Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution and turnover of Langerhans cells during delayed immune responses in human skin

The changes in distribution and turnover of T6+ Langerhans cells (LC) in the skin during delayed immune responses to tuberculin, and in the lesions of tuberculoid leprosy and cutaneous Leishmaniasis were investigated. In each situation, there was a dermal accumulation of monocytes and T cells and epidermal thickening with keratinocyte Ia expression. In the tuberculin response a dramatic change in the distribution of LC was observed. By 41 h, T6+ LC were displaced to the upper zone of the thickening epidermis followed by an almost complete loss of LC from the epidermis by approximately 72 h. After 7 d, T6+ cells started to reappear in the epidermis, which regained almost normal numbers of T6+ LC by 14 d. After antigen administration and initiation of the delayed immune response, enhanced numbers of T6+ cells appeared in association with the mononuclear cell infiltrate of the upper dermal lesions. Their numbers peaked by 72 h, were reduced at 7 d, and again enhanced by 14 d, when the epidermis was being repopulated. Similar numbers of T6+ cells were found in the chronic lesions of tuberculoid leprosy and cutaneous Leishmaniasis but not lepromatous leprosy. The cells of the dermis were identified as typical LC by the presence of Birbeck granules and surface T6 antigen at the electron microscope level. These cells were closely associated with lymphocytes. We have quantified the number of LC, evaluated their directional flux into the epidermis and dermis, determined nearest neighbors, and made predictions as to their fate.
Preservice Teachers' Epistemological Beliefs: A Study of Student and Course Characteristics.

PRESERVICE TEACHERS' EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS: A STUDY OF STUDENT AND COURSE CHARACTERISTICS Peter B. Baker Old Dominion University, 2012 Director: Dr. Robert Lucking The research project described herein was designed to measure teacher education students' epistemological beliefs. Teacher education students' epistemological beliefs were compared according to participants' academic and demographic characteristics as well as characteristics of the courses in which students are enrolled at the time of study data collection. Participants included teacher education students currently studying in Old Dominion University's Darden College of Education. Results indicated that, while participants' epistemological beliefs and the development thereof are both, at times, related to their demographic and academic characteristics as well as the characteristics of the courses in which they were enrolled during the study, sometimes as statistically significant levels, further research needs to be conducted in order to further characterize the nature of these relationships, taking into consideration variables not accounted for in the current study.
Research Commentary: A Gap-Gazing Fetish in Mathematics Education? Problematizing Research on the Achievement Gap

A substantial amount of research in mathematics education seeks to document disparities in achievement between middle-class White students and students who are Black, Latina/Latino, First Nations, English language learners, or working class. I outline the dangers in maintaining an achievement-gap focus. These dangers include offering little more than a static picture of inequities, supporting deficit thinking and negative narratives about students of color and working-class students, perpetuating the myth that the problem (and therefore solution) is a technical one, and promoting a narrow definition of learning and equity. I propose a new focus for research on advancement (excellence and gains) and interventions for specific groups.
Breast Cancer in Western Iraq: Clinicopathological Single Institution Study

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequent malignancy of women worldwide; In Iraq, it ranks first among cancers diagnosed in women, but studies on breast cancer among women in Western Iraq are limited. Breast cancer rate in Arabic countries is lower than that in West nations and more common in younger age. The aim of this study is to estimate age of presentation, stage, grade, type and side of tumor and their comparison with other Iraqi regions as well as with some Arabic and West countries. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive study conducted between 1st of February 2011 to 30th of January 2015 in Western Iraq. 292 cases of breast cancer were enrolled in this study, including 206 cases of mastectomy and 86 cases of lumpectomy. Results: Average age at diagnosis: 47.16 (SD: 12.15), median age at diagnosis: 45 with mode of: 40. Cases with age <50 y: 68.15%. Regarding tumor stages, only 2.39% were presented in pT0 & pT1 categories, and only 2.92% of 206 mastectomy cases were presented in stage 0 & stage I, 12.7% of cases were of grade I. Regarding the types: invasive ductal carcinoma, not otherwise specified type: 88%, medullary type: 6.8%, mucinous type: 2.1% & invasive lobular type: 3.1%. Left side (179)/Right side (113) = 1.58, and the bilaterality was 2.7%. Conclusion: Breast cancer rate among females in Western Iraq is low, but it is relatively higher in younger age group in comparison to other studies and mostly presented beyond early stage with a higher grade.
Enhancement of Solubility of Nimesulide in the Presence of Polymer with Milling Technique

Poor aqueous solubility of drugs generally leads to low dissolution rates, poor therapeutic efficiency and low bioavailability. The main aim of this study was to produce physical dispersions of Nimesulide with polymers Eudragit EPO and Mannitol and then subject it for milling, to analyze the role played by different type and concentrations of polymers and the mechanism of impact and attrition milling in enhancing the solubility of the pure drug and its physical dispersions. Using ball milling technique the physical dispersions of Nimesulide with the polymers, prepared in the ratios of 1:1, 1:3, 1:5 were subjected to size reduction for two different time intervals of 30 min and 90 min, individually. Particle size, flow property and solubility of the milled dispersions were assessed and compared with the non milled dispersions and the pure drug. The milled dispersions were fabricated into tablets and the evaluation parameters like weight variation, disintegration time, hardness and dissolution studies were conducted on the prepared tablets. In order to observe the changes in the solid state at powder level and molecular level, the formulations were characterized by Fourier Transform Infra Red Spectroscopy (FTIR), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and X-Ray Diffractometer (XRD). The results obtained show that the physical dispersions prepared by milling with Mannitol helped in increasing the dissolution rate of the drug.
Comparative Evaluation of Platelet-Rich Fibrin with Connective Tissue Grafts in the Treatment of Miller's Class I Gingival Recessions

Background: One of the most common aesthetic problem encountered in the field of periodontology is gingival recession, which is, perceived by the patients as increase in length of teeth. The treatment of buccal gingival recession is a common requirement due to aesthetic concern or root sensitivity. This study was planned to evaluate the efficacy of PRF membrane compared to that of CTG in Miller's class I gingival recessions. Materials and Methods: 32 sites with Miller's Class I gingival recessions, out of which 16 sites received PRF (test) and 16 sites received CTG (control). Each patient had undergone an initial periodontal treatment, including oral hygiene instructions, plaque control, and scaling and root planing, followed by re-evaluation. All clinical recordings; recession height, recession width, clinical attachment level, height of keratinized tissue, thickness of keratinized tissue, healing index and pain perception, were performed immediately before surgery (baseline) and after 6 months interval following periodontal surgery. Results: In the test group, significant improvement was seen in terms CAL, REC-HT, REC-WD, HKT and TKT from baseline to 6 months. In the control group, only significant improvement seen was in REC-HT and TKT from baseline to 6 months. Comparison of both Healing Index and VAS score was done and it showed no significant difference between test and the control group except VAS at 1 week. Conclusion: Though CTG is a gold standard procedure, PRF can be used as an alternative procedure by keeping patient's comfort and recognition in mind.
The Consumer and His Alternatives: An Experimental Approach

Results of two laboratory experiments indicate that the number of choices involved in a purchase decision influences the consumer's decision process. The Taylor experiment suggests that as the number of items involved in the decision increases, the consumer becomes less sensitive to changes in these items. The Anderson experiment suggests that consumers will experience a greater degree of dissonance reduction, the greater the number of items in the decision.
Current status of noninvasive ventilation in stable COPD patients

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) has been one of the major advances in respiratory medicine in the last decade. NIV improves quality of life, prolongs survival, and improves gas exchange and sleep quality in restrictive patients, but evidence available now does not allow us to establish clear criteria for prescribing NIV in patients with chronic respiratory failure due to COPD. On the basis of the available studies, NIV should not be used as a treatment of choice for all patients with COPD, even when disease is severe. However, there is more evidence that NIV has an important effect in these patients. In fact, a selected group of patients may well benefit from domiciliary mechanical ventilation, and we need to be able to identify who they are. Moreover, NIV can be a new strategy to improve exercise tolerance in COPD patients.
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS AS CORRELATES OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS

This study was designed to find out the relationship of demographic characteristics with academic achievement of university students. The relationship of selected demographic characteristics including gender, age, location of residence, household income and parents’ education with academic achievement was examined. Correlation analysis was performed to measure the relationship among the variables and regression analysis was performed to examine the predictive significance of demographic characteristics for academic achievement. Results indicated a significant correlation between academic achievement and demographic characteristics. The model of demographic factors was found significant predictor of academic achievement of university students which accounted for 1i% variance in academic achievement.
Instructional strategies of intrinsic motivation and curiosity for developing creative thinking

The personality approach is a vital method of studying and enhancing creative potential. In response, present paper identifies instructional strategies that may be used by teachers to enhance intrinsic motivation and curiosity for developing creative thinking. The proposed strategies have been coined from the nature of the intrinsic motivation and curiosity, and their relationship with creative thinking abilities. I review theories, models and latest researches that tried to relate these two traits with creativity. However, the challenge of how could we enhance these two personality traits among students through the learning process is still vigorous. These specified strategies may practically participate in solving this problem.
Offering informed choice about breast screening

Over the last few years, there has been growing international concern about the risk of overdiagnosis in breast screening and about how to communicate this to women. There has also been an increasing policy drive to provide people with information to enable them to make an informed choice about screening. In response to this, a novel approach to developing the information about cancer screening has been adopted in England. This approach has integrated the perspectives of people eligible for screening, and experts in public engagement, informed choice, and communicating risk, as well as experts in screening. New information based on this approach has been provided to women invited for breast screening from September 2013. The new information explicitly sets out the choice to be made, and provides much more detail than previous information about overdiagnosis, the balance of benefits and harms, and the scientific uncertainties. The novel approach has also been adopted to develop new information for the bowel and cervical screening programmes in England, and could provide a model for communicating about cancer screening in other countries.
Correlation-Based Development of Ocularly Matched Orientation and Ocular Dominance Maps: Determination of Required Input Activities

We extend previous models for separate development of ocular dominance and orientation selectivity in cortical layer 4 by exploring conditions permitting combined organization of both properties. These conditions are expressed in terms of functions describing the degree of correlation in the firing of two inputs from the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), as a function of their retinotopic separation and their “type” (ON center or OFF center and left eye or right eye). The development of ocular dominance requires that the correlations of an input with other inputs of the same eye be stronger than or equal to its correlations with inputs of the opposite eye and strictly stronger at small retinotopic separations. This must be true after summing correlations with inputs of both center types. The development of orientation-selective simple cells requires that (1) an input’s correlations with other inputs of the same center type be stronger than its correlations with inputs of the opposite center type at small retinotopic separation; and (2) this relationship reverse at larger retinotopic separations within an arbor radius (the radius over which LGN cells can project to a common cortical point). This must be true after summing correlations with inputs serving both eyes. For orientations to become matched in the two eyes, correlated activity within the receptive fields must be maximized by specific between-eye alignments of ON and OFF subregions. Thus the correlations between the eyes must differ depending on center type, and this difference must vary with retinotopic separation within an arbor radius. These principles are satisfied by a wide class of correlation functions. Combined development of ocularly matched orientation maps and ocular dominance maps can be achieved either simultaneously or sequentially. In the latter case, the model can produce a correlation between the locations of orientation map singularities and local ocular dominance peaks similar to that observed physiologically. The model’s main prediction is that the above correlations should exist among inputs to cortical layer 4 simple cells before vision. In addition, mature simple cells are predicted to have certain relationships between the locations of the ON and OFF subregions of the left and right eyes’ receptive fields.
How and Why Do Smokers Start Using E-Cigarettes? Qualitative Study of Vapers in London, UK

The aims of the study were to (1) describe how and why smokers start to vape and what products they use; (2) relate findings to the COM-B theory of behaviour change (three conditions are necessary for behaviour change (B): capability (C), opportunity (O), and motivation (M)); and (3) to consider implications for e-cigarette policy research. Semi-structured interviews (n = 30) were conducted in London, UK, with smokers or ex-smokers who were currently using or had used e-cigarettes. E-cigarette initiation (behaviour) was facilitated by: capability (physical capability to use an e-cigarette and psychological capability to understand that using e-cigarettes was less harmful than smoking); opportunity (physical opportunity to access e-cigarettes in shops, at a lower cost than cigarettes, and to vape in “smoke-free” environments, as well as social opportunity to vape with friends and family); and motivation (automatic motivation including curiosity, and reflective motivation, including self-conscious decision-making processes related to perceived health benefits). The application of the COM-B model identified multiple factors that may lead to e-cigarette initiation, including those that could be influenced by policy, such as price relative to cigarettes and use in smoke-free environments. The effects of these policies on initiation should be further investigated along with the possible moderating/mediating effects of social support.
Using audit and feedback to health professionals to improve the quality and safety of health care

Alternatively, complete an online request form for documentation, health information, or for permission to quote or translate, on the Regional Office web site The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this publication do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the World Health Organization concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. Dotted lines on maps represent approximate border lines for which there may not yet be full agreement. The mention of specific companies or of certain manufacturers' products does not imply that they are endorsed or recommended by the World Health Organization in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. Errors and omissions excepted, the names of proprietary products are distinguished by initial capital letters. All reasonable precautions have been taken by the World Health Organization to verify the information contained in this publication. However, the published material is being distributed without warranty of any kind, either express or implied. The responsibility for the interpretation and use of the material lies with the reader. In no event shall the World Health Organization be liable for damages arising from its use. The views expressed by authors, editors, or expert groups do not necessarily represent the decisions or the stated policy of the World Health Organization.
Performance evaluation of the ServerNet(R) SAN under self-similar traffic

Self-similar traffic distributions have been observed in a wide range of networking applications and models such as LANs, WANs, telnet, FTP, WWW, ISDN, SS7 and VBR traffic over ATM. Therefore, it has been suggested that many other theoretical protocols and systems need to be reevaluated under this different type of traffic before practical implementations potentially show their faults. The ServerNet SAN is a new core technology for server architectures that focuses on moving data. It is a wormhole-routed, packet-switched, point-to-point network with special attention paid to reducing latency and assuring reliability. In this paper we investigate the implications of self-similar traffic distributions in the ServerNet SAN, and compare the results with those obtained on the basis of the Poisson assumption.
Histologic effects of a new device for high-intensity focused ultrasound cyclocoagulation.

PURPOSE To evaluate the histologic effects and clinical outcomes of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) delivered by miniaturized annular transducers for ciliary body coagulation in an animal study. METHODS Eighteen eyes of 18 rabbits were insonified with a ring comprising a six-sector transducer, to produce a 12.8-mm-diameter circular lesion. Six sectors were activated in six rabbits (group 1), five sectors in six rabbits (group 2), and four sectors in six rabbits (group 3) at 2 W acoustic power. The rabbits were examined before treatment (day 0) and after treatment on days 1, 7, 15, 21, and 28. Detailed qualitative and semiquantitative histopathologic analyses of the enucleated eyes were performed. RESULTS In the treated eyes, intraocular pressure changes ranged from -16.6 mm Hg (-55.3%) at day 28 to -8.9 mm Hg (-29.7%) at day 7 in group 1, from -4.7 mm Hg (-25.5%) at day 28 to -1.4 mm Hg (-7.6%) at day 21 in group 2 and from -7.9 mm Hg (-28.1%) at day 28 to +2.0 mm Hg (+7.1%) at day 7 in group 3. No macroscopic abnormalities were observed in the anterior segment or fundus. Histologic examination showed segmental-to-annular lesions in the ciliary processes, caused mainly by coagulation necrosis, whereas the sclera and lens appeared undamaged. Inflammation was very limited. CONCLUSIONS Ultrasonic coagulation of the ciliary body with HIFU delivered via a circular miniaturized transducer seemed to be an effective and well-tolerated method of reducing intraocular pressure in an animal study.
The psychology of prosocial behavior : group processes, intergroup relations, and helping

List of Contributors. Introduction: The Psychological Study of Group Processes and Intergroup Relations in Prosocial Behavior: Past, Present, Future ( Stefan Sturmer and Mark Snyder ). Part I: Motivations for Helping In-group and Out-group Members. 1 The Tribal Instinct Hypothesis: Evolution and the Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations ( Mark Van Vugt and Justin H. Park ). 2 Helping "Us" versus "Them": Towards a Group-Level Theory of Helping and Altruism Within and Across Group Boundaries ( Stefan Sturmer and Mark Snyder ). 3 Stigmas and Pro-Social Behavior: Are People Reluctant to Help Stigmatized Persons? ( John B. Pryor, Glenn D. Reeder, Andrew E. Monroe, and Arati Patel ). 4 The strategic side of out-group helping ( Esther van Leeuwen and Susanne Tauber ). Part II: Consequences of Giving or Receiving Help in the Context of Groups. 5 Discrimination Against Out-group Members in Helping Situations ( Donald A. Saucier, Jessica L. McManus, and Sara J. Smith ). 6 Receiving Help: Consequences for the Recipient ( Samer Halabi and Arie Nadler ). 7 Turning to Others in Times of Change: Social Identity and Coping with Stress ( Jolanda Jetten, S. Alexander Haslam, Aarti Iyer, and Catherine Haslam ). 8 Volunteering Across the Life Span: Doing Well by Doing Good ( Jane Allyn Piliavin ). Part III: Intervention Strategies: Targeting Individuals, Groups and Organizations. 9 Perspective Taking and Intergroup Helping ( Mark H. Davis and Angela T. Maitner ). 10 Recategorization and Prosocial Behavior: Common Ingroup Identity and a Dual Identity ( John F. Dovidio, Samuel L. Gaertner, Nurit Shnabel, Tamar Saguy, and James Johnson ). 11 Groups, Identities and Bystander Behavior: How Group Processes Can Be Used to Promote Helping ( Mark Levine and Clare Cassidy ). 12 Influences of Psychological Sense of Community on Voluntary Helping and Prosocial Action ( Allen M. Omoto and Mark Snyder ). 13 Empowering the Volunteer Organization: What Volunteer Organizations can do to Recruit, Content, and Retain Volunteers ( Naomi Ellemers and Edwin J. Boezeman ). Part IV: The Broader Picture: Political and Societal Implications. 14 Interpersonal and Intergroup Helping Relations as Power Relations: Implications for Real-world Helping ( Arie Nadler ). 15 Beyond Help: A Social Psychology of Collective Solidarity and Social Cohesion ( Stephen Reicher and S. Alexander Haslam ). 16 Cross-group Helping: Perspectives on Why and Why Not ( Stephen C. Wright and Norann T. Richard ). 17 Helping Disadvantaged Out-Groups Challenge Unjust Inequality: The Role of Group-Based Emotions ( Aarti Iyer and Colin Wayne Leach ). References. List of Tables. List of Figures. Author Index. Subject Index.