Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Association of Dysfunctional Beliefs About Sleep With Vulnerability to Stress-Related Sleep Disturbance in Young Adults

This study aims to explore the association between dysfunctional sleep beliefs and vulnerability to stress-related transient sleep disturbance in people without sleep disturbance. One hundred thirty-two good sleepers and 307 poor sleepers were included in this study. As expected, poor sleepers showed more dysfunctional beliefs than good sleepers on the Dysfunctional Beliefs and Attitudes about Sleep scale–10 item version (DBAS–10). More important, even in good sleepers, DBAS–10 scores positively correlated with the vulnerability to stress-related sleep disturbance as measured by the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test. The results suggest that dysfunctional sleep belief is not only a perpetuating factor for chronic insomnia, it may also serve as a risk factor for stress-related transient insomnia.
Railways , growth , and spatial reorganization : evidence from nineteenth century England and Wales

We examine the e ects of transport improvements on growth and spatial reorganization using detailed data on railways in nineteenth century England and Wales. Our estimates show that in the short-run railways mainly reorganized population closer to stations from areas farther away. In the longer-run, railways grew population and secondary occupations near stations without decreasing them farther away. By contrast, agricultural occupations decreased, mostly at a distance from stations. To summarize, railways rst attracted migrants from the hinterland surrounding stations and through agglomeration they fostered further growth. Railways e ects were also linked with England's manufacturing advantage in the international economy.
Psychosine Accumulates in Membrane Microdomains in the Brain of Krabbe Patients, Disrupting the Raft Architecture

Lipid rafts (LRs) are membrane realms characterized by high concentrations of cholesterol and sphingolipids. Often, they are portrayed as scaffolds on which many different signaling molecules can assemble their cascades. The idea of rafts as scaffolds is garnering significant attention as the consequences of LR disruption have been shown to be manifest in multiple signaling pathways. In this study, LRs in the brain of the twitcher (TWI) mouse, a bona-fide model for infant variants of human globoid cell leukodystrophy or Krabbe disease, were investigated. This mouse has deficient activity of GALC (β-galactosylceramidase) that leads to a progressive accumulation of some galactosyl-sphingolipids in the brain. We hypothesized that the accumulation of psychosine (galactosyl-sphingosine) in the TWI CNS may result in the disruption of rafts in different cell populations such as neurons and oligodendrocytes, both cellular targets during disease. In this communication, we demonstrate that psychosine specifically accumulates in LRs in the TWI brain and sciatic nerve and in samples from brains of human Krabbe patients. It is also shown that this accumulation is accompanied by an increase in cholesterol in these domains and changes in the distribution of the LR markers flotillin-2 and caveolin-1. Finally, we show evidence that this phenomenon may provide a mechanism by which psychosine can exert its known inhibitory effect on protein kinase C. This study provides a previously undescribed biophysical aspect for the mechanism of pathogenesis in Krabbe disease.
Order-statistics-based Inferences for Censored Lifetime Data and Financial Risk Analysis A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy

This thesis focuses on applying order-statistics-based inferences on lifetime analysis and financial risk measurement. The first problem is raised from fitting the Weibull distribution to progressively censored and accelerated life-test data. A new orderstatistics-based inference is proposed for both parameter and confidence interval estimation. The second problem can be summarised as adopting the inference used in the first problem for fitting the generalised Pareto distribution, especially when sample size is small. With some modifications, the proposed inference is compared with classical methods and several relatively new methods emerged from recent literature. The third problem studies a distribution free approach for forecasting financial volatility, which is essentially the standard deviation of financial returns. Classical models of this approach use the interval between two symmetric extreme quantiles of the return distribution as a proxy of volatility. Two new models are proposed, which use intervals of expected shortfalls and expectiles, instead of interval of quantiles. Different models are compared with empirical stock indices data. Finally, attentions are drawn towards the heteroskedasticity quantile regression. The proposed joint modelling approach, which makes use of the parametric link between the quantile regression and the asymmetric Laplace distribution, can provide estimations of the regression quantile and of the log linear heteroskedastic scale simultaneously. Furthermore, the use of the expectation of the check function as a measure of quantile deviation is discussed.
Assessment of antigen presenting cell infiltration in lung tissues of patients with bronchiectasis

Background: Bronchiectasis is a chronic disease characterized by permanent dilatation of the conducting airways accompanied by sustained inflammation. Aims: To assess whether chronic inflammation of lungs in bronchiectasis is associated with alterations in the numbers of infiltrating antigen presenting cell (APC). Setting and Design: Lobectomy specimens from 12 nonsmoker, nonasthmatic patients with acquired (noncongenital) bronchiectasis and six control patients were included in the study. Histopathology slides were reviewed, and immunohistochemical markers for dendritic cells (DCs) macrophages and Langerhans cells have been applied and analyzed. Materials and Methods: Tissue specimens were stained by immunohistochemistry using markers for DCs (CD83 and CD23), macrophages (CD68 and CD163), and Langerhans cells (CD1A and S-100 protein). The mean cell counts of stained cells in five high power microscopic fields were recorded. Statistical Analysis Used: Descriptive statistics, mean, standard deviation, median, and interquartile range were used. A nonparametric Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare cell counts between bronchiectasis and control patients. P <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The mean age of patients with bronchiectasis and controls was 36.7 ± 16.6 and 31.8 ± 22.6 years, respectively. The predominant cell type among the patients was macrophage (median 50.5) followed by DCs (median 44.85), histiocytes (median 32), and Langerhans cells (median 5%). Compared to the controls a significantly higher number of macrophages (P = 0.01), DCs (P = 0.001), and Langerhans cells (P = 0.014) were present. Conclusion: Chronic inflammatory response in acquired (noncongenital) bronchiectasis is most probably mediated by increased infiltration of APCs in lung tissues.
Overview of recent clinical trials of acellular pertussis vaccines.

The evidence from pre-licensure studies does not suggest that there are clinically important differences in reactogenicity between acellular vaccines. The merits of different acellular products will therefore have to be compared on efficacy criteria. Ideally, acellular vaccines with the minimum antigen content necessary to ensure optimum protection should be used in order to avoid administration of superfluous antigens to children and to simplify licensing and batch release procedures. On the basis of the evidence so far available it seems unlikely that monocomponent pertussis toxin (PT) vaccines provide optimal protection and that multicomponent vaccines are needed to achieve a level of disease control that approaches that of a good whole-cell vaccine. It is unclear whether all two component vaccines containing PT and filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA) have similar efficacy but on the available evidence the safest option for policy makers would seem to be to use a vaccine with at least three components, PT+FHA+pertactin. There is now good evidence that the five component vaccine which contains agglutinogens 2 and 3 in addition to PT/FHA and pertactin provides the best protection and is the only acellular vaccine whose efficacy matches that of a good whole cell vaccine. However, the public health advantage of the five component vaccine over other acellular vaccines may not become apparent until they have been in routine use for some decades and their ability to protect against transmission as well as clinical pertussis has emerged. The decision to replace an effective whole-cell vaccine by an acellular vaccine for primary immunisation needs careful consideration. Apart from the probable sacrifice of efficacy for reduced reactogenicity (at least for vaccines which do not contain agglutinogens 2 and 3) there is the question of value for money and the ease with which acellular DTP vaccines can be combined with conjugate polysaccharide vaccines such as Haemophilus influenzae type b. Whatever the decision of policy makers, the need for continued follow up of trial cohorts and active surveillance of the efficacy and safety of those acellular vaccines that are introduced into routine use must be accorded a high priority.
Plasma TIMP-1 levels and treatment outcome in patients treated with XELOX for metastatic colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND The aim was to evaluate the association between plasma tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) levels and outcome in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) receiving XELOX (combination chemotherapy with capecitabine and oxaliplatin) as first-line treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred and twenty patients were included. Blood samples were collected before treatment and 3 weeks later before the next treatment cycle. Plasma TIMP-1 and serum CEA levels were correlated to treatment outcome. RESULTS No significant associations between baseline TIMP-1 or CEA levels and best response to treatment or progression-free survival (PFS) could be demonstrated. In contrast, high baseline plasma TIMP-1 levels were associated with poor overall survival (OS), P = 0.008, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.80 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.17-2.78]. Furthermore, increase in TIMP-1 levels from baseline to immediately before the second cycle of chemotherapy had a significant negative effect on survival (P = 0.03, HR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.65) while a decrease in TIMP-1 was significantly associated with a higher objective response rate (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Both high baseline and subsequent increase in TIMP-1 levels were associated with shorter OS in patients with mCRC receiving XELOX as first-line treatment, whereas baseline TIMP-1 levels were not associated with response or PFS following XELOX treatment.
Cybersickness: Perception of Self-Motion in Virtual Environments

Human perceptual systems have evolved to provide accurate information about orientation and movement through the environment. However, these systems have been challenged in the past century by modern transportation devices and will be further challenged by virtual environments (VEs) and teleoperator systems. Illusory self-motion within a VE (cyberspace) will be entertaining and instructive, but for many users it will result in motion sickness (cybersickness). Sensory conflict theory and the poison hypothesis provide an unproven theoretical foundation for understanding the phenomenon. Although no single engineering solution is likely, the problem can be contained by a combination of engineering design, equipment calibration, and exposure management.
Relationship Between Salivary Pepsin Concentration and Esophageal Mucosal Integrity in Patients With Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Background/Aims Increased salivary pepsin could indicate an increase in gastro-esophageal reflux, however, previous studies failed to demonstrate a correlation between salivary pepsin concentrations and 24-hour esophageal acid exposure. This study aims to detect the salivary pepsin and to evaluate the relationship between salivary pepsin concentrations and intercellular spaces (IS) in different gastroesophageal reflux disease phenotypes in patients. Methods A total of 45 patients and 11 healthy volunteers were included in this study. All subjects underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, 24-hour ambulatory multichannel impedance-pH (MII-pH) monitoring, and salivary sampling at 3-time points during the 24-hour MII-pH monitoring. IS were measured by transmission electron microscopy, and salivary pepsin concentrations were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results The IS measurements were greater in the esophagitis (EE), non-erosive reflux disease (NERD), and hypersensitive esophagus (HO) groups than in the functional heartburn (FH) and healthy volunteer groups, and significant differences were indicated. Patients with NERD and HO had higher average pepsin concentrations compared with FH patients. A weak correlation was determined between IS and salivary pepsin among patients with NERD (r = 0.669, P = 0.035). Conclusions We confirmed the presence of a higher level of salivary pepsin in patients with NERD than in patients with FH. Salivary pepsin concentrations correlated with severity of mucosal integrity impairment in the NERD group. We suggest that in patients with NERD, low levels of salivary pepsin can help identify patients with FH, in addition the higher the pepsin concentration, the more likely the severity of dilated IS.
Window anterior commissure relaxation laryngoplasty in the management of high-pitched voice disorders.

OBJECTIVE To present the success rate of a less invasive modification of Isshiki type III anterior commissure relaxation laryngoplasty technique in patients with high-pitched voice disorders. DESIGN Prospective case series. SETTING KBB Major Private Clinic of Istanbul Surgery Hospital and the University of Yeditepe Hospital. PATIENTS Twenty-one adult patients who believed that their high-pitched voices conflicted with their body image and/or gender identity. INTERVENTION Type III thyroplasty for pitch alteration. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Comparison of preoperative and postoperative (>6 months) fundamental frequency levels, diplophonia, perception of body image and pitch, and subjective ratings of comfort during vocalization. RESULTS The patients were mostly male (mean age, 30.5 years). The most frequent cause of high-pitched voice was sulcus vocalis (n = 14), followed by constitutional causes (n = 5), mutational falsetto (n = 1), and severe glottic scarring secondary to childhood diphtheria (n = 1). After surgery, the fundamental frequency dropped significantly from a mean of 213.81 Hz to 149.86 Hz (P < .001), equaling a mean postoperative semitone drop of 6.23. Misperception leading to an abnormal body image was reduced by 86%. Fourteen patients who originally had feelings of tension and fatigue during phonation and vocalization gained comfort postoperatively. Diplophonia with subharmonic signals observed in 11 cases preoperatively was reduced or disappeared in 6 cases. No complications or failures were observed during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION Window anterior commissure relaxation laryngoplasty is an efficient, easy, less invasive, and safe procedure in the surgical management of organic and functional high-pitched voice disorders.
Central nervous system myelination in mice with deficient expression of Notch1 receptor

Activity of the Notch1 gene is known to inhibit oligodendrocyte (OL) differentiation in vitro. We tested the hypothesis that the Notch1 pathway regulates in vivo myelin formation, by examining brain myelination of Notch1 receptor null heterozygotes mutant animals (Notch1+/–). We show that a deficiency in Notch1 expression leads to increased abundance of products of specific myelin genes in myelinated areas of the brain during the first 2 weeks of postnatal life. We observed increased numbers of myelinated axons in optic nerves and the presence of myelinated fibers in the molecular layer (ML) of the Notch1+/– cerebella. These findings were accompanied by up‐regulation of Mash1 and down‐regulation of Hes5 proteins. In addition, we found expression of Jagged1, one of the Notch1 activators, in unmyelinated axons of the cerebellar ML during normal development. Our findings indicate that the Jagged/Notch signaling pathway might actively participate in the regulation of myelination during central nervous system development and suggest that certain neuronal populations might regulate whether their axons are myelinated by the expression of inhibitory signals such as Jagged1. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tabun revisited: revised ESR chronology and new ESR and U-series analyses of dental material from Tabun C1.

Deux chronologies independantes ont ete etablies pour la sequence de Tabun par ESR et par thermoluminescence. Des nouvelles analyses ont ete effectuees sur Tabun C1 par ESR et les isotopes de l'U. Les resultats donnent une chronologie plus ancienne pour Tabun avec un âge de 122+-16ka.
Spirituality, Breast Cancer Beliefs and Mammography Utilization among Urban African American Women

Spirituality has been shown to be associated with health, and is an important component in the lives of many African Americans. Recent research proposes that spirituality is a multidimensional construct. The present study proposes a two-dimensional model in which spirituality encompasses a belief and behavioral dimension. This hypothesis was examined, as were relationships between these dimensions and spiritual health locus of control, breast cancer beliefs and mammography utilization among African American women. The belief dimension played a more important role in adaptive breast cancer beliefs and mammography utilization that did the behavioral dimension. These findings suggest the importance of spiritual belief systems for health, and implications for spiritual cancer communication interventions are discussed.
Misrepresentation of Neuroscience Data Might Give Rise to Misleading Conclusions in the Media: The Case of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Background There is often a huge gap between neurobiological facts and firm conclusions stated by the media. Data misrepresentation in the conclusions and summaries of neuroscience articles might contribute to this gap. Methodology/Principal Findings Using the case of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), we identified three types of misrepresentation. The first relies on prominent inconsistencies between results and claimed conclusions and was observed in two scientific reports dealing with ADHD. Only one out of the 61 media articles echoing both scientific reports adequately described the results and, thus questioned the claimed conclusion. The second type of misrepresentation consists in putting a firm conclusion in the summary while raw data that strongly limit the claim are only given in the results section. To quantify this misrepresentation we analyzed the summaries of all articles asserting that polymorphisms of the gene coding for the D4 dopaminergic receptor are associated with ADHD. Only 25 summaries out of 159 also mentioned that this association confers a small risk. This misrepresentation is also observed in most media articles reporting on ADHD and the D4 gene. The third misrepresentation consists in extrapolating basic and pre-clinical findings to new therapeutic prospects in inappropriate ways. Indeed, analysis of all ADHD-related studies in mice showed that 23% of the conclusions were overstated. The frequency of this overstatement was positively related with the impact factor of the journal. Conclusion/Significance Data misrepresentations are frequent in the scientific literature dealing with ADHD and may contribute to the appearance of misleading conclusions in the media. In synergy with citation distortions and publication biases they influence social representations and bias the scientific evidence in favor of the view that ADHD is primarily caused by biological factors. We discuss the social consequences and the causes of data misrepresentations and suggest a few corrective actions.
Clinical characteristics and neurodevelopmental outcomes of children with tuberculous meningitis and hydrocephalus

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a lethal and commonly occurring form of extra‐pulmonary tuberculosis in children, often complicated by hydrocephalus which worsens outcome. Despite high mortality and morbidity, little data on the impact on neurodevelopment exists. We examined the clinical characteristics, and clinical and neurodevelopmental outcomes of TBM and hydrocephalus.
Liver-Specific Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor α Target Gene Regulation by the Angiotensin Type 1 Receptor Blocker Telmisartan

OBJECTIVE—The angiotensin type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) and peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) γ modulator telmisartan has been recently demonstrated to reduce plasma triglycerides in nondiabetic and diabetic hypertensive patients. The present study investigates the molecular mechanisms of telmisartans hypolipidemic actions, in particular its effect on the PPARα pathway. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Regulation of PPARα target genes by telmisartan was studied by real-time PCR and Western immunoblotting in vitro and in vivo in liver/skeletal muscle of mice with diet-induced obesity. Activation of the PPARα ligand binding domain (LBD) was investigated using transactivation assays. RESULTS—Telmisartan significantly induced the PPARα target genes carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A (CPT1A) in human HepG2 cells and acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 1 (ACSL1) in murine AML12 cells in the micromolar range. Telmisartan-induced CPT1A stimulation was markedly reduced after small interfering RNA–mediated knockdown of PPARα. Telmisartan consistently activated the PPARα-LBD as a partial PPARα agonist. Despite high in vitro concentrations required for PPARα activation, telmisartan (3 mg · kg−1 · day−1) potently increased ACSL1 and CPT1A expression in liver from diet-induced obese mice associated with a marked decrease of hepatic and serum triglycerides. Muscular CPT1B expression was not affected. Tissue specificity of telmisartan-induced PPARα target gene induction may be the result of previously reported high hepatic concentrations of telmisartan. CONCLUSIONS—The present study identifies the ARB/PPARγ modulator telmisartan as a partial PPARα agonist. As a result of its particular pharmacokinetic profile, PPARα activation by telmisartan seems to be restricted to the liver. Hepatic PPARα activation may provide an explanation for telmisartan's antidyslipidemic actions observed in recent clinical trials.