Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Poststroke Depression: An 18-Month Follow-Up

Background and Purpose— This prospective study was designed to examine the course, associates, and predictors of depressive symptoms during the first 18 months after stroke. Methods— A total of 100 patients were followed up for 18 months after stroke. Depressive symptoms were assessed at 2 weeks and 2, 6, 12, and 18 months after stroke with the Beck Depression Inventory and the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, and diagnoses were performed using criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Third Edition-Revised. Stroke severity was assessed with the Scandinavian Stroke Scale and cognitive functions with a comprehensive neuropsychological battery. Patients participated in a randomized clinical trial of antidepressive medication. Results— In all, 54% of patients felt at least mildly depressive at some time during the follow-up; 46% of those who were depressive during the first 2 months were also depressive at 12 and/or 18 months. Only 12% of patients were depressive for the first time at 12 or 18 months. The male sex was associated with a more negative change in depressive symptoms during the follow-up. Older age was associated with depressive symptoms during the first 2 months, stroke severity from 6 to 12 months, and the male sex at 18 months. Depressive symptoms were unrelated to the lesion location. Conclusions— Depressive symptoms are frequent and they often have a chronic course. Depression is associated with stroke severity and functional impairment, and with the male sex at 18 months. Attention should be focused on the long-term prognosis of mood disturbances and adaptation.
The Development of Reference Realization and Narrative in an Australian Contact Language, Wumpurrarni English

The development of narrative skill has been investigated extensively in a wide range of languages, cross-linguistically and in multilingual settings (Berman and Slobin, 1994b; Severing and Verhoeven, 2001; Hickmann, 2004; Strömqvist and Verhoeven, 2004). The present study investigates the development of reference realization in narrative among Indigenous children in a remote urban township in Central Australia. The children, aged between 5 and 14 years, are speakers of a contact language, Wumpurrarni English. Language development is rarely investigated among speakers of minority languages, whose language development is often appraised in the majority language, with little attention to language performance in the speaker's home variety. The present study addresses this gap through a fine-grained qualitative analysis of the development of reference in narrative, drawing on a complex stimulus and a model of discourse strategy. The results show (a) a developmental trajectory similar to that found in other languages, with children aged eight and under producing simpler and less globally organized narratives than older speaker groups, and (b) vulnerability to the changing demands of the stimulus among these younger speakers. In addition, a subset of narrations were produced in “school variety,” a style more like Standard Australian English. The results for this set showed that the narrative content and global organization of the productions by 10- and 12-year-olds were more similar to the productions of younger children, than like-aged speakers, who narrated in their home variety. Analysis of speaker responses to two factors of complexity, the stimulus and code choice, illuminated mechanisms for discourse production and development, and suggest that constructing discourse requires co-ordination of an underlying schema and on-line construction of a particular story, through the deployment of linguistic devices in a particular narrative context. The analysis showed that these two skills are tightly interdependent, and indeed co-constructing.
Agrobacterium rhizogenes-Mediated Transformation of Hypericum tomentosum L. and Hypericum tetrapterum Fries.

This is the fi rst evidence on successful Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated genetic transformation of two species from the genus Hypericum, H. tomentosum L. and H. tetrapterum Fries. Hairy root cultures were induced from root segments of both Hypericum species by two agropine wild-type strains of A. rhizogenes, ATCC 15834 and A4. The transgenic character of the hairy root cultures was proved by PCR amplifi cation of the rolABCD genes. In some H. tetrapterum transgenic lines aux genes were detected as well.
On a novel hybrid LQ-MCS control scheme

LQ optimal controllers are widely used in many applications as they provide a simple and effective solution to optimal control problems. There are many examples in the literature that show the lack of robustness of such controllers when the process is subject to parameter variations or when some dynamics are neglected. The main idea behind the approach is to seek a simple and alternative route to implement the LQ regulator via the MCS algorithm which is effective also in those practical cases when the LQ action itself fails. The stability of the proposed control schemes is proved and the performance on a representative example shows the effectiveness of the approach.
Gene-Specific Assessment of Guanine Oxidation as an Epigenetic Modulator for Cardiac Specification of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Epigenetics have essential roles in development and human diseases. Compared to the complex histone modifications, epigenetic changes on mammalian DNA are as simple as methylation on cytosine. Guanine, however, can be oxidized as an epigenetic change which can undergo base-pair transversion, causing a genetic difference. Accumulating evidence indicates that reactive oxygen species (ROS) are important signaling molecules for embryonic stem cell (ESC) differentiation, possibly through transient changes on genomic DNA such as 7,8-dihydro-8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG). Technical limitations on detecting such DNA modifications, however, restrict the investigation of the role of 8-oxoG in ESC differentiation. Here, we developed a Hoogsteen base pairing-mediated PCR-sequencing assay to detect 8-oxoG lesions that can subsequently cause G to T transversions during PCR. We then used this assay to assess the epigenetic and transient 8-oxoG formation in the Tbx5 gene of R1 mouse ESCs subjected to oxidative stress by removing 2-mercaptoethanol (2ME) from the culture media. To our surprise, significantly higher numbers of 8-oxoG-mediated G∙C to C∙G transversion, not G∙C to T∙A, were detected at 7th and 9th base position from the transcription start site of exon 1 of Tbx5 in ESCs in the (-)2ME than (+)2ME group (p < 0.05). This was consistent with the decrease in the amount of amplifiable of DNA harboring the 8-oxoG lesions at the Tbx5 promoter region in the oxidative stressed ESCs. The ESCs responded to oxidative stress, possibly through the epigenetic effects of guanine oxidation with decreased proliferation (p < 0.05) and increased formation of beating embryoid bodies (EBs; p < 0.001). Additionally, the epigenetic changes of guanine induced up-regulation of Ogg1 and PolB, two base excision repairing genes for 8-oxoG, in ESCs treated with (-)2ME (p < 0.01). Together, we developed a gene-specific and direct quantification assay for guanine oxidation. Using oxidative stressed mouse ESCs, we validated this assay and assessed the epigenetic effects of 8-oxoG by studying expression of DNA repair genes, ESC proliferation, and EB formation.
Exploring the role of working memory and understanding educational underachievement in anxiety and depression.

Research has shown that high levels of emotion are associated with lowered academic performance. However, the mechanisms involved in this relationship are as yet unclear. One potentially important process is the disruption of working memory. Building on previous research such as Wine (1971) and Sarason (Sarason, 1984), Eysenck and Calvo (1992) formulated a processing efficiency theory (PET) to account for the disruptive effects of anxiety on cognitive task performance. Briefly, PET suggests that anxiety can have the effect of reducing cognitive storage and processing resources in the working memory system. One effect is a reduction in task effectiveness, or the accuracy of performance. H.C. Ellis and colleagues have proposed a similar model, the resource allocation model, with special reference to depressed mood (e.g. Ellis & Moore, 1999). Under both theoretical frameworks, the negative effects of emotion are assumed to be most clearly seen on complex cognitive tasks. In addition, the negative effects of anxiety on performance are thought to be most pronounced under stressful conditions. This thesis explored the relationship between emotion, working memory and academic performance in an attempt to further understand the processes involved in educational underachievement in anxiety and depression. The first empirical investigation reported in Chapter Three was an initial step in testing the simple relationship between three emotions (trait anxiety, depression and test anxiety) and academic performance measures. Consistent with previous research moderate negative relationships were found between the two constructs. Chapter Four showed that working memory partially mediated the negative trait anxiety-academic performance relationship. Chapter Five replicated the mediation hypothesis also incorporating depression and test anxiety. A moderated mediation hypothesis was also tested. That is, that the negative links between emotion, working memory and academic performance were shown to be most pronounced when stress reactivity was high. Chapter Six replicated these moderated mediation results and tested an emotion x working memory interaction hypothesis that suggested that those with high emotion and low working memory were the poorest academic performers. Chapter Seven evaluated the moderated mediation and interaction hypotheses in a longitudinal study which allowed for some preliminary conclusions to be made concerning causality. It was shown that emotion was negatively associated with academic performance via verbal working memory over time when stress reactivity was high. Over time, high emotion and low working memory in combination were associated with lower academic performance. In Chapter Eight, the implications of the findings in this thesis for theory and practice were discussed.
Reactive Oxygen Species-Dependent Activation of Bax and Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 Is Required for Mitochondrial Cell Death Induced by Triterpenoid Pristimerin in Human Cervical Cancer Cells

Naturally occurring triterpenoid compounds have long been used as anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, and insecticidal agents. It has become evident that some of the natural or synthetic triterpenoids have promising clinical potential as both a therapeutic and chemopreventive agent for cancer. However, the molecular basis for the antitumor activity of triterpenoid has yet to be defined. In this study, we show that pristimerin, a natural triterpenoid, induces mitochondrial cell death in human cervical cancer cells and that reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent activation of both Bax and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is critically required for the mitochondrial dysfunction. We also showed that c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) is involved in ROS-dependent Bax activation. Treatment of pristimerin induced an increase in intracellular ROS, JNK activation, conformational change, and mitochondrial redistribution of Bax, mitochondrial membrane potential loss, and cell death. The PARP-1 was also found to be activated by pristimerin treatment. An antioxidant, N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC), inhibited pristimerin-induced JNK activation, Bax relocalization, and PARP-1 activation, as well as mitochondrial cell death. Moreover, inhibition of JNK clearly suppressed conformational change and mitochondrial translocation of Bax and subsequent mitochondrial cell death but did not affect PARP-1 activation. Inhibition of PARP-1 with 1,5-dihydroxyisoquinoline (DIQ) or with small interfering RNA of PARP-1 significantly attenuated pristimerin-induced mitochondrial membrane potential loss and cell death but did not affect JNK activation and Bax relocalization. These results indicate that the natural triterpenoid pristimerin induces mitochondrial cell death through ROS-dependent activation of both Bax and PARP-1 in human cervical cancer cells and that JNK is involved in ROS-dependent Bax activation.
Practical stability issues in CMAC neural network control systems

The CMAC neural network is a practical tool for improving existing nonlinear control systems. A typical simulation study is used to clearly demonstrate that the CMAC can effectively reduce tracking error, but can also destabilize a control system which is otherwise stable. Then quantitative studies are presented to search for the cause of instability in the CMAC control system. Based on these studies, methods are discussed to improve system stability. Experimental results on controlling a real world system is provided to support the findings in simulations.
The evolution of quality management in DOKPY, Magnesia – Greece: from basic quality initiatives to EFQM

Quality of services has recently attracted the attention of customers and companies. ISO 9001 (2000) and, lately, EFQM excellence model (EFQM) contribute significantly to its improvement. Our paper presents the course of an organisation offering social services (DOKPY) in the 'world of quality'. DOKPY has been initially introduced to quality issues through the use of basic quality techniques and tools, according to the spirit of ISO 9001 (2000). Then, the organisation has decided to follow the procedure of conformance to the 1st level of Excellence of EFQM, mainly by improving three areas of the organisation's operation according to the criteria of EFQM. We illustrate both the actions taken and the manipulations that have been necessary to overcome the difficulties that came up. It is our belief that the experience of this process can be pilot for any similar effort in the service sector.
Wireless-Powered Two-Way Relaying with Power Splitting-Based Energy Accumulation

This paper investigates a wireless-powered two-way relay network (WP-TWRN), in which two sources exchange information with the aid of one amplify-and-forward (AF) relay. Contrary to the conventional two-way relay networks, we consider the scenario that the AF relay has no embedded energy supply, and it is equipped with an energy harvesting unit and rechargeable battery. As such, it can accumulate the energy harvested from both sources' signals before helping forwarding their information. In this paper, we develop a power splitting-based energy accumulation (PS-EA) scheme for the considered WP-TWRN. To determine whether the relay has accumulated sufficient energy, we set a predefined energy threshold for the relay. When the accumulated energy reaches the threshold, relay splits the received signal power into two parts, one for energy harvesting and the other for information forwarding. If the stored energy at the relay is below the threshold, all the received signal power will be accumulated at the relay's battery. By modeling the finite-capacity battery of relay as a finite-state Markov Chain (MC), we derive a closed-form expression for the system throughput of the proposed PS-EA scheme over Nakagami-m fading channels. Numerical results validate our theoretical analysis and show that the proposed PS-EA scheme outperforms the conventional time switching- based energy accumulation (TS-EA) scheme and the existing power splitting schemes without energy accumulation.
Renal function immediately after contralateral nephrectomy: relation to the mechanism of compensatory kidney growth.

After one kidney is removed, its mate enlarges and gradually increases in function to approach the combined capacity of both kidneys prior to nephrectomy. To date, substantial information on the chemical and morphological changes that follow reduction of renal mass has been accumulated. 'z By contrast, the nature of the mechanisms that initiate and sustain compensatory kidney growth remains unknown. Two hypotheses are usually invoked to explain this phenomenon. The first, for which there is growing supporting evidence, attributes the compensatory growth of the kidneys to changes in the concentration of an organ-specific humoral substance that controls renal mass.6" According to the alternative theory, enlargement of the remaining kidney is due to the increased work load the smaller renal mass is now called upon to perform. "~
Understanding and Addressing Moral Distress

Moral distress occurs when one knows the ethically correct action to take but feels powerless to take that action. Research on moral distress among nurses has identified that the sources of moral distress are many and varied and that the experience of moral distress leads some nurses to leave their jobs, or the profession altogether. This article considers both moral distress and moral residue, a consequence of unresolved moral distress. First, we will explain the phenomenon of moral distress by providing an historical overview, identifying common sources, and describing strategies for recognizing moral distress. Next we will address moral residue and the crescendo effect associated with moral residue. We will conclude by considering ways to address moral distress and the benefits of a moral distress consult service.
Revising The Body Esteem Scale For The Next Quarter Century

REVISING THE BODY ESTEEM SCALE FOR THE NEXT QUARTER CENTURY Katherine A. Frost, M.S. Marquette University, 2013 Recently, Frost, Franzoi and Oswald (2012) found evidence suggesting that the way individuals evaluate their physical selves, also called body esteem, may have changed over the past quarter century. The findings were particularly strong regarding men’s self-evaluations. Because Frost et al.’s (2012) findings focused on the Body Esteem Scale (BES: Franzoi & Shields, 1984), which is a measure that captures dimensions uniquely important to adult self-perception and physical evaluation within a multidimensional and gender-specific framework, one obvious implication of this study is that the BES may need revising in order to remain as current and relevant as possible. With that goal in mind, a series of principal components analyses of the BES responses of 315 women and 353 men were conducted. Results indicated that an addition of a fourth sexuality component, as well as some item level changes were necessary in order for the BES to retain its cultural validity as a body esteem measure in the 21 century for men and women. Strong internal consistency was demonstrated for each revised subscale. New norms and subscale correlations were also computed. Finally, the associations between the revised BES subscales and measures of validity provided further support that the revised BES measures meaningful and important body constructs for women and men, and should continue to do so for the next several years. Cultural implications reflected in BES item changes, and future directions are discussed.
A Hoare-Style Calculus with Explicit State Updates

We present a verification system for a variant of Hoare-logic that supports proving by forward symbolic execution. In addition, no explicit weakening rules are needed and first-order reasoning is automated. The system is suitable for teaching program verification, becaus et he student can concentrate on reasoning about programs following their natural control flow and proofs are machine-checked.
SAMPLING, FEASIBILITY, AND PRIORS IN DATA ASSIMILATION

Importance sampling algorithms are discussed in detail, with an emphasis on implicit sampling, and applied to data assimilation via particle filters. Implicit sampling makes it possible to use the data to find high-probability samples at relatively low cost, making the assimilation more efficient. A new analysis of the feasibility of data assimilation is presented, showing in detail why feasibility depends on the Frobenius norm of the covariance matrix of the noise and not on the number of variables. A discussion of the convergence of particular particle filters follows. A major open problem in numerical data assimilation is the determination of appropriate priors; a progress report on recent work on this problem is given. The analysis highlights the need for a careful attention both to the data and to the physics in data assimilation problems.
The presence of a dnaK (HSP70) multigene family in members of the orders Planctomycetales and Verrucomicrobiales

Sequences of the dnaK gene, coding for the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70), were determined for six members of the order Planctomycetales, including representatives of three genera, and for the only cultivated member of the order Verrucomicrobiales, Verrucomicrobium spinosum. A fragment of the dnaK gene was amplified from these strains by PCR with oligonucleotide primers targeting regions of the dnaK gene that are conserved at the amino acid level, and the resulting PCR products were cloned into a plasmid vector. Sequence analysis of the cloned dnaK fragments revealed the presence of two different types of dnaK sequence in one of the planctomycete strains, Planctomyces maris, and in V. spinosum. Only one type of dnaK sequence was found for each of the remaining strains. Phylogenetic analysis of the partial sequence data suggested that the majority of planctomycete strains, including one of the Planctomyces maris sequences, form a coherent phylogenetic group branching adjacent to other main lines of descent within the domain Bacteria, as has been shown previously by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. One of the two V. spinosum dnaK sequences also appears to constitute a separate lineage within the gram-negative bacteria. Each of the remaining sequences from P. maris and V. spinosum, together with the single sequence obtained from Planctomyces limnophilus, appeared to be unrelated to the other planctomycete sequences and to occupy a position distant from that of other gram-negative bacteria. The phylogenetic diversity of dnaK sequences exhibited by P. maris and V. spinosum was comparable to that found in Synechococcus sp. strain PCC7942 and Escherichia coli, the only other prokaryotes for which a dnaK multigene family has been demonstrated.
Sports and peripheral nerve injuries: Report of 190 injuries evaluated in a single electromyography laboratory

We retrospectively reviewed electrodiagnostic studies performed on 169 athletes with 190 sports injuries to nerve fibers. Eighty‐eight percent of the injuries were to the upper extremity. Athletes participated in 27 sports, but over one third of injuries were sustained playing football. The most common injuries were burners (n = 38) and cervical radiculopathies (n = 18), followed by median (n = 28), axillary (n = 22), ulnar (n = 19), suprascapular (n = 14), and peroneal (n = 11) mononeuropathies. This is the largest reported series of sports‐related nerve injuries. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 21:1092–1094, 1998.
Predictors of preoperative MRI for breast cancer: differences by data source.

AIM Investigate how the results of predictive models of preoperative MRI for breast cancer change based on available data. MATERIALS & METHODS A total of 1919 insured women aged ≥18 with stage 0-III breast cancer diagnosed 2002-2009. Four models were compared using nested multivariable logistic, backwards stepwise regression; model fit was assessed via area under the curve (AUC), R2. RESULTS MRI recipients (n = 245) were more recently diagnosed, younger, less comorbid, with higher stage disease. Significant variables included: Model 1/Claims (AUC = 0.76, R2 = 0.10): year, age, location, income; Model 2/Cancer Registry (AUC = 0.78, R2 = 0.12): stage, breast density, imaging indication; Model 3/Medical Record (AUC = 0.80, R2 = 0.13): radiologic recommendations; Model 4/Risk Factor Survey (AUC = 0.81, R2 = 0.14): procedure count. CONCLUSION Clinical variables accounted for little of the observed variability compared with claims data.