientific presentation that offers new perspectives to aid in understanding this complex and heterogeneous group of diseases and basic disease mechanisms.
Serefind: a social networking website for classifieds

This paper presents the design and implementation of a social networking website for classifieds, called Serefind. We designed search interfaces with focus on security, privacy, usability, design, ranking, and communications. We deployed this site at the Johns Hopkins University, and the results show it can be used as a self-sustaining classifieds site for public or private communities.
Cowpea Chloroplastic ATP Synthase Is the Source of Multiple Plant Defense Elicitors during Insect Herbivory12[W][OA]

In cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda) herbivory and oral secretions (OS) elicit phytohormone production and volatile emission due to inceptin [Vu-In; +ICDINGVCVDA−], a peptide derived from chloroplastic ATP synthase γ-subunit (cATPC) proteins. Elicitor-induced plant volatiles can function as attractants for natural enemies of insect herbivores. We hypothesized that inceptins are gut proteolysis products and that larval OS should contain a mixture of related peptides. In this study, we identified three additional cATPC fragments, namely Vu-GE+In [+GEICDINGVCVDA−], Vu-E+In [+EICDINGVCVDA−], and Vu-In−A [+ICDINGVCVD−]. Leaf bioassays for induced ethylene (E) production demonstrated similar effective concentration50 values of 68, 45, and 87 fmol leaf−1 for Vu-In, Vu-E+In, and Vu-GE+In, respectively; however, Vu-In−A proved inactive. Shortly following ingestion of recombinant proteins harboring cATPC sequences, larval OS revealed similar concentrations of the three elicitors with 80% of the potential inceptin-related peptides recovered. Rapidly shifting peptide ratios over time were consistent with continued proteolysis and preferential stability of inceptin. Likewise, larvae ingesting host plants with inceptin precursors containing an internal trypsin cleavage site rapidly lost OS-based elicitor activity. OS containing inceptin elicited a rapid and sequential induction of defense-related phytohormones jasmonic acid, E, and salicylic acid at 30, 120, and 240 min, respectively, and also the volatile (E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene. Similar to established peptide signals such as systemin and flg22, amino acid substitutions of Vu-In demonstrate an essential role for aspartic acid residues and an unaltered C terminus. In cowpea, insect gut proteolysis following herbivory generates inappropriate fragments of an essential metabolic enzyme enabling plant non-self-recognition.
Motor cortical physiology in patients and asymptomatic carriers of parkin gene mutations

Autosomal recessive parkin (PARK2) gene‐related parkinsonism may be phenotypically and pathophysiologically distinct from idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). Furthermore, asymptomatic subjects carrying a single parkin mutation (“parkin carriers”) may show striatal dopaminergic dysfunction and increased cortical movement‐related activation. Here, we used transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to study corticospinal and intracortical excitability in manifesting parkin patients and asymptomatic carriers. We studied resting and active motor thresholds (RMT/AMT), central motor conduction time (CMCT), active recruitment curves, short‐interval intracortical inhibition (SICI) and facilitation (ICF), SICI recruitment curve, and cortical silent period (CSP) in 8 patients “off” medication, 7 carriers, and two groups of age‐matched controls (n = 21). Patients had longer CMCTs compared to controls with a significant negative correlation between CMCT duration and onset age (r = −0.83, P = 0.04). Carriers had increased RMT/AMT; the time course of SICI/ICF and the duration of CSP were normal in both patients and carriers; however slight abnormalities in the recruitment of SICI were found in the carriers. Prolonged CMCT and normal cortical inhibitory mechanisms in parkin patients may be of value in the differentiation from idiopathic PD. The subclinical electrophysiological abnormalities found in carriers may represent underlying compensatory mechanisms. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Involuntary Part-Time Workers in Britain: Evidence from the Labour Force Survey

Part-time employment is widely considered functional for the economy, with both benign and detrimental implications for employees. However, specific analyses of involuntary part-time work in Britain are surprisingly absent from the flexibility debate, and workers in such positions remain largely under-researched. This article explores involuntary part-time employment in relation to socio-economic circumstances. We analyse Labour Force Survey data, using logistic regression modelling to identify the segments of workers filling part-time jobs involuntarily. The results suggest that involuntariness for part-time jobs is affected by a range of demographic and work-related characteristics considered. Being a couple with dependent children, for example, reduces the likelihood of involuntariness among female part-time employees whereas lower educational and occupational levels imply a higher involuntariness across both sexes.
Power Control for User Cooperation

For a fading Gaussian multiple access channel with user cooperation, we obtain the optimal power allocation policies that maximize the rates achievable by block Markov superposition coding. The optimal policies result in a coding scheme that is simpler than the one for a general multiple access channel with generalized feedback. This simpler coding scheme also leads to the possibility of formulating an otherwise non-concave optimization problem as a concave one. Using the channel state information at the transmitters to adapt the powers, we demonstrate significant gains over the achievable rates for existing cooperative systems.
Aprendizaje predictivo y causal : ¿evidencia de diferentes niveles?

El trabajo de Perales, Catena y Maldonado aborda un reto necesario y complicado. Muchos autores han insistido, desde perspectivas teoricas muy diferentes (p.ej., Cheng, 1997; Miller y Matute, 1996), en la necesidad de diferenciar entre aprendizaje predictivo y causal, pero por el momento no ha sido posible sistematizar de manera clara las relaciones entre ambos. Asi, el intento de Perales y cols. por establecer un marco de referencia para el estudio riguroso y sistematico del aprendizaje predictivo y causal se convierte en una interesante y atractiva propuesta que permite impulsar el desarrollo de nuevas investigaciones en este campo. Consideramos, no obstante, que muchas de las afirmaciones que los autores dan por probadas no lo son tanto, y reflejan unicamente uno de los lados de la polemica existente en la literatura actual. De los dos grandes bloques teoricos que existen en la actualidad, el modelo asociativo y el modelo normativo, los autores parecen decantarse por este ultimo obviando el hecho de que muchos de los efectos que aqui se discuten se explican mejor desde una perspectiva asociativa. Tal y como ya han mencionado Lopez, Cobos, Cano y Shanks (1998), mientras los modelos normativos indican cual deberia ser el resultado final del aprendizaje, los modelos asociativos explican mejor cual es en realidad el proceso por el que se produce el aprendizaje, incluyendo los sesgos y errores que se observan a menudo en el aprendizaje humano y animal, y que no pueden ser explicados por los modelos normativos. Por tanto, a pesar del valor heuristico que tiene sin duda la propuesta de Perales y cols. , se hace necesario mencionar que muchas de sus afirmaciones teoricas no tienen suficiente justificacion empirica. En este comentario intentaremos senalar aquellos aspectos del articulo que consideramos mas problematicos a la luz de los datos existentes en la actualidad.