Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
From DDR to Security Promotion: Connecting National Programs to Community Initiatives

Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) is a set of activities that forms part of the strategies for peacebuilding after civil war. DDR has become the standard way of addressing security threats in immediate post-conflict situations. However, DDR is designed to promote national security, rather than human or community security. This creates severe obstacles for success, if success is seen in terms of overall security promotion rather than defined merely by the number of arms collected and people demobilized. The reason is that if security at the community level is not improved, then people will be unable to abandon armed violence as a way of protection and of making a living. Disarmament in such a situation will probably be only temporary. Thus, it is a necessity for DDR to aim at community security. However, when community security becomes the aim, then this opens up questions about whether DDR is the most appropriate strategy. At best, it can be part of a more wide-ranging strategy, which in addition to top-down DDR programs also involves community-based activities. Altogether, such a holistic security promotion strategy should endeavor to make people and communities better able to protect themselves and to create a living that does not depend on war and violence. In other words, it should aim at making guns redundant. ‘Community-based’ and ‘Second-generation’ DDR initiatives lend inspiration for such a wider security promotion approach. What they show is that the optimal approach is very context-specific. An analysis of the conflict, of local security mechanisms, and of the needs and capacities of communities, therefore, has to be the first step, despite the fact that this takes valuable time.
Degenerate electron gas and star stabilization in D dimensions

— The quantum-mechanical energy, the Fermi energy, and the degeneracy pressure are derived for a degenerate Fermi gas in D spatial dimensions in the non-relativistic and the extreme relativistic cases. The stability of the system due to the balancing between degeneracy pressure forces and gravitational forces is investigated. We also examine the asymptotic behavior of our results in very large dimensions and their limits in the infinite-dimensional space. For computation purposes, we apply these findings to white-dwarf and neutron stars.
Clathrin assembly proteins: affinity purification and a model for coat assembly

Assembly protein (AP) preparations from bovine brain coated vesicles have been fractionated by clathrin-Sepharose affinity chromatography. Two distinct fractions that possess coat assembly activity were obtained and are termed AP-1 and AP-2. The AP-1, not retained on the resin, has principal components with molecular weights of 108,000, 100,000, 47,000, and 19,000. The AP-2, bound to the resin and eluted by Tris-HCl at a concentration that parallels the latter's effect on coat disassembly, corresponds to the active complex described previously (Zaremba, S., and J. H. Keen, 1983, J. Cell Biol., 97:1339-1347). Its composition is similar to that of the AP-1 in that it contains 100,000- , 50,000-, and 16,000-mol-wt polypeptides in equimolar amounts; minor amounts of 112,000- and 115,000-mol-wt polypeptides are also present. Both are distinct from a recently described assembly protein of larger subunit molecular weight that we term AP-3. These results indicate the existence of a family of assembly proteins within cells. On incubation with clathrin both AP-1 and AP-2 induce the formation of coat structures, those containing AP-1 slightly smaller (mean diameter = 72 nm) than those formed in the presence of AP-2 (mean diameter = 79 nm); both structures have been detected previously in coated vesicle preparations from brain. Coats formed in the presence of AP-2 consistently contain approximately one molecule each of the 100,000-, 50,000-, and 16,000-mol-wt polypeptides per clathrin trimer. By low angle laser light scattering the molecular weight of native AP-2 was determined to be approximately 343,000, indicating that it is a dimer of each of the three subunits, and implying that it is functionally bivalent in clathrin binding. A model for AP-mediated coat assembly is proposed in which a bivalent AP-2 molecule bridges the distal legs or terminal domains of two clathrin trimers that are destined to occupy adjacent vertices in the assembled coat. Binding of a second AP-2 molecule locks these two trimers in register for assembly and further addition of AP-2 to free trimer legs promotes completion of the clathrin lattice. Effects of AP binding on the angle and flexibility of the legs at the hub of the trimer (the "pucker") are suggested to account for the characteristic size distributions of coats formed under varied conditions and, more speculatively, to contribute to the transformation of flat clathrin lattices to curved coated vesicles that are thought to occur during endocytosis.
Cognition and mental health.

Many theories of mental health agree on the important role played by cognition. They differ however in how and by what process cognition influences mental health. Research in cognitive neuroscience directs our attention to 4 major points as relevant to theories of mental health: (1) monism as a framework, (2) issue of neural plasticity, (3) connection between mental operation and action system (i.e., the control of cognitive and motor activity is shared by the same neural connection.), (4) the issue of the unconscious. On the other hand, research in cross-cultural psychology indicates that cognitive process is strongly influenced by cultural values and norms. Thus, a valid mental health theory should account for all these components. The paper discusses cross-cultural differences in information processing, particularly contrasting East Asian and Western cultural contexts, which may have implications for understanding of mental health and suggests the doctrine of Morita Therapy as a possible integrated theory. It also critiques some therapy techniques on the grounds of both cultural psychology and cognitive science.
Generalised Co-variation for Sensitivity Analysis in Bayesian Networks

Upon varying parameters in a sensitivity analysis of a Bayesian network, the standard approach is to co-vary the parameters from the same conditional distribution such that their proportions remain the same. Alternative co-variation schemes are, however, possible. We theoretically investigate the effects of using alternative co-variation schemes on th e so-called sensitivity function, and conclude that its general form remains the same under any linear co-variation scheme. In addition, we generalise the CD-distance for bounding global belief change, and prove a tight lower bound on this distance for parameter changes in single conditiona l probability tables.
Computation of Compound Distributions I: Aliasing Errors and Exponential Tilting

Numerical evaluation of compound distributions is one of the central numerical tasks in insurance mathematics. Two widely used techniques are Panjer recursion and transform methods. Many authors have pointed out that aliasing errors imply the need to consider the whole distribution if transform methods are used, a potential drawback especially for heavy-tailed distributions. We investigate the magnitude of aliasing errors and show that this problem can be solved by a suitable change of measure.
Correlates of externalizing symptoms in children from families of alcoholics and controls.

AIMS This paper describes a new stage in the ongoing evaluation of the original families of sons of alcoholics and controls where we now focus on the relationships among relevant domains of functioning in their young sons and daughters. METHODS The data were gathered from the 15-year follow-up of the families of the original probands (the fathers of these offspring) who had been selected from among students and non-academic staff at a university at approximately age 20. At the 15-year evaluation of these families, a structured interview and the Child Behavioral Checklist (CBCL) questionnaire were administered to a parent, usually the mother, of 145 offspring age seven through 17. The eight domains evaluated here included the extended family histories of alcohol use disorders, parental alcoholism, independent mood or anxiety disorders in the grandparents and parents, the history of potential brain insults early in life, the absence of a biological parent in the home, and scores for internalizing symptoms, with externalizing symptoms as the dependent variable. RESULTS Correlations among the domains were all in the predicted direction, a structural equation model revealed empirical results with an R(2) of 0.26, and there were high goodness of fit characteristics for hypothesized and empirical models. The results were similar for boys and girls and older versus younger offspring. CONCLUSIONS An understanding of the relationships among characteristics in the offspring of the original probands offers the opportunity of establishing levels of functioning in relevant domains before the onset of alcohol-related problems or related disorders. The data presented here represent a baseline upon which future follow-ups will evaluate substance-related problems and disorders as this population matures.
Multifactorial analysis of differences between sporadic breast cancers and cancers involving BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations.

BACKGROUND We have previously demonstrated that breast cancers associated with inherited BRCA1 and BRCA2 gene mutations differ from each other in their histopathologic appearances and that each of these types differs from breast cancers in patients unselected for family history (i.e., sporadic cancers). We have now conducted a more detailed examination of cytologic and architectural features of these tumors. METHODS Specimens of tumor tissue (5-microm-thick sections) were examined independently by two pathologists, who were unaware of the case or control subject status, for the presence of cell mitosis, lymphocytic infiltration, continuous pushing margins, and solid sheets of cancer cells; cell nuclei, cell nucleoli, cell necrosis, and cell borders were also evaluated. The resulting data were combined with previously available information on tumor type and tumor grade and further evaluated by multifactorial analysis. All statistical tests are two-sided. RESULTS Cancers associated with BRCA1 mutations exhibited higher mitotic counts (P = .001), a greater proportion of the tumor with a continuous pushing margin (P<.0001), and more lymphocytic infiltration (P = .002) than sporadic (i.e., control) cancers. Cancers associated with BRCA2 mutations exhibited a higher score for tubule formation (fewer tubules) (P = .0002), a higher proportion of the tumor perimeter with a continuous pushing margin (P<.0001), and a lower mitotic count (P = .003) than control cancers. CONCLUSIONS Our study has identified key features of the histologic phenotypes of breast cancers in carriers of mutant BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. This information may improve the classification of breast cancers in individuals with a family history of the disease and may ultimately aid in the clinical management of patients.
RNAi in Transgenic Plants

RNA silencing in plants is a rapid and facile approach for assignment of gene function and virus resistance. It allows selective RNA degradation through a mechanism that is given specificity by short interfering RNAs. The RNA silencer sequences are normally delivered as transgenes or a part of virus‐vectors. This unit provides Basic Protocols for transgene and virus induced silencing. It also includes a Basic Protocol for protein overexpression using viral proteins that suppress silencing.
NOVEL POLYANIONS INHIBITING REPLICATION OF INFLUENZA 1 VIRUSES 2 Running title : novel inhibitors of influenza virus replication

c Laboratory of Virology, Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology, Jagiellonian University, 11 Gronostajowa 7, 30–387 Krakow, Poland 12 d AGH University of Science and Technology, Academic Centre for Materials and 13 Nanotechnology, al. A. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland 14 e Department of Cardiac Surgery and Transplantology, Silesian Center for Heart 15 Diseases, Zabrze, Poland. 16 * Corresponding authors 17
Sleep disorders and melatonin rhythms in elderly people

Biological aging is often associated with problems with sleep and daytime napping.1 There is considerable evidence linking melatonin, produced by the pineal gland, with the sleep-wake cycle. When administered orally to humans or animals it enhances sleep2 and has a synchronising effect on circadian rhythms. Circulating melatonin concentrations decrease in old age, and its time of secretion is delayed.3 We examined whether sleep disorders in old age were associated with changes in concentration of 6-sulphatoxymelatonin, the major urinary measure of melatonin. The study population comprised four groups: (a) eight independently living patients with insomnia (four men, four women, mean age 73.1 (SD 3.9)); (b) 15 patients with insomnia (five men, 10 women, mean age 82.1 (8.8)) who had lived a minimum of six months in a nursing home; (c) 25 elderly patients without sleep disorders (19 …
A Novel Zinc Finger Protein, Zic, Is Involved in Neurogenesis, Especially in the Cell Lineage of Cerebellar Granule Cells

Abstract: To clarify the mechanism of cerebellar development, we have cloned a gene, named zic, encoding a zinc finger protein that is expressed abundantly in granule cells throughout development of the cerebellum. zic has a significant homology to the zinc finger domain of the Caenorhabditis elegans tra1 gene, the Drosophila cubitus interruptus Dominant gene, and the human GLI oncogene. An in situ hybridization study revealed that zic showed a restricted expression pattern in the granule cells and their putative precursor cells. It is also expressed at an early embryonic stage in the dorsal half of the neural tube. The expression pattern and nuclear localization were confirmed by immunohistochemical study. Furthermore, the bacterially expressed zic protein containing the zinc finger domains bound to the GLI‐binding sequence. These findings suggest that zic is one of a number of nuclear factors involved in both differentiation in early development and maintenance of properties of the cerebellar granule cells.
High compliance rates observed for follow up colonoscopy post polypectomy are achievable outside of clinical trials: efficacy of polypectomy is not reduced by low compliance for follow up

Introduction The National Polyp Study demonstrated that removal of adenomas with at least a three‐year follow up reduced the incidence of colorectal cancer. However, compliance with follow up colonoscopy may affect the estimates of reduction in colorectal cancer incidence demonstrated by the National Polyp Study. While an 80% compliance rate for follow up colonoscopy was achieved during the National Polyp Study, the compliance rate for follow up colonoscopy is unknown in the general population. The aim of this study was to determine the compliance rate for follow up colonoscopy and factors which affect follow up.
Arterial Blood Gases in Pranayama Practice

Pranayama is a Yogic breathing practice which is known experientially to produce a profound calming effect on the mind. In an experiment designed to determine whether the mental effects of this practice were accompanied by changes in the arterial blood gases, arterial blood was drawn from 10 trained individuals prior to and immediately after Pranayama practice. No significant changes in arterial blood gases were noted after Pranayama. A neural mechanism for the mental effects of this practice is proposed.
Speech Noise Reduction System Based on Frequency Domain ALE Using Windowed Modified DFT Pair

The speech noise reduction system based on the frequency domain adaptive line enhancer using a windowed modified DFT (MDFT) pair is presented. The adaptive line enhancer (ALE) is effective for extracting sinusoidal signals blurred by a broadband noise. In addition, it utilizes only one microphone. Therefore, it is suitable for the realization of speech noise reduction in portable electronic devices. In the ALE, an input signal is generated by delaying a desired signal using the decorrelation parameter, which makes the noise in the input signal decorrelated with that in the desired one. In the present paper, we propose to set decorrelation parameters in the frequency domain and adjust them to optimal values according to the relationship between speech and noise. Such frequency domain decorrelation parameters enable the reduction of the computational complexity of the proposed system. Also, we introduce the window function into MDFT for suppressing spectral leakage. The performance of the proposed noise reduction system is examined through computer simulations.
Effect of monitor luminance and ambient light on observer performance in soft-copy reading of digital chest radiographs.

PURPOSE To examine the combined effects of monitor luminance and ambient light on observer performance for detecting abnormalities in a soft-copy interpretation of digital chest radiographs. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 254 digital chest radiographs were displayed on a high-resolution cathode ray tube monitor at three luminance levels (25, 50, and 100 foot-lamberts) under three ambient light levels (0, 50, and 460 lux). Six chest radiologists reviewed each image in nine modes of combined luminance and ambient light. The observers were allowed to adjust the window width and level of the soft-copy images. The abnormalities included nodule, pneumothorax, and interstitial disease. Observer performance was analyzed in terms of the receiver operating characteristics. The observers reported their subjective level of visual fatigue with each viewing mode. A statistical test was conducted for each of the abnormalities and for fatigue score by using repeated-measures two-way analysis of variance with an interaction. RESULTS The detection of nodules was the only reading that was affected by the ambient light with a statistically significant difference (P <.05). Otherwise, observer performance for detecting a nodule, pneumothorax, and interstitial disease was not significantly different in the nine-mode comparison. There was no evidence that the luminance of the monitors was related to the ambient light for any of the abnormalities. The fatigue score showed a statistically significant difference due to both the luminance and ambient light. CONCLUSION When adequate window width and level are applied to soft-copy images, the primary diagnosis with chest radiographs on the monitor is unlikely to be affected under low ambient light and a monitor luminance of 25 foot-lamberts or more.
Tuberculous meningitis in Asia

Tuberculous meningitis is an important global medical problem which gives rise to high morbidity and mortality. It is the most severe form of extrapulmonary Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Comprehensive prevention effort, prompt diagnosis and rational treatment are all keys to improving treatment outcomes; yet many unsolved problems remain. On the other hand, the new problems, such as HIV co-infection and drug-resistance are posing important challenges. This review outlines the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, management and prognosis of tuberculous meningitis. We mainly focus on research carried out in the recent decades, giving special attention to the work done among the Asian populations.
Parametric design of an excitation pattern for smooth vibrotactile flow on thin plates

In the previous research, the vibrotactile flow that can be generated by the excitation pattern utilizing structural resonance phenomena of a thin plate was smoother than the vibrotactile flow generated by the conventional apparent tactile movement and phantom sensation methods. This paper further investigates effects of three design parameters (signal-duration, time-interval between the two actuating signals, cutoff-time) in the excitation pattern on the smoothness of the vibrotactile flow. User study results show that the time-interval between the two actuating signals is the most important parameter while the signal-duration is the second. This fact can be effectively used when designing an excitation pattern that can generate smoother vibrotactile flow.
Outcome of pregnancy in HIV-positive women planned for vaginal delivery under effective antiretroviral therapy

This retrospective cohort study was conducted at Newham University Hospital, London to investigate maternal outcome of planned vaginal delivery as well as rate of maternal-to-child transmission. Between June 2004 and June 2006, 23 (16%) women of 144 HIV-infected pregnant women opted for planned vaginal delivery. Offer of vaginal delivery was based on maternal HIV RNA count <50 cells/ml around 36 weeks' gestation. All women received antiretroviral therapy. Fifteen (65%) women achieved vaginal delivery. Babies were followed up over 18 months. All babies had antiretroviral prophylaxis. No babies were breast-fed. There was no report of maternal-to-child transmission in any of these babies. Our study suggests that planned vaginal delivery could be safe with antiretroviral therapy in pregnancy, optimal intrapartum care, viral load of <1000 copies/ml at delivery, retroviral prophylaxis for babies and avoidance of breast-feeding.
Focus-aid Signal for Ultra High Definition Cameras

4K and 8K systems are very promising media and offer highly realistic images. Such high-resolution video systems provide completely different impressions than HDTVs. However, it is difficult, even for a professional cameraman, to adjust the 4K/8K camera focus using only the small viewfinder on a camera. Indeed, it is sometimes difficult even to focus an HDTV camera with such a small viewfinder, and since 4K has four times higher resolution than HDTV, it is almost impossible to adjust a small viewfinder with the same size as that of an HDTV camera using only human eyes. Therefore, in content-creating fields, large monitors are generally used to adjust the focus; however, large monitors are bulky and do not fit practical requirements, which means that technical assistance is required. A possible solution to this problem is to detect the sharp edges created by high-frequency elements in fine-focus images and superimpose those edges on the image; the cameraman can then adjust the focus with additional information gained from maximizing the superimposed edges. However, conventional edge detection technologies are vulnerable against noise, which means that practical situations using this technique are limited to environments with good lighting conditions. This paper introduces a novel signal processing method that enables cameramen to adjust a 4k camera focus using their eyes.
Glucose-Dependent Insulinotropic Polypeptide Stimulation of Lipolysis in Differentiated 3T3-L1 Cells: Wortmannin-Sensitive Inhibition by Insulin* * This work was supported by grants from Zymogenetics Inc. (Seattle, WA), the Medical Research Council of Canada (5-90007-RAP/CHSM) and the Canadian Diabe

GIP is an important insulinotropic hormone (incretin) that has also been implicated in fat metabolism. There is controversy regarding the actions of GIP on adipocytes. In the current study, the existence of GIP receptors and effects of GIP on lipolysis were studied in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. GIP receptor messenger RNA was detected by RT-PCR and RNase protection assay. Receptors were detected in binding studies (IC50 26.7 ± 0.7 nm). GIP stimulated glycerol release with an EC50 of 3.28 ± 0.63 nm. GIP (10−9–10−7 m) + IBMX increased cAMP production by 1180–2246%. The adenylyl cyclase inhibitor MDL 12330A (10−4 m) inhibited GIP-induced glycerol production by >90%, and reduced cAMP responses to basal. Preincubation of 3T3-L1 cells with insulin inhibited glycerol responses to GIP, and the inhibitory effect of insulin was blocked by the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase inhibitor, wortmannin. It is concluded that GIP stimulates glycerol release in 3T3-L1 cells primarily via stimulation of cAMP production, and t.