Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using Virtual Pets to Increase Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Children: A Technology-Assisted Social Cognitive Theory Approach

A virtual pet in the form of a mid-sized dog was developed based on the framework of social cognitive theory and tested as a vehicle for promoting fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption in children. Three groups of children (N = 68) between the ages of 7 and 13 years were studied: baseline (no treatment), computer only, and virtual dog. Children in the virtual dog condition interacted with the virtual dog for 3 days, setting F&V consumption goals and receiving evaluation and reinforcement based on whether they met their self-set goals. Children vicariously experienced future health outcomes of F&V consumption by seeing, hearing, and feeling their virtual dog's physical and mental health improve or deteriorate based on their F&V consumption in the physical world. Children in the computer only condition interacted with a computer system that presented equivalent features, but without the virtual dog. Children in the baseline condition did not receive any experimental treatment. Results indicated that children in the virtual dog condition chose to be served significantly more F&V than those in the computer only or baseline conditions did. However, children in the virtual dog condition were unable to consume significantly more F&V than those in the computer only condition, although children in those two conditions consumed more F&V than the baseline condition. Food preferences did not differ significantly across the three conditions before and after the experimental treatments. Theoretical and practical potentials of using a virtual pet to promote F&V consumption systematically in children are discussed.
Dynamic Structure Neural-Fuzzy Networks for Robust Adaptive Control of Robot Manipulators

This paper proposes a novel dynamic structure neural-fuzzy network (DSNFN) via a robust adaptive sliding-mode approach to address trajectory-tracking control of an n-link robot manipulator. In the DSNFN, a five-layer neural-fuzzy network (NFN) is used to model complex processes and compensate for structured and unstructured uncertainties. However, it is difficult to find a suitable-sized NFN to achieve the required approximation error. To deal with the mentioned problem, the number of rule nodes in the DSNFN can be either increased or decreased over time based on the tracking errors, and the adaptation laws in the sense of a projection algorithm are derived for tuning all parameters of the parameterized NFN. Using DSNFN, good tracking performance could be achieved in the system. Furthermore, the trained network avoids the problems of overfitting and underfitting. The global stability and the robustness of the overall control scheme are guaranteed, and the tracking errors converge to the required precision by the Lyapunov synthesis approach. Experiments performed on a two-link robot manipulator demonstrate the effectiveness of our scheme.
Surviving Families After Disaster In Southeast Asia: An Understanding From A Sociological Perspective

This article aims to understand the circumstance of victims of a natural disaster within families from the sociological perspective, using the 2004 Tsunami in Southeast Asia as a basis for this analysis. The development approach simply lays out the discussion into the survival, adjustment, and adaptation phases and each phase applies the theory of economic sociology. In the survival phase, economic sociology explains the social cause and effect of an economic phenomenon; that a lack of financial security nets and a lack of income may increase the vulnerability of families where the breadwinner is lost and traditional gender roles are challenged. In the adjustment phase, the money-related drive of employment results from cultural norms that survivors hold. Beliefs consistent with gender-related cultural norms affect the behavior of employers who hire and workers who select jobs. In adaptation phase, economic actors in concrete social networks or social capital strive to recover their financial stability.
Botulinum Toxin Type A for the Treatment of Glabellar Lines in Chinese: A Double‐Blind, Randomized, Placebo‐Controlled Study

BACKGROUND This is the first well‐controlled study of the use of botulinum toxin type A (BoNTA) for glabellar lines in China. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the safety and efficacy of BoNTA in the treatment of glabellar lines in Chinese subjects. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 227 subjects received a single treatment in a 3:1 randomization ratio of BoNTA (20 U):placebo and were observed for 120 days after injection. Effective outcome measures included investigator's rating of wrinkle severity at maximum frown and rest and subjects' global assessment and self‐perception of age. RESULTS A significantly higher responder rate at maximum frown, ranging from 94.1% at day 30 to 52.9% at day 120, was noted in the BoNTA group. The proportion of subjects with none or mild glabellar lines at rest was 66.7% in the BoNTA group at day 30. Most (95.3%) of the subjects treated with BoNTA reported better than 50% improvement at day 30, and self‐perception of age was less than chronological age. There were no statistically significant differences in adverse events reported between the two groups (p=.06). CONCLUSION A single treatment of 20 U of BoNTA was effective and safe in reducing glabellar lines in Chinese subjects. GlaxoSmithKline provided funding and study material.
The C-terminal Region of p21 Is Involved in Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen Binding but Does Not Appear to Be Required for Growth Inhibition (*)

The cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21 has been found to be involved in cell senescence, cell cycle arrest, and differentiation. p21 inhibits the activity of several Cdks, in contrast to other inhibitors such as p15 and p16, which act on specific cyclin-Cdk complexes. Of interest were reports that p21 also bound proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), an auxiliary protein for DNA polymerase , and inhibited DNA replication but not DNA repair in vitro. To better understand the function of this interaction in vivo, we first determined the region of p21that was needed for PCNA binding. Analysis of deletion mutants of p21, which covered the majority of the protein, revealed that deletion of either amino acids 142-147 or 149-154 resulted in loss of ability to bind a glutathione S-transferase-PCNA fusion protein. Site-directed mutagenesis in this region led to the identification of the PCNA binding motif RQXXMTXFYXXXR and demonstrated that mutation of either amino acid Met-147 or Phe-150 resulted in almost complete ablation of PCNA binding. Interestingly, when we determined DNA synthesis inhibitory activity of deletion mutants or point mutants that were unable to bind Cdk2 and/or PCNA, we found that loss of binding to PCNA did not affect inhibitory activity, whereas lack of Cdk2 binding greatly reduced the same. This result suggests that the primary mechanism for inhibition of DNA synthesis by p21 occurs via inhibition of Cdk activity.
Formation of Mutually Exclusive Rab11 Complexes with Members of the Family of Rab11-interacting Proteins Regulates Rab11 Endocytic Targeting and Function*

Several Rabs, including Rab11, regulate the traffic and sorting of proteins in the endosomal pathway. Recently, six novel Rab11 family interacting proteins (FIPs) were identified. Although they share little overall sequence homology, all FIPs contain a conserved Rab11-binding domain. Here we investigate the role of FIPs as Rab11-targeting proteins and show that the Rab11-binding domain assumes an α-helical structure, with the conserved residues forming a hydrophobic Rab11-binding patch. This hydrophobic patch mediates the formation of mutually exclusive complexes between Rab11 and various members of FIP protein family. Furthermore, the formation of Rab11/FIP complexes regulates Rab11 localization by recruiting it to distinct endocytic compartments. Thus, we propose that Rab11/FIP complexes serve as targeting patches, regulating Rab11 localization and recruitment of additional cellular factors to different endocytic compartments.
Drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome associated with Epstein–Barr virus infection

Summary Association of drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome with viral infection is debated. Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV‐6) reactivation has been the most frequently reported infection associated with this syndrome. However, a case of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection was recently described associated with anticonvulsant‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome. We report a case of severe allopurinol‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome with pancreatitis associated with Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection. Active EBV infection was demonstrated in two consecutive serum samples by the presence of anti‐EBV early antigen (EA) IgM antibodies and an increase in anti‐EBV EA IgG antibodies, whereas no anti‐EBV nuclear antigen IgG antibodies were detected. EBV DNA was detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Reactivation of HHV‐6 was suggested only by the presence of anti‐HHV‐6 IgM antibodies, but HHV‐6 DNA was not detected by PCR in the serum. Other viral investigations showed previous infection (CMV, rubella, measles, parvovirus B19), immunization after vaccination (hepatitis B virus), or absence of previous infection (hepatitis C virus, human immunodeficiency virus). We suggest that EBV infection may participate in some cases, as do the other herpesviruses HHV‐6 or CMV, in the development of drug‐induced hypersensitivity syndrome.
A novel survivable routing algorithm for shared segment protection in mesh WDM networks with partial wavelength conversion

In this paper, a survivable routing algorithm is proposed for shared segment protection (SSP), called optimal self-healing loop allocation (OSHLA), which dynamically allocates spare capacity for a given working lightpath in mesh wavelength-division-multiplexing (WDM) networks with partial wavelength conversion capability. Two novel graph transformation approaches, namely graph of cycles and wavelength graph of paths, are introduced to solve this problem, in which the task of survivable routing is formulated as a series of shortest path searching processes. In addition to an analysis on the computation complexity, a suite of experiments is conducted to verify OSHLA on four networks with different topologies and traffic loads. We find that the blocking probability and computation complexity are dominated by the upper bound on the length of the working and protection segments. Comparison is made between OSHLA and four other reported schemes in terms of blocking probability. The results show that OSHLA can achieve the lowest blocking probability under the network environment of interest. We conclude that OSHLA provides a generalized framework of survivable routing for an efficient implementation of SSP in mesh WDM partial wavelength convertible networks. With OSHLA, a compromise is initiated by manipulating the upper bound on the length of working and protection segments such that the best performance-computation complexity gain can be achieved.
Copper-induced alteration in sucrose partitioning and its relationship to the root growth of two Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun populations

ABSTRACT Hydroponic culture was used to comparatively investigate the copper (Cu)-induced alteration to sucrose metabolism and biomass allocation in two Elsholtzia haichowensis Sun populations with one from a Cu-contaminated site (CS) and the other from a non-contaminated site (NCS). Experimental results revealed that biomass allocation preferred roots over shoots in CS population, and shoots over roots in NCS population under Cu exposure. The difference in biomass allocation was correlated with the difference in sucrose partitioning between the two populations. Cu treatment (45 μM) significantly decreased leaf sucrose content and increased root sucrose content in CS population as a result of the increased activities of leaf sucrose synthesis enzymes (sucrose phosphate synthetase and sucrose synthase) and root sucrose cleavage enzyme (vacuolar invertase), which led to increased sucrose transport from leaves to roots. In contrast, higher Cu treatment increased sucrose content in leaves and decreased sucrose content in roots in NCS population as a result of the decreased activities of root sucrose cleavage enzymes (vacuolar and cell wall invertases) that led to less sucrose transport from leaves to roots. These results provide important insights into carbon resource partitioning and biomass allocation strategies in metallophytes and are beneficial for the implementation of phytoremediation techniques.
Raised urinary glucocorticoid and adrenal androgen precursors in the urine of young hypertensive patients: possible evidence for partial glucocorticoid resistance

OBJECTIVE To evaluate urinary glucocorticoid excretion profiles in a cohort of recently diagnosed young hypertensive patients. METHODS After excluding patients with secondary causes, 60 individuals with premature hypertension were recruited (diagnosed by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring before the age of 36 years). In addition, 30 older hypertensive controls (age of onset > 36 years, “middle aged hypertensive controls”), and 30 normal controls (age matched to the young hypertensive group) were studied. All provided 24 hour urine collections for mass spectrometry for total cortisol metabolites and total androgen metabolites by gas chromatography. RESULTS Among male patients, those with premature hypertension had higher total urinary excretion of cortisol metabolites (mean (SD), 13 332 (6472) μg/day) than age matched normal controls (7270 (1788) μg/day; p = 0.00001) or middle aged hypertensive controls (8315 (3565) μg/day; p = 0.002). A similar increase was seen among the female patients, although the absolute concentrations were lower. There was no significant difference between middle aged hypertensive patients and normal controls. Urinary total androgen excretion profiles in female patients also showed an unusual increase in the premature hypertension group (2958 (1672) μg/day) compared with the other groups (middle aged hypertensive controls, 1373 (748) μg/day, p = 0.0003; normal controls, 1687 (636) μg/day, p = 0.002). In all subjects, serum sodium and creatinine concentrations were within the normal range; serum potassium concentrations were found to be low before the start of treatment. CONCLUSIONS Individuals presenting with premature hypertension have an abnormally high excretion of glucocorticoid metabolites in the urine. While the mechanism remains uncertain, these findings are compatible with partial resistance of the glucocorticoid receptors, with a compensatory increase in cortisol and androgen metabolites. The mineralocorticoid effects of the latter (sodium and water retention) may contribute to an abnormally high blood pressure and may have implications for targeted selection of first line treatment in young hypertensive patients.
A Large Current and High Speed Laser Diode Driver Using Switch Position Modification

This paper describes how to realize the high speed laser diode driver (LDD) circuit with high performance signal and large output current to drive the laser diode device. Based on the introduced idea of "switch position modification (SPM)", two types of LDD circuit architectures, including "combination switch mode (CSM)" and "source follower mode (SFM)", have been proposed to satisfy the output signal requirements. Under the corresponding design specification, the CSM architecture was selected to realize the effective LDD circuit design. Moreover, the signal integrity problems, such as overshoot, undershoot and slew-rate, have also been improved in the new CSM architecture. In addition, appropriate transistor size selection and circuit combination can further amend the signal waveform. The LDD circuit was realized in a 0.6-mum CMOS technology. And the output current can reach several hundred milliampere with good signal integrity in the experimental simulation results. Thus the introduced "switch position modification" idea and the proposed "combination switch mode" architecture assure the high performance LDD circuit realization and signal output
Treatment reviews of older people on polypharmacy in primary care: cluster controlled trial comparing two approaches.

BACKGROUND Older people are prone to problems related to use of medicines. As they tend to use many different medicines, monitoring pharmacotherapy for older people in primary care is important. AIM To determine which procedure for treatment reviews (case conferences versus written feedback) results in more medication changes, measured at different moments in time. To determine the costs and savings related to such an intervention. DESIGN OF STUDY Randomised, controlled trial, randomisation at the level of the community pharmacy. SETTING Primary care; treatment reviews were performed by 28 pharmacists and 77 GPs concerning 738 older people (> or =75 years) on polypharmacy (>five medicines). METHOD In one group, pharmacists and GPs performed case conferences on prescription-related problems; in the other group, pharmacists provided results of a treatment review to GPs as written feedback. Number of medication changes was counted following clinically-relevant recommendations. Costs and savings associated with the intervention at various times were calculated. RESULTS In the case-conference group significantly more medication changes were initiated (42 versus 22, P = 0.02). This difference was also present 6 months after treatment reviews (36 versus 19, P = 0.02). Nine months after treatment reviews, the difference was no longer significant (33 versus 19, P = 0.07). Additional costs in the case-conference group seem to be covered by the slightly greater savings in this group. CONCLUSION Performing treatment reviews with case conferences leads to greater uptake of clinically-relevant recommendations. Extra costs seem to be covered by related savings. The effect of the intervention declines over time, so performing treatment reviews for older people should be integrated in the routine collaboration between GPs and pharmacists.
HER-2 expression and cell proliferation: prognostic markers in patients with node-negative breast cancer.

PURPOSE We analyzed the clinical relevance of HER-2 expression, widely investigated in breast cancer but with contradictory results, in the largest case series of node-negative breast cancer patients investigated to date. PATIENTS AND METHODS The pure prognostic value of HER-2 expression was investigated in 529 patients treated with locoregional therapy alone until early relapse. Proliferative activity was evaluated as [3H]thymidine labeling index and HER-2 expression by immunohistochemistry. All biologic determinations were conducted within the context of an intra- and interlaboratory National Quality Control Program. RESULTS HER-2 expression was not related to relapse-free survival in the overall series but was a significant discriminant of prognosis in the subgroup of patients with rapidly proliferating tumors. Six-year rate of relapse was 40% for patients with highly (> or =30%) positive tumors and 26% for those with weakly HER-2-expressing tumors (P =.039). CONCLUSION HER-2 expression in association with proliferative activity identifies a subgroup of node-negative breast cancer patients with the worst prognosis, who are candidates for specific intensive adjuvant therapy.
Conditionally replicating luciferase reporter phages: improved sensitivity for rapid detection and assessment of drug susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

TM4 is a lytic mycobacteriophage which infects mycobacteria of clinical importance. A luciferase reporter phage, phAE40, has been constructed from TM4 and was previously shown to be useful for the rapid detection and drug susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, the lytic nature of the phage results in a loss of detectable light output and limits the sensitivity of detection. We describe several strategies aimed at improving the luciferase activity generated by TM4 luciferase phages, including (i) varying the position of the luciferase gene in the phage genome, (ii) isolating host-range mutants of the phage, and (iii) introducing temperature-sensitive mutations in the phage such that it will not replicate at the infecting temperature. Several new phages generated by these methods show increased intensity of luciferase production compared to the first-generation reporter phage phAE40, and one phage, phAE88, also demonstrates an enhanced duration of luciferase activity. This has allowed the detection of as few as 120 BCG cells and the determination of drug susceptibilities of M. tuberculosis in as little as 1 day.
Cooperative network coded ARQ strategy for broadcast networks

A novel cooperative automatic repeat request (ARQ) method with network coding is proposed for broadcast networks where single source node broadcasts multiple packets to multiple destinations. Upon a failed transmission, multiple relays cooperate with the source node at the retransmission phase, where network coding is used to combine multiple lost packets. A random access mechanism is employed where retransmission is done according to back-off counters. The proposed method employs the back-off mechanism to achieve space diversity by punishing the nodes which fail at previous retransmissions, and to reduce the number of retransmissions by giving priority to nodes having opportunity to employ network coding. The proposed method is compared with network coded ARQ without cooperation and traditional ARQ using Monte Carlo simulations for different channel settings. The effect of channel correlation is investigated where correlation is modeled as a finite-state Markov model. Simulation results show that the proposed use of cooperation and network coding for ARQ improves throughput performance when relay channels' conditions are better than the channels between source and destinations. It is also observed that, the proposed strategy exploits cooperation and space diversity to reduce the performance degradation due to correlation.
High performance computing on Android devices - a case study

High performance computing for low power devices can be useful to speed up calculations on processors that use a lower clock rate than computers for which energy efficiency is not an issue. In this trial, different high performance techniques for Android devices have been compared, with a special focus on the use of the GPU. Although not officially supported, the OpenCL framework can be used on Android tablets. For the comparison of the different parallel programming paradigms, a benchmark was chosen that could be implemented easily with all frameworks. The Mandelbrot algorithm is computationally intensive and has very few input and output operations. The algorithm has been implemented in Java, C, C with assembler, C with SIMD assembler, C with OpenCL and scalar instructions and C with OpenCL and vector instructions. The implementations have been tested for all architectures currently supported by Android. High speedups can be achieved using SIMD and OpenCL, although the implementation is not straightforward for either one. Apps that use the GPU must account for the fact that they can be suspended by the user at any moment. In using the OpenCL framework on the GPU of Android devices, a computational power comparable to those of modern high speed CPUs can be made available to the software developer.