Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development and validation of an unobtrusive, continuous model of loneliness among older adults

xiii Chapter 1: Introduction . 1 Summary . 1 Definition of Loneliness . 3 Concepts Related to Loneliness . 4 Health Consequences of Loneliness and their Mechanisms . 6 Current Measurement of Loneliness . 8 Objective Assessment of Loneliness.10 Chapter Outline . 12 Thesis Contribution . 14 Engineering Contributions: . 14 Basic Science Contribution: . 15 Applied Research Contribution: . 15 Chapter 2: Longitudinal Relationship between Loneliness and Social Isolation: Results from the Cardiovascular Health Study . 16 Summary . 16 Introduction . 17 Methods . 20
Molecular Methods in Biological Systems

the the the polyphosphate-accumulating (PAO) Candidatus Accumulibacter phosphates in the suspended sludge gradually increased to a of 37%. FISH technique was used to monitor the Rhodocyclus -related PAO population changes in an enhanced biological phosphorus removal process under organic loading fluctuations using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR). The results showed that PAOs could not adapt themselves to these sudden influent loads changes, resulting in unstable EBPR. It was demonstrated that PAOs would wash out faster under the low organic loading fluctuation than the high organic loading fluctuation. (Ahn et al. 2006).
Discovering probiotic microorganisms: in vitro, in vivo, genetic and omics approaches

Over the past decades the food industry has been revolutionized toward the production of functional foods due to an increasing awareness of the consumers on the positive role of food in wellbeing and health. By definition probiotic foods must contain live microorganisms in adequate amounts so as to be beneficial for the consumer’s health. There are numerous probiotic foods marketed today and many probiotic strains are commercially available. However, the question that arises is how to determine the real probiotic potential of microorganisms. This is becoming increasingly important, as even a superficial search of the relevant literature reveals that the number of proclaimed probiotics is growing fast. While the vast majority of probiotic microorganisms are food-related or commensal bacteria that are often regarded as safe, probiotics from other sources are increasingly being reported raising possible regulatory and safety issues. Potential probiotics are selected after in vitro or in vivo assays by evaluating simple traits such as resistance to the acidic conditions of the stomach or bile resistance, or by assessing their impact on complicated host functions such as immune development, metabolic function or gut–brain interaction. While final human clinical trials are considered mandatory for communicating health benefits, rather few strains with positive studies have been able to convince legal authorities with these health claims. Consequently, concern has been raised about the validity of the workflows currently used to characterize probiotics. In this review we will present an overview of the most common assays employed in screening for probiotics, highlighting the potential strengths and limitations of these approaches. Furthermore, we will focus on how the advent of omics technologies has reshaped our understanding of the biology of probiotics, allowing the exploration of novel routes for screening and studying such microorganisms.
Interpretive Bias in Acupuncture Research?

Acupuncture is one of the most widely used and broadly researched of the complementary and alternative therapies, but high-quality trials generally show no benefit over sham acupuncture. Many would view this result as evidence of ineffectiveness for this intervention. This discussion article focuses on the report of a large multicenter randomized controlled trial of acupuncture for chronic low-back pain (CLBP) in the lay and academic press, the ensuing discussion, and its impact on both clinical practice and service provision. The authors suggest that interpretive bias has affected reporting, leading to questionable conclusions and advocacy in favor of this form of care that may exceed the evidence. They also suggest that a lack of understanding of research into the placebo effect may have contributed to confusion in the interpretation of these trials.
An Alternative Approach to the Identification of Gifted Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Learners

This study explores the utility of an alternative approach that incorporates dynamic assessment in the identification of gifted culturally and linguistically diverse learners in first to fifth grades (approximate age ranges from six to eleven) in a school with a majority of culturally diverse students. From a total population of 473 students in a Pennsylvania (USA) school, 60 percent of whom come from either immigrant or ethnic minority backgrounds, this study identified 25 (5 percent) who qualified for inclusion in the school district’s special program for academically gifted students. The distribution of cultural backgrounds of the students who qualified for the classes for gifted students paralled the proportion of representation of students from these backgrounds in the school. Previously, the number of children identified from this school ranged between two to four students (< 1 percent). The total percentage of gifted children identified within the entire district within which this school is located is typically 5 percent and the number of children identified within this school by this study matches this proportion. The study demonstrates the contribution of dynamic assessment to the identification of gifted minority children. The study also offers evidence of construct and concurrent validity of the dynamic assessment procedure based on the Naglieri Nonverbal Ability Test.
Bio-inspired compact cell circuit for reaction-diffusion systems

A bio-inspired MOS cell design for reaction-diffusion systems with corresponding single-layer cellular neural network (CNN) implementation is presented. The resulting network layer is introduced and approximate theoretical analysis of its certain dc characteristics is given. A test chip which includes a two-dimensional array of 10 /spl times/ 9 cells is fabricated. The test chip also houses stand-alone modified cells which employ thick-oxide poly2 gate MOSFETs where the inherent high threshold characteristic is used for the design. Both the cell circuit design and the resulting network are very compact and easily implementable with available technologies. The network layer is capable of trigger wave propagation and can also be used as a compact building block for more general and multilayer reaction-diffusion (RD)-CNN designs. The wave propagation across the network and nonlinear I-V characteristics of the separate cells with thick-oxide MOSFETs are demonstrated via measurement results.
Generation of Expressed Sequence Tags and development of microsatellite markers for Castanopsis sieboldii var. sieboldii (Fagaceae)

Abstract• Castanopsis sieboldii var. sieboldii is an evergreen broadleaved canopy tree that grows on Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu Islands in Japan. A closely-related, hybridizing, congener species, C. cuspidata var. cuspidata, has different leaf epidermis structure and different seed nuts morphology compared to C. sieboldii var. sieboldii. Furthermore, the habitats in which the two species grow often indicate different water requirements. • Analysis of genetic diversity, using transcribed sequences, will provide a sound basis for the management of this species, allowing successful reforestation, incorporating phylogeographic conservation. In order to obtain transcripts sequences for the species and to develop transcript-based markers, we constructed and analyzed a cDNA library, surveyed microsatellite sequences within it and designed PCR primers for the microsatellites. • The cDNA library was constructed using tissue from the inner bark of C. sieboldii var. sieboldii; 3 354 Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) were identified. We constructed 2 417 putative unigenes and assigned putative functions to 1 856 of them. Three hundred and fourteen microsatellites were found within the putative unigenes and 16 EST-SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) markers were developed. The EST-SSR markers developpe in this study should facilitate future analysis of the genetic diversity of this and related species. Résumé• Castanopsis sieboldii var. sieboldii est un feuillu sempervirent qui pousse sur les îles japonaises de Honshu, Shikoku et Kyushu. C. cuspidata var. cuspidata une espèce congénère, étroitement liée, hybridée, a une structure de l’épiderme des feuilles différente et une morphologie différente des noix semences par rapport à C. sieboldii var. sieboldii. En outre, les habitats dans lesquels les deux espèces poussent indiquent souvent des besoins en eau différents. • L’analyse de la diversité génétique, en utilisant des séquences transcrites, fournira une base solide pour la gestion de cette espèce, ce qui permettra le succès des reboisements, en intégrant une conservation phylogéographique. Afin d’obtenir les transcriptions des séquences de l’espèce et de mettre au point des marqueurs à base de transcription, nous avons construit et analysé une banque d’ADNc, étudié des séquences microsatellites et conçu des amorces PCR pour les microsatellites. • La banque d’ADNc a été construite en utilisant les tissus de l’écorce interne de C. sieboldii var. sieboldii, 3 354 marqueurs de séquences exprimées (EST) ont été identifiés. Nous avons construit 2 417 unigènes putatifs et assigné des fonctions putatives à 1 856 d’entre eux. Trois cents quatorze microsatellites ont été trouvés à l’intérieur des unigènes putatifs et 16 EST-SSR (Simple Sequence Repeat) marqueurs ont été développés. Les marqueurs EST-SSR développés dans cette étude devraient faciliter l’analyse future de la diversité génétique de cette espèce et des espèces apparentées.
A search-by-clusters model of visual search: fits to data from younger and older adults.

OBJECTIVES This study aims to specify the processing operations underlying age-related differences in the speed and accuracy of visual search in a mathematical model. METHOD Eighteen older and 18 young adults searched for a predesignated target within 24-degree visual arrays containing distractors. Targets were systematically placed in regions that extended 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10 degrees from center. Data were fitted to several versions of a mathematical model in which it was assumed that target search proceeds from the center fixation to peripheral areas in a succession of visual inspections of clusters until the target is located and that clusters can vary in size in response to search difficulty. RESULTS Eccentricity effects on latencies and errors were larger for older adults than for younger adults, especially in the hardest search condition. The best-fitting version of the "search-by-clusters" model accounted for an average of 98.4% and 95.4% of the variance in the young and older adults, respectively. The resulting time, accuracy, and cluster parameters behaved plausibly in each of the 36 data sets. CONCLUSIONS A quantitative model that specified how individuals searched for targets in large arrays accurately predicted the search times and accuracies of younger and older adults.
Intersections of Gender, Ethnicity, and Socioeconomic Position in Health in England: A Mixed Methods Study

Background: Social inequalities in health represent one of the greatest challenges to public health today. Traditionally, studies investigating health inequalities have treated gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic position as independent and additive explanatory variables. Consequently, important health inequalities that exist at the intersection of social groups remain invisible and unaccounted for. Aim: An intersectionality framework was employed to investigate the role of intersections of gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic position in explaining health inequalities among adults living in England. The objectives of the study were firstly, to establish whether intersections of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic position in health are present among adults in England, and secondly, to explore the contextual and explanatory factors perceived to underlie these intersections. Methods: A sequential explanatory mixed methods design comprising a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase was employed. In the quantitative phase, data from the Health Survey for England 2004 were analysed to test for significant interaction effects between gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic indicators, with three measures of subjective health. In the qualitative phase, a subset of significant interactions relating to Pakistani and White English survey participants were explored using semi-structured interviews with 25 Pakistani and White English women recruited in South Yorkshire. Findings: The quantitative analysis identified 15 significant interaction effects (P<0.05). Each dimension of inequality (i.e. gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic position) was found to significantly interact with at least one other on one or more health outcome. The qualitative analysis revealed how overlapping systems of discrimination were perceived to underlie the burden of poor health experienced among Pakistani women living in England. Conclusions: This thesis demonstrates both quantitative and qualitative evidence for intersections of gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic position in health inequalities in England. These findings highlight the need for policies seeking to reduce social inequalities in health to take account of intersectionality.
Beyond A Clockwork Orange: Acquiring Second Language Vocabulary through Reading.

This replication study demonstrates that second language learners recognized the meanings of new words and built associations between them as a result of comprehension-focused extensive reading. A carefully controlled book-length reading treatment resulted in more incidental word learning and a higher pick-up rate than previous studies with shorter tasks. The longer text also made it possible to explain incidental learning growth in terms of frequency of occurrence of words in the text. But the general frequency of a word was not found to make the word more learnable. Findings also suggested that subjects with larger L2 vocabulary sizes had greater incidental word learning gains. Implications for incidental acquisition as a strategy for vocabulary growth are discussed. Au-delà de L'orange mécanique: L'acquisition des mots de vocabulaire en langue seconde par le biais de la lecture. Cette étude de réplication démontre que les apprenants d'une language seconde peuvent apprendre la définition de nouveaux mots de vocabulaire et peuvent même associer ces mots les uns aux autres en cherchant à comprendre le sens d'une série de lectures. Suite à la lecture contrôlée d'une série de textes dont la longueur totale équivalait à celle d'un livre, les apprenants qui ont participé à cette étude avaient appris plus de mots de façon inconsciente que d'autres apprenants qui ont participé à des études antérieures en lisant des séries de textes plus courte. L'utilisation d'une longue série de textes nous a également permis d'étudier la correlation entre l'apprentissage inconsciente de et la fréquence de ces mots dans le texte. Mais nous n'avons pas trouvé de lien significatif entre la fréquence d'un mot et la capacité de l'apprenant de le retenir. Les résultats de cette expérience suggèrent que le taux d'acquisition inconsciente dépend plus de la grandeur du vocabulaire de départ de l'apprenant dans sa langue seconde que de la fréquence des mots à apprendre. Nous discutons également des applications possibles de l'apprentissage inconscient dans l'enseignement d'une langue seconde.
Gender mainstreaming in Spain: ¨The case of “Lidera Project” in Madrid Autonomous Community¨

Women continue to be under-represented in senior positions. In this paper we present a ¨best practice´ in the role of the public agents as gender mainstream key actors. Gender mainstreaming as a strategy is meant to actively counteract this gender bias, and to use the normal mandate of policy makers to promote more equitable relations between women and men. The rationale for pursuing gender mainstreaming via the Structural Funds is as much about promoting economic efficiency as it is about promoting equity. In this paper we analize an specific case launched by the Government of the Region of Madrid, three years ago, the “Lidera project”. To assess the overall effectiveness of the gender mainstreaming effort through the Lidera project, we analyze the impact in the individual level trough five constructs. We can conclude at individual level that LIDERA EFFECT exists and it has a positive and differential impact.
Synergistic Antileukemic Activity of Carnosic Acid-Rich Rosemary Extract and the 19-nor Gemini Vitamin D Analogue in a Mouse Model of Systemic Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Objective: Differentiation therapy with the hormonal form of vitamin D, 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25D3), is a promising approach to treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML); however, 1,25D3 induces hypercalcemia at pharmacologically active doses. We investigated the in vitro and in vivoantileukemic efficacy of combined treatment with non-toxic doses of a low-calcemic 1,25D3 analogue, 1,25-dihydroxy-21(3-hydroxy-3-methyl-butyl)-19-nor-cholecalciferol (19-nor-Gemini; Ro27-5646), and rosemary plant agents in a mouse model of AML. Methods: Proliferation and differentiation of WEHI-3B D– (WEHI) murine myelomonocytic leukemia cellsin vitro were determined by standard assays. Reactive oxygen species, glutathione and protein expression levels were measured by flow cytometry, enzymatic assay and Western blotting, respectively. Systemic AML was developed by intravenous injection of WEHI cells in syngeneic Balb/c mice. Results: 19-nor-Gemini had a higher potency than its parent compounds, Gemini (Ro27-2310) and 1,25D3, in the induction of differentiation (EC50 = 0.059 ± 0.011, 0.275 ± 0.093 and 0.652 ± 0.085 nM, respectively) and growth arrest (IC50 = 0.072 ± 0.018, 0.165 ± 0.061 and 0.895 ± 0.144 nM, respectively) in WEHI cells in vitro, and lower in vivo toxicity. Combined treatment of leukemia-bearing mice with 19-nor-Gemini (injected intraperitoneally) and standardized rosemary extract (mixed with food) resulted in a synergistic increase in survival (from 42.2 ± 2.5 days in untreated mice to 66.5 ± 4.2 days, n = 3) and normalization of white blood cell and differential counts. This was consistent with strong cooperative antiproliferative and differentiation effects of low concentrations of 19-nor-Gemini or 1,25D3 combined with rosemary extract or its major polyphenolic component, carnosic acid, as well as with the antioxidant action of rosemary agents and vitamin D derivatives in WEHI cell cultures. Conclusion: Combined effectiveness of 1,25D3 analogues and rosemary agents against mouse AML warrants further exploration of this therapeutic approach in translational models of human leukemia.
Ribosome monomers in rat liver following administration of dimethylnitrosamine.

Administration i.v. of 50 mg dimethylnitrosamine per kg to rats leads to a marked increase of the 77 S ribosomes present in free and membrane-bound polyribosome preparations isolated from liver 5 hr later. The 77 S particles are not labeled by radioactive amino acid in vivo , and their presence in the membrane-bound polyribosomes seems to be mainly artifactual. The 77 S ribosomes are similar to the runoff ribosomes which are released from normal polyribosomes in vitro under conditions of amino acid incorporation at [Mg++] < 7 mm, by showing a conformational change to 59 S particles at 0.5 mm Mg++. The inhibition of amino acid incorporation in the polyribosomal preparations from dimethylnitrosamine-treated liver is a function of the amount of 77 S ribosomes present in these preparations. It is concluded that DMNA causes in liver accumulation of ribosome monomers of the runoff type at the expense of the polyribosomes which are otherwise functioning normally in amino acid incorporation.
Mechanisms involved in uptake of Bordetella bronchiseptica by mouse dendritic cells

The invasion and intracellular survival of Bordetella bronchiseptica in mouse dendritic cells were investigated. The results obtained suggest that B. bronchiseptica binds specifically to glycosylated receptors present on the plasma membrane of dendritic cells, thereby inducing a signal that triggers an actin polymerization-dependent phagocytic process, probably via a protein kinase-dependent transducing phosphorylation signal. The energy required for the uptake process by host cells is provided mainly by the glycolytic pathway. An intact microtubule system and de novo protein synthesis in eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells are essential for efficient uptake and intracellular survival. The interaction of B. bronchiseptica with dendritic cells may be pertinent to natural infections that follow a chronic clinical course and predispose to secondary infections, and to the T-cell response involved in protective immunity following infections caused by Bordetella spp.
High‐resolution sodium imaging of human brain at 7 T

The feasibility of high‐resolution sodium magnetic resonance imaging on human brain at 7 T was demonstrated in this study. A three‐dimensional anisotropic resolution data acquisition was used to address the challenge of low signal‐to‐noise ratio associated with high resolution. Ultrashort echo‐time sequence was used for the anisotropic data acquisition. Phantoms and healthy human brains were studied on a whole‐body 7‐T magnetic resonance imaging scanner. Sodium images were obtained at two high nominal in‐plane resolutions (1.72 and 0.86 mm) at a slice thickness of 4 mm. Signal‐to‐noise ratio in the brain image (cerebrospinal fluid) was measured as 14.4 and 6.8 at the two high resolutions, respectively. The actual in‐plane resolution was measured as 2.9 and 1.6 mm, 69–86% larger than their nominal values. The quantification of sodium concentration on the phantom and brain images enabled better accuracy at the high nominal resolutions than at the low nominal resolution of 3.44 mm (measured resolution 5.5 mm) due to the improvement of in‐plane resolution. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evolving clinical landscape of chronic hepatitis B: A multicenter Italian study

The aim of the study was to evaluate the characteristics of chronic hepatitis B with special reference to the geographical origin of the patients and to the prevalence of HBeAg and viral and non‐viral co‐factors of liver disease. A cross‐sectional multicenter survey was undertaken, which enrolled 1,386 HBsAg chronic carriers observed consecutively in 21 referral centers over a 6‐month period. The prevalence of HBeAg in patients was 11%; the presence of HBeAg was associated independently with a younger age and co‐infection with HIV. Anti‐HDV, anti‐HCV, or anti‐HIV antibodies were detected in 8.1%, 6.5%, and 2%, respectively. However, among the patients first diagnosed during the study period (incident cases), 14.3% were anti‐HDV positive. Seven percent of the patients were immigrants; they were younger than Italian patients and 18% were HBeAg positive; no difference was observed in the prevalence of anti‐HDV, anti‐HCV, or anti‐HIV antibodies. The presence of cirrhosis was associated independently with an age >52 years, the presence of anti‐HDV or anti‐HCV, alcohol use >4 drinks/day, and a high BMI. The clinical epidemiology of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection shows a dynamic profile, with the potential for re‐emergence of cases with HBeAg or anti‐HDV and an emerging impact of metabolic factors on the evolution of liver disease. J. Med. Virol. 81:1999–2006, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.