Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypobaric Impact on Clinical Tolerance and 24-h Patterns in Iron Metabolism Markers and Plasma Proteins in Men

Long-distance flights can cause a number of clinical problems due to mild hypoxia resulting from cabin pressurization. Using a chronobiological approach, the aim of this work was to assess the clinical tolerance and biological impact of daytime exposure to hypobaric hypoxia on markers of iron metabolism and plasma proteins. Fourteen healthy, male volunteers, ages 23 to 39 yrs, spent 8.5 h in a hypobaric chamber (from 07:45 to 16:15 h) simulating an altitude of 8000 ft. This was followed by another 8.5-h session 4 wks later simulating conditions at an altitude of 12,000 ft. Biological variables were assayed every 2 h over two 24-h spans (control and hypoxia spans, respectively) per simulated altitude. Whereas most of the subjects tolerated the 8000 ft exposure well, eight subjects (57%) presented clear clinical signs of hypoxic intolerance at 12,000 ft. The 24-h blood iron profile showed a biphasic pattern at both altitude simulations, with a significant (∼40%) increase during hypoxia, followed by a (∼25%) decrease during the first hours of recovery. The iron circadian rhythm showed a significant phase delay during the hypoxic exposure at 8000 ft vs. reference. Mean 24-h ferritin levels decreased at both altitudes, but mainly during the nighttime after the 12,000 ft exposure in accordance with Cosinor analysis. The transferrin and total plasma proteins 24-h profiles did not show significant change. Moreover, significant differences, mainly in iron, ferritin, and transferrin, were found at 12,000 ft according to the clinical tolerance to hypoxia, and significant correlations were found between the mid-range crossing times, i.e., here half-descent times (d-T50), for ferritin and total plasma proteins and the reported level of clinical discomfort under hypoxia. This study shows that an 8.5-h exposure to mild hypoxia is able to alter very quickly the 24-h pattern of iron and ferritin. These alterations seem to depend, at least in part, on the clinical tolerance to hypoxia and may help explain the interindividual differences observed in the tolerance to hypoxia. (Author correspondence: yvan.touitou@chronobiology.fr)
Dyskusyjnie o klasyfikacji i pomiarze wzorców przywiązania

Debatably about classification and measurement of attachment patterns Adult attachment patterns are usually based on two orthogonal dimensions (Bartholomew, Horowitz, 1991; Fraley, Shaver, 2000). This results in creating four qualitatively different types. Also four attachment patterns are educed by means of Adult Attachment Interview (Hesse, 1999). However results of classifying attachment patterns based on those three methods are only partially analogical. Since it is assumed that attachment patterns are continued throughout development (Bowlby, 2007/1982; Hazan, Shaver, 1987), four adult attachment patterns should relate to four attachment patterns among children (A, B, C – Ainsworth et al., 1971; and D – Main et al., 1985). This is not so (or at least it is questionable). The author contends with regard to Bowlby (2007/1982), Bartholomew and Horowitz (1991), that child’s experiences of attachment–care are the basis of internal working models of Self–other people relation. Those models should be characterized with three dimensions: trustlack of trust, dependence–independence and activity–passivity. The trust–lack of trust dimension allows to differentiate between secure and insecure attachment patterns (B and nB), whereas two other dimensions are used to classify four insecure attachment patterns. Intersection of dependence–independence dimension with activity–passivity dimension results in four insecure attachment patterns (fearful, dismissive, preoccupied, possessive). These patterns are developed sequentially throughout three stages of child development, analogous to E. Erikson’s. The article also presents „P–Questionnaire”, a method that allows to measure three attachment dimensions based on respondents’ romantic relationship functioning self-description.
Comparison between a zinc phosphate cement and a glass ionomer cement for cementation of orthodontic bands.

The relative merits of zinc phosphate cement and glass ionomer cement for cementation of orthodontic bands are investigated in a controlled clinial trial. The good manipulative characteristics, relatively high compressive strength, convenient setting time and easy removal of excess cement, make zinc phosphate cement preferable for routine cementation of orthodontic bands. However, glass ionomer cement is less soluble in the mouth than zinc phosphate and may be preferable for cementation of appliances that are to remain in place for an extended period of time, for cementation of appliances that are under exceptional mechanical strain or for cementation of bands to teeth with unusual crown morphology.
Correlation of brain amyloid with “aerobic glycolysis”: A question of assumptions?

The articles by Vaishnavi et al. (1) and Vlassenko et al. (2) in PNAS demonstrate regional variation in aerobic glycolysis vs. oxidative phosphorylation in the human brain and then link aerobic glycolysis to amyloid β (Aβ) deposition on the basis of concordant spatial distributions in Alzheimer's disease (AD). As referenced in these articles, the molar ratio of O2 to glucose consumption by the brain is never 6 (the ratio for complete oxidation of glucose to CO2 and H2O). Because the experimentally determined molar ratio is normally ≈5.3, the major portion of glucose flux proceeds through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to meet the high ATP demands of the brain, as well as other TCA cycle functions. The term “aerobic glycolysis,” as defined by the authors, refers to flux from glucose to pyruvate without entering the TCA cycle, as well as glucose providing substrates for the pentose phosphate shunt and glycogen synthesis, in conditions whereby oxygen availability is not limiting. Although much less energy efficient than mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (36 ATP/glucose), aerobic glycolysis (2 ATP/glucose) can rapidly provide ATP and substrates for biosynthetic pathways.
Sputum Mycobacterium tuberculosis mRNA as a Marker of Bacteriologic Clearance in Response to Antituberculosis Therapy

ABSTRACT mRNA is a marker of cell viability. Quantifying Mycobacterium tuberculosis mRNA in sputum is a promising tool for monitoring response to antituberculosis therapy and evaluating the efficacy of individual drugs. mRNA levels were measured in sputum specimens from patients with tuberculosis (TB) receiving monotherapy in an early bactericidal activity study of fluoroquinolones and in those receiving a standard rifampin-based regimen in an interleukin-2 (IL-2) trial. In the early bactericidal activity study, sputum for quantitative culture and mRNA analysis was collected for 2 days before and daily during 7 days of study drug administration. In the IL-2 trial, sputum was collected for quantitative culture, Bactec 460 liquid culture, and mRNA analysis throughout the intensive treatment phase. RNA was isolated from digested sputum and tested in quantitative reverse transcription-PCR assays for several gene targets. mRNA for the glyoxylate cycle enzyme isocitrate lyase declined at similar rates in patients receiving isoniazid, gatifloxicin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin monotherapy. Isocitrate lyase mRNA correlated highly with CFU in sputum prior to therapy and during 7 days of monotherapy in all treatment arms. Isocitrate lyase mRNA was detectable in sputum of culture-positive TB patients receiving a rifampin-based regimen for 1 month. At 2 months, sputum for isocitrate mRNA correlated more closely with growth in liquid culture than did growth on solid culture medium. Data suggest that isocitrate lyase mRNA is a reliable marker of M. tuberculosis viability.
Relevant information in optimized persistence vs. progeny strategies

Identifying and utilizing information is central to reproductive success. We study a scenario where a multicellular colony has to trade-off between utility of strategies for investment in persistence or progeny and the (Shannon-type) relevant information necessary to realize these strategies. We develop a general approach to treat such problems that involve iterated games where utility is determined by iterated play of a strategy and where, in turn, informational processing constraints limit the possible strategies.
Policing and the Media Facts, Fictions and Factions

Policing and the Media provides an up-to-date overview of the changing dynamics and dimensions of the relationships that exist on the British police-media nexus. Factual, fictional and factional representations of policing in the media are the major - and for a great many citizens probably the sole - influence in shaping their perceptions and opinions about crime, law and order, community safety, police efficiency and integrity, not to mention the efficacy of criminal justice and penal policy. This book deals with all three representations, noting the lines between such clear divisions are increasingly blurred and the concepts of reality, realism and representation, slippery and complex.
Clinical application of acoustic reflectometry in predicting the difficult airway.

UNLABELLED Acoustic reflectometry, a noninvasive test that produces a length versus cross-sectional area map of the airway, has been used to identify difficult-to-tracheally intubate patients in a small retrospective case-control study. A critical airway volume of 40.2 mL separated those patients whose tracheas were impossible to intubate from those who were easily intubated. To determine if this technology was applicable for prospectively predicting difficult intubation and difficult ventilation in routine clinical practice, we performed a double-blinded, prospective cohort study. Our a priori hypothesis was that small airway volumes in adults (<40.2 mL) would predict absolute inability to intubate. We conclude that by use of acoustic reflectometry, there was no relationship between inability to intubate, poor glottic visualization, and multiple laryngoscopies with airway volume. IMPLICATIONS Acoustic reflectometry, a noninvasive test that uses sound to produce a length versus cross-sectional area map of the airway, was not able to predict inability to intubate, poor glottic visualization, and multiple laryngoscopies.
Family functioning and social isolation as moderators between stress and child abuse potential

Previous literature has implicated stress as a significant contributor to child physical maltreatment risk. Studied to a lesser extent, family dysfunction and inadequate social support have also been associated with physical child abuse potential. To date, little empirical support clarifies how such identified risk variables converge to influence physical abuse risk. The current study sought to explore whether the relation between stress and physical abuse risk was moderated by family functioning and social isolation. Questionnaires assessing parental subjective appraisal of stress, family functioning, adequacy of social support, and abuse risk (as measured by the CAPI Abuse Scale and AAPI-2 Total) were administered to 92 mother-child dyads from the community. Stress was hypothesized to strongly predict abuse risk. Further, mothers reporting stress and either family dysfunction or social isolation were expected to evidence greater abuse risk. As expected, stress contributed to the prediction of abuse risk, as measured by both the CAPI and AAPI Total scores. In terms of potential moderators, the current findings indicated that social support moderated the relation between stress and CAPI Abuse Scale scores, but family functioning did not (the interaction term trended toward significance). For AAPI Total scores, neither family functioning nor social isolation was a significant moderator. Overall, these findings validate stress and social isolation as important independent predictors of abuse risk.
Inflammatory Mediators in Intervertebral Disk Degeneration and Discogenic Pain

Although degeneration of the intervertebral disk has historically been described as a misbalance between anabolic and catabolic factors, the role of inflammatory mediators has long been neglected. However, past research clearly indicates that inflammatory mediators such as interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α are expressed at higher levels in “diseased” intervertebral disks. Both disk cells as well as invading macrophages can be the source of the detected cytokines. Importantly, occurrence of inflammatory mediators in the disk can worsen the progress of degeneration by inducing the expression of matrix degrading enzymes as well as by inhibiting extracellular matrix synthesis. In addition, inflammatory mediators play a crucial role in pain development during intervertebral disk herniation (i.e., sciatica) and disk degeneration (i.e., discogenic pain). This review provides information on the most relevant inflammatory mediators during different types of disk diseases and explains how these factors can induce disk degeneration and the development of discogenic and sciatic/radiculopathic pain.
Comparison of Retention Rates Using Traditional, Drill Sandwich, and Incremental Rehearsal Flash Card Methods

Abstract Research has demonstrated increased retention from drill, but the data regarding drill format are inconsistent. Two commonly used models. Drill Sandwich (DS) and Incremental Rehearsal (IR), were compared to each other and to a traditional flashcard method by individually teaching words from the Esperanto International Language to 25 third-and 26 seventh-grade students who were screened for receptive vocabulary. Retention of the pronunciation and English translation was tested after 1,2,3,7, and 30 days. A significant main effect (p <.001) was found between the three conditions at each interval. The IR model consistently led to significantly more words retained than the traditional or DS approaches. Correlation coefficients between retention and receptive vocabulary were above.30 at the 1-and 3-day intervals for the traditional model, but little covariance was noted for DS, and even less for IR. Potential implications and suggestions for future research are included.
Complement C4 Inhibits Systemic Autoimmunity through a Mechanism Independent of Complement Receptors Cr1 and Cr2

The complement system enhances antibody responses to T-dependent antigens, but paradoxically, deficiencies in C1 and C4 are strongly linked to autoantibody production in humans. In mice, disruption of the C1qa gene also results in spontaneous autoimmunity. Moreover, deficiencies in C4 or complement receptors 1 and 2 (CR1/CR2) lead to reduced selection against autoreactive B cells and impaired humoral responses. These observations suggest that C1 and C4 act through CR1/CR2 to enhance humoral immunity and somehow suppress autoimmunity. Here we report high titers of spontaneous antinuclear antibody (ANA) in C4 −/ − mice. This systemic lupus erythematosus–like autoimmunity is highly penetrant; by 10 mo of age, all C4 − /− females and most males produced ANA. In contrast, titers and frequencies of ANA in Cr2 − /− mice, which are deficient in CR1 and CR2, never rose significantly above those in normal controls. Glomerular deposition of immune complexes (ICs), glomerulonephritis, and splenomegaly were observed in C4 − /− but not Cr2 − /− mice. C4 − /−, but not Cr2 − /−, mice accumulate activated T and B cells. Clearance of circulating ICs is impaired in preautoimmune C4 − /−, but not Cr2 − /−, mice. C4 deficiency causes spontaneous, lupus-like autoimmunity through a mechanism that is independent of CR1/CR2.
EFFECT OF DEGREE OF DEACETYLATION OF CHITOSAN ON THERMAL STABILITY AND COMPATIBILITY OF CHITOSAN-POLYAMIDE BLEND

The effect of the degree of deacetylation of chitosan on the chemical structure, thermal properties, and compatibility of chitosan/polyamide66 (CS/PA66) blends were investigated. Blends of CS with PA66 were prepared via the solution casting technique by using 85% formic acid. Structural interaction between PA66, CS, and CS/PA66 blends were analyzed by infrared spectroscopy. FT-IR spectra showed displacement of the carbonyl band of the amide group of chitosan toward smaller wave numbers, indicating possible existence of hydrogen bonding between the two macromolecules. Thermal and morphological behavior of films containing chitosan with degree of deacetylation (DD) ranging from 52.9% to 85% in the polymer blends were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy. Thermal analysis showed that the CS/PA66 blends became more thermally stable than pure chitosan. The morphological behavior observed by scanning electron microscopy indicated phase segregation in all types of blending. Acetyl content in chitosan was found to influence the degree of compatibility. Decreasing the acetyl group or increasing the DD of chitosan increases the compatibility of the CS/PA66 blends.
Assessing Teachers' Perception on Integrating ICT in Teaching- Learning Process: The Case of Adwa College

Rapid growth and improvement in ICT have led to the diffusion of technology in education. The purpose of this study is to investigate teachers’ perception on integrating ICT in teaching-learning process. The research questions sought to measure teachers’ software usage as well as other instructional tools and materials, preferences for professional development on information gathering and support, factors that encourage teachers’ usage of technology, teachers’ perceptions of self-efficacy and barriers that teachers faced during technology utilization in teaching-learning process. A population of 72 teachers at Adwa College participated in this survey. The result on hardware and software usage shows that majority of teachers in the college are unable to use hardware in teaching learning process due to mainly shortage of resources. Teachers who cannot use ICT as instructional tool are 55.6 percent higher than those who can use it. This indicates that most teachers in the college are not integrating ICT in the course they teach. In regard the information and support services, there is no equal support service by the technical support units. Adwa College is found as poor by most of the teachers in preparing ICT trainings. The mean of the factors that encourage technology ranged from 2.72 to 2.99 which indicate that encouraging technology is important to apply ICT in teaching-learning process. Moreover, the mean for the perception of teachers about ICT usage ranged from 4.28 to 4.79 shows that Adwa College teachers have strong positive perception to use ICT in teaching-learning process. Pearson correlation (r=0.412) shows that there is significant relationship between teachers’ perception towards ICT integration into Teaching-learning process and the factors that encourage ICT usage. This indicates that the teachers’ perception towards ICT integration into teaching-learning process increases if ICT usage is encouraged and vice versa. The results of the correlation for the relationship between teachers’ perception toward ICT usage to increase quality of courses they teach and their productiveness due to ICT usage is also found as significant (r=0.615). This indicates that the teachers’ productiveness is realized if ICT is integrated to the course they teach. However, majority of the teachers pointed out that one of the barriers to technology implementation is lack of teachers’ technical knowledge and shortage of resources. This shows that equipping the college with ICT is not enough for attaining educational change. Therefore, the college should critically focus to integrate ICT in each course to make courses interactive and easily understandable by their students.
Mutual Care : How older adults react when they should help their care robot

Care robots for the aging population usually support older adults at home or in a care facility in their daily activities, by monitoring their health status, mediating social communication, or assisting in fetch-and-carry tasks. However, there still remain the older adults’ feelings about being cared for by a robot and what the robot possibly could do to make them feel more comfortable with being helped. We argue that the human-robot relationship can be improved with “mutual care” by giving the user simple opportunities to care for the robot as well as to increase the team feeling, and consequently, the acceptance. Based on controlled case studies, conducted at three different European laboratories (n = 49) with two conditions (reciprocal dialogue vs. control), we demonstrate how older adults react to a care robot with reciprocal behavior and how they perceive their relationship with it. We also show that the reciprocal behavior, even in short-term laboratory studies, positively influences the perceived usability and ease of learning of the care robot. 1
Superconvergence of a finite element approximation to the solution of a Sobolev equation in a single space variable

A standard Galerkin method for a quasilinear equation of Sobolev type using continuous, piecewise-polynomial spaces is presented and analyzed. Optimal order error estimates are established in various norms, and nodal superconvergence is demonstrated. Discretization in time by explicit single-step methods is discussed.
Pacific dominance to global air‐sea CO2 flux variability: A novel atmospheric inversion agrees with ocean models

We address an ongoing debate regarding the geographic distribution of interannual variability in ocean ‐ atmosphere carbon exchange. We find that, for 1983–1998, both novel high‐resolution atmospheric inversion calculations and global ocean biogeochemical models place the primary source of global CO2 air‐sea flux variability in the Pacific Ocean. In the model considered here, this variability is clearly associated with the El Niño/Southern Oscillation cycle. Both methods also indicate that the Southern Ocean is the second‐largest source of air‐sea CO2 flux variability, and that variability is small throughout the Atlantic, including the North Atlantic, in contrast to previous studies.
Organ of Corti Potentials and the Motion of the Basilar Membrane

During sound stimulation, receptor potentials are generated within the sensory hair cells of the cochlea. Prevailing theory states that outer hair cells use the potential-sensitive motor protein prestin to convert receptor potentials into fast alterations of cellular length or stiffness that boost hearing sensitivity almost 1000-fold. However, receptor potentials are attenuated by the filter formed by the capacitance and resistance of the membrane of the cell. This attenuation would limit cellular motility at high stimulus frequencies, rendering the above scheme ineffective. Therefore, Dallos and Evans (1995a) proposed that extracellular potential changes within the organ of Corti could drive cellular motor proteins. These extracellular potentials are not filtered by the membrane. To test this theory, both electric potentials inside the organ of Corti and basilar membrane vibration were measured in response to acoustic stimulation. Vibrations were measured at sites very close to those interrogated by the recording electrode using laser interferometry. Close comparison of the measured electrical and mechanical tuning curves and time waveforms and their phase relationships revealed that those extracellular potentials indeed could drive outer hair cell motors. However, to achieve the sharp frequency tuning that characterizes the basilar membrane, additional mechanical processing must occur inside the organ of Corti.