Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic Accuracy and Factor Structure of the AAS and APS Scales of the MMPI-2

Receiver operating characteristics analysis and sensitivity analysis were used to compare the diagnostic accuracy of the Addiction Acknowledgement Scale (AAS; Weed, Butcher, McKenna, & Ben-Porath, 1992) and Addiction Potential Scale (APS; Weed et al., 1992) of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2 (Butcher, Dahlstrom, Graham, Tellegen, & Kaemmer, 1989) to that of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale-Revised (Butcher et al, 1989), the CAGE (Mayfield, McLeod, & Hall, 1974), and Svanum's scale (Svanum & McGrew, 1995) in a sample of 338 university students. The AAS was the most accurate of these 5 scales at identifying current alcohol dependence (as measured by a structured diagnostic interview) and appears to offer considerable promise as an alcohol screening instrument. In contrast, the APS performed the most poorly of the 5 scales being evaluated, yielding results that would be of minimal clinical utility. Factor analysis yielded a 2-factor solution for the AAS (Acknowledgement of Alcohol/Drug Problems; Positive Alcohol Expectancies) and a 4-factor solution for the APS (Satisfaction with Self; Cynicism/Pessimism; Impulsivity; Risk-Taking).
Isolation and characterization of a novel human paired-like homeodomain-containing transcription factor gene, VSX1, expressed in ocular tissues.

Homeodomain transcription factors control cell fates during the development of all animals. The paired-like subfamily of homeodomain proteins has been particularly implicated in ocular development in different species. In this paper we report the cDNA sequence, genomic structure, localization, and expression data of a novel paired-like homeobox-containing gene, VSX1, isolated from a human embryonic craniofacial cDNA library using the degenerate-PCR approach. The composed VSX1 cDNA sequence of 1433 bp was predicted to encode a protein of 365 amino acid residues. Maximal homology at the protein level was identified with the paired-like homeoproteins of the CVC-domain family: 92-97% identity was seen in the homeodomain region with 55% overall identity to zebrafish and goldfish Vsx1 and 35% overall identity to goldfish Vsx2 and murine Chx10. The gene was found to consist of five exons that are distributed over 6.2 kb of genomic sequence. VSX1 was localized to the 20p11-q11 region, which is homologous with the distal part of mouse chromosome 2. Expression of VSX1 was detected in embryonic craniofacial and adult ocular tissues. Several ocular phenotypes have been mapped to the VSX1 region in both human and mouse genomes, and its candidacy for these disorders is discussed.
A Model-Based Direct Power Control for Three-Phase Power Converters

The direct power control (DPC) technique has been widely used as a control strategy for three-phase power rectifiers due to its simplicity and good performance. DPC uses the instantaneous active and reactive power to control the power converter. The controller design has been proposed as a direct control with a lookup table and, in recent works, as an indirect control with an inner control loop with proportional-plus-integral controllers for the instantaneous active and reactive power errors. In this paper, a model-based DPC for three-phase power converters is designed, obtaining expressions for the input control signal, which allow the design of an adaptive control law that minimizes the errors introduced by parameter uncertainties as the smoothing inductor value or the grid frequency. A controller design process, a stability study of the system, and experimental results for a synchronous three-phase power rectifier prototype are presented to validate the proposed controller.
A secure radio communication system based on an efficient speech watermarking approach

This paper deals with an efficient secure communication system based on a speech watermarking approach. The main goal of the system is to efficiently support air traffic control (ATC) communications by improving safety and security of the existing ATC equipment embedding digital side information into speech signals in order to allow an automatic identification of the talker. An implementation based on the use of the well known LPC (linear predictive coding) principle is discussed. The LPC residual is split up into voiced and unvoiced segments; while the voiced segments cross the system unmodified, the watermarking data are embedded into the unvoiced segments, spectrally similar to a white noise. The watermark signal is decoded by a very similar scheme. We provide also a statistical analysis on the unvoiced parts of the ATC communications that demonstrates the system feasibility. In addition to this, an optimization of the entire system has been also performed to increase performance. The obtained results highlight that the watermark data are nearly imperceptible and provide a data channel with rate from 2000 to 5000 kbits/s, with high robustness to channel noise; the system requires only modular, low-cost and easy-to-install encoders and decoders, maintaining compatibility with legacy RF DSB-AM transceivers. Moreover, it is well suited both for the actual 25 kHz RF channels and for the new 8.33 kHz European RF channels. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outflow Vessel in the Plane of Main Vortex of Large Cerebral Aneurysms: A Study of Hemodynamic Analyses

Purpose: This study was designed to quantify and characterize the variations of hemodynamic parameters for those large cerebral aneurysms with outflow vessel in the plane of main vortex. Materials and Methods: A total of 19 consecutive patients with large cerebral aneurysms were constructed with the data of digital subtraction angiography. Those large cerebral aneurysms with outflow vessel in the plane of main vortex were included. Blood flow was hypothesized to be laminar and incompressible and blood Newtonian fluid. Computational fluid dynamics ICEM and Fluent software were used to simulate the computational hemodynamics of large cerebral aneurysms. Results: Hemodynamics parameters result of computational fluid dynamics showed that the velocity in the aneurysm neck, impact fields and the origin area of outflow vessels was obvious higher than that in the aneurysm sac and aneurysm dome. Wall shear stress was obvious higher in aneurysm neck, impact fields and the origin area of outflow vessels than that in the aneurysm sac and aneurysm dome. Conclusions: The location of outflow vessel played an impact on the level of blood flow within aneurysm sac for those large cerebral aneurysms with outflow vessel in the plane of main vortex.
IL‐12 and type I IFN response of neonatal myeloid DC to human CMV infection

Following congenital human CMV (HCMV) infection, 15–20% of infected newborns develop severe health problems whereas infection in immunocompetent adults rarely causes illness. The immaturity of neonatal antigen presenting cells could play a pivotal role in this susceptibility. Neonatal myeloid DC were shown to be deficient in IFN‐β and IL‐12 synthesis in response to TLR triggering. We studied the response of cord and adult blood‐derived myeloid DC to HCMV infection. Neonatal and adult DC were equally susceptible to in vitro HCMV infection. Among immunomodulatory cytokines, IL‐12, IFN‐β and IFN‐λ1 were produced at lower levels by neonatal as compared with adult DC. In contrast, neonatal and adult DC produced similar levels of IFN‐α and IFN‐inducible genes. Microarray analysis indicated that among the more than thousand genes up‐ or down‐regulated by HCMV infection of myeloid DC, 88 were differently regulated between adult and neonatal DC. We conclude that neonatal and adult DC trigger a partly different response to HCMV infection. The deficient IL‐12 and mature IFN‐α production by neonatal DC exposed to HCMV are likely to influence the quality of the T lymphocyte response to HCMV infection in early life.
Influence Factors of the Urban-rural Residents’ Income Gap: a Restudy with the Digital Inclusive Finance

By incorporating Digital Financial Inclusion into the paper and applying the panel data of 31 provinces from 2011 to 2015, the author has made another inspection on the influential factors of income gap between urban and rural residents. Results show that, the development of Digital Financial Inclusion can obviously narrow the income gap between urban and rural residents. Factors of urbanization, industrial progress, mechanism and economy also have magnificent impacts. China should continue to deepen the practice of Digital Financial Inclusion, improve the construction of integrated platform and credit mechanism, carry out efficient supervision and preferential policies, improve the external environment of Digital Financial Inclusion, further to commonly realize the poverty reduction.
Epidemiology of adrenal crisis in chronic adrenal insufficiency: the need for new prevention strategies.

OBJECTIVE Adrenal crisis (AC) is a life-threatening complication of adrenal insufficiency (AI). Here, we evaluated frequency, causes and risk factors of AC in patients with chronic AI. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, 883 patients with AI were contacted by mail. Five-hundred and twenty-six patients agreed to participate and received a disease-specific questionnaire. RESULTS Four-hundred and forty-four datasets were available for analysis (primary AI (PAI), n=254; secondary AI (SAI), n=190). Forty-two percent (PAI 47% and SAI 35%) reported at least one crisis. Three hundred and eighty-four AC in 6092 patient years were documented (frequency of 6.3 crises/100 patient years). Precipitating causes were mainly gastrointestinal infection and fever (45%) but also other stressful events (e.g. major pain, surgery, psychic distress, heat and pregnancy). Sudden onset of apparently unexplained AC was also reported (PAI 6.6% and SAI 12.7%). Patients with PAI reported more frequent emergency glucocorticoid administration (42.5 vs 28.4%, P=0.003). Crisis incidence was not influenced by educational status, body mass index, glucocorticoid dose, DHEA treatment, age at diagnosis, hypogonadism, hypothyroidism or GH deficiency. In PAI, patients with concomitant non-endocrine disease were at higher risk of crisis (odds ratio (OR)=2.02, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.05-3.89, P=0.036). In SAI, female sex (OR=2.18, 95% CI 1.06-4.5, P=0.035) and diabetes insipidus (OR=2.71, 95% CI 1.22-5.99, P=0.014) were associated with higher crisis incidence. CONCLUSION AC occurs in a substantial proportion of patients with chronic AI, mainly triggered by infectious disease. Only a limited number of risk factors suitable for targeting prevention of AC were identified. These findings indicate the need for new concepts of crisis prevention in patients with AI.
Suppressive Effect on Lymphoproliferation In Vitro by Soluble Annexin II Released from Isolated Placental Membranes

PROBLEM: Syncytiotrophoblast microvillous plasma membranes (StMPM) are potent suppressors of lymphoproliferation in vitro. We have previously shown that soluble annexin II (AII) is present at higher levels in retroplacental serum (RPS) than in peripheral serum, and that soluble AII has an immunosuppressive effect. The aims of this study were to determine whether AII can be released from StMPM and whether soluble AII from StMPM exerts any immunosuppressive effect.
The nature of the opaque colony variation in group A streptococci

Opaque colonies of group A streptococci, detected on clear agar plates with obliquely transmitted light, are composed of extremely long chains of cocci. The mucopeptide layer of the cell-wall is involved in the formation of enhanced intercellular bridges. It is suggested that this exaggerated chaining results in an altered growth pattern which gives the appearance of granular opacity to surface colonies.
Assessing graduating dental students' competencies: the impact of classroom, clinic and externships learning experiences.

OBJECTIVES The present study assessed recent dental graduates' educational experiences with regard to competency development in different learning contexts and preparedness for independent professional performance. METHODS The present study employed a questionnaire examining University of Manitoba graduating dental students' confidence and perceived importance of 47 competencies expected by the ACFD/CDA by requiring students to rate each competency on a five-point Likert scale. In addition, contribution of each of the three learning environments (classroom, clinic, and externship) towards competency development was assessed. RESULTS Recent graduates reported most confidence in areas of basic clinical procedures involving radiographic, pharmacologic and caries management, with least confidence in implantology, orofacial pain, trauma and surgical management. Most importance was attributed to interpersonal-communication and basic clinical skills, with least importance in scientific research, implantology and prosthetic laboratory aspects. Overall, graduates felt that clinical setting contributed the most to competency development, followed by classroom and then externship contexts. CONCLUSION Graduating students' professional preparedness can reflect the quality of dental programme. However, the amount of importance that graduates place on each competency might impact their confidence in the associated competencies and vice versa. In addition, learning settings must be effectively utilised for particular competencies' development.
Comparison of T-DNA oncogene complements of Agrobacterium tumefaciens tumor-inducing plasmids with limited and wide host ranges

The T-DNA oncogene complements of the limited-host-range tumor-inducing plasmid pTiAg63 and the wide-host-range plasmid pTiA6 were compared. The resulting data indicate that pTiAg63 has DNA sequences related to most of the genes encoded by the oncogene region, the TL-DNA, of pTiA6 and that these sequences are divided between two T-DNA regions, the TA-DNA, which encoded sequences related to pTiA6 genes 4 (the cytokinin independence gene) and 6a, as well as to a pTiA6 TL-DNA fragment that encoded gene 6b and a portion of gene 3, and the TB-DNA, which encoded sequences related to genes 1 and 2 (the auxin independence genes). Tumor tissues of Nicotiana rustica incited by Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring either pTiA6 or pTiAg63 grew axenically in vitro on phytohormone-free medium. The morphologies of the tissues, however, differed; whereas those incited with pTiA6 grew as loose, friable, unorganized callus, the tumors incited by pTiAg63 grew as clumps of rootlike structures. Thus, the T-DNA oncogene complements of these plasmids were not equivalent. The results are discussed in relation to the A. tumefaciens host range.
A simple 1-D radiative-convective atmospheric model designed for integration into coupled models of magma ocean planets

[1] In order to understand the early history of telluric interiors and atmospheres during the ocean magma stage, a coupled interior-atmosphere-escape model is being developed. This paper describes the atmospheric part and its first preliminary results. A unidimensional, radiative-convective, H2O-CO2 atmosphere is modeled following a vertical T(z) profile similar to Kasting (1988) and Abe and Matsui (1988). Opacities in the thermal IR are then computed using a k-correlated code (KSPECTRUM), tabulated continuum opacities for H2O-H2O and CO2-CO2 absorption, and water or sulphuric acid clouds in the moist convective zone (whenever present). The first results show the existence of two regimes depending on the relative value of the surface temperature Ts compared to a threshold temperature Tc depending on the total gaseous inventory. For Ts Tc, the blanketing is not efficient enough to prevent large radiative heat loss to space through a hot, cloudless atmosphere. Our current calculations may underestimate the thermal flux in the case of hot surfaces with little gaseous content in the atmosphere.
EFFECTS OF HIV/AIDS IN A BUSINESS ORGANIZATION: THE CASE OF SELECTED RETAIL BUSINESSES IN BOTSWANA

Businesses are important to the society that they serve. They provide goods and services to society as well as create employment. AS businesses provide these services to society they are in turn affected adversely by diseases through infection of employees. This study was carried out to find out the effects of HIV/AIDS on retail businesses in Botswana. A sample of nineteen (19) respondents was drawn from retail stores owned by Spar Botswana. The key research questions were: 1. How does HIV/AIDS affect the running of a business? 2. How do business firms deal with the effects of HIV/AIDS? 3. Do business organizations have workplace policies on HIV/AIDS that seek to minimize its effects? The key objectives were: 1. How the running of a business is affected by HIV/AIDS. 2. How business firms deal with the effects of HIV/AIDS. 3. If business organizations have workplace policies on HIV/AIDS that seek to minimize its effects. The study used the qualitative research method. The data collection techniques or tools used were the questionnaire and structured interviews. One of the key findings was that HIV/AIDS affects worker productivity in many ways, the key ones being that it lowers productivity and hence profitability. Another important finding was that some business organizations have policies that guide or govern workers to cope with the HIV/AIDS epidemic at the workplaces. Spar Botswana retail businesses have such policies for the benefit of both the workers and the employees. The study came up with several; recommendations to make businesses to cope with the HIV/AIDS situation at the workplaces. Two of these recommendations are 1. Businesses formulate and implement policies that encourage workers to test for HIV/AIDS on regular basis. 2. Businesses should host testing days where workers get immediate consultation when they find out if they are infected. Article visualizations:
Beta-Amyloid and Oxidative Stress Jointly Induce Neuronal Death, Amyloid Deposits, Gliosis, and Memory Impairment in the Rat Brain

Infusion of Fe2+, Aβ42, and buthionine-sulfoximine (FAB), but not Aβ42 alone or in combination with Fe2+, into the left cerebral ventricle of Long-Evans rats for 4 weeks induced memory impairment that was accompanied by increased hyperphosphorylated Tau protein levels in the CSF. FAB-infused animals displayed thioflavin-S-positive amyloid deposits, hyperphosphorylated Tau protein, neuronal loss, and gliosis. Animals treated with Aβ42, Fe2+, or buthionine-sulfoximine alone or in combination failed to show the histological modifications seen with FAB. This data suggests that Aβ42 is not sufficient to induce an Alzheimer’s disease-like symptomatology, and it supports a model whereby a decrease in the brain’s antioxidant defense system leads to the Aβ42-independent oxidative stress necessary for the peptide to induce histopathological changes and memory loss.
Tax Policy Measures in Advanced and Emerging Economies: A Novel Database

This paper describes a new, comprehensive database of tax policy measures in 23 advanced and emerging market economies over the last four decades. We extract this information from more than 900 OECD Economic Surveys and 37,000 tax-related news from the International Bureau of Fiscal Documentation using text-mining techniques. The innovation of this dataset lies in its granularity: changes in the rates and bases of personal and corporate income taxes, value added and sale taxes, social security contributions, excise, and property taxes are systematically documented. In addition, the database provides information on the announcement and implementation dates, whether the measures represent major changes, are part of a broader tax package, and phased in over several years. The paper also presents a range of stylized facts suggesting that information from this database is useful to deepen the analysis of tax policy changes for research and policy purposes.
STAH-TREE: Hybrid index for spatio temporal aggregation

A support for holding a guard in overlying relationship to a window which includes a pair of spaced bracket members carrying an elongated bar having guard engaging pins, window engaging locking arms adjoining said brackets and supported for movement along an axis parallel to the elongated bar, each locking arm having window frame engaging pins which when engaging the window frame will hold the support in position. At least two supports are used on each window and may be vertically or horizontally disposed to hold the guard.
Distinguishing stimulus and response codes in theta oscillations in prefrontal areas during inhibitory control of automated responses

Response inhibition mechanisms are mediated via cortical and subcortical networks. At the cortical level, the superior frontal gyrus, including the supplementary motor area (SMA) and inferior frontal areas, is important. There is an ongoing debate about the functional roles of these structures during response inhibition as it is unclear whether these structures process different codes or contents of information during response inhibition. In the current study, we examined this question with a focus on theta frequency oscillations during response inhibition processes. We used a standard Go/Nogo task in a sample of human participants and combined different EEG signal decomposition methods with EEG beamforming approaches. The results suggest that stimulus coding during inhibitory control is attained by oscillations in the upper theta frequency band (∼7 Hz). In contrast, response selection codes during inhibitory control appear to be attained by the lower theta frequency band (∼4 Hz). Importantly, these different codes seem to be processed in distinct functional neuroanatomical structures. Although the SMA may process stimulus codes and response selection codes, the inferior frontal cortex may selectively process response selection codes during inhibitory control. Taken together, the results suggest that different entities within the functional neuroanatomical network associated with response inhibition mechanisms process different kinds of codes during inhibitory control. These codes seem to be reflected by different oscillations within the theta frequency band. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5681–5690, 2017. © 2017 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression Profile of the REG Gene Family in Colorectal Carcinoma

Regenerating (REG) gene family belongs to the calcium-dependent lectin gene superfamily and encodes small multifunctional secretory proteins, which might be involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, and carcinogenesis. To clarify REG expression profile in colorectal carcinoma (CRC), the authors examined the expression of REG Iα, Iβ, III, HIP/PAP, and REG IV by immunohistochemistry on tissue microarray. The expression of REG Iα, III, and HIP/PAP was more frequently observed in the CRCs than adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa (p < 0.001), whereas it was the converse for REG Iβ and IV (p < 0.001). The expression of REG Iα, Iβ, III, and HIP/PAP was negatively correlated with the depth of invasion of CRCs (p < 0.05). The REG Iβ and HIP/PAP were less expressed in CRCs with than without venous invasion (p < 0.05). The positive rates of REG Iα and HIP/PAP were significantly higher in CRCs without than with lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05). Mucinous carcinoma more frequently expressed REG IV protein than well- and moderately differentiated ones (p < 0.05). There was a positive relationship between REG Iα, Iβ, III, and HIP/PAP expression (p < 0.05). Survival analysis indicated the REG Iβ or HIP/PAP expression was positively linked to favorable prognosis of carcinoma patients (p < 0.05). This study indicated that aberrant REG expression might be closely linked to the pathogenesis, invasion, or lymph node metastasis of CRCs. REG Iβ and HIP/PAP could be considered reliable markers of favorable prognosis of CRC patients.