Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sense of presence and atypical social judgments in immersive virtual environments

Immersive virtual environments (IVEs) are potentially powerful educational resources but their application for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is under researched. This study aimed to answer two research questions: (1) Do children with ASD experience IVEs in different ways to typically developing children given their cognitive, perceptual and sensory differences? and (2) Can an IVE accurately simulate ecologically valid social situations? Ten children with ASD and 14 typically developing (TD) adolescents all aged 12—16 years experienced three different IVEs. They completed self-report questionnaires on their sense of ‘presence’ in the IVEs and rated ‘social attractiveness’ of a virtual character in socially desirable and undesirable scenarios. The children with ASD reported similar levels of presence to their TD peers and no negative sensory experiences. Although TD adolescents rated the socially desirable character as more socially attractive than the undesirable character, adolescents with ASD rated the two characters as equally socially attractive. These findings suggest that children with ASD do not experience IVEs in different ways to their TD counterparts and that the IVEs are realistic enough to simulate authentic social situations. This study paints a very encouraging picture for the potential uses of IVEs in assessing and educating individuals with ASD.
Long noncoding RNA DANCR increases stemness features of hepatocellular carcinoma by derepression of CTNNB1

Tumor cells with stemness (stem‐cell) features contribute to initiation and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but involvement of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) remains largely unclear. Genome‐wide analyses were applied to identify tumor‐associated lncRNA‐DANCR. DANCR expression level and prognostic values of DANCR were assayed in two HCC cohorts (China and Korea, n = 135 and 223). Artificial modulation of DANCR (down‐ and overexpression) was done to explore the role of DANCR in tumorigenesis and colonization, and tumor‐bearing mice were used to determine therapeutic effects. We found that lncRNA‐DANCR is overexpressed in stem‐like HCC cells, and this can serve as a prognostic biomarker for HCC patients. Experiments showed that DANCR markedly increased stemness features of HCC cells to promote tumorigenesis and intra‐/extrahepatic tumor colonization. Conversely, DANCR knockdown attenuated the stem‐cell properties and in vivo interference with DANCR action led to decreased tumor cell vitality, tumor shrinkage, and improved mouse survival. Additionally, we found that the role of DANCR relied largely on an association with, and regulation of, CTNNB1. Association of DANCR with CTNNB1 blocked the repressing effect of microRNA (miR)−214, miR‐320a, and miR‐199a on CTNNB1. This observation was confirmed in vivo, suggesting a novel mechanism of tumorigenesis involving lncRNAs, messenger RNAs, and microRNAs. Conclusions: These studies reveal a significance and mechanism of DANCR action in increasing stemness features and offer a potential prognostic marker and a therapeutic target for HCC. (Hepatology 2016;63:499–511)
Effects of Donor Characteristics and Ex Vivo Expansion on Canine Mesenchymal Stem Cell Properties: Implications for MSC-Based Therapies

Clinical trials utilizing bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cell (BM-MSC) therapies show promise for treating a variety of pathologic conditions. Paramount to optimization of such cell-based therapies is a thorough understanding of MSC biology. Despite the tremendous potential that exists for the clinical use of canine BM-MSCs in veterinary medicine, as well as in preclinical studies for human medicine, relatively little information exists regarding basic biological properties of the cells. In this study, we compared the importance of donor characteristics (age and harvest site) and ex vivo expansion on canine BM-MSC frequency (CFU-f) and differentiation potential. Advancing age was found to have a negative effect on CFU-f as well as osteogenic potential. Site of harvest was also found to have significant effects on MSC properties. MSCs obtained from the humerus were found at the lowest frequency and were least osteogenic compared to those harvested from the tibia, femur, and ilium. Osteogenic potential diminished significantly by the third passage. These results suggest important donor parameters and culture effects to consider in translational studies examining MSC-based regenerative medical strategies.
Random effects and latent processes approaches for analyzing binary longitudinal data with missingness: a comparison of approaches using opiate clinical trial data

The analysis of longitudinal data with non-ignorable missingness remains an active area in biostatistics research. This article discusses various random effects and latent process models which have been proposed for analyzing longitudinal binary data subject to both non-ignorable intermittent missing data and dropout. These models account for non-ignorable missingness by introducing random effects or a latent process which is shared between the response model and the model for the missing-data mechanism. We discuss various random effects and latent processes approaches and compare these approaches with analyses from an opiate clinical trial data set, which had high proportion of intermittent missingness and dropout. We also compare these random effect and latent process approaches with other methods for accounting for non-ignorable missingness using this data set.
Decoding chaotic secure communication system with extended Kalman filter based observers

This paper presents two methods to codec exact messages with an expended matrix representation of linear multivariable systems whose parameters are used to describe three-port chaotic secure communications networks. The matrix representation includes an optimal extended Kalman filter based observer, which is in linearization with time. The observer and its input can be regarded as a transmitting agent; several messages are received from them. First, the optimal linearization technique is used to find the exact linear models of the chaotic system at operating states of interest. Then, an extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm is used to estimate both the parameters and states where the message is already embedded. By using the EKF together with the optimal linear model, the message can be adequately recovered at the receiver's end. Numerical examples and simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
A low-voltage low sensitivity sinusoidal VCO for DPLL realizations

A quasi-sinusoidal linearly tunable OTA-C VCO built with triode-region transconductors is presented. Oscillation upon power-on is ensured by RHP poles associated with gate-drain capacitances of OTA input devices. Since the OTA nonlinearity stabilizes the amplitude, the oscillation frequency f/sub 0/ is first-order independent of V/sub DD/, making the VCO adequate to mixed-mode designs. A range of simulations attests the theoretical analysis. As part of a DPLL, the VCO was prototyped on a 0.8/spl mu/m CMOS process, occupying an area of 0.15mm/sup 2/. Nominal f/sub 0/ is 1 MHz, with K/sub VCO/=8.4KHz/mV. Measured sensitivity to V/sub DD/ is below 2.17, while phase noise is -86dBc at 100 kHz offset. The feasibility of the VCO for higher frequencies is verified by a redesign based on a 0.35/spl mu/m CMOS process and V/sub DD/=3.3V, with a linear frequency-span of 13.2 MHz-61.5 MHz.
Familial aggregation of childhood and adult cancer in the Utah genealogy

A small proportion of childhood cancer is attributable to known hereditary syndromes, but whether there is any familial component to the remainder remains uncertain. We explored familial aggregation of cancer in a population‐based case–control study using genealogical record linkage and designed to overcome limitations of previous studies. Subjects were selected from the Utah Population Database. We compared risk of cancer in adult first‐degree relatives of children who were diagnosed with cancer with the risk in relatives of children who had not had a cancer diagnosed. We identified 1,894 childhood cancer cases and 3,788 controls; 7,467 relatives of cases and 14,498 relatives of controls were included in the analysis. Relatives of children with cancer had a higher risk of cancer in adulthood than relatives of children without cancer [odds ratio (OR) 1.31, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–1.56]; this was restricted to mothers and siblings and was not evident in fathers. Familial aggregation appeared stronger among relatives of cases diagnosed before 5 years of age (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.13–1.95) than among relatives of cases who were older when diagnosed (OR 1.22, 95% CI 0.98–1.51). These findings provide evidence of a generalized excess of cancer in the mothers and siblings of children with cancer. The tendency for risk to be higher in the relatives of children who were younger at cancer diagnosis should be investigated in other large data sets. The excesses of thyroid cancer in parents of children with cancer and of any cancer in relatives of children with leukemia merit further investigation.
Sexually transmitted agents and cervical neoplasia in colombia and Spain

Case‐control studies of cervical intra‐epithelial neoplasia grade III (CIN III) and of invasive cervical cancer were carried out in Spain and Colombia to assess the relationship between cervical cancer and 6 common sexually transmitted agents (STAs). The CIN‐III studies included 525 cases and 512 controls matched for age and for the place of recruitment; the invasive‐cancer studies included 373 historically confirmed cases of squamous‐cell carcinoma and 357 age‐stratified controls selected randomly from the populations that generated the cases. Antibodies to Chlamydia trachomatis, Neisseria gonorrhoeas, Treponemo pallidum, herpes simplex virus type II (HSV‐2) and cytomegalovirus (CMV) were tested in 88% of the women. Cervical scrapes were examined for HPV DNA in 63% of the women using a polymerase‐chain‐reaction assay (PCR). Among controls, the highest antibody prevalence was to CMV (96.5%), followed by HSV‐2 (31.4%) and C. trachomatis (23.3%). For all STAs, the sera‐prevalence was markedly higher in Colombia than in Spain both for cases and for controls. After adjustment for the presence of HPV DNA, C. trachomatis was the only STA associated with CIN III in both countries; Spain and Colombia. In both countries, the risk of CIN III increased with increasing of C. trachomatis antibody titers. Among Spanish women, an increase in risk of invasive carcinoma was found for those with antibodies to N. gonorrhoeae; those with antibodies to HSV‐2 and those with antibodies to C. trachomatis. These associations were present only in HPV‐DNA‐negative women. Among HPV‐DNA‐positive women, none of the STAs considered were associated with cervical neoplasia. Our findings could be interpreted as indicating that past infections with HSV‐2, N. gonorrhoeae and C. trachomatis are surrogate markers of HPV, but because HPV DNA may have escaped detection, we cannot exclude that these STAs are also of separate etiologicaf significance.
Cell Wall Composition and Decreased Autolytic Activity and Lysostaphin Susceptibility of Glycopeptide-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus

ABSTRACT The cell wall composition and autolytic properties of passage-selected glycopeptide-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (GISA) isolates and their parent strains were studied in order to investigate the mechanism of decreased vancomycin susceptibility. GISA had relatively modest changes in peptidoglycan composition involving peptidoglycan interpeptide bridges and somewhat decreased cross-linking compared to that of parent strains. The cell wall phosphorus content of GISA strains was lower than that of susceptible parent strains, indicating somewhat lower wall teichoic acid levels in the GISA strains. Similar to whole cells, isolated crude cell walls retaining autolytic activity of GISA had drastically reduced autolytic activity compared to that of parent strains, and this arose early in the development of the GISA phenotype. This was due to an alteration in the autolytic enzymes of GISA as revealed by normal susceptibility of GISA-purified cell walls to parental strain autolysin extract and lower activity and altered peptidoglycan hydrolase activity profiles in GISA autolysin extracts compared to those of parent strains. Northern blot analysis indicated that expression of atl, the major autolysin gene, was significantly downregulated in a GISA strain compared to that of its parent strain. In contrast to whole cells, which showed decreased lysostaphin susceptibility, purified cell walls of GISA showed increased susceptibility to lysostaphin. We suggest that in our GISA strains, decreased autolytic activity is involved in the tolerance of vancomycin and the activities of endogenous autolysins are important in conferring sensitivity to lysostaphin on whole cells.
Long‐term intrathecal morphine and bupivacaine in “refractory” cancer pain. I. Results from the first series of 52 patients

Neither epidural (EDA) or intrathecal (IT) morphine nor EDA opiate + bupivacaine provides acceptable relief of some types of cancer pain, e. g. pain originating from mucocutaneous ulcers, deafferentation pain, continuous and intermittent visceral and ischaemic pain, and that occurring with body movement as a result of a fracture. To improve pain relief in such conditions, we gave combinations of morphine and bupivacaine through open IT‐catheters to 52 patients with “refractory”, severe (VAS 7–10 out of 10), complex cancer pain (Edmonton Stage‐3), for periods of 1–305 (median = 23) days. The efficacy of the treatment was estimated from: 1) daily dosage (intraspinal and total opiates, and intraspinal bupivacaine), and 2) scores of non‐opiate analgesic and sedative consumption, gait and daily activities, and amount and pattern of sleep. Forty‐four patients obtained continuous and acceptable pain relief (VAS 0–2), 26 of them with daily doses of IT‐bupivacaine of <30 mg/day (<1. 5 mg/h). Higher IT‐bupivacaine doses (>60–305 mg/day), not always giving acceptable pain relief, were necessary in 13 patients with deafferentation pain from the spinal cord or brachial or lumbosacral plexuses or pain from the coeliac plexus, or from large, ulcerated mucocutaneous tumours. By combining IT‐bupivacaine with IT‐morphine, it was possible to use relatively low IT‐morphine doses (10–25 mg/day during the first 2 months of treatment) in more than half of the patients. The IT‐treatment significantly decreased the total (all routes) opiate consumption and significandy improved sleep, gait and daily activities. For the whole period of observation (6 months), the IT‐treatment was assessed as adequate in 3. 8%, good in 23. 1%, very good in 59. 6% and excellent in 13. 5% of the cases. Adverse effects of the IT‐bupivacaine (paraesthesiae, paresis, gait impairment, urinary retention, anal sphincter disturbances and orthostatic hypotension) did not occur with doses of 2. 5–3. 0 mg/h (approx. 60–70 mg/day).
Clostridium difficile Toxin B Causes Apoptosis in Epithelial Cells by Thrilling Mitochondria

Targeting to mitochondria is emerging as a common strategy that bacteria utilize to interact with these central executioners of apoptosis. Several lines of evidence have in fact indicated mitochondria as specific targets for bacterial protein toxins, regarded as the principal virulence factors of pathogenic bacteria. This work shows, for the first time, the ability of the Clostridium difficile toxin B (TcdB), a glucosyltransferase that inhibits the Rho GTPases, to impact mitochondria. In living cells, TcdB provokes an early hyperpolarization of mitochondria that follows a calcium-associated signaling pathway and precedes the final execution step of apoptosis (i.e. mitochondria depolarization). Importantly, in isolated mitochondria, the toxin can induce a calcium-dependent mitochondrial swelling, accompanied by the release of the proapoptogenic factor cytochrome c. This is consistent with a mitochondrial targeting that does not require the Rho-inhibiting activity of the toxin. Of interest, the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels are also involved in the apoptotic response to TcdB and appear to be crucial for the cell death execution phase, as demonstrated by using specific modulators of these channels. To our knowledge, the involvement of these mitochondrial channels in the ability of a bacterial toxin to control cell fate is a hitherto unreported finding.
Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor on skin graft survival in Sprague-Dawley rats.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) on skin graft survival in Sprague-Dawley rats. DESIGN Dorsal full-thickness skin grafts were harvested from 18 Sprague-Dawley rats. To simulate human full-thickness skin grafts, the panniculus carnosus muscle was removed from the undersurface of each graft. The recipient beds were delivered subfascial injections of recombinant human VEGF or isotonic sodium chloride solution in 12 animals before replacement of the grafts (6 in each group). Grafts were replaced without injections in 6 sham control animals. Using planimetry, grafts were analyzed for necrosis along epidermal and dermal surfaces on postoperative day 7. Results were compared between groups. To determine the role of the panniculus carnosus muscle in graft survival, 12 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent the same procedure with an intact panniculus carnosus muscle and with subfascial injections of VEGF or physiologic isotonic sodium chloride solution (6 in each group). Analyses were performed on postoperative day 14. The mean microvascular density was determined in each graft after staining with anti-factor VIII antibody. RESULTS The mean percentage of dermal necrosis in VEGF-treated skin grafts (10.0%) was significantly lower than that in saline-treated grafts (26.7%) or in control grafts (18.9%). Reduced, but not significant, epidermal necrosis was found in VEGF-treated rats vs saline-treated rats. No difference was found in VEGF-treated grafts vs saline-treated grafts when the panniculus carnosus muscle was left intact. Increased microvascular density was observed in VEGF-treated grafts vs saline-treated grafts, which did not reach statistical significance (P = .17). CONCLUSION Exogenously administered VEGF may improve the outcome of full-thickness skin grafts by decreasing dermal necrosis.
Porcine‐derived surfactant treatment of severe bronchiolitis

Background: It is hypothesized that surfactant treatment helps to improve severe bronchiolitis by restoring surfactant system activity. This study aims to assess the effect of surfactant on gas exchange, peak inspiratory pressure and duration of mechanical ventilation and intensive care unit (ICU) stay in children with severe bronchiolitis.
Consent Decrees and Juvenile Corrections in Arizona: What Happens When Oversight Ends?

Launched by the FBI in 1998, the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) is used at the point of sale to determine a person’s purchase eligibility under federal or state law. 1 Kelly J. Harbitter, Director, Government Affairs, SEARCH, The National Consortium for Justice Information and Statistics Consent Decrees and Juvenile Corrections in Arizona: What Happens When Oversight Ends
The physiological and pathophysiological roles of eosinophils in the gastrointestinal tract

Eosinophils and the gastrointestinal tract interact in an intimate and enigmatic relationship. Under healthy conditions, the presence of eosinophils is limited almost exclusively to the digestive tract mucosa where they exert several effector and immunoregulatory functions. While their precise function in the gastrointestinal tract is not completely understood, it is likely that, together with different T cell subsets, eosinophils are involved in maintaining the immunologic homeostastis across the mucosal barrier under resting conditions. Eosinophils also play a role in several inflammatory conditions, such as intestinal infections, hypersensitivity reactions, primary eosinophilic inflammations and several other chronic intestinal disorders. Depending on the responsible trigger, their effects may be beneficial or detrimental. Here, we discuss the available information regarding the physiological and pathological functions of eosinophils within the gastrointestinal tract.
Bystanders’ Behavior in Cyberbullying Episodes

The present study explored bystanders’ behavior in cyberbullying (CB) episodes among children and youth, focusing on active and passive behavior patterns. The study examined prevalence and characteristics of bystanders’ behavior following CB episodes, and their active–passive intervention patterns in relation to personal (age, gender) and socio-emotional (self-efficacy, social support, sense of loneliness) factors. Of the 1,094 participants (ages 9-18), 497 (46.4%) reported they were bystanders to CB episodes. Of the bystanders, 55.4% were identified as having a passive pattern of behavior—they did not provide any help to cyber-victims, whereas 44.6% were identified as having an active pattern—helping the cyber-victim. In line with the “bystanders’ effect,” only 35.6% of the bystanders offered direct help to cyber-victims after witnessing CB. When studying the personal–socio-emotional differences between active and passive bystanders, it was found that the “active bystanders” are more often girls, older, have more social support from significant others, and have lower levels of emotional loneliness than bystanders in the passive group. Differences within the passive and active patterns were studied as well. A logistic regression revealed the unique contribution of each predictor to the probability of being an active bystander. It was found that gender and age predicted the probability of being an active bystander: Girls are more likely than boys, and older bystanders are more likely than younger ones, to choose an active pattern and provide help to cyber-victims. In addition, implications for CB prevention and intervention involvement programs to encourage bystanders to help cyber-victims are discussed.
Taxation of Pensions in Portugal: Is There a Rationale for a Semi-Dual Income Tax System?

The semi-dual income tax typically combines a progressive tax schedule for labour and pension income with low and often flat and differentiated nominal tax rates on some forms of capital income. This paper discusses the rationale for the adoption of semi-dual income tax in the taxation of public, occupational and private pensions and other retirement income, taking the Portuguese experience as a possible guide to other countries. The particular effects of pension taxation on the timing, level and composition of saving are assessed, together with horizontal and vertical equity, neutrality and risk-sharing concerns. Moving to a semi-dual income tax offers both advantages and disadvantages in addressing the pension system long term goals and challenges, and represents a compromise between domestic and international competing considerations an open economy faces in designing a tax regime. The adoption may be a result of a clear tax reform strategy or simply an outcome of particular economic, demographic, political and social circumstances. Providing separate tax rates for labour and capital income allows countries greater flexibility in addressing international tax competition and greater opportunity to retain and augment progressive tax rates for labour and pension income but tax induced distortions and arbitrage opportunities for income-shifting between categories should not be neglected given their impact on the taxable base for social contributions.