Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Living alone and depressive symptoms: the influence of gender, physical disability, and social support among Hispanic and non-Hispanic older adults.

BACKGROUND Is living alone a risk factor for depression among older adults? Previous research is mixed and inconclusive, and it is unclear whether living alone influences psychological distress independently of other interrelated risk factors for depression. We reexamine this association and evaluate whether it is contingent on gender, physical disability, social support, and Hispanic ethnicity. METHODS We analyze data from a multiethnic sample of older disabled and nondisabled adults residing in Miami-Dade County, Florida (n = 947). We employ descriptive and multivariate analyses stratified by Hispanic ethnicity to assess the relationship between living alone and depressive symptoms and evaluate whether any association is conditioned by gender, physical disability, and social support. RESULTS Living alone is associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms among Hispanics but not among non-Hispanics. Variations in social support did not account for the higher overall levels of depression reported by Hispanics living alone relative to their counterparts living with a spouse, partner, or others. However, social support moderated the association between living alone and depression among both Hispanics and non-Hispanics. CONCLUSIONS We discuss the implications of our findings for future research, especially as they relate to observed ethnic differences in the relationship between living alone and depressive symptoms.
Can Semantic Roles Generalize Across Genres?

PropBank has been widely used as training data for Semantic Role Labeling. However, because this training data is taken from the WSJ, the resulting machine learning models tend to overfit on idiosyncrasies of that text’s style, and do not port well to other genres. In addition, since PropBank was designed on a verb-by-verb basis, the argument labels Arg2 - Arg5 get used for very diverse argument roles with inconsistent training instances. For example, the verb “make” uses Arg2 for the “Material” argument; but the verb “multiply” uses Arg2 for the “Extent” argument. As a result, it can be difficult for automatic classifiers to learn to distinguish arguments Arg2-Arg5. We have created a mapping between PropBank and VerbNet that provides a VerbNet thematic role label for each verb-specific PropBank label. Since VerbNet uses argument labels that are more consistent across verbs, we are able to demonstrate that these new labels are easier to learn.
Expression of molecular mediators of apoptosis and their role in the pathogenesis of lower-extremity varicose veins.

PURPOSE In an earlier study, we observed a significant decrease in apoptosis in varicose veins, as compared with healthy veins, indicating that deregulated apoptosis plays a role in the pathogenesis of varicosities. In addition, significant differences were noted in the expression and subcellular localization of the cell cycle regulatory protein, cyclin D1 in varix tissues, as compared with controls. Because cell cycle checkpoint controls are linked to the signaling and execution of apoptotic cascades, we examined the expression of bcl-2 family members bax and bcl-x, known molecular mediators of apoptosis, and that of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a downstream substrate of DNA cleavage. METHODS Twenty varicose vein specimens were retrieved from 20 patients (10 men, 10 women; mean age, 53.6 +/- 4.7 years) undergoing lower-extremity varicose vein excision. Healthy greater saphenous vein segments (n = 27) were obtained from 27 patients (14 men, 13 women; mean age, 59.5 +/- 2.4 years) undergoing infrainguinal arterial bypass grafting surgery. All tissues were distal portions. As per CEAP classification for chronic lower-extremity venous disease, most of the patients were in class 2 for clinical signs (n = 11); some patients were in class 3 (n = 4) or class 4 (n = 4), and only one patient was in class 5. Five 5-microm thick sections from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded specimens were used as a means of immunohistochemically localizing the expression of bax, bcl-x, and PARP, and 10 random high-power fields per section were evaluated by two independent reviewers blinded to the clinical findings. Statistical analyses were conducted by means of chi(2), analysis of variance, Student and Fisher exact t tests with StatView software. RESULTS Immunoreactivity to pro-apoptotic bax was significantly higher in the normal veins (P <.001). Cytoplasmic expression of bcl-x was prominent in the cells of the vasa vasorum in both varicose and healthy veins. PARP expression was diminished in the varicose vein group, with 2.8 +/- 0.7 (P =.01) and 1.4 +/- 0.5 (P =.05) cells per high-power field in the intima and media, respectively. Neither bax nor PARP was noted in the adventitia of varicose veins, although their expression was detected in this layer of the control group (P <.001). CONCLUSION The entry of smooth muscle cells into the apoptotic pathway may be regulated by the induction of bax in this model, because there is significant presence of this pro-apoptotic protein in healthy veins. Both bax and PARP are downregulated in varicose veins, as compared with healthy veins, and this may play a significant role in the pathogenesis of varicose veins.
Fluctuations in growth rates determine the generation time and size distributions of E. coli cells

Isogenic Escherichia coli growing exponentially in a constant environment display large variation in growth-rates, division-sizes and generation-times. It is unclear how these seemingly random cell cycles can be reconciled with the precise regulation required under conditions where the generation time is shorter than the time to replicate the genome. Here we use single molecule microscopy to map the location of the replication machinery to the division cycle of individual cells. We find that the cell-to-cell variation in growth rate is sufficient to explain the corresponding variation in cell size and division timing assuming a simple mechanistic model. In the model, initiation of chromosome replication is triggered at a fixed volume per origin region, and associated with each initiation event is a division event at a growth rate dependent time later. The result implies that cell division in E. coli has no other regulation beyond what is needed to initiate DNA replication at the right volume.
Time Course of Maternal Plasma Volume and Hormonal Changes in Women With Preeclampsia or Fetal Growth Restriction

We tested the hypothesis that women with idiopathic fetal growth restriction (FGR) or preeclampsia (PE) have lower concentrations of some water-retaining hormones, such as aldosterone and estradiol, either preceding or concomitant with the onset of the reduced plasma volume described in these women. Plasma volume and serum concentrations of estradiol, progesterone, and aldosterone were measured serially at monthly intervals in 135 pregnant women from week 10 until term. Twenty-three developed idiopathic FGR, 17 had PE, and 95 remained normotensive and delivered normal-size infants (controls). Changes over time for each variable were studied using mixed models. Maternal age, parity, and weight/height at term were similar in all of the groups. Birth weight, body length, and ponderal index were lower in FGR and PE than in controls. Plasma volume increased throughout pregnancy in controls but was lower in FGR and PE from week 14 to 17 until term. Aldosterone values were lower in PE from week 26 to 29 onwards and in FGR after week 34. Progesterone concentrations were higher in PE than either control or FGR from week 18 to 21 until term. In contrast, FGR pregnancies had reduced progesterone and estradiol concentrations after week 34. Progesterone:estradiol ratio was significantly higher only in the PE group. In mothers with idiopathic FGR or PE, less expansion in plasma volume occurred before alterations in hormonal concentrations. We speculate that the early rise in progesterone may have a pathogenic role in the development of preeclampsia.
Black high school students’ critical racial awareness, school-based racial socialization, and academic resilience

This research focuses on how Black high school students' perceptions of their school-based racial socialization and their racial identities impact their attitudes and dispositions toward school. The author examined the intersection of racial identity and school culture by examining how Black students describe their context-based racial identity and the racialized aspects of their schools’ cultures. The purpose of this research is to help educators who work with Black students understand how to apply a developmental psychology framework that foregrounds the importance of ecology and phenomenology and can be used to leverage the relationship between strong racial identity and academic resilience. PVEST (Spencer, 1997; 2001) provides a psychological framework for educators to both assess the differential identity formation processes of their students and how they can help students navigate the identity formation process.
MicroRouting: A Scalable and Robust Communication Paradigm for Sparse Ad Hoc Networks

Mobile ad hoc networks are self-organizing networks that provide rapid network connectivity in infrastructureless environments. Most routing protocols designed for MANETs assume connected networks. Such a restriction directly limits the application domains of MANETs. In this paper, we study the problem of providing time-critical data delivery in sparse ad hoc networks where network partition can last for a long period, without imposing any restrictions on the node mobility. Supporting real-time communication with unconstrained mobility is important to many mission-critical applications such as battlefields and search and rescue in large-scale disaster areas. In this paper, we propose microrouting networks consisting of tiny nodes similar to sensors but without transducers (called microrouters) as a substrate for time-critical data delivery in sparse MANETs. We describe the microrouting protocol for the resulting hybrid network which exploits the fact that microrouters are stationary, but are constrained by energy and memory. Key features of the microrouting protocol design include stateless architecture and localized route repair. We demonstrate the viability of the microrouting network architecture via detailed simulation evaluation. Our results show that microrouting networks running the microrouting protocol efficiently extend the connectivity of sparse MANETs and provide high packet delivery ratios.
Subjective Knowledge, Search Locations, and Consumer Choice

This article demonstrates that subjective knowledge (i.e., perceived knowledge) can affect the quality of consumers' choices by altering where consumers search. We propose that subjective knowledge increases the likelihood that consumers will locate themselves proximate to stimuli consistent with their subjective knowledge. As such, subjective knowledge influences choice by affecting search selectivity between environments rather than search within the environment. We suggest that the need for self-consistency drives this effect of subjective knowledge on search. Two lab experiments and one field study find support for the effect of subjective knowledge on nutrition search selectivity and choice as well as for the role of self-consistency.
A Circumferential Resection Margin of 1 mm Is a Negative Prognostic Factor in Rectal Cancer Patients With and Without Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy

BACKGROUND: There is ongoing debate about the appropriate criterion for defining a positive circumferential resection margin after radical surgery for rectal cancer. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this work was to determine the importance of the extent of the circumferential resection margin with regard to outcomes in patients with rectal cancer who underwent total mesorectal excision with and without neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. DESIGN: This was a retrospective review of prospectively collected data. SETTINGS: The study was conducted in a tertiary care hospital. PATIENTS: We reviewed the medical charts of 780 patients with rectal cancer who underwent radical surgery from 2004 to 2009. There were 599 patients (76.8%) who did not receive neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and 181 patients (23.2%) who did. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The relationship between the extent of the circumferential resection margin (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 mm) and recurrence and survival was assessed. RESULTS: Among circumferential resection margins ⩽0.5, ⩽1.0, ⩽2.0, and ⩽3.0 mm, the HR was highest and disease-free survival was longest for a circumferential resection margin ⩽1 mm in both the chemoradiotherapy and nonchemoradiotherapy groups. A circumferential resection margin ⩽1 mm, lymphatic invasion, histology, pathologic T category, pathologic N category, preoperative CEA, and adjuvant chemotherapy were independent predictors of disease-free survival in the nonchemoradiotherapy group. In the chemoradiotherapy group, a circumferential resection margin ⩽1 mm and histology were independent predictors of disease-free survival. Multivariate analysis revealed that a circumferential resection margin ⩽1 mm was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in both of the 2 groups. LIMITATIONS: This was a single-institution, retrospective study. CONCLUSIONS: A circumferential resection margin of ⩽1 mm had a strong association with disease-free survival compared with circumferential resection margins ⩽0.5, ⩽2.0, and ⩽3 mm. A circumferential resection margin ⩽1 mm was an independent predictor of a poor outcome in both the nonchemoradiotherapy and chemoradiotherapy groups.
Arousal-Biased Competition in Perception and Memory

Our everyday surroundings besiege us with information. The battle is for a share of our limited attention and memory, with the brain selecting the winners and discarding the losers. Previous research shows that both bottom–up and top–down factors bias competition in favor of high priority stimuli. We propose that arousal during an event increases this bias both in perception and in long-term memory of the event. Arousal-biased competition theory provides specific predictions about when arousal will enhance memory for events and when it will impair it, which accounts for some puzzling contradictions in the emotional memory literature.
Induction of Germinal Centers by MMTV Encoded Superantigen on B Cells

It has not been established whether an endogenous superantigen (SAg) expressed on B cells can induce germinal centers (GCs). An interesting model is that of mammary tumor virus encoded viral SAgs, which induce vigorous T cell proliferation and are predominantly expressed on activated B cells. We have used this model to analyze the possibility that direct stimulation of Mtv7+ DBA/2 B cells by vSAg-responsive (Vbeta6+) BALB/c T cells can give rise to GCs. Injection of BALB/c SCID mice i.v. with 2 x 10(6) DBA/2 B cells, together with LPS, followed by 2 x 10(6) BALB/c T cells induces numerous large splenic GCs within 3-5 days. The GCs are still large on day 7, but are very much reduced by day 10. B cell activation with LPS is needed for this effect. These GCs form in spite of the apparent absence of follicular dendritic cells (FDCs) as judged by staining for several FDC surface markers. Control mice receiving either BALB/c T or DBA/2 B cells + LPS alone or DBA/2 T + B cells + LPS fail to exhibit any GCs on days 3-7. Numerous small clusters of PNA+ cells, but few large GCs are observed when TNF-R(p55)-Ig is also injected, whereas LTbetaR-Ig treatment impeded the formation of aggregations of these cells even further, leaving scattered PNA+ single cells and very small clumps throughout the white pulp of the spleens. Anti-TNFalpha had no effect. These results suggest that endogenous vSAg mediated GC formation is independent of antigen trapping by FDCs.
Molecular cytogenetic analysis of the bladder carcinoma cell line BK‐10 by spectral karyotyping

The bladder cancer cell line BK‐10 was established from a grade III–IV transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). BK‐10 is near‐tetraploid (±4n) and consists of two subclones with 20–25 structural aberrations. Here we report the cytogenetic analysis of BK‐10 by G‐banding, spectral karyotyping (SKY), and FISH. SKY refers to the hybridization of 24 differentially labeled chromosome painting probes and the simultaneous visualization of all human chromosomes using spectral imaging. SKY enabled us to confirm 12 markers in BK‐10 previously described by G‐banding, redefine 11 aberrations, and detect 4 hidden chromosomal rearrangements, 2 of which had been identified as normal or deleted copies of chromosome 20 and 1 as a normal chromosome 3. Twenty out of 21 translocations identified were unbalanced. FISH analysis of BK‐10 using chromosome arm‐specific paints, centromere probes, and oncogene/tumor suppressor gene‐specific probes revealed a deletion of CDKN2A (p16) in all copies of chromosome 9, a low‐level amplification of MYC (five copies), and loss of one copy of TP53; detected the presence of the Y chromosome in a hidden translocation; and detected four copies of ERBB‐2. A probe set for BCR and ABL verified breakpoints for all translocations involving chromosomes 9 and 22. A new karyotype presentation, “SKY‐gram,” is introduced by combining data from G‐banding, SKY, and FISH analysis. This study demonstrates the approach of combining molecular cytogenetic techniques to characterize fully the multiple complex chromosomal rearrangements found in the bladder cancer cell line BK‐10, and to refine the chromosomal breakpoints for all translocations. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 25:53–59, 1999 Published 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Serum Biomarkers of Immune Activation and Subsequent Risk of Non-Hodgkin B-Cell Lymphoma among HIV-Infected Women

Background: There is increasing evidence that chronic immune activation predisposes to non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Whether this association exists among women representative of the current HIV epidemic in the United States who are at high risk of HIV-associated NHL (AIDS-NHL), remains to be determined. Methods: We conducted a nested case–control study within the Women's Interagency HIV Study with longitudinally collected risk factor data and sera. Cases were HIV-infected women with stored sera collected at three time-windows 3 to 5 years, 1 to 3 years, and 0 to 1 year before AIDS-NHL diagnosis (n = 22). Three to six HIV-infected controls, without AIDS-NHL, were matched to each case on age, race, CD4+ T-cell count, and study follow-up time (n = 78). ORs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the association between one unit increase in log-transformed biomarker levels and AIDS-NHL were computed using random effect multivariate logistic regression models. Results: Elevated levels of sCD27 (OR = 7.21; 95% CI, 2.62–19.88), sCD30 (OR = 2.64; 95% CI, 1.24–5.64), and CXCL13 (OR = 2.56; 95% CI, 1.32–4.96) were associated with subsequent diagnosis of AIDS-NHL overall. Elevated sCD23 was associated with a two to three-fold increased risk of AIDS-NHL in certain subgroups, whereas elevated interleukin 6 was associated with a two-fold increased risk in the 0 to 1 year time-window, only. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that chronic B-cell activation contributes to the development of AIDS-NHL in women. Impact: Soluble CD23 (sCD23), sCD27, sCD30, and CXCL13 may serve as biomarkers for AIDS-NHL. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 22(11); 2084–93. ©2013 AACR.
Shear wave elastography using amplitude-modulated acoustic radiation force and phase-sensitive optical coherence tomography

Abstract. Investigating the elasticity of ocular tissue (cornea and intraocular lens) could help the understanding and management of pathologies related to biomechanical deficiency. In previous studies, we introduced a setup based on optical coherence tomography for shear wave elastography (SWE) with high resolution and high sensitivity. SWE determines tissue stiffness from the propagation speed of shear waves launched within tissue. We proposed acoustic radiation force to remotely induce shear waves by focusing an ultrasound (US) beam in tissue, similar to several elastography techniques. Minimizing the maximum US pressure is essential in ophthalmology for safety reasons. For this purpose, we propose a pulse compression approach. It utilizes coded US emissions to generate shear waves where the energy is spread over a long emission, and then numerically compressed into a short, localized, and high-energy pulse. We used a 7.5-MHz single-element focused transducer driven by coded excitations where the amplitude is modulated by a linear frequency-swept square wave (1 to 7 kHz). An inverse filter approach was used for compression. We demonstrate the feasibility of performing shear wave elastography measurements in tissue-mimicking phantoms at low US pressures (mechanical index <0.6).
Latinidad in London : an ethnographic study exploring how Latin American Londoners represent their ethnic community discursively

2 Acknowledgements . 3 Table of contents . 5 List of plates, figures, and tables . 9 List of acronyms . 10 Chapter 1 – Introduction: Researching latinidad in London . 12 1.
One-Year Clinical and Radiological Results of a Prospective, Investigator-Initiated Trial Examining a Novel, Purely Autologous 3-Dimensional Autologous Chondrocyte Transplantation Product in the Knee

Background: The 3-dimensional autologous chondrocyte transplantation (ACT3D) comprises isolation of chondrocytes from cartilage biopsies, cultivation to spheroids, and transplantation into the cartilage defect. Objectives: To evaluate the patients’ general health and functionality and to assess the defect repair after ACT3D with spheroids by MRI and MOCART scoring. Methods: Thirty-seven patients with isolated chondral lesions of the knee underwent ACT3D with spheroids through medial arthrotomy. Patient-administered scores were assessed at baseline (day before transplantation), at 6 weeks, and at 3, 6, and 12 months. MRI and MOCART scoring were performed at 3 and 12 months after ACT3D. Results: Patients were diagnosed with full-thickness patellofemoral (n = 16), femoral condylar (n = 18), or both defect types (n = 3), International Cartilage Repair Society (ICRS) grade 3 or 4, with defect sizes between 1.0 and 12.0 cm2. On average, 59.5 spheroids/cm2 in defect size were transplanted. An overall statistically significant improvement from baseline to 12 months was observed for all assessment scores (Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee [IKDC], SF-36, Tegner) combined with a significant reduction in the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and an advanced defect filling. Subgroup analyses revealed a positive clinical outcome independent on defect size, defect locations, spheroid dosage, age, duration of symptoms, and severity of complaints at baseline. Seven patients experienced in total 8 adverse events, of which knee joint effusion and blocking were assessed as possibly or probably related to ACT3D. Conclusions: The patient-administered assessment scores along with the fast defect filling with ACT3D using spheroids demonstrated an increase in activity level and quality of life after a 1-year follow-up.