Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of the Factors Affecting Health‐Related Quality of Life in Adolescents After Liver Transplantation

The aim of the study was to identify factors affecting health‐related quality of life (HRQL) in adolescents after liver transplantation. HRQL was measured using the CHQ‐CF87 in 55 adolescents, aged 12–18 years. Factors associated with HRQL included allograft morbidity, psychological and family‐related variables measured through standardized questionnaires. The domains of the CHQ‐CF87 were reduced using factor analysis to give physical, psychological and social domains. Impacting factors were identified through stepwise, multiple regression analysis. Adolescents had significantly lower HRQL in every domain except for role/social‐behavior and family cohesion compared to the general population. Adolescents experienced median 18 (range 4–31) symptoms related to immunosuppression, 40(75%) had one or more chronic illnesses related to immunosuppression and 12(22%) had a history of emotional difficulties. Self‐esteem and emotional health were similar to the general population but behavior and aspects of family function were lower. Following regression analysis, the factors associated with HRQL were: age at transplant, secondary chronic illness, symptom distress, headaches, history of emotional difficulties, self‐esteem and family conflict. These explained 57% of the variance in physical function, 61% of psychological function and 39% of social function. HRQL is significantly reduced in adolescents after transplantation, which could be related to immunosuppression and psychosocial factors.
The vascular endothelial growth factor expression and vascular regeneration in infarcted myocardium by skeletal muscle satellite cells

Background Myocardial infarction results in tissue necrosis, leading to cell loss and ultimately to cardiac failure. Implantation of skeletal muscle satellite cells into the scar area may compensate for the cell loss and provides a new strategy for infarct therapy. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a promising reagent for inducing myocardial angiogenesis. Skeletal myoblast transplantation has been shown to improve cardiac function in chronic heart failure models by regenerating muscle. We hypothesized that VEGF expression and vascular regeneration increased in infarcted myocardium by skeletal muscle satellite cells, which can promote vascular producing and improve survival environment in infarcted myocardium. Methods The skeletal muscle satellite cells were implanted into the infarcted myocardium in a model through ligated left anterior artery in Louis Inbrad Strain rat. Specimens were got for identifying the expression of VEGF and the density of vascular by immunochemical method at two weeks after implantation. Results The proliferation and differentiation of the skeletal muscle satellite cell was very well. The expression of VEGF was higher in the implanted group (146.83±2.49) than that in the control group (134.26±6.84) (P<0.05). The vascular density in the implanted group (13.00±1.51) was also higher than that in the control (10.68±1.79) (P<0.05). Conclusion The implanted satellite cell could excrete growth factor that would induce angiogenesis and improve cell survival environment in infarcted myocardium.
Exploring EFL Teachers’ Cognitive Models Through Metaphor Analysis

This study aims to investigate how a group of Chinese university teachers developed their cognitive models by using “English as a Foreign Language (EFL) teachers” metaphors. The research method includes an open-ended questionnaire, a checklist questionnaire, and verbal reports. The goal for this research is twofold. First, we will present those metaphors we believe to be the most frequently used or most central in shaping the thoughts or ideas they have had for EFL teaching and learning. Second, we will provide a description of their internal process of developing cognitive models, as well as factors that could account for such models. The findings showed that (a) most of us had three ways of understanding EFL teachers in terms of the educational journey metaphor, the educational building metaphor, and the educational conduit metaphor; (b) we used such a cluster of converging cognitive models as the instructor model, the transmitter model, and the builder model to construct definitions for EFL teachers, with the instructor model as a central model; and (c) metaphor can actually serve as a useful, effective, and analytic tool for making us aware of the cognitive model underlying our conceptual framework.
Insulin-stimulated glucose utilization and borderline hypertension in young adult blacks.

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether there is a relation between impaired insulin-stimulated glucose utilization, or insulin resistance, and blood pressure (BP) in a young adult black population. Clinically well, young black men and women, including normotensive (BP < 135/85 mm Hg, n = 23) and borderline hypertensive (BP > or = 135/85 mm Hg, n = 27) individuals, were studied. Each subject had an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and underwent a euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp procedure. A two-way analysis of variance demonstrated a significantly greater fasting insulin plasma concentration (P < .02) and sum of insulin levels during the OGTT (P = .04) in the borderline hypertensive compared with normotensive subjects. In both BP groups, women had significantly higher fasting plasma insulin levels than men (P < .02 and P = .009). Body mass index was a significantly covariate of the plasma insulin concentration. Data obtained from the clamp demonstrated significant insulin resistance in borderline hypertensive compared with normotensive subjects (4.69 +/- 0.50 versus 6.57 +/- 0.63 mg/kg per minute, P = .002). A stepwise multiple linear regression analysis demonstrated that there are significant multiple correlations of insulin resistance with body mass index, clamped insulin level, BP group, and systolic BP (multiple R = .7862, P < .001). Application of this analysis to the nonobese sample (n = 33) found significant correlations of insulin resistance with sex, BP group, and systolic BP (multiple R = .6817, P < .001). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Quantitative Whole Body Biodistribution of Fluorescent-Labeled Agents by Non-Invasive Tomographic Imaging

When small molecules or proteins are injected into live animals, their physical and chemical properties will significantly affect pharmacokinetics, tissue penetration, and the ultimate routes of metabolism and clearance. Fluorescence molecular tomography (FMT) offers the ability to non-invasively image and quantify temporal changes in fluorescence throughout the major organ systems of living animals, in a manner analogous to traditional approaches with radiolabeled agents. This approach is best used with biotherapeutics (therapeutic antibodies, or other large proteins) or large-scaffold drug-delivery vectors, that are minimally affected by low-level fluorophore conjugation. Application to small molecule drugs should take into account the significant impact of fluorophore labeling on size and physicochemical properties, however, the presents studies show that this technique is readily applied to small molecule agents developed for far-red (FR) or near infrared (NIR) imaging. Quantification by non-invasive FMT correlated well with both fluorescence from tissue homogenates as well as with planar (2D) fluorescence reflectance imaging of excised intact organs (r2 = 0.996 and 0.969, respectively). Dynamic FMT imaging (multiple times from 0 to 24 h) performed in live mice after the injection of four different FR/NIR-labeled agents, including immunoglobulin, 20–50 nm nanoparticles, a large vascular imaging agent, and a small molecule integrin antagonist, showed clear differences in the percentage of injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) in liver, kidney, and bladder signal. Nanoparticles and IgG1 favored liver over kidney signal, the small molecule integrin-binding agent favored rapid kidney and bladder clearance, and the vascular agent, showed both liver and kidney clearance. Further assessment of the volume of distribution of these agents by fluorescent volume added information regarding their biodistribution and highlighted the relatively poor extravasation into tissue by IgG1. These studies demonstrate the ability of quantitative FMT imaging of FR/NIR agents to non-invasively visualize and quantify the biodistribution of different agents over time.
Comparing two information flow security properties

In this paper we compare two information flow security properties: the lazy security (L-Sec) by A.W. Roscoe et al. (1994) and the bisimulation non-deducibility on compositions (BNDC) by R. Focardi and R. Gorrieri (1996). To make this we define the failure non-deducibility on compositions, a failure semantics version of the BNDC. The common specification language used for the comparison is the Security Process Algebra, an extension of CCS which permits to describe systems where actions belong to two different levels of confidentiality. We prove that BNDC applied to a restricted class of systems, the low-deterministic and non-divergent ones, is equal to L-Sec. So these two properties, which are based on quite different underlying intuitions, become the same if we add some conditions to BNDC.
A Comparative Study of Refractive Changes Following Pterygium Surgery with Bare Sclera Technique and Conjunctival Autografting

Background: Pterygium is a triangular, fibrovascular, connective tissue overgrowth of bulbar conjunctiva onto the cornea. Surgery is indicated for the visual impairment caused by the astigmatism induced by the pterygium and its progression into the pupillary area or for patient’s cosmetic needs. Aims: To determine the amount of refractive changes following pterygium surgery and to compare the refractive changes between bare sclera technique and conjunctival autografting. Materials and methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted on a total of 60 eyes of 59 patients with primary pterygium. The study cases were randomly distributed into two groups of 30 eyes each. One group was treated with Pterygium excision with bare sclera technique while the other with Pterygium excision with conjunctival autografting. Patients were observed for three follow up visits which were done at second, fourth and twelve weeks after the surgery. Visual acuity, keratometry and refraction with acceptance were recorded at each follow up. Result: Majority of patients were in the age group of 51 to 60 years. Females (63%) outnumbered males (37%) in this study probably because they seek surgical treatment for cosmetic reasons. 95% of pterygia under study were on the nasal side. It was found that the corneal astigmatism reduced progressively and significantly in both the study groups after two weeks, four weeks and twelve weeks post operatively. No significant differences between bare sclera technique and conjunctival autografting group concerning post operative astigmatism were found. Conclusion: Pterygium excision induces a reversal of pterygium related corneal flattening. A significant decrease in astigmatism and improvement in visual acuity is observed post operatively. However further studies need to be conducted to compare the effect of different surgical approaches on post operative astigmatism.
THE DETERMINANTS AND IMPACT OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENT IN THE TRANSITION ECONOMIES: A PANEL DATA ANALYSIS

Considerable attention has been paid to the level of inward FDI in the transition economies, based on the widespread assumption that such investments are essential for economic modernisation. This paper contains a panel data analysis of the factors affecting aggregate inflows of foreign direct investment in 8 Eastern European economies over the five year period from 1992 to 1996. Our results indicate that the method of privatisation, proximity to the EU and the extent of trade linkages with the advanced economies can have significant effects on the level of investment. We also detect a role for risk and relative labour costs in the host economies, suggesting a degree of competition to attract inward investment. We augment these results with a separate panel data analysis of the factors affecting technical progress in the 8 Eastern European economies from 1992-96. This suggests that inward investment has had a significant effect on the economic performance of host economies, although beneficial effects on indigenous companies appear to have been slow to develop. † Earlier versions of this paper were presented at the Institute for World Economics of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, the Royal Economic Society Conference at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds. We are grateful to Ray Barrell, Vladimír Benácek, Miroslaw Gronicki, Magdolna Sass, Martin Weale and other seminar participants for helpful comments and suggestions. The work was supported by an ACE project grant from the European Commission (Project No. P96-6086-R). National Institute of Economic and Social Research 2 Dean Trench Street Smith Square London SW1P 3HE email: dholland@niesr.ac. uk, npain@niesr.ac. uk
Differences between residential and non-residential fathers on sexual socialisation of African American youth

Abstract This study investigated differences between residential and non-residential fathers on topics discussed during father–child sex communication and factors associated with child sexual socialisation. Young people (N = 159, 53% female) provided self-reports using computer surveys on the role of their fathers on father–child sex communication, general communication, parental monitoring, father social support and topics discussed during father–child sex communication. The analysis revealed differences in topics discussed between young people with residential vs. non-residential fathers. Independent group t-tests revealed significant differences between young people with residential vs. non-residential fathers on social support and parental monitoring for sons and parental monitoring for daughters. Sons and daughters with residential fathers had higher scores on these variables. Discriminant function analyses, chi-square tests and hierarchical linear regression analyses were carried out to determine whether there were meaningful distinctions between young people with residential vs. non-residential fathers. The analysis revealed social support and parental monitoring provided the most meaningful distinction between young people with residential vs. non-residential fathers. These results highlight the importance of non-residential fathers in the sexual socialisation of their young people through parent–child sex communication. Discussion focuses on the need for development of interventions to promote the inclusion of non-residential fathers in the sexual socialisation of African American youth.
Postfeminist Digital Cultures: Femininity, Social Media, and Self-Representation

1. Introduction 2. Postfeminism, Girls and Young Women, and Digital Media PART I: SEXUAL SELF-REPRESENTATIONS 3. Heterosexy Images on Social Network Sites 4. Girls, Sexting and Gender Politics PART II: VALUABLE AND DEVALUED SELVES 5. Postfeminist Self-Making: Textual Self-Representation and the Performance of "Authentic" Young Femininity on Social Network Sites 6. Digital Girls in Crisis? Seeking Feedback and Representing Pain in Postfeminist Networked Publics Afterword: Notes on Visibility and Self-Exposure
Fruitful research: drug target discovery for neurodegenerative diseases in Drosophila

Introduction: Although vertebrate model systems have obvious advantages in the study of human disease, invertebrate organisms have contributed enormously to this field as well. The conservation of genome structure and physiology among organisms poses unexpected peculiarities, and the redundancy in certain gene families or the presence of polymorphisms that can slightly alter gene expression can, in certain instances, bring invertebrate systems, such as Drosophila, closer to humans than mice and vice versa. This necessitates the analysis of disease pathways in multiple model organisms. Areas covered: The author highlights findings from Drosophila models of neurodegenerative diseases that have occurred in the past few years. She also highlights and discusses various molecular, genetic and genomic tools used in flies, as well as methods for generating disease models. Finally, the author describes Drosophila models of Alzheimer's, Parkinson's tri-nucleotide repeat diseases, and Fragile X syndrome and summarizes insights in disease mechanisms that have been discovered directly in fly models. Expert opinion: Full genome genetic screens in Drosophila can lead to the rapid identification of drug target candidates that can be subsequently validated in a vertebrate system. In addition, the Drosophila models of neurodegeneration may often show disease phenotypes that are absent in equivalent mouse models. The author believes that the extensive contribution of Drosophila to both new disease drug target discovery, in addition to target validation, makes them indispensible to drug discovery and development.
Flavivirus NS4A-induced Autophagy Protects Cells against Death and Enhances Virus Replication*

Flaviviruses include the most prevalent and medically challenging viruses. Persistent infection with flaviviruses of epithelial cells and hepatocytes that do not undergo cell death is common. Here, we report that, in epithelial cells, up-regulation of autophagy following flavivirus infection markedly enhances virus replication and that one flavivirus gene, NS4A, uniquely determines the up-regulation of autophagy. Dengue-2 and Modoc (a murine flavivirus) kill primary murine macrophages but protect epithelial cells and fibroblasts against death provoked by several insults. The flavivirus-induced protection derives from the up-regulation of autophagy, as up-regulation of autophagy by starvation or inactivation of mammalian target of rapamycin also protects the cells against insult, whereas inhibition of autophagy via inactivation of PI3K nullifies the protection conferred by flavivirus. Inhibition of autophagy also limits replication of both Dengue-2 and Modoc virus in epithelial cells. Expression of flavivirus NS4A is sufficient to induce PI3K-dependent autophagy and to protect cells against death; expression of other viral genes, including NS2A and NS4B, fails to protect cells against several stressors. Flavivirus NS4A protein induces autophagy in epithelial cells and thus protects them from death during infection. As autophagy is vital to flavivirus replication in these cells, NS4A is therefore also identified as a critical determinant of flavivirus replication.
Absence of autoantibodies against glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) in the non‐obese diabetic (NOD) mouse and low expression of the enzyme in mouse islets

GAD is a major islet cell autoantigen in human type 1 diabetes mellitus. Autoantibodies are preferentially directed against the 65‐kD isoform of the enzyme which is the only form expressed in human islets of Langerhans. The NOD mouse is a spontaneous model of type I diabetes, frequently employed in studies dealing with the immunopathogenesis of the disease. In the present study the reactivity of sera from 34 prediabetic and 15 diabetic NOD mice was tested against GAD protein present in islets of Langerhans and cerebellum, and against recombinant. , semi‐purified GAD‐65 and GAD‐67. A rabbit antiserum (K2) raised against GAD‐67 could readily recognize the recombinant GAD‐67 and the isoform present in rat and mouse islets and mouse brain. A MoAb (GAD‐6) specific for the GAD‐65 isoform reacted against the recombinant GAD‐65 and the isoform present in rat islets and mouse brain, whereas no reactivity was observed when using mouse islets. However, when testing the NOD mice sera by immunohistochemistry, immunoprecipitation and Western blot, no reactivity against any of the isoforms of GAD could be detected. Using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR), GAD‐67 mRNA could be detected in mouse and rat islets and in mouse brain. GAD‐65 mRNA could also be detected in rat islets and mouse brain, but apparently a much lower copy number is present in mouse islets. These findings stress important diabetes in the immune response occurring in the animal model NOD mouse compared with human type 1 diabetes, and emphasize that human and animal type 1 diabetes possibly represent the final outcome of several different etiological factors.
Evaluating Perceptual and Motor Explanations of Mirror Writing in Children

Mirror writing refers to script produced in the reverse direction. The spontaneous mirror writing observed in children may give us an insight into how writing actions develop. However, there is no consensus on whether mirror writing has a predominately perceptual or motor basis. This study aims to address that question, a) 123 children (mean age = 72 months) from an Irish primary school and preschool engaged in tasks designed to examine the relationship between mirror writing and the spontaneous mirror generalisation which enables a child to recognise a letter and its mirror image (Dehaene, 2007). Specifically, they wrote individual lowercase letters and made orientation judgements about these letters and their mirror images, b) 123 children plus 20 adults engaged in novel motor tasks devised to test whether mirror writing was associated with a difficulty in learning actions requiring a specific direction (Della Sala & Cubelli, 2007). A perceptual basis for mirror writing was supported. There was a correlation between letters mirror written and those perceptually confused during the orientation judgement task (rs = .62, p < .01). Mirror generalisations were found to be more frequent than mirror writing for every letter. This suggests that mirror generalisations may be either the causal or limiting factor for mirror writing. A motor explanation was not supported. These findings and their educational implications are discussed.
Oligodendrocyte precursor cells generate pituicytes in vivo during neurohypophysis development

In the vertebrate brain, much remains to be understood concerning the origin of glial cell diversity and the potential lineage relationships between the various types of glia. Besides astrocytes and myelin‐forming oligodendrocytes, other macroglial cell populations are found in discrete areas of the central nervous system (CNS). They share functional features with astrocytes and oligodendrocytes but also display specific characteristics. Such specialized cells, called pituicytes, are located in the neurohypophysis (NH). Our work focuses on the lineage of the pituicytes during rodent development. First, we show that cells identified with a combination of oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) markers are present in the developing rat NH. In culture, neonatal NH progenitors also share major functional characteristics with OPCs, being both migratory and bipotential, i.e. able to give rise to type 2 astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. We then observe that, either in vitro or after transplantation into myelin‐deficient Shiverer brain, pieces of NH generate myelinating oligodendrocytes, confirming the oligodendrogenic potentiality of NH cells. However, no mature oligodendrocyte can be found in the NH. This led us to hypothesize that the OPCs present in the developing NH might be generating other glial cells, especially the pituicytes. Consistent with this hypothesis, the OPCs appear during NH development before pituicytes differentiate. Finally, we establish a lineage relationship between olig1+ cells, most likely OPCs, and the pituicytes by fate‐mapping experiments using genetically engineered mice. This constitutes the first demonstration that OPCs generate glial cells other than oligodendrocytes in vivo. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.