Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vicarious Traumatization

This article reviews the descriptive and empirical literature examining vicarious traumatization in therapists treating sexual offenders. Vicarious traumatization in sexual offender therapists is described, including an examination of the relationships between vicarious traumatization and client, therapist, and setting and therapy characteristics. Special attention is given to those unique factors that contribute to the development of vicarious traumatization in this group, as well as consideration of why therapists treating offenders or victims may differ in their experience and development of vicarious traumatization. Evidence from the research reviewed suggests that sexual offender therapists do experience symptoms of vicarious traumatization. Factors most strongly associated with the development of vicarious traumatization in sexual offender therapists include professional experience, treatment setting, and coping strategies employed by the therapists. Implications and recommendations for professionals and policymakers are discussed.
Tight Policy Regret Bounds for Improving and Decaying Bandits

We consider a variant of the well-studied multiarmed bandit problem in which the reward from each action evolves monotonically in the number of times the decision maker chooses to take that action. We are motivated by settings in which we must give a series of homogeneous tasks to a finite set of arms (workers) whose performance may improve (due to learning) or decay (due to loss of interest) with repeated trials. We assume that the arm-dependent rates at which the rewards change are unknown to the decision maker, and propose algorithms with provably optimal policy regret bounds, a much stronger notion than the often-studied external regret. For the case where the rewards are increasing and concave, we give an algorithm whose policy regret is sublinear and has a (provably necessary) dependence on the time required to distinguish the optimal arm from the rest. We illustrate the behavior and performance of this algorithm via simulations. For the decreasing case, we present a simple greedy approach and show that the policy regret of this algorithm is constant and upper bounded by the number of arms.
Three Principles of Competitive Nonlinear Pricing

This paper makes three contributions: (1) A competitive revelation principle for contracting games in which several principals compete for one privately informed agent. Specifically, given any profile of incentive compatible indirect contracting mechanisms, there exists an incentive compatible direct contracting mechanism that, in all circumstances, generates the same contract selection as the profile of indirect mechanisms. (2) A competitive taxation principle. That is, given any incentive compatible direct contracting mechanism, there exists a unique profile of nonlinear pricing schedules that implements the mechanism and the converse. (3) Existence of Nash equilibrium for the mixed extension of the nonlinear pricing game. This is proven using the taxation principle (2 above) and a result due to Reny, Econometrica 1999. To appear as a CERMSEM, Paris 1, Working Paper and also on http://www.warwick. ac.uk/fac/soc/Economics/research/twerps.html.
A new method for real-time quantification of irrigant extrusion during root canal irrigation ex vivo.

AIM (i) To introduce a new method of quantifying extruded irrigant during root canal irrigation ex vivo. (ii) to evaluate the effect of periapical tissue simulation and pressure equalization and (iii) to determine the effect of needle type, apical preparation size and apical constriction diameter on irrigant extrusion. METHODOLOGY Sixteen human single-rooted teeth were sequentially prepared to sizes 25-45, 0.06 taper and mounted on a plastic vial simulating a periapical lesion. The apical constriction diameter was standardized to 0.15-0.35 mm. The vial was filled with distilled water or air and was either open to the environment or closed. A point-conductivity probe was used to determine the volume of extruded irrigant into the vial. NaOCl was delivered by an open-ended or a closed-ended needle at 3 mm short of working length. Results were analysed by two 3-way repeated-measures ANOVAs. RESULTS The open-ended needle extruded significantly more irrigant than the closed-ended in the majority of cases (P < 0.002). An increase in the apical size was related to decreased irrigant extrusion (P < 0.024). The effect of constriction diameter was not significant. The water-closed and water-open methods were related to less extrusion than the air-closed and air-open methods, respectively (P < 0.005). Open systems (water-open, air-open) allowed extrusion of larger amounts of irrigant than corresponding closed systems (water-closed, air-closed) (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS The conductivity probe is a reliable method for real-time quantification of irrigant extrusion ex vivo. Not simulating tissue resistance in ex vivo experiments may lead to significant overestimation of irrigant extrusion.
Relation of maternal vitamin D status with gestational diabetes mellitus and perinatal outcome.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between maternal vitamin D status and glucose intolerance, and its impact on pregnant women and their newborns. METHODS A cohort of pregnant women were divided into three groups: women with gestational diabetes mellitus, ones with normal results both after the 50 gr and 100 gr OGTT (CG-1) and ones having a positive result after the 50 gr OGTT screening but negative results for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) after the 100 gr OGTT (CG-2). RESULTS The newborn length in CG-1 was greater than in GDM and CG-2 (p= 0.002 and p= 0.02). Fasting blood glucose and insulin resistance (IR) were negatively correlated with length of the newborns (r=-0.3, p=0.03 and r=-0.3, p=0.01). The newborns of women with GDM had lower APGAR-1 and 5 scores than those of CG-1 and CG-2 (APGAR-1 p= 0.001 and p= 0.004, APGAR-5 p=0.005 and p=0.007, respectively). APGAR scores were correlated negatively with IR (APGAR-1 r=-0.32, p=0.01, APGAR-5 r=-0.3, p=0.03) and positively with 25OHD levels (APGAR-1 r=0.3, p=0.01, APGAR-5 r=0.3, p=0.02). CONCLUSION Vitamin D deficiency, gestational diabetes and insulin resistance are interrelated. Severe vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy is associated with poor pregnancy and neonatal outcome.
STUDIES ON NUCLEIC ACID METACHROMASY I . The Effect of Certain Fixatives on the Dye Stacking Properties of Nucleic Acids in Solution

The stacking coefficients (K's) of nucleic acids have been thought to influence the color contrast between DNA and RNA in tissue sections stained with metachromatic dyes. This idea was tested by titrating toluidine blue (TB) and acridine orange (AO) in solution against DNA and RNA, native or treated with formaldehyde, acrolein, or Carnoy's fluid. Absorption spectra at varying polymer-dye ratios were used to compute K values by the methods of Bradley and colleagues. Results with both dyes fit Bradley's stacking equations. Fixatives did not block dye-binding sites but markedly altered K values. K of DNA was low, unaffected by aldehyde fixative, increased by Carnoy's fluid or heat denaturation. K of RNA was higher than that of DNA and was increased greatly by formaldehyde, almost as much by acrolein, considerably less by Carnoy's fluid. Aldehyde effects were partially reversed upon removal of aldehyde by dialysis. These observations accord with known effects of aldehydes and denaturation upon nucleic acid conformation. Differences between K's of DNA and RNA were greater after aldehyde treatment than after Carnoy's, and were greater with AO than with TB. This is generally consistent with the magnitude of the color contrasts observed in tissues. Additional factors must contribute to the intense color contrast observed in acrolein-fixed tissues stained with TB. I N T R O D U C T I O N When certain cationic dyes are used to stain tissue sections, some tissue polyanions acquire the same color shown by the dye in dilute solution, i.e. are stained orthochromatically, while other tissue polyanions acquire a different color, i.e. are stained metachromaticaily. Most studies of this phenomenon have been concerned with the large metachromatic color changes produced by acid mucopolysaccharides. However, similar though smaller color changes are produced in many of the same dyes by nucleic acids. The metachromatic color change has long been considered to result from reversible aggregation of dye molecules, which may occur when the concentration of dye is increased, the ionic strength is increased, the temperature is decreased, or when dye molecules are bound to neighboring sites on suitable polymers. For several representative metachromatic dyes, the formation of such aggregates has been proved (19, 30). The subject of metachromasy was comprehensively reviewed by Bergeron and Singer in 1958 (3). Some metachromatic dyes can be used to pro-
The associations between atrial fibrillation and parameters of nutritional status assessment in the general hospital population - a cross-sectional analysis of medical documentation.

BACKGROUND Atrial fibrillation (AF) and nutrition status abnormalities are two of the most significant epidemics in current health care. AIM The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the prevalence and outcome of AF, and the parameters of nutritional status among consecutive, real-life patients hospitalised in a university hospital. METHODS Analysis of the medical documentation of 4930 consecutive patients aged ≥ 18 years hospitalised for more than one day with diagnoses of cardiovascular disorders. RESULTS Patients admitted with a diagnosis of AF (n = 512) compared to their counterparts without AF less frequently had an NRS-2002 score ≥ 3, normal range of body mass index (BMI), higher blood haemoglobin, and lower low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) concentration. In logistic regression analysis, the risk of a hospitalisation due to AF was negatively related to BMI, NRS-2002 score, and the value of the difference between ideal and actual body mass. Urgent admission and having an NRS-2002 score ≥ 3 remained the only significant variables determining the risk of in-hospital death. Blood concentration of LDL-C and urgent admission were the only significant variables determining risk of 30-day rehospitalisation in the studied population. CONCLUSIONS Inpatients with AF had a lower prevalence of normal body mass. Patients with an AF diagnosis had different risk factors for in-hospital death and 30-day rehospitalisation than their counterparts with diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases but without AF; however, the parameters of nutritional status played an important role in both patient groups. The obesity and cholesterol paradoxes were also observed.
IN THE LIGHT OF : A CORPUS-BASED ANALYSIS OF LEXICAL BUNDLES IN TWO EU-RELATED REGISTERS

This paper is a report on a corpus-based analysis of two EU-related registers. The study aims to explore the discourse of official EU texts and online EU news applying a frequency-based approach suggested by Biber and Conrad (1999). The concept developed and applied for this approach is the lexical bundle which has been found characteristic for specific registers. Based on the investigation of the most frequent 50 single-word items and the structural and functional analysis of the identified lexical bundles in official EU texts and online EU news texts, the discourse of the two EU-related registers are found to differ considerably. Discourse in official EU texts can be characterised in contrast to online EU news texts by a higher proportion of content words in the top 50 single-word lexical items, more frequent use of lexical bundles in general, very few identical lexical bundles and by a significantly different distribution of lexical bundles across structural types and functional categories. Besides the description of the two EU-related registers, pedagogical implications are also discussed.
Resolving BGP Disputes

The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) allows each autonomous system (AS) to select routes to destinations based on semantically-rich and locally-determined policies. This autonomously exercised policy-freedom can cause instability, where unresolvable policy-based disputes in the network result in interdomain route oscillations. Moreover, several recent works have established that such instabilities can only be eliminated by enforcing a globally accepted preference ordering on routes (such as shortest path). To resolve this conflict between policy autonomy and system stability, we propose a distributed mechanism that enforces a preference ordering only when oscillations due to these disputes occur. This preserves policy freedom when possible, and imposes stability when required.
Functional Evidence for an Inward Rectifier Potassium Current in Rat Renal Afferent Arterioles

Abstract — An inward rectifier potassium current, Kir, has been identified in cerebral and coronary resistance vessels, where it is considered to be an important determinant of resting membrane potential (RMP) and to play a role in blood flow regulation. We investigated the functional role of Kir in the renal afferent arteriole using the in vitro–perfused hydronephrotic rat kidney. Increasing external KCl from 5 to 15 mmol/L induced afferent arteriolar vasodilation. This response was inhibited by 10 to 100 &mgr;mol/L Ba2+, concentrations selective for blockade of Kir, and by chloroethylclonidine (100 &mgr;mol/L) but was not blocked by glibenclamide (10 &mgr;mol/L) or ouabain (3 mmol/L). Reducing external KCl from 5 to 1.5 mmol/L to enhance rectification of Kir caused vasoconstriction at low renal arterial pressure (40 mm Hg) and vasodilation during myogenic vasoconstriction (120 mm Hg), suggesting that this current dominates RMP at low perfusion pressures. When administered to kidneys perfused at 40 mm Hg renal arterial pressure, 30 &mgr;mol/L Ba2+ elicited afferent arteriolar depolarization, reducing RMP from −47±2 to −34±2 mV (n=10, P <0.0001), and vasoconstriction, reducing diameters from 14.5±1 to 10.9±0.8 &mgr;m (n=10, P =0.0016). Although Ba2+ reduced resting diameter, blockade of Kir did not prevent myogenic signaling in this vessel. Our findings thus demonstrate the presence of Kir in rat renal afferent arterioles and suggest that this current is an important determinant of RMP in situ.
Transcriptional Responses of Cultured Rat Sympathetic Neurons during BMP-7-Induced Dendritic Growth

Background Dendrites are the primary site of synapse formation in the vertebrate nervous system; however, relatively little is known about the molecular mechanisms that regulate the initial formation of primary dendrites. Embryonic rat sympathetic neurons cultured under defined conditions extend a single functional axon, but fail to form dendrites. Addition of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) triggers these neurons to extend multiple dendrites without altering axonal growth or cell survival. We used this culture system to examine differential gene expression patterns in naïve vs. BMP-treated sympathetic neurons in order to identify candidate genes involved in regulation of primary dendritogenesis. Methodology/Principal Findings To determine the critical transcriptional window during BMP-induced dendritic growth, morphometric analysis of microtubule-associated protein (MAP-2)-immunopositive processes was used to quantify dendritic growth in cultures exposed to the transcription inhibitor actinomycin-D added at varying times after addition of BMP-7. BMP-7-induced dendritic growth was blocked when transcription was inhibited within the first 24 hr after adding exogenous BMP-7. Thus, total RNA was isolated from sympathetic neurons exposed to three different experimental conditions: (1) no BMP-7 treatment; (2) treatment with BMP-7 for 6 hr; and (3) treatment with BMP-7 for 24 hr. Affymetrix oligonucleotide microarrays were used to identify differential gene expression under these three culture conditions. BMP-7 significantly regulated 56 unique genes at 6 hr and 185 unique genes at 24 hr. Bioinformatic analyses implicate both established and novel genes and signaling pathways in primary dendritogenesis. Conclusions/Significance This study provides a unique dataset that will be useful in generating testable hypotheses regarding transcriptional control of the initial stages of dendritic growth. Since BMPs selectively promote dendritic growth in central neurons as well, these findings may be generally applicable to dendritic growth in other neuronal cell types.
Systemic corticosteroids for acute gout.

BACKGROUND Gout is one of the most frequently occurring rheumatic diseases, worldwide. Given the well-known drawbacks of the regular treatments for acute gout (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), colchicine), systemic corticosteroids might be safe alternatives. OBJECTIVES To assess the efficacy and safety of systemic corticosteroids in the treatment of acute gout in comparison with placebo, NSAIDs, colchicine, other active drugs, other therapies, or no therapy. SEARCH STRATEGY Searches were done in the following electronic databases: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2007); MEDLINE (1966 to 2007) through PubMed; EMBASE (1974 to 2007); Web of Science (1975 to 2007); LILACS (1986 to 2007); and databases of ongoing trials (up to April 2007). SELECTION CRITERIA Randomized controlled trials and controlled clinical trials investigating the use of systemic corticosteroids in the treatment of acute gout were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two review authors decided independently which trials to include. The same review authors also collected the data in a standardised form and assessed the methodological quality of the trial using validated criteria. When possible, continuous and dichotomous data were summarised statistically. MAIN RESULTS Three head to head trials involving 148 patients (74 systemic corticosteroids; 74 comparator drugs) were included. Placebo-controlled trials were not found. In the studies, different kinds of systemic corticosteroids and different kinds of control drugs were used, both administered in different routes. Intramuscular triamcinolone acetonide was compared respectively to oral indomethacine, and intramuscular adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH); oral prednisolone (together with a single intramuscular diclophenac injection) was compared to oral indomethacine (together with a single placebo injection). Outcome measurements varied: average number of days until total relief of signs, mean decrease of pain per unit of time in mm on a visual analogue scale (VAS) - during rest and activity. In the triamcinolone-indomethacine trial the clinical joint status was used as an additional outcome. Clinically relevant differences between the studied systemic corticosteroids and the comparator drugs were not found; important safety problems attributable to the used corticosteroids were not reported. The quality of the three studies was graded as very low to moderate. Statistical pooling of results was not possible. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is inconclusive evidence for the efficacy and effectiveness of systemic corticosteroids in the treatment of acute gout. Patients with gout did not report serious adverse effects from systemic corticosteroids, when used short term.
A Formal Architectural Model for Logical Agent Mobility

The process of agent migration is the major difference between logical code mobility of software agents and physical mobility of mobile nodes in ad hoc networks. Without considering agent transfer, it would make little sense to mention the modeling of strong code mobility, which aims to make a migrated agent restarted exactly from the state when it was stopped before migration. From the perspective of system's architecture, this paper proposes a two-layer approach for the formal modeling of logical agent mobility (LAM) using predicate/transition (PrT) nets. We view a mobile agent system as a set of agent spaces and agents could migrate from one space to another. Each agent space is explicitly abstracted to be a component, consisting of an environmental part and an internal connector dynamically binding agents with their environment. We use a system net, agent nets, and a connector net to model the environment, agents, and the connector, respectively. In particular, agent nets are packed up as parts of tokens in system nets, so that agent transfer and location change are naturally captured by transition firing (token game) in Petri nets. Agent nets themselves are active only at specific places and disabled at all the other places in a system net. The semantics of such a two-layer LAM model is defined by transforming it into a PrT net. This facilitates the analysis of several properties about location, state, and connection. In addition, this paper also presents a case study of modeling and analyzing an information retrieval system with mobile agents.
Denial and minimization among sex offenders

Defensiveness in sex offenders (DISO), although a very common phenomenon, is poorly understood by clinicians. Three explanatory models of DISO are explored. Thepathogenic model postulates from a psychodynamic perspective massive repression and denial are operative in the service of ego functions. Thecriminogenic model associates deception with the antisocial characteristics of sex offenders. Theadaptational model assumes that the sex offender is faced with a highly adversarial setting and chooses defensiveness based on its expected utility. Models of malingering are compared and implications of DISO for clinical treatment and management are discussed.
Identification of a Novel Streptococcal Gene Cassette Mediating SOS Mutagenesis in Streptococcus uberis

ABSTRACT Streptococci have been considered to lack the classical SOS response, defined by increased mutation after UV exposure and regulation by LexA. Here we report the identification of a potential self-regulated SOS mutagenesis gene cassette in the Streptococcaceae family. Exposure to UV light was found to increase mutations to antibiotic resistance in Streptococcus uberis cultures. The mutational spectra revealed mainly G:C→A:T transitions, and Northern analyses demonstrated increased expression of a Y-family DNA polymerase resembling UmuC under DNA-damaging conditions. In the absence of the Y-family polymerase, S. uberis cells were sensitive to UV light and to mitomycin C. Furthermore, the UV-induced mutagenesis was almost completely abolished in cells deficient in the Y-family polymerase. The gene encoding the Y-family polymerase was localized in a four-gene operon including two hypothetical genes and a gene encoding a HdiR homolog. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that S. uberis HdiR binds specifically to an inverted repeat sequence in the promoter region of the four-gene operon. Database searches revealed conservation of the gene cassette in several Streptococcus species, including at least one genome each of Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sanguinis, and Streptococcus thermophilus strains. In addition, the umuC operon was localized in several mobile DNA elements of Streptococcus and Lactococcus species. We conclude that the hdiR-umuC-ORF3-ORF4 operon represents a novel gene cassette capable of mediating SOS mutagenesis among members of the Streptococcaceae.