Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nutritional influences on human neurocognitive functioning

The notion that good nutrition is essential for adequate growth and sound physical wellbeing is very well established. Further, in recent years, there has been an overwhelming increase in research dedicated to better understanding how nutritional factors influence cognition and behavior (Riby et al., 2012). An aim of this Research Topic was to bring together Review, Opinion and Original Research articles reflecting the current science in this discipline. These include the effects of a range of foods and nutritional substrates on acute and chronic human neurocognitive functioning. The 13 accepted papers which form this Research Topic cover a diverse range of topics relating nutritional factors to neurocognitive functioning and performance. The articles demonstrate that neurocognitive performance is influenced by nutritional factors ranging from the dietary level (e.g., whole diet and meal composition) through to effects of macronutrients (such as glucose and omega-3 fatty acids) and micronutrients (vitamins, iron) on neurocognitive performance.
Fusogenic Domains of Golgi Membranes Are Sequestered into Specialized Regions of the Stack that Can Be Released by Mechanical Fragmentation

A well-characterized cell-free assay that reconstitutes Golgi transport is shown to require physically fragmented Golgi fractions for maximal activity. A Golgi fraction containing large, highly stacked flattened cisternae associated with coatomer-rich components was inactive in the intra-Golgi transport assay. In contrast, more fragmented hepatic Golgi fractions of lower purity were highly active in this assay. Control experiments ruled out defects in glycosylation, the presence of excess coatomer or inhibitory factors, as well as the lack or consumption of limiting diffusible factors as responsible for the lower activity of intact Golgi fractions. Neither Brefeldin A treatment, preincubation with KCl (that completely removed associated coatomer) or preincubation with imidazole buffers that caused unstacking, activated stacked fractions for transport. Only physical fragmentation promoted recovery of Golgi fractions active for transport in vitro. Rate-zonal centrifugation partially separated smaller transport-active Golgi fragments with a unique v-SNARE pattern, away from the bulk of Golgi-derived elements identified by their morphology and content of Golgi marker enzymes (N-acetyl glucosaminyl and galactosyl transferase activities). These fragments released during activation likely represent intra-Golgi continuities involved in maintaining the dynamic redistribution of resident enzymes during rapid anterograde transport of secretory cargo through the Golgi in vivo.
Early hemodynamic changes after mitral valve replacement in patients with severe and mild pulmonary artery hypertension.

PURPOSE to assess the early hemodynamic changes after elective mitral valve replacement (MVR) in patients with severe and mild pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). METHODS a total of 45 consecutive patients, who were candidate for elective MVR, were enrolled in this prospective observational study. Patients were divided into two groups based on the absence (group A, 20 patients) or presence (group B, 25 patients) of severe pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) defined as systolic pulmonary artery pressure ≥50 mmHg measuring by catheterization. MVR was performed using standard cardiopulmonary bypass (CBD) technique. The hemodynamic and arterial blood gas assessments were carried out at baseline before the induction of general anesthesia, in the operating room immediately after MVR, and then continued after stabilization of hemodynamic status with 2 hr interval up to 24 hours. RESULTS The mean CPB and aortic cross-clamp times were similar in two groups (95.3 ± 49.5 and 61.8 ± 36.3 minutes in group A and 103.1 ± 34.7and 61.9 ± 20.0 minutes in group B). In group A, the mean PAP showed an increase immediately after the operation (from 40.4 ± 7.3 to 43.10 ± 6.2 mmHg) and then decreased significantly to 32.5 ± 3.9 mmHg (P <0.05). In group B, the mean PAP showed no significant reduction immediately after MVR, but it decreased significantly below the range of severe PAP over the first 24 hours. CONCLUSION MVR is safe and effective even in patients with severe PAH. The anesthetic technique and postoperative cares can be useful in improving the outcome in such patients.
HLA class I downregulation is associated with enhanced NK‐cell killing of melanoma cells with acquired drug resistance to BRAF inhibitors

The frequent development of drug resistance to targeted therapies in cancer patients has stimulated interest in strategies counteracting resistance. Combining immunotherapies with targeted therapies is one such strategy. In this context, we asked whether human NK cells can target melanoma cells that have acquired resistance to selective inhibitors targeting activating mutants of the B‐Raf kinase (BRAF inhibitors, BRAFi). We generated drug‐resistant cell variants in vitro from human BRAF‐mutant melanoma cell lines MEL‐HO, COLO‐38, SK‐MEL‐37, 1520 and from primary melanoma cells freshly isolated from two patients. All drug‐resistant cell variants remained susceptible to lysis by IL‐2‐activated NK cells; and two BRAFi‐resistant lines (BRAFi‐R) became significantly more susceptible to NK‐cell lysis than their parental lines. This was associated with significant HLA class I antigen downregulation and PD‐L1 upregulation on the drug‐resistant lines. Although blocking HLA class I enhanced the extent of lysis of both BRAFi‐R and parental cells to NK‐cell‐mediated lysis, antibody‐mediated inhibition of PD1–PD‐L1 interactions had no detectable effect. HLA class I antigen expression on BRAFi‐R melanoma variants thus appears to play a major role in their susceptibility to NK‐cell cytotoxicity. These findings suggest that NK‐cell‐based immunotherapy may be a viable approach to treat melanoma patients with acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors.
Reading First: A Critical Policy Analysis.

From February 20 to 22, 2002, over 100 state-level educational administrators gathered in Washington, D.C., to learn about a new funding initiative from the U.S. Department of Education to improve reading achieve ment. During the first hour of the meeting, the audience watched a video that featured translucent images of the American flag, rippling in the wind, superimposed over pictures of young children reading aloud. The powerful images, which intertwined patriotism with classroom in struction of reading, were punctuated by rousing music and the words of the male narrator, who told the viewers that "freedom is threatened when so many are not learn ing to read. " While watching this video I began to wonder: With such high-stakes discourse and ideology at work, how was the federal government defining reading? What was in cluded and not included in that definition, and what infor mation would be supplied to this group of state bureaucrats, mostly administrators and specialists? How would this information both support and constrain them in shaping literacy policy and practice in their states? As a state reading specialist, I was invited to attend this three-day Reading Leadership Academy, one of three sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education in early 2002. What I heard, read, and saw during these sessions forms the basis for the viewpoints expressed in this dis course and critical policy analysis of the Reading First Initiative, part of the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (http://www.ed.gov/offices/ OESE/readingfirst).
Corruption in Empirical Research-A Review

Two axially bored tappet valves 11, 12 are rotatably mounted in a mixing head housing 10. Primary fluid components A and B are supplied to the respective bores through radial passages 21, together with fluid additives C and D supplied through longitudinally displaced radial passages 22, whereby these components A, C and B, D undergo preliminary mixing in collection chambers 19, 20 defined by the bores. The pre-mixed components are then supplied to a final mixing chamber bore 13 defined in the housing, through nozzles 23, 24, from which they may be expelled by an axially reciprocable push rod 14. Prior to expulsion the valves are rotated in unison, which blocks the inlet passages 21, 22 and communicates the pressurized fluid components with respective tangential return passages 25, 26 via partial circumferential grooves 27, 28 in the valves. Such rotation also aligns recesses 29 in the valve bodies with the chamber 13 to allow the push rod to travel freely therethrough.
An automatic pitch model with distance function

Pitch modelling is considered to be an important factor in speech synthesis where the pitch contour plays a demonstrable role in the intelligibility and naturalness of synthesised speech. While quantitative models for pitch contours have been proposed previously, each of these have a fixed level of details and as such not all of them provide the basis either for automatic extraction of pitch model parameters or for measuring the distance between two instances of a model. In this paper, a novel and compact quantitative model for pitch contour is presented which covers the possible variations in pitch and can be automatically extracted. The minimum F0 value, the level global slope of a pitch segment and the semi-periodic jitter properties are used as pitch components and are modelled with a linear function, a sine function and a set of sine functions respectively. A distance measure is defined for the model which takes the shape of the contours into consideration. Experiments show a low mean square error (MSE) for the estimated contours for different languages across different corpora, and investigate the accuracy of the distance function on the model.
Defective DNA Replication Impairs Mitochondrial Biogenesis In Human Failing Hearts

Rationale: Mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the development of heart failure. Animal studies suggest that impaired mitochondrial biogenesis attributable to downregulation of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor &ggr; coactivator (PGC)-1 transcriptional pathway is integral of mitochondrial dysfunction in heart failure. Objective: The study sought to define mechanisms underlying the impaired mitochondrial biogenesis and function in human heart failure. Methods and Results: We collected left ventricular tissue from end-stage heart failure patients and from nonfailing hearts (n=23, and 19, respectively). The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content was decreased by >40% in the failing hearts, after normalization for a moderate decrease in citrate synthase activity (P<0.05). This was accompanied by reductions in mtDNA-encoded proteins (by 25% to 80%) at both mRNA and protein level (P<0.05). The mRNA levels of PGC-1&agr;/&bgr; and PRC (PGC-1–related coactivator) were unchanged, whereas PGC-1&agr; protein increased by 58% in the failing hearts. Among the PGC-1 coactivating targets, the expression of estrogen-related receptor &agr; and its downstream genes decreased by up to 50% (P<0.05), whereas peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor &agr; and its downstream gene expression were unchanged in the failing hearts. The formation of D-loop in the mtDNA was normal but D-loop extension, which dictates the replication process of mtDNA, was decreased by 75% in the failing hearts. Furthermore, DNA oxidative damage was increased by 50% in the failing hearts. Conclusions: Mitochondrial biogenesis is severely impaired as evidenced by reduced mtDNA replication and depletion of mtDNA in the human failing heart. These defects are independent of the downregulation of the PGC-1 expression suggesting novel mechanisms for mitochondrial dysfunction in heart failure.
Simultaneous field measurements of ostracod swimming behavior and background flow

Zooplankton swimming near the substratum experience boundary layer flow that is characterized by steep velocity gradients and turbulence. How do small swimming organisms navigate flows at this interface to forage and interact with mates? To address this question, we collected field measurements of the swimming behavior of the marine ostracod Paravargula trifax near complex living substrata, which were exposed to two conditions: slow “ambient flow” and faster “experimental flow. ” Ostracod trajectories and background flow were recorded simultaneously using a self-contained underwater velocimetry apparatus (SCUVA). Particle image velocimetry (DPIV) produced instantaneous velocity vector fields in which the ostracods were swimming. Mean velocities, local shear stresses, turbulence intensity, and boundary shear velocity (u*) were greater in the experimental flow treatment. In slow ambient flow (urms = 0.39 ± 0.13 [mean ± SD] cm s − 1), ostracod swimming tracks were more tortuous and swimming angles corrected for background flow were randomly distributed compared with tracks in faster flow (urms = 3.49 ± 0.50 cm s − 1), indicating decreased maneuverability in rapidly flowing, turbulent water. Modeled, passive neutrally buoyant particles moved at substantially slower speeds, and their tracks were less tortuous than those of the ostracods, thus illustrating the importance of behavior as well as environmental flow in determining ostracod trajectories. Frequencies of encounters by ostracods with the benthos and with other ostracods were not different between treatments. However, in the experimental flow treatment, interactions with other ostracods occurred more frequently in the boundary layer than in the free stream, suggesting that microhabitats in the boundary layer may allow for enhanced mating encounters.
The Relation between Obesity and Survival after Surgical Resection of Hepatitis C Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Background and Aims. We aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and survival in hepatitis C virus-(HCV-) related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients who underwent curative surgical resection (SR). Methods. A total of 233 patients with HCV-related HCC who underwent curative SR were included. They included 60 patients (25.8%) with a body mass index (BMI) of > 25 kg/m2 (obesity group) and 173 patients with a BMI of < 25 kg/m2 (control group). Overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were compared. Results. The median follow-up periods were 3.6 years in the obesity group and 3.1 years in the control group. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year cumulative OS rates were 98.3%, 81.0%, and 63.9% in the obesity group and 90.0%, 70.5%, and 50.3% in the control group (P = 0.818). The corresponding RFS rates were 70.1%, 27.0%, and 12.0% in the obesity group and 70.1%, 39.0%, and 21.7% in the control group (P = 0.124). There were no significant differences between the obesity group and the control group in terms of blood loss during surgery (P = 0.899) and surgery-related serious adverse events (P = 0.813). Conclusions. Obesity itself did not affect survival in patients with HCV-related HCC after curative SR.
Occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in a public water-treatment system, Paraná, Southern Brazil.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the occurrence of Cryptosporidium spp. and Giardia spp. in a public water-treatment system. Samples of raw and treated water were collected and concentrated using the membrane filtration technique. Direct Immunofluorescence Test was performed on the samples. DNA extraction using a commercial kit was performed and the DNA extracted was submitted to a nested-PCR reaction (n-PCR) and sequencing. In the immunofluorescence, 2/24 (8.33%) samples of raw water were positive for Giardia spp. In n-PCR and sequencing, 2/24 (8.33%) samples of raw water were positive for Giardia spp. , and 2/24 (8.33%) samples were positive for Cryptosporidium spp. The sequencing showed Cryptosporidium parvum and Giardia duodenalis DNA. In raw water, there was moderate correlation among turbidity, color and Cryptosporidium spp. and between turbidity and Giardia spp. The presence of these protozoans in the water indicates the need for monitoring for water-treatment companies.
Effect of Pressure on the Diffusion of Gold in Lead to 50 kbar

f(0.7734 r~)/(21+r~) j. Here g(x) is a multiplicative correction to the usual Lindhard dielectric function, r~ is the electron spacing in A. , and q is the magnitude of the change in electron wave number. This parametrization of y was determined from the electron gas compressibility in the long-wavelength limit; it should be reasonably valid for q & 2k+, but it is questionable for larger q. In the case of potassium, y=1.084. See, for example, J. M. Ziman, Electrons and Phonons (Oxford U. P. , Oxford, England, 1960), Chap. 9, pp. 369 and 370; or F. J. Blatt, Physics of Electronic Conduction in Solids (McGraw-Hill, New York, 1968), Chap. 7, p. 193.
Personality Traits and Personality Disorders in Older Women: An Explorative Study Between Normal Development and Psychopathology

The relationships between Axis II personality disorders (DSM-IV) and the Five-Factor Model (FFM) were explored in older women. The sample consists of 90 participants (M = 72.29 years, SD = 7.10) who were administered the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory and the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire. The highest prevalence of A and C clusters and obsessive–compulsive personality disorder was observed. Also, elevated neuroticism and decreased agreeableness and openness appear as valuable traits in the description of psychopathology. The study of maladaptive personality functioning within an aging population can be described with the same traits that underlie normal personality functioning, extending the range of psychopathology to a dimensional approach.
Social Skills Training and the Role of a Cognitive Component in Developing School Assertion in Adolescents

Forty-eight Junior High School adolescents (24 males, 24 females) were screened for unassertive school behaviour and randomly assigned to one of four groups: M — modelling only, I — instructions only, M+I — modelling and instructions, or C — control. The training groups consisted of six (45-minute) non-practice sessions, followed by three (45-minute) practice meetings. Significant improvements in self-reported assertion and in assertive behaviour for school situations was found for all training groups following practice. The emphasis on face validity for what was taught, identifying topics of considerable perceived importance and immediacy, and careful attention to contextual cues (setting and person), increased the value of cognitive components in SST with unassertive adolescents and enhanced the results. For guidance counsellors, the practical value of peer mediated versus adult mediated skills training is discussed.
Assessment and Clinical Significance of Micrometastases in Lymph Nodes of Head and Neck Cancer Patients Detected by E48 (Ly-6D) Quantitative Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction

The presence of lymph node metastases is the major determinant for prognosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). It is at present unknown whether the same holds true for the presence of histologically undetectable micrometastases. We analyzed 456 histologically tumor-negative lymph nodes of 23 HNSCC patients without (pN0) and 18 patients with one or two tumor-positive lymph nodes (pN+) in their neck dissection specimens at histopathologic examination. To detect the presence of disseminated tumor cells and micrometastases in these lymph nodes, we used real-time quantitative RT-PCR with E48 (Ly-6D) transcripts as a squamous cell–specific molecular marker. The results were compared with histopathologic examination and clinical outcome. E48 transcripts were detected in lymph nodes of 5 (22%) of 23 patients in the pN0 group, and in histologically negative lymph nodes of 10 (56%) of 18 patients in the pN+ group. In the pN0 group, the presence of E48-positive lymph nodes was significantly associated with a distinctly poor cause-specific survival as compared with those with E48-negative lymph nodes. Our results indicate that E48 real-time quantitative RT-PCR is a suitable method for the detection of micrometastases in lymph nodes of patients with HNSCC. Moreover, detection of micrometastases seems clinically relevant but should be confirmed in a large multicenter trial.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Defines Cervicovaginal Anatomy , Cancer , and VEGF Trap Antiangiogenic Efficacy in Estrogen-Treated K 14-HPV 16 Transgenic Mice

Noninvasive detection of dysplasia provides a potential platform for monitoring the efficacy of chemopreventive therapy of premalignancy, imaging the tissue compartments comprising dysplasia: epithelium, microvasculature, and stromal inflammatory cells. Here, using respiratory-gated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the anatomy of premalignant and malignant stages of cervical carcinogenesis in estrogen-treated K14-HPV16 transgenic mice was noninvasively defined. Dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE)-MRI was used to quantify leakage across premalignant dysplastic microvasculature. Vascular permeability as measured by DCE-MRI, K, was similar in transgenic (0.053 F 0.020 min ; n = 32 mice) and nontransgenic (0.056 F 0.029 min ; n = 17 mice) animals despite a 2-fold increase in microvascular area in the former compared with the latter. DCE-MRI did detect a significant decrease in vascular permeability accompanying diminution of dysplastic microvasculature by the antiangiogenic agent, vascular endothelial growth factor Trap (K = 0.052 F 0.013 min 1 pretreatment; n = 6 mice versus K = 0.019 F 0.008 min 1 post-treatment; n = 5 mice). Thus, we determined that the threshold of microvessel leakage associated with cervical dysplasia was <17 kDa and highlighted the potential of DCE-MRI to noninvasively monitor the efficacy of antiangiogenic drugs or chemoprevention regimens targeting the vasculature in premalignant cervical dysplasia. [Cancer Res 2009;69(20):7945–52]
Hit or Run: Exploring Aggressive and Avoidant Reactions to Interpersonal Provocation Using a Novel Fight-or-Escape Paradigm (FOE)

Interpersonal provocation presents an approach-avoidance conflict to the provoked person: responding aggressively might yield the joy of retribution, whereas withdrawal can provide safety. Experimental aggression studies typically measure only retaliation intensity, neglecting whether individuals want to confront the provocateur at all. To overcome this shortcoming of previous measures, we developed and validated the Fight-or-Escape paradigm (FOE). The FOE is a competitive reaction time (RT) task in which the winner can choose the volume of a sound blast to be directed at his/her opponent. Participants face two ostensible opponents who consistently select either high or low punishments. At the beginning of each trial, subjects are given the chance to avoid the encounter for a limited number of times. In a first experiment (n = 27, all women), we found that fear potentiation (FP) of the startle response was related to lower scores in a composite measure of aggression and avoidance against the provoking opponent. In a second experiment (n = 34, 13 men), we altered the paradigm such that participants faced the opponents in alternating rather than in random order. Participants completed the FOE as well as the Dot-Probe Task (DPT) and the Approach-Avoidance Task (AAT). Subjects with higher approach bias scores in the AAT avoided the provoking opponent less frequently. Hence, individuals with high threat reactivity and low approach motivation displayed more avoidant responses to provocation, whereas participants high in approach motivation were more likely to engage in aggressive interactions when provoked. The FOE is thus a promising laboratory measure of avoidance and aggression.