Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modulation of the Nrf2 signalling pathway in Hct116 colon carcinoma cells by baicalein and its methylated derivative negletein

abstract Context: Baicalein is a major compound in extracts derived from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (Lamiaceae) which are used in the Traditional Chinese Medicine for the treatment of inflammatory and gastrointestinal diseases. This flavonoid is an activator of the Nrf2 signalling pathway but the molecular mechanism is not clearly established. Objective: We investigated the molecular mode of baicalein-mediated Nrf2-activation in Hct116 cells by the analysis of proteasomal activity, radical-scavenging activity and the comparison with baicalein derivatives. Materials and methods: The radical-scavenging activity (TEAC, DCF) up to 25 μM, cytotoxicity (MTT assay, 48 h) up to 100 μM, proteasomal activity and the Nrf2-activation (luciferase assay, ubiquitinylation, western blot, Ser40-phosphorylation; incubation for 1 or 4 h) by concentrations up to 40 or 50 μM of the compounds were analysed in Hct116 human colon carcinoma cells. Results: No change in the ubiquitinylation of Nrf2, proteasomal activity and transcription of the NRF2 gene were detectable. Baicalein decreased the phosphorylation of Nrf2 (IC50-value approximately 20 μM) suggesting an inhibitory effect of the flavonoid on protein kinases. Since the activation of the Nrf2 pathway by baicalein might be also due to redox-activity of the compound, we investigated the effects of methylated baicalein derivatives oroxylin A, negeletein and baicaleintrimethylether. Oroxylin A and negletein showed a comparable redox-active potential, but only negletein (50 μM, 4 h) was able to activate Nrf2. Conclusion: This result confirms the hypothesis that baicalein, a component of extracts derived from Baical Skullcap, causes an activation of Nrf2 independent of a modulation of the cellular redox potential.
Erythromycin facilitates postpyloric placement of nasoduodenal feeding tubes in intensive care unit patients: randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND To determine whether administration of erythromycin (E) could facilitate passage of a nasoenteric feeding tube into the duodenum for postpyloric feedings, this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed. METHODS Fifty-seven patients were accrued from the surgical intensive care units (ICUs) of a tertiary-care university hospital. Patients enrolled were categorized as to the presence or absence of diabetes mellitus (DM). Those patients without DM were then subdivided into those with normal or depressed mental status. The three groups, normal (NMS), depressed mental status (DMS), or diabetes mellitus (DM), were then randomized independently to receive either E or placebo (P), followed by blind placement of a feeding tube. Tube placement was verified by an abdominal radiograph. RESULTS Overall, the rate of postpyloric placement was 61% (19/31) in the E group, significantly better than 35% (9/26) in the P group (p < .05). In patients with NMS, the success rate with E was improved (64%, 9/14) compared with that with P (9%, 1/11) (p < .0005). In the DMS group, there was a 50% success rate (6/12) with E versus 63% (5/8) with P (not significant [NS]). In the DM group, 80% (4/5) of the patients had placement of the tube in the duodenum with E and 43% (3/7) with P (NS). CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that, overall, E is effective in facilitating placement of a nasoenteric feeding tube into the duodenum in ICU patients. It is clearly beneficial in those patients with normal mental status and may be useful in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Diabetes and the Eye

Over the past few years we have seen a proliferation of medical titles produced on CD-ROM for use on personal computers. Brochures seem to arrive daily announcing the latest book or journal that has been updated for the computer age. But, despite the hoopla surrounding CD-ROMs, we have generally been disappointed with most of these improved versions. After that fleeting moment when we slip the disc into our computer and fool ourselves into believing that we are on the cutting edge, we discover that the only difference between the book and the CD-ROM is the amount of space taken up on the bookshelf. To our surprise, Diabetes and the Eye by the publishers of the British Medical Journal , is a refreshing change from the usual text-driven CD-ROMs. Other CDs that we have had the opportunity to use have either been simple word-for-word text transfers to disc (Scientific American's SAM-CD)
Gross and Fine Motor Performance in Healthy Swedish Children Aged Fifteen and Eighteen Months

Gross and fine motor performance have been assessed in thirtynine 15-month-old and thirtynine 18-month-old children selected through systematic sampling from a population of healthy newborns. The performance was estimated with corresponding subscales of Denver Developmental Screening Test and Motor age test. In addition fine motor performance was assessed by the "Drawing test" for which the expected performance at 15 and 18 months is given. Of the 78 children, 83% had crawled on hand and knees, 9% crept on their tummy and 8% shuffled on their bottom before walking. Median age for walking was 11.8 months, the 97th percentile 16.0 months. Of the 15-month-old children, 90% walked with ability to stop and start, and 90% of the 18-month-old were in addition able to walk backwards, run stiffly, climb up and down a standard staircase and seat themselves in an armchair of suitable size. Of the 15-month-old, 90% were able to build a tower of two cubes or more, and 90% of the 18-month-old were able to build a tower of three cubes or more (size 1 1/2 inch). Almost 90% of the 15-month-old and all of the 18-month-old had the cognitive ability to coordinate a crayon and paper. In drawing attempts of the 15 month-old, the weak unstable combination with a top-tong/tong grasp and 1/2 pronated forearm was the dominating hand-grasp fore-arm position. In the 18 month-old a more mature grasp and forearm combination, mainly palmar grasp with or without stablizing index finger + overpronated forearm, was found.
Shared assessment: Empowering student writers

Abstract The article discusses the shared assessment process that has been implemented in English for academic purposes ENN103-F, a module that focuses on improving the students' reading and writing skills. Its purpose is to improve the students' linguistic competence, and to develop their ability to write logically and effectively. As writing is a process, students are taught to structure ideas into coherent arguments, write an initial draft that is revised and edited before submitting the final product. The shared assessment process used in this module attempts to empower the students to take greater responsibility for their writing and gain an understanding of how to improve their academic literacy skills. The article also discusses the way markers respond to student writing as well as the way students respond to feedback.
Bayesian LASSO, Scale Space and Decision Making in Association Genetics

Background LASSO is a penalized regression method that facilitates model fitting in situations where there are as many, or even more explanatory variables than observations, and only a few variables are relevant in explaining the data. We focus on the Bayesian version of LASSO and consider four problems that need special attention: (i) controlling false positives, (ii) multiple comparisons, (iii) collinearity among explanatory variables, and (iv) the choice of the tuning parameter that controls the amount of shrinkage and the sparsity of the estimates. The particular application considered is association genetics, where LASSO regression can be used to find links between chromosome locations and phenotypic traits in a biological organism. However, the proposed techniques are relevant also in other contexts where LASSO is used for variable selection. Results We separate the true associations from false positives using the posterior distribution of the effects (regression coefficients) provided by Bayesian LASSO. We propose to solve the multiple comparisons problem by using simultaneous inference based on the joint posterior distribution of the effects. Bayesian LASSO also tends to distribute an effect among collinear variables, making detection of an association difficult. We propose to solve this problem by considering not only individual effects but also their functionals (i.e. sums and differences). Finally, whereas in Bayesian LASSO the tuning parameter is often regarded as a random variable, we adopt a scale space view and consider a whole range of fixed tuning parameters, instead. The effect estimates and the associated inference are considered for all tuning parameters in the selected range and the results are visualized with color maps that provide useful insights into data and the association problem considered. The methods are illustrated using two sets of artificial data and one real data set, all representing typical settings in association genetics.
Being in the room: Family Dispute Resolution practitioners’ experience of high conflict family dispute resolution

Abstract Since 1 July, 2007, under provisions linked to the Australian Family Law Amendment (Shared Parental Responsibility) Act 2006 (Cth), separated and divorced couples in dispute about future parenting arrangements have, with some exceptions, been required to make a bona fide attempt at mediation (known under the legislation as family dispute resolution [FDR]), before being permitted to put their dispute before a court. While the effectiveness of mandatory FDR has been and continues to be the subject of close evaluation, the concerns of the research reported in this article are focused on the experiences of the family dispute resolution practitioners (FDRPs) themselves. What is it like to be “in the room” day after day with highly-conflicted family members, many of whom may not be attending voluntarily? What motivates FDRPs to continue with this work and from where do they derive their satisfactions? How do they deal in the moment and in their lives with the more toxic interactions that can take place at the very high conflict end of the spectrum? And what implications might any preliminary findings about these matters have for the long-term future of mandatory dispute resolution in family law?
Mating trials validate the use of DNA barcoding to reveal cryptic speciation of a marine bryozoan taxon

Despite increasing threats to the marine environment, only a fraction of the biodiversity of the oceans has been described, owing in part to the widespread occurrence of cryptic species. DNA-based barcoding through screening of an orthologous reference gene has been proposed as a powerful tool to uncover biological diversity in the face of dwindling taxonomic expertise and the limitations of traditional species identification. Although DNA barcoding should be particularly useful in the sea, given the prevalence of marine cryptic species, the link between taxa identified through DNA barcodes and reproductively isolated taxa (biological species) has rarely been explicitly tested. Here, we use an integrated framework comparing breeding compatibility, morphology and mitochondrial (cytochrome c oxidase 1) and nuclear (elongation factor-1-alpha) DNA sequence variation among globally distributed samples of the cosmopolitan marine bryozoan Celleporella hyalina (L.). Our results reveal that C. hyalina comprises numerous deep, mostly allopatric, genetic lineages that are reproductively isolated, yet share very similar morphology, indicating rampant cryptic speciation. The close correspondence between genetic lineages and reproductively isolated taxa in the context of minimal morphological change suggests that DNA barcoding will play a leading role in uncovering the hidden biodiversity of the oceans and that the sole use of morphologically based taxonomy would grossly underestimate the number of marine species.
Spatial Factors Influence Arithmetic Performance: The Case of the Minus Sign

Spatial features of mathematical equations may influence how people solve and interpret those equations. This study examined whether manipulations of spatial features affected how participants solved and interpreted equations involving the minus sign. Undergraduate participants (N = 91) solved multioperation arithmetic equations involving addition, subtraction, and multiplication (e.g. 25 − 3 + 2 × 5 = __). We varied the spacing of the final three operands and the position of the first operator relative to the adjacent operands. Participants also generated a story problem to correspond with a given equation. We evaluated the procedures that participants used in solving the equations by analysing both their solutions and their written work. Both close spacing of the final three operands and position of the first operation sign influenced the procedures that participants used. Both of the spatial manipulations also influenced participants’ interpretations of the conceptual structure of the equations, as revealed in the story problems that they generated. These results have implications for understanding how people process mathematical symbols and for mathematics education.
Etiology of urethral discharge in West Africa: the role of Mycoplasma genitalium and Trichomonas vaginalis.

OBJECTIVE To determine the etiological role of pathogens other than Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Chlamydia trachomatis in urethral discharge in West African men. METHODS Urethral swabs were obtained from 659 male patients presenting with urethral discharge in 72 primary health care facilities in seven West African countries, and in 339 controls presenting for complaints unrelated to the genitourinary tract. Polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to detect the presence of N. gonorrhoeae, C. trachomatis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Ureaplasma urealyticum. FINDINGS N. gonorrhoeae, T. vaginalis, C. trachomatis, and M. genitalium--but not U. urealyticum--were found more frequently in men with urethral discharge than in asymptomatic controls, being present in 61.9%, 13.8%, 13.4% and 10.0%, respectively, of cases of urethral discharge. Multiple infections were common. Among patients with gonococcal infection, T. vaginalis was as frequent a coinfection as C. trachomatis. M. genitalium, T. vaginalis, and C. trachomatis caused a similar clinical syndrome to that associated with gonococcal infection, but with a less severe urethral discharge. CONCLUSIONS M. genitalium and T. vaginalis are important etiological agents of urethral discharge in West Africa. The frequent occurrence of multiple infections with any combination of four pathogens strongly supports the syndromic approach. The optimal use of metronidazole in flowcharts for the syndromic management of urethral discharge needs to be explored in therapeutic trials.
Understanding Children's Medium for Disclosing Sexual Abuse: A Tool for Overcoming Potential Misconceptions in the Courtroom

Complainants in child sexual assault trials are often questioned by the defence about disclosure of the alleged abuse. The defence will often ask the child how they disclosed the alleged sexual abuse, including to whom the initial disclosure was made. Such questions are legitimate and directed towards testing the complainant's allegations. Sometimes, such questions are used to impeach the complainant's credibility. It is not uncommon in such instances for the defence to suggest that certain modes of disclosure are more consistent with having been sexually victimized and that a complainant who has disclosed otherwise is more likely to have fabricated the allegations of abuse. This article reviews the findings of empirical research on whom victims of child sexual abuse most commonly disclose their abuse to and by what means such disclosure is commonly made. This understanding is important to challenge misconceived views about how victims disclose child sexual abuse.
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine Open Access Traditional Zootherapeutic Studies in India: a Review

The present study aims to review the zootherapeutic practices of the different ethnic communities of India. This work is also an attempt to present a list of animals' use for medicinal purposes by different communities of India. Data were gathered from 15 published research papers of various authors on zootherapeutic studies in India from 2000 to 2007. Approximately 109 animals and their 270 uses are reported in traditional medicine in different parts of India. Of these, the highest numbers of animal species (42, 38.5%) with 50 (18.5%) uses have been reported for the treatment of Respiratory system related problems. Rheumatic and other pains are treated with 32 species (29.4%) in 34 (12.9%) uses. Gastric problems are reported to be treated with 22 (20.2%) species in 26 (9.9%) uses. The mammals constitute the highest number of animals used for medicinal purposes. 44 (40%) mammals, 24 (22%) invertebrates, 18 (17%) birds, 12 (11%) reptiles, nine (8%) fishes and two (2%) amphibians have been reported for medicinal purposes. Of the total 109 animal species reported, 76(70%) are included in IUCN red data list and 36 (33%) animal species are listed in CITES appendix I, II, and III. This work will be helpful in biodiversity conservation in India and also give a clue to investigate bio-active compound in these animal raw materials.
Parental Optimism versus Parental Pessimism in Plants: How Common Should We Expect Pollen Limitation to Be?

Many organisms exhibit parental optimism, producing more of the initial stages of offspring (e.g., eggs, embryos) than they can usually mature. For plants, parental optimism may be linked to the risk of seed production being limited by pollen receipt (pollen limitation). Here we elaborate a stochastic model of pollen limitation developed by Haig and Westoby (1988) and Burd (2008) and link it with published data on the magnitudes of prepollination costs versus postpollination costs of seed production in 80 plant species. We demonstrate that parental optimism should be expected when prepollination costs of seed production are small relative to postpollination costs. This was observed for most (62 of 80) of the plant taxa surveyed. Under parental optimism, plants overinvest in securing fertilized ovules, and consequently pollen limitation is predicted to be uncommon. However, for a sizable minority of plant species (18 of 80), prepollination costs approach or exceed postpollination costs. For these species, parental pessimism is instead optimal. Parents initiate fewer zygotes than they can usually mature, and pollen limitation is predicted to be severe. Because the relative magnitudes of prepollination and postpollination costs vary by more than 1,000-fold across plant taxa, parental outlook (optimism vs. pessimism) and levels of pollen limitation are predicted to vary widely.
Initiation of coitus in early adolescence.

It is assumed that in the case of 2 adolescents with similar social constraints the individual with higher motivation is more likely to begin sexual behavior. The models also include another dimension i.e. to have coitus one needs a partner. The partner is not usually a victim in this "deviant behavior" but a willing participant and it is necessary to consider the ability to attract a partner in the model. Conceptualizing adolescent coitus as the failure of age-graded controls: motivation attractiveness and social controls. This is a panel study in which several variables in each of the domains are measured at a period prior to the time when the sexual behavior of interest (1st intercourse) occurred. Data were used from sources other than the adolescent to examine variables that might be contaminated by the adolescents perceptual processes or about which the adolescent has only imperfect information. The sample and study design were dominated by the need to identify and interview the friends of respondents. The target sample thus was defined as all students enrolled in selected schools. The population finally identified was all students in grades 7 8 and 9 at selected public schools in a medium-sized city. The initial sample was 1405 respondents who completed a self-administered questionnaire with the interviewer in the home. Respondents ranged in age from 11-17 and represented a wide variety of socioeconomic levels. About 2 years later an essentially identical follow-up questionnaire was administered to the original sample. Of the 1405 respondents from the 1st round 1153 completed questionnaires in round 2. All variables used to predict the transition to intercourse between rounds 1 and 2 were measured at time 1. A preliminary analysis showed zero order race-sex group. For black males the round 1 virgin group was too small to permit a stable analysis of transition to coitus and no analysis is presented for black males. For white males the initiation of coitus in early adolescence was dominated by motivational hormone effects and social attractiveness with no observed effects of social controls. For white females the initiation of coitus was dominated by the effects of social controls. No effect of attractiveness no hormone effects and no effects of sexual motivation were observed. For black females the initiation of coitus was dominated by their level of pubertal development (an attractiveness variable) with no observed effects of social controls.
The impact of interpersonal affective relationships and awareness on expertise seeking: A multilevel network investigation

Transactive memory theory suggests that general awareness of expertise location in a group is sufficient to predict expertise seeking. Yet expertise seeking is, at least in part, a social phenomenon between two individuals embedded in a network of social relationships. Taking a multilevel, network perspective, we examined the interplay of affective relationships and awareness on expertise seeking in groups. Hypotheses were tested using network data collected from 693 employees in 53 sales groups. HLM analysis results indicated that awareness of expertise distribution positively influenced the decision to seek expertise at all levels of analysis examined. In addition, both positive and negative affective relationships influenced expertise seeking, although their pattern of influence differed across different levels of analysis. More specifically, having either a positive or a negative affective relationship with another group member affected the decision to seek expertise from that person. Although having many positive relationships had a positive effect on expertise seeking, having many negative affective relationships had no effect. Moreover, having both an awareness and a positive affective relationship with another group member amplified their positive effect on expertise seeking. Last, individuals who had more negative affective ties were less likely to leverage the positive impact of each awareness relationship on expertise seeking.