Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Children's Experiences in the Therapeutic Relationship: Development and Validation of a Self-Report Measure

Most counselors agree that the therapeutic relationship is essential in counseling. However, the current evidence-based treatment movement has resulted in a focus on treatment protocols and techniques in outcome research. Researchers have called for the inclusion of relationship variables in future outcome research. Child-centered play therapy (CCPT) is an empirically-supported, developmentally responsive intervention for children that emphasizes building a therapeutic relationship based on the philosophy of person-centered theory. Exploring the impact of the relationship on CCPT outcomes would be beneficial, but no current quantitative measure exists for obtaining the child’s view of the therapeutic relationship. The purpose of this study was to create a developmentally appropriate instrument to measure children’s perceptions of the therapeutic relationship. Established instrument development procedures were followed to create the Relationship Inventory for Children (RIC), a 15-item instrument for use in outcome research that measures the child’s perspective of the therapeutic relationship. Participants were 33 child experts who participated in interviews and preliminary testing of the instrument as well as 100 children whose scores on the 31-item pilot instrument were submitted to exploratory factor analysis (EFA). Children (62% male) ranged in age from 6 to 9 years (M = 6.92) and 53% identified as Caucasian, 14% as Hispanic, 14% as African American, 2% as Asian American, 0.8% as Native American, 8% as Multiracial, and 9% unreported. The EFA resulted in three factors: Positive Regard, Unconditional Acceptance, and Empathy. Implications for further development of the RIC, for use of the RIC in research, and for application of the RIC to person-centered theory are discussed.
Erythropoietin and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor treatment associated with improved survival in myelodysplastic syndrome.

PURPOSE To assess the effect of erythropoietin (EPO) plus granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) treatment on survival and leukemic transformation in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). PATIENTS AND METHODS We compared the long-term outcome of patients with MDS treated with EPO plus G-CSF (n = 121) with untreated patients (n = 237) with MDS using multivariate Cox regression with delayed entry, for the first time adjusting for all major prognostic variables (WHO classification, karyotype, cytopenias, level of transfusion-need, age, and sex). RESULTS The erythroid response rate to EPO plus G-CSF was 39%, and the median response duration 23 months (range, 3 to 116+). In the multivariate analysis, treatment was associated with improved overall survival (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44 to 0.83; P = .002). Interestingly, this positive association was primarily observed in patients requiring fewer than 2 units of RBCs per month. Treatment was not linked to the rate of acute myeloid leukemia in any defined subgroup, including patients with an increase of marrow blasts or an unfavorable karyotype. CONCLUSION The inherent risk of leukemic evolution in MDS makes the current investigation highly relevant, in light of the recent reports of potential negative effects of EPO treatment on outcome in patients with cancer. We conclude that treatment of anemia in MDS with EPO plus G-CSF may have a positive impact on outcome in patients with no or low transfusion need, while not affecting the risk of leukemic transformation.
Synthesis and Application of Negatively Charged PNA Analogues

Negatively charged DNA mimics containing phosphonate analogues of peptide nucleic acids were designed, and their physicochemical and biological properties were evaluated in the comparison with natural oligonucleotides, classical peptide nucleic acids, and morpholino phosphorodiamidate oligonucleotide analogues. The results obtained revealed a high potential of phosphonate-containing PNA derivatives for a number of biological applications, such as diagnostic, nucleic acids analysis, and inhibition of gene expression.
Preclinical Development Combination of Vorinostat and Flavopiridol Is Selectively Cytotoxic to Multidrug-Resistant Neuroblastoma Cell Lines with Mutant TP 53

As p53 loss of function (LOF) confers high-level drug resistance in neuroblastoma, p53-independent therapies might have superior activity in recurrent neuroblastoma. We tested the activity of vorinostat, a histone deacetylase inhibitor, and flavopiridol, a pan-Cdk inhibitor, in a panel of multidrug-resistant neuroblastoma cell lines that included lines with wild-type (wt) and transcriptionally active TP53 (n 1⁄4 3), mutated (mt), and LOF TP53 (n1⁄4 4) or p14 deletion (n1⁄4 1). The combination of vorinostat and flavopiridol was synergistic and significantly more cytotoxic (P < 0.001) in cell lines with p53-LOF and in the clones stably transfected with dominant-negative p53 plasmids. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry showed prominent cell-cycle arrest in G2/M (37%) for a cell line with wt TP53 (SK-N-RA) at 16 to 20 hours, while cells with mt TP53 (CHLA-90) slipped into sub-G1 at 6 to 24 hours (25%–40% specific cell death). The morphological hallmarks of mitotic cell death, including defective spindle formation and abnormal cytokinesis, were detected by confocal microscopy after the treatment with vorinostat þ flavopiridol combination in CHLA-90. The combination caused reduction in the expression of G2/M proteins (cyclin B1, Mad2, MPM2) in 2 cell lines with mt TP53 but not in those with wt TP53. Plk1 expression was reduced in all treated lines. Small interfering RNA knockdown of Mad2 and cyclin B1 or Plk1 synergistically reduced the clonogenicity of CHLA-90 cells. The combination of HDAC inhibitor and flavopiridol may be a unique approach to treating neuroblastomas with p53 LOF, one that evokes induction of mitotic failure. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(12); 3289–301. 2010 AACR.
De novo generation of a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy by mouse transgenesis

Most transmissible spongiform encephalopathies arise either spontaneously or by infection. Mutations of PRNP, which encodes the prion protein, PrP, segregate with phenotypically similar diseases. Here we report that moderate overexpression in transgenic mice of mPrP(170N,174T), a mouse PrP with two point mutations that subtly affect the structure of its globular domain, causes a fully penetrant lethal spongiform encephalopathy with cerebral PrP plaques. This genetic disease was reproduced with 100% attack rate by intracerebral inoculation of brain homogenate to tga20 mice overexpressing WT PrP, and from the latter to WT mice, but not to PrP-deficient mice. Upon successive transmissions, the incubation periods decreased and PrP became more protease-resistant, indicating the presence of a strain barrier that was gradually overcome by repeated passaging. This shows that expression of a subtly altered prion protein, with known 3D structure, efficiently generates a prion disease.
Rapid anti-pathogen response in ant societies relies on high genetic diversity

Social organisms are constantly exposed to infectious agents via physical contact with conspecifics. While previous work has shown that disease susceptibility at the individual and group level is influenced by genetic diversity within and between group members, it remains poorly understood how group-level resistance to pathogens relates directly to individual physiology, defence behaviour and social interactions. We investigated the effects of high versus low genetic diversity on both the individual and collective disease defences in the ant Cardiocondyla obscurior. We compared the antiseptic behaviours (grooming and hygienic behaviour) of workers from genetically homogeneous and diverse colonies after exposure of their brood to the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. While workers from diverse colonies performed intensive allogrooming and quickly removed larvae covered with live fungal spores from the nest, workers from homogeneous colonies only removed sick larvae late after infection. This difference was not caused by a reduced repertoire of antiseptic behaviours or a generally decreased brood care activity in ants from homogeneous colonies. Our data instead suggest that reduced genetic diversity compromises the ability of Cardiocondyla colonies to quickly detect or react to the presence of pathogenic fungal spores before an infection is established, thereby affecting the dynamics of social immunity in the colony.
A rare case and literature review of primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the tongue†

Neuroendocrine tumours are rare and have been reported to arise in a number of structures within the head and neck. We present the case of a 55-year-old lady who presented a T1-N2-M0 neuroendocrine tumour of the tongue and right level 2A lymphadenopathy. The patient underwent a partial right-sided glossectomy and a modified radical neck dissection. Given the rarity of small cell neuroendocrine tumours of the tongue, there is some ambiguity with respect to classification. Treatment for neuroendocrine tumours is most effective with a multimodality approach and a poor response to chemotherapy is an important prognostic indicator. Radiotherapy, combined with chemotherapy, has shown the most promise with complete resolution of the primary tumour and metastatic disease. Due to the rarity of neuroendocrine tumours and the lack of favourable prognostic indicators, defining optimal treatment remains difficult. As a result, they continue to have a poor overall prognosis.
Relation of plasma fluphenazine levels to treatment response and extrapyramidal side effects in first-episode schizophrenic patients.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to determine the relation between plasma fluphenazine levels and clinical response in first-episode schizophrenic patients. METHOD Data from 36 first-episode schizophrenic or schizoaffective inpatients diagnosed according to the Research Diagnostic Criteria were evaluated. The patients received open, standardized treatment with fluphenazine, 20 mg/day, for at least 4 weeks. Psychopathology was assessed biweekly, and plasma fluphenazine levels were ascertained weekly. Patients were classified as responders or nonresponders, and correlations between their neuroleptic levels and ratings of psychopathologic and extrapyramidal symptoms were computed. RESULTS Plasma fluphenazine levels for weeks 1 through 4 were significantly correlated with each other but were not correlated with age, gender, diagnosis, or race. Mean neuroleptic levels (weeks 3 and 4) were not different between responders and nonresponders and were not correlated with measures of psychopathology or extrapyramidal symptoms. CONCLUSIONS These results do not indicate an association between plasma fluphenazine levels and response to treatment or extrapyramidal side effects in first-episode schizophrenia. The disparity between the results of this study and those of previous studies may be due to methodological differences or to a biologically based difference between first-episode and chronic patients.
Postoperative glaucoma in the Labrador Retriever: incidence, risk factors, and visual outcome following routine phacoemulsification.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the incidence and risk factors associated with development of postoperative glaucoma in the Labrador Retriever following routine phacoemulsification. METHODS Medical records from Labradors and a randomly selected population of non-Labradors were retrospectively evaluated. Signalment, diabetic status, cataract stage, gonioscopic findings, presence of preoperative lens-induced uveitis, development of postoperative hypertension (POH), postoperative glaucoma and postoperative visual status were recorded for each patient. Survival curves were developed using the Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS Forty-two Labradors (66 eyes) and 199 non-Labradors (314 eyes) were included. The incidence of POH was significantly higher in Labradors (33%) than non-Labradors (18%). Labradors were at significantly increased risk of postoperative glaucoma and blindness compared to non-Labradors. Estimated probabilities of postoperative glaucoma in Labradors were 23%, 25%, 30% and 35% at weeks 4, 26, 52 and 104, respectively, compared with 5%, 6%, 7% and 9% at weeks 4, 26, 52 and 104, respectively, in non-Labradors. Estimated probabilities of postoperative blindness in Labradors were 5%, 9%, 15% and 27% at weeks 4, 26, 52 and 104, respectively, compared with 2%, 3%, 5% and 10% at weeks 4, 26, 52 and 104, respectively, in non-Labradors. Risk factors for the development of glaucoma in Labradors included increasing age and development of POH. No statistically significant risk factors for the development of glaucoma were identified in non-Labradors. CONCLUSIONS Labradors are at increased risk of glaucoma and blindness following phacoemulsification compared with non-Labradors. POH and increasing age represent risk factors for the development of postoperative glaucoma in Labradors.
Insulin secretion and action in patients with pancreatic cancer

The authors investigated insulin secretory capacity and insulin action in 11 preoperative patients with pancreatic carcinoma and 15 age‐matched and weight‐matched healthy subjects (C). Five patients were classified as diabetic (D), two as impaired glucose tolerant (IGT), and four as nondiabetic (ND). Postabsorptive serum insulin levels (mean ± SE, in uU/ml) in D (12 ± 2), IGT (17 ± 7), and ND (10 ± 2) were comparable. After administration of 100 g of oral glucose, peak insulin achieved in D (60 ± 11) was lower than in IGT (101 ± 26) and ND (83 ± 20), whereas peak insulin levels in IGT and ND were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than in C (45 ± 6). Comparable insulin response to nonglucose stimuli was documented in all subjects using the slow arginine infusion test with mean serum insulin of 27 ± 4 in D, 28 ± 6 in IGT, 34 ± 10 in ND, and 32 ± 5 in C. In six patients (P) and six controls, insulin action was assessed by the euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique, with glucose turnover rates estimated by [3‐3H]glucose infusion. Steady‐state plasma glucose concentrations were maintained at 92 ± 3 (P) and 91 ± 1 mg/dl (C). After insulin infusion at the rate of 1.0 mU/kg/min, comparable high physiologic insulin levels were observed in P (73 to 104 uU/ml) and in C (81 to 103 uU/ml). Postabsorptive rates of endogenous glucose appearance (Ra) were higher in P (2.86 to 3.02 mg/kg/min) than in C (1.50 to 2.80 mg/kg/min). At high physiologic insulin concentrations, negative Ra values were documented in all subjects, and complete suppression of Ra was assumed. Total body glucose use (M) was consistently lower in P (3.90 to 6.40 mg/kg/min) than in C (6.98 to 10.40 mg/kg/min), consistent with a state of insulin resistance. Patients with pancreatic cancer manifest insulin resistance by virtue of a decrease in total body glucose use (M) and decreased insulin response to glucose due to either inherent beta cell dysfunction or decreased islet cell mass. The latter is not identifiable by histologic morphology.
Staphostatins resemble lipocalins, not cystatins in fold

Staphostatins are the endogenous inhibitors of the major secreted cysteine proteases of Staphylococcus aureus, the staphopains. Here, we present the 1.4 Å crystal structure of staphostatin B and show that the fold can be described as a fully closed, highly sheared eight‐stranded β‐barrel. Thus, staphostatin B is related to β‐barrel domains that are involved in the inhibition or regulation of proteases of various catalytic types and to the superfamily of lipocalins/cytosolic fatty acid binding proteins. Unexpectedly for a cysteine protease inhibitor, staphostatin B is not significantly similar to cystatins.
Treatment response to standard of care for severe anemia in pregnant women and effect of multivitamins and enhanced anthelminthics.

BACKGROUND Severe anemia (hemoglobin < 70 g/L) in pregnancy may increase the risk of maternal and perinatal mortality. OBJECTIVES We assessed response to standard treatment with high-dose iron-folic acid for 90 d and single-dose (500 mg) mebendazole among severely anemic pregnant women in periurban Karachi, Pakistan. In addition, we evaluated the efficacy of 2 enhanced treatment regimens. DESIGN We screened pregnant women (n = 6288) for severe anemia and provided them all with the standard treatment. To test the efficacy of 2 additional treatments, women were randomly assigned to standard treatment alone (control) or with 100 mg mebendazole twice daily for 3 d or 90 d of daily multivitamins or both using a 2 x 2 factorial design. RESULTS Prevalence of severe anemia was high (10.5%) during pregnancy. Prevalence of geohelminths and malaria was low. Treatment response was defined as hemoglobin > 100 g/L at the 90-d or > or = 25 g/L at the 60-d follow-up visit. The standard-of-care treatment resulted in a response rate of 49% at follow-up, although an adherence of > or = 85% elicited a higher response (67%). The effect of the additional treatments was weak. Although response was higher in the enhanced groups than for the standard treatment at the final assessment, the differences were not statistically significant. However, hemoglobin concentration increased significantly in all groups and was higher in the enhanced mebendazole group compared with the standard group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Iron deficiency was high in this population, and the standard-of-care treatment resulted in a treatment response of 50%, although better treatment adherence showed a higher response. Multivitamins and the enhanced mebendazole regimen had a modest benefit over and above the standard treatment.
Evidence for facial nerve-independent mechanisms of blinking in the rat.

PURPOSE The rat facial nerve (CN VII) controls the orbicularis oculi (OO) muscle, which contracts to close the palpebral fissure during blinking. It was recently observed that rats are able to achieve nearly complete eye closure shortly after CN VII lesion, and hypothesized that the retractor bulbi (RB) muscle assumes an important compensatory role after CN VII lesion. This study was undertaken to determine the maintenance of rat corneal health and eye closure capability after lesion of the OO, RB, or both. METHODS Twenty-two rats underwent RB transection; 12 of them had undergone complete unilateral CN VII transection (OO denervation) 15 weeks earlier. Corneal appearance and ability to blink in response to a corneal air puff was monitored weekly for 9 weeks. An additional 13 rats received CN VII transection and were video recorded (1000 frames/s) during elicited blinks at days 1, 3, 5/6, and 11 after surgery. RESULTS Rats achieved nearly full or full eye closure after OO paralysis or RB myotomy, respectively. Ninety-two percent of rats maintained good corneal health after OO denervation over 9 weeks, consistent with compensatory eyelid movement served by the RB muscles. In contrast, only 40% of rats with loss of RB function alone and only 17% of rats with concurrent OO and RB paralysis were able to maintain corneal health by week 3. CONCLUSIONS Like other small mammals, the rat RB musculature can support nearly complete eye closure when CN VII is lesioned, and must be carefully considered when using blink as a functional recovery parameter of facial nerve lesion.
Megaco Protocol Version 1.0

This document defines the protocol used between elements of a physically decomposed multimedia gateway, i.e. a Media Gateway and a Media Gateway Controller. The document is common text with ITU-T Recommendation H.248 and is a result of applying the changes in RFC 2886 to the text of RFC 2885.
Association of Toll-like receptor 2-positive monocytes with coronary artery lesions and treatment nonresponse in Kawasaki disease

Purpose Activation of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) present on circulating monocytes in patients with Kawasaki disease (KD) can lead to the production of proinflammatory cytokines and interleukin-10 (IL-10). We aimed to determine the association of the frequency of circulating TLR2+/CD14+ monocytes (FTLR2%) with the outcomes of KD, as well as to compare FTLR2% to the usefulness of sIL-10. Methods The FTLR2% in patients with KD was measured by flow cytometry. Serum levels of IL-10 (sIL-10) were determined in 31 patients with KD before the initial treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and in 21 febrile controls by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were classified as having coronary artery lesions (CALs) based on the maximal internal diameters of the proximal right coronary artery and proximal left anterior descending coronary artery one month after the initial diagnosis. Results We found that FTLR2% greater than 92.62% predicted CALs with 80% sensitivity and 68.4% specificity, whereas FTLR2% more than 94.61% predicted IVIG resistance with 66.7% sensitivity and 71.4% specificity. Moreover, sIL-10 more than 15.52 pg/mL predicted CALs and IVIG resistance with 40% and 66.7% sensitivity, respectively, and 73.7% and 76.2% specificity, respectively. Conclusion We showed that measuring FTLR2% before the initial treatment could be useful in predicting CAL development with better sensitivity than sIL-10 and with results comparable to sIL-10 results for the prediction of IVIG resistance in patients with KD. However, further studies are necessary to validate FTLR2% as a marker of prognosis and severity of KD.
Extraction of Temporal Expressions from Finnish News-feed

The harnessing of time-related information from text for the use of event detection, for example, requires a leap from the surface forms of the expressions to a formalized time-axis. We present a methodology for extraction of Finnish temporal expressions and a scheme of comparing the temporal evidence of the news documents. We employ the comparison in identifying news events.
A Sober Second Thought: An Experiment in Persuading Russians to Tolerate

Theory: In this paper, I present a new way of thinking about the responses Russians give to survey questions. Rather than accepting initial replies as reflecting an obdurate attitude, I treat respondents' first answers as an "opening bid. " I then proceed to determine whether these expressed attitudes can be manipulated through the presentation of counterarguments. Focusing on the problem of political tolerance, I have, in essence, required the respondents to give the matter of extending civil liberties to their political enemies a "sober second thought. " Relying on theories of persuasibility, I test several hypotheses about the sort of person and attitudes susceptible to persuasion. Methods: My analysis is based on a 1996 survey of the Russian mass public. I used an experimental research design embedded within the survey, with random assignment of respondents to treatments. I test the hypotheses using OLS. Results: This experiment in persuasion was quite effective at converting the initial responses. But following some earlier research, political tolerance was more pliable than intolerance. As expected, perceptions of group threat not only produce intolerance, but they also render the intolerant resistant to persuasion, while making the tolerant susceptible to persuasion. Unanticipated results include the finding that strong tolerant attitudes are more susceptible to persuasion, in part due to their connection to other democratic values that "trump" tolerance, and that dogmatism facilitates persuasion, most likely because the dogmatic give cursory initial responses to our questions. Ultimately, the configuration of attitudesboth the levels of tolerance and their manipulability-supports pessimistic conclusions about the ability of the Russian mass public to develop the political tolerance essential for the consolidation of the democratic transformation. Survey researchers must be mindful of the plasticity of Russian attitudes and values and pursue research strategies that fully acknowledge the dynamics of cultural change within transitional polities.