Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Segmented three-dimensional echo-planar flow imaging of the cervical carotid arteries.

PURPOSE To implement and assess the application of segmented three-dimensional echo-planar MR imaging time-of-flight flow sequences for studying the anatomy of the cervical carotid arteries at 1.5 T. METHODS The 3-D echo-planar sequences were segmented along the in-plane phase-encoding direction. Echo train lengths (ETLs) of 3 and 5 and signal bandwidths of +/-25, +/-33, and +/-50 KHz were tested along with a conventional (ETL = 1) 3-D MR flow study in six healthy volunteers and in five patients with known arteriosclerotic disease involving the carotid bifurcation as confirmed by conventional angiography. The volunteer data were used to rank the techniques with respect to vessel dimension, vessel/background contrast, and quality by four trained neuroradiologists. For the patient studies, the percentage of stenoses was measured for all MR studies and compared against the conventional angiographic data using the criteria of the North American Symptomatic Carotid Endarterectomy Trial. RESULTS Using Wilcoxon's test statistic and a significance level of . 05, we found that the conventional MR flow examination was better than the segmented techniques and that the segmented techniques with ETL of 3 were superior to their counterparts with ETL of 5. For the ETL of 3 techniques, the high-bandwidth studies were inferior to their lower bandwidth counterparts; however, there was no significant difference between the performance of the medium- and low-bandwidth sequences. The patient data revealed that the segmented techniques consistently overestimated the severity of stenosis; however, in no instance did any of the segmented examinations erroneously indicate the presence of disease. CONCLUSIONS The reduction in acquisition time and the zero false-positive rate we obtained suggest that segmented 3-D echo-planar MR flow techniques may be used as a screening/locating study for cervical carotid artery disease.
Effect of amputation level on energy expenditure during overground walking by children with an amputation.

BACKGROUND The oxygen cost of walking by adults with an amputation has been well described, but few studies have focused on this parameter in children who have had an amputation. Children with a transtibial amputation have been reported to maintain walking speed at a 15% higher oxygen cost than able-bodied children. The purpose of this study was to determine if the level of amputation in children has a differential impact on the self-selected speed of walking and the oxygen cost, and how the performance of these children compares with that of a group of able-bodied children. METHODS Seventy-three children who had had an amputation participated in this study. Oxygen consumption was measured with a Cosmed K4b2 oxygen analysis telemetry unit (Rome, Italy) as the participants walked overground for ten minutes at a self-selected speed. One minute of steady-state data were reduced, averaged, and standardized to control values. Children with a unilateral amputation were grouped according to the level of the amputation; there were twenty-nine Syme, thirteen transtibial, fourteen knee disarticulation, five transfemoral, and five hip disarticulation amputations. Seven children had had a bilateral amputation, and they were considered as a separate group. Comparisons were made among the five amputation groups and between all children who had undergone amputation and control subjects. The variables that were analyzed were resting VO(2) rate (mL/kg/min), resting heart rate (beats per minute [bpm]), walking VO(2) rate (mL/kg/min), walking VO(2) cost (mL/kg/m), walking heart rate (bpm), and self-selected walking velocity (m/min). RESULTS Unilateral transfemoral and hip disarticulation amputations resulted in significantly reduced walking speed (80% and 72% of normal, respectively) and increased VO(2) cost (151% and 161% of normal, respectively), while the heart rate was significantly increased in the hip disarticulation group (124% of normal). Compared with the controls, the children with a bilateral amputation walked significantly slower (87% of normal), with an elevated heart rate (119% of normal) but a similar energy cost. Children with a Syme amputation, transtibial amputation, or knee disarticulation walked with essentially the same speed and oxygen cost as did normal children in the same age group. CONCLUSIONS Children with an amputation through the knee or distal to the knee were able to maintain a normal walking speed without significantly increasing their energy cost. Only when the amputation is above the knee do children walk significantly slower and with an increased energy cost.
Economics Versus Politics: Pitfalls of Policy Advice

The standard approach to policy-making and advice in economics implicitly or explicitly ignores politics and political economy, and maintains that if possible, any market failure should be rapidly removed. This essay explains why this conclusion may be incorrect; because it ignores politics, this approach is oblivious to the impact of the removal of market failures on future political equilibria and economic efficiency, which can be deleterious. We first outline a simple framework for the study of the impact of current economic policies on future political equilibria and indirectly on future economic outcomes. We then illustrate the mechanisms through which such impacts might operate using a series of examples. The main message is that sound economic policy should be based on a careful analysis of political economy and should factor in its influence on future political equilibria.
Yersinia pestis: Correlation of Ultrastructure and Immunological Status

Ultrastructural identification and localization of the fraction 1 “envelope” antigen in the plague bacillus Yersinia pestis were the primary objectives of this brief study. The antigenicity of extra-cellular material between the bacilli in undisturbed cultured colonies and that of the pathogen per se were measured and correlated by means of the semi quantitative complement fixation method after incubation for 72 h at 37 C. When the amount of extracellular substance in wild-type T1 (virulent) bacteria was compared by electron microscopy with that in avirulent strains of Y. pestis, with and without passage through guinea pigs, we found that the material of interest was greatly attenuated or even absent in colonies that had not been passed through animals, whereas passage markedly augmented production of the material. We also explored the requirement for larger quantities of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the culture media and discovered that without these ions production of the extracellular material was limited. These observations support the hypothesis that this extracellular substance between cultured Y. pestis bacilli of various strains represents the source of the fraction 1 envelope antigen.
Transcriptional activation by heterodimers of the achaete‐scute and daughterless gene products of Drosophila.

The achaete‐scute complex (AS‐C) and the daughterless (da) genes encode helix‐loop‐helix proteins which have been shown to interact in vivo and to be required for neurogenesis. We show in vitro that heterodimers of three AS‐C products with DA bind DNA strongly, whereas DA homodimers bind weakly and homo or heterocombinations of AS‐C products not at all. Proteins unable to dimerize did not bind DNA. Target sequences for the heterodimers were found in the promoters of the hunchback and the achaete genes. Using sequences of the former we show that the DNA binding results obtained in vitro fully correlate with the ability of different combinations to activate the expression of a reporter gene in yeast. Embryos deficient for the lethal of scute gene fail to activate hunchback in some neural lineages in a pattern consistent with the lack of a member of a multigene family.
Domestic Devils, Battlefield Angels: The Radicalism of American Womanhood, 1830–1865

the postwar Army and ended the traditional reliance on the citizen-soldier. The author’s interpretations are fresh and cogent. allhough questions remain. Can thousands of unnecessary casualties really be written off as political necessity? Goss also may overstate the importance of the draft, considering the small number of draftees who actually served. His comparisons with later wars, which were not civil wars, might be questioned. The book also would have benefited from better editing to reduce redundant statements, clarify muddy generalizations, purge the passive voice, and eliminate such lame usages as the promoting of “task” to a verb. These points aside, however, Major Goss has produced a useful book that deserves a wide audience, both academic and public.
The Meaning of Genetic Research Results: Reflections from Individuals with and without a Known Genetic Disorder

In the debate about whether to return individual genetic results to research participants, consideration of the nature of results has taken precedence over contextual factors associated with different study designs and populations. We conducted in-depth interviews with 24 individuals who participated in a genotype-driven study of cystic fibrosis: 9 of the individuals had cystic fibrosis, 15 had participated as healthy volunteers, and all had gene variants of interest to the researchers. These interviews revealed that the two groups had different ideas about the meaning-fulness of genetic results. Our findings point to the importance of understanding research context, such as participants' relationship with the researcher and whether they have the disease condition under study, when considering whether to return individual results.
Specific activities and transcript levels of glycolytic enzymes under dehydration in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seedlings

The effect of dehydration on the specific activities and transcript levels of several glycolytic enzymes was determined in two chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) cultivars- Pusa362 (drought tolerant) and SBD377 (drought sensitive). Dehydration treatment was imposed on 6 days old chickpea seedlings by removing them from pots and keeping them on table top on 3MM Whatman paper at room temperature for 5 h. The stress imposed was judged by determining relative water content (RWC) and proline content. RWC decreased and proline content accumulated after five hours of dehydration treatment. The decline in RWC was higher in SBD377 than in Pusa362, while varietal differences were absent in proline content. With the exception of NADP-glyceraldehyde-3-phospahte dehydrogense, whose activity as well as transcript level showed marginal decrease in both the varieties, dehydration had little effect on all glycolytic enzymes studied.
Psychological Well-Being and Metabolic Syndrome: Findings From the Midlife in the United States National Sample

Objectives Psychological well-being predicts favorable cardiovascular outcomes, but less evidence addresses biological mediators underlying these effects. Therefore, associations among well-being and metabolic syndrome (MetSyn) were examined in a national sample. Methods Survey of Midlife in the US participants (MIDUS; n = 1205) provided survey assessments of hedonic (positive affect, life satisfaction) and eudaimonic well-being (e.g., personal growth and purpose in life) at two waves 9 to 10 years apart. MetSyn components were measured during an overnight clinic visit at Time 2 only. Outcomes included the number of MetSyn risk factors and a binary outcome reflective of MetSyn status. Results The unadjusted prevalence of MetSyn was 36.6%. Life satisfaction (B [standard error {SE}] = −0.12 [0.04], p = .005), positive affect (B [SE] = −0.10 [0.04], p = .009), and personal growth (B [SE] = −0.10 [0.04], p = .012) predicted fewer MetSyn components and lower risk of meeting diagnostic criteria in fully adjusted models. Results were unchanged by adjustments for depressive symptoms, and were not moderated by age, sex, race, or socioeconomic status. Life satisfaction (B [SE] = −0.11 [0.05], p = .023) and a eudaimonic well-being composite (B [SE] = −0.11 [0.05], p = .045) also predicted fewer components and lower risk of meeting diagnostic criteria in longitudinal models. Conclusions Psychosocial resources, including positive affect, life satisfaction, and personal growth, predicted reduced risk for MetSyn both cross sectionally and longitudinally. Further work should examine consequences of these linkages for cardiovascular outcomes in intervention contexts.
Social Support Interactions and Processes Across Cultures

Culture influences the manner in which individuals seek and benefit from social support interactions. To address this cultural influence, we studied the biological, behavioral, and psychological responses of Asian-Americans (AAs) and European-Americans (EAs) to reciprocal and unilateral support interactions. The study consisted of female participants primed to have either reciprocal or unilateral support interactions in the laboratory. We measured mood, blood pressure, heart rate, behaviors coded from the video recording of the interaction, and perceptions of the interaction. AAs were predicted to find reciprocal interactions less distressing than unilateral interactions whereas EAs were predicted to rate reciprocal and unilateral interactions equally. Results indicated that EAs benefited more overall from the support interactions than AAs and unilateral interactions were more beneficial than reciprocal interactions. Interestingly, objective observations of the support interactions indicated that AAs were less engaged in reciprocal interactions compared to unilateral interactions, which we attribute to the anticipation of participating in a second support interaction. These differences are attributed to cultural differences in self-disclosure and relational concerns.
Thalidomide neuropathy in patients treated for metastatic prostate cancer

We prospectively evaluated thalidomide‐induced neuropathy using electrodiagnostic studies. Sixty‐seven men with metastatic androgen‐independent prostate cancer in an open‐label trial of oral thalidomide underwent neurologic examinations and nerve conduction studies (NCS) prior to and at 3‐month intervals during treatment. NCS included recording of sensory nerve action potentials (SNAPs) from median, radial, ulnar, and sural nerves. SNAP amplitudes for each nerve were expressed as the percentage of its baseline, and the mean of the four was termed the SNAP index. A 40% decline in the SNAP index was considered clinically significant. Thalidomide was discontinued in 55 patients for lack of therapeutic response. Of 67 patients initially enrolled, 24 remained on thalidomide for 3 months, 8 remained at 6 months, and 3 remained at 9 months. Six patients developed neuropathy. Clinical symptoms and a decline in the SNAP index occurred concurrently. Older age and cumulative dose were possible contributing factors. Neuropathy may thus be a common complication of thalidomide in older patients. The SNAP index can be used to monitor peripheral neuropathy, but not for early detection. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 24: 1050–1057, 2001
Infraclavicular block causes less discomfort than axillary block in ambulatory patients

Background: This randomized study was designed to compare discomfort caused by axillary or infraclavicular blocks in ambulatory patients. We identified which of the three block components, needle passes, local anesthetic (LA) injections, and electrical stimulations, is most painful and quantified pain intensity on a visual analog scale (VAS 0–100). We also assessed onset and quality of analgesia, adverse events and patients' acceptance.
South African newspaper ethics and the politics of cultural belonging: Reflections on The Spear

This article considers journalism ethics in South Africa by examining the decisions of an Editor first to publish an image and then retract it in response to a public outcry. Notwithstanding South Africa’s constitutional framework that recognises both the Rights to Freedom of Expression and Dignity, this article argues that underlying her decision-making and the public responses to it are contested views about the politics of representation, ‘belonging’ and citizenship. This contestation is approached through Mamdani’s concept of the colonial construction of ‘citizen’ and ‘subject’ and Calhoun’s arguments about the significance of ‘ethnic identifications’ as the basis of ‘solidarity’ and belonging, despite Brubaker’s concern about how such ethnic identifications can be appropriated for opportunistic political ends. This article proposes that the ethical challenges presented by such a scenario can be addressed through Fraser’s philosophical strategy of seeing identity politics as claims for social justice, not ‘recognition’.
The Methodology of Inequality

S. M. MILLER'S REVIEW of Inequality raises the question of whether the evidence we assembled really proves what we say it proves. Howard Taylor's comments are intended to show that it does not. My comments will therefore be directed to Taylor's arguments. First, however, I must try to clear up certain misconceptions about the conten,ts of the book. (1) Inequality does not say that "the number of years a person spends in school has little effect upon later occupational and income attainment. " Taylor's Figure 1, which comes from Inequality, Figure B-7, shows that even after controlling background and initial ability, men who differ by one standard deviation in educational attainment typically differ by (0.504+0.217) (0.099) 0.526 standard deviations in occupational status. This is a large effect by any standards, including those used in Inequality. "Our first conclusion is that occupational status is strongly related to educational attainment" (p. 191). 1 Likewise, Table 7-4 of Inequality shows that among full-time, year-round workers, college graduates earn twice as much as those who only finish 8th grade. Inequality attributes about 40 percent of this gap to differences in family background and initial ability and 60 percent to school per se. A 60 percent income increase is not large relative to the overall gap between rich and poor in America, but it isn't exactly trivial. (2) Inequality does not use the results of path analyses on white non-farm males to draw conclusions about blacks. We deliberately separated whites from blacks in our analyses, precisely because we recognized the danger of making inferences about blacks from samples that were predominantly white. We then devoted special sections of each chapter to blacks. These sections were all based on studies which separated blacks from whites. The data on blacks includel the 1962 CPS survey of "Occupational Change in a Generation" (CPS-OCG), the 1966 Equality of Educational Opportunity Survey, Philip Cutright's unpublished work with the Social Security records of black and white
Pause, breathe, smile: a mixed-methods study of student well-being following participation in an eight-week, locally developed mindfulness program in three New Zealand schools

Abstract Children today face increasingly high stress levels, impacting their well-being. Schools can play a crucial role in teaching social and emotional skills; therefore there is a need to identify effective interventions. This mixed-methods study of 124 elementary school students from three New Zealand schools aimed to (1) assess if children experienced improved well-being after an eight-week mindfulness program, and (2) understand their perceptions of the program. Participants completed these self-rated scales: the Mindful Awareness Attention Scale for Children and the Stirling Children’s Well-being Scale. Six children were interviewed about their perceptions and classroom teachers’ observations were reviewed. Quantitative data indicated a steady increase in students’ mindfulness, while well-being increased significantly but returned to baseline levels at three-month follow up. Changes in mindfulness were positively related to changes in well-being. The study results suggest the importance of offering mindfulness-based programs for potential improvements in students’ well-being.
Analysis of HP1α regulation in human breast cancer cells

The three mammalian HP1 proteins, HP1α/CBX5, HP1β/CBX1, and HPγ/CBX3, are involved in chromatin packing and gene regulation. The HP1α protein is down‐regulated in invasive compared to non‐invasive breast cancer cells and HP1α is a suppressor of cell migration and invasion. In this report, we examined the background for HP1α protein down‐regulation in invasive breast cancer cells. We identified a strict correlation between HP1α down‐regulation at the protein level and the mRNA level. The HP1α mRNA down‐regulation in invasive cancer cells was not caused by mRNA destabilization. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis of the HP1α gene showed a decrease in the histone mark for transcriptional activity H3‐K36 tri‐methylation and RNA polymerase II in invasive breast cancer cells which correlated with a decreased abundance of basal transcription factors at the HP1α promoter. E2F transcription factors regulate HP1α transcription and we identified that E2F5 depletion increased HP1α expression in invasive breast cancer cells. Finally, we have characterized two HP1α mRNA isoforms and both HP1α mRNA isoforms were down‐regulated to a similar extend at the transcriptional level in invasive breast cancer cells. Collectively the presented results show that HP1α down‐regulation in invasive breast cancer cells is primary a transcriptional effect and demonstrates a novel set of mechanisms involved in HP1α transcriptional regulation. The finding that HP1α is down‐regulated primarily at the transcriptional level provides a new insight for the further elucidation of the detailed molecular mechanisms causing the HP1α down‐regulation in invasive breast cancer cells. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An Empirical Integration of Goal Orientation and the Theory of Planned Behaviour

This paper investigates the efficacy of an integrated model, consisting of the theory of planned behaviour and goal orientation, in predicting innovation adoption behaviour. The model was used to predict innovation adoption behaviours using a sample of 80 egg farmers. The results showed that most of the hypothesized relationships within the theory of planned behaviour were supported. In particular, attitudes and subjective norms were significant predictors of intentions, which subsequently predicted innovation adoption behaviour. Furthermore, learning goal orientation was a significant positive predictor of intentions and innovation adoption, and this relationship was partially mediated by attitudes.