Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lipid-Bloated Subretinal Microglial Cells Are at the Origin of Drusen Appearance in CX3CR1-Deficient Mice

Drusen, the white yellowish deposits that can be seen in funduscopy, are a hallmark of age-related macular degeneration. Histologically, drusen are believed to be dome-shaped or more confluent lipid accumulations between the retinal pigment epithelium and the choriocapillaries. Recent advances in mouse funduscopy have revealed the presence of drusen-like structures in chemokine knockout animals in the absence of sizeable dome-shaped material below the retinal pigment epithelium. We show that aged CX3CR1–/– mice present with drusen-like appearance in funduscopy that is associated with a progressive age-related microglial cell accumulation in the subretinal space. We demonstrate that the anatomical equivalent of the drusen-like appearance in these mice are lipid-bloated subretinal microglial cells rather than subretinal pigment epithelium deposits [Combadière C, et al: J Clin Invest 2007;117:2920–2928].
Interactions between cardiac glycosides and sodium/potassium-ATPase: three-dimensional structure-activity relationship models for ligand binding to the E2-Pi form of the enzyme versus activity inhibition.

Sodium/potassium-ATPase (Na/K-ATPase) is a transmembrane enzyme that utilizes energy gained from ATP hydrolysis to transport sodium and potassium ions across cell membranes in opposite directions against their chemical and electrical gradients. Its transport activity is effectively inhibited by cardiac glycosides, which bind to the extracellular side of the enzyme and are of significant therapeutic value in the treatment of congestive heart failure. To determine the extent to which high-affinity binding of cardiac glycosides correlates with their potency in inhibiting pump activity, we determined experimentally both the binding affinities and inhibitory potencies of a series of 37 cardiac glycosides using radioligand binding and ATPase activity assays. The observed variations in key structural elements of these compounds correlating with binding and inhibition were analyzed by comparative molecular similarity index analysis (CoMSIA), which allowed a molecular level characterization and comparison of drug-Na/K-ATPase interactions that are important for ligand binding and activity inhibition. In agreement with our earlier comparative molecular field analysis studies [Farr, C. D. , et al. (2002) Biochemistry 41, 1137-1148], the CoMSIA models predicted favorable inhibitor interactions primarily at the alpha-sugar and lactone ring moieties of the cardiac glycosides. Unfavorable interactions were located about the gamma-sugar group and at several positions about the steroid ring system. Whereas for most compounds a correlation between binding affinity and inhibitory potency was found, some notable exceptions were identified. Substitution of the five-membered lactone of cardenolides with the six-membered lactone of bufadienolides caused binding affinity to decline but inhibitory potency to increase. Furthermore, while the removal of ouabain's rhamnose moiety had little effect on inhibitory potency, it caused a dramatic decline in ligand binding affinity.
Rickets and the crippled child: an historical perspective.

The plague of Athens With a degree of assurance Dr T Bazas categorically asserts that the plague of Athens was smallpox (December 1994 JRSM, p 755). In fact as already pointed out (April 1993 JRSM, p 244) it is very difficult if not impossible to determine the nature of the epidemic disease known only by Thucydides's short description in The History of the Peloponnesian War. As the clinical picture included gangrena of the extremities which occurs also in exanthematic typhus (and not in smallpox) several medical historians have suggested that this disease would have been typhus. The smallpox hypothesis was already put forward long before Dr Bazas. Furthermore, the latter obviously extrapolates when he writes: 'The disease was transmitted from person to person by droplets and not by insect bites', as no such indication is given in Thucydides's description. The determination of the exact nature of this epidemic disease will thus ever remain an elusive mystery.
Dewetting Modes of Thin Metallic Films: Nucleation of Holes and Spinodal Dewetting.

We have studied the dewetting of thin liquid metal films (Au, Cu, Ni) on fused silica substrates which occurs after melting with a Q-switched laser pulse. Optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and scanning near field acoustic microscopy reveal two distinctly different modes of the dewetting process: On one hand, we observe heterogeneous nucleation of “dry” circular patches, which grow in diameter during the melting period. On the other hand, an instability of the liquid film against the growth in amplitude of surface waves with a characteristic wavelength is observed, which we believe is the first observation of spinodal dewetting. In contrast, the final structure of the ruptured film depends on whether nucleation or spinodal dewetting is dominant. [S0031-9007(96)00893-9]
THE EFFECTS OF STORY STRUCTURE INSTRUCTION ON THE RECALL OF POOR SIXTH GRADE READERS

This study investigated the effects of story structure instruction on the recall of sixth‐grade students with low socio‐economic background using highly structured narrative materials. Students identified as having a poorly developed story concept were the subjects in the study. An experimental group received no instruction but read the stories, while a third group received neither instruction nor exposure to the stories. All subjects were posttested with a free recall measure.
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Expression and Function in a Visual Salience Circuit

Elisha D.W. Mackey,2 Staci E. Engle,1 Mi Ran Kim,1 Heidi C. O’Neill,3 Charles R. Wageman,3 Natalie E. Patzlaff,3 Ying Wang,2 Sharon R. Grady,3 J. Michael McIntosh,4 Michael J. Marks,3 Henry A. Lester,2 and Ryan M. Drenan1 1Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, 2Division of Biology, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California 91125, 3Institute for Behavioral Genetics, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado 80309, and 4Departments of Psychiatry and Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112
Creating Space, Creating Self: Street-frequenting Youth in the City and Suburbs

Focusing on street-frequenting youth, this paper explores the ways in which young people link spaces and selves in city and suburban environments. In much current youth studies research there is an emphasis on the marginalization of young people, particularly in their use of public spaces. Drawing on space/identity theory, this paper reconceptualizes these issues, highlighting young people's understandings of themselves and the subversive spaces they construct. Through an empirical analysis of the construction of space and self, the paper stresses a need to explore the process of subjective interpretation, undertaken by young people, in order to more sensitively understand the culture of street frequenting.
A Spiking Neural Learning Classifier System

Learning Classifier Systems (LCS) are population-based reinforcement learners used in a wide variety of applications. This paper presents a LCS where each traditional rule is represented by a spiking neural network, a type of network with dynamic internal state. We employ a constructivist model of growth of both neurons and dendrites that realise flexible learning by evolving structures of sufficient complexity to solve a well-known problem involving continuous, real-valued inputs. Additionally, we extend the system to enable temporal state decomposition. By allowing our LCS to chain together sequences of heterogeneous actions into macro-actions, it is shown to perform optimally in a problem where traditional methods can fail to find a solution in a reasonable amount of time. Our final system is tested on a simulated robotics platform.
Authentic Practices as Contexts for Learning to Draw Inferences Beyond Correlated Data

To support 11th-grade students' informal inferential reasoning, a teaching and learning strategy was designed based on authentic practices in which professionals use correlation or linear regression. These practices included identifying suitable physical training programmes, dyke monitoring, and the calibration of measurement instruments. The question addressed in this study is: How does a teaching and learning strategy based on authentic practices support students in making statistical inferences about authentic problems with the help of correlation and linear regression? To respond to this question we used video-recordings of lessons, audio-taped interviews, classroom field notes, and student work from a teaching experiment with 12 Dutch students (aged 16–17 years). The analysis provided insights into how the teaching and learning strategies based on authentic practices supported them to draw inferences about authentic problems using correlated data. The evidence illustrates how an understanding of the authentic problem being solved, collecting their own data to become acquainted with the situation, and learning to coordinate individual and aggregate views on data sets seemed to support these students in learning to draw inferences that make sense in the context.
Agile Methodologies and Software Process Improvement Maturity Models, Current State of Practice in Small and Medium Enterprises

Abstract—Background: Software Process Improvement (SPI) maturity models have been developed to assist organizations to enhance software quality. Agile methodologies are used to ensure productivity and quality of a software product. Amongst others they are applied in Small and Medium – sized Enterprises (SMEs). However, little is known about the combination of Agile methodologies and SPI maturity models regarding SMEs and the results that could emerge, as all the current SPI models are addressed to larger organizations and all these improvement models are difficult to be used by Small and Medium – sized firms. Combinations of these methodologies could lead to improvement in the quality of the software products, better project management methodologies and organized software development framework. Objectives: The aim of this study is to identify the main Agile methodologies and SPI maturity models applied in SMEs, the combinations of these methodologies, and the results that could emerge. Through these combinations, new software development frameworks are proposed. What is more, the results of this study can be used as a guide with the appropriate combination for each SME, as a better project management methodology or as improvement in the current software engineering practices. Methods: A Systematic Literature Review was conducted, resulting in 71 selected relevant papers ranging from 2001 to 2013. Besides, a survey has been performed from June 2013 to October 2013, including 49 participants. Results: Seven Agile methodologies and six different SPI maturity models were identified and discussed. Furthermore, the combination of eight different Agile methodologies and Software Process Improvement maturity models is presented, and as well as their benefits and drawbacks that could emerge in Small and Medium – sized firms. Conclusion: The majority of the Agile methodologies and SPI maturity models are addressed to large or very large enterprises. Thus, little research has been conducted for SMEs. The combinations of the Agile methodologies and SPI maturity models are usually performed in experimental stages. However, it has been observed that such type of combination could present numerous benefits, which can also be applicable in SMEs as well. The combinations that are most common are the CMMI and XP, CMMI and Scrum, CMMI and Six Sigma, and the PRINCE2 and DSDM.
The Patterns Use and Attitudes toward Unconventional Medicine among Saudi Young Adults : Cross Sectional Study

Therapies or examinations which has no scientific basis and demonstrates no effective or diagnostic reliability is referred to unconventional medicine (UM) [1] . Various terms are used interchangeably with UM, although different things may be meant UM; include alternative medicine, complementary medicine, holistic medicine, integrative medicine, and naturopathy. UM can be considered as a group of varied medical and health care systems, practices, and products that are not generally considered part of conventional medicine [2] . The conventional medicine or allopathy is scientific medicine. UM comprises many treatment modalities, including acupuncture, aromatherapy, homeotherapy, chiropractic, dietetics, herbalism, megavitamins, yoga, and spiritual healing.
Epiphanies of embodiment: injury, identity and the balletic body

Our ethnography of the balletic body is a contribution to the relatively small corpus of empirical research studies on embodiment in general and on dance as a social practice in particular. In contrast, much of the literature on the sociology of the body is characterized by its theoretical discussion of the nature of the body. We draw upon our fieldwork at the Royal Ballet (London) where we conducted 20 in-depth interviews with ballet staff, and where we also watched ‘the company at work’(in class, rehearsal and performance). We explored the perceptions, of their bodies and dancing careers, of both dancers (n= 9) and ex-dancers (n=11: who are now teachers, administrators and character artists with the company). Furthermore, we especially focused upon the epiphanies of injury and ageing that endanger their balletic vocation, and that may even threaten their personal identity. Although our ethnography of the balletic body is set within the elite and narrow cultural field of dance, we hope that our research is also an appealing and constructive adjunct to discussions on the interactions between self and society; the body and culture; embodiment and identity; and individuals and institutions. Our article is one example of our broader research programme on the embodiment of vulnerability in the arts, medicine and society.
The Relationship of Job Satisfaction With Substitutes of Leadership, Leadership Behavior, and Work Motivation

Abstract A self-report questionnaire was administered to 125 adult Americans between the ages of 20 and 46 years, to examine the predictive values of substitutes of leadership, leadership behavior, and work motivation in relation to job satisfaction. The results of independent regression analyses revealed that all but subordinate substitutes were significant predictors of job satisfaction. In the stepwise analysis, task substitutes, organizational substitutes, consideration leadership behavior, initiating structure leadership behavior, and work motivation were significant and together accounted for 54% of the total variance of job satisfaction. In both the stepwise and independent analyses, work motivation (expectancy theory) and consideration leadership style affected levels of job satisfaction more than any other variables. The study included an analysis of the aggregate population by occupation. The individual results from assembly workers, middle managers, and executives were used to examine the predi.
Participant recruitment and data collection through Facebook: the role of personality factors1

As participant recruitment and data collection over the Internet have become more common, numerous observers have expressed concern regarding the validity of research conducted in this fashion. One growing method of conducting research over the Internet involves recruiting participants and administering questionnaires over Facebook, the world’s largest social networking service. If Facebook is to be considered a viable platform for social research, it is necessary to demonstrate that Facebook users are sufficiently heterogeneous and that research conducted through Facebook is likely to produce results that can be generalized to a larger population. The present study examines these questions by comparing demographic and personality data collected over Facebook with data collected through a standalone website, and data collected from college undergraduates at two universities. Results indicate that statistically significant differences exist between Facebook data and the comparison data-sets, but since 80% of analyses exhibited partial η2 < . 05, such differences are small or practically nonsignificant in magnitude. We conclude that Facebook is a viable research platform, and that recruiting Facebook users for research purposes is a promising avenue that offers numerous advantages over traditional samples.
Personality and well-being in adolescents

Different profiles of the character dimensions of self-directedness, cooperativeness and self-transcendence result in different levels of wellbeing among adults. However, the influence of the multidimensional character profiles on adolescents' composite wellbeing remains unexplored. This study builds on previous studies with adults, and examines the linear and non-linear associations between the dimensions of the psychobiological model of personality and well-being in adolescents. Participated in this study 1540 adolescents (M = 15.44, SD = 1.731). Personality was assessed using the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Well-being was evaluated in a composite perspective: satisfaction with social support, health-related quality of life, satisfaction with life and affect. Variable-centered and individual-centered analyses were performed. Self-directedness was strongly associated with all dimensions of affective and cognitive well-being regardless of the other two character traits. Cooperativeness was associated with non-affective well-being and with positive affect, but only when associated to elevation of Self-directedness and Self-transcendence. Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness explained 15.5% of the non-affective well-being variance. Self-Directedness and Self-Transcendence explained 10.4% of the variance in affective well-being. This study confirms the tendencies found in previous studies with adults from other societies, where each character dimension gives an independent contribution to well-being depending on the interactions with other Character dimensions. Also, this study highlights the importance of considering the non-linear influences of the character dimensions in understanding of adolescents' wellbeing. These results have strong implications for youth positive mental health promotion, including for school-based policies and practices.
A new approach to reduplication: a semantic study of noun and verb reduplication in the Malayo-Polynesian languages

L'A. essaie de rendre compte des significations variees exprimees par la reduplication dans les langues malayo-polynesiennes, en fournissant une nouvelle approche de l'interpretation semantique de la reduplication. Elle est definie comme etant a la fois iconique et non-iconique. Elle a d'une part, deux differents processus iconiques : un processus consecutif, ou la pluralite dans les noms et la repetition/continuation dans les verbes sont regardees comme des significations prototypiques, et un processus cumulatif, ou l'intensite est consideree comme une signification prototypique dans le nom et le verbe a la fois. A travers le processus non-iconique, d'autre part, la reduplication obtient des significations variees, parmi lesquelles la diminution est la plus frequente
High-resolution mapping defines the cooperative architecture of Polycomb response elements

Polycomb-mediated chromatin repression modulates gene expression during development in metazoans. Binding of multiple sequence-specific factors at discrete Polycomb response elements (PREs) is thought to recruit repressive complexes that spread across an extended chromatin domain. To dissect the structure of PREs, we applied high-resolution mapping of nonhistone chromatin proteins in native chromatin of Drosophila cells. Analysis of occupied sites reveal interactions between transcription factors that stabilize Polycomb anchoring to DNA, and implicate the general transcription factor ADF1 as a novel PRE component. By comparing two Drosophila cell lines with differential chromatin states, we provide evidence that repression is accomplished by enhanced Polycomb recruitment both to PREs and to target promoters of repressed genes. These results suggest that the stability of multifactor complexes at promoters and regulatory elements is a crucial aspect of developmentally regulated gene expression.
Hyaluronic Acid Gel Injection for Upper Eyelid Retraction in Thyroid Eye Disease: Functional and Dynamic High-Resolution Ultrasound Evaluation

Purpose: The goal of this study is to determine the functional and dynamic effects of hyaluronic acid (HA) gel injection into the levator plane for improving upper eyelid retraction in patients with thyroid eye disease (TED). Methods: This is a prospective, non-randomized study of consecutive patients with symptomatic unilateral upper eyelid retraction in the setting of active and inactive TED. Study participants underwent HA gel injection subconjunctivally into the levator plane and were examined before injection, 1 to 3 months after injection, and at the clinician’s discretion thereafter. At each of the time points, high-resolution ultrasound imaging and clinical photographs were taken, and the marginal reflex distance 1 (MRD1) was measured. Results: Eight patients (4 in the active stage of TED, 4 in the inactive stage of TED) were injected on average with 0.45 ml of HA gel. The average baseline MRD1 was 5.6 mm prior to HA injection, 4.6 mm at the first follow up after injection, and 5 mm at the final follow up after injection. HA was localized ultrasonographically to multiple anatomical locations and changed in morphology over time but not in anatomical location. All patients demonstrated increased fluidity of eyelid excursion on dynamic ultrasound after HA injection. There were no vision-threatening complications in this study. Conclusions: Despite variability in the HA gel distribution and long-term conformational changes on ultrasound examination, HA injection may be an effective and minimally invasive method to improve upper eyelid position for patients with mild eyelid retraction in both the active and inactive stages of TED.
Morphological Analysis in Word Recognition *

One of the most refined techniques for investigating morphological processing in word recognition is the variant of the lexical decision task known as repetition priming (Stanners, Neiser, Hernon, & Hall 1979). It provides a primary source of evidence, according to Henderson (1989), of facilitation between words formed from the same morpheme (i.e., morphological relatives). Generally, target (second presentation) decision latencies and error rates are reduced in the context of morphologicallyrelated primes (first presentation). Words related to the target (e.g., HEALS) can be forms that are unaffixed (e.g., HEAL), inflected (e.g., HEALED) or derived (e.g., HEALER) in either the same or different modalities (e.g., print or speech) and they can be separated by as many as fifty intervening items. Effects of morphological relatedness have been observed in the lexical decision task across a variety of languages including Serbo-Croatian (Feldman & Fowler, 1987) and Hebrew (Bentin & Feldman, 1990), English (Fowler, Napps, & Feldman, 1985; Feldman, 1991) and American Sign Language (Hanson & Feldman, 1991; see also Emmorey, 1989). In this chapter, we review evidence of morphological processing in word recognition. In the first two sections, studies of morphology that employ the repetition priming techniques are described. In section one, morphological and orthographic similarity effects are contrasted because alternative accounts of morphological effects in word recognition often minimize the role of the morpheme unit and focus on orthographic and phonological similarity of morphologically-related