Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Development of an In Vitro System with Human Liver Microsomes for Phenotyping of CYP2C9 Genetic Polymorphisms with a Mechanism-Based Inactivator

Polymorphisms in cytochrome P450 enzymes can significantly alter the rate of drug metabolism, as well as the extent of drug-drug interactions. Individuals who homozygotically express the CYP2C9*3 allele (I359L) of CYP2C9 exhibit ∼70 to 80% reductions in the oral clearance of drugs metabolized through this pathway; the reduction in clearance is ∼40 to 50% for heterozygotic individuals. Although these polymorphisms result in a decrease in the activity of individual enzyme molecules, we hypothesized that decreasing the total number of active enzyme molecules in an in vitro system (CYP2C9*1/*1 human liver microsomes) by an equivalent percentage could produce the same net change in overall metabolic capacity. To this end, the selective CYP2C9 mechanism-based inactivator tienilic acid was used to reduce irreversibly the total CYP2C9 activity in human liver microsomes. Tienilic acid concentrations were effectively titrated to produce microsomal preparations with 43 and 73% less activity, mimicking the CYP2C9*1/*3 and CYP2C9*3/*3 genotypes, respectively. With probe substrates specific for other major cytochrome P450 enzymes (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C8, CYP2C19, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4), no apparent changes in the rate of metabolism were noted for these enzymes after the addition of tienilic acid, which suggests that this model is selective for CYP2C9. In lieu of using rare human liver microsomes from CYP2C9*1/*3 and CYP2C9*3/*3 individuals, a tienilic acid-created knockdown in human liver microsomes may be an appropriate in vitro model to determine CYP2C9-mediated metabolism of a given substrate, to determine whether other drug-metabolizing enzymes may compensate for reduced CYP2C9 activity, and to predict the extent of genotype-dependent drug-drug interactions.
Survival and Axonal Elongation of Adult Rat Retinal Ganglion Cells

A peripheral nerve exudate, collected in situ from the proximal end of a severed rat sciatic nerve, can induce substantial axonal elongation from ganglion cells when tested on explanted adult rat retinae. The responsive cells are identified on the basis of their Thy 1.1 immunostaining properties. Similar outgrowth can be obtained from explants when the culture medium is supplemented with brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In addition, both BDNF and the sciatic nerve exudate can prevent ganglion cell degeneration as shown by the retrograde transport of a fluorescent dye that had been applied to the superior colliculus prior to explantation. The results demonstrate that soluble components, released by lesioned peripheral nerves, can effect adult retinal ganglion cells in a way that is reminiscent of that which has been described in vivo using sciatic nerve grafts after sectioning of the optic nerve. The molecular nature of these components is discussed.
Modification of Acute and Late-Phase Allergic Responses to Ovalbumin with Lipopolysaccharide

Background: We have previously shown that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure in sensitised animals 18 h after ovalbumin (OVA) challenge inhibits OVA-induced airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR). In the present study, we investigated the effect of LPS on OVA-induced acute and late-phase allergic responses in sensitised rats when challenged with OVA. Methods: Rats were sensitised with OVA and 11 days later challenged with 1% OVA in the presence or absence of LPS (0.5–50 µg/ml) given in the same nebulizer. Acute responses to OVA were measured each minute for 30 min after challenge. In a separate group of animals, late-phase responses to OVA were determined at 24 h. At the end of each study, Evans blue dye was injected and animals sacrificed 30 min later. Bronchoalveolar lavage was obtained to monitor inflammatory cell migration and microvascular leakage. Results: OVA challenge in sensitised animals produced an acute response with changes in lung mechanics peaking 10.0 ± 0.9 min after OVA and returning to baseline within 30 min. This was followed 24 h later by increased responses to methacholine chloride (MCh), inflammatory cell influx and increased Evans blue leakage into the lungs. Presence of 5 or 50 µg/ml LPS in the nebulizer during OVA challenge altered the kinetics of the acute-phase response, with an immediate decrease in lung function (time to peak decreased from 10.3 ± 1.2 to 1.8 ± 0.2 and 2.2 ± 0.3 min, respectively: p < 0.001, n = 6) and a dose-dependent attenuation of late-phase AHR, cellular influx (n = 5, p < 0.001) and Evans blue leakage (n = 5, p < 0.001) at 24 h. Conclusions: In summary, co-administration of OVA with LPS modifies both the acute and late-phase responses to the allergen, inducing an earlier acute change in lung function and a dose-dependent inhibition of late-phase responses to the allergen.
Gender and Social Inequality at Oxford and Cambridge Universities

Abstract The academic efficiency and social justice of entry procedures at Oxford and Cambridge Universities are examined over the past quarter of a century. For each major subject the mean A‐level scores of males and females entering from state and independent schools are compared with mean final examination scores in the major subjects. In any comparison of state and independent cohorts of the same gender, within the bounds of normal statistical fluctuation, the difference in A‐level score is a good predictor of the difference in finals score. For example, when between state men and independent men the difference in A‐level score is zero, the difference between mean finals score is zero also. The origin of female under‐achievement is examined. In most subjects there is pronounced gender inequality due to the following chain of circumstances: (1) to break‐even in finals women require at entry better grades at Advanced Level than men; (2) women used to have much the better A‐levels and so, in finals a qua.
Baccalaureate College of Origin of Black Doctorate Recipients.

Production of black doctorates remains a problem of considerable concern. Expanding the pool of black holders of this degree will require the applications of greater effort and dedication than has previously been the case. Black recipients of the doctorate (Ph.D., Ed.D., D.B.A. and similar degrees) have constituted barely four percent of the 30,000 degrees awarded annually for the last few years. Observers have noted with interest the relative success of a number of colleges and universities in directing a significant proportion of their graduates toward graduate study and doctoral degrees. More than a few of these institutions happen to be black. One wonders if these campuses do indeed turn out an outsize proportion of young people who go on to earn the doctoral degree. If such is the case, one wonders about the nature of those institutions which have experienced such success. Further, results or exercises which answer these questions may have some implications for social policy.
Effects of Distance on Visual and Audiovisual Speech Recognition

Face-to-face conversations in every day life are conducted over a range of distances. However, previous research provides only limited indications of the effects of distance on visual and audiovisual speech recognition. We report an experiment which investigated effects of distance on perception of unimodal visual speech and congruent and incongruent audiovisual speech using a talking face presented at distances of 1, 5, 10, 20, and 30m and auditory, visual, congruent, and incongruent forms of the syllables /ba/, /bi/, /ga/, and /gi/. Identification of unimodal visual speech was unaffected by increasing distance to 10m, but was impaired at 20 and 30m. However, despite these drops in unimodal visual speech identification, visual speech improved performance with congruent auditory speech at all distances and impaired performance with incongruent auditory speech at distances up to 20m, indicating that auditory speech recognition is influenced by visual speech even when encoded from distant faces. Implications of these findings for understanding visual and audiovisual speech recognition are discussed.
The Relationship between Feedback and Change in Tertiary Student Writing in the Disciplines.

This study examined the relationship between teacher written feedback and change in the disciplinary writing of tertiary students in their final year of undergraduate study. The student texts and teacher written feedback examined arose naturally out of a third year disciplinary-based unit in which each student submitted a text three times over the course of a semester, each time receiving feedback and a mark prior to rewriting and resubmitting. In analyzing the relationship between the different types of feedback and the changes that occurred, the feedback was categorized according to the issue that was being addressed, the manner in which it was given, and its scope. The different types of feedback were directly related to the changes that occurred in the students’ subsequent rewrites. The analysis shows that certain types of feedback are more strongly related to change than other types of feedback. In addition, the analysis shows that change is further influenced by the balance between the various individual points of feedback and the degree to which they reinforce each other. The findings show that the use of feedback that is strongly related to change can improve the writing of students in the disciplines.
Graduação/pós-graduação: a busca de uma relação virtuosa

This article aims at giving the reader a vision, in the present Brazilian situation especially of the relation between undergraduate and graduate studies as an institutional form to maintain the indissociability between teaching, research and extension. The possibilities of a mutual relationship that may enrich both levels are highlighted on the ground of data on the higher education system. The text also reviews the legal provisions existing on the matter and. identifies the gaps that should be filled.
Fire Impact on Several Chemical and Physicochemical Parameters in a Forest Soil

Cordoba is a Mediterranean State, with semiarid climate, dry autumn and winter, in which the wild fire can take place, especially at the end of dry season. Forest fires happen frequently in the mountain zones of the province of Cordoba, Argentina, which are located at west and south-west region. The vegetation, in the south-west zone, are principally Pinus halepensis Mill. ; Pinus elliottii implanted and the native vegetation cover is Stipa caudata, Piptochaetium hackelii, P. napostaense y Briza subaristata, between others. Taxonomically the soil corresponds to an Ustorthent. In the west area the native vegetation is principally Acacia caven, Festuca hieronymi, Stipa, Poa stukerti, between others. The soil is an Argiustoll. Forest wild fires constitute a serious environmental problem, not only due to the destruction of vegetation but also because the degradation that may be induced in a soil as a consequence of the change produced in its properties. Wild fire can strongly modify the abiotic and biotic characteristics of soil, altering its structure, chemical and physicochemical properties, carbon content and macronutrient levels. The degree of the alteration produced depends on the frequency and intensity of fire, all these modifications being particularly important in the surface horizons. Organic matter is a key factor for forest soil. It has a direct and /or an indirect influence on all physical and chemical characteristics of the soil. While low severity fires, such as those prescribed for forest management, have been reported to have transient but positive effect on soil fertility, severe wildfire result in significant losses of soil organic matter, and nutrient, and deterioration of the overall physical-chemical properties of soil that determine its fertility, such as porosity, structure among others (Certini, 2005). Fire may directly consume part or all of the standing plant material and litter as well as the organic matter in the upper layer of the soil. One of the most important soil change, during the burning is the alteration in the organic matter content therefore, the nutrient contained in the organic matter are either more available or can be volatilized and lost from the site. The soluble nutrient would be loss for erosion or leaching if they are not immediately absorbed by plants or retained by soil. Humic substances are one of the most important fractions of the organic matter and are considered the most abundant organic component in nature and largely contribute to soil structuring and stability, to its permeability for water and gases, to its water holding
The effect of a cross‐curricular study programme in physical education on the attitudes and perceptions of Greek children towards traditional (folk) dance in the first year of secondary school

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of a cross‐curricular programme for the teaching of traditional dances on the attitudes and perceptions of Greek pupils in the First Year of Secondary School. At the outset we anticipated that the programme would have positive results in terms of: (a) the pupils’ enjoyment of the activity; (b) Their perceived value of their participation; (c) their perceived ability to be able to dance; and (d) their satisfaction with the way in which it was taught. The sample comprised 91 thirteen‐year‐old students from the First Year (four mixed classes) of the second Secondary School at Agia Paraskevi Athens – Greece. A cross‐curricular programme for the teaching of traditional Greek dances was developed and implemented. The programme lasted five months. A weighted questionnaire of attitudes (Likert‐type), was used, adapted to Greek with reliability (α = 0.93). From the results of the statistical analyses it was found that the application of the cross‐curricular programme had a positive influence on all of the above‐mentioned factors.
Personal Prayer in Patients Dealing with Chronic Illness: A Review of the Research Literature

Background. Prayer is commonly used among patients for health purposes. Therefore, this review focused on three main questions: (1) why do people turn to prayer in times of illness? , (2) what are the main topics of their prayers? , and (3) how do they pray? Method. We undertook a systematic review of the literature by searching the databases PubMed, Medline, and PsycINFO. The following inclusion criteria were used: (1) participants in the study were patients dealing with an illness, (2) the study examined the use of private rather than intercessory prayer, and (3) the content and purpose of prayer rather than its effects were investigated. Results. 16 articles were included in the final review. Participants suffered from a variety of chronic diseases, mostly cancer. Five main categories for the reasons and topics of prayer were found: (1) disease-centered prayer, (2) assurance-centered prayer, (3) God-centered prayer, (4) others-centered prayer, and (5) lamentations. Among these, disease-centered prayer was most common. Conclusions. Although most patients with chronic diseases do pray for relief from their physical and mental suffering, the intention of their prayers is not only for healing. Rather, prayer can be a resource that allows patients to positively transform the experience of their illness.
Comparing Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy to Present-Centered Therapy with 11 U.S. Vietnam Veterans with PTSD

Eleven Vietnam veterans with war-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) were randomly assigned to 10 sessions of either virtual reality exposure (VRE) therapy within a computer-generated virtual Vietnam environment or present-centered therapy (PCT) that avoided traumatic content and utilized a problem-solving approach. Participants were assessed at pretreatment, posttreatment, and 6 months posttreatment by an independent assessor blind to treatment condition. Nine participants completed treatment with one dropout per condition. No significant differences emerged between treatments, likely due to insufficient power. Although comparison of mean changes in PTSD symptoms for the VRE and PCT conditions yielded a moderate effect size (d = 0.56) in favor of VRE at 6 months posttreatment, changes in PTSD scores were more variable, and therefore less reliable, within the VRE condition. The utility of VRE with older veterans with PTSD is discussed.
The importance of effective behaviour screening in the early years

Early intervention for children with behavioural difficulties can be effective in terms of outcomes for both the children and their families. Early intervention can save a child from long-term outcomes such as school failure, peer rejection and later offending. However, in terms of accurate assessment of young children's behavioural difficulties, there is disparity between what the research suggests as best practice and what actually occurs in kindergartens and schools. This paper challenges current thinking about the timing of behavioural assessments for young children and describes the elements of an effective screening procedure for these children. The authors’ own behaviour screening tool is described. The implications of screening young children for behavioural difficulties are discussed, as is teachers’ reluctance to do this.
A role for the superior colliculus in the modulation of threat responsiveness in primates: toward the ontogenesis of the social brain

Abstract Defense and social mechanisms in primates seem to share, at least in infancy, common neural substrata. Among these, recent research has implicated the primate superior colliculus (SC) on tasks involving visual detection and recognition of threatening stimuli, such as snakes and faces with emotional expressions. There is also evidence that both kinds of stimuli share specific characteristics and command special attention in the primate visual system. The present review focuses on the role of the SC in these seemingly overlapping functions. We present social behavioral data from capuchin monkeys in which the bilateral lesion of the SC induced a transitory impairment of social behaviors. The findings presented here are compared with previous studies, our own and others, on social behaviors and threat detection. We argue that, although the SC may participate in both systems, its role is more prominent in the detection/recognition of threat. Social interactions more likely depend on larger and more complex neural systems, where the SC may play a key role in early infancy. The implications of these recent findings are discussed under an evolutionary perspective.
Perceived Dangerousness and Treatability of Offenders

Each of 24 laypersons and 24 clinicians were asked to evaluate 4 of 16 fictitious case histories. The histories culminated in a theft, an armed robbery, a murder, or an attempted suicide. Half of the subjects read histories that were designed to produce an internal attribution of causality and half read histories that would elicit an external attribution. In the internal condition, many prior instances of the same type of behavior as that involved in the offense and little immediate environmental provocation were described; opposite descriptions occurred in the external condition. There were few differences of opinion between the laypersons and clinicians. The internal condition was associated with higher ratings of stability, internality, and controllability of cause; as predicted, it was related to higher ratings of dangerousness. Offenders in the internal condition were seen as less likely to benefit from treatment than offenders in the external condition. Perceived treatability of the offender was negatively related to perceived dangerousness. In general, these results support the application of attribution theory to clinical judgment and support the view that, with respect to personality disordered offenders, treatment decisions are made on the basis of commonsense criteria.
Salinity-Induced Changes of Multiparametric Fluorescence Indices of Tomato Leaves

The aim of our study was to identify appropriate multiparametric fluorescence ratios to evaluate the response of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) genotypes to salinity. In this context, we hypothesized that the fluorescence indices BFRR_UV, FLAV, NBI and SFR provided by the multiparametric fluorescence technique reveal the impact of salinity on tomato leaves. For this purpose, the tomato genotypes H-2274, Harzfeuer and Rio Grande were grown in the greenhouse under standard or saline conditions. As reference measurements, we recorded the maximum photochemical efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) via pulse-amplitude-modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) and analyzed the concentrations of sodium (Na), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg), proline and chlorophyll (Chl). In general, “Harzfeuer” showed a more pronounced response to salinity, as revealed by the increase in Na and proline as well as the decrease in K concentration. Significant differences between the control and the salt treatment were also assessed with Fv/Fm. The ratios BFRR_UV, FLAV, SFR_G and NBI_G increased significantly in the salinity-exposed plants. These ratios, compared with Fv/Fm, also provide precise but more rapid information about the impact of salinity on tomato leaves. On this basis, we demonstrate that the multiparametric fluorescence indices provide a valuable, rapid and practical tool for the in situ monitoring of the physiological status of plants exposed to salinity.
Association between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of the Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Gene and Newcastle Disease Virus Titre and Body Weight in Leung Hang Khao Chickens

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II gene on resistance to Newcastle disease virus and body weight of the Thai indigenous chicken, Leung Hang Khao (Gallus gallus domesticus). Blood samples were collected for single nucleotide polymorphism analysis from 485 chickens. Polymerase chain reaction sequencing was used to classify single nucleotide polymorphisms of class II MHC. Body weights were measured at the ages of 3, 4, 5, and 7 months. Titres of Newcastle disease virus at 2 weeks to 7 months were determined and the correlation between body weight and titre was analysed. The association between single nucleotide polymorphisms and body weight and titre were analysed by a generalized linear model. Seven single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified: C125T, A126T, C209G, C242T, A243T, C244T, and A254T. Significant correlations between log titre and body weight were found at 2 and 4 weeks. Associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms and titre were found for C209G and A254T, and between all single nucleotide polymorphisms (except A243T) and body weight. The results showed that class II MHC is associated with both titre of Newcastle disease virus and body weight in Leung Hang Khao chickens. This is of concern because improved growth traits are the main goal of breeding selection. Moreover, the results suggested that MHC has a pleiotropic effect on the titre and growth performance. This mechanism should be investigated in a future study.