Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gastrointestinal Colonization with Yeast Species and Candida Septicemia in Very Low Birth Weight Infants

Yeasts may gain entry into the blood via routes such as intubation, intravenous catheterization or by direct persorption from the gut. The latter route becomes important when the numbers of commensal yeasts in the the gut exceeds a threshold which may vary between animal species. In a prospective study utilizing serial, twice weekly quantitative stool cultures during the first 6 weeks of life of 40 very low birth weight infants, we found a threshold of 8 x 106 Candida colony‐forming units/gram of stool. Beyond this threshold 50% of the infants developed gastrointestinal symptoms and 28.5 % developed systemic sepsis within 1 to 3 weeks of heavy colonization. The gastrointestinal colonization rate was 62.5% (25/40) with 66% having Candida colony‐forming units > 8 x 106/g stool.
Rationale and emotion in the selection of influence tactics by managers in conflict with subordinates

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine Koslowsky and Schwarzwald’s (2009) recent conceptualization of the interpersonal power interaction model which assumed that the choice of power tactics in conflict situations is a sequential process including antecedents, mediators, and the choice of influence tactics. The mediation process is the new component of the model, thus the authors tested two potential mediators – perceived damage and negative emotions – in the choice process. Design/methodology/approach – Managers (n=240) were presented with conflict scenarios involving one of their subordinates (low/high performing) and differed by conflict type (relations/task and principle/expediency). They indicated the influence tactics they would utilize in the given situation for gaining compliance and completed a series of questionnaires: perceived damage engendered by disobedience, resultant emotion, cognitive closure, and demographics. Findings – Results indicated that perceived damage, directly and th.
The Sweetest Taboo: Functional Neurobiology of Human Sexuality in Relation to Pleasure

Every organism that is alive today is a direct descendant of one or two ancestors: one in the case of asexual reproduction and two in the case of sexual reproduction. This self-evident truth tells us two things about those ancestors: (i) they reached sexual maturity in a su ciently healthy state and (ii) they actually replicated. These two achievements, individual survival and species survival, are essential for the continuity of life and, as a result, any trait that increases the ability to execute them is favored by natural selection. It is tempting to call these achievements the goals of life, but apparent goals is a safer term to use. Dawkins (1976) remarked that the two apparent goals of life can easily be simpli( ed by regarding the gene as the “atom” of natural selection and replication. Two seemingly rivaling apparent goals of life now become one: individual survival and species survival can both be seen as two di+ erent expression forms of the conservation of an organism’s own genes (abbreviated as COG). The fact that life forms across phyla are as diverse as they are proves that there are many di+ erent solutions to optimize COG. Our own species employs sexual reproduction, a useful COG-optimizing strategy in a variable environment. Another adaptation to a variable environment is a complicated nervous system. In our case, this system is extremely expensive in a metabolic sense: roughly, one-fourth of the total body glucose consumption is bestowed on the nervous system, which constitutes only 2% of the total body weight (see, e.g., Raichle and Mintun, 2006). A system that uses these amounts of energy would never have evolved unless it contributes enormously to COG. The mere fact that both sexual reproduction and a complex nervous system can be regarded as adaptations to achieve COG in an unpredictable environment leads us to the hypothesis that the brain in general and higher brain functions in particular play a decisive role in sexual behavior. These functions include attributing valence, wanting, approach, liking, the development of satiety, and cognition (memory). The peculiar acuteness and intensity of the hedonia associated with successful sexual encounters lead us to choose sex as a model for COG-relevant hedonic/ motivated behaviors. A recent review summarized that the neuronal circuit for pleasure includes the ventral pallidum, the nucleus accumbens, the amygdala, and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) (Leknes and Tracey, 2008). A large number of neuromodulators and hormones are involved in these processes, most notably dopamine and opioids (Berridge, 1996). In this chapter, we will propose a neurobiology of human sexuality by reviewing functional neuroimaging studies and neuropsychological and pharmacoendocrinological anomalies that a+ ect human sexuality. Special reference will be given to the question of which brain parts make sexual activity feel good.
Thermoelectric transport in strained Si and Si/Ge heterostructures

The anisotropic thermoelectric transport properties of bulk silicon strained in the [111]-direction were studied by detailed first-principles calculations focusing on a possible enhancement of the power factor. Electron and hole doping were examined in a broad doping and temperature range. At low temperature and low doping an enhancement of the power factor was obtained for compressive and tensile strain in the electron-doped case and for compressive strain in the hole-doped case. For the thermoelectrically more important high-temperature and high-doping regime a slight enhancement of the power factor was only found under small compressive strain with the power factor overall being robust against applied strain. To extend our findings the anisotropic thermoelectric transport of a [111]-oriented Si/Ge superlattice was investigated. Here, the cross-plane power factor under hole doping was drastically suppressed due to quantum-well effects, while under electron doping an enhanced power factor was found. For this, we state figures of merit of ZT = 0.2 and 1.4 at T = 300 and 900 K for the electron-doped [111]-oriented Si/Ge superlattice. All results are discussed in terms of band structure features.
A General Class of Semiparametric Transformation Frailty Models for Nonproportional Hazards Survival Data

Summary We propose a semiparametrically efficient estimation of a broad class of transformation regression models for nonproportional hazards data. Classical transformation models are to be viewed from a frailty model paradigm, and the proposed method provides a unified approach that is valid for both continuous and discrete frailty models. The proposed models are shown to be flexible enough to model long‐term follow‐up survival data when the treatment effect diminishes over time, a case for which the PH or proportional odds assumption is violated, or a situation in which a substantial proportion of patients remains cured after treatment. Estimation of the link parameter in frailty distribution, considered to be unknown and possibly dependent on a time‐independent covariates, is automatically included in the proposed methods. The observed information matrix is computed to evaluate the variances of all the parameter estimates. Our likelihood‐based approach provides a natural way to construct simple statistics for testing the PH and proportional odds assumptions for usual survival data or testing the short‐ and long‐term effects for survival data with a cure fraction. Simulation studies demonstrate that the proposed inference procedures perform well in realistic settings. Applications to two medical studies are provided.
Effects of Partial Sarcoplasmic Reticulum Calcium Depletion on Calcium Release in Frog Cut Muscle Fibers Equilibrated with 20 mM EGTA

Resting sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca content ([CaSR]R) was varied in cut fibers equilibrated with an internal solution that contained 20 mM EGTA and 0–1.76 mM Ca. SR Ca release and [CaSR]R were measured with the EGTA–phenol red method (Pape et al. 1995. J. Gen. Physiol. 106:259–336). After an action potential, the fractional amount of Ca released from the SR increased from 0.17 to 0.50 when [CaSR]R was reduced from 1,200 to 140 μM. This increase was associated with a prolongation of release (final time constant, from 1–2 to 10–15 ms) and of the action potential (by 1–2 ms). Similar changes in release were observed with brief stimulations to −20 mV in voltage-clamped fibers, in which charge movement (Q cm) could be measured. The peak values of Q cm and the fractional rate of SR Ca release, as well as their ON time courses, were little affected by reducing [CaSR]R from 1,200 to 140 μM. After repolarization, however, the OFF time courses of Q cm and the rate of SR Ca release were slowed by factors of 1.5–1.7 and 6.5, respectively. These and other results suggest that, after action potential stimulation of fibers in normal physiological condition, the increase in myoplasmic free [Ca] that accompanies SR Ca release exerts three negative feedback effects that tend to reduce additional release: (a) the action potential is shortened by current through Ca-activated potassium channels in the surface and/or tubular membranes; (b) the OFF kinetics of Q cm is accelerated; and (c) Ca inactivation of Ca release is increased. Some of these effects of Ca on an SR Ca channel or its voltage sensor appear to be regulated by the value of [Ca] within 22 nm of the mouth of the channel.
Intrinsic Stabilization of Output Rates by Spike-Based Hebbian Learning

We study analytically a model of long-term synaptic plasticity where synaptic changes are triggered by presynaptic spikes, postsynaptic spikes, and the time differences between presynaptic and postsynaptic spikes. The changes due to correlated input and output spikes are quantified by means of a learning window. We show that plasticity can lead to an intrinsic stabilization of the mean firing rate of the postsynaptic neuron. Subtractive normalization of the synaptic weights (summed over all presynaptic inputs converging on a postsynaptic neuron) follows if, in addition, the mean input rates and the mean input correlations are identical at all synapses. If the integral over the learning window is positive, firing-rate stabilization requires a non-Hebbian component, whereas such a component is not needed if the integral of the learning window is negative. A negative integral corresponds to anti-Hebbian learning in a model with slowly varying firing rates. For spike-based learning, a strict distinction between Hebbian and anti-Hebbian rules is questionable since learning is driven by correlations on the timescale of the learning window. The correlations between presynaptic and postsynaptic firing are evaluated for a piecewise-linear Poisson model and for a noisy spiking neuron model with refractoriness. While a negative integral over the learning window leads to intrinsic rate stabilization, the positive part of the learning window picks up spatial and temporal correlations in the input.
PHOTOMETRIC REDSHIFTS AND QUASAR PROBABILITIES FROM A SINGLE, DATA-DRIVEN GENERATIVE MODEL

We describe a technique for simultaneously classifying and estimating the redshift of quasars. It can separate quasars from stars in arbitrary redshift ranges, estimate full posterior distribution functions for the redshift, and naturally incorporate flux uncertainties, missing data, and multi-wavelength photometry. We build models of quasars in flux–redshift space by applying the extreme deconvolution technique to estimate the underlying density. By integrating this density over redshift, one can obtain quasar flux densities in different redshift ranges. This approach allows for efficient, consistent, and fast classification and photometric redshift estimation. This is achieved by combining the speed obtained by choosing simple analytical forms as the basis of our density model with the flexibility of non-parametric models through the use of many simple components with many parameters. We show that this technique is competitive with the best photometric quasar classification techniques—which are limited to fixed, broad redshift ranges and high signal-to-noise ratio data—and with the best photometric redshift techniques when applied to broadband optical data. We demonstrate that the inclusion of UV and NIR data significantly improves photometric quasar–star separation and essentially resolves all of the redshift degeneracies for quasars inherent to the ugriz filter system, even when included data have a low signal-to-noise ratio. For quasars spectroscopically confirmed by the SDSS 84% and 97% of the objects with Galaxy Evolution Explorer UV and UKIDSS NIR data have photometric redshifts within 0.1 and 0.3, respectively, of the spectroscopic redshift; this amounts to about a factor of three improvement over ugriz-only photometric redshifts. Our code to calculate quasar probabilities and redshift probability distributions is publicly available.
World Journal on Educational Technology (WJET)

The academicians listed below have acted as referees since December 2015 for manuscripts in which the review process of which have been completed, as well as for those paper submissions which have been cancelled by the authors for some reason and for those that have been rejected. The editorial board members are grateful to all referees who have contributed to World Journal on Educational Technology. Abdullah Kuzu Anadolu University, Turkey Antonella Carbonaro University of Bologna, Italy Birikim Ozgur Near East University, Cyprus Christine Harmes James Madison University, United States Cigdem Hursen Near East University, Cyprus Hafize Keser Ankara University, Turkey Huseyin Uzunboylu Near East University, Cyprus Murat Tezer Near East University, Cyprus Ray Webster Murdoch University, Australia Sirin Karadeniz Bahcesehir University, Turkey Sonia Maria Suaez-Garaboa University of A Coruna, Spain Steven Ross John Hopkins University, United States Thirusellvan Vandeyar University of Pretoria, South Africa Tse-Kian Neo Multimedia University, Malaysia
Adiponectin, adipocyte fatty acid binding protein, and epidermal fatty acid binding protein: proteins newly identified in human breast milk.

BACKGROUND Breastfeeding may protect children from developing metabolic syndrome and other diseases later in life. We investigated novel proteins in human breast milk that might play a role in this process. METHODS We used ELISA to measure adiponectin, adipocyte and epidermal fatty acid binding proteins (AFABP, EFABP), and leptin concentrations in human breast milk obtained from 59 mothers 48 h after initiation of lactation. Using a questionnaire and medical records, we collected information about the mothers and newborns. RESULTS Mean (SE) adiponectin concentrations in breast milk were 13.7 (0.8), range 3.9-30.4 microg/L; AFABP concentrations 26.7 (4.4), range 1.2-137.0 microg/L; EFABP concentrations 18.1 (1.4), range 0.8-47.0 microg/L; and leptin concentrations 0.50 (0.05), range 0-1.37 microg/L. We found a significant correlation between AFABP and EFABP concentrations (r = 0.593, P <0.0001). Maternal EFABP concentrations were significantly higher in mothers who delivered boys than in those who delivered girls [21.7 (2.3) vs 15.4 (1.7) microg/L, P = 0.028] and correlated with newborn birth weight (r = 0.266, P = 0.045). Maternal leptin correlated with body weight before pregnancy (r = 0.272, P = 0.043) and at delivery (r = 0.370, P = 0.005), body mass index before pregnancy (r = 0.397, P = 0.003) and at delivery (r = 0.498, P <0.0001), body weight gain during pregnancy (r = 0.267, P = 0.047), and newborn gestational age (r = 0.266, P = 0.048). Leptin was significantly lower in mothers who delivered preterm vs term babies [0.30 (0.09) vs 0.60 (0.05) ug/L, P = 0.026]. CONCLUSIONS Concentrations of adiponectin, AFABP, and EFABP in human breast milk are related to nutritional variables of mothers and newborns and thus may play a role in the protective effects of breastfeeding.
Association between Community Ambulation Walking Patterns and Cognitive Function in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: Further Insights into Motor-Cognitive Links

Background. Cognitive function is generally evaluated based on testing in the clinic, but this may not always reflect real-life function. We tested whether parameters derived from long-term, continuous monitoring of gait are associated with cognitive function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods. 107 patients with PD (age: 64.9 ± 9.3 yrs; UPDRS motor sum “off”: 40.4 ± 13.2; 25.23% women) wore a 3D accelerometer on their lower back for 3 days. Computerized measures of global cognitive function, executive function, attention, and nonverbal memory were assessed. Three-day acceleration derived measures included cadence, variability, bilateral coordination, and dynamic postural control. Associations between the acceleration derived measures and cognitive function were determined. Results. Linear regression showed associations between vertical gait variability and cadence and between global cognitive score, attention, and executive function (p ≤ 0.048). Dynamic postural control was associated with global cognitive score and attention (p ≤ 0.027). Nonverbal memory was not associated with the acceleration-derived measures. Conclusions. These findings suggest that metrics derived from a 3-day worn body-fixed sensor reflect cognitive function, further supporting the idea that the gait pattern may be altered as cognition declines and that gait provides a window into cognitive function in patients with PD.
Orthographic Activation in L2 Spoken Word Recognition Depends on Proficiency: Evidence from Eye-Tracking

The use of orthographic and phonological information in spoken word recognition was studied in a visual world task where L1 Finnish learners of L2 French (n = 64) and L1 French native speakers (n = 24) were asked to match spoken word forms with printed words while their eye movements were recorded. In Experiment 1, French target words were contrasted with competitors having a longer ( vs. ) or a shorter word initial phonological overlap ( vs. ) and an identical orthographic overlap. In Experiment 2, target words were contrasted with competitors of either longer ( vs. ) or shorter word initial orthographic overlap ( vs. ) and of an identical phonological overlap. A general phonological effect was observed in the L2 listener group but not in the L1 control group. No general orthographic effects were observed in the L2 or L1 groups, but a significant effect of proficiency was observed for orthographic overlap over time: higher proficiency L2 listeners used also orthographic information in the matching task in a time-window from 400 to 700 ms, whereas no such effect was observed for lower proficiency listeners. These results suggest that the activation of orthographic information in L2 spoken word recognition depends on proficiency in L2.
Physiological Hyperinsulinemia Has No Detectable Effect on Access of Macromolecules to Insulin-Sensitive Tissues in Healthy Humans

OBJECTIVE—Physiologically elevated insulin concentrations promote access of macromolecules to skeletal muscle in dogs. We investigated whether insulin has a stimulating effect on the access of macromolecules to insulin-sensitive tissues in humans as well. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—In a randomized, controlled trial, euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamp (1.2 mU · kg−1 · min−1 insulin) and saline control experiments were performed in 10 healthy volunteers (aged 27.5 ± 4 years, BMI 22.6 ± 1.6 kg/m2). Distribution and clearance parameters of inulin were determined in a whole-body approach, combining primed intravenous infusion of inulin with compartment modeling. Inulin kinetics were measured in serum using open-flow microperfusion in interstitial fluid of femoral skeletal muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue. RESULTS—Inulin kinetics in serum were best described using a three-compartment model incorporating a serum and a fast and a slow equilibrating compartment. Inulin kinetics in interstitial fluid of peripheral insulin-sensitive tissues were best represented by the slow equilibrating compartment. Serum and interstitial fluid inulin kinetics were comparable between the insulin and saline groups. Qualitative analysis of inulin kinetics was confirmed by model-derived distribution and clearance parameters of inulin. Physiological hyperinsulinemia (473 ± 6 vs. 18 ± 2 pmol/l for the insulin and saline group, respectively; P < 0.001) indicated no effect on distribution volume (98.2 ± 6.2 vs. 102.5 ± 5.7 ml/kg; NS) or exchange parameter (217.6 ± 34.2 vs. 243.1 ± 28.6 ml/min; NS) of inulin to peripheral insulin-sensitive tissues. All other parameters identified by the model were also comparable between the groups. CONCLUSIONS—Our data suggest that in contrast to studies performed in dogs, insulin at physiological concentrations does not augment recruitment of insulin-sensitive tissues in healthy humans.
From service coordination to recovery -of -function phenomenon: A paradigmatic case study of one school district's efforts to improve outcomes for students with brain injury

of Dissertation From Service Coordination to Recovery-of-Function Phenomenon: A Paradigmatic Case Study of One School District's Efforts to Improve Outcomes for Students With Brain Injury The purpose of this single case research study was to (a) develop an in-depth understanding of how services for students with brain injury are coordinated within a single school district; and (b) to describe the elements of a coordinated system of services and supports for students with brain injury within a school district. The district chosen was San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) in CA. Using Bronfenbrenner’s (1992, 1993) ecological systems theory as the framework to guide this case study other key constructs such as service coordination, environmental enrichment, and the recovery-offunction phenomenon also guided the conceptual framework of this study. This study sought to answer (a) How is the system of coordination structured and how processes are employed within the district? (b) What was the motivation behind coordinating a system of services? (c) Is there evidence that the service coordination model delivers services in accordance with prevailing standards of coordination? (d) How does student information transfer throughout the system to support instruction? and (e) What lessons can be learned about service coordination for students with brain injury? A combined methodology of qualitative and quantitative data consisting of site visits, interviews, document analysis, and survey questions were analyzed using the eight HRSA standards as a framework to interpret the data. The HRSA standards are a quality services as set forth in the Traumatic Brain Injury Program (PL 104-166, 1996), which was reauthorized in 2000 as PL 106-31. In addition to using the HRSA standards as a
The Study of Teachers' Self-Efficacy, Job Satisfaction, Life Satisfaction and Burnout

This study aims at investigating the relationship between the self-efficacy, job satisfactions, life satisfactions and burnout of teachers. Moreover, it was also studied that whether their level of selfefficacy, job satisfactions, life satisfaction and burnout differentiate according to some demographic variables. The sample of research consists of 349 class and branch teachers; %33,5 (n= 117) participants are men and % 66.5 (n= 232) participants are women. Result indicated that self-efficacy (efficacy for student engagement, efficacy for instructional strategies, the efficacy for class management) has statistically significant positive relationship with teachers’ job and life satisfactions, and has a negative relationship with their burnout. Moreover, some differences in teachers’ selfefficacy, job and life satisfaction, burnout were determined according to some demographic variables. SUMMARY