Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Allocation of Authority in Land Reform Programs: A Comparative Study of Administrative Processes and Outputs

The outcome of land reform programs is strongly affected by administrative arrangements for their implementation. In a study of twenty-five countries, arrangements for devolving administrative functions to local noncareer officials produced significantly better results for peasant welfare than arrangements using professional administrators, whether in a centralized or decentralized bureaucratic system. ' These programs had more effect on peasant income than programs of agrarian reform providing technical assistance and the extension of credit. The study controls other factors which might explain these outcomes, and concludes that the choice of administrative arrangements, including the use of devolved forms, is open-or at least not determined by known political, social, or economic forces. These findings have implications for policy and further research.
Delayed White Matter Injury in a Murine Model of Shaken Baby Syndrome

Shaken baby syndrome, a rotational acceleration injury, is most common between 3 and 6 months of age and causes death in about 10 to 40% of cases and permanent neurological abnormalities in survivors. We developed a mouse model of shaken baby syndrome to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the brain damage. Eight‐day‐old mouse pups were shaken for 15 seconds on a rotating shaker. Animals were sacrificed at different ages after shaking and brains were processed for histology. In 31‐day‐old pups, mortality was 27%, and 75% of survivors had focal brain lesions consisting of hemorrhagic or cystic lesions of the periventricular white matter, corpus callosum, and brainstem and cerebellar white matter. Hemorrhagic lesions were evident from postnatal day 13, and cysts developed gradually between days 15 and 31. All shaken animals, with or without focal lesions, had thinning of the hemispheric white matter, which was significant on day 31 but not earlier. Fragmented DNA labeling revealed a significant increase in cell death in the periventricular white matter, on days 9 and 13. White matter damage was reduced by pre‐treatment with the NMDA receptor antagonist MK‐801. This study showed that shaking immature mice produced white matter injury mimicking several aspects of human shaken baby syndrome and provided evidence that excess release of glutamate plays a role in the pathophysiology of the lesions.
Producing Protest News

This article examines journalists’ narratives of the constellations of factors that shaped the coverage of the 2011–2012 social protest in Israel, and how journalists used the protest to negotiate their roles, practices, and values against the backdrop of their own professional and economic struggles. Based on in-depth interviews with reporters and editors who were involved in the coverage of the protest movement, this article analyzes journalists’ interpretations and negotiations of the various influences on their work during the two major waves of the protest. An analysis of patterns of collision and concurrence between individual, organizational, and professional domains of influence in journalists’ narratives shows that while the norm of objectivity remains a key site of tension in relation to other factors, considerations of newsworthiness are constructed as complementing and justifying all other types of influence. An examination of diachronic patterns suggests that journalists’ individual conditions and positions play a greater role in journalists’ narratives in the first stage of the protest, giving way to professional values and organizational economic considerations in later stages. Although these findings further complicate the protest paradigm, they also show a dominant pattern of “paradigm repair” at the level of both journalists’ professional ideology and protest coverage.
Meaning Making for Survivors of Violent Death

Restorative and Clinical Essentials. Raphael, Stevens, Dunsmore, Clinical Theories of Loss and Grief. Bonanno, Grief, Trauma, and Resilience. Salloum, Rynearson, Family Resilience After Violent Death. Lord, Spiritual Essentials. Currier, Neimeyer, Fragmented Stories. Armour, Meaning Making for Survivors of Violent Death. Chefetz, Considering Medication Use in the Wake of Traumatic Experience. Restorative and Clinical Interventions. Ochberg, Exorcising Ghosts. Shear, Gorscak, Simon, Treatment of Complicated Grief Following Violent Death. Murphy, Evidence-based Interventions for Parents Following Their Children's Violent Deaths. Rynearson, Correa, Favell, Saindon, Prigerson, Restorative Retelling After Violent Dying. Malkinson, Geron, Intervention Continuity in Posttraffic Fatality. Davies, Salloum, What About the Very Young Child? Cohen, Mannarino, Treating Childhood Traumatic Grief. Rynearson, Favell, Belluomini, Gold, Prigerson, Restorative Retelling with Incarcerated Juveniles. Community Outreach and Intervention After Disaster and Warfare. Benedek, Ursano, Mass Violent Death and Military Communities. Allen, Tucker, Pfefferbaum, Community Outreach Following a Terrorist Act. Shahani, Trish, Healing After September 11. Rasras, Mitwalli, Sehwail, Group Therapy for Palestinian Family Members After Violent Death. Rynearson, Closing Thoughts.
A Novel Nonsense Mutation Associated with an Exon Skipping in a Patient with Hereditary Protein S Deficiency Type I

Summary The genetic defect in a patient with hereditary type I protein S (PS) deficiency was investigated. All the exons and intron-exon junctions of the patient’s PS gene were amplified by PCR and subjected to heteroduplex screening. Only the PCR product of exon 4 revealed heteroduplex bands. A novel nonsense mutation, Ser62 (TCA) to Stop (TGA) was found in exon 4. RT-PCR detected the aberrant mRNA in the patient’s platelets, which was markedly reduced in amount and lacked the region of exon 4, suggesting that the nonsense mutation affected the mutated mRNA metabolism and induced exon skipping. The skipping of exon 4 causes an in-frame deletion of 29 amino acids which just construct the thrombin-sensitive region of the PS molecule. The loss of such an important domain as well as the quantitative decrease in the mutated mRNA appear to be responsible for the type I PS deficiency in this patient.
Stroke and mortality in patients with incident heart failure: the Diet, Cancer and Health (DCH) cohort study

Objective The objective was to test the hypothesis that the risk of stroke, death and the composite of ‘stroke and death’ would be increased among patients with incident heart failure (HF). While HF increases the risk of mortality, stroke and thromboembolism in general, the ‘extreme high-risk’ nature of incident HF is perhaps under-recognised in everyday clinical practice. Design Prospective cohort study. Setting Large Danish prospective epidemiological cohort. Participants Subjects in the Diet, Cancer and Health study. Outcome measures Stroke, death and the composite of ‘stroke and death’ among patients with incident cases of HF, without concomitant atrial fibrillation. Results From the original cohort, 1239 patients with incident HF were identified. Incidence rates show a higher incidence in the initial period following the diagnosis of HF, with a markedly higher rate of death and stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic) in the initial 30 days following the diagnosis of incident HF. While lower than the risk at 0–30 days, the higher risk did not return to normal at 6+ months after the diagnosis of incident HF. This risk increase was apparent for the end points of stroke (ischaemic or haemorrhagic or both) whether or not a vitamin K antagonist (VKA) was used. With VKA use, there was a lower adjusted HR for death and the composite of ‘death or stroke’ compared to non-VKA use at the three time intervals following diagnosis of HF, whether 0–30 days, 30 days to 6 months and 6+ months. On multivariate analysis, previous stroke/transient ischaemic attack/thromboembolism was a predictor of higher risk of stroke, death and the composite of ‘stroke and death’, while VKA treatment was a highly significant predictor of a lower risk for death (adjusted HR 0.46, 95% CI 0.28 to 0.74, p<0.001) and the combined end point of death or stroke (adjusted HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.96, p=0.003). Conclusions Based on relative hazards, incident HF is clearly a major risk factor for stroke, death and the composite of ‘stroke and death’, especially in the initial 30 days following initial diagnosis. The use of VKA therapy was associated with a lower risk of these end points. These findings would have major implications for the approach to management of patients presenting with incident HF, given the high risk of this population for death and stroke, which may be ameliorated by VKA therapy.
Antibody-Directed Targeting of Retroviral Vectors via Cell Surface Antigens

ABSTRACT Targeted stable transduction of specific cells is a highly desirable goal for gene therapy applications. We report an efficient and broadly applicable approach for targeting retroviral vectors to specific cells. We find that the envelope of the alphavirus Sindbis virus can pseudotype human immunodeficiency virus type 1- and murine leukemia virus-based retroviral vectors. When modified to contain the Fc-binding domain of protein A, this envelope gives a significant enhancement in specificity in combination with antibodies specific for HLA and CD4 relative to that without antibody. Unlike previous targeting strategies for retroviral transduction, the virus titers are relatively high and stable and can be further increased by ultracentrifugation. This study provides proof of principle for a targeting strategy that would be generally useful for many gene therapy applications.
Determinants of health-related quality of life in morbid obese candidates to gastric banding

OBJECTIVE: To analyse determinants of self reported health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in morbid obese patients candidates to laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB). METHODS: Determinants of HR-QoL were investigated in 383 morbid obese patients (82 M and 301 F) with BMI=40 kg/m2 (BMI=35 kg/m2 if complicated obesity) and age 18–60 years. HR-QoL was determined with the SF-36 questionnaire. Determinants of the two summary measures of SF-36 (physical component and mental component) were analysed by stepwise multiple linear regression analysis with age, BMI, physical comorbidites, mental comorbidites and eating behaviour disorders as independent variables. Physical comorbities (diabetes, hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis) were coded as present or absent on the basis of simple diagnostic clinical criteria; mental comorbidities (depression) and eating behaviour disorders (binge eating, sweet eating and nibbling) on the basis of an unstructured clinical interview. RESULTS: Mean age was 38.8±10.2 years and mean BMI was 41.5±5.4 kg/m2. Scores in the eight SF-36 subscales were lower in women than in men and lower than in the general Italian population. However, 18.4–43.5% of the participants had HR-QoL levels above the normative values, depending on the scale. In both genders, low scores in the mental component of the SF-36 were associated to the presence of depression and eating behaviour disorders and not to physical comorbidities or BMI levels. Low physical self-perceived well being was associated to high BMI levels in men and to depression, hypertension and hypertriglyceridemia in women. CONCLUSION: HR-QoL was poor in morbid obese candidates to LAGB, particularly in women, and was negatively affected more by mental comorbidites and eating behaviour disorders than by physical comorbidities or BMI levels.
Clinical comparative study with a large-area amorphous silicon flat-panel detector: image quality and visibility of anatomic structures on chest radiography.

OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to compare clinical chest radiographs of a large-area, flat-panel digital radiography system and a conventional film-screen radiography system. The comparison was based on an observer preference study of image quality and visibility of anatomic structures. MATERIALS AND METHODS Routine follow-up chest radiographs were obtained from 100 consecutive oncology patients using a large-area, amorphous silicon flat-panel detector digital radiography system (dose equivalent to a 400-speed film system). Hard-copy images were compared with previous examinations of the same individuals taken on a conventional film-screen system (200-speed). Patients were excluded if changes in the chest anatomy were detected or if the time interval between the examinations exceeded 1 year. Observer preference was evaluated for the image quality and the visibility of 15 anatomic structures using a five-point scale. RESULTS Dose measurements with a chest phantom showed a dose reduction of approximately 50% with the digital radiography system compared with the film-screen radiography system. The image quality and the visibility of all but one anatomic structure of the images obtained with the digital flat-panel detector system were rated significantly superior (p < or = 0.0003) to those obtained with the conventional film-screen radiography system. CONCLUSION The image quality and visibility of anatomic structures on the images obtained by the flat-panel detector system were perceived as equal or superior to the images from conventional film-screen chest radiography. This was true even though the radiation dose was reduced approximately 50% with the digital flat-panel detector system.
Electrode impedance with and without electrode positioner in Clarion device

The Clarion cochlear implant system was at first approved with the electrode positioning system (EPS). The Clarion electrode array is originally pre-curved in shape and, in addition, EPS is to move the array closer to the medial wall in the scala tympani. It is theoretically advantageous that the implanted electrodes are as close as possible to the modiolus. Recently in Europe, a number of infants who had undergone cochlear implantation using the Clarion EPS suffered from meningitis and unfortunately some of them died. No one can prove whether the EPS had a direct relation with meningitis after implantation or not, but we have performed cochlear implantation without EPS to reduce the adverse incidences.
BreathingFrame: An Inflatable Frame for Remote Breath Signal Sharing

We present BreathingFrame, a breath signal sharing device that supports pairwise remote communication through delivering the physical inflating movement of the other party's breathing on the surface of a digital photo frame. The results of our observational study with eight couples showed that participants could associate the other party on the frame, feel sentimental connectedness and the breathing movement from the other party, and stimulate their curiosity in a positive way. We also found that it was effective for conveying affection and making users to do natural abdominal breathing through intentional breath signal delivery. Allowing the users to share breathing at a distance by applying unconscious but partially controllable breath signals on the digital picture frame which is used in everyday lives, BreathingFrame can deliver new forms of telepresence and support emotional communication.
The Production of Quality Choral Performance

This review of literature is a synthesis of research surrounding the production of superior choral performance. Findings described in this review suggest director characteristics, rehearsal techniques, singer behaviors, and auxiliary supports that are important to, or common in, the creation of meritorious performance. Effects of instructional methodologies on performance achievement and differences among directors of exceptional choirs are also presented. Although replication of the studies synthesized in this review is necessary for a more complete understanding of how quality performance is produced, music educators may want to compare and contrast their personal characteristics and rehearsal techniques with those of the directors of outstanding performance described in this review. Suggestions for future research are included.
The effect of gadolinium contrast media on radioiodine uptake by the thyroid gland.

OBJECTIVE Patients with thyroid cancer may require detailed anatomic imaging before 131I therapy. Imaging by contrast-enhanced CT is contraindicated because it may result in saturation of tissues with iodine, decreasing the avidity of thyroid or thyroid cancer cells to subsequent radioiodine for extended intervals. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI offers an alternative to CT for detailed anatomic imaging. However, it is not known whether gadolinium contrast affects uptake of iodine by the thyroid gland since lanthanides affect ion transport in a variety of ways. The objective of this project was to determine whether the gadolinium MRI contrast injection alters thyroid uptake of radioiodine. METHODS Radioiodine uptake by the thyroid gland was measured at 6 h and 24 h after the oral administration of 100 microCi 123I-Na-I. Three to seven days later, a standard dose (20 mL) of Magnevist (gadolinium DTPA) was administered intravenously. Another capsule of 100 microCi 123I Na-I immediately was given orally, and 6-h and 24-h radioiodine uptake by the thyroid gland was again measured and compared to baseline values. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in uptake of radioiodine uptake by the thyroid gland between baseline values and those acquired immediately after the administration of Magnevist. CONCLUSION Contrast-enhanced MRI may be safely performed before contemplated determinations of thyroid uptake of radioiodine, 131I therapy for hyperthyroidism, and postsurgical 131I imaging and therapy for well-differentiated thyroid cancer.
Star-forming fractions and galaxy evolution with redshift in rich X-ray-selected galaxy clusters

We have compared stacked spectra of galaxies, grouped by environment and stellar mass, among 58 members of the redshift z = 1.24 galaxy cluster RDCS J1252.9-2927 (J1252.9) and 134 galaxies in the z = 0.84 cluster RX J0152.7-1357 (J0152.7). These two clusters are excellent laboratories to study how galaxies evolve from star-forming to passive at z ~ 1. We measured spectral indices and star-forming fractions for our density- and mass-based stacked spectra. The star-forming fraction among low-mass galaxies (<7 × 10^(10)M_⊙) is higher in J1252.9 than in J0152.7, at about 4σ significance. Thus star formation is being quenched between z = 1.24 and z = 0.84 for a substantial fraction of low-mass galaxies. Star-forming fractions were also found to be higher in J1252.9 in all environments, including the core. Passive galaxies in J1252.9 have systematically lower D_n4000 values than in J0152.7 in all density and mass groups, consistent with passive evolution at modestly super-solar metallicities.
Multiple Chromosomal Loci for the babA Gene in Helicobacter pylori

ABSTRACT Helicobacter pylori babA encodes an outer membrane protein that binds to fucosylated Lewis b blood group antigen. We analyzed a panel of 35 H. pylori strains and identified three possible chromosomal loci for babA. There was a significant association between the presence of babA and the presence of cagA (P = 0.0001). Phylogenetic analysis of babA alleles revealed two divergent families of signal sequences. Among 17 strains in which an intact in-frame babA allele was identified, 10 expressed a detectable BabA protein. Expression of a BabA protein and the Lewis b-binding phenotype were not dependent on the chromosomal locus of babA. These data indicate that there is marked heterogeneity among H. pylori strains in babA genetic content and BabA expression.
Volatile compounds of flowers and leaves of Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet (Lamiaceae), a plant used as mountain tea

Sideritis italica (Miller) Greuter et Burdet (Lamiaceae), widely used in ethnopharmacological medicine, occurs in Southern Italy and Sicily. The phytochemical composition of the essential oils of S. italica flowers and leaves, harvested in Piano Battaglia (Sicily), was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Of the 51 compounds, 43 in the oil from flowers and 29 in the oil from leaves were identified. Kaur-15-ene (20.0%) was recognised as the main constituent of the oil from flowers, together with β-cubebene (12.1%), β-pinene (8.5%), (Z)-nuciferol (6.5%), tricyclene (4.5%) and α-bisabolol (4.0%). In the oil from leaves, p-methoxyacetophenone (26.0%) prevailed, as did hexadecanoic acid (21.3%), followed by nonanal (4.8%), α-bisabolol (4.5%) and β-cubebene (4.7%).
Partial HELLP syndrome: Maternal, perinatal, subsequent pregnancy and long‐term maternal outcomes

Hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome, in its complete form, is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality and increased rate of serious obstetric complications, such as acute renal failure, hepatic failure, abruptio placentae, pulmonary edema, sepsis, hemorrhage and disseminated intravascular coagulopathy. To compare maternal and perinatal outcomes, we investigated the subsequent pregnancy outcomes and long‐term complications of women with partial HELLP (pHELLP) and complete HELLP (cHELLP) syndromes.
Partial trisomy of distal 19q detected by quantitative real‐time PCR and FISH in a girl with mild facial dysmorphism, hypotonia and developmental delay

We report on a 2 ${\raise0.5ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 7$}\kern-0.1em/\kern-0.15em\lower0.25ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle {12}$}}$‐year‐old girl who was referred to us because of psychomotor developmental delay. She is the second child of healthy, non‐consanguineous parents. Pregnancy and birth were uneventful. Milestones of motor development were delayed: grasping at 6 months, sitting without support at 16 months, crawling at 16 months and walking at 2 ${\raise0.5ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle 4$}\kern-0.1em/\kern-0.15em\lower0.25ex\hbox{$\scriptstyle {12}$}}$ years of age. She spoke about five words and followed simple instructions. Banding cytogenetics revealed a numerically and structurally normal female karyotype of 46,XX. By quantitative real‐time PCR analysis of all subtelomeric regions, a partial trisomy of the subtelomeric region of 19q could be detected. This result was confirmed by FISH‐analysis with a subtelomeric probe for 19q. The additional material of chromosome 19q was localized on chromosome 6q. However, a deletion of the subtelomeric region of 6q could not be detected with a subtelomeric FISH probe for 6q. Conventional cytogenetic analysis as well as FISH with subtelomeric probes for 19q and 6q showed normal results in the parents. The detected chromosomal aberration probably occurred de novo. The clinical features are very likely to be caused solely by the partial trisomy 19q. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.