Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Paid Parental Leave and Child Health in Australia

Providing mothers with access to paid parental leave may be an important public policy to improve child and maternal health. Using extensive information from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children, we estimate how paid parental leave entitlements influence children's health up to age 7. Exploiting detailed information on children's health, family background, mothers' pre-birth work histories and mothers' health behaviours during pregnancy, we show that paid parental leave entitlements go together with a reduced probability of a child having multiple ongoing health conditions, but show no significant correlation with any single condition. We find that the reduction in multiple conditions is strongest for children from lower socioeconomic backgrounds. Our study implies that the provision of paid parental leave for short periods is unlikely to substantially improve child health on average, but may potentially benefit the health of more disadvantaged children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Spatial and temporal coherence in cortico-cortical connections: A cross-correlation study in areas 17 and 18 in the cat

Abstract Visual cortical areas are richly but selectively connected by “patchy” projections. We characterized these connections physiologically with cross-correlograms (CCHs), calculated for neuron pairs or small groups located one each in visual areas 17 and 18 of the cat. The CCHs were then compared to the visuotopic and orientation match of the neurons' receptive fields (RFs). For both spontaneous and visually driven activity, most non-flat correlograms were centered; i.e. the most likely temporal relationship between spikes in the two areas is a synchronous one. Although spikes are most likely to occur simultaneously, area 17 spikes may occur before area 18 or vice versa, giving the cross-correlogram peak a finite width (temporal dispersion). Cross-correlograms fell into one of three groups according to their full-width at half peak height: 1–8 ms (modal width, 3 ms), 15–65 ms (modal width 30 ms), or 100–1000 ms (modal width 400 ms). These classificatory groups are nonoverlapping; the three types of coupling appeared singly and in combination. Neurons whose receptive fields (RFs) are nonoverlapping or cross-oriented may yet be coupled, but the coupling is more likely to be the broadest type of coupling than the medium-dispersed type. The sharpest type of coupling is found exclusively between neurons with at least partially overlapping RFs and mostly between neurons whose stimulus orientation preferences matched to within 22.5 deg. The maximum spatial dispersion observed in the RFs of coupled neurons compares well with the maximum divergence seen anatomically in the A18/A17 projection system. We suggest three different mechanisms to produce each of the three different degrees of observed spatial and temporal coherence. All mechanisms use common input of cortical origin. For medium and broad coupling, this common input arises from cell assemblies split between both sides of the 17/18 projection system, but acting synchronously. Such distributed common-input cell assemblies are a means of overcoming sparse connectivity and achieving synaptic transmission in the pyramidal network.
Fast feature selection methods for classification of hyperspectral images

With development of hyperspectral imaging, it is possible to identify and classify land cover with more details in remote sensing applications. Selection of a minimal and efficient subset from the huge amount of features is an important challenge for classification problems. Almost all approaches for feature selection, which represented in literature, involve a search algorithm for selection of the best candidate from possible solutions and are very time consuming. We propose two feature selection methods in this paper that need no search algorithm. The methods select the efficient subset of features by using a simple calculation of standard deviation and mean values. Thus, the proposed methods are run fast. The experimental results using three different hyperspectral images demonstrate the high speed and reasonable performance of proposed methods in comparison with sequential forward selection (SFS). We select the SFS algorithm because it is a simple and suboptimal technique.
Advanced cancer patients’ prognostic information preferences: a review

Open communication in cancer care has gained increasing importance in recent years and diagnostic disclosure is now common place. However, there is a significant variability in the sharing of prognostic information. Information needs may vary significantly over the disease trajectory, and there has been relatively little work done focussing on late illness. Using systematic review procedures, 13 studies were identified that addressed this issue. The evidence shows that all patients wanted honesty from their professional team and the vast majority wanted some broad indication of their prognosis, but that preferences for quantitative information were more varied. Benefits associated with realistic awareness included enhanced control and end-of-life planning, which was seen to engender hope. However, for a proportion of patients, hope and realism were irreconcilable when presented with detailed or unequivocal information. Professionals have a responsibility to provide information to patients, but also to respect the need to maintain some ambiguity about the future, if that is a patient’s wish. Therefore, prognostic discussions necessitate careful, individualised assessment, a process which can facilitate enhanced palliative care for patients with advanced cancer.
Light on the moth-eye corneal nipple array of butterflies

The outer surface of the facet lenses in the compound eyes of moths consists of an array of excessive cuticular protuberances, termed corneal nipples. We have investigated the moth-eye corneal nipple array of the facet lenses of 19 diurnal butterfly species by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscope, as well as by optical modelling. The nipples appeared to be arranged in domains with almost crystalline, hexagonal packing. The nipple distances were found to vary only slightly, ranging from about 180 to 240 nm, but the nipple heights varied between 0 (papilionids) and 230 nm (a nymphalid), in good agreement with previous work. The nipples create an interface with a gradient refractive index between that of air and the facet lens material, because their distance is distinctly smaller than the wavelength of light. The gradient in the refractive index was deduced from effective medium theory. By dividing the height of the nipple layer into 100 thin slices, an optical multilayer model could be applied to calculate the reflectance of the facet lenses as a function of height, polarization and angle of incidence. The reflectance progressively diminished with increased nipple height. Nipples with a paraboloid shape and height 250 nm, touching each other at the base, virtually completely reduced the reflectance for normally incident light. The calculated dependence of the reflectance on polarization and angle of incidence agreed well with experimental data, underscoring the validity of the modelling. The corneal nipples presumably mainly function to reduce the eye glare of moths that are inactive during the day, so to make them less visible for predators. Moths are probably ancestral to the diurnal butterflies, suggesting that the reduced size of the nipples of most butterfly species indicates a vanishing trait. This effect is extreme in papilionids, which have virtually absent nipples, in line with their highly developed status. A similar evolutionary development can be noticed for the tapetum of the ommatidia of lepidopteran eyes. It is most elaborate in moth-eyes, but strongly reduced in most diurnal butterflies and absent in papilionids.
Whisker Growth under Controlled Humidity Exposure

Studies of Sn whiskers under controlled, calibrated humidity conditions shows that the highest whisker densities occur for ~ 85% RH. The whisker specimens were 1500 Å Sn films sputtered under compressive stress conditions on silicon and electrochemically polished brass. Subsequently, the samples were exposed to a series of saturated aqueous salt solutions (which generated calibrated relative humidity values of 33, 43, 70, 76, 85, 98% RH) for ~140 days at room temperature. The Sn on brass case at 85% RH produced 6X greater whisker densities than Sn on brass exposed to pure O2, which in turn produced 9X greater whisker densities than Sn on brass exposed to ambient room temperature/humidity. The longest average whisker lengths (6.1 µm for Sn on brass and 9.3 µm for Sn on Si) occurred for 70% RH on both substrates. Corrosion features were observed on all samples, but the 98% RH samples experienced excessive corrosion. Generally, we find a dramatic increase in whisker density at > 60% RH and especially around 85% RH, in agreement with batch processed whisker experiments involving humidity [H. Reynolds et. al., IEEE Trans. Electron. Packag. Manuf. 33 (2010) and P. Oberndorff et. al., IEEE Electronic Comp. and Tech. Conference (2005) 429].
Causal Analysis of Emergency Department Delays

Background: Improvement teams make causal inferences, but the methods they use are based on statistical associations. This article shows how data and statistical models can be used to help improvement teams make causal inferences and find the root causes of problems. Methods: This article uses attribution data, competing risk survival analysis, and Bayesian network probabilities to analyze excessive emergency department (ED) stays within one hospital. We use data recorded by ED clinicians that attributed the cause of excessive ED stays to 23 causes for the 70 049 ED visits between March 2011 and April 2014. We use competing risk survival analysis to identify contribution of each cause to the delay. We use Bayesian network models to analyze interaction among different causes of excessive stays and find the root causes of this problem. Results: This article shows the utility of causal analysis to help improvement teams focus on the root causes of problems. For the example analyzed in the article, most causes for patients' excessive ED stays were related to the hospital operations outside the ED. Therefore, improvement projects inside the ED such as expanding ED, increasing staff at the ED, or improving operations are less likely to have a positive impact on reducing excessive ED stays. On the contrary, interventions that improve hospital occupancy (better discharge, expansion of beds, etc) or improve laboratory response times are more likely to result in positive outcomes.
Differential immunomodulatory properties of Bifidobacterium logum strains: relevance to probiotic selection and clinical applications

Modulation of host immunity is one of the proposed benefits of the consumption of probiotics. Nonetheless, comparative studies on the immunological properties that support the selection of strains of the same species for specific health benefits are limited. In this study, the ability of different strains of Bifidobacterium longum to induce cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has been evaluated. Live cells of all B. longum strains greatly stimulated regulatory cytokine interleukin (IL)‐10 and proinflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α production. Strains of the same species also induced specific cytokine patterns, suggesting that they could drive immune responses in different directions. The probiotic strain B. longum W11 stimulated strongly the production of T helper 1 (Th1) cytokines while B. longum NCIMB 8809 and BIF53 induced low levels of Th1 cytokines and high levels of IL‐10. The effects of cell‐surface components obtained by sonication of B. longum strains overall confirm the effects detected by stimulation of PBMCs with live cells, indicating that these components are important determinants of the immunomodulatory activity of B. longum. Genomic DNA of some strains stimulated the production of the Th1 and pro‐inflammatory cytokines, interferon (IFN)‐γ and TNF‐α, but not that of IL‐10. None of the cell‐free culture supernatants of the studied strains was able to induce TNF‐α production, suggesting that the proinflammatory component of these strains is associated mainly with structural cell molecules. The results suggest that despite sharing certain features, some strains can perform a better functional role than others and their careful selection for therapeutic use is desirable.
Connectionism, Parallel Constraint Satisfaction Processes, and Gestalt Principles: (Re)Introducing Cognitive Dynamics to Social Psychology

We argue that recent work in connectionist modeling, in particular the parallel constraint satisfaction processes that are central to many of these models, has great importance for understanding issues of both historical and current concern for social psychologists. We first provide a brief description of connectionist modeling, with particular emphasis on parallel constraint satisfaction processes. Second, we examine the tremendous similarities between parallel constraint satisfaction processes and the Gestalt principles that were the foundation for much of modern social psychology. We propose that parallel constraint satisfaction processes provide a computational implementation of the principles of Gestalt psychology that were central to the work of such seminal social psychologists as Asch, Festinger, Heider, and Lewin. Third, we then describe how parallel constraint satisfaction processes have been applied to three areas that were key to the beginnings of modern social psychology and remain central today: impression formation and causal reasoning, cognitive consistency (balance and cognitive dissonance), and goal-directed behavior. We conclude by discussing implications of parallel constraint satisfaction principles for a number of broader issues in social psychology, such as the dynamics of social thought and the integration of social information within the narrow time frame of social interaction.
Effects of natal habitat odour, reinforced by adult experience, on choice of oviposition site in the mosquito Aedes aegypti

The effects of natal experience on the oviposition behaviour of adult female mosquitoes were investigated in the laboratory using Aedes aegypti (L.) (Diptera: Culicidae). ‘Treatment’ mosquitoes were exposed to a dilute repellent (inducing stimulus) in their breeding water (aquatic stages) and/or in the air (adults) during various combinations of life stages [larval only (L regime); larval and pupal (LP regime); larval, pupal and emergent adult (LPE regime); larval, pupal, emergent adult and adult (LPEA regime); pupal, emergent adult and adult (PEA regime); adult only (A regime)]. ‘Control’ mosquitoes were raised in an identical manner, but were not exposed to the inducing stimulus. The oviposition behaviour of treatment and control females was assessed in an oviposition assay that presented a choice of water with or without the inducing stimulus. Of the 435 mosquitoes tested in the experiment, 176 were non‐distributors (i.e. laid all of their eggs in only one of the choices). Treatment females (distributors plus non‐distributors) reared in the presence of the inducing stimulus throughout their lives (LPEA regime) showed a significant preference for the oviposition option containing the inducing stimulus (24/36 females) compared with corresponding controls (5/39 females). Distributors reared under the LPEA and PEA regimes also showed this preference (6/6 treatment vs. 2/29 control females, and 13/18 treatment vs. 7/23 control females, respectively). Females that had been exposed to the inducing stimulus as either immatures or adults only showed no preference for, and some showed an aversion to, the treatment oviposition option. This is interpreted as evidence for a natal habitat preference induction (NHPI) in this species, albeit one that requires extensive reinforcement in the adult stage. This adult experience‐reinforced NHPI (AER‐NHPI) is discussed in terms of its adaptive significance for container breeders, the possible timing mechanism and sensory basis of induction and potential practical consequences.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus-Mediated NF-κB p65 Phosphorylation at Serine 536 Is Dependent on RIG-I, TRAF6, and IKKβ

ABSTRACT Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the etiological agent of acute respiratory diseases, such as bronchiolitis and pneumonia. The exacerbated production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the airways in response to RSV is an important pillar in the development of these pathologies. As such, a keen understanding of the mechanisms that modulate the inflammatory response during RSV infection is of pivotal importance to developing effective treatment. The NF-κB transcription factor is a major regulator of proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine genes. However, RSV-mediated activation of NF-κB is far from characterized. We recently demonstrated that aside from the well-characterized IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, the phosphorylation of p65 at Ser536 is an essential event regulating the RSV-mediated NF-κB-dependent promoter transactivation. In the present study, using small interfering RNA and pharmacological inhibitors, we now demonstrate that RSV sensing by the RIG-I cytoplasmic receptor triggers a signaling cascade involving the MAVS and TRAF6 adaptors that ultimately leads to p65ser536 phosphorylation by the IKKβ kinase. In a previous study, we highlighted a critical role of the NOX2-containing NADPH oxidase enzyme as an upstream regulator of both the IκBαSer32 and p65Ser536 in human airway epithelial cells. Here, we demonstrate that inhibition of NOX2 significantly decreases IKKβ activation. Taken together, our data identify a new RIG-I/MAVS/TRAF6/IKKβ/p65Ser536 pathway placed under the control of NOX2, thus characterizing a novel regulatory pathway involved in NF-κB-driven proinflammatory response in the context of RSV infection.
Linear patterning of mesenchymal condensations is modulated by geometric constraints

The development of the vertebral column starts with the formation of a linear array of mesenchymal condensations, forming the blueprint for the eventual alternating pattern of bone and cartilage. Despite growing insight into the molecular mechanisms of morphogenesis, the impact of the physical aspects of the environment is not well understood. We hypothesized that geometric boundary conditions may play a pivotal role in the linear patterning of condensations, as neighbouring tissues provide physical constraints to the cell population. To study the process of condensation and the patterning thereof under tightly controlled geometric constraints, we developed a novel in vitro model that combines micropatterning with the established micromass assay. The spacing and alignment of condensations changed with the width of the cell adhesive patterns, a phenomenon that could not be explained by cell availability alone. Moreover, the extent of chondrogenic commitment was increased on substrates with tighter geometric constraints. When the in vivo pattern of condensations was investigated in the developing vertebral column of chicken embryos, the measurements closely fit into the quantitative relation between geometric constraints and inter-condensation distance found in vitro. Together, these findings suggest a potential role of geometric constraints in skeletal patterning in a cellular process of self-organization.
Role of source-destination proximity in international inbound tourist arrival: empirical evidences from India

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the influence of source-destination proximity on the relationship between three key determinants of foreign tourist arrival and inbound international tourist volume in India. The data have been collected for top 11 source countries for a period of 1992–2013. By classifying source countries based on the air travel duration to the destination, three different clusters emerge. To analyze the data, panel modeling is used with a dependent variable having negative binomial distribution. The results of the overall panel modeling reveal that while Gross National Income (GNI) and Previous Year Arrival (PYA) are significant influence on inbound tourism demand but Relative Destination Price (RDP) is not. Further, the results show that for cluster 1 (nearby countries), only PYA is a significant influence; for cluster 2, PYA and GNI are significant; and for cluster 3, all three factors are significant. The findings have important implications for International Tourism Policy and Destination Marketing Programs.
Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori vacA different genotypes in Isfahan, Iran

Background: It is believed that the Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) vacA gene, as a major virulence determinant (One of the major virulence determinant, not major), may be a risk factor for the development of gastroduodenal diseases. The frequency of vacA genotypes varies in different human populations. This study evaluated the prevalence of vacA alleles/genotypes among dyspeptic patients in Isfahan. Materials and Methods: One-hundred H. pylori-positive adult patients were examined in this study. After culture of gastric biopsies and DNA extraction from individual H. pylori isolates, the (all H. pylori strains harbor vacA alleles, please replace "presence" with "genotypes") of the vacA s and m alleles were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: There were four vacA mosaicisms, including 28 for s1a/m1 (28%), 23 for s1b/m1 (23%), 26 for s1a/m2 (26%) and 23 for s1b/m2 (23%). The s2 allele was not found. The predominant vacA genotype in patients with non-ulcer dyspepsia and duodenal ulcer was s1a/m2, whereas in patients with adenocarcinoma was s1a/m1. Conclusion: The results showed there was no significant correlation between different genotypes of the vacA and the clinical outcomes and appears to vacA genotypes were not useful determinants for gastrointestinal diseases in our area.
Hormone replacement therapy and breast carcinoma risk in Hispanic and non‐Hispanic women

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) alleviates menopausal symptoms and prevents osteoporosis, but there is concern that long‐term use may have an adverse impact on breast carcinoma risk. Epidemiologic studies report inconsistent findings regarding the relationship between HRT and postmenopausal breast carcinoma risk and there is little information on the HRT‐associated risk among minority women.
Neuritin Enhances Synaptic Transmission in Medial Prefrontal Cortex in Mice by Increasing CaV3.3 Surface Expression

Neuritin is a neurotrophic factor involved in neural development and synaptic plasticity. However, its role in modulating synaptic transmission remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effects of neuritin on miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) and glutamate release in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) in mice. Incubation of mPFC slices with neuritin for 45 min significantly increased mEPSC frequency and glutamate release as measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, which was mimicked by insulin and abrogated by an insulin receptor (IR) inhibitor. Neuritin-induced upregulation of synaptic transmission was correlated with activation of ERK, and inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinases/extracellular signal-regulated kinases (MEK/ERK) activity attenuated the neuritin-induced increase in mEPSC frequency and glutamate release. T-type calcium channel inhibitors but not the L-type inhibitor abolished the inward calcium current and the effects of neuritin on mEPSC frequency and glutamate release. Western blotting of membrane proteins showed that neuritin promoted surface expression of CaV3.3 α-subunit, which was also eliminated by inhibition of IR or MEK/ERK activity. The effects of neuritin on mEPSC frequency, glutamate release, and CaV3.3 α-subunit expression were inhibited by an intracellular protein-transport inhibitor. These results confirm involvement of the IR and ERK signaling pathway, and provide novel insights into the mechanisms of neuritin function in synaptic transmission.