Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
White monkey syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in wild savannah baboons

In immature wild savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus), we observed symptoms consistent with copper (Cu) deficiency and, more specifically, with a disorder referred to as white monkey syndrome (WMS) in laboratory primates. The objectives of this study were to characterize this pathology, and test three hypotheses that (1) Cu deficiency may have been induced by zinc (Zn) toxicity, (2) it may have been induced by molybdenum (Mo) toxicity, and (3) cumulative rainfall during the perinatal period and particularly during gestation is an ecological factor distinguishing infants afflicted with WMS from non‐WMS infants. During 2001–2009, we observed 22 instances of WMS out of a total 377 live births in the study population. Visible symptoms exhibited by WMS infants included whitening of the animal's fur and/or impaired mobility characterized by an apparent “stiffening” of the hindlimbs. Occurrence of WMS did not vary significantly by gender. However, among individuals that survived at least 180 days, WMS males had a significantly lower survivorship probability than non‐WMS males. Zn/Cu ratios assessed from hair samples of adult female baboons were higher in females who had produced at least one WMS offspring relative to females who had not had a WMS offspring. This was true even when the hair sample was collected long after the birth of the female's afflicted infant. We consider this potentially indicative of a robust tendency for low Cu levels induced by elevated Zn intake in some individuals. No significant differences of Mo/Cu ratios were observed. Cumulative rainfall during gestation (∼179 days) was 50% lower for WMS infants relative to non‐WMS infants. In contrast, rainfall for the two classes of infants did not differ in the 180 days before conception or in the 180 days following birth. This finding highlights the importance of prenatal ecological conditions in healthy fetal development with regard to WMS. Am. J. Primatol. 73:1160–1168, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Shikonin reduces oedema induced by phorbol ester by interfering with IκBα degradation thus inhibiting translocation of NF‐κB to the nucleus

Background and purpose: In the present paper we studied the effect of shikonin on ear oedema induced by 12‐O‐tetradecanoylphorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA), and determined the mechanisms through which shikonin might exert its topical anti‐inflammatory action.
Metformin-induced energy deficiency leads to the inhibition of lipogenesis in prostate cancer cells

The deregulation of lipid metabolism is a hallmark of tumor cells, and elevated lipogenesis has been reported in prostate cancer. Metformin, a drug commonly prescribed for type II diabetes, displays antitumor properties. Here, we show that metformin inhibits lipogenesis in several prostate cancer cell lines. In LNCaP cells, this effect parallels the decrease of key lipogenic proteins: ACC (acetyl-CoA carboxylase), FASN (fatty acid synthase) and SREBP1c (sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c), whereas there is no modification in DU145 and PC3 cells. Despite the relatively high level of lipogenic proteins induced by the overexpression of a constitutively active form of SREBP1c or treatment with androgens, metformin is still able to inhibit lipogenesis. Metformin does not alter the concentration of malonyl-CoA (the fatty acid precursor), and it only slightly decreases the NADPH levels, which is a co-factor required for lipogenesis, in LNCaP. Finally, we show that the inhibitory effect of metformin on lipogenesis is primarily due to a cellular energy deficit. Metformin decreases ATP in a dose-dependent manner, and this diminution is significantly correlated with the inhibition of lipogenesis in LNCaP and DU145. Indeed, the effect of metformin is linked to changes in the ATP content rather than the regulation of protein expression. Our results describe a new mechanism of action for metformin on prostate cancer metabolism.
The Technology Acceptance Model: A Meta-Analysis of Empirical Findings

The technology acceptance model proposes that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness predict the acceptance of information technology. Since its inception, the model has been tested with various applications in tens of studies and has become the most widely applied model of user acceptance and usage. Nevertheless, the reported findings on the model are mixed in terms of statistical significance, direction, and magnitude. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis based on 26 selected empirical studies in order to synthesize the empirical evidence. The results suggest that both the correlation between usefulness and acceptance, and that between usefulness and ease of use are somewhat strong. However, the relationship between ease of use and acceptance is weak, and its significance does not pass the fail-safe test.
Nonverbal Communication in Humans

Nonverbal behavior includes all communicative acts except speech. Communication means conveying information through signals. We use body language without being aware of it, perceive and interpret other people's body language. Three classes of nonverbal behavior are the verbal-vocal, nonverbal-vocal, and nonverbal-nonvocal. Several gestures illustrate the relationship between verbal and nonverbal behavior. Nonverbal phenomena are most important in the structuring and occurrence of interpersonal communication and the movement-to-movement regulation of the interaction. Nonverbal signs help regulate the system, cueing hierarchy and priority among communicators, signaling the flow of interaction, and providing meta-communication and feedback. Experiences teach us unconsciously that space communicates.
Spatiotemporal dynamics of error processing dysfunctions in major depressive disorder.

CONTEXT Depression is characterized by executive dysfunctions and abnormal reactions to errors; however, little is known about the brain mechanisms that underlie these deficits. OBJECTIVE To examine whether abnormal reactions to errors in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) are associated with exaggerated paralimbic activation and/or a failure to recruit subsequent cognitive control to account for mistakes in performance. DESIGN Between February 15, 2005, and January 19, 2006, we recorded 128-channel event-related potentials while study participants performed a Stroop task, modified to incorporate performance feedback. SETTING Patients with MDD and healthy comparison subjects were recruited from the general community. PARTICIPANTS Study participants were 20 unmedicated patients with MDD and 20 demographically matched comparison subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The error-related negativity and error positivity were analyzed through scalp and source localization analyses. Functional connectivity analyses were conducted to investigate group differences in the spatiotemporal dynamics of brain mechanisms that underlie error processing. RESULTS Relative to comparison subjects, patients with MDD displayed significantly lower accuracy after incorrect responses, larger error-related negativity, and higher current density in the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC) (Brodmann area 10/32) 80 milliseconds after committing an error. Functional connectivity analyses revealed that for the comparison subjects, but not the patients with MDD, rostral ACC and medial PFC activation 80 milliseconds after committing an error predicted left dorsolateral PFC (Brodmann area 8/9) activation 472 milliseconds after committing an error. CONCLUSIONS Unmedicated patients with MDD showed reduced accuracy and potentiated error-related negativity immediately after committing errors, highlighting dysfunctions in the automatic detection of unfavorable performance outcomes. New analytic procedures allowed us to show that abnormal reaction to committing errors was accompanied by hyperactivation in rostral ACC and medial PFC regions 80 milliseconds after committing errors and a failure to recruit dorsolateral PFC-based cognitive control. Future studies are warranted to investigate whether these dysfunctions might foster the emergence and maintenance of negative processing biases and thus increase vulnerability to depression.
Occupational stress among health care workers: A test of the job demands-control model

Models of occupational stress have often failed to make explicit the variable of control over the environment, as well as the role of job socialization in shaping personality characteristics and coping behaviours. This neglect has helped maintain the focus of stress reduction interventions on the individual. A new model of occupational stress developed by Robert Karasek incorporates control and socialization effects and has successfully predicted the development of heart disease and psychological strain. A survey instrument derived from the model was distributed to 771 hospital and nursing home employees in New Jersey, and 289 (37.5 per cent) were returned. Respondents did not significantly differ from non-respondents by age, sex, job tenure, union membership status, job satisfaction, job perceptions and attitude towards employer and union. The results support the hypothesis that reported job strain (job dissatisfaction, depression, psychosomatic symptoms) and burnout is significantly higher in jobs that combine high workload demands with low decision latitude. This association remained significant after controlling for age, sex, education, marital status, children, hours worked per week and shift worked. Other job characteristics (job insecurity, physical exertion, social support, hazard exposure) were also associated with strain and burnout. The survey instrument also identified high strain jobtitles in the surveyed workplaces. The results are discussed in relation to directions for future research, research on stress in nursing, and approaches to stress reduction.
Building Consensus: Future Directions for Research on English Language Learners at Risk for Learning Difficulties

The growing population of English language learners (ELLs) in U.S. schools and the low academic achievement of many of these learners have been the subject of much debate. A significant related issue is determining the sources of ELLs’ difficulty, namely, understanding the distinction between learning disabilities (LD) and learning difficulties due primarily to contextual factors and second-language learning. This article addresses the future directions for research in this area, with an emphasis on the need to build consensus through converging lines of evidence. Issues of sample definition, study design, and methods are discussed; also emphasized in the article is that in order to answer questions about the sources of difficulty for ELLs who are struggling, an understanding of the trajectories and experiences of those not experiencing difficulties is needed. Throughout the article, parallels are drawn between this emerging field of research and the LD research conducted with monolingual English speakers. An example of a study for which the design, analyses, and dissemination relates to many of the issues raised in the article is presented.
Boron carbide, B13-xC2-y (x = 0.12, y = 0.01)

Boron carbide phases exist over a widely varying compositional range B12+xC3-x (0.06 < x < 1.7). One idealized structure corresponds to the B13C2 composition (space group R-3m) and contains one icosahedral B12 unit and one linear C—B—C chain. The B12 units are composed of crystallographically distinct B atoms BP (polar, B1) and BEq (equatorial, B2). Boron icosahedra are interconnected by C atoms via their BEq atoms, forming layers parallel to (001), while the B12 units of the adjacent layers are linked through intericosahedral BP—BP bonds. The unique B atom (BC) connects the two C atoms of adjacent layers, forming a C—B—C chain along [001]. Depending on the carbon concentration, the carbon and BP sites exhibit mixed B/C occupancies to varying degrees; besides, the BC site shows partial occupancy. The decrease in carbon content was reported to be realized via an increasing number of chainless unit cells. On the basis of X-ray single-crystal refinement, we have concluded that the unit cell of the given boron-rich crystal contains following structural units: [B12] and [B11C] icosahedra (about 96 and 4%, respectively) and C—B—C chains (87%). Besides, there is a fraction of unit cells (13%) with the B atom located against the triangular face of a neighboring icosahedron formed by BEq (B2) thus rendering the formula B0.87(B0.98C0.02)12(B0.13C0.87)2 for the current boron carbide crystal.
Ancient origin of the gene encoding involucrin, a precursor of the cross-linked envelope of epidermis and related epithelia

The cross-linked (cornified) envelope is a characteristic product of terminal differentiation in the keratinocyte of the epidermis and related epithelia. This envelope contains many proteins of which involucrin was the first to be discovered and shown to become cross-linked by a cellular transglutaminase. Involucrin has evolved greatly in placental mammals, but retains the glutamine repeats that make it a good substrate for the transglutaminase. Until recently, it has been impossible to detect involucrin outside the placental mammals, but analysis of the GenBank and Ensembl databases that have become available since 2006 reveals the existence of involucrin in marsupials and birds. We describe here the properties of these involucrins and the ancient history of their evolution.
Socio-cultural Aspects of Identity Formation: The Relationship between Commitment and Well-Being in Student Samples from Cameroon and Germany

This article examines the relationship between ego identity formation (commitment statuses) and subjective well-being among student samples from Cameroon and Germany. The Extended Objective Measure of Ego Identity Status was administered to Cameroonian and German participants. Additionally, data on life satisfaction and mood states were collected. Firstly, the equivalence of measurements across cultural groups was examined. Subsequent analyses revealed that well-being was positively related to the level of identity achievement among participants from both cultural groups. In contrast, well-being did not show a positive association with commitments to goals and values that were adopted from significant others (Foreclosure). Gender did not moderate the relationship between well-being and identity statuses. Findings are discussed with respect to personal and socio-cultural aspects of identity development.
Episode-Based Active Learning with Bayesian Neural Networks

We investigate different strategies for active learning with Bayesian deep neural networks. We focus our analysis on scenarios where new, unlabeled data is obtained episodically, such as commonly encountered in mobile robotics applications. An evaluation of different strategies for acquisition, updating, and final training on the CIFAR-10 dataset shows that incremental network updates with final training on the accumulated acquisition set are essential for best performance, while limiting the amount of required human labeling labor.
Measuring Knowledge Organization as a Method for Assessing Learning during Training

This paper applies the conceptual work of K. Kraiger, J. K. Ford, and E. Salas (1993) to the evaluation of two training programs. A method known as structural assessment (SA) was described and adapted for use in the evaluation of a training program for computer programming and a PC-based simulation of a naval decision-making task. SA represents and evaluates pairwise judgments of relatedness of concepts drawn from the training content domain. In the first study, SA scores of students (determined by similarity to an expert solution) were significantly higher after training than before but did not predict performance on a take-home exam 12 weeks later. In the second study, we manipulated training content by providing half the students with the goals and objectives of the transfer task (an advance organizer) before training and providing the other half with the same information after training. As hypothesized, SA scores were higher for those receiving the organizers before training; SA scores were also more strongly related to performance on the criterion task for this group. Implications of the results for training evaluation are discussed.
Perennial aeroallergens sensitisation and risk of asthma in African children and adolescents: a case-control study

Abstract Objectives: The distribution and impact of various aeroallergens on asthma occurrence vary across regions. We investigated the association between sensitisation to perennial aeroallergens and asthma risk in children and adolescents in Yaounde, Cameroon. Methods: This was a case-control study involving children and adolescents with asthma (cases) vs. non-allergic counterparts (controls). Children/adolescents with doctor-diagnosed asthma were included over a period of 30 months, and controls were selected from the community through random sampling. Logistic regression models were used to relate perennial aeroallergens sensitisation with asthma. Results: The asthma and control groups included, respectively, 151 and 372 participants, with no sex ratio difference. The mean age (standard deviation) was 11.9 (4.4) years in cases and 11.3 (3.7) years in controls. The prevalence of sensitisation to any aeroallergen (cases vs. controls) was 76.8% (116/151) and 32.3% (120/372), p < 0.001. Sensitisation to mites was found in 104 (68.9%) cases vs. 56 (15.1%) controls, p < 0.001. In multivariable analysis, sensitisation to Alternaria alternata, Blattella germanica and dander (cat and dog) was not associated with asthma. However, sensitisation to mites was significantly associated with asthma. Odds ratios (95% CI) for sensitisation to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farinae and Blomia tropicalis in relation with asthma were 7.28 (3.75–14.15), 2.65 (1.27–5.45) and 3.23 (1.68–6.21), respectively. Conclusions: Sensitisation to mites was the main perennial allergenic factor associated with asthma in children and adolescents in this setting. This has application for the selection of patients with asthma who could benefit from the control of exposure to mites and specific immunotherapy.
Promoting School Valuing Through Career Relevant Instruction

The relationship between relevance in the curriculum and student engagement has received increased attention in education, particularly for students from low-income families. Seen as an answer to high school drop-out rates, efforts at relevance (e.g., career academies) have proliferated in high schools. However, earlier interventions in the middle grades are needed to prevent school disengagement. In this inquiry, we examine the change in valuing, a dimension of emotional engagement, over the middle grades for all students and for low-income students. We then test the causal effect of career relevant instruction (CRI) on middle school students’ school valuing utilizing instrumental variable estimation (IVE) and randomized assignment. Data indicate that CRI in mathematics, science, and social studies promotes higher student valuing of school, and no difference exists between students from low-income families and their higher income peers.
Correlates of nap taking in mothers of young infants

Many researchers and clinicians have promoted nap taking to combat the deleterious effects of disrupted sleep. Unfortunately, only a small portion of sleep‐deprived individuals take naps. The goal of the present study was to identify cognitive and opportunity factors related to nap taking of mothers of young infants. Fifty‐one mothers of young infants completed measures that recorded various characteristics of their nighttime sleep patterns, their perceptions of their sleep, and factors influencing their opportunities to take naps. Results revealed that mothers' perceptions of sleep disturbance and opportunity factors were more predictive of napping than total nighttime sleep or actual time spent caring for the infant during the night.
Deletion of the Distal Tnfsf11 RL‐D2 Enhancer That Contributes to PTH‐Mediated RANKL Expression in Osteoblast Lineage Cells Results in a High Bone Mass Phenotype in Mice

Receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL) is a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐like cytokine that is necessary for osteoclast formation and survival. Elevated RANKL synthesis is associated with both increased osteoclast number and bone resorption. Earlier studies identified an enhancer 76 kb upstream of the Tnfsf11 transcriptional start site (TSS) termed RL‐D5 or the distal control region (DCR) that modulates RANKL expression in response to PTH, 1,25(OH)2D3,, and an array of cytokines. Mice lacking RL‐D5 exhibit high bone mass associated with decreased RANKL expression in bone, spleen, and thymus. In addition to RL‐D5, genome‐wide studies have identified 9 additional Tnfsf11 enhancers residing upstream of the gene's TSS, which provide RANKL cell type‐specificity and responsiveness to local and systemic factors. ChIP‐chip analyses has revealed inducible vitamin D receptor (VDR) and cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) binding at an enhancer termed RL‐D2 23 kb upstream of the Tnfsf11 TSS in osteoblastic ST2 cells. Herein, we use ChIP‐seq analyses to confirm this finding and then delete this enhancer from the mouse genome to determine its physiological role in vivo. RL‐D2‐/‐ primary stromal cells showed decreased RANKL‐induction by both forskolin and 1,25(OH)2D3 ex vivo. Consistent with this, the parathyroid hormone (PTH) induction of RANKL expression was significantly blunted in RL‐D2‐/‐ mice in vivo. In contrast, lack of RL‐D2 had no effect on 1,25(OH)2D3 induction of RANKL in vivo. Similar to the results found in RL‐D5‐/‐ mice, lack of RL‐D2 led to decreased skeletal RANKL expression, resulting in decreased osteoclast numbers and a progressive increase in bone mineral density. Lack of RL‐D2 increased cancellous bone mass in femur and spine but did not alter femoral cortical bone thickness. These results highlight the role of distal enhancers in the regulation of RANKL expression by PTH and perhaps 1,25(OH)2D3 and suggest that the RL‐D2 and RL‐D5 enhancers contribute in either an additive or synergistic manner to regulate bone remodeling. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.