Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sense of belonging among women of color in science, technology, engineering, and math majors: Investigating the contributions of campus racial climate perceptions and other college environments

Title of Dissertation: SENSE OF BELONGING AMONG WOMEN OF COLOR IN SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH MAJORS: INVESTIGATING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CAMPUS RACIAL CLIMATE PERCEPTIONS AND OTHER COLLEGE ENVIRONMENTS Dawn Rene Johnson, Doctor of Philosophy, 2007 Dissertation directed by: Associate Professor Karen Kurotsuchi Inkelas, Department of Counseling and Personnel Services This study examined the relationship between campus racial climate perceptions and other college environments to sense of belonging among undergraduate women of color in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors. The conceptual framework combined two college impact models, Weidman’s (1989) model of undergraduate socialization and Astin’s (1991) input-environment-outcome model, with a transformative perspective (Mertens, 2005) to examine sense of belonging among women of color in STEM majors. Data came from the 2004 National Study of Living-Learning Programs, and included 1,722 women in undergraduate STEM majors from 29 institutions in the U.S. identifying as Black/African American, Asian Pacific American, Latina, American Indian, Multiracial/Multiethnic, and White/Caucasian. Results from two-way ANOVAs
Inégalités sociales à l'école et politiques éducatives

La question des inegalites sociales face a l'ecole se pose dans tous les pays industrialises, alors meme que l'ecole entend participer a la democratisation de la societe. Cet ouvrage propose une synthese de l'abondante litterature consacree a ces inegalites. Il expose leur ampleur, leurs diverses dimensions puis, sur la base des recherches sociologiques, en expose la genese, a la fois au sein meme des familles et dans le fonctionnement quotidien des ecoles et des classes. Il presente ensuite les politiques educatives susceptibles de limiter les inegalites de carrieres scolaires, depuis des mesures centrees sur la classe (efficacite des pratiques pedagogiques, composition des classes.), jusqu'a des politiques agissant plus directement sur les parametres structurels du systeme (ouverture, uniformisation.). L'ouvrage souligne, enfin, que l'efficacite des politiques educatives sera d'autant plus forte qu'elles s'inscriront dans un ensemble plus vaste de politiques pour reduire les inegalites sociales dans la vie des jeunes et de leurs familles.
Analysis of western blotting (immunoblotting) technique in diagnosis of congenital syphilis

The diagnosis of congenital syphilis in apparently healthy infants continues to be problematic. Immunoglobulin M antibodies specific for a subset of Treponema pallidum antigens have been detected by Western blotting (immunoblotting). In the present study we investigated the sensitivity and specificity of this method. We tested 26 infants aged 0 to 4 months who fulfilled the accepted criteria for the diagnosis of congenital syphilis. There were 14 symptomatic infants. Sera from 13 of these infants were positive for the 47-kDa treponemal antigen (92% sensitivity). The remaining 12 infants were clinically asymptomatic when tested at birth but subsequently displayed features consistent with the disease. Reactive blots (antibodies to the 47- and/or the 15-kDa antigens) were noted in 10 of the 12 infants (83% sensitivity). Thirty infants whose mothers had syphilis were monitored and shown to be uninfected. Nonreactive blots were seen in sera from 27 infants, while sera from 3 older infants had false-positive tests (90% specificity). The Western blotting technique is sensitive (even in the diagnosis of clinically inapparent cases) and, in the absence of immunoglobulin M rheumatoid factor, is a useful confirmatory test for congenital syphilis.
Survey of Selected Pathogens and Blood Parameters of Northern Yellowstone Elk: Wolf Sanitation Effect Implications

ABSTRACT The restoration or conservation of predators could reduce seroprevalences of certain diseases in prey if predation selectively removes animals exhibiting clinical signs. We assessed disease seroprevalences and blood parameters of 115 adult female elk (Cervus elaphus) wintering on the northern range of Yellowstone National Park [YNP] during 2000–2005 and compared them to data collected prior to wolf (Canis lupus) restoration (WR) in 1995 and to two other herds in Montana to assess this prediction. Blood parameters were generally within two standard deviations of the means observed in other Montana herds (Gravelly-Snowcrest [GS] and Garnet Mountain [GM]), but Yellowstone elk had higher seroprevalences of parainfluenza-3 virus (95% CI YNP = 61.1–78.6, GS = 30.3–46.5) and bovine-virus-diarrhea virus type 1 (95% CI YNP = 15.9–31.9, GM = 0). In comparisons between pre-wolf restoration [pre-WR] (i.e., prior to 1995) seroprevalences with those post-wolf restoration [post-WR] in Yellowstone, we found lower seroprevalences for some disease-causing agents post-wolf restoration (e.g., bovine-virus-diarrhea virus type-1 [95% CI pre-WR = 73.1–86.3, post-WR = 15.9–31.9] and bovine-respiratory syncytial virus [95% CI pre-WR = 70.0–83.8, post-WR = 0]), but similar (e.g., Brucella abortus [95% CI pre-WR = 0–4.45, post-WR = 0–4.74] and epizootic hemorrhagic disease virus [95% CI pre-WR = 0, post-WR = 0]) or higher for others (e.g., Anaplasma marginale [95% CI pre-WR = 0, post-WR = 18.5–38.7] and Leptospira spp. [95% CI pre-WR = 0.5–6.5, post-WR = 9.5–23.5]). Though we did not detect an overall strong predation effect through reduced disease seroprevalence using retrospective comparisons with sparse data, our reference values will facilitate future assessments of this issue.
Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist protects retinal function after acute retinal ischemic injury in the rat

Alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists have previously been shown to enhance neuronal survival in an optic nerve mechanical injury model and to protect photoreceptors in a light-induced degeneration model. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonist in a pressure-induced retinal ischemia model. Brown-Norway rats were treated systemically or topically with alpha-2 adrenoceptor specific agonist brimonidine. Retinal ischemia was induced by increasing the intraocular pressure to 110 mm Hg for 50 min. The effect of brimonidine on retinal ischemic injury was functionally assessed in the rats 7 d later using electroretinography (ERG). Ischemia-induced retinal cell death was studied using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) staining. We found that brimonidine treatment significantly protected the retina from retinal ischemic injury in a dose- and time-dependent manner. This protection can be achieved either by systemic or topical application and can be blocked by pretreatment with the alpha-2 adrenoceptor antagonist, yohimbine. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Western blot analysis, we found that brimonidine can up-regulate the expression of basic fibroblast growth factor, bcl-2 and bcl-xl in the retina. The drug also can activate two major cell survival signaling pathways in the retina: the extracellular-signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) and phosphatidylinositol-3′ kinase/protein kinase Akt pathways. All these aforementioned factors may potentially contribute in mediating brimonidine's protective effect in this acute retinal ischemia model.
Assuring fault classification agreement - an empirical evaluation

Inter-rater agreement is a well-known challenge and is a key issue when discussing fault classification. Fault classification is, by nature, a subjective task since it highly depends on the people performing the classification. Measures are required to hinder the subjective nature of fault classification to propagate through the fault classification process and onto subsequent activities using the classified faults, for example process improvement. One approach to prevent the subjective nature of fault classification is to use multiple raters and measure inter-rater agreement. We evaluate the possibility to have an independent group of people classifying faults. The objective is to evaluate whether such a group could be used in a process improvement initiative. An empirical study is conducted with eight persons classifying 30 faults independently. The study concludes that the provided material were unsatisfactory to obtain inter-rater agreement.
Adaptation and validation of a commercial head phantom for cranial radiosurgery dosimetry end-to-end audit

Objective: To adapt and validate an anthropomorphic head phantom for use in a cranial radiosurgery audit. Methods: Two bespoke inserts were produced for the phantom: one for providing the target and organ at risk for delineation and the other for performing dose measurements. The inserts were tested to assess their positional accuracy. A basic treatment plan dose verification with an ionization chamber was performed to establish a baseline accuracy for the phantom and beam model. The phantom and inserts were then used to perform doseverification measurements of a radiosurgery plan. The dose was measured with alanine pellets, EBT extended dose film and a plastic scintillation detector (PSD). Results: Both inserts showed reproducible positioning ( 6 0.5mm) and good positional agreement between them ( 6 0.6mm). The basic treatment plan measurements showed agreement to the treatment planning system (TPS) within 0.5%. Repeated film measurements showed consistent gamma passing rates with good agreement to the TPS. For 2%-2mm global gamma, the mean passing rate was 96.7% and the variation in passing rates did not exceed 2.1%. The alanine pellets and PSD showed good agreement with the TPS ( 2 0.1% and 0.3% dose difference in the target) and good agreement with each other (within 1%). Conclusion: The adaptations to the phantom showed acceptable accuracies. The presence of alanine and PSD do not affect film measurements significantly, enabling simultaneous measurements by all three detectors. Advances in knowledge: A novel method for thorough end-to-end test of radiosurgery, with capability to incorporate all steps of the clinical pathway in a time-efficient and reproducible manner, suitable for a national audit.
A New Look at the Pacific Storm Track Variability: Sensitivity to Tropical SSTs and to Upstream Seeding

Abstract There is a fairly well defined stationary wave and storm track response to El Nino SSTs over the Pacific. In this paper, the case is made that this response is a direct result of increased baroclinicity in the central Pacific and that changes in the stationary wave pattern farther east are primarily forced by changes in these transient eddies. There is also a lot of natural variability that is not associated with El Nino. The paper also stresses the point that much of the variability can be understood as forced by variations in the upstream seeding of the storm track. The question of whether these seeding variations should be thought of as chaotic noise or forced by identifiable mechanisms is not addressed. Thus, the claim is that the storm track variability and its feedback to the quasi-stationary circulation depends on two key parameters: mid-Pacific baroclinicity, controlled by SSTs, and the strength of the upstream seeding. The approach is to first examine the effect of storm track seeding by.
Melanosis coli sparing adenomatous polyps: novel findings using cleaved caspase‐3 immunohistochemistry

untreated tumours and recurrences after chemotherapy (data not shown). Furthermore, several intratumoral populations were observed for chromosomes 2, 7, and 13. In order to consider the changes produced during tumoral progression, we compared the number of copies of these chromosomes in primary tumours and recurrences, and found gains of chromosome 8 in cases 2 and 3, both of the scERMS subtype. Extra copies of chromosome 8 have been referred to in previously reported cases of scERMS. The role played by these extra copies in scERMS and their influence on drug resistance should be investigated. With reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, no specific PAX3–FOXO1 or PAX7–FOXO1 fusion transcripts were detected in any of the analysed samples, confirming the embryonal subtype of the tumours. Analysis of the TP53 (exons 5–8) and RB genes did not show any alterations. Homozygous deletion of CDKN2A was seen in the recurrence of case 2, whereas the primary tumour was normal, suggesting a relationship of this change with tumoral progression. We also analysed all samples for NMYC, MDM2, CDK4 and cyclin D1 gene amplification, and found MDM2 amplification in an scERMS (case 3), in both the primary tumour and recurrence. MDM2 overexpression has been reported to be a possible mechanism by which multidrug resistance is regulated in rhabdomyosarcoma. This could be relevant in the present case, in which, despite chemotherapy, the disease progressed. Further studies in clinical samples, both at diagnosis and after chemotherapy, are required to evaluate the clinical significance of the chromosomal and genetic changes implicated in the progression of the present cases. R Gil-Benso T San-Miguel R C Callaghan A Bataller-Calatayud J Caballero A Pell ın-Carcel en J Donat S Navarro T Peris M Cerd a-Nicol as C L opez-Gin es Department of Pathology, Medical School, Universitat de Val encia, Department of Paediatrics, Clinic Hospital of Val encia, and Service of Pathology, Clinic Hospital of Val encia, Val encia, Spain
Does the Optimism Bias Affect Help-Seeking Intentions for Depressive Symptoms in Young People?

ABSTRACT Help-seeking is an adaptive means to address mental health difficulties, but sufferers often fail to seek assistance. This inaction may reflect optimism bias—that is, believing one is less susceptible to negative events than others. In the present study, the authors investigate optimism bias by presenting depressive symptoms in vignette form to 263 undergraduate participants. Participants were asked to imagine oneself or a peer-group friend suffering from presented symptoms and provide ratings of problem seriousness, help-seeking importance, and prognosis. Results supported the optimism bias hypothesis in that participants reported lower levels of seriousness, lower need for help, and anticipated a more favorable prognosis for themselves compared to others on equivalent sets of symptoms. A contextual effect may exist and influence the evaluation of medium-severity symptoms when symptoms were presented from most to least severe. As symptom severity increased, females were less optimistic than males about prognosis and placed greater importance on help-seeking. The implications of these findings are discussed.
CSF neurofilament light concentration is increased in presymptomatic CHMP2B mutation carriers

Objective A rare cause of familial frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a mutation in the CHMP2B gene on chromosome 3 (FTD-3), described in a Danish family. Here we examine whether CSF biomarkers change in the preclinical phase of the disease. Methods In this cross-sectional explorative study, we analyzed CSF samples from 16 mutation carriers and 14 noncarriers from the Danish FTD-3 family. CSF biomarkers included total tau (t-tau) and neurofilament light chain (NfL) as a marker for neurodegeneration, phosphorylated tau (p-tau) as a marker for tau pathology, β-amyloid (Aβ) 38, 40, and 42 (Aβ38, Aβ40, and Aβ42) to monitor Aβ metabolism, and YKL-40 as a marker of neuroinflammation. Aβ isoform concentrations were measured using a multiplexed immunoassay; t-tau, p-tau, NfL, and YKL-40 concentrations were measured using sandwich ELISAs. Results CSF NfL concentration was significantly increased in mutation carriers vs noncarriers. Further, CSF NfL concentration was significantly higher in symptomatic mutation carriers compared to presymptomatic carriers, and also significantly higher in presymptomatic carriers compared to noncarriers. No differences in t-tau and p-tau and YKL-40 concentrations between controls and mutation carriers were observed. CSF concentrations of the Aβ peptides Aβ38 and Aβ40 but not Aβ42 were significantly lower in mutation carriers compared to noncarriers. Conclusions Increased NfL levels in presymptomatic individuals and in symptomatic patients with FTD-3 indicate a continuous process of neurodegeneration from the presymptomatic to symptomatic state. Although not specific for FTD-3 pathology, our data suggest that CSF NfL could serve as a valuable biomarker to detect onset of neurodegeneration in FTD-3 mutation carriers.
Association of hepatitis C virus and HIV infection with subclinical atherosclerosis in the women's interagency HIV study

Whether hepatitis C virus coinfection might accelerate atherosclerosis in HIV-infected individuals is unclear. We examined the relationship of HIV and hepatitis C virus with carotid artery intima media thickness and the presence of carotid plaques in the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Hepatitis C virus infection was not associated with greater carotid artery intima media thickness after adjustment for demographic and traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Further follow-up is needed to clarify whether HIV/hepatitis C virus coinfection may be associated with a greater risk of carotid plaque.
Allocating a scarce mental health treatment to the underweight and overweight

Abstract Background: This is one of a number of programmatic studies on the allocation of scarce medical resources. Aims: This study investigated whether certain characteristics about patients influence the priority they are assigned for a scarce mental health treatment. Similar studies for physical treatments have found that young, poor, and mentally healthy patients are given the highest priority. Method: Each participant completed one questionnaire where they ranked a list of eight hypothetical patients in order of priority for treatment for anorexia or obesity. The patients varied on three dimensions: age, social class and mental health history. This involved a ranking of prioritisation for treatment. Results: Participants gave the young patients, from a low social class background, who had a mental health history the highest priority for treatment. This is in contrast to previous studies indicating that the mentally unwell are discriminated against. Conclusions: Participants seemed to be using social class as a proxy measure of ability to pay which they weighted very highly.
Quantum foam and topological strings

We find an interpretation of the recent connection found between topological strings on Calabi-Yau threefolds and crystal melting: Summing over statistical mechanical configuration of melting crystal is equivalent to a quantum gravitational path integral involving fluctuations of Kahler geometry and topology. We show how the limit shape of the melting crystal emerges as the average geometry and topology of the quantum foam at the string scale. The geometry is classical at large length scales, modified to a smooth limit shape dictated by mirror geometry at string scale and is a quantum foam at area scales ~ gsα'.
Trans-endocytosis of CD47 and SHPS-1 and its role in regulation of the CD47–SHPS-1 system

CD47 and SHPS-1 are transmembrane proteins that interact with each other through their extracellular regions and constitute a bidirectional cell-cell communication system (the CD47–SHPS-1 system). We have now shown that the trans-interaction of CD47 and SHPS-1 that occurred on contact of CD47-expressing CHO cells and SHPS-1-expressing CHO cells resulted in endocytosis of the ligand-receptor complex into either cell type. Such trans-endocytosis of CD47 by SHPS-1-expressing cells was found to be mediated by clathrin and dynamin. A juxtamembrane region of SHPS-1 was indispensable for efficient trans-endocytosis of CD47, which was also regulated by Rac and Cdc42, probably through reorganization of the actin cytoskeleton. Inhibition of trans-endocytosis of CD47 promoted the aggregation of CD47-expressing cells with the cells expressing SHPS-1. Moreover, CD47 expressed on the surface of cultured mouse hippocampal neurons was shown to undergo trans-endocytosis by neighboring astrocytes expressing endogenous SHPS-1. These results suggest that trans-endocytosis of CD47 is responsible for removal of the CD47–SHPS-1 complex from the cell surface and hence regulates the function of the CD47–SHPS-1 system, at least in neurons and glial cells.
Involuntary Capture and Voluntary Reorienting of Attention Decline in Middle-Aged and Old Participants

The main aim of this study was to examine the effects of aging on event-related brain potentials (ERPs) associated with the automatic detection of unattended infrequent deviant and novel auditory stimuli (Mismatch Negativity, MMN) and with the orienting to these stimuli (P3a component), as well as the effects on ERPs associated with reorienting to relevant visual stimuli (Reorienting Negativity, RON). Participants were divided into three age groups: (1) Young: 21–29 years old; (2) Middle-aged: 51–64 years old; and (3) Old: 65–84 years old. They performed an auditory-visual distraction-attention task in which they were asked to attend to visual stimuli (Go, NoGo) and to ignore auditory stimuli (S: standard, D: deviant, N: novel). Reaction times (RTs) to Go visual stimuli were longer in old and middle-aged than in young participants. In addition, in all three age groups, longer RTs were found when Go visual stimuli were preceded by novel relative to deviant and standard auditory stimuli, indicating a distraction effect provoked by novel stimuli. ERP components were identified in the Novel minus Standard (N-S) and Deviant minus Standard (D-S) difference waveforms. In the N-S condition, MMN latency was significantly longer in middle-aged and old participants than in young participants, indicating a slowing of automatic detection of changes. The following results were observed in both difference waveforms: (1) the P3a component comprised two consecutive phases in all three age groups—an early-P3a (e-P3a) that may reflect the orienting response toward the irrelevant stimulation and a late-P3a (l-P3a) that may be a correlate of subsequent evaluation of the infrequent unexpected novel or deviant stimuli; (2) the e-P3a, l-P3a, and RON latencies were significantly longer in the Middle-aged and Old groups than in the Young group, indicating delay in the orienting response to and the subsequent evaluation of unattended auditory stimuli, and in the reorienting of attention to relevant (Go) visual stimuli, respectively; and (3) a significantly smaller e-P3a amplitude in Middle-aged and Old groups, indicating a deficit in the orienting response to irrelevant novel and deviant auditory stimuli.
Fast progression of liver damage in lysosomal acid lipase deficiency

Lysosomal acid Lipase A (LIPA), also known as Lysosomal acid lipase (LAL) or cholesterol ester hydrolase, is located on the long arm of human chromosome 10. This enzyme is of fundamental importance for the hydrolysis of cholesteryl ester and triglyceride in lysosomes (Figure 1). LAL deficiency (LAL-D) is an inherited autosomal recessive disorder, with an estimated prevalence between 1:40,000–1:300,000. While reduced LAL activities cause cholesteryl ester storage disease