Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low glycemic index treatment: Implementation and new insights into efficacy

Despite the substantial efficacy of the ketogenic diet (KD) in treating refractory epilepsy, use of the KD remains limited because of difficulties in implementation and tolerability. An effective alternative dietary approach is a low glycemic index treatment (LGIT), which liberalizes the extreme carbohydrate restriction of the KD but restricts the type of carbohydrate‐containing foods to those that produce relatively small changes in blood glucose. Foods with a “glycemic index” of less than 50 produce less than half the area‐under‐the‐curve elevation of blood glucose compared to a reference food. The LGIT approach produces comparable efficacy to the classic KD, but tolerability is improved and implementation is much simpler. The LGIT appears to be a viable first‐line dietary therapy for epilepsy.
Does oral polio vaccine have non-specific effects on all-cause mortality? Natural experiments within a randomised controlled trial of early measles vaccine

Background BCG and measles vaccine (MV) may have beneficial non-specific effects (NSEs). If an unplanned intervention with a vaccine (a natural experiment) modifies the estimated effect in a randomised controlled trial (RCT), this suggests NSEs. We used this approach to test NSEs of triple oral polio vaccine (OPV). Methods During an RCT of 2 doses of MV at 4.5 and 9 months versus 1 dose of MV at 9 months of age, we experienced 2 natural experiments with OPV. We assessed whether these OPV experiments modified the effect of 2-dose MV in the MV trial. Setting MV RCT conducted in urban Guinea-Bissau 2003–2009. Interventions Natural experiments with OPV due to missing vaccine and the implementation of OPV campaigns. Main outcome measure Changes in the mortality rate ratio (MRR) for 2-dose MV versus 1-dose MV. Results First, the MRR (2-dose/1-dose MV) overall was 0.70 (0.52 to 0.94), but the MRR was 1.04 (0.53 to 2.04) when OPV at birth (OPV0) was not given, suggesting that early priming with OPV was important for the effect of 2-dose MV. The effect of OPV0 depended on age of administration; the MRR (2-dose/1-dose MV) was 0.45 (0.29 to 0.71) for children receiving OPV0 in the first week of life, but 3.63 (0.87 to 15.2) for those receiving OPV0 after the first month of life (p=0.007, test of no interaction). Second, campaign-OPV may have reduced the difference between the randomisation groups since the MRR (2-dose/1-dose MV) was 0.60 (0.42 to 0.85) for children who had not received campaign-OPV before RCT-enrolment versus 0.72 (0.23 to 2.31) and 1.42 (0.70 to 2.90) for children who had received 1 or 2 doses of campaign-OPV-before-enrolment, respectively. Conclusions Bissau had no polio infection during this trial, so OPV0 and campaign-OPV may have NSEs since they modified the effect of 2-dose MV in an RCT. Different interventions may interact to a much larger effect than usually assumed.
Tools Used to Evaluate Written Medicine and Health Information

This study aims to identify and review tools used to evaluate consumer-oriented written medicine (WMI) and health (WHI) information from a document and user perspective. Articles that met the following inclusion criteria were reviewed: studies evaluating readability, presentation, suitability, quality of WMI/WHI. A total of 152 articles were identified, of which 64 satisfied the inclusion criteria. Fifty-nine original studies used evaluation tools and 5 reviewed a specific group of tools. Sixteen detailed the development or validation of an instrument. Fifteen studies evaluated WMI and 28 evaluated WHI. Twenty-three evaluation instruments were identified. Of the seven readability tests, SMOG was predominantly used (12 of 43 studies). Eight tools measured health literacy, with REALM being the most popular instrument (7 of 43). SAM was the most commonly used presentation tool (12 of 43 studies). Many tools are available to evaluate WMI and WHI. However, the majority are researcher focused. Most evaluate readability and presentation, revealing a gap in valid and reliable tools for assessing quality of information, and those that can be used by consumers.
Determinants of out-of-pocket health expenditure and their welfare implications in a South African context

This study aims to quantify the extent of catastrophic household health expenditures on welfare and determine factors influencing it. A logistic regression model based on the logit link function was used to predict the probability of catastrophic health expenditure occurrence. A comparison between 2008 and 2012 health status of adults shows that there was a sizable improvement of the health status of individuals. The high level of catastrophic health expenditure may be associated with the low share of prepayment in national health expenditure, adequate availability of services and a high level of poverty which for South Africa is 46.2% according to the Statistics South Africa report (2015). Major factors determining the catastrophic expenditure besides poverty were spending on hospitalisation and medical supplies. Thus, reducing catastrophic expenditures requires an increase in financial protection offered to the poor through expanding government-financed benefits for the poor such as implementation of the Social Health Insurance (SHI) scheme, which will cover all poor households.
Glial cells and inflammation in parkinson's disease: A role in neurodegeneration?

The data reviewed here show that, in Parkinson's disease (PD), some dopaminergic neurons are more vulnerable than others to the pathologic process. The glial cells surrounding dopaminergic neurons may be involved in this selective vulnerability. One subpopulation of glial cells, in particular, may play a neuroprotective role by metabolizing dopamine and scavenging oxygen free radicals that are associated with dopamine metabolism. Another subpopulation of glial cells may be deleterious to dopaminergic neurons. This effect may be mediated by the production of nitric oxide and cytokines, which may in turn account for the oxidative stress observed in the substantia nigra of patients with PD. Finally, this inflammatory reaction may result in the induction of apoptosis.
Social Security Fund Portfolio Risk Measurement Based on Dynamic Diagonal BEKK-MGARCH

Taking into account the current social security fund primarily invested to stocks and bonds, we construct the portfolio based on Shanghai & Shenzhen 300 index and bond index on behalf of pension fund investment portfolio, compute the risk of portfolio based on dynamic diagonal BEKK-MGARCH, carry out Kupiec test, compare the result with CCC-MGARCH model. The result shows that dynamic diagonal BEKK-MGARCH is better than CCC-MGARCH model in the aspect of measuring the risk of social security fund portfolio. The result also shows that, if invest one hundred units,the daily VaR and ES are 2.4056 and 4.1163.
Probability mass function distance approach for fast speaker diarization

In this paper, a new method for speaker diarization is presented. Using spectral features, vector quantization is applied over all audio data. Frames are labelled with the id of the closest codeword. Based on the histogram of frame ids, a probability mass function is estimated for each speech segment. Sequential clustering is implemented based on the distances between probability mass functions. Prosodic parameters are incorporated in order to determine whether there is speaker change within each segment. When applied to real life call center conversations, proposed system achieves 17% relative improvement in terms of diarization error rate compared to a standard open source toolkit. Besides, in terms of processing times, 7 times faster processing is achieved with respect to reference toolkit.
The Impact of Capital Structure on Firm Performance: Empirical Evidence from Private Manufacturing Companies of Amhara Regional State of Ethiopia

The financial performance of the business is crucial not only for maximizing its value but also for its survival. Existing theoretical and empirical evidences suggests that the capital structure choice is the major among the other factors that influence firm’s financial performance. Thus, the purpose of this study was to empirically examine the impact of capital structure on the financial performance of private manufacturing companies in Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. The study employed two of the most common profitability ratios: Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE) as a proxy to measure financial performance (i.e. the dependent variable). Unlike other studies pertaining to Ethiopia on the issue under investigation, the current study employed four proxies: Total Debt Ratio (TDR), Short Term Debt Ratio (STDR), Long Term Debt Ratio (LTDR), and Debt-Equity Ratio (DER) to measure capital structure. Further, in the regression equation, natural logarithm of total assets was included as a control variable to check its effect on firm’s financial performance. Using a panel data for 16 private manufacturing companies for the period 2010 through 2014, the regression result reveal a significant positive relation of profitability measured by ROA with short term debts while a significant negative relationship is found with long term debt, total debts and debt equity ratio. Further, a significant positive relationship is found between short term debt and profitability measured by ROE. While long term debt is negatively and significantly related with ROE. The relationship of ROE with DER and TDR is statistically insignificant. Finally, the relationship of firm size is found to be statistically insignificant with the two measure of financial performance. In general, consistent to the pecking order theory the study concluded that capital structure (leverage) has a significant negative influence on the financial performance of private manufacturing companies of Amhara regional state of Ethiopia. Keywords: financial performance, capital structure, manufacturing companies
Critical risk factors for intellectual impairment in children with posterior fossa tumors: the role of cerebellar damage.

OBJECT Intellectual impairment is a major concern after treatment of malignant posterior fossa tumors in children. The effects of age at diagnosis and radiotherapy have been widely documented. Little is known, however, about perioperative factors, especially neurological damage to the cerebellum, the role of which in cognition and learning has been recently indicated. The authors studied the effects in 76 children treated for a malignant posterior fossa tumor in a cross-sectional study. METHODS Two thirds of the tumors were medulloblastoma. Neuropsychological evaluation was performed at least 6 months after the end of treatment, and findings were correlated with clinical risk factors for intellectual impairment. The mean verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ) score was 87 +/- 19 (+/- standard deviation) and the mean performance IQ (PIQ) score was 76 +/- 17.5. A single neuropsychological test measuring hand skills (the Purdue Pegboard) was the strongest predictor of low IQ scores including items testing higher cognitive functions. A low VIQ was associated with impaired hand skills (p < 0.0001) and the presence of preoperative hydrocephalus (p = 0.02), whereas a low PIQ was associated with impaired hand skills (p < 0.0001) and incision of the vermis (p = 0.02). Impaired hand skills were associated with postoperative cerebellar mutism, oculomotor deficits, cerebellar syndrome, and therapeutic requirements. CONCLUSIONS When treatment schedules are adapted to risk of disease and age, surgery-related risk factors then become critical for predicting intellectual impairment. Children with cerebellar damage are particularly at risk for long-term neuropsychological dysfunction and require active rehabilitation measures. Reducing surgery-related morbidity should be the next goal to reduce posterior fossa surgery-specific deficits.
Neurotensin receptor binding sites in monkey and human brain: Autoradiographic distribution and effects of 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine treatment

Neurotensin (NT) receptor binding sites were characterized and localized by using membrane binding assay and in vitro receptor autoradioraphy in monkey and human brain. Additionally, the effects of 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treatment on NT binding sites were investigated in monkey. [125I]Tyr3‐NT ([125I]NT) apparently binds to a single class of high‐affinity sites (Kd in nanomolar range) in both species. Ligand selectivity patterns strongly suggest that the structural requirement of both monkey and human brain NT receptors are very similar to those previously reported in other tissues, such as those of the rat brain and rat stomach. In monkey brain, [125I]NT binding sites are discretely distributed with high densities of sites found in the cingulate cortex, amygdala, hippocampus, ventral tegmental area, substantia nigra, and periaqueductal gray matter. A similar pattern is observed in the human brain. However, the laminar distribution of [125I]NT binding sites in cortex varies between monkey and human brain. In monkey brain, [125I]NT binding sites are mostly concentrated in deep cortical layers while the laminar distribution of NT sites changes with cortical areas in human brain.
Minor histocompatibility antigens: allo target molecules for tumor-specific immunotherapy.

Minor histocompatibility antigens have to be considered as key molecules in the stem cell-based immunotherapy of malignancies. Allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a well-established and effective therapy for advanced hematologic malignancies. The apparent powerful graft-versus-leukemia effect of SCT led clinicians to apply SCT for the treatment of metastatic solid tumors. The SCT-based graft-versus-tumor reaction in the allogeneic human leukocyte antigen-matched SCT setting is mediated by allo-immune effectorcells directed against tumor-related target antigens. The target molecules involved in the allo-immune graft-versus-tumor reaction are tumor-specific antigens, tumor-associated antigens, and tissue- and cell-specific minor histocompatibility antigens. The power of the minor histocompatibility antigens in the human leukocyte antigen-identical, stem cell-based immunotherapy for malignancies is their "allo-ness. " As opposed to tumor-associated self antigens, the complexes of MHC and allo-target peptide are likely to be more immunogeneic than the major histocompatibility complex and self-target peptide complexes. Moreover, minor histocompatibility allo-antigens are not subject to self tolerance. Earlier minor histocompatibility antigens were seen as alien entities, disturbing the success of the so ideally matched organ and SCT donor-recipient combinations. To date, minor histocompatibility antigens can be set in the favorable light of useful tools for immunotherapy for cancer. The first clinical application of the hematopoietic minor histocompatibility antigens HA-1 and HA-2 is currently being explored in a stem cell-based setting for hematologic malignancies. Because HA-1 is also expressed on carcinoma cells, a stem cell-based vaccination trial for patients with metastatic breast or renal cancer is about to start as well. The immunotherapeutic potential of minor histocompatibility antigens demands serious searches for new minor histocompatibility antigens and analyses of their phenotype frequency, tissue distribution, and functional membrane expression. The minor histocompatibility antigens meeting the prerequisites for specific immunotherapy for malignancies, such as membrane expression and tissue and/or cell specificity, may offer the curative tools for stem cell-based immunotherapy for various hematologic and nonhematologic malignancies.
Critical and Reflective Thinking in an Intermediate Financial Accounting Course: An Action Research Study.

Accounting professionals have consistently called for educators to develop curriculum designed to encourage students to develop intellectual skills. The purpose of this action research study was to develop and implement an instructional method that requires intermediate financial accounting (IFA) students to consistently practice higher order thinking. Students completed a semester-long authentic comprehensive project (CP) that required them to consistently practice critical and reflective thinking (Facione, 1990; Mezirow, 1991). Findings led to the resolution of implementation issues associated with using a CP. Most implementation issues originated from students’ inability to apply learning obtained from working structured problems to unstructured accounting work. Short reflection papers (RPs) replaced periodic objective tests to encourage deep and meaningful learning. Students’ responses to question prompts gave evidence of one of Mezirow’s (1991) four stages of professional reflection. The depth of reflection trended with students’ understanding of when and how accountants use judgment. Students who consistently practiced higher order thinking also learned to adequately perform routine accounting procedures. This study resulted in an instructional method that requires accounting students to practice using the intellectual skills necessary for success in the accounting profession without sacrificing procedural knowledge. The findings will benefit other instructors working to develop learning materials that require students to practice higher order thinking as they complete authentic professional work.
Multi-beam slotted Waveguide pillbox antenna with reduced side lobe level and high beam crossover

In the present study the “Split aperture decoupling” method is applied to pillbox antennas in order to have low side lobe and high beam crossover levels at the same time. These two constraints cannot be satisfied simultaneously for any passive and lossless multi-beam antenna systems with a single radiating aperture. In order to validate the proposed concept a novel Substrate Integrated Waveguide (SIW) multibeam Pillbox antenna with two radiating apertures has been designed at 24.15 GHz and manufactured using standard Printed Circuit Board (PCB) fabrication process. The measured results agree with simulations showing a good scanning performance at 24.15 GHz over an angular sector of ±40°. The crossover level between adjacent beams is about -3dB with a side lobe level lower than -24dB for the central beam and better than -11dB over the entire field of view.
Towards hierarchical security framework for smartphones

With powerful computing capability, plentiful functionality and advanced operating systems with flexible APIs, smartphones have become indispensable part of our daily lives. However, growing functionality, complexity and popularity of smartphones have also increased concerns about information security, and these concerns have been further exacerbated by rich third-party applications. In order to protect information security, significant research and standardizations efforts have been made in recent years. However, most of these activities focus on specific issues, which cannot mitigate negative effects as a whole. In this paper, we first introduce a common architecture of smartphones including main smartphone assets. Then we identify smartphone threats which are clustered into vulnerabilities and attacks. Based on the layered structure of smartphones, we propose a hierarchical security framework for smartphones including hardware security, operating system security, application security, user data security and communication security. Finally, we present the preliminary security solutions with regard to the security framework, and give future research direction.
A highly tunable 65-nm CMOS LIF neuron for a large scale neuromorphic system

We present the design and measurement of a continuous-time, accelerated, reconfigurable Leaky Integrate and Fire (LIF) neuron model emulated in 65-nm CMOS technology. The neuron circuit is designed as a sub-circuit of our highly integrated neuromorphic prototype chip, the “HICANN-DLS”. The design is geared towards testability and debug features, as well as area and power efficiency. Each neuron in the array integrates current from a multitude of input synapses onto an RC integrator within the synaptic input sub-circuit, where a variable resistor tunes the synaptic time constant. Linear transconductors convert voltage into an equivalent current as well as modeling the leak term, while a pulse generator circuit evokes a digital spike event. Our measurements show that the neuron successfully integrates input synaptic events ranging from a few nA to greater than 10 µA and tunes a wide range of tunable synaptic and membrane time constants. A higher membrane dynamic range of up to 1100 mV, and longer refractory times can be achieved, operating 1000 times faster than biological real-time. The design of the neuron simplifies calibration and reduces the mismatch, as multiple die measurements indicate. We demonstrate a one-to-one correspondence to software simulation for a typical computational model neuron. Due to the wide tunable range, the neuron is to be our general-purpose element of our second generation flexible neuromorphic platform for a variety of computational models.
SUMO regulates p21Cip1 intracellular distribution and with p21Cip1 facilitates multiprotein complex formation in the nucleolus upon DNA damage

We previously showed that p21Cip1 transits through the nucleolus on its way from the nucleus to the cytoplasm and that DNA damage inhibits this transit and induces the formation of p21Cip1-containing intranucleolar bodies (INoBs). Here, we demonstrate that these INoBs also contain SUMO-1 and UBC9, the E2 SUMO-conjugating enzyme. Furthermore, whereas wild type SUMO-1 localized in INoBs, a SUMO-1 mutant, which is unable to conjugate with proteins, does not, suggesting the presence of SUMOylated proteins at INoBs. Moreover, depletion of the SUMO-conjugating enzyme UBC9 or the sumo hydrolase SENP2 changed p21Cip1 intracellular distribution. In addition to SUMO-1 and p21Cip1, cell cycle regulators and DNA damage checkpoint proteins, including Cdk2, Cyclin E, PCNA, p53 and Mdm2, and PML were also detected in INoBs. Importantly, depletion of UBC9 or p21Cip1 impacted INoB biogenesis and the nucleolar accumulation of the cell cycle regulators and DNA damage checkpoint proteins following DNA damage. The impact of p21Cip1 and SUMO-1 on the accumulation of proteins in INoBs extends also to CRM1, a nuclear exportin that is also important for protein translocation from the cytoplasm to the nucleolus. Thus, SUMO and p21Cip1 regulate the transit of proteins through the nucleolus, and that disruption of nucleolar export by DNA damage induces SUMO and p21Cip1 to act as hub proteins to form a multiprotein complex in the nucleolus.