Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
When seeking influences believing and promotes posttraumatic adaptation

Background: Theory and evidence link social support processes and self-efficacy appraisals in the promotion of adaptation following traumatic events. Dynamic causal processes, however, have not been examined longitudinally or in the context of mass-violence. This study tested whether quantity of social support seeking indirectly reduced distress severity among student survivors of mass university shootings. Hypotheses specified that the indirect effects of social support seeking on distress severity would occur through positively influencing perceived social support and self-efficacy, and that these effects would emerge and become stronger as posttraumatic stress symptom severity increased. Design: Path analysis via Mplus 7.2 was used to test the hypothesized moderated-serial-mediation model (conditional indirect effects). Methods: The sample (N = 1191) consisted of students enrolled at Virginia Tech during the 16 April 2007 shootings. Data were collected via online surveys at two time points, 3–4 months and 1-year post-shootings. Results: Hypotheses were supported, showing that the indirect effects of social support seeking on distress reduction occurred through perceived social support, which in turn influenced self-efficacy. These effects emerged and grew in strength as PTS severity increased. Conclusions: Clinical implications, including the need to consider contextual determinants of posttraumatic recovery, are discussed.
Exercise and hypertension.

testing may be warranted, especially for men over 45 and women over 55 yr planning a vigorous exercise program (i.e., (cid:1) 60% ˙VO 2 R, oxygen uptake reserve). In the interim, while formal evaluation and management are taking place, it is reasonable for the majority of patients to begin moderate intensity exercise training (40– (cid:1) 60% ˙VO 2 R) such as walking. When pharmacologic therapy is indicated in physically active people it should, ideally: a) lower BP at rest and during exertion; b) decrease total peripheral resistance; and, c) not adversely affect exercise capacity. For these reasons, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors (or angiotensin II receptor blockers in case of ACE inhibitor intolerance) and calcium channel blockers are currently the drugs of choice for recreational exercisers and athletes who have HTN. Exercise remains a cornerstone therapy for the primary prevention, treatment, and control of HTN. The optimal training frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) need to be better defined to optimize the BP lowering capacities of exercise, particularly in children, women, older adults, and certain ethnic groups. Based upon the current evidence, the following exercise prescription is recommended for those with high BP: Frequency: on most, preferably all, days of the week
End-User Perspectives on the Uptake of Computer Supported Cooperative Working

Researchers in Information Systems have produced a rich collection of meta-analyses and models to further understanding of factors influencing the uptake of information technologies. In the domain of CSCW, however, these models have largely been neglected, and while there are many case studies, no systematic account of uptake has been produced. We use findings from Information Systems research to structure a meta-analysis of uptake issues as reported in CSCW case studies, supplemented by a detailed re-examination of one of our own case studies from this perspective. This shows that while there are some factors which seem to be largely specific to CSCW introductions, many of the case study results are very similar to standard IS findings. We conclude by suggesting how the two communities of researchers might build on each other’s work, and finally propose activity theory as a means of integrating the two perspectives.
A novel role for central ACBP/DBI as a regulator of long‐chain fatty acid metabolism in astrocytes

Acyl‐CoA‐binding protein (ACBP) is a ubiquitously expressed protein that binds intracellular acyl‐CoA esters. Several studies have suggested that ACBP acts as an acyl‐CoA pool former and regulates long‐chain fatty acids (LCFA) metabolism in peripheral tissues. In the brain, ACBP is known as Diazepam‐Binding Inhibitor, a secreted peptide acting as an allosteric modulator of the GABAA receptor. However, its role in central LCFA metabolism remains unknown. In the present study, we investigated ACBP cellular expression, ACBP regulation of LCFA intracellular metabolism, FA profile, and FA metabolism‐related gene expression using ACBP‐deficient and control mice. ACBP was mainly found in astrocytes with high expression levels in the mediobasal hypothalamus. We demonstrate that ACBP deficiency alters the central LCFA‐CoA profile and impairs unsaturated (oleate, linolenate) but not saturated (palmitate, stearate) LCFA metabolic fluxes in hypothalamic slices and astrocyte cultures. In addition, lack of ACBP differently affects the expression of genes involved in FA metabolism in cortical versus hypothalamic astrocytes. Finally, ACBP deficiency increases FA content and impairs their release in response to palmitate in hypothalamic astrocytes. Collectively, these findings reveal for the first time that central ACBP acts as a regulator of LCFA intracellular metabolism in astrocytes.
A light weight traffic source for Web traffic simulation

The inclusion of transmission control protocol (TCP) is necessary for realistic simulations of data networks. However, the operation of HTTP-TCP sources puts a heavy tax on the simulations leading to two major seal ability problems; the resources required by each source put a limit on the total number of sources that can be simulated, and the number of events generated by every simulated connection leads to long simulation times. The scalability problems are major obstacles for realistic simulations of optical networks. In this paper we present a new type of traffic source that generates traffic statistically similar to the traffic produced by a number of HTTP-TCP sources. The source is based upon an integrated packet-session levels model that captures the Web user-behaviour as well as the TCP characteristics. To reduce the number of events we replace TCP's packet -feedback loop with a map-feedback loop. The simple solution eradicates the need for the acknowledgment-traffic flowing in the reverse direction of the data-traffic. To compare, we first generate aggregate traffic from realistic HTTP-TCP sources and then match the traffic generated by the light weight traffic source (LWTS). We show by comparing key traffic statistics that the source qualifies as a good candidate for generating network traffic.
Ant-DSR: Cache Maintenance Based Routing Protocol for Mobile Ad-Hoc Networks

Dynamic source routing (DSR) is a reactive routing protocol designed for mobile ad-hoc networks. It is based on two mechanisms including route discovery and route maintenance. In highly dynamic networks, the surplus use of expired routes in the cache of DSR increases the latency and the frequent diffusion of route request packets consumes bandwidth. Consequently, DSR presents handicap in terms of end- to-end delay and overhead. In this paper, we propose a new routing protocol, called Ant-DSR, which implements a distributed topology discovery mechanism through mobile agents to maintain DSR cache. Implemented and simulated on ns-2, Ant-DSR shows a better resistance in high mobility and huge load environments in comparison to DSR.
Protein Z Gene Polymorphisms, Protein Z Concentrations, and Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— We aimed to determine whether A-13G or G79A polymorphisms of the protein Z gene that have been reported to be an important determinant of blood concentrations of protein Z are associated with risk of ischemic stroke in a broad range of stroke patients and controls. Methods— We conducted a case control study of 151 hospital cases of first-ever ischemic stroke and 164 randomly selected community controls. Protein Z genotype was determined for the A-13G promoter polymorphism and the G79A intron F polymorphism, and plasma protein Z concentrations were measured during the first 7 days and at 3 to 6 months after the acute stroke event. Results— Geometric mean concentrations of protein Z measured within 7 days of acute stroke were significantly higher in cases compared with controls (1.51 &mgr;g/mL versus 1.13 &mgr;g/mL; P<0·0001). Protein Z concentrations were highest among subjects with the A-13G AA genotype, intermediate among those with the AG genotype, and lowest among those with the GG genotype (1.39 &mgr;g/mL versus 1.05 &mgr;g/mL versus 0.76 &mgr;g/mL; P<0.0001); and highest among those with the G79A GG genotype, intermediate among those with the GA genotype, and lowest among those with the AA genotype (1.47 &mgr;g/mL versus 1.13 &mgr;g/mL versus 0.66 &mgr;g/mL; P<0.0001). The prevalence of A-13G and G79A genotypes was not significantly different between cases of ischemic stroke and controls. However, compared with the G79A GG genotype (reference), the odds of ischemic stroke was progressively lower for the heterozygote GA (odds ratio [OR], 0.83; 95% CI, 0.52 to 1.33) and the homozygote AA genotype (OR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.20 to 1.98). A pooled analysis showed that compared with the G79A GG genotype (reference), the odds of ischemic stroke was progressively lower for the heterozygote GA (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.57 to 1.07) and the homozygote AA genotype (OR, 0.31; 95% CI, 0.14 to 0.69). Conclusion— The consistency of the association between protein Z genotypes, blood concentrations of protein Z, and ischemic stroke, determined using 2 different methods that have different sources of bias strengthens the evidence that increased blood concentrations of protein Z concentrations are associated causally with an increased risk of ischemic stroke.
Chronic fatigue syndrome – an update

Background: Chronic fatigue syndrome is a widespread condition with a huge impact not only on a patient’s life, but also on society as evidenced by substantial losses of productivity, informal costs, and medical expenses. The high prevalence rates (0.2–6.4%) and the low employment rates (27–41%) are responsible for the enormous burden imposed on society, with loss of productivity representing the highest cost. The objective of this review is to systematically review the recent literature on chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. Methods: The published literature between 1 January 1990 and 1 April 2015 was searched using the MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, and Web of Sciences databases. The reference lists of the selected articles were screened for other relevant articles. Results and conclusions: Despite extensive research, none of the proposed etiological factors have shown strong, reproducible scientific evidence. Over the years, the biopsychosocial model integrating many of the proposed hypotheses has been gaining popularity over the biomedical model, where the focus is on one physical cause. Since the etiological mechanism underlying chronic fatigue syndrome is currently unknown, disease-specific treatments do not exist. Various treatments have been investigated but only cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) have shown moderate effectiveness.
Menopause Is a Determinant of Breast Adipose Inflammation

Chronic inflammation is recognized as a risk factor for the development of several malignancies. Local white adipose tissue (WAT) inflammation, defined by the presence of dead or dying adipocytes encircled by macrophages that form crown-like structures (CLS), occurs in the breasts (CLS-B) of most overweight and obese women. Previously, we showed that the presence of CLS-B is associated with elevated tissue levels of proinflammatory mediators and aromatase, the rate-limiting enzyme for estrogen biosynthesis. The associated increased levels of aromatase in the breast provide a plausible mechanistic link between WAT inflammation and estrogen-dependent breast cancers. Thus, breast WAT inflammation could be relevant for explaining the high incidence of estrogen-dependent tumors with aging despite diminished circulating estrogen levels after menopause. To explore this possibility, we determined whether menopause in addition to body mass index (BMI) is associated with breast WAT inflammation among 237 prospectively enrolled women. The presence of CLS-B and its severity (CLS-B/cm2) as indicators of WAT inflammation correlated with menopausal status (P = 0.008 and P < 0.001) and BMI (P < 0.001 for both). In multivariable analyses adjusted for BMI, the postmenopausal state was independently associated with the presence (P = 0.03) and severity of breast WAT inflammation (P = 0.01). Mean adipocyte size increased in association with CLS-B (P < 0.001). Our findings demonstrate that breast WAT inflammation, which is associated with elevated aromatase levels, is increased in association with the postmenopausal state independent of BMI. Breast WAT inflammation, a process that can potentially be targeted, may help to explain the high incidence of estrogen-dependent tumors in postmenopausal women. Cancer Prev Res; 8(5); 349–58. ©2015 AACR.
Deaths Associated with Influenza Pandemic of 1918–19, Japan

Current estimates of deaths from the influenza pandemic of 1918–19 in Japan are based on vital records and range from 257,000 to 481,000. The resulting crude death rate range of 0.47%–0.88% is considerably lower than parallel and conservative worldwide estimates of 1.66%–2.77%. Because the accuracy of vital registration records for early 20th century Asia is questionable, to calculate the percentage of the population who died from the pandemic, we used alternative prefecture-level population count data for Japan in combination with estimation methods for panel data that were not available to earlier demographers. Our population loss estimates of 1.97–2.02 million are appreciably higher than the standing estimates, and they yield a crude rate of population loss of 3.62%–3.71%. This rate resolves a major puzzle about the pandemic by indicating that the experience of Japan was similar to that of other parts of Asia.
Savings Constraints and Microenterprise Development: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Kenya

Does limited access to formal savings services impede business growth in poor countries? To shed light on this question, we randomized access to non-interest-bearing bank accounts among two types of self-employed individuals in rural Kenya: market vendors (who are mostly women) and men working as bicycle-taxi drivers. Despite large withdrawal fees, a substantial share of market women used the accounts, were able to save more, and increased their productive investment and private expenditures. We see no impact for bicycle-taxi drivers. These results imply significant barriers to savings and investment for market women in our study context. Further work is needed to understand what those barriers are, and to test whether the results generalize to other types of businesses or individuals.
Non-variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding: clinical, therapeutic and evolution aspects. Comparison between a tertiary medical center and a municipal hospital

Upper gastrointestinal bleeding (UGIB) is one of the most common emergencies in gastroenterology practice. In recent years, the introduction of urgent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy (UGIE) and of the treatment with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) in high doses has resulted in an improvement of the treatment outcome in patients with UGIB, but without a significant improvement in mortality rates. In our study we compared the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic, and prognostic aspects in patients with non-variceal UGIB admitted over a period of one year in a tertiary center where urgent UGIE is a routine procedure and in a municipal hospital where UGIE with endoscopic hemostasis is not available. Patients admitted to the tertiary medical center had more clinical and endoscopic severity factors compared to those from the municipal hospital: they were older, with more frequent intake of NSAIDs, several comorbidities, some of them severe, and more severe posthemorrhagic anemia. The endoscopic examination revealed that active bleeding and stigmata of recent hemorrhage were more frequent in these patients. Urgent UGIE and, where necessary because of lesions, endoscopic hemostasis were performed in most of these patients. Patients admitted to the municipal hospital were treated more frequently with high-dose intravenous PPIs. Patients undergoing urgent UGIE and endoscopic therapy had a shorter duration of hospitalization. However, there were no differences regarding the need for surgery or mortality rates. The results of our study are consistent with the literature.
Analysis of Muscle Activity and Ankle Joint Movement During the Side-Hop Test

Yoshida, M, Taniguchi, K, and Katayose, M. Analysis of muscle activity and ankle joint movement during the side-hop test. J Strength Cond Res 25(8): 2255-2264, 2011—Functional performance tests (FPTs) that consist of movements, such as hopping, landing, and cutting, provide useful measurements. Although some tests have been established for kinematic studies of the knee joint, very few tests have been established for the ankle joint. To use the FPT as a test battery for patients with an ankle sprain, it is necessary to document typical patterns of muscle activation and range of motion (ROM) of the ankle joint during FPTs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the pattern of the ROM of the ankle inversion/eversion and the muscle activity of the peroneus longus muscle (PL) and the tibial anterior muscle (TA) in normal subjects during the side-hop test. To emphasize the characteristics of ROM and electromyography (EMG) at each phase, the side-hop tests were divided into 4 phases: lateral-hop contact phase (LC), lateral-hop flight phase (LF), medial hop contact phase (MC), and medial hop flight phase (MF), and the ROM of ankle inversion/eversion, a peak angle of ankle inversion, and Integral EMG (IEMG) of PL and TA compared among 4 phases. Fifteen male subjects with no symptoms of ankle joint problems participated in this research. The ROM of ankle inversion/eversion during the side-hop test was 27 ± 3.8° (mean ± SD), and there was a significant difference in the ROM of ankle inversion/eversion among 4 phases (p < 0.05). The phase in which the widest ROM was presented was the MF. A peak angle of the ankle inversion at MC was significantly greater than at LC and MF (p <0.05). A peak angle of the ankle inversion at LF was significantly greater than at LC and MF. The PL remained contracting with 50-160% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). The IEMGs of PL in both the contact phases were significantly greater than in both the flight phases (p < 0.05). In addition, the PL activity at LC was significantly greater than at MC. The TA remained contracting at 50-80% of MVC through the side-hop test. The IEMG of TA at both the contact phases was significantly greater than at 2 flight phases. However, there was no significant difference between LC and MF. Results of this study could be useful as basic data when evaluating the validity of the side-hop test for patients with ankle sprain.
Capital Flows to Developing Countries: The Allocation Puzzle

According to the consensus view in growth and development economics, cross country differences in per-capita income largely reflect differences in countries' total factor productivity. We argue that this view has powerful implications for patterns of capital flows: everything else equal, countries with faster productivity growth should invest more, and attract more foreign capital. We then show that the pattern of net capital flows across developing countries is not consistent with this prediction. If anything, capital seems to flow more to countries that invest and grow less. We argue that this result -- which we call the allocation puzzle -- constitutes an important challenge for economic research, and discuss some possible research avenues to solve the puzzle.
Fat Quality Influences the Obesogenic Effect of High Fat Diets

High fat and/or carbohydrate intake are associated with an elevated risk for obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. The harmful effects of a high fat diet could be different, depending on dietary fat quality. In fact, high fat diets rich in unsaturated fatty acids are considered less deleterious for human health than those rich in saturated fat. In our previous studies, we have shown that rats fed a high fat diet developed obesity and exhibited a decrease in oxidative capacity and an increase in oxidative stress in liver mitochondria. To investigate whether polyunsaturated fats could attenuate the above deleterious effects of high fat diets, energy balance and body composition were assessed after two weeks in rats fed isocaloric amounts of a high-fat diet (58.2% by energy) rich either in lard or safflower/linseed oil. Hepatic functionality, plasma parameters, and oxidative status were also measured. The results show that feeding on safflower/linseed oil diet attenuates the obesogenic effect of high fat diets and ameliorates the blood lipid profile. Conversely, hepatic steatosis and mitochondrial oxidative stress appear to be negatively affected by a diet rich in unsaturated fatty acids.
RET Expression and Neuron-like Differentiation of Pheochromocytoma and Normal Chromaffin Cells

Receptor tyrosine kinase RET is normally expressed at low levels in chromaffin cells and high levels in sympathetic neurons. Paradoxically, it is overexpressed in subsets of pheochromocytomas. The overexpressed protein is usually wild-type, except in multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2. Possible explanations for overexpression include tumor origin from RET-expressing sympathoadrenal progenitors that escape developmental culling during embryogenesis, or reactivation of signaling pathways related to neuronal differentiation. Normal adult chromaffin and pheochromocytoma cells can undergo neuron-like differentiation in cell culture. In this investigation, cultured cells from two normal human adrenal medullas, two of three human pheochromocytomas, and one extra-adrenal paraganglioma showed RET induction corresponding with extensive nerve growth factor-induced outgrowth of neurite-like processes, while one pheochromocytoma showed neither processes nor RET induction. RET was similarly upregulated in parallel with process outgrowth in cultures of normal rat chromaffin cells and PC12 rat pheochromocytoma cells. In contrast, mouse pheochromocytoma cells that constitutively express high levels of wild-type RET together with other neuronal progenitor markers showed no further RET increase after cyclic AMP-induced process outgrowth. The RET-activating ligand GDNF was anti-apoptotic for mouse pheochromocytoma but not for PC12 cells. The findings suggest that overexpression of RET in pheochromocytomas could result either from a secondary event that activates signaling pathways mediating adult chromaffin cell plasticity or as a component of a persistent sympathoadrenal progenitor phenotype. Whether wild-type RET contributes to tumor development or is merely a lineage marker for cells at various stages of neuronal differentiation may vary, with other tumor characteristics.