Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infertility and Involuntary Childlessness: The Transition to Nonparenthood

While the "transition to parenthood" has now received considerable attention from social scientists, the "transition to nonparenthood" experienced by infertile couples who are involuntarily childless has received little consideration. This article provides a theoretical framework for understanding the reality reconstructions, identity transformations, and role readjustments that must be made by involuntarily childless couples who are unable to make the transition to parenthood as they had anticipated.
Disparities in public protection measures against sexual offending in England and Wales: An example of preventative injustice?

This article analyses the use of criminal justice measures aimed at the prevention of sexual offending across England and Wales. Specifically, it focuses on measures such as the ‘sex offenders register’ and sexual offences prevention orders (SOPOs) and the use of sanctions for their breach. Following a discussion of the apparent tensions between individual rights and public protection measures we present an original analysis of data collated from Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements (MAPPA) area reports over a nine-year period. Our analysis reveals considerable variation between areas in both the risk-level allocation of cases, the imposition of SOPOs and sanctions for non-compliance with MAPPA. We argue that these disparities raise issues concerning both the rights and autonomy of those subjected to public protection measures and highlight the need for further detailed research into MAPPA practices.
Physiological Characterization and Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of White and Green Leaves of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus

Leaf coloration is one of the most important and attractive characteristics of Ananas comosus var. bracteatus. The chimeric character is not stable during the in vitro tissue culturing. Many regenerated plants lost economic values for the loss of the chimeric character of leaves. In order to reveal the molecular mechanisms involved in the albino phenotype of the leaf cells, the physiological and transcriptional differences between complete white (CWh) and green (CGr) leaf cells of A. comosus var. bracteatus were analyzed. A total of 1,431 differentially expressed unigenes (DEGs) in CGr and CWh leaves were identified using RNA-seq. A comparison to the COG, GO and KEGG annotations revealed DEGs involved in chlorophyll biosynthesis, chloroplast development and photosynthesis. Furthermore, the measurement of main precursors of chlorophyll in the CWh leaves confirmed that the rate-limiting step in chlorophyll biosynthesis, and thus the cause of the albino phenotype of the white cells, was the conversion of pyrrole porphobilinogen (PBG) to uroporphyrinogen III (Uro III). The enzyme activity of porphobilinogen deaminase (PBGD) and uroporporphyrinogn III synthase (UROS), which catalyze the transition of PBG to Uro III, was significantly decreased in the CWh leaves. Our data showed the transcriptional differences between the CWh and CGr plants and characterized key steps in chlorophyll biosynthesis of the CWh leaves. These results contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms and regulation of pigment biosynthesis in the CWh leaf cells of A. comosus var. bracteatus.
Recovery from spinal cord injury differs between rat strains in a major histocompatibility complex‐independent manner

Inflammation is a common characteristic of spinal cord injury. The nature of this response, whether it is beneficial or detrimental, has been the subject of debate. It has been reported that susceptibility to autoimmunity is correlated with increased functional impairment following spinal cord injury. As the ability to mount an autoimmune response has most consistently been associated with certain haplotypes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), we analysed the possible effects of the MHC haplotype on functional impairment and recovery following spinal cord injury. A contusion injury was induced in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis‐susceptible and ‐resistant rats [Dark Agouti, Lewis and Piebald Viral Glaxo (PVG), respectively]. We found that locomotion recovered significantly better in Dark Agouti rats compared with PVG and Lewis rats but an F2 intercross (PVG × PVG‐RT1av1) excluded the possibility that this difference was MHC haplotype‐dependent. Thus, we conclude that recovery following spinal cord injury is subject to considerable genetic heterogeneity that is not coupled to the MHC haplotype region. Continued research of genetic variants regulating recovery following spinal cord injury is warranted.
Screening for connective tissue disease-associated antibodies by automated immunoassay

Abstract Background: Antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) are useful for the diagnosis of ANA-associated systemic rheumatic disease (AASRD). The objective of this study was the evaluation of an immunoassay that detects antibodies to a mixture of 17 antigens as an alternative to indirect immunofluorescence (IIF). Methods: Nine thousand eight hundred and fifty-six consecutive patients tested for ANAs were tested by IIF and EliA connective tissue disease screen (Thermo-Fisher). Medical records were reviewed for 2475 patients, including all patients that tested positive/equivocal by either test and a selection of 500 patients that tested negative. Results: Concordance between IIF and EliA was 83.1%. AASRD was found in 12.8% of IIF-positive patients, 30.2% of EliA-positive patients and 0.4%, 46.6%, 5.8% and 3.0% of patients that tested, respectively, double negative, double positive, single positive for EliA and single positive for IIF. The association with AASRD increased with increasing antibody level. IIF and EliA were positive in, respectively, 90.4% and 69.9% of systemic lupus erythematosus (n=83), 100% and 84.1% of systemic sclerosis (n=63), 86.7% and 93.3% of Sjögren’s syndrome (n=45), 88.2% and 52.9% of polymyositis/dermatomyositis (n=17), and in all cases of mixed connective tissue disease (n=8). The specificity was projected to be 94%–96% for EliA and 86% for IIF. When all AASRDs were taken together, the areas under the curve of receiver operator curves were similar between IIF and EliA. Conclusions: The positive predictive value for AASRD was higher for EliA than for IIF, but, depending on the disease, EliA might fail to detect antibodies that are detected by IIF. Combining immunoassay with IIF adds value.
Attack Characterization and Intrusion Detection using an Ensemble of Self-Organizing Maps

Self-organized maps (SOM) use an unsupervised learning technique to independently organize a set of input patterns into various classes. In this paper, we use an ensemble of SOMs to identify computer attacks and characterize them appropriately using the major classes of computer attacks (denial of service, probe, user-to-root and remote-to-local). The procedure produces a set of confidence levels for each connection as a way to describe the connection's behavior.
A Maize Jasmonate Zim-Domain Protein, ZmJAZ14, Associates with the JA, ABA, and GA Signaling Pathways in Transgenic Arabidopsis

Jasmonate (JA) is an important signaling molecule involved in the regulation of many physiological and stress-related processes in plants. Jasmonate ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins have been implicated in regulating JA signaling pathways and the cross talk between various phytohormones. Maize is not only an important cereal crop, but also a model plant for monocotyledon studies. Although many JAZ proteins have been characterized in Arabidopsis and rice, few reports have examined the function of JAZ proteins in maize. In this report, we examined the phylogenetic relationship and expression pattern of JAZ family genes in maize. In addition, a tassel and endosperm-specific JAZ gene, ZmJAZ14, was identified using microarray data analysis and real-time RT-PCR, and its expression was induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG), jasmonate (JA), abscisic acid (ABA), and gibberellins (GAs). ZmJAZ14 was shown to be localized in the nucleus and possessed no transcriptional activating activity, suggesting that it functions as a transcriptional regulator. We found that overexpression of ZmJAZ14 in Arabidopsis enhanced plant tolerance to JA and ABA treatment, as well as PEG stress, while it promoted growth under GA stimulus. Moreover, ZmJAZ14 interacted with a subset of transcription factors in Arabidopsis, and the accumulation of several marker genes involved in JA, ABA, and GA signaling pathways were altered in the overexpression lines. These results suggest that ZmJAZ14 may serve as a hub for the cross talk among the JA, ABA, and GA signaling pathways. Our results can be used to further characterize the function of JAZ family proteins in maize, and the gene cloned in this study may serve as a candidate for drought tolerance and growth promotion regulation in maize.
Attitudes towards technology use in public zones: the influence of external factors on ATM use

This study used a Grounded theory approach to find factors that influence current and future use of technological systems in public zones. Fifteen participants who were either frequent or non-frequent automated teller machine (ATM) users were interviewed. They were asked their opinions, views, feelings and any other issues that they felt were important to them when using an ATM and that effected their use. From the themes and concepts that emerged from the data a conceptual model of ATM use was constructed. The model builds on ideas from the Technology Acceptance Model but additionally postulates that external factors such as perception of privacy exert an effect on attitude to use.
Ethnolinguistic vitality, self‐confidence and second language proficiency: An investigation

Abstract Past studies of the social‐psychological factors involved in second language acquisition have primarily been focussed on individual determinants of second language competence. Recent theoretical attempts at integrating contextual or environmental determinants have underlined the possible role of ethnolinguistic vitality. The present study was conducted to assess the influence of ethnolinguistic vitality on different constructs of Clement's model of second language usage. The subjects were 95 grade nine Francophone students living in a bicultural milieu. They responded to a battery of tests which included scales of ethnolinguistic vitality, attitudes, motivation, self‐confidence as well as indices of second language competence and usage. Analyses of the data show that contact with Anglophones and self‐confidence with English as a second language are related to motivation and motivation is related to linguistic and non‐linguistic aspects of second language competence. Hypotheses related to relation.
What do you mean? An educational researcher's reflections regarding ‘rural’ when rural is home

In this article, I engage in a reflexive examination of my educational research in order to explore various meanings of rurality and the ways these meanings can include and exclude. Focusing on commonly held conceptions of rurality as critiqued by theorists (Halfacree 2003, 2006; Cloke 2006), I use examples from my own multi-media research, as well as the work of other researchers and scholars, to illustrate the usefulness and limitations of these definitions. I detail the ways I have worked to address restrictive definitions of the rural and to encourage more plural, and ultimately, more inclusive understandings of the term. When notions of rurality that fail to capture the complex and unique realities of rural regions make their way into schools and sites of learning people and their rural communities are denied models of education that honour their particular needs and assets. I argue that educational research must be designed and carried out in ways that attend to the various inter-related dimensions of rurality. Researchers who hope to contribute to inclusive education in rural regions can start by examining ways that their own understandings of rurality and the research processes connected to such understandings foster inclusion.
Peer mentoring: engaging pre‐service teachers in mentoring one another

This article discusses a peer mentoring teacher education initiative that aims at developing pre‐service teachers’ capacities to participate successfully in learning communities, both during their initial teacher education and throughout their teaching careers. Peer mentoring utilizes the latest conceptualization of mentoring, that of co‐mentoring by Bona et al. or that proposed by Hargreaves and Fullan, where all teachers give and receive support. Such a conceptualization challenges the traditional assumption that the mentor knows best and is consistent with the latest approaches to teacher professional development, where teachers are encouraged to participate in learning communities. A peer mentoring teacher education initiative is described and three essential elements are highlighted.
Genotype Difference of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 2 Gene in Alcohol Drinkers Influences the Incidence of Japanese Colorectal Cancer Patients

A case‐control study was conducted to explore the possible etiologic role of alcohol and aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) gene among Japanese colorectal cancer patients. Information on their drinking, smoking and dietary habits was collected from 265 colon and 164 rectum cancer patients, and 794 non‐cancer patients as a control group. Genotypes of the ALDH2 gene at codon 487, glutamic acid (ALDH2*1)as a wild‐type or lysine (ALDH2*2)as a mutated type with reduced enzyme activity, were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction in 160 colon and 110 rectum cancer patients and 121 control persons. Univariate analysis with the χ2 statistical test showed that heavy alcohol drinking (P < 0.01), frequent meat intake (P < 0.001), and irregular (P < 0.01), hasty (P < 0.01) and excessive (P <0.001) eating habits were associated with the incidence of both colon and rectum cancers, whereas heavier smoking (P < 0.05) and infrequent fish (P < 0.03)and fruit (P < 0.01) intake were solely associated with incidence of rectum cancer. Infrequent green vegetable intake was not correlated with the incidence of colorectal cancer. Multivariate unconditional logistic regression analysis confirmed the association of alcohol consumption (P < 0.01) and meat intake (P < 0.05). Homozygous and heterozygous carriers of ALDH2*2 allele tended to be found in colon (trend P= 0.04)but not in rectum cancer patients compared to controls. Risk elevation for colon cancer due to alcohol consumption was pronounced among the heterozygotes and it was statistically significant especially for distal colon cancer (trend P=0.02). We conclude that alcohol consumption is a risk factor for colorectal cancer and the risk can be enhanced in ALDH2 heterozygotes.
Domestic Violence Beliefs and Attitudes in the Chinese American Community

Abstract A total of 262 Chinese Americans were surveyed on the telephone about their definitions of domestic violence, attitudes toward the use of interpersonal violence, myths about domestic violence victims, and their attitudes toward the criminalization of domestic violence. Generally, Chinese Americans were more likely to define domestic violence in terms of physical and sexual aggression as opposed to psychological abuse. The majority did not approve of hitting spouses or using physical force as a means to solve problems but were ambivalent about using physical punishment to discipline children. A quarter stated that victims caused the abuse, and almost half reported that victims can easily leave an abusive relationship. Although many stated that domestic violence is a crime, many felt that family matters were private. Gender role beliefs impacted on various perceptions of domestic violence. Findings are discussed in their cultural context, and implications for practice and research are discussed for Chinese domestic violence victims.
Results of Gamma Knife Radiosurgery in Acromegaly

Objective. Single-session radiosurgery with Gamma Knife (GK) may be a potential adjuvant treatment in acromegaly. We analyzed the safety and efficacy of GK in patients who had previously received maximal surgical debulking at our hospital. Methods. The study was a retrospective analysis of hormonal, radiological, and ophthalmologic data collected in a predefined protocol from 1994 to 2009. The mean age at treatment was 42.3 years (range 22–67 yy). 103 acromegalic patients participated in the study. The median follow-up was 71 months (IQ range 43–107). All patients were treated with GK for residual or recurrent GH-secreting adenoma. Results. Sixty-three patients (61.2%) reached the main outcome of the study. The rate of remission was 58.3% at 5 years (95% CI 47.6–69.0%). Other 15 patients (14.6%) were in remission after GK while on treatment with somatostatin analogues. No serious side effects occurred after GK. Eight patients (7.8%) experienced a new deficit of pituitary function. New cases of hypogonadism, hypothyroidism, and hypoadrenalism occurred in 4 of 77 patients (5.2%), 3 of 95 patients (3.2%), and 6 of 100 patients at risk (6.0%), respectively. Conclusion. In a highly selected group of acromegalic patients, GK treatment had good efficacy and safety.
The exit of social mobility and the voice of social change : Notes on the social psychology of intergroup relations

As I Ishared until recently the puzzlement of M. Jourdain in not knowing that I was writing prose, it would perhaps be appropriate to introduce these notes with an account of a brief encounter. Early in March 1974, I was spending a few days in Cambridge, Mass. , on my way to deliver some lectures at the University of Michigan. When visiting some friends, I met for the first time Albert Hirschman who a little later in the evening asked me the kind of question that no well-drilled academic ever should in such circumtances take seriously or, even less, answer seriously : what was I going to talk about at Ann Arbor? But the question was asked with great courtesy and apparent interest; therefore I briefly answered in (I hope) no more than five minutes. Next morning, Hirschman appeared bearing a &dquo;slim volume&dquo; with the inscription: &dquo;Pour Henri Tajfel, avec le pressentiment d’un dialogue&dquo;. The book was his Exit, voice and loyalty 1. The present notes are a first step towards validating the self-fulfilling prophecy of that inscription. Amongst the major themes of the Ann Arbor lectures (Tajfel, 1974a) 2
37-40GHz MMIC Sub-Harmonically Pumped Image Rejection Diode Mixer

The design simulations of a sub-harmonically pumped image rejection diode mixer for Ku band operation is described. Details of design approach and outcome of performance simulations will be presented showing, in the 37+40GHz RF band with 2.5GHz of IF frequency, a typical conversion loss ¿12.5dB with a 2LO/RF isolation ¿70dB and an image rejection ¿20dB along with an IP3¿ldBm, for an LO drive power level of +12dBm, for a final compact MMIC size of 2.37×2.31mm2.
IgE mediated food allergy in Korean children: focused on plant food allergy

Food allergy (FA) is a worldwide problem, with increasing prevalence in many countries, and it poses a clearly increasing health problem in Korea. In Korea, as a part of International Study of Asthma and Allergy in Childhood (ISAAC), a series of nation-wide population studies for prevalence of allergic disease in children were carried out, with the Korean version of ISAAC in 1995, 2000, and 2010. From the survey, the twelve-month prevalence of FA showed no significant differences from 1995 to 2000 in both age groups (6-12 years-old, 6.5% in 1995 and 5.7% in 2000; 12-15 year-olds, 7.4% in 1995 and 8.6% in 2000). The mean lifetime prevalence of FA which had ever been diagnosed by medical doctor was 4.7% in 6-12 year-olds and 5.1% in 12-15 year-olds respectively in 2000. In Korean children, the major causes of FA are almost same as in other countries, although the order prevalence may vary, a prime example of which being that peanut and tree nut allergies are not prevalent, as in western countries. Both pediatric emergency department (ED) visits and deaths relating to food induced anaphylaxis have also increased in western countries. From a study which based on data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (KHIRA) from 2001 to 2007, the incidence of anaphylaxis under the age of 19 was 0.7-1 per 100,000 person-year, and foods (24.9%) were the most commonly identified cause of childhood anaphylaxis. In another epidemiologic study, involving 78889 patients aged 0-18 years who visited the EDs of 9 hospitals during June 2008 to Mar 2009, the incidence of food related anaphylaxis was 4.56 per 10,000 pediatric ED visits. From these studies, common causes of food related anaphylaxis were seafood, buckwheat, cow's milk, fruits, peanut and tree nuts. Although systematic epidemiologic studies have not reported on the matter, recently, plant foods related allergy has increased in Korean children. Among 804 children with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis, we reveals that the peanut sensitization rate in Korea reaches 18%, and that, when sensitized to peanut, patients showed a significant tendency to have co-sensitization with house dust mites, egg white, wheat, and soybean. The higher specific IgE to peanut was related to the likelihood of the patient developing severe systemic reactions. In another study, based on the data analysis of 69 patients under 4 years of age who had suspected peanut and tree nut allergy, 22 (31.9%) were sensitized to walnut (>0.35 kU/L, 0.45-27.4 kU/L) and 6 (8.7%) experienced anaphylaxis due to a small amount of walnut exposure. Furthermore, in this review, clinical and immunological studies on plant food allergies, such as buckwheat allergy, rice allergy, barley allergy, and kiwi fruit allergy, in Korean children are discussed.
Sphingosine-1-phosphate lyase is an endogenous suppressor of pulmonary fibrosis: role of S1P signalling and autophagy

Introduction Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is characterised by accumulation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts and deposition of extracellular matrix proteins. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) signalling plays a critical role in pulmonary fibrosis. Methods S1P lyase (S1PL) expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was correlated with pulmonary functions and overall survival; used a murine model to check the role of S1PL on the fibrogenesis and a cell culture system to study the effect of S1PL expression on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β- and S1P-induced fibroblast differentiation. Results S1PL expression was upregulated in fibrotic lung tissues and primary lung fibroblasts isolated from patients with IPF and bleomycin-challenged mice. TGF-β increased the expression of S1PL in human lung fibroblasts via activation and binding of Smad3 transcription factor to Sgpl1 promoter. Overexpression of S1PL attenuated TGF-β-induced and S1P-induced differentiation of human lung fibroblasts through regulation of the expression of LC3 and beclin 1. Knockdown of S1PL (Sgpl1+/−) in mice augmented bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, and patients with IPF reduced Sgpl1 mRNA expression in PBMCs exhibited higher severity of fibrosis and lower survival rate. Conclusion These studies suggest that S1PL is a novel endogenous suppressor of pulmonary fibrosis in human IPF and animal models.