Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
13C breath tests for measurement of liver function

The use of stable isotopes is meant to allow a more pathophysiological approach to liver disease by using a battery of breath tests that examine the integrity of different metabolic pathways. Several tests are being investigated. These are:13C aminopyrine breath test (ABT),1 13C methacetin breath test (in both of which the substrate is metabolised by the cytochrome P450 enzyme system), 13C phenylalanine breath test (PBT), and, finally, 13C galactose breath test (GBT). The galactose elimination capacity (GEC) test was proposed several years ago as a quantitative test to measure liver function.2 However, the multiple blood samples needed to establish the decrease of galactose concentration make the test difficult in clinical practice and has led to the investigation of the possible use of a [1-13C] GBT in the management of chronic liver diseases. The metabolism of galactose occurs via a cytosolic pathway independent of the cytochrome P450 system. Thus, there is less variation of its metabolism due to drug induction or inhibition, or genetic polymorphism. The fact that this carbohydrate has a high extraction ratio, however, makes the metabolism of galactose dependent on liver blood flow and hepatic functional mass. To overcome this problem the metabolic pathway must be saturated by giving a large dose of galactose: in this case, its metabolism is directly correlated to the hepatic functional mass.3-6 Theoretically, a combination of breath tests (using galactose and aminopyrine, for example) will enable the investigation of total liver functional capacity, and would be applicable in the prognosis of liver disease and also in the follow up assessment of liver transplant patients. In abstract 1 the GBT (after intravenous substrate administration) is compared with the classic GEC test in controls and patients with liver disease. Good correlation was obtained in all …
The RNA-binding protein HOS5 and serine/arginine-rich proteins RS40 and RS41 participate in miRNA biogenesis in Arabidopsis

MicroRNAs are a class of small regulatory RNAs that are generated from primary miRNA (pri-miRNA) transcripts with a stem-loop structure. Accuracy of the processing of pri-miRNA into mature miRNA in plants can be enhanced by SERRATE (SE) and HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1 (HYL1). HYL1 activity is regulated by the FIERY2 (FRY2)/RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain phosphatase-like 1 (CPL1). Here, we discover that HIGH OSMOTIC STRESS GENE EXPRESSION 5 (HOS5) and two serine/arginine-rich splicing factors RS40 and RS41, previously shown to be involved in pre-mRNA splicing, affect the biogenesis of a subset of miRNA. These proteins are required for correct miRNA strand selection and the maintenance of miRNA levels. FRY2 dephosphorylates HOS5 whose phosphorylation status affects its subnuclear localization. HOS5 and the RS proteins bind both intronless and intron-containing pri-miRNAs. Importantly, all of these splicing-related factors directly interact with both HYL1 and SE in nuclear splicing speckles. Our results indicate that these splicing factors are directly involved in the biogenesis of a group of miRNA.
Journalism studies beyond media: On ideology and identity

The history of journalism in elective democracies around the world has been described as the emergence of a professional identity of journalists with claims to an exclusive role and status in society, based on and at times fiercely defended by their occupational ideology. Although the conceptualization of journalism as a professional ideology can be traced throughout the literature on journalism studies, scholars tend to take the building blocks of such an ideology more or less for granted. In this article the ideal-typical values of journalisms’ ideology are operationalized and investigated in terms of how these values are challenged or changed in the context of current cultural and technological developments. It is argued that multiculturalism and multimedia are similar and poignant examples of such developments. If the professional identity of journalists can be seen as kept together by the social cement of an occupational ideology of journalism, the analysis in this article shows how journalism in the self-perceptions of journalists has come to mean much more than its modernist bias of telling people what they need to know.
Nucleic Acid Amplification Test For Detection Of West Nile Virus Infection In Pakistani Blood Donors.

BACKGROUND The study was planned to determine the presence of West Nile Virus (WNV) infection in Pakistani blood donors, using Nucleic Acid Amplification Test (NAT). METHODS The blood donors for study were selected on the basis of the standard questionnaire and routine screening results. Six donors were pooled using an automated pipettor and NAT for WNV was performed on Roche Cobas s 201 NAT system. The reactive pools were resolved in Individual Donation-NAT (ID-NAT) format and a sample from FFP bags of reactive donations was retrieved. NAT was again performed on retrieved plasma bag (RPB) sample to confirm the reactive donations. The donors were also recalled and interviewed about history of illness related to recent WNV infection. RESULTS After serological screening of 1929 donors during the study period, 1860 donors were selected for NAT test for WNV detection. The mean age of the donors was 28±8.77 (range: 18-57 years). 1847 (99.3%) donors were male and 13 (0.7%) were female. NAT for WNV identified six initially reactive pools (0.32%). On follow-up testing with RPB samples, 4 donors (0.21%) were found confirmed reactive for WNV RNA (NAT yield of 1 in 465 blood donors). CONCLUSIONS WNV is a threat to safety of blood products in Pakistan. A screening strategy can be implemented after a large-scale study and financial considerations. One of the reduced cost screening strategies is seasonal screening of blood donors for WNV, with pooling of samples.
The effect of arousal on facial recognition.

The present study investigated the effects of arousal on facial recognition. It was hypothesized that recognition accuracy would decrease as self-reported arousal increased. Arousal was manipulated through the presence/absence of electrical shock. Because self-reports of arousal differed significantly across the two conditions for female subjects but not for males, only the data from females were used. As predicted, recognition accuracy was lower in the high arousal condition than in the moderate arousal condition. Some evidence of an own-sex bias was found but no own-race bias was observed. About one-third of all subjects showed a significant positive relationship between recognition accuracy and degree of confidence in their judgments. Averaged across subjects, the relationship between confidence and accuracy was small but statistically significant. Implications of these findings for highly-arousing crime situations are discussed.
Exploring Cultural Differences in the Recognition of the Self-Conscious Emotions

Recent research suggests that the self-conscious emotions of embarrassment, shame, and pride have distinct, nonverbal expressions that can be recognized in the United States at above-chance levels. However, few studies have examined the recognition of these emotions in other cultures, and little research has been conducted in Asia. Consequently the cross-cultural generalizability of self-conscious emotions has not been firmly established. Additionally, there is no research that examines cultural variability in the recognition of the self-conscious emotions. Cultural values and exposure to Western culture have been identified as contributors to variability in recognition rates for the basic emotions; we sought to examine this for the self-conscious emotions using the University of California, Davis Set of Emotion Expressions (UCDSEE). The present research examined recognition of the self-conscious emotion expressions in South Korean college students and found that recognition rates were very high for pride, low but above chance for shame, and near zero for embarrassment. To examine what might be underlying the recognition rates we found in South Korea, recognition of self-conscious emotions and several cultural values were examined in a U.S. college student sample of European Americans, Asian Americans, and Asian-born individuals. Emotion recognition rates were generally similar between the European Americans and Asian Americans, and higher than emotion recognition rates for Asian-born individuals. These differences were not explained by cultural values in an interpretable manner, suggesting that exposure to Western culture is a more important mediator than values.
Conserved currents in gravitational models with quasi-invariant Lagrangians: Application to teleparallel gravity

Conservation laws in gravitational theories with diffeomorphism and local Lorentz symmetry are studied. Main attention is paid to the construction of conserved currents and charges associated with an arbitrary vector field that generates a diffeomorphism on the spacetime. We further generalize previous results for the case of gravitational models described by quasi-invariant Lagrangians, that is, Lagrangians that change by a total derivative under the action of the local Lorentz group. The general formalism is then applied to the teleparallel models, for which the energy and the angular momentum of a Kerr black hole are calculated. The subsequent analysis of the results obtained demonstrates the importance of the choice of the frame.
Reactions to Positive Deviance: Social Identity and Attribution Dimensions

This research examines whether evaluations of positive deviates (i.e. high achieving group members) are influenced by the attributions they make for their performance. We argue that ingroup positive deviates who make group attributions help enhance the ingroup's image and thus attract favorable evaluations. In Experiment 1, ingroup positive deviates who made group attributions were generally evaluated more favorably than ingroup positive deviates who made individual attributions. There was also evidence that the positive deviates' attribution style influenced group and self-evaluations. Evaluations of outgroup positive deviates were not influenced by their attribution style. In Experiment 2, an ingroup positive deviate who was successful and attributed that success to the group was upgraded relative to an ingroup positive deviate who made individual attributions. Group evaluations were also higher when the positive deviate made group attributions. This pattern did not emerge when the positive deviate failed. The results are discussed from a social identity perspective.
Comparison of quality of life of Turkish cancer patients and their family caregivers.

AIM The purpose of this study was to compare the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients and their family caregivers and determine associations. METHODS A total of 93 paired patients and caregivers from an outpatient chemotherapy unit of the oncology units were recruited at a large university hospital in İzmir, all completing the Quality of Life Scale (QoLS). RESULTS The mean age of patients was 45.2 years, and of their family caregivers was 40.5. The results indicated that the patients perceived a poorer quality of life than their family caregivers. There was a middle and positive correlation between the social participation and work performance dimensions of patients' QoL and social participation and work performance dimension of family caregivers' QoL (r =0.273, p< 0.01). The study revealed that the gender, education level, employment and marital status were not statistically significant factors affecting the patients' quality of life (p> 0.05). Caregivers' employment status was found to have an affect on their quality of life (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Cancer affects not only the patients but also their family caregivers. Both should be taught communication skills, financial planning and distress management skills and be given spiritual support to decrease effects of cancer on their quality of life.
BVR photometry of the resolved dwarf galaxy Ho IX

Received / Accepted Abstract. We present BVR CCD photometry down to limiting magnitude B= 23.5 mag for 232 starlike objects and 11 diffuse objects in a 5. 4× 5. 4 field of Ho IX. The galaxy is a gas-rich irregular dwarf galax y possibly very close to M 81, which makes it especially interesting in the context of the evolution of satellite galaxies and the accretion of dwarf ga laxies. Investigations of Ho IX were hampered by relatively large contradictions in the magnitude scale between earlier studies. With our new photometry we resolved these discrepancies. The color magnitude diagram (CMD) of Ho IX is fairly typical of a star- forming dwarf irregular, consistent with earlier results. Distance estimates from our new CMD are consistent with Ho IX being very close to M 81 and therefore being a definite member of the M 81 group, apparently in very close physical proximity to M 81.
Intracellular Clusterin Inhibits Mitochondrial Apoptosis by Suppressing p53-Activating Stress Signals and Stabilizing the Cytosolic Ku70-Bax Protein Complex

Purpose: Secretory clusterin (sCLU)/apolipoprotein J is an extracellular chaperone that has been functionally implicated in DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, apoptotic cell death, and tumorigenesis. It exerts a prosurvival function against most therapeutic treatments for cancer and is currently an antisense target in clinical trials for tumor therapy. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its function remained largely unknown. Experimental Design: The molecular effects of small interfering RNA-mediated sCLU depletion in nonstressed human cancer cells were examined by focusing entirely on the endogenously expressed sCLU protein molecules and combining molecular, biochemical, and microscopic approaches. Results: We report here that sCLU depletion in nonstressed human cancer cells signals stress that induces p53-dependent growth retardation and high rates of endogenous apoptosis. We discovered that increased apoptosis in sCLU-depleted cells correlates to altered ratios of proapoptotic to antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein family members, is amplified by p53, and is executed by mitochondrial dysfunction. sCLU depletion-related stress signals originate from several sites, because sCLU is an integral component of not only the secretory pathway but also the nucleocytosolic continuum and mitochondria. In the cytoplasm, sCLU depletion disrupts the Ku70-Bax complex and triggers Bax activation and relocation to mitochondria. We show that sCLU binds and thereby stabilizes the Ku70-Bax protein complex serving as a cytosol retention factor for Bax. Conclusions: We suggest that elevated sCLU levels may enhance tumorigenesis by interfering with Bax proapoptotic activities and contribute to one of the major characteristics of cancer cells, that is, resistance to apoptosis.
The Development of a Feasible Community-Specific Cardiovascular Disease Prevention Program: Triangulation of Methods and Sources

Triangulation of methods, sources, and investigators can lead to amultidimensional understanding of a particular issue. In this study, the combination of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, and information from community and coalition members resulted in the development of a tailored community-specific intervention. Three components were triangulated after analyzing each separately. A household survey of community members between the ages of 25 and 64 years was conducted to identify knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors related to cardiovascular disease and to assess risk factor levels. Focus group discussions were conducted with community members to describe facilitators and barriers to healthy lifestyles, as well as possible interventions. Natural group discussions with coalition members analyzed the relevance, feasibility, affordability, acceptability, and sustainability of specific intervention activities. Results from the different components were compared and contrasted. Areas of added information, validation, and contradiction were analyzed and guided the development of intervention activities.
A Multistage Multidependent Variable Assessment of Children's Self-Regulation of Academic Performance

The utility of Kanfer and Karoly's self-regulation model was assessed in terms of children's academic performance. Since the model's components may be relevant only to motivational aspects of behavior, a self-instructional component was included. One hundred and thirty-eight children (M age = 10.4 years, M IQ = 102.83) were assigned randomly to one of five groups (Conrol, Control plus feedback, Self-monitoring, Self-determined performance standards and self-reinforcement, or Self-instruction) and their effects were assessed on measures of arithmetic and verbal performance. The significant MANOVA effect was attributable to both measures. Self-determined performance standards and self-reinforcement was significantly more effective than the other conditions for both arithmetic and verbal performance. This finding was consistent with previous research and theorizing. Finally, the child's causal attribution was shown to correlate with the frequency of self-verbalizations on the verbal task.
From Linguistic Theory to Syntactic Analysis : Corpus-Oriented Grammar Development and Feature Forest Model

報告番号: 乙16489 ; 学位授与年月日: 2006-03-06 ; 学位の種別: 論文博士 ; 学位の種類: 博士(情報理工学) ; 学位記番号: 第16489号 ; 研究科・専攻: 情報理工学系研究科
Primary-Process Thinking and Creativity: Affect and Cognition

The schizophrenia spectrum and the bipolar disorder spectrum involve different types of psychotic disorders. Both disorders have been linked to creativity. Primary-process thinking is evident in all psychotic disorders. Primary-process thinking has also been found to relate to creativity in normal populations. One possibility is that different dimensions of primary-process thought are dominant in different disorders. The cognitive dimension may be more dominant in the schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, and the affective dimension may be more dominant in bipolar disorders. Future research should investigate how primary-process thinking differs in these disorders and the implications for creative functioning.
The Interactive Effects of Goal Orientation and Feedback Specificity on Task Performance

This study examined the impact of goal orientation and feedback specificity on performance. Ninety undergraduate management students completed 3 phases of a computerized management decision-making simulation in conditions of low, moderate, or high feedback specificity. Learning orientation interacted with feedback specificity to predict performance in Phase 1, such that feedback specificity had a greater impact on performance for persons low in learning orientation. Performance orientation interacted with feedback specificity to predict performance in Phase 3, such that feedback specificity had a greater impact on performance for persons high in performance orientation.
Chronic pain among children and adolescents: physician consultation and medication use.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to assess physician consultation and use of medication in Dutch children and adolescents (0-18 years old) having chronic pain in relation to sociodemographic factors and pain characteristics. DESIGN This was a population-based cross-sectional survey. A questionnaire was either mailed to the participants' parents or distributed at school, and it was filled out by the parents (for children aged 0-7 years) or by the participant (for children and adolescents aged 8-18 years). SETTING The study was conducted in the Rotterdam area. PATIENTS Participants included a random sample of 1,300 children aged 0 to 3 years taken from the register of population. In addition, 41 schools were selected to obtain a representative sample of 5,336 children and adolescents aged 4 to 18 years. OUTCOME MEASURES Reported physician consultation and medication use were assessed. RESULTS Of the 6,636 children and adolescents surveyed, 5,424 (82%) responded. A total of 1,358 respondents (25%) reported chronic pain. Of these, 57% had consulted a physician and 39% had used medication for the pain. Respondents with earache, more intense pain, and more frequent pain and those attending lower vocational training programs were more likely to consult a physician for the pain than the average respondent. Respondents with earache, sore throat, headache, more intense pain, and multiple pain; children aged 0 to 3 years; and girls were more likely to use medication for the pain. Logistic regression analyses showed that for physician consultation, the most significant predictive factors were the intensity of pain, age, and earache as well as the level of education for respondents aged 12 to 16 years. The use of medication was predicted by earache, headache, limb pain, intensity of pain, and age. CONCLUSIONS Chronic pain is a common complaint in children and adolescents, frequently resulting in consultation of a physician and medication use. Regarding physician consultation, children and adolescents with a lower educational level seem to be a group at risk.
Leisure Constraint Theory and Sport Tourism

Participation in sport tourism is characterized by constraints. It is constrained by spatial barriers such as travel distance and physical barriers such as fitness, along with a broad range of other factors that have yet to be systematically considered. Leisure constraint theory provides a strong foundation from which to gain insight into this dimension of sport tourism. The merits of using this approach are articulated in this essay by first highlighting the existence of constraints in sport-related travel. Next, key developments in leisure constraint theory such as the introduction of the ideas of negotiation and a hierarchical order of constraint factors are presented. The most recent developments in modelling constraints are then described and considered in the realm of sport tourism in general. Finally, to illustrate the merit of leisure constraints models in a specific sport tourism context, downhill skiing is used as an exemplar.
Steady-State Pharmacokinetics of Lamivudine Once-Daily Versus Twice-Daily Dosing in Chinese HIV-Infected Patients

Abstract Objective: The present study aimed to compare the pharmacokinetics of lamivudine in 300 mg once-daily and 150 mg twice-daily dosing regimens in HIV-infected Chinese patients. Methods: HIV-infected patients received lamivudine 300 mg once daily or 150 mg twice daily as part of a highly active antiretroviral therapy regimen. After the patients received lamivudine for at least 3 months, serial blood samples were collected for 24 hours. The samples were measured by a validated high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay. The pharmacokinetics of once-daily versus twice-daily dosing was evaluated by noncompartment models. Results: Ten patients received lamivudine 300 mg once daily and 5 patients received 150 mg twice daily. The Cmax was significantly higher in the once-daily arm than the twice-daily arm (2.23 vs 1.61 μg/mL, P <.05), whereas the Cmin was markedly lower (0.05 vs 0.12 μg/mL, P <.05). The half-lives were 3.32 hours and 2.62 hours, and AUC24 values were 11.8 μg/mL·h and 13.0 μg/mL·h in the 300 mg once-daily and 150 mg twice-daily regimens, respectively (P ≯.05). Conclusion: The shorter half-life was observed first in Chinese HIV patients with once- and twice-daily regimens. The 300 mg once-daily regimen was associated with lower trough concentrations and remarkable interpatient variability. Further studies in large groups of HIV patients are needed to confirm the influence of shorter half-lives in Chinese patients on efficacy and toxicity.