Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-Reported Health Experiences of Children Living with Congenital Heart Defects: Including Patient-Reported Outcomes in a National Cohort Study

Background Understanding children’s views about living with congenital heart defects (CHDs) is fundamental to supporting their successful participation in daily life, school and peer relationships. As an adjunct to a health and quality of life outcomes questionnaire, we asked school-age children who survived infant heart procedures to describe their experiences of living with CHDs. Methods In a UK-wide cohort study, children aged 10 to 14 years with CHDs self-completed postal questionnaires that included an open question about having a ‘heart problem’. We compared the characteristics of children with more and less severe cardiac diagnoses and, through collaborative inductive content analysis, investigated the subjective experiences and coping strategies described by children in both clinical severity groups. Results Text and/or drawings were returned by 436 children (246 boys [56%], mean age 12.1 years [SD 1.0; range 10–14]); 313 had less severe (LS) and 123 more severe (MS) cardiac diagnoses. At the most recent hospital visit, a higher proportion of the MS group were underweight (more than two standard deviations below the mean for age) or cyanosed (underweight: MS 20.0%, LS 9.9%; cyanosed: MS 26.2%, LS 3.5%). Children in the MS group described concerns about social isolation and feeling ‘different’, whereas children with less severe diagnoses often characterised their CHD as ‘not a big thing’. Some coping strategies were common to both severity groups, including managing health information to avoid social exclusion, however only children in the LS group considered their CHD ‘in the past’ or experienced a sense of survivorship. Conclusions Children’s reported experiences were not dependent on their cardiac diagnosis, although there were clear qualitative differences by clinical severity group. Children’s concerns emphasised social participation and our findings imply a need to shift the clinical focus from monitoring cardiac function to optimising participation. We highlight the potential for informing and evaluating clinical practice and service provision through seeking patient-reported outcomes in paediatric care.
Towards an adaptive QoS-oriented and secure framework for wireless sensor networks in emergency situations

In an emergency situation, the information availability, reliability, security and delay of its delivery are critical to the success of rescue operations. The use of wireless sensor networks (WSN) in this type of applications allows having an almost real situation about the supervised area by collecting relevant information. This paper proposes a new Framework Ad-M-QoS-DS (Adaptive Management of QoS in different situations) that permits an adaptive management according to the QoS requirements of each situation in the supervised area by grouping multiple parameters. The proposed Framework Ad-MQoS-DS includes security architecture based on the base station.
A Nonlinear Filter System for Beautifying Face Images with Enhancement Using Interactive Evolutionary Computing

An image processing system for beautifying human face images with enhancement is proposed using interactive evolutionary computing. Authors proposed before a nonlinear digital filter bank system, which removes undesirable skin components, such as wrinkles and spots, from human face images to make the face look beautified. Also, the system is designed optimally on the basis of human subjective criteria using interactive evolutionary computing. The system was shown to be almost effective, but it slightly blurs the input face image. Here, face image beautifying system with image enhancement is proposed. This system can beautify face images while keeping them sharp. Moreover, this system can sharpen blurred face images. The whole system is also designed by the interactive evolutionary computing. The new system is verified to be effective in processing an actual face image.
The unfolded protein response affects readthrough of premature termination codons

One‐third of monogenic inherited diseases result from premature termination codons (PTCs). Readthrough of in‐frame PTCs enables synthesis of full‐length functional proteins. However, extended variability in the response to readthrough treatment is found among patients, which correlates with the level of nonsense transcripts. Here, we aimed to reveal cellular pathways affecting this inter‐patient variability. We show that activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) governs the response to readthrough treatment by regulating the levels of transcripts carrying PTCs. Quantitative proteomic analyses showed substantial differences in UPR activation between patients carrying PTCs, correlating with their response. We further found a significant inverse correlation between the UPR and nonsense‐mediated mRNA decay (NMD), suggesting a feedback loop between these homeostatic pathways. We uncovered and characterized the mechanism underlying this NMD‐UPR feedback loop, which augments both UPR activation and NMD attenuation. Importantly, this feedback loop enhances the response to readthrough treatment, highlighting its clinical importance. Altogether, our study demonstrates the importance of the UPR and its regulatory network for genetic diseases caused by PTCs and for cell homeostasis under normal conditions.
Divergent mechanisms regulate conserved cardiopharyngeal development and gene expression in distantly related ascidians

Ascidians present a striking dichotomy between conserved phenotypes and divergent genomes: embryonic cell lineages and gene expression patterns are conserved between distantly related species. Much research has focused on Ciona or Halocynthia spp. but development in other ascidians remains poorly characterized. In this study, we surveyed the multipotent myogenic B7.5 lineage in Molgula spp. Comparisons to the homologous lineage in Ciona revealed identical cell division and fate specification events that result in segregation of larval, cardiac, and pharyngeal muscle progenitors. Moreover, the expression patterns of key regulators are conserved, but cross-species transgenic assays uncovered incompatibility, or ‘unintelligibility’, of orthologous cis-regulatory sequences between Molgula and Ciona. These sequences drive identical expression patterns that are not recapitulated in cross-species assays. We show that this unintelligibility is likely due to changes in both cis- and trans-acting elements, hinting at widespread and frequent turnover of regulatory mechanisms underlying otherwise conserved aspects of ascidian embryogenesis. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.03728. 001
The Mechanism of Long Non-coding RNA MEG3 for Neurons Apoptosis Caused by Hypoxia: Mediated by miR-181b-12/15-LOX Signaling Pathway

Objective: lncRNAs are recently thought to play a significant role in cellular homeostasis during pathological process of diseases by competing inhibiting miRNA function. The aim of present study was to assess the function of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) MEG3 and its functional interaction with microRNA-181b in cerebral ischemic infarct of mice and hypoxia-induced neurons apoptosis. Methods: To address this question, we performed the experiments with in vivo middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice model and in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD)-cultured neuronal HT22 cell line. Relative expression of MEG3, miR-181b, and 12/15-LOX (lipoxygenase) mRNA was determined using quantitative RT-PCR. Western blot was used to evaluate 12/15-LOX protein expression. TUNEL assay was performed to assess cell apoptosis. Results: In both MCAO mice and OGD-cultured HT22 cell, ischemia, or hypoxia treatment results in a time-dependent increase in MEG3 and 12/15-LOX expression and decrease in miR-181b expression. Knockdown of MEG3 contributes to attenuation of hypoxia-induced apoptosis of HT22 cell. Also, expression level of MEG3 negatively correlated with miR-181b expression and positively correlated with 12/15-LOX expression. In contrary to MEG3, miR-181b overexpression attenuated hypoxia-induced HT22 cell apoptosis, as well as suppressed hypoxia-induced increase in 12/15-LOX expression. By luciferase reporter assay, we concluded that miR-181b directly binds to 12/15-LOX 3′-UTR, thereby negatively regulates 12/15-LOX expression. Conclusion: Our data suggested that long non-coding RNA MEG3 functions as a competing endogenous RNA for miR-181b to regulate 12/15-LOX expression in middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced ischemic infarct of brain nerve cells.
An explicit model to predict and interpret constraint force creation in pHRI with exoskeletons

It is the goal of this paper to introduce an analytical model that allows predicting and interpreting the characteristics of constraint forces generated by misaligned joint axes between human operators and wearable robots during physical human-robot interaction (pHRI). The pHRI model is based on geometric parameters that describe the combined human-robot system. It is applied in this paper to measured constraint forces from a pHRI experiment. The model is validated with the experimental data. The geometrical model parameters are identified from force and position measurements by non-linear parameter optimization. The attachment stiffness and the actual offsets between the exoskeleton and the human joints are estimated. For the tested subject, the stiffness reaches 222 N/m and constraint forces are shown to be in the order of plusmn 10 N. It is shown in this paper how an ergonomically designed wearable robot with passive compensation joints can reduce such interaction forces.
Ptf1a Is a Molecular Determinant for Both Glutamatergic and GABAergic Neurons in the Hindbrain

The pancreas transcription factor 1a ( Ptf1a ) gene encodes a bHLH (basic helix-loop-helix) transcription factor that has been shown to be required for the specification and formation of the pancreas, as well as for the generation of Purkinje cells (PCs) and interneurons in the cerebellum ([Hoshino
Fock representations of Q-deformed commutation relations

We consider Fock representations of the Q-deformed commutation relations ∂s∂t†=Q(s,t)∂t†∂s+δ(s,t) for s,t∈T. Here T:=Rd (or more generally T is a locally compact Polish space), the function Q:T2→C satisfies |Q(s,t)|≤1 and Q(s,t)=Q(t,s)¯, and ∫T2h(s)g(t)δ(s,t) σ(ds)σ(dt):=∫Th(t)g(t) σ(dt), σ being a fixed reference measure on T. In the case, where |Q(s,t)|≡1, the Q-deformed commutation relations describe a generalized statistics studied by Liguori and Mintchev. These generalized statistics contain anyon statistics as a special case (with T=R2 and a special choice of the function Q). The related Q-deformed Fock space F(H) over H:=L2(T→C,σ) is constructed. An explicit form of the orthogonal projection of H⊗n onto the n-particle space Fn(H) is derived. A scalar product in Fn(H) is given by an operator Pn≥0 in H⊗n which is strictly positive on Fn(H). We realize the smeared operators ∂t† and ∂t as creation and annihilation operators in F(H), respectively. Additional Q-commutation relations are obtained between .
Optimization of circuitry for power and area efficiency by using combination between latch and register

The benefits of level sensitive latch-based circuit have been known for some time. Latches offer improvement in power, area and even speed compared to flip-flops. Therefore this paper describes flip-flops replacement by latches to improve power and area of a circuit. Here the straightforward replacement method is used where a flip-flop is replaced by a latch without changing the functionality of the circuit. The method was implemented in Netlist using the core processor by Opencores, OpenRisc 1200 Hyper Pipelined (ORisc1200), as the test case. Experimental result proves reduction in power consumption as well as circuit area has been achieved.
Retrovirally Mediated IFN-β Transduction of Macrophages Induces Resistance to HIV, Correlated with Up-Regulation of RANTES Production and Down-Regulation of C-C Chemokine Receptor-5 Expression1

Constitutive expression of IFN-β by HIV target cells may be an alternative or complementary therapeutic approach for the treatment of AIDS. We show that macrophages derived from CD34+ cells from umbilical cord blood can be efficiently transduced by a retroviral vector carrying the IFN-β coding sequence. This results in resistance to infection by a macrophage-tropic HIV type 1, as shown by the drastic reduction in the HIV DNA copy number per cell and in p24 release. Moreover, IFN-β transduction totally blocked secretion of proinflammatory cytokines after HIV infection. The constitutive IFN-β production also resulted in an increased production of IL-12 and IFN-γ Th1-type cytokines and of the β-chemokines macrophage-inflammatory protein-1α, macrophage-inflammatory protein-1β, and RANTES. RANTES was found to be involved in the HIV resistance observed, and this was correlated with a down-regulation of the CCR-5 HIV entry coreceptor. These results demonstrate the feasibility and the efficacy of such IFN-β-mediated gene therapy. In addition to inhibiting HIV replication, IFN-β transduction could have beneficial immune effects in HIV-infected patients by favoring cellular immune responses.
Stress, Allostasis, and Enriched Learning

Recently, the term meditation has entered neuroscience and psychiatry (Kabat-Zinn et al. 1992; Kutz et al. 1985; Linehan 1993; Snaith 1998; Varela et al. 1996). Its narrow use to designate a religious practice of contemplation has broadened to include any intentionalexercise of attention (Kabat-Zinn 1982). The context for this shift is the convergence of various lines of research with the introduction of Indian methods of meditation common to traditional Asian medicine and psychology (Claxton 1986; Goleman 1977; Loizzo and Blackhall1998; Walsh 1988). The methodicalnature of Indian self-regulation techniques has contributed not only to their popularity but also to their adaptation in the new fields of mind-body medicine, cognitive neuroscience, and cognitive therapy (Benson et al. 1975; Linehan et al. 1979; Varela et al. 1996). Interest in meditation as an adjunct to dynamic therapy is also increasing (Epstein 1995; Moleno 1998). As a result, psychiatrists are being asked to evaluate research and clinical alternatives involving the use of techniques that were previously dismissed as placebo practices or as obsessive rituals (Bogart 1991; Craven 1989; Holmes 1987; Snaith 1998). For psychiatrists, the challenge posed by rising interest in meditation is part of the larger challenge posed by alternatives to conventional medicine (Berkenwald 1998; Eisenberg et al. 1993). The clinical usefulness of meditative techniques for stress-related conditions such as heart disease was established well before the recent
Research on 3D scanning point cloud de-nosing

For 3D point cloud data scanned by a laser scanner, noise has become an obstacle for point cloud reconstruction. Though there are many papers about 3D cloud de-nosing, few are based on the 3D scanner. Now we propose some methods for point noise processing base on 3D scanning data. In this paper we frequently use the way to process the point cloud generated by the scanning machine. We will deal with the point cloud with clustering and sampling steps and finally achieve a satisfying de-noising result.
CSF neurofilament and N-acetylaspartate related brain changes in clinically isolated syndrome

Background: Axonal damage is considered a major cause of disability in multiple sclerosis (MS) and may start early in the disease. Specific biomarkers for this process are of great interest. Objective: To study if cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers for axonal damage reflect and predict disease progression already in the earliest stages of the disease, that is, in clinically isolated syndrome (CIS). Methods: We assessed CSF levels of neurofilament heavy (NFH), neurofilament light (NFL) and N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in 67 patients with CIS and 18 controls with neuropsychiatric diseases of non-inflammatory aetiology (NC). Patients with CIS underwent baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 3T, and a follow-up MRI after 1 year was obtained in 28 of them. Results: Compared with NC, patients with CIS had higher NFH (p=0.05) and NFL (p<0.001) levels. No significant group differences were found for NAA. Patients’ NFH levels correlated with physical disability (r=0.304, p<0.05) and with change in brain volume over 1 year of follow-up (r=-0.518, p<0.01) but not with change in T2 lesion load. Conclusion: Our results confirm increased neurofilament levels already in CIS being related to the level of physical disability. The association of NFH levels with brain volume but not lesion volume changes supports the association of these markers with axonal damage.
Spiral arm triggering of star formation

Abstract We present numerical simulations of the passage of clumpy gas through a galactic spiral shock, the subsequent formation of giant molecular clouds (GMCs) and the triggering of star formation. The spiral shock forms dense clouds while dissipating kinetic energy, producing regions that are locally gravitationally bound and collapse to form stars. In addition to triggering the star formation process, the clumpy gas passing through the shock naturally generates the observed velocity dispersion size relation of molecular clouds. In this scenario, the internal motions of GMCs need not be turbulent in nature. The coupling of the clouds' internal kinematics to their externally triggered formation removes the need for the clouds to be self-gravitating. Globally unbound molecular clouds provides a simple explanation of the low efficiency of star formation. While dense regions in the shock become bound and collapse to form stars, the majority of the gas disperses as it leaves the spiral arm.
Community College Teaching: Institutional Support for High Student Outcomes.

This collaborative action research project investigated community college teaching, institutional efforts in support of teaching, and effective teacher development practices. Central to this investigation were the perceptions and practices of teachers who produce high student outcomes, interventions that the institutions can provide to support teachers, and the establishment of effeCtive teacher development measures to bring about real change in the teaching practices of newly appointed community college teachers. The research project was guided by three questions: (1) What are the characteristics and teaching practices of faculty that lead to high student outcomes; (2) How do community colleges effectively support the efforts of faculty who are successful in producing high student outcomes, and (3) how can this knowledge be incorporated into an effective program of teacher development in support of newly appointed community college teachers. The author examined the perceptions of faculty members with high student outcomes to identify effective institutional processes of supporting teaching efforts. Data collection included interviews, questionnaires, observations, and document analysis. The research findings were used to generate a model for the examination and continuous improvement of the effort to support first-year community college teachers. Appended are sample questionnaires, student data, and interview protocols. (Contains 96 references.) (RC) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Community College Teaching: Institutional Support for High Student Outcomes Arlana Dee Bedard 2002 Dissertation Submitted to UCLA for Ed.D. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. 2 1 PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
Birdsong and Singing Behavior

Abstract: Birdsong provides neuroscientists with a uniquely powerful model for studying imitative vocal learning in a system where the brain structures responsible for song learning and production are well known. The 4,500+ species of songbirds provide a remarkable diversity of songs with a variety of tonal, structural, and learning characteristics, but most studies of the neural bases of learning have concentrated on two domesticated species, the canary and the zebra finch. Important differences in the songs of these two species provide useful properties for comparative studies, which could be expanded by using other species that demonstrate mimicry or action‐based learning. Although the primary goal of most studies of the neural bases of song has been to define the mechanisms responsible for imitative learning during development, studies of adult crystallized song are important for two reasons. First, they define the endpoint of learning, and second, adult song shows interesting forms of variability in its performance. The degree of adult song variability itself varies among individuals and is influenced by the sources from which the song was learned, how the song was assembled during learning, behavioral responses of adult listeners, and levels of circulating sex steroids. In addition, song may be associated with coordinated visual displays, which also contribute to its communicative function. Thus the study of crystallized adult song is likely to provide insights into the neural control of facultative behavior as well as into the important question of how imitative learning takes place.
The Relationship between Branched-Chain Amino Acid Related Metabolomic Signature and Insulin Resistance: A Systematic Review

Recent studies have shown the positive association between increased circulating BCAAs (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) and insulin resistance (IR) in obese or diabetic patients. However, results seem to be controversial in different races, diets, and distinct tissues. Our aims were to evaluate the relationship between BCAA and IR as well as later diabetes risk and explore the phenotypic and genetic factors influencing BCAA level based on available studies. We performed systematic review, searching MEDLINE, EMASE, ClinicalTrials.gov, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception to March 2016. After selection, 23 studies including 20,091 participants were included. Based on current evidence, we found that BCAA is a useful biomarker for early detection of IR and later diabetic risk. Factors influencing BCAA level can be divided into four parts: race, gender, dietary patterns, and gene variants. These factors might not only contribute to the elevated BCAA level but also show obvious associations with insulin resistance. Genes related to BCAA catabolism might serve as potential targets for the treatment of IR associated metabolic disorders. Moreover, these factors should be controlled properly during study design and data analysis. In the future, more large-scale studies with elaborate design addressing BCAA and IR are required.
A Registry of Standard Data Categories for Linguistic Annotation

In this paper we describe the most recent work within ISO TC37/SC 4, and in particular the development of a Data Category Registry (DCR) component of the Linguistic Annotation Framework. The DCR will contain a formally defined set of linguistic categories in common use within the language engineering community for reference and use in linguistically annotated resources. We outline the first proposals for creation and management of the DCR, as a solicitation for input from the community.