Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Catechol O-methyltransferase gene variant and birth weight predict early-onset antisocial behavior in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

CONTEXT Early-onset antisocial behavior accompanied by attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder is a clinically severe variant of antisocial behavior that is associated with a particularly poor outcome. Identifying early predictors is thus important. Genetic and prenatal environmental risk factors and prefrontal cortical function are thought to contribute. Recent evidence suggests that prefrontal cortical function is influenced by a valine/methionine variant in the catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene. OBJECTIVE To test the a priori hypothesis that this genetic variant predicts early-onset antisocial behavior in a high-risk sample and further examine the effects of birth weight, an environmentally influenced index of prenatal adversity previously linked to childhood disruptive behaviors and genotype x birth weight interaction. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A family-based genetic study was undertaken between 1997 and 2003. Participants were prospectively recruited from child and adolescent psychiatry and child health clinics in the United Kingdom and included 240 clinic children who met diagnostic criteria for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder or hyperkinetic disorder. Participants underwent comprehensive standardized assessments including measures of antisocial behavior and IQ. Main Outcome Measure DSM-IV symptoms of childhood-onset conduct disorder rated by trained interviewers using a standard diagnostic interview. RESULTS The results show main effects of the COMT gene variant (P = .002), birth weight (P = .002), and a significant gene x environment (COMT x birth weight) interaction (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS Early-onset antisocial behavior in a high-risk clinical group is predicted by a specific COMT gene variant previously linked with prefrontal cortical function and birth weight, and those possessing the val/val genotype are more susceptible to the adverse effects of prenatal risk as indexed by lower birth weight.
Speaker Recognition Using Features Derived from Fractional Fourier Transform

As the generalization of the classical Fourier transform, fractional Fourier transform(FRFT) is introduced into the field of speaker recognition in this paper. The individual feature sets derived from fractional Fourier transform achieve the excellent recognition success rate which goes up to the extent a little higher than the counterparts of the classical MFCC parameters when applied in the GMM classifiers. In addition, the computation efficiency of the feature extraction process arrives at the acceptable level which completely matches the one of MFCC parameter acquirement.
How valid and reliable are patient satisfaction data? An analysis of 195 studies.

OBJECTIVE To assess the properties of validity and reliability of instruments used to assess satisfaction in a broad sample of health service user satisfaction studies, and to assess the level of awareness of these issues among study authors. DESIGN Examination and analysis of 195 papers published in 1994 in 139 journals. The following databases were searched: British Nursing Index, CINAHL, EMBASE, MedLine, Popline, and PsycLIT. MAIN MEASURES Number and types of strategies used for content, criterion, and construct validity, and for stability and internal consistency. Associations between validity/reliability and other study characteristics. RESULTS Eighty-nine (46%) of the 195 studies reported some validity or reliability data; 76 reported some element of content validity; 14 reported criterion validity, with patient's intent to return the most commonly used criterion; four reported construct validity. Thirty-four studies reported internal consistency reliability, 31 of which used Cronbach's coefficient alpha; eight studies reported test-retest reliability. Only 11 studies (6% of the 181 quantitative studies) reported content validity and criterion or construct validity and reliability. 'New' instruments designed specifically for the reported study demonstrated significantly less evidence for reliability/validity than did 'old' instruments. CONCLUSION With few exceptions, the study instruments in this sample demonstrated little evidence of reliability or validity. Moreover, study authors exhibited a poor understanding of the importance of these properties in the assessment of satisfaction. Researchers must be aware that this is poor research practice, and that lack of a reliable and valid assessment instrument casts doubt on the credibility of satisfaction findings.
Suppression of Mitochondrial DNA Instability of Autosomal Dominant Forms of Progressive External Ophthalmoplegia-Associated ANT1 Mutations in Podospora anserina

Maintenance and expression of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) are essential for the cell and the organism. In humans, several mutations in the adenine nucleotide translocase gene ANT1 are associated with multiple mtDNA deletions and autosomal dominant forms of progressive external ophthalmoplegia (adPEO). The mechanisms underlying the mtDNA instability are still obscure. A current hypothesis proposes that these pathogenic mutations primarily uncouple the mitochondrial inner membrane, which secondarily causes mtDNA instability. Here we show that the three adPEO-associated mutations equivalent to A114P, L98P, and V289M introduced into the Podospora anserina ANT1 ortholog dominantly cause severe growth defects, decreased reactive oxygen species production (ROS), decreased mitochondrial inner membrane potential (Δψ), and accumulation of large-scale mtDNA deletions leading to premature death. Interestingly, we show that, at least for the adPEO-type M106P and A121P mutant alleles, the associated mtDNA instability cannot be attributed only to a reduced membrane potential or to an increased ROS level since it can be suppressed without restoration of the Δψ or modification of the ROS production. Suppression of mtDNA instability due to the M106P and A121P mutations was obtained by an allele of the rmp1 gene involved in nucleo-mitochondrial cross- talk and also by an allele of the AS1 gene encoding a cytosolic ribosomal protein. In contrast, the mtDNA instability caused by the S296M mutation was not suppressed by these alleles.
Analysis on Fun Elements of the SNG in ANIPANG

— This study analyzes on the Social Network Game (SNG), ANIPANG, in order to discover its unique fun elements, so that suggest new methodologies for development of SNGs. ANIPANG is the most popular SNG in the South Korea on 2012. Recently, the game industry is paying close attention to mobile-based SNGs due to the rapid prevalence of smart-phones and social network services. However, SNGs are not online games simply. Although the fun of most online games is the victory through competition with other players or the game system, the fun of SNG is the communication through the collaboration with other players. Thus, features of users and environments of game should be considered for the game industry and for the fun of SNG to users.
Two Database Related Interpretations of Rough Approximations: Data Organization and Query Execution

We present analytic data processing technology derived from the principles of rough sets and granular computing. We show how the idea of approximate computations on granulated data has evolved toward complete product supporting standard analytic database operations and their extensions. We refer to our previous works where our query execution algorithms were described in terms of iteratively computed rough approximations. We explain how to interpret our data organization methods in terms of classical rough set notions such as reducts and generalized decisions.
Clathrin Function in Yeast Endocytosis

The process of endocytosis is a complex series of events involving the coordinated activity of many proteins. In animal cells, clathrin plays a vital role in the invagination of the plasma membrane leading to formation of vesicles during endocytosis. The study of endocytosis in yeast cells has been hindered by a debate about the role of clathrin in early internalization steps. This review summarizes the evidence for and against clathrin's involvement in internalization from the yeast plasma membrane.
Dynamic models of ARDS lung mechanics for optimal patient ventilation

Mechanical ventilation is often used to treat patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). However, the optimal setting is still controversial, and physicians often rely on experience and intuition. The purpose of this research is to develop a model of the essential lung mechanics to help determining the optimal ventilator setting in clinical situations. The model is a compilation of physiologically based mechanics parameters, which are adjustable to represent patient specific conditions. Further investigation improvements are required, however it shows good initial for eventual clinical use.
The role of uncoupling protein 3 in human physiology.

Obesity is simply understood as an imbalance between energy intake and expenditure in favor of weight accretion. However, the human biological interface between food consumption and energy dissipation results in broad individual differences in eating behavior, physical activity, and efficiency of fuel storage and metabolism. In particular, the basal metabolic rate, which accounts for the greatest portion of overall energy expenditure, can vary almost twofold among individuals. Classically, three major biochemical systems are believed to contribute to basal thermogenesis: futile cycles, Na+/K+ATPase activity, and mitochondrial proton leak. The latter is the most important quantitative contributor and can explain up to 50% of the basal metabolic rate (1). The molecular basis of mitochondrial proton leak is unclear, despite its importance in the understanding of energy balance and its potential as a therapeutic target for obesity treatment. The article by Hesselink and colleagues in this issue of the JCI (2) addresses whether uncoupling protein 3 contributes to mitochondrial proton leak in human skeletal muscle.
Efficiency Improvement of Perovskite Solar Cell

The light from the Sun is a non-vanishing renewable source of energy which is free from environmental pollution and noise. It can easily compensate the energy drawn from the non-renewable sources of energy such as fossil fuels and petroleum deposits inside the earth. The fabrication of solar cells has passed through a large number of improvement steps from one generation to another. Silicon based solar cells were the first generation solar cells grown on Si wafers, mainly single crystals. Further development to thin films, dye sensitized solar cells and organic solar cells enhanced the cell efficiency. The development is basically hindered by the cost and efficiency. In order to choose the right solar cell for a specific geographic location, we are required to understand fundamental mechanisms and functions of several solar technologies that are widely studied. Organic–inorganic halide perovskites have a significant impact on photovoltaic devices and the solar-to-power conversion efficiency is considerably high (~20.1%) compared to the existing organic solar cells and dye sensitized solar cells. For the past three years, there has been tremendous improvement in photo-voltaic efficiency of perovskites, i.e. ~9.7% in 2012 to 20.1% in 2015. Meanwhile, several fabrication approaches, inorganic and organic hole transport materials and device concepts have been developed for high-performing devices. We improved the efficiency of the perovskite solar cells to 22.1% by using a new perovskite structured material (methyl ammonium lead iodide).
Blood Cell Counts and Blood Cell Ratios as Non-Specific Major Depressive Disorder Biomarkers

Abstract Introduction: With an increasing prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) in population there is a particular interest in finding a suitable biomarker for diagnosis and prognosis of the disease. Many studies have shown that MDD is linked to a systemic inflammatory process, so blood elements counts and ratios have been suggested to be promising indicators in the management and effectiveness of the disease therapy. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare absolute and relative white blood cells counts and to search for any changes in their ratios before and after the therapy of the patients. Methods: Our study included 36 patients who were admitted to hospital with either a new diagnosis or a recurrent episode of MDD and who were treated by a standard protocol. The peripheral blood samples were collected both at admission and at hospital discharge. Absolute white blood cell count and counts of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, platelets, as well as mean platelet volume, red blood cell distribution width, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, platelet/lymphocyte ratio, and monocyte/lymphocyte ratio before and after hospitalization (14–29 days) were evaluated and compared. The test of normality was performed and, accordingly, single t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test was used for data analysis. Results: There were no significant differences between any blood cell ratios in blood samples before and after stay in hospital and appropriate treatment. Monocyte count was significantly higher in MDD patients after hospital discharge (p=0.007), there was a significantly higher difference in discharged patients suffering from MDD recurrent episode (F.33) compared to newly diagnosed MDD (F.32) patients (p=0.010). In patients treated with venlafaxine (N=23) there was a significant increase in monocyte/lymphocyte ratio observed at the end of hospitalization (p=0.018). Conclusions: The pharmacotherapy and additive treatment of the patients suffering from MDD led only to mild changes in blood cells counts. As our study included only a small number of patients, and blood cell parameters and ratios were compared after a relatively short duration of treatment, further and more detailed research is needed for final conclusions.
Leiomyosarcoma of Renal Vein, Initially Resembling Pheochromocytoma

We report the case of a 43-year-old woman who presented with mild left-sided abdominal pain. Computed tomography and MRI findings revealed a 10.7 × 8.5 × 12 cm left-sided soft tissue mass on the renal vessels pushing away the left kidney. The combination of the patient’s medical history (episodes of paroxysmal hypertension accompanied with dizziness and sweating) and radiological findings initially pointed toward the diagnosis of a paraganglioma or ectopic pheochromocytoma. Surgical removal of the tumor and left nephrectomy was performed. Histological findings were consistent with a renal vein leiomyosarcoma of a high malignancy grade. There is no evidence of local recurrence or metastatic disease for more than 2 years postoperatively, although the patient did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Design, synthesis and screening of antisense peptide based combinatorial peptide libraries towards an aromatic region of SARS‐CoV

A combination of high‐performance affinity chromatography and antisense peptide based combinatorial peptide libraries was used to screen a potential inhibitor for SARS‐CoV. An aromatic‐amino acid‐rich region within the transmembrane domain at the C terminal of spike (S) protein identified as a membrane‐active region was chosen as the target sense peptide (SP) and immobilized as affinity ligand. Four antisense peptides were designed based on the degeneracy of genetic codes. One of them was screened as the lead peptide to construct the extended peptide libraries (EPL). The library screening was carried out at pH 5.5 so as to mimic the low‐pH milieu required by virus fusion. After five cycles of screening, a dodecapeptide KKKKYRNIRRPG (DP) was identified to possess the highest binding affinity to the immobilized sense peptide. The dissociation constant of the complex between the DP and the SP was 5.64 × 10−7 M in a physiological condition. The recognition between the DP and recombinant SARS S protein was demonstrated by ELISA assay to be in a saturable way. The competitive inhibition of the sense peptide in the competitive ELISA reveals the affinity binding between the DP and SARS S protein is specific and directed towards the target SP of the S protein. The results indicate this preferred polypeptide can be used as a lead compound of potent inhibitor of SARS‐CoV. The mechanism study suggests the specific recognition between the DP and the target peptide was due to sequence‐dependent and multi‐modal affinity interaction. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in Physical Fitness of Hungarian College Students in the Last Fifteen Years

This study compared the physical fitness of Hungarian undergraduate students in 2011–2012 with the representative sample surveyed in 1997–1998. A total of 123 males and 309 females (mean age 21.19 ± 2.19 yrs) were randomly selected in two Hungarian universities (Pécs, Kaposvár). Anthropometric data (height, weight, skinfolds, body fat percentages) were measured and the subjects performed 9 tests of the Euroft Fitness Test Battery. The BMI, total body fat and performance in most of the fitness components (balance, agility/speed, flexibility, abdominal muscular strength, aerobic fitness of females) was higher in 1997–1998 (p < 0.05) whereas the handgrip strength and performance in Bent Arm Hanging test were significantly better in 2011–2012 (p < 0.001). These findings support interventions focusing on increasing regular physical activity among Hungarian youth.
The efficacy of low vision device training in a hospital-based low vision clinic

Background/aims Hospital-based low vision services in the UK typically involve one consultation with an optometrist. In this study we investigated the effect of adding further low vision device training. Methods Participants were recruited from those attending their first low vision assessment (LVA). Participants completed the Mass of Activity Inventory (MAI) questionnaire by telephone before their appointment. After LVA, participants were randomised to an intervention group (who received a further appointment to review device handling) or a control group. The MAI was readministered 1 and 3 months after the initial LVA. MAI data were converted to Rasch scores for goal difficulty. Results Ninety-six participants completed the study. Both groups experienced a significant improvement in goal difficulty following low vision intervention (p<0.0001), equivalent to a visual acuity improvement of approximately 0.55 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). There was no significant difference in improvement between the group randomised to the training visit and those in the control arm (p=0.80). Conclusion Self-perceived difficulty with daily visual tasks decreases following a low vision appointment. An additional visit for device handling training resulted in no further improvement. This could be due to the relatively simple nature of the devices prescribed in this clinic. Trial registration number ISRCTN05434212.
Performance and comparative analysis of design schemes for prioritised data in multi-hop Wireless Mesh backbone networks

The contention based carrier sense multiple access with collision avoidance (CSMA/CA) was originally designed for single-hop networks. For CSMA/CA to be used in multi-hop distributed networks and to provide guaranteed data priority, the CSMA/CA needs to be optimised. An application is the smart grid consisting of different network domains with data of different priority levels. The IEEE802.11e standard was developed to provide differentiated data services. With the default enhanced distributed channel access (EDCA) settings for QoS, an unfairness problem exists for different data classes where higher priority data can starve lower priority data and also where bandwidth is allocated unfairly. In this paper, we carry out an investigation of six design schemes for wireless backbone networks for QoS provisioning of different data priority classes. The design schemes are based on the concept of low-cost design for suitability in rural areas where cost plays a major role. The simulation results were obtained using OMNET++ and the INET framework. The performance metrics used for the analysis were end-to-end latency, packet loss percentage and Jain's fairness index. Simulation results show that hybrid network designs using distributed coordination function (DCF) and EDCA can improve QoS in terms of reliability and fairness.
9P. A Proposed Study of Corporate Performance Management (CPM) Systems from a Dynamic Capability Perspective

CPM systems are a new class of enterprise application that seeks to unlock the latent potential of data generated by Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. It appears to be a foregone conclusion that the use of such systems improves organizational performance thereby leading to competitive advantage but there is little academic research to support such an assertion. Using the dynamic capability theory of strategy, this research paper explores the mechanisms whereby such systems might possibly impact the firm’s performance through altering its capability portfolio. A two-part CPM performance model is developed framing implementation outcome in terms of three capability constructs, IT infrastructure, human capital and strategic leadership. It is suggested that these capabilities, moderated by the organizational culture must be aligned and developed to produce a successful implementation outcome. We propose that a successful implementation outcome provides the catalyst for a series of transformations resulting in the creation of new capabilities that may improve organizational performance. This paper should be considered a “research in progress”.
A Comparative Study of the Ileum in Rat ( Rattus norvegicus ) , Bat ( Eidolon helvum ) and Pangolin ( Manis tricuspis ) as Investigated Using Histological Method

Pangolin, bat and rat are mammals (Hildebrand & Goslow, 2001). While bat is an arboreal (Ogunbiyi & Okon, 1976), pangolin and rat are terrestrial (Hildebrand & Goslow). The three mammals were chosen out of the numerous mammals because of the accessibility and previous comparative works done which centered on their diet, nutrition, morphology. Rouk & Glass (1970) worked on the gastric morphology of Desmodus rotundus in relation to diet. Hildebrand & Goslow showed length and approximate diameter of small intestine, large intestine and caecum for several species. Gidenne (1992) investigated the effect of fibre level, particle size and adaptation period on digestibility and range of passage as measure at the ileum.
Requirement Management and Axiomatic Design

There are three main objectives of requirements management; one is to capture the requirements right, the second one is to manage changing requirements, and the third one is to align the system development lifecycle activities with the requirements to make sure that the requirements are met and gold plating does not happen. Achieving the first objective depends on the structure and effectiveness of the requirements gathering and validation methodology whereas achieving the second and third objectives depends on the ability to establish and maintain a connection between the elicited customer needs, the requirements and constraints derived from these needs, and the subsequent artifacts in which these requirements are realized. Axiomatic Design methodology aims at establishing a scientific base for design and improving design activities by providing the designer with a theoretical foundation based on logic and rational thought processes and tools. This paper will present a "quantitative requirement quality" concept based on requirement quality factors, provides a template for requirement description based on requirements attributes and incorporates these into and extended Axiomatic Design approach for better requirements management. The purpose of this paper is to support the first objective of requirements management as well as to provide a solid foundation for the second and third objectives since these two objectives cannot be achieved without a structured product development lifecycle approach.