Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of REM Sleep, Melanin Concentrating Hormone and Orexin/Hypocretin Systems in the Sleep Deprivation Pre-Ischemia

Study Objectives Sleep reduction after stroke is linked to poor recovery in patients. Conversely, a neuroprotective effect is observed in animals subjected to acute sleep deprivation (SD) before ischemia. This neuroprotection is associated with an increase of the sleep, melanin concentrating hormone (MCH) and orexin/hypocretin (OX) systems. This study aims to 1) assess the relationship between sleep and recovery; 2) test the association between MCH and OX systems with the pathological mechanisms of stroke. Methods Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to four experimental groups: (i) SD_IS: SD performed before ischemia; (ii) IS: ischemia; (iii) SD_Sham: SD performed before sham surgery; (iv) Sham: sham surgery. EEG and EMG were recorded. The time-course of the MCH and OX gene expression was measured at 4, 12, 24 hours and 3, 4, 7 days following ischemic surgery by qRT-PCR. Results A reduction of infarct volume was observed in the SD_IS group, which correlated with an increase of REM sleep observed during the acute phase of stroke. Conversely, the IS group showed a reduction of REM sleep. Furthermore, ischemia induces an increase of MCH and OX systems during the acute phase of stroke, although, both systems were still increased for a long period of time only in the SD_IS group. Conclusions Our data indicates that REM sleep may be involved in the neuroprotective effect of SD pre-ischemia, and that both MCH and OX systems were increased during the acute phase of stroke. Future studies should assess the role of REM sleep as a prognostic marker, and test MCH and OXA agonists as new treatment options in the acute phase of stroke.
Oxidative Stress Resistance in Deinococcus radiodurans

SUMMARY Deinococcus radiodurans is a robust bacterium best known for its capacity to repair massive DNA damage efficiently and accurately. It is extremely resistant to many DNA-damaging agents, including ionizing radiation and UV radiation (100 to 295 nm), desiccation, and mitomycin C, which induce oxidative damage not only to DNA but also to all cellular macromolecules via the production of reactive oxygen species. The extreme resilience of D. radiodurans to oxidative stress is imparted synergistically by an efficient protection of proteins against oxidative stress and an efficient DNA repair mechanism, enhanced by functional redundancies in both systems. D. radiodurans assets for the prevention of and recovery from oxidative stress are extensively reviewed here. Radiation- and desiccation-resistant bacteria such as D. radiodurans have substantially lower protein oxidation levels than do sensitive bacteria but have similar yields of DNA double-strand breaks. These findings challenge the concept of DNA as the primary target of radiation toxicity while advancing protein damage, and the protection of proteins against oxidative damage, as a new paradigm of radiation toxicity and survival. The protection of DNA repair and other proteins against oxidative damage is imparted by enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidant defense systems dominated by divalent manganese complexes. Given that oxidative stress caused by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species is associated with aging and cancer, a comprehensive outlook on D. radiodurans strategies of combating oxidative stress may open new avenues for antiaging and anticancer treatments. The study of the antioxidation protection in D. radiodurans is therefore of considerable potential interest for medicine and public health.
Whole Bone Geometry and Bone Quality in Distal Forearm Fracture

Fracture of the distal radius is a sentinel for future increased risk of other “osteoporotic” fractures, in which the peak age for incidence of distal radius fracture is 5 to 10 years before that for spine and hip fractures. Mean bone mineral density (BMD) of the distal radius was lower in patients with osteoporosis compared with age- and sex-matched normal subjects. However, it has been shown that to predict the strength of the distal radius at the site where fractures occur requires more than measurement of bone mineral content (BMC) or BMD. Only moderate correlations have been found between forearm sites, which may be a result of differences in bone composition between sites. Different forearm sites may be used interchangeably for diagnostic purposes, but the prognostic value is not known. Using the distal radius as a screening tool for identifying individuals at risk of “osteoporotic” fracture shows that forearm site selection and accuracy of measurement can be important confounders in group studies. Improving resolution of computed tomography (CT) scanners has enabled quantitation of cortical bone density and cortical thickness. These measurements have enabled the mechanism of bone loss in the distal radius to be elucidated and show that, after menopause, bone loss is primarily through thinning of the cortex. CT imaging allows the precise localization of bone changes in individuals and should be of value in the assessment of the severity of osteoporosis. It also shows that this technology has the potential to determine the efficacy of therapeutic interventions. A concerted effort has been made to elucidate the interrelationships between the amount of bone and the geometry and that clinical imaging of BMC and/or cross-sectional area in the radius would provide improved prediction of an individual's risk of fracture. The technological tools are available, in the clinic, to accurately measure the 3-dimensional (3D) geometry of the distal radius and the amount of bone. In addition, the cortical and cancellous bone compartments can be analyzed separately. This capability, along with the easy accessibility of the distal radius to clinical imaging modalities, provides an excellent framework for longitudinal prospective studies to determine morphologic risk factors for osteoporotic fractures of the distal radius.
Knowledge transfer in virtual information systems development teams: an empirical examination of key enablers

Knowledge transfer among geographically separated members is recognized as a critical ingredient for collaborative accomplishment of knowledge work in virtual teams. However, due to the "localness" of knowledge, such transfer of knowledge is believed to be inherently problematic, and thus, it is important to develop a solid understanding of the factors that enable knowledge transfer in such contexts. Drawing on existing literature on knowledge management and virtual teamwork, we identify 4 Cs (communication, capability, credibility, and culture) associated with individuals who are found to transfer significant amounts of knowledge to remote members, and test the 4 Cs in the context of US-Norwegian virtual teams engaged in systems development. A number of implications and directions for future research are also suggested.
Local Reference Ranges of Thyroid Volume in Sudanese Normal Subjects Using Ultrasound

This study aimed to establish a local reference of thyroid volume in Sudanese normal subjects using ultrasound. A total of 103 healthy subjects were studied, 28 (27.18%) females and 75 (72.82%) males. Thyroid volume was estimated using ellipsoid formula. The mean age and range of the subjects was 21.8 (19–29) years; the mean body mass index (BMI) was 22.3 (16.46–26.07) kg/m2. The overall mean volume ± SD volume of the thyroid gland for both lobes in all the patients studied was 6.44 ± 2.44 mL. The mean volume for both lobes in females and males were 5.78 ± 1.96 mL and 6.69 ± 2.56 mL, respectively. The males' thyroid volume was greater than the females'. The mean volume of the right and left lobes of the thyroid gland in males and females were 3.38 ± 1.37 mL and 3.09 ± 1.24 mL, respectively. The right thyroid lobe volume was greater than the left. The values obtained in this study were lower than those reported from previous studies.
Spin group and almost commutative geometry

For Connes' spectral triples, the group of automorphisms lifted to the Hilbert space is defined and used to fluctuate the metric. A few commutative examples are presented including Chamseddine and Connes' spectral unification of gravity and electromagnetism. One almost commutative example is treated: the full standard model. Here the lifted automorphisms explain O'Raifeartaigh's reduction $SU(2)\times U(3)/\zz_2. $
Therapy Amount and Outcome of Inpatient Psychodynamic Treatment of Eating Disorders in Germany: Data From a Multicenter Study

The present study investigates (a) factors that determine length of treatment and (b) the effect of treatment duration and other factors on outcome for patients with eating disorders. In this observational study, the symptomatic status of 1,171 patients was observed for 2.5 years after admission to 1 of 43 participating hospitals. Treatment and outcome were modeled using hierarchical linear models and logistic regression. To control for possible confounding factors, propensity score adjustment was used. Treatment modalities, especially length and intensity, varied considerably between and within hospitals and were related to patient characteristics to a very small degree. At 2.5-year follow-up, 33% of anorexia patients and 25% of bulimia patients were symptom free. Length of treatment showed a weak effect on outcome and only in interaction with other patient characteristics of relevance, whereas treatment intensity was not related to outcome. Implications for treatment planning are discussed.
Computational thinking as an emergent learning trajectory of mathematics

In the 21st century, the skills of computational thinking complement those of traditional math teaching. In order to gain the knowledge required to teach these skills, a cohort of math teachers participated in an in-service training scheme conducted as a massive open online course (MOOC). This paper analyses the success of this training scheme and uses the results of the study to focus on the skills of computational thinking, and to explore how math teachers expect to integrate computing into the K-12 math syllabus. The coursework and feedback from the MOOC course indicate that they readily associate computational thinking with problem solving in math. In addition, some of the teachers are inspired by the new opportunities to be creative in their teaching. However, the set of programming concepts they refer to in their essays is insubstantial and unfocused, so these concepts are consolidated here to form a hypothetical learning trajectory for computational thinking.
Comparative evaluation of roughness of titanium surfaces treated by different hygiene instruments

Purpose The use of appropriate instruments to clean surfaces with minimal change, is critical for the successful maintenance of a dental implant. However, there is no consensus about the type and methodology for such instruments. The aim of this study was to characterize changes in the roughness of titanium surfaces treated by various scaling instruments. Methods Thirty-seven identical disks (5 mm in diameter) were investigated in this study. The specimens were divided into eight groups according to the types of instrumentation and the angle of application. Ultrasonic scaling systems were applied on a titanium disk to simulate standard clinical conditions. The equipment included a piezoelectric ultrasonic scaler with a newly developed metallic tip (NS group), a piezoelectric ultrasonic scaler with a conventional tip (CS group), a piezoelectric root planer ultrasonic scaler with a conventional tip (PR group), and a plastic hand curette (PH group). In addition, the sites treated using piezoelectric ultrasonic scaler systems were divided two sub-groups: 15 and 45 degrees. The treated titanium surfaces were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the average surface roughness (Ra) and mean roughness profile depth (Rz) were measured with a profilometer. Results SEM no significant changes in the titanium surfaces in the NS group, regardless of the angle of application. The PH group also showed no marked changes to the titanium surface, although some smoothening was observed. All CS and PR sites lost their original texture and showed irregular surfaces in SEM analysis. The profilometer analysis demonstrated that the roughness values (Ra and Rz) of the titanium surfaces increased in all, except the PH and NS groups, which showed roughness decreases relative to the untreated control group. The Ra value differed significantly between the NS and PR groups (P<0.05). Conclusions The results of this study indicated that changes in or damage to titanium surfaces might be more affected by the hardness of the scaler tip than by the application method. Within the limitations of this study, the newly developed metallic scaler tip might be especially suitable for peri-implant surface decontamination, due to its limited effects on the titanium surface.
Non-adaptive reaction to disease - coping, demographic variables and trauma symptoms in cancer patients.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the presented study was to determine the relations of styles and strategies of coping with stress and demographic variables with the intensity of PTSD symptoms in persons diagnosed with cancer. The study tried to determine which style of coping with stress is the best predictor of posttraumatic symptoms in the group. METHODS This study was conducted on the group of 150 patients (55 females and 95 males) that were treated for cancer. Polish version of the Mini-Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale - mini-MAC - was used to study styles of coping with stress. PTSD Inventory (PTSD-C) allowing for the quantitative estimation of the symptoms was used measure the intensity of PTSD symptoms. Additionally, a demographic questionnaire containing the questions about the age, sex, education, and the time since the diagnosis was employed for the benefits of this study. RESULTS The results of the study indicate non-adaptive function of destructive style. In the situation of being subjected to a traumatic event this style is propitious to the development of the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. The individual strategies of coping, sex and age are correlated with higher intensity of posttraumatic symptoms in sick persons. CONCLUSIONS Destructive style, of coping with stress is less beneficial for the adaptation to a cancerous disease. It may significantly influence the development of pathological symptoms characteristic to PTSD.
child pornography and the internet: perpetuating a cycle of abuse

Thirteen men convicted of downloading child pornography were interviewed with a view to understanding how these men talked about the photographs and the function such talk played in their accounts. The interviews were informed by earlier work with defended subjects and were analyzed within a discursive framework. Quotations are used from the interviews to illustrate the analysis. Six principal discourses emerged within these accounts in relation to child pornography: sexual arousal; as collectibles; facilitating social relationships; as a way of avoiding real life; as therapy; and in relation to the Internet. These are discussed in the context of previous research. The analysis illustrates the important role that the Internet plays in increasing sexual arousal to child pornography and highlights individual differences in whether this serves as a substitute or as a blueprint for contact offenses. It also draws our attention to the important role that community plays in the Internet and how collecting facilitates the objectification of children and increases the likelihood that in the quest for new images children continue to be sexually abused. Discourses focussing on both therapy and addiction serve to distance the respondent from personal agency and allow for continued engagement with child pornography.
The Putative Hybrid Sensor Kinase SypF Coordinates Biofilm Formation in Vibrio fischeri by Acting Upstream of Two Response Regulators, SypG and VpsR

ABSTRACT Colonization of the Hawaiian squid Euprymna scolopes by the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri requires the symbiosis polysaccharide (syp) gene cluster, which contributes to symbiotic initiation by promoting biofilm formation on the surface of the symbiotic organ. We previously described roles for the syp-encoded response regulator SypG and an unlinked gene encoding the sensor kinase RscS in controlling syp transcription and inducing syp-dependent cell-cell aggregation phenotypes. Here, we report the involvement of an additional syp-encoded regulator, the putative sensor kinase SypF, in promoting biofilm formation. Through the isolation of an increased activity allele, sypF1, we determined that SypF can function to induce syp transcription as well as a variety of biofilm phenotypes, including wrinkled colony formation, adherence to glass, and pellicle formation. SypF1-mediated transcription of the syp cluster was entirely dependent on SypG. However, the biofilm phenotypes were reduced, not eliminated, in the sypG mutant. These phenotypes were also reduced in a mutant deleted for sypE, another syp-encoded response regulator. However, SypF1 still induced phenotypes in a sypG sypE double mutant, suggesting that SypF1 might activate another regulator(s). Our subsequent work revealed that the residual SypF1-induced biofilm formation depended on VpsR, a putative response regulator, and cellulose biosynthesis. These data support a model in which a network of regulators and at least two polysaccharide loci contribute to biofilm formation in V. fischeri.
Manipulation of enzyme properties by noncanonical amino acid incorporation

Since wild‐type enzymes do not always have the properties needed for various applications, enzymes are often engineered to obtain desirable properties through protein engineering techniques. In the past decade, complementary to the widely used rational protein design and directed evolution techniques, noncanonical amino acid incorporation (NCAAI) has become a new and effective protein engineering technique. Recently, NCAAI has been used to improve intrinsic functions of proteins, such as enzymes and fluorescent proteins, beyond the capacities obtained with natural amino acids. Herein, recent progress on improving enzyme properties through NCAAI in vivo is reviewed and the challenges of current approaches and future directions are also discussed. To date, both NCAAI methods‐residue‐ and site‐specific incorporation‐have been primarily used to improve the catalytic turnover number and substrate binding affinity of enzymes. Numerous strategies used to minimize structural perturbation and stability loss of a target enzyme upon NCAAI are also explored. Considering the generality of NCAAI incorporation, we expect its application could be expanded to improve other enzyme properties, such as substrate specificity and solvent resistance in the near future.
Distinction immune genes of hepatitis-induced heptatocellular carcinoma

MOTIVATION Hepatitis B virus and hepatitis C virus are the two leading causes resulting in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is observed that hepatitis C virus (HCV) is relatively difficult to induce HCC compared with hepatitis B virus (HBV). This motivates us to reveal the reasons behind this from the viewpoint of immune genes. RESULTS To distinguish the immune genes with low-level expression in HBV-induced HCC, but high-level expression in HCV-induced HCC, the concept of distinction immune gene is proposed. A filter is then designed to screen these genes. By using gene positive network with strong correlations between genes, the genes are further filtered to form the set of key distinction immune genes. The 23 key distinction immune genes are screened, which are divided into four clusters, T cells, B cells, immune signalling and major histocompatibility complex. It is evident that the screened genes are important immune genes, which are activated in HCV-induced HCC, but inactivated in HBV-induced HCC. In HCV-induced HCC, the structures of HCV adaptively update, so that they are difficult to be identified by antigens. Therefore, the clinic advice is either to increase the update speed of antigens or reduce the update speed of the viruses during the treatment of HCV-induced HCC. Moreover, it is also advised to add T cells or add the expression levels of T cells to strengthen the ability to kill cancer cells. In contrast, HBV updates slowly, but the immunity system in HBV-induced HCC has been damaged seriously. As a result, the clinic advice is to improve the immune ability of patients subjected to HBV-induced HCC, such as increasing immunoglobulin, T cells and B cells and so forth.
Co-ordination of Business and IT Development Processes - Managing Stovepiped Organisations

The background to the present study is supplied by two studies of a large Swedish public organisation. A strong hierarchy, which maintains a traditional view of functional departments as being the owners of IT products, creates stovepipes and silos, not only within the systems but also within the organisation. This tends to obstruct crossfunctional projects and the ability to ascertain general needs and requirements. The present study considers the integration of business and IT processes, focusing on the development process and the purchaser-contractor relations. The purpose is to find success factors, good examples and areas of improvement from private companies relating to the problems from the studied public organisation. Sixteen interviews with five Swedish banks and one insurance company appeared to suggest that the problems highlighted in previous studies, e.g. stovepipe systems and departments, were not recognised as significant problems within any of the interviewed organisations. In general, the development processes were considered well-oiled with little friction between departments, system owners, purchasers and contractors. In almost all interviews, it was considered that the integration of customer, information and IT was more cohesive than previously. The findings from the interviews have been categorised into nine factors or areas. Three general business environment factors – the history of organisational change and mergers, the overall economic situation and the strong customer focus – seem to have broken the functional mind-sets and sharpened and focused the organisations into a collaborative culture. Furthermore, a great deal of hard work appears to have been centered upon three factors relating to processes and the management of projects: the development processes are generally very well defined and well known internally, projects are smaller with modules and releases, and there is an open discussion about stovepiped departments and general requirements. Lastly, there are three areas of improvement: The role and competencies of the purchaser, the infrastructure and the need for an enterprise architecture, and the document interface including the use of RUP and UML.