Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuroendocrine Control of Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) Secretion: II. Is Follistatin-Induced Suppression of FSH Secretion Mediated via Changes in Activin Availability and Does It Involve Changes in Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Secretion?1

Abstract The objective of the present study was to determine to what extent activin participates in setting the level of FSH secretion and if this regulation includes mediation via changes in GnRH secretion. We administered follistatin, the high-affinity binding protein for activin, to five ovariectomized sheep; we reasoned that the resultant binding of follistatin to activin should lower activin bioavailability and FSH secretion. Hypophyseal portal and peripheral blood samples were collected simultaneously at 10-min intervals for 18 h to measure GnRH, LH, FSH, and both activin-free and total follistatin. Six hours into collection, each ewe received 150 μg/kg i.v. of recombinant human follistatin-288. A week later, the same ewes were subjected to a second series of blood collections of similar length (time control). The FSH levels in pituitary portal blood were approximately 8-fold higher than those in the peripheral circulation. The FSH secretory patterns changed minimally during the time-control period. In contrast, follistatin had profound suppressive effects on FSH secretion. Maximal FSH suppression after FS-288 administration occurred at 5–6 h in the pituitary portal (65% suppression) and 9–10 h in the peripheral (48% suppression) circulation. Follistatin had no effect on GnRH or LH secretory patterns. Disappearance of total follistatin (i.e., free follistatin plus activin-bound follistatin) from the circulation was slower (P < 0.05) than that of free follistatin alone, suggesting that some of the follistatin was complexed with circulating activin, thus reducing the bioavailability of activin. The slower clearance of total follistatin and the lack of follistatin effects on GnRH secretion suggest that changes in activin bioavailability dictate the level of pituitary FSH secretion and that this is a pituitary-specific effect.
Japanese Quail’s Genetic Background Modulates Effects of Chronic Stress on Emotional Reactivity but Not Spatial Learning

Chronic stress is known to enhance mammals’ emotional reactivity and alters several of their cognitive functions, especially spatial learning. Few studies have investigated such effects in birds. We investigated the impact of a two-week stress on Japanese quail’s emotional reactivity and spatial learning. Quail is an avian model widely used in laboratory studies and for extrapolation of data to other poultry species. As sensitivity to chronic stress can be modulated by intrinsic factors, we tested juvenile female Japanese quail from three lines, two of them divergently selected on tonic immobility duration, an indicator of general fearfulness. The different emotional reactivity levels of quail belonging to these lines can be revealed by a large variety of tests. Half of the birds were submitted to repeated unpredictable aversive events for two weeks, whereas the other half were left undisturbed. After this procedure, two tests (open field and emergence tests) evaluated the emotional reactivity of treated and control quails. They were then trained in a T-maze for seven days and their spatial learning was tested. The chronic stress protocol had an impact on resting, preening and foraging in the home cage. As predicted, the emotional reactivity of treated quails, especially those selected for long tonic immobility duration, was higher. Our spatial learning data showed that the treatment enhanced acquisition but not memorization. However, intrinsic fearfulness did not seem to interact with the treatment in this test. According to an inverted U-shaped relationship between stress and cognition, chronic stress can improve the adaptability of birds to a stressful environment. We discussed the mechanisms possibly implied in the increase of emotional reactivity and spatial abilities.
Beneficial Effects of Ethanol Consumption on Insulin Resistance Are Only Applicable to Subjects Without Obesity or Insulin Resistance; Drinking is not Necessarily a Remedy for Metabolic Syndrome

Although moderate drinking has been shown to lower insulin resistance levels, it is still unclear whether alcoholic beverages could be remedies for insulin resistance. To elucidate this, the correlation between levels of ethanol consumption and insulin resistance were cross-sectionally examined in 371 non-diabetic male Japanese workers. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that the ethanol consumption level was inversely correlated with the insulin resistance level assessed by homeostatic model assessment (HOMA-IR, p = 0.0014), the serum insulin level (p = 0.0007), and pancreatic β-cell function, also assessed by HOMA (HOMA-β, p = 0.0002), independently from age, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure, liver function tests, and lipid profiles status, as well as serum adiponectin. The correlations were true in subjects with normal BMIs (up to 25.0 kg/m2, n = 301) or normal HOMA-IR (up to 2.0 μIU·mg/μL·dL n = 337), whereas all of them were non-significant in those with excessive BMIs (n = 70) or in those with HOMA-IR of more than 2.0 (n = 34). Although it is still unclear whether the reductions of these parameters by ethanol consumption are truly due to the improvement of insulin resistance, at least, these effects are not applicable to subjects with obesity and/or insulin resistance. Thus, alcoholic beverages could not be remedies for insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome.
Exploring the health of women who experienced homelessness during adolescence

Homelessness remains a significant global issue with substantial health consequences related to the experiences of homelessness. The consequences for people who experience homelessness are typically associated with high levels of risk, violence, and negative health outcomes. Developmental levels and gender contribute significantly to outcomes. As a developmental stage, adolescence is a time of establishing healthy practices for adulthood. Adolescent experiences with homelessness have negative consequences for future health as well as some economic status. Homeless youth have been identified as a medically underserved and vulnerable population. A significant body of literature has explored the outcomes of mental health, sexual practices, risky behaviors, and substance abuse related to adolescents who are homelessness. However, exploration of the lived experiences of adolescent females while homeless related to strengths used for caring for their health is limited. This includes a need to understand how women who experienced homelessness during adolescence engaged in health promotion and accessed health information. Adolescent females are at greater risk for acts of violence against them, have specific physical and emotional needs as well as perspectives regarding their health and well-being. The purpose of this study was to explore how women who experienced homelessness during adolescence met basic health needs, utilized resources and negotiated met while trying to maintain their health. A qualitative exploratory approach to inquiry using semi-structured interviewing was used with a purposive convenience sample of nine women obtained from a communitybased agency. Inclusion was limited to women who experienced homelessness during adolescence, defined as between the ages of 12-24, who are English speaking and not actively suicidal or psychotic. Qualitative content analysis (QCA) was used to analyze transcripts with attention to manifest and latent content. Processes to maintain trustworthiness were implemented. Six categories were identified and two themes emerged from the analysis of the data. The categories are listed as (1) hunger; (2) staying safe, warm and rested; (3) keeping clean; (4) resourcefulness; (5) challenges encountered; (6) insights and recommendations. The two themes that emerged and were (1) survival takes precedence; and (2) remaining invisible. Implications for nursing knowledge, practice and education were discussed. Recommendations included further research specific to female adolescents who are homeless, education of nurses and nursing students related to meeting the needs of female adolescents who are homeless, and policy implications.
A Face Tracker Trajectories Clustering Using Mutual Information

In this paper we propose an algorithm for face tracker's trajectories clustering. Our approach is based on the mutual information of the images and more precisely its normalized version (NMI). We make use of 2 color channels from the HSV space (hue and saturation) in order to calculate a 4D joint histogram and therefore calculate the mutual information. In this paper we also develop an algorithm where we apply robust heuristics and make use of a tracker information in order to diminish dimensionality and augment accuracy of our results. It is a supervised clustering algorithm which is therefore used (fuzzy c-means) in order to gather same trajectories and same faces together.
Qualitative Data Gathering Challenges in a Politically Unstable Rural Environment: A Zimbabwean Experience

Gaining access to participants in rural, politically unstable settings demands authority and consent not only from the participants and immediate line managers, but also from other players with interests in the research sites. This paper discusses data gathering experiences and challenges encountered during fieldwork for a PhD amidst a politically volatile situation in Zimbabwe in mid-2008. The article highlights the challenges encountered, how the researcher overcame some of them, and was stymied by others. Specifically, political challenges related to gaining access to schools and participants, which created time constraints and frustrations, fears and anxieties for the researcher. Issues of poor topography and interview space also emerged as other challenges. The paper proposes that the snags and surprises, the feelings of frustration, fear and anger that go with researching participants in politically unstable settings should not stall the research process but instead, handled with flexibility and patience, and used as motivation to continue. The experiences not only enhance the researcher's own reflexivity and reflectivity but also provide insights into the human conditions and actions as viewed from multiple perspectives.
Complex media parameter effect: On the input impedance of rectangular microstrip antenna

The effect of a chiral bi-anisotropic substrate with the complex constitutive parameters on the input impedance of a rectangular microstrip antenna has been studied on the basis of the integral equation formulation. The analysis is based on numerical solution of the integral equation using Galerkin procedure for moment method in the spectral domain.
Optimisation of aerobic fitness development in young athletes

Aerobic fitness is important for most team sport players. However, the trainability of aerobic fitness using different approaches in developmental players, accounting for player maturation, is not well understood. Given the additional importance of technical and tactical skill acquisition for developing team sport players, the design, manipulation and quantification of responses and adaptations to small-sided games (SSG) could help reveal optimal training and prescription strategies for young players. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis was to design and determine appropriate training approaches for the development of aerobic fitness in young athletes. Firstly, a novel SSG was developed and thereafter a series of studies were undertaken to examine the effect of various SSG designs and training regimes on the physiological, movement and technical characteristics and performance variables in young players aged 12 to 14 years. Data revealed that players travelled further and at higher overall speeds, experienced higher physiological workloads, and performed more successful technical executions during non sport-specific SSG compared with a sport-specific equivalent. During the non sportspecific SSG, fewer player numbers (i.e. 3 vs. 3) provided a higher stimulus for aerobic fitness adaptation and improved technical executions compared with 4 vs. 4 and 6 vs. 6 games. Higher physiological loads were elicited during continuous 3 vs. 3 SSGs balanced for team selection and players travelled further at higher speeds during balanced games. Balanced and unbalanced team selections, and continuous and intermittent regimes, were interchanged without affecting the quantity and quality of technical executions. However, while manipulation of SSG rules reduced exercise intensity, the quality and quantity of technical executions was increased. The addition of inter-game high-intensity interval running elicited higher player external load and increased the distance travelled at higher running speeds. Perceptual response of players was influenced by external load of the various SSG formats more so than internal load.
Behavioural and Neurochemical Consequences of MDMA Self-Administration in Rats

Rationale: Over the past few decades, MDMA has been shown to produce persistent detrimental effects. Animal models have been developed to investigate the effects of self-administered drugs on brain and behaviour, but only a limited number of studies have investigated effects of MDMA. Objectives: The present thesis sought to determine the effects of MDMA self-administration on working memory and tissue levels of 5HT in rats. The role of the 5HT₁ₐ autoreceptor in MDMA-produced deficits in tissue levels of 5HT was also evaluated using neurochemical and behavioural assays. Methods: Rats self-administered a total of 165mg/kg MDMA, and were then tested in the Novel Object Recognition (NOR) task 1 week or 9 weeks following the last session of MDMA self-administration. Tissue levels of 5HT were measured in separate groups of rats, following self-administration of a total dose of 165mg/kg or 315mg/kg. 8-OH-DPAT-induced lower lip retraction (LLR) was measured in rats 2 weeks following either self-administered (315mg/kg) or experimenter-administered (40mg/kg) MDMA. In subsequent studies, chronic 8-OH-DPAT (daily injections over 7 days; 1.0mg/kg/day), chronic trazodone (continuous infusion over 14 days via osmotic minipump; 10mg/kg/day) and tryptophan loading (oral administration over 7 days; 125mg/day via gavaging needle) were administered after MDMA treatment (either self-administered; 315mg/kg or experimenter-administered; 40mg/kg) and tissue levels of 5HT were measured. Results: Self-administered MDMA produced deficits in NOR that recovered 10 weeks following self-administration. There was a small decrease in tissue levels of 5HT at both 2 weeks and 10 weeks following the low dose of self-administered MDMA. Two weeks following the high dose, tissue levels of 5HT were decreased by about 30% in all brain regions examined, and there was recovery 10 weeks following exposure. 8-OH-DPAT-induced LLR was unchanged in MDMA-treated rats. Furthermore, none of the treatments restored tissue levels of 5HT following MDMA exposure, even though the treatment (chronic 8-OH-DPAT) shifted the basal 8-OH-DPAT-induced LLR curve to the right, suggesting autoreceptor desensitisation. Conclusions: Self-administered MDMA produced deficits in NOR, which may reflect impaired attention, encoding, novelty seeking or other cognitive processes. Dose- and time-dependent deficits in tissue levels of 5HT were modest compared to those produced by experimenter-administered MDMA. Therefore, MDMA self-administration may be important for pre-clinical investigation of long-term consequences of MDMA. The findings are not consistent with the idea that the 5HT₁ₐ autoreceptor became supersensitive as a result of MDMA exposure, and it is therefore not a viable pharmacological target for restoring tissue levels of 5HT.
An exploration of Chinese EFL students' emotional intelligence and foreign language anxiety.

This study examined 510 Chinese students' emotional intelligence (EI) and English classroom learning anxiety at three universities in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. Results obtained from the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) showed the following results: (a) More than half of the Chinese college students possessed a middle to high level of EI and at least one third experienced language anxiety in English class; (b) Moderate to relatively strong associations were found among students' EI, foreign language anxiety (FLA), English achievement, and self-rated English proficiency; (c) FLA had a significant and partial mediating effect on EI in predicting students' English achievement; and (d) FLA also significantly and partially mediated the relationship between EI and self-rated English proficiency. Results and implications are discussed in the context of the importance of emotional factors affecting the learning of English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Predicting behavior problems in deaf and hearing children: The influences of language, attention, and parent–child communication

Abstract The development of language and communication may play an important role in the emergence of behavioral problems in young children, but they are rarely included in predictive models of behavioral development. In this study, cross-sectional relationships between language, attention, and behavior problems were examined using parent report, videotaped observations, and performance measures in a sample of 116 severely and profoundly deaf and 69 normally hearing children ages 1.5 to 5 years. Secondary analyses were performed on data collected as part of the Childhood Development After Cochlear Implantation Study, funded by the National Institutes of Health. Hearing-impaired children showed more language, attention, and behavioral difficulties, and spent less time communicating with their parents than normally hearing children. Structural equation modeling indicated there were significant relationships between language, attention, and child behavior problems. Language was associated with behavior problems both directly and indirectly through effects on attention. Amount of parent–child communication was not related to behavior problems.
Minimum Dispersion Beamforming for Non-Gaussian Signals

Most of the existing beamforming methods are based on the Minimum Variance (MV) criterion. The MV approach is statistically optimal only when the signal, interferences and the noise are Gaussian-distributed. However, non-Gaussian signals arise in a variety of practical applications. In this paper, Minimum Dispersion Distortionless Response (MDDR) beamforming, which minimizes the -norm of the output while constraining the desired signal response to be unity, is devised for non-Gaussian signals. It is shown that the MDDR beamformer, which implicitly exploits non-Gaussianity, can improve the performance significantly if p <; 2 for sub-Gaussian signals or p <; 2 for super-Gaussian signals. Three efficient algorithms, the Iteratively Reweighted Minimum Variance Distortionless Response (IR-MVDR), complex-valued full Newton's and partial Newton's methods, are developed to solve the resulting ℓp-norm minimization with a linear constraint. Furthermore, the MDDR beamformer with a single constraint is generalized to the Linearly Constrained Minimum Dispersion (LCMD) beamformer with multiple linear constraints, which exhibits robustness against steering vector mismatch. The LCMD beamformer yields significant performance improvement over the conventional Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance (LCMV) beamformer. Simulation results are provided to demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed minimum dispersion beamforming approaches.
Androgen Receptor CAG Repeat Polymorphism and Epigenetic Influence among the South Indian Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

The present study was carried out to assess the role of androgen receptor CAG repeat polymorphism and X chromosome inactivation (XCI) pattern among Indian PCOS women and controls which has not been hitherto explored and also to test the hypothesis that shorter CAG alleles would be preferentially activated in PCOS. CAG repeat polymorphism and X chromosome methylation patterns were compared between PCOS and non-PCOS women. 250 PCOS women and 299 controls were included for this study. Androgen receptor CAG repeat sizes, XCI percentages, and clinical and biochemical parameters were measured. The mean CAG repeat number is similar between the cases (18.74±0.13) and controls (18.73±0.12). The obese PCOS women were significantly more frequent in the <18 and >20 CAG repeat category than the lean PCOS women, yielding a highly significant odds (p = 0.001). Among the women with non-random X-inactivation, alleles with <19 repeats were more frequently activated among cases than controls (p = 0.33). CAG repeat polymorphism by itself cannot be considered as a useful marker for discriminating PCOS. We observed a trend of preferential activation of the shorter allele among the PCOS cases with non random XCI pattern. In the obese PCOS women, this microsatellite variation may account for the hyperandrogenicity to a larger extent than the lean PCOS women.
Exploration of the narrative accounts of South African teachers working in a gang‐violent community in the Western Cape

This article explores the narrative accounts of eight South African high-school teachers working in a gang-violent community in the Western Cape. In April 2002, eight interviews were conducted with eight teachers and transcripts were analysed using the life-story approach. The analysis revealed that the primary stress being experienced by teachers is related to the wider social and political contexts of gang violence in South Africa. In addition, two types of life stories were identified. In stories of reintegration, memories of traumatic events of gang violence had been transformed into meaningful experiences that could be integrated into the course of the teachers’ life. In paralysed stories, episodes of gang violence remained a series of traumatic and random events. The analysis also focused on the effects that these two life stories had on coping, as well as on sense of coherence and social support. The aim of this article is to call attention to the importance of narrative in understanding and laying the groundwork for an intervention to enhance positive coping skills and to prevent post-traumatic stress disorder.
Clean water, sanitation and diarrhoea in Indonesia: Effects of household and community factors

ABSTRACT Diarrhoea is an important health issue in low- and middle-income countries, including Indonesia. We applied a multilevel regression analysis on the Indonesian Demographic and Health Survey to examine the effects of drinking water and sanitation facilities at the household and community level on diarrhoea prevalence among children under five (n = 33,339). The role of the circumstances was explored by studying interactions between the water and sanitation variables and other risk factors. Diarrhoea prevalence was reported by 4820 (14.4%) children, who on average were younger, poorer and were living in a poorer environment. At the household level, piped water was significantly associated with diarrhoea prevalence (OR = 0.797, 95% CI: 0.692–0.918), improved sanitation had no direct effect (OR = 0.992, 95% CI: 0.899–1.096) and water treatment was not related to diarrhoea incidence (OR = 1.106, 95% CI: 0.994–1.232). At the community level, improved water coverage had no direct effect (OR = 1.002, 95% CI: 0.950–1.057) but improved sanitation coverage was associated with lower diarrhoea prevalence (OR = 0.917, 95% CI: 0.843–0.998). Our interaction analysis showed that the protective effects of better sanitation at the community level were increased by better drinking water at the community level. This illustrates the importance of improving both drinking water and sanitation simultaneously.