Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of a Standardized Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment Tool for Radiologists: Validation, Multisource Reliability, and Lessons Learned.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to develop and test a standardized communication skills assessment instrument for radiology. MATERIALS AND METHODS The Delphi method was used to validate the Kalamazoo Communication Skills Assessment instrument for radiology by revising and achieving consensus on the 43 items of the preexisting instrument among an interdisciplinary team of experts consisting of five radiologists and four nonradiologists (two men, seven women). Reviewers assessed the applicability of the instrument to evaluation of conversations between radiology trainees and trained actors portraying concerned parents in enactments about bad news, radiation risks, and diagnostic errors that were video recorded during a communication workshop. Interrater reliability was assessed by use of the revised instrument to rate a series of enactments between trainees and actors video recorded in a hospital-based simulator center. Eight raters evaluated each of seven different video-recorded interactions between physicians and parent-actors. RESULTS The final instrument contained 43 items. After three review rounds, 42 of 43 (98%) items had an average rating of relevant or very relevant for bad news conversations. All items were rated as relevant or very relevant for conversations about error disclosure and radiation risk. Reliability and rater agreement measures were moderate. The intraclass correlation coefficient range was 0.07-0.58; mean, 0.30; SD, 0.13; and median, 0.30. The range of weighted kappa values was 0.03-0.47; mean, 0.23; SD, 0.12; and median, 0.22. Ratings varied significantly among conversations (χ26 = 1186; p < 0.0001) and varied significantly by viewing order, rater type, and rater sex. CONCLUSION The adapted communication skills assessment instrument is highly relevant for radiology, having moderate interrater reliability. These findings have important implications for assessing the relational competencies of radiology trainees.
Hemolytic uremic syndrome without hemolytic anemia: a case report.

Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia and acute renal failure. Most cases of HUS are caused by E. coli O157:H7 verotoxin. In the case reported here, diarrhea continued for twenty days after an E. coli 0157:H7 infection and was followed by acute renal failure and thrombocytopenia. Examination of percutaneous renal biopsy tissue showed typical HUS findings, e.g., mesangiolysis in glomeruli and thickening of capillary walls with prominent double outlines, but there was no indication of hemolytic anemia. LDH and haptoglobin, indications of hemolytic anemia, were in the normal range throughout the patient's clinical course. The patient's red blood cells had P1 antigen, which reportedly provides protection by adsorption of toxin into the red blood cells thereby preventing or limiting toxic damage to other organs. Therefore, we assumed that because of the expression of P1 antigen in this patient, the kidneys were not severely damaged and microangiopathic hemolytic anemia was thereby avoided.
Intercultural competence and student engagement of U.S. community college Students: a mixed method study

Abstract In a culturally diverse society, United States community colleges are ideally positioned to develop intercultural competence in students. This mixed method study focused on the relationship between student engagement, as measured by the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) (2005), and intercultural competence, as assessed by the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) (Bennett & Hammer, 1998). Student scores from the IDI were correlated with five benchmark measures of the CCSSE. Four of the five CCSSE benchmarks were significantly correlated with IDI scores. Then, students scoring in the highest and lowest quartiles on the IDI participated in focus groups to explore their perceptions of intercultural competence. Analysis revealed implications for community college leaders that include the value of using instruments like the CSSE and IDI to assess students’ intercultural competence. Practical implications also included the importance of collaborative classroom activities and exposure to racially and ethnically diverse faculty and students, as well as college-sponsored community service, cultural events, and study-abroad opportunities
Temporal Analysis of Coxiella burnetii Morphological Differentiation

ABSTRACT Coxiella burnetii undergoes a poorly defined developmental cycle that generates morphologically distinct small-cell variants (SCV) and large-cell variants (LCV). We developed a model to study C. burnetii morphogenesis that uses Vero cells synchronously infected with homogeneous SCV (Nine Mile strain in phase II) harvested from aged infected cell cultures. A time course transmission electron microscopic analysis over 8 days of intracellular growth was evaluated in conjunction with one-step growth curves to correlate morphological differentiations with growth cycle phase. Lag phase occurred during the first 2 days postinfection (p.i.) and was primarily composed of SCV-to-LCV morphogenesis. LCV forms predominated over the next 4 days, during which exponential growth was observed. Calculated generation times during exponential phase were 10.2 h (by quantitative PCR assay) and 11.7 h (by replating fluorescent focus-forming unit assay). Stationary phase began at approximately 6 days p.i. and coincided with the reappearance of SCV, which increased in number at 8 days p.i. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR demonstrated maximal expression of scvA, which encodes an SCV-specific protein, at 8 days p.i. , while immunogold transmission electron microscopy revealed degradation of ScvA throughout lag and exponential phases, with increased expression observed at the onset of stationary phase. Collectively, these results indicate that the overall growth cycle of C. burnetii is characteristic of a closed bacterial system and that the replicative form of the organism is the LCV. The experimental model described in this report will allow a global transcriptome and proteome analysis of C. burnetii developmental forms.
Role of c‐Jun concentration in neuronal cell death

A dimer of the basic region leucine zipper proteins c‐Jun and c‐Fos constitutes the classical activator protein‐1 (AP‐1) transcription factor. c‐Jun is thought to play essential roles in many important cellular pathways, including the control of proliferation and cell death. To investigate the roles of c‐Jun and c‐Fos concentrations in the regulation of neuronal cell death, we generated conditional alleles by fusing c‐Jun and c‐Fos to the ligand binding domain of the murine estrogen receptor (ER), with the aim of controlling the biological activities of c‐Jun and c‐Fos by the synthetic ligand 4‐hydroxytamoxifen (4OHT). Transient transfection experiments revealed an increase in AP‐1 activity following transfection of an expression vector encoding a c‐Jun/estrogen receptor fusion protein (c‐JunER) and stimulation with 4OHT. In contrast, a c‐Fos/estrogen receptor fusion protein (c‐FosER) was only weakly active in HT22 immortalized hippocampal cells and in PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. Highest levels of AP‐1 activity were obtained by cotransfection of c‐FosER and c‐JunER and stimulation with 4OHT. Using retroviral gene transfer, we generated HT22 and PC12 cells expressing either c‐JunER or c‐FosER. The AP‐1 activity was moderately increased in 4OHT‐treated HT22 and PC12 cells expressing c‐JunER, whereas no biological activity was observed in cells expressing c‐FosER. We tested the influcence of 4OHT‐activated c‐JunER or c‐FosER upon cell survival and cell death by quantification of mitochondrial reduction capacity of 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide to formazan dye crystals. We did not observe any 4OHT‐dependent decrease in cell survival in cells expressing c‐JunER or c‐FosER. Likewise, the number of pycnic nuclei did not increase in HT22 or PC12 cells expressing c‐JunER or c‐FosER. We conclude that an increase in the c‐Jun concentration is not sufficient to trigger neuronal cell death. We propose that it is not the concentration of c‐Jun that is critical for cell survival but rather the concentration of active, i.e., phosphorylated c‐Jun. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reconfigurable nanowire electronics — Device principles and circuit prospects

Reconfigurable Nanowire Transistors merge the electrical properties of unipolar n- and p- type FETs into a single type of device with identic technology, geometry and composition. These four-terminal nanowire transistors employ an electric signal to dynamically program unipolar n- or p-type behavior. More than reducing the technological complexity, they open up the possibility of dynamically programming the functions of circuits at the device level, i.e. enabling a fine-grain reconfiguration of complex functions. We will review different reconfigurable concepts, analyze the transport properties and finally assess their maturity for building circuits.
Triage with the French Emergency Nurses Classification in Hospital scale: reliability and validity

Introduction The FRench Emergency Nurses Classification in Hospital scale (FRENCH) is the first French triage tool for patients visiting an emergency department. The FRENCH scale modified in 2006, based on about 100 determinants (complaints, signs, and vital parameters), allows the triage of adult patients according to five increasing levels of complexity/severity. We evaluated FRENCH version 2 (v.2) in our emergency department. Methods Reliability was evaluated on 300 prospectively selected patient records (50% of patients admitted). Three nurse pairs, blinded with respect to the original triage, retrospectively and independently triaged 100 patients. Interrater reliability within the pairs was measured with a weighted κ. Validity was evaluated on all triaged patients (N=941) over 14 days by studying the relationships between the original triage category assigned by the triage nurse and resource consumption and the admission rate. Results Interrater reliability was good [K=0.77 (95% confidence interval: 0.71–0.82)]. Distribution of the 941 patients included in the validation study (18% of whom were admitted) was as follows [n (%)]: 2 (0.2), 33 (4), 258 (27), 451 (48), and 197 (21) for a triage from 1 to 5, respectively. Resource consumption correlated well with case severity as assessed by the triage category (R=−0.643, P<0.0001). Finally, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for prediction of admission as a function of triage was 0.858 (95% confidence interval: 0.831–0.885). Conclusion FRENCH v.2 is a reliable and validated triage tool to predict the complexity/severity of a patient in our emergency department.
Obesity is a risk factor for dyspnea but not for airflow obstruction.

BACKGROUND Previous research suggests that obesity is an important risk factor for asthma. However, since obesity can cause dyspnea through mechanisms other than airflow obstruction, diagnostic misclassification of asthma could partially account for this association. OBJECTIVE To determine whether there is a relationship between obesity and airflow obstruction. METHODS A total of 16 171 participants (17 years or older) from the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) were divided into 5 quintiles based on their body mass index (BMI) to determine the association between BMI quintile and risk of self-reported asthma, bronchodilator use, exercise performance, and airflow obstruction. Significant airflow obstruction was defined as a ratio less than 80% the predicted value of forced expiratory volume in 1 second to forced vital capacity adjusted for age, sex, and race. RESULTS The highest BMI quintile (ie, the most obese participants) had the greatest risk of self-reported asthma (odds ratio [OR], 1.50; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.24-1.81), bronchodilator use (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.38-2.72), and dyspnea with exertion (OR, 2.66; 95% CI, 2.35-3.00). Paradoxically, the highest BMI quintile had the lowest risk for significant airflow obstruction (P =.001). CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that while obesity is a risk factor for self-reported asthma, obese participants are at a lower risk for (objective) airflow obstruction. Many more obese than nonobese participants were using bronchodilators despite a lack of objective evidence for airflow obstruction. These data suggest that mechanisms other than airflow obstruction are responsible for dyspnea genesis in obesity and that asthma might be overdiagnosed in the obese population.
Reconsidering gender roles on MTV: Depictions in the most popular music videos of the early 1990s

Gender portrayals in MTVs “Top 100 of the ‘90s, So Far. ”; music video compilation were analyzed in order to determine whether content regulations and musical format changes implemented near the close of the 1980s had a significant impact on the ways in which women and men were presented in the most popular videos shown on the network in the early 1990s. The analysis revealed that even though MTV executives might have become more aware of gender issues as the new decade began, the popular music videos they presented continued to underrepresent women and portray them in a manner that emphasized physical appearance rather than musical ability.
The Unique hmuY Gene Sequence as a Specific Marker of Porphyromonas gingivalis

Porphyromonas gingivalis, a major etiological agent of chronic periodontitis, acquires heme from host hemoproteins using the HmuY hemophore. The aim of this study was to develop a specific P. gingivalis marker based on a hmuY gene sequence. Subgingival samples were collected from 66 patients with chronic periodontitis and 40 healthy subjects and the entire hmuY gene was analyzed in positive samples. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that both the amino acid sequence of the HmuY protein and the nucleotide sequence of the hmuY gene are unique among P. gingivalis strains/isolates and show low identity to sequences found in other species (below 50 and 56%, respectively). In agreement with these findings, a set of hmuY gene-based primers and standard/real-time PCR with SYBR Green chemistry allowed us to specifically detect P. gingivalis in patients with chronic periodontitis (77.3%) and healthy subjects (20%), the latter possessing lower number of P. gingivalis cells and total bacterial cells. Isolates from healthy subjects possess the hmuY gene-based nucleotide sequence pattern occurring in W83/W50/A7436 (n = 4), 381/ATCC 33277 (n = 3) or TDC60 (n = 1) strains, whereas those from patients typically have TDC60 (n = 21), W83/W50/A7436 (n = 17) and 381/ATCC 33277 (n = 13) strains. We observed a significant correlation between periodontal index of risk of infectiousness (PIRI) and the presence/absence of P. gingivalis (regardless of the hmuY gene-based sequence pattern of the isolate identified [r = 0.43; P = 0.0002] and considering particular isolate pattern [r = 0.38; P = 0.0012]). In conclusion, we demonstrated that the hmuY gene sequence or its fragments may be used as one of the molecular markers of P. gingivalis.
Molecular hijacking of siroheme for the synthesis of heme and d1 heme

Modified tetrapyrroles such as chlorophyll, heme, siroheme, vitamin B12, coenzyme F430, and heme d1 underpin a wide range of essential biological functions in all domains of life, and it is therefore surprising that the syntheses of many of these life pigments remain poorly understood. It is known that the construction of the central molecular framework of modified tetrapyrroles is mediated via a common, core pathway. Herein a further branch of the modified tetrapyrrole biosynthesis pathway is described in denitrifying and sulfate-reducing bacteria as well as the Archaea. This process entails the hijacking of siroheme, the prosthetic group of sulfite and nitrite reductase, and its processing into heme and d1 heme. The initial step in these transformations involves the decarboxylation of siroheme to give didecarboxysiroheme. For d1 heme synthesis this intermediate has to undergo the replacement of two propionate side chains with oxygen functionalities and the introduction of a double bond into a further peripheral side chain. For heme synthesis didecarboxysiroheme is converted into Fe-coproporphyrin by oxidative loss of two acetic acid side chains. Fe-coproporphyrin is then transformed into heme by the oxidative decarboxylation of two propionate side chains. The mechanisms of these reactions are discussed and the evolutionary significance of another role for siroheme is examined.
Managing Self-Uncertainty Through Group Identification

Hogg's uncertainty-identity theory (UIT) is briefly described to identify similarities and differences to Van den Bos's uncertainty management model (UMM). Against a background of significant overlap in scope, mission and concepts, four differences are identified: First, UMM is primarily a theory of motivation for ideological conviction; UIT is a theory of motivation for group identification. Second, UMM talks about personal uncertainty; UIT talks about self-uncertainty—the implications of this difference in terminology are discussed. Third, both theories focus on uncertainty about self; but UIT also focuses on an array of moderating variables that affect the experience of uncertainty and the way in which self-uncertainty is reduced. Finally, and most significantly, UMM does not detail the process of uncertainty reduction; UIT does—it specifies social cognitive processes that reduce self-uncertainty and contexts that direct these processes toward “normal” group phenomena or toward more extreme group phenomena.
Posterior cingulate activation during moral dilemma in adolescents

Neuroimaging research examining correlates of adolescent behavioral maturation has focused largely on issues related to higher cognitive development. Currently few studies have explored neural correlates of emotional reactivity in adolescent groups. In this study, we sought to examine the nature of posterior cingulate activation during situations of moral dilemma in normal adolescents. We focused on this region because of emerging evidence that suggests its role in emotionally self‐relevant mental processing. Ten healthy teenagers, aged from 14 to 16 years, underwent three fMRI sequences designed to examine (i) brain responses during moral dilemma; (ii) brain responses during passive viewing of the moral dilemma outcome; and (iii); “deactivation” during a simple cognitive task compared with resting‐state activity. Our main finding was that during moral dilemma, all subjects showed significant activation of the posterior cingulate cortex, and more variable activation of the medial frontal cortex and angular gyrus. Interestingly, these findings were replicated in each subject using the passive viewing task, suggesting that the previous pattern was not specific to moral reasoning or decision making. Finally, six of the ten subjects showed deactivation of the same posterior cingulate region during the cognitive task, indicating some commonality of function between posterior cingulate activity during moral dilemmas and rest. We propose that these posterior cingulate changes may relate to basic neuronal activities associated with processing self‐relevant emotional stimuli. Given the high single‐subject reproducibility of posterior cingulate activations, our findings may contribute to further characterize adolescent emotional reactivity in developmental neuroimaging studies. Hum Brain Mapp, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effects of heritage language instruction on first language proficiency: a psycholinguistic perspective

Abstract This study investigates the effects of weekly heritage language (HL) classes on first language (L1) proficiency in speakers who arrived in the second language (L2)-dominant setting before the onset of puberty. Two groups of L1 Spanish – L2 Swedish bilingual high school students living in Sweden participated in the study. One group currently attended HL classes once a week, whereas the other group was no longer doing so. The two groups did not differ with regard to the total number of years of HL class attendance, age of arrival in Sweden, length of residence or degree of L1 contact. Results from a grammaticality judgement test and a cloze test showed that the group that currently attended HL classes outperformed the non-attending group. Using a framework that emphasises heightened attrition susceptibility among speakers who lost contact with the L1-dominant setting before puberty, the study suggests that HL classes function as a factor that, all other things being equal, may counterweigh attrition susceptibility. Moreover, it is suggested that the effects of HL classes on L1 proficiency are short term rather than long term. That is to say, once attendance ceases the counterweighing effect is less visible.
Transgenic Mice Expressing the Nmnat1 Protein Manifest Robust Delay in Axonal Degeneration In Vivo

Axonal degeneration is a key component of a variety of neurological diseases. Studies using wlds mutant mice have demonstrated that delaying axonal degeneration slows disease course and prolongs survival in neurodegenerative disease models. The Wlds protein is normally localized to the nucleus, and contains the N terminus of ubiquitination factor Ube4b fused to full-length Nmnat1, an NAD biosynthetic enzyme. While Nmnat enzymatic activity is necessary for Wlds-mediated axonal protection, several important questions remain including whether the Ube4b component of Wlds also plays a role, and in which cellular compartment (nucleus vs cytosol) the axonal protective effects of Nmnat activity are mediated. While Nmnat alone is clearly sufficient to delay axonal degeneration in cultured neurons, we sought to determine whether it was also sufficient to promote axonal protection in vivo. Using cytNmnat1, an engineered mutant of Nmnat1 localized only to the cytoplasm and axon, that provides more potent axonal protection than that afforded by Wlds or Nmnat1, we generated transgenic mice using the prion protein promoter (PrP). The sciatic nerve of these cytNmnat1 transgenic mice was transected, and microscopic analysis of the distal nerve segment 7 d later revealed no evidence of axonal loss or myelin debris, indicating that Nmnat alone, without any other Wlds sequences, is all that is required to delay axonal degeneration in vivo. These results highlight the importance of understanding the mechanism of Nmnat-mediated axonal protection for the development of new treatment strategies for neurological disorders.
DNA METHYLATION AND SOMATIC EMBRYOGENESIS OF ORCHARDGRASS ( DACTYLIS GLOMERATA L . )

Coupled restriction digestion with HpaII/MspI and EcoRII/BstNI was performed to detect the methylation level of CCGG and CC(A/T)GG sites, respectively, in DNA of leaf explants, embryogenic and non-embryogenic calli as well as of various morphological structures from different developmental stages of somatic embryogenesis in orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata L.) suspension cultures. DNA methylation was lower as a whole in the most basal leaf portion, from which callus and embryos develop (indirect somatic embryogenesis) when compared to the more distal leaf parts, from which somatic embryos are formed (direct somatic embryogenesis). Significant differences in the DNA methylation level were observed in embryogenic and non-embryogenic calli from the same genotype, cultured under identical conditions. During somatic embryogenesis variations were observed at the level of methylation according to a characteristic pattern. The three morphological structures (microclusters, proembryogenic masses and embryos) showed different levels of methylation, the lowest level being found in the fraction containing the microcluster cells.