Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obstacles To Scientific Research In Light Of A Number Of Variables

The present study aimed to identify the scientific research obstacles facing faculty members in the College of Education at Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University (PNU) and to determine the differences in the obstacles according to age, academic rank, scientific specialty, marital status, number of completed studies, and time since the last academic rank was received. An initial data form and questionnaire were prepared to identify the obstacles to scientific research. The questionnaire assessed personal and family obstacles, social factors, technical skills, organizational and professional obstacles, and societal obstacles. The researcher assessed the validity and reliability of the survey instrument by testing it on a sample of 23 faculty members at the university. The results demonstrated a high degree of validity (i.e., high internal consistency) and reliability (Cronbach's alpha coefficient: .97). The study instrument was administered to a final sample of 69 faculty members (out of 111) at the university. The results demonstrated a decrease in the averages of the obstacles. The arithmetic averages for the obstacles were organizational and professional obstacles (2.76), societal obstacles (2.64), personal and family obstacles (1.87), and skills-related obstacles (1.70). The results demonstrated no significant differences for any obstacles with respect to age, academic rank or scientific specialization. There were significant differences in skills-related obstacles according to the number of completed studies; researchers with no completed projects faced greater obstacles. The results also demonstrated significant differences in societal obstacles associated with the length of time since the last academic rank was received.
The influence of Chlamydia trachomatis infection on spontaneous abortions.

PURPOSE The aim of the study was to evaluate the frequency of Chlamydia trachomatis (C.t.) infection among women who experienced a miscarriage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients referred to the Centre for STD Research and Diagnostics in Bialystok from the Department of Perinatology and from gynaecological outpatient clinics, after spontaneous abortion were enrolled in the study. C.t. infection diagnostics were performed among 76 women with 1 miscarriage and 44 patients with > or =2 miscarriages in anamnesis. Forty-six patients in the 2nd and the 3rd trimester of normal pregnancy served as a comparative group. Endocervical swabs as well as blood serum were obtained. To detect chlamydial DNA, direct PCR method was performed (Roche, Molecular Systems, N.J., USA). To detect IgA and IgG specific anti-chlamydial antibodies we used immunoenzymatic assay (medac, Hamburg, Germany). RESULTS In patients with 1 miscarriage (gr.1), C.t. infection by means of PCR was detected in 11.8% of women (p=0.029), in patients with > or =2 miscarriages (gr.2) in 9.1% (p=0.198) and in the comparative group (gr.0) in 2.2%. Specific anti-chlamydial antibodies IgA class were detected in: 7.9 (p=0.082) in group 1, 4.5% (p=0.236) in group 2 and in 0% in group 0, and IgG class in 21.1% (p=0.024), 36.4% (p=0.000) and in 4.4%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS 1. C.t. infection is an important causative agent of miscarriages in women. 2. C.t. infection diagnostic procedures should be considered in screening tests during pregnancy.
Nitric Oxide Donors Induce Neurotrophin-Like Survival Signaling and Protect Neurons against Apoptosis

Our previous results showed that inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) by orthovanadate is an appropriate strategy to mimic nerve growth factor (NGF) effects in neurons, including enhanced phosphorylation of TrkA, stimulation of downstream survival signaling pathways, and protection against apoptotic stress. In this study, we wanted to trigger such NGF-like survival signaling in primary hippocampal neurons with the more specific PTP inhibitors ethyl-3,4-dephostatin (DPN), 4-O-methyl-ethyl-3,4-dephostatin (Me-DPN), and methoxime-3,4-dephostatin. It was striking that only the nitric oxide (NO)-releasing dephostatin analogs DPN and Me-DPN, but not the nitrosamine-free methoxime derivative (which did not release NO), enhanced TrkA phosphorylation and protected the neurons against staurosporine (STS)-induced apoptosis. The established NO donor S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) also enhanced TrkA phosphorylation and prevented apoptosis similarly to DPN and Me-DPN. Analysis of the major signaling pathways downstream of TrkA revealed that both SNAP and DPN enhanced phosphorylation of Akt and the mitogen-activated kinases (MAPK) Erk1/2. Blocking of these signaling pathways by the PI3-K inhibitor wortmannin or the MAPK kinase inhibitor U0126 [1,4-diamino-2,3-dicyano-1,4-bis(2-aminophynyltio)butadiene] equally abolished the neuroprotective effect of the NO donors. It was striking that inhibition of the soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) by 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ) or protein kinase G (PKG) inhibition by (9S,10R,12R)-2,3,9,10,11,12-hexahydro-10-methoxy-2,9-dimethyl-1-oxo-9,12-epoxy-1H-diindolo-[1,2,3-fg:3′,2′,1′-kl]pyrrolo[3,4-i][1,6]benzodiazocine-10-carboxylic acid methyl ester (KT5823) also blocked the neuroprotective effect of the NO donors, and ODQ clearly attenuated SNAP-induced phosphorylation of TrkA, Akt, and MAPK. In conclusion, NO release by the dephostatin derivatives and subsequent stimulation of sGC and PKG is essential for their neuroprotective effects. In primary neurons, such NO-activated survival signaling involves NGF-like effects, including enhanced phosphorylation of TrkA and activation of PI3-K/Akt and MAPK pathways.
Analyse anatomo-fonctionnelle et moléculaire des conséquences anxiodépressives de la douleur neuropathique dans un modèle murin : importance du cortex cingulaire antérieur

La douleur neuropathique est un syndrome secondaire a une maladie ou a une lesion affectant le systeme nerveux somatosensoriel. Environ 30% des patients souffrant de douleurs neuropathiques presentent des troubles de l’humeur. Les causes biologiques de ces comorbidites ne sont pas clairement etablies. Grâce a l’utilisation d’un modele murin de douleur neuropathique, nous avons cherche a comprendre l’apparition des consequences emotionnelles de cette douleur. Pour cela, nous avons cherche a identifier des regions cerebrales impliquees dans les differentes composantes et consequences de la douleur ainsi que les modifications moleculaires y prenant place. Nous avons mis en evidence une segregation corticale de la douleur avec l’integration de la composante sensorielle par le cortex insulaire posterieur d’une part et l’integration de la composante aversive et des consequences emotionnelles par le cortex cingulaire anterieur d’autre part. Nous avons ensuite montre l’implication de la proteine MKP-1 dans l’expression des comportements de type anxiodepressif dans notre modele.
Current prescriptions of men and women in differing occupational gender roles

Abstract The gender roles of masculinity and femininity are considered not only to be descriptive of behaviour, but also to prescribe how men and women should behave. To assess the prescriptive nature of gender roles, previous research asked participants to assign masculine (agentic) and feminine (communal) traits to men and women of differing occupational roles. The current study, conducted in Australia, sought to establish whether previous results still apply to contemporary prescriptions of masculine and feminine traits of men and women in different occupational roles (specifically, employee and homemaker roles). Participants (N = 327) completed an online questionnaire, where masculine and feminine traits (as identified by the Bem Sex Role Inventory short-form) were ascribed to men and women of different occupational roles (that is, employee and homemaker). Compared to previous results, those of this current differ in fundamental ways that we posit reflect the social changes of women. Results are discussed in relation to both previous research and in response to social change.
Multimodal signalling in the North American barn swallow: a phenotype network approach

Complex signals, involving multiple components within and across modalities, are common in animal communication. However, decomposing complex signals into traits and their interactions remains a fundamental challenge for studies of phenotype evolution. We apply a novel phenotype network approach for studying complex signal evolution in the North American barn swallow (Hirundo rustica erythrogaster). We integrate model testing with correlation-based phenotype networks to infer the contributions of female mate choice and male–male competition to the evolution of barn swallow communication. Overall, the best predictors of mate choice were distinct from those for competition, while moderate functional overlap suggests males and females use some of the same traits to assess potential mates and rivals. We interpret model results in the context of a network of traits, and suggest this approach allows researchers a more nuanced view of trait clustering patterns that informs new hypotheses about the evolution of communication systems.
Post–Acute Care Data for Predicting Readmission After Ischemic Stroke: A Nationwide Cohort Analysis Using the Minimum Data Set

Background Reducing hospital readmissions is a key component of reforms for stroke care. Current readmission prediction models lack accuracy and are limited by data being from only acute hospitalizations. We hypothesized that patient-level factors from a nationwide post–acute care database would improve prediction modeling. Methods and Results Medicare inpatient claims for the year 2008 that used International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes were used to identify ischemic stroke patients older than age 65. Unique individuals were linked to comprehensive post–acute care assessments through use of the Minimum Data Set (MDS). Logistic regression was used to construct risk-adjusted readmission models. Covariates were derived from MDS variables. Among 39 178 patients directly admitted to nursing homes after hospitalization due to acute stroke, there were 29 338 (75%) with complete MDS assessments. Crude rates of readmission and death at 30 days were 8448 (21%) and 2791 (7%), respectively. Risk-adjusted models identified multiple independent predictors of all-cause 30-day readmission. Model performance of the readmission model using MDS data had a c-statistic of 0.65 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.66). Higher levels of social engagement, a marker of nursing home quality, were associated with progressively lower odds of readmission (odds ratio 0.71, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.92). Conclusions Individual clinical characteristics from the post–acute care setting resulted in only modest improvement in the c-statistic relative to previous models that used only Medicare Part A data. Individual-level characteristics do not sufficiently account for the risk of acute hospital readmission.
Mimicry of Dynamic Emotional and Motor-Only Stimuli

Simple reciprocal matching behaviors, such as facial mimicry, appear fundamental to social development and interpersonal processes. Identifying mechanisms and moderators of these reactions to others' behaviors is thus important to understanding basic social–emotional functioning and specific clinical syndromes. This experiment extends early electromyographic (EMG) research (Berger & Hadley, 1975) to explore whether rapid, subtle mimicry involves a general motor-matching mechanism (e.g., the mirror neuron system) or if it is related solely to emotional processes. The EMG measured responses to short, dynamic videos of smiling, scowling, stuttering, and arm wrestling. Although mimicry of emotional stimuli was greater than to nonemotional stimuli, participants matched both nonemotional mouth movements and facial expressions of emotions. Mimicry of arm motions was not significant. Individuals' levels of mimicry of emotional and nonemotional were positively correlated. Findings suggest that both motor and affective processes are involved in producing rapid mimetic reactions to dynamic stimuli.
A global envelope test to detect early and late bursts of trait evolution

The joint analysis of species’ evolutionary relatedness and their morphological evolution has offered much promise in understanding the processes that underpin the generation of biological diversity. Disparity through time (DTT) is a popular method that estimates the relative trait disparity within and between subclades at each time point, and compares this to the null hypothesis that trait values follow an uncorrelated random walk along the time calibrated phylogenetic tree. A simulation envelope is normally created by calculating, at every time point, the 95% minimum and 95% maximum disparity values from multiple simulations of the null model on the phylogenetic tree. The null hypothesis is rejected whenever the empirical DTT curve falls outside of this envelope, and these time periods may then be linked to events that may have sparked non-random trait evolution. However, this method of envelope construction leads to multiple testing and a poor, uncontrolled, false positive rate. As a consequence it cannot be recommended. A recently developed method in spatial statistics is introduced that constructs a confidence envelope by giving each DTT curve a single ranking value based upon its most extreme disparity value. This method avoids the pitfalls of multiple testing whilst retaining a visual interpretation. Results using simulated data show this new test has desirable type 1 properties and is at least as powerful in correctly rejecting the null hypothesis as the morphological disparity index and node height test that lack a visual interpretation. Three example datasets are reanalyzed to show how the new test may lead to different inferences being drawn. Overall the results suggest the new rank envelope test should be used in null model testing for DTT analyses, and that there is no need to combine the envelope test with other tests such as has been done previously. Moreover, the rank envelope method can easily be adopted into recently developed posterior predictive simulation methods. More generally, the rank envelope test should be adopted when-ever a null model produces a vector of correlated values and the user wants to determine where the empirical data is different to the null model.
Seeding black holes in cosmological simulations

We present a new model for the formation of black holes in cosmological simulations, motivated by the first star formation. Black holes form from high density peaks of primordial gas, and grow via both gas accretion and mergers. Massive black holes heat the surrounding material, suppressing star formation at the centres of galaxies, and driving galactic winds. We perform an investigation into the physical effects of the model parameters, and obtain a `best' set of these parameters by comparing the outcome of simulations to observations. With this best set, we successfully reproduce the cosmic star formation rate history, black hole mass -- velocity dispersion relation, and the size -- velocity dispersion relation of galaxies. The black hole seed mass is 10^3Msun, which is orders of magnitude smaller than has been used in previous cosmological simulations with active galactic nuclei, but suggests that the origin of the seed black holes is the death of Population III stars.
Dynamics of random early detection gateway under a large number of tcp flows

While active queue management (AQM) mechanisms such as Random Early Detection (RED) are widely deployed in the Internet, they are rarely utilized or otherwise poorly configured. The problem stems from a lack of a tractable analytical framework which captures the interaction between the TCP congestion-control and AQM mechanisms. Traditional TCP traffic modeling has focused on “micro-scale” modeling of TCP, i.e., detailed modeling of a single TCP flow. While micro-scale models of TCP are suitable for understanding the precise behavior of an individual flow, they are not well suited to the situation where a large number of TCP flows interact with each other as is the case in realistic networks. In this dissertation, an innovative approach to TCP traffic modeling is proposed by considering the regime where the number of TCP flows competing for the bandwidth in the bottleneck RED gateway is large. In the limit, the queue size and the aggregate TCP traffic can be approximated by simple recursions which are independent of the number of flows. The limiting model is therefore scalable as it does not suffer from the state space explosion. The steady-state queue length and window distribution can be evaluated from well-known TCP models. We also extend the analysis to a more realistic model which incorporates session-level dynamics and heterogeneous round-trip delays. Typically, ad-hoc assumptions are required to make the analysis for models with session-level dynamics tractable under a certain regime. In contrast, our limiting model derived here is compatible with other previously proposed models in their respective regime without having to rely on ad-hoc assumptions. The contributions from these additional layers of dynamics to the asymptotic queue are now crisply revealed through the limit theorems. Under mild assumptions, we show that the steady-state queue size depends on the file size and round-trip delay only through their mean values. We obtain more accurate description of the queue dynamics by means of a Central Limit analysis which identifies an interesting relationship between the queue fluctuations and the random packet marking mechanism in AQM. The analysis also reveals the dependency of the magnitude of the queue fluctuations on the variability of the file size and round-trip delay. Simulation results supporting conclusions drawn from the limit theorems are also presented.
A valence-specific lateral bias for discriminating emotional facial expressions in free field

Findings from subjects with unilateral brain damage, as well as from normal subjects studied with tachistoscopic paradigms, argue that emotion is processed differently by each brain hemisphere. An open question concerns the extent to which such lateralised processing might occur under natural, freeviewing conditions. To explore this issue, we asked 28 normal subjects to discriminate emotions expressed by pairs of faces shown side-by-side, with no time or viewing constraints. Images of neutral expressions were shown paired with morphed images of very faint emotional expressions (happiness, surprise, disgust, fear, anger, or sadness). We found a surprising and robust laterality effect: When discriminating negative emotional expressions, subjects performed significantly better when the emotional face was to the left of the neutral face; conversely, when discriminating positive expressions, subjects performed better when the emotional face was to the right. We interpret this valence-specific laterality effect as consistent with the idea that the right hemisphere is specialised to process negative emotions, whereas the left is specialised to process positive emotions. The findings have important implications for how humans perceive facial emotion under natural conditions.
Terror management and close relationships: Evidence that mortality salience reduces commitment among partners with different worldviews

This study examined the effects of partner similarity versus differences from the perspective of terror management theory. Two hundred and sixty-six undergraduate students currently in a romantic relationship were randomly assigned to either a mortality salience or control condition, and a worldview prime condition in which they were asked to describe the similarities or differences between themselves and their partner. Following this procedure, participants’ commitment to their romantic partner was assessed. The results indicated that mortality salience reduced feelings of commitment to their partner if they were first asked to ponder worldview differences. The role of worldview compatibility under conditions of existential threat in relationships is discussed.
Progesterone Receptor Status and Ki-67 Index May Predict Early Relapse in Luminal B/HER2 Negative Breast Cancer Patients: A Retrospective Study

Purpose Few studies has documented early relapse in luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer. We examined prognostic factors for early relapse among these patients to improve treatment decision-making. Patients and Methods A total 398 patients with luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer were included. Kaplan-Meier curves were applied to estimate disease-free survival and Cox regression to identify prognostic factors. Results Progesterone receptor (PR) negative expression was associated with higher tumor grade (p<.001) and higher Ki-67 index (p = .010). PR-negative patients received more chemotherapy than the PR-positive group (p = .009). After a median follow-up of 28 months, 17 patients (4.3%) had early relapses and 8 patients (2.0%) died of breast cancer. The 2-year disease-free survival was 97.7% in the PR-positive and 90.4% in the PR-negative groups (Log-rank p = .002). Also, patients with a high Ki-67 index (defined as >30%) had a reduced disease-free survival (DFS) when compared with low Ki-67 index group (≤30%) (98.0% vs 92.4%, respectively, Log-rank p = .013). In multivariate analysis, PR negativity was significantly associated with a reduced DFS (HR = 3.91, 95% CI 1.29–11.88, p = .016). Conclusion In this study, PR negativity was a prognostic factor for early relapse in luminal B/HER2-negative breast cancer, while a high Ki-67 index suggested a higher risk of early relapse.
A theoretical approach to the deficits in infantile autism

Abstract Deficits specific to the syndrome of infantile autism appear in imitation, emotion sharing, theory of mind, pragmatics of communication, and symbolic play. Current competing theories of Hobson and of Baron-Cohen, Frith, and associates account for some, but not all, of these specific deficits. The present article suggests that early social capacities involving imitation, emotion sharing, and theory of mind are primarily and specifically deficient in autism. Further, these three capacities involve forming and coordinating social representations of self and other at increasingly complex levels via representational processes that extract patterns of similarity between self and other. Stern's theory of interpersonal development is offered as a continuous model for understanding the development and deficits of the autistic child and as a means for integrating competing theories about the primary deficits in autism. Finally, the article suggests a neuropsychological model of interpersonal coordination involving prefrontal cortex and executive function capacities that is consistent with the social deficits observed in autism.
E-Teaching in E-Workplaces: The Affective Nexus

This article outlines a small-scale phenomenological study of e-teachersâ? experience of feelings about and while discharging professional responsibilities in online workplaces. Findings indicate that e-teachersâ? consciousness of positive feelings is associated with enhanced self-perception of well-being and increased engagement in e-teaching, but that e-teachers are also conscious of feelings of disempowerment, isolation, vulnerability and frustration about and while working in e-workplaces and that those feelings impact detrimentally their sense of self as e-teachers, their participation in e-courses, their choice of e-teaching strategies, their interactions with e-learners and their self-efficacy as e-teachers. This suggests an affective nexus in being e-teachers and interacting as e-teachers. The significance of this affective nexus for e-teachersâ? learning and continuing professional development is identified, and implications for those charged with overall responsibility for management of workplace conditions, workplace culture and employee well-being, as well as employee learning and professional development, are presented.