Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
ABO blood group frequency in Ischemic heart disease patients in Pakistani population

Objectives: To determine if there is any significant association between ABO blood groups and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Methods: The study was performed at Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), Lahore. Study duration was from January 2012 to September 2012. This study included 200 IHD patients and 230 control individuals. Self design questionnaire was used to collect information regarding risk factors. Standard agglutination test was performed to determine the blood groups. Data was analyzed on SPSS 16. Results: The prevalence of blood groups in IHD group was 34% in blood group A, 29% in blood group B, 14% in blood group AB and 23% in blood group O. In control group the distribution of B, A, AB and O blood groups were 34.4%, 20.9%, 12.6%, 32.2% respectively. Rh+ve factor was prevalent in 90.5% among IHD group and 92.6% in control subjects. The prevalence of IHD was more in males (63.5%) as compared to females (36.5%). Mean age was 56.4±0.86 (yrs) and BMI was 26.4±0.33 (kg/m2). The prevalence of hypertension was 58.5%, diabetes was 53%, family history of cardiac disease was 45%, 35.5% of patients were doing exercise regularly, 58.5% used ghee, and 58% were smokers. Conclusion: Subjects with blood group A had significantly (p< 0.05) higher risk of developing IHD as compare to other blood groups.
The role of attention in the contextual enhancement of visual memory for natural scenes

The role of attention in memory for objects in natural scenes was investigated using a visual memory. In Experiment 1, participants were asked to memorize six cued (to be attended) objects in a natural scene, and were subsequently tested on one of the cued objects. Four types of test scene images were created by jumbling different sections in scene's background: Attended sections changed, unattended sections changed, both sections changed, and both unchanged. In Experiment 2, the procedure was the same as that of the jumble condition except that scenes to be memorized were also jumbled. Results showed that jumbling of attended sections reduced memory performance, whereas jumbling unattended sections did not, irrespective of the regularity of scene to be memorized. This finding suggests that attention plays an important role in mental construction of a natural scene representation, and leads to enhanced visual memory.
Predictive Validity of the Graduate Record Examination for Grade Performance in Graduate Psychology Courses

This study was intended to investigate the predictive relationship between Graduate Record Examination scores and subsequent grade performance in graduate psychology courses. Students' records were evaluated for 275 graduate students in professional psychology programs. Higher GRE scores were significantly correlated with higher grades in several specific graduate courses. For GRE-Verbal scores, the correlation with grades in Theories and Techniques of Counseling was . 24 (n = 261) while for GRE-Quantitative scores, the correlations with course grades were . 30 (n = 255) for Theories of Learning and . 36 (n = 227) for Statistics II. For GRE-Total scores, the correlations with course grades obtained were . 30 (n = 255) for Theories of Learning, . 22 (n = 261) for Theories and Techniques of Counseling, and . 33 (n = 227) for Statistics II. These results indicate that, in some instances, GRE scores have some predictive validity for the course performance of professional psychology graduate students; however, the amount of variance in course grades explained by GRE scores was modest and there is need to identify other factors that explain success of graduate students.
Lead Absorption and Excretion in Rats Given Insoluble Salts of Pectin and Alginate

Exposure to environmental lead remains a widespread problem in most industrialized countries. Usage of modern agents purposed for elimination of heavy metals as well as for therapy and prevention of chronic poisoning does frequently result in toxic signs. Dietary nonstarch polysaccharides were suggested to be effective when used for this purpose. The present study was conducted to estimate metal binding capacity and effects of calcium salts of pectate and alginate on lead absorption, distribution, and removal with feces. Under in vitro conditions calcium alginate showed the highest lead-binding capacity in comparison with other agents studied. Metal binding capacity of calcium pectate was slightly lower. In rats simultaneous administration of lead acetate and suspensions containing calcium alginate or calcium pectate prevented metal absorption and significantly reduced lead accumulation in inner organs and femur. In experiments estimating lead removal from inner organs and femur in rats preliminary exposed to the heavy metal, calcium alginate and calcium pectate were the most effective agents studied in comparison with others, as indicated by reduced lead concentration in organs and femur as well as increased metal content in feces of laboratory animals. The results suggest that calcium pectate and calcium alginate may be considered perspective dietary compounds purposed for prevention and treatment of chronic lead poisoning.
The gamma2 late glycoprotein K promoter of equine herpesvirus 1 is differentially regulated by the IE and EICP0 proteins.

The equine herpesvirus 1 immediate-early (IE) phosphoprotein is essential for the activation of transcription from viral early and late promoters and trans-represses its own promoter. Transient-transfection assays showed that the IE protein trans-represses the gamma2 late gK promoter. Gel shift and DNase I footprinting assays demonstrated that the IE protein binds to the gK promoter sequences from -42 to -26 and from -13 to +12 that overlap the transcription initiation site (+1). These results indicated that the IE protein binds to the transcription initiation site of the gK promoter sequences, thereby repressing transcription. On the other hand, the EICP0 protein trans-activates the gamma2 late gK promoter [Bowles, D. E. , Holden, V. R. , Zhao, Y. , and O'Callaghan, D. J. (1997). The ICP0 protein of equine herpesvirus 1 is an early protein that independently transactivates expression of all classes of viral promoters. J. Virol. 71, 4904-4914]. Overall, the EICP0 protein is able to release the gK promoter from the repressive effects of the IE protein. It has not been previously demonstrated that the major immediate-early transcriptional regulator of a herpesvirus represses expression of a late gene during infection.
The site of 3′ end formation of histone messenger RNA is a fixed distance from the downstream element recognized by the U7 snRNP.

Two conserved elements direct the 3′ end processing of histone messenger RNA: a stem‐loop structure immediately upstream of the site of cleavage and the histone downstream element (HDE), located 12‐19 nucleotides downstream of the stem‐loop in the premessenger RNA. We studied the role of these two elements by systematically inserting up to 10 C residues between them in the mouse H2A‐614 histone pre‐mRNA. 3′ End mapping of RNAs processed in vitro demonstrated that as the HDE is move downstream, the site of cleavage correspondingly moves 3′. In addition, the efficiency of processing declines. In the wild‐type substrate, cleavage occurs 3′ of an A residue; modest increases in the efficiency of processing of the insertion mutants were observed when an A residue was placed at the new cleavage site. The results of psoralen cross‐linking studies and immunoprecipitations using anti‐trimethylguanosine antibodies indicated that the decreased processing efficiency of the insertion mutants is not due to impaired binding of the U7 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein (snRNP). We conclude that the mammalian U7 snRNP acts as a molecular ruler, targeting enzymatic components of cleave histone pre‐mRNAs a fixed distance from its binding site, the HDE.
Original Papers: Travaux originaux: Early Auditory-Evoked Responses: Spectral Content

Spectral analysis of the early auditory-evoked responses in man and in the cat has shown that the predominant contribution to the total power is contained in the band below 50-100 Hz. This low-frequency content is considerably reduced when the corresponding spontaneous brain activity spectrum is subtracted from the response spectrum. Under the latter circumstances, the dominant frequency contribution is found in the 500- to 2 500-Hz bandwidth.L'analyse spectrale des reponses du tronc cerebral de l'homme et du chat a montre que la plus grande energie se trouvait au-dessous de 50-100 Hz. Cette bande d'energie devient moins importante si on soustrait le spectre de l'EEG spontane du spectre des reponses; les frequences dominantes se trouvent alors dans la bande de 500-2 500 Hz.
GEOGRAPHIES OF GLOBALIZATION: UNITED STATES LAW FIRMS IN WORLD CITIES

The empirical core of this paper is a geographical analysis of U.S. law firms' foreign offices in 1997. This "geography of globalization" is introduced through a theoretical discussion of "geography in globalization," where Storper's "economic reflexivity" is related to Sassen's "geographical centrality," to provide a conceptual framework combining territorialism with network. Three "globalization arenas" are identified (Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Pacific Asia), wherein eight cities house the majority of the foreign offices of U.S. law firms. This uneven globalization is explored through a classification of U.S. firm's geographical schemes, and a potential category of global law firms is identified. Three of the latter are examined in detail and their claims to be global firms assessed. Here, the concept of the homeless firm seems to be particularly relevant. We conclude, by re-evaluating our basic concepts to consider how our empirical findings inform some current debates on the nature of globalization. [Key words: globalization, world cities, law, producer services. ]
Patterns of Cerebral Blood Flow and Systemic Hemodynamics During Arithmetic Processing

The present study explored modulations in cerebral blood flow and systemic hemodynamics during the execution of a mental calculation task in 41 healthy subjects. Time course and lateralization of blood flow velocities in the medial cerebral arteries of both hemispheres were assessed using functional transcranial Doppler sonography. Indices of systemic hemodynamics were obtained using continuous blood pressure recordings. Doppler sonography revealed a biphasic left dominant rise in cerebral blood flow velocities during task execution. Systemic blood pressure increased, whereas heart period, heart period variability, and baroreflex sensitivity declined. Blood pressure and heart period proved predictive of the magnitude of the cerebral blood flow response, particularly of its initial component. Various physiological mechanisms may be assumed to be involved in cardiovascular adjustment to cognitive demands. While specific contributions of the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems may account for the observe.
Why Firms Use Derivatives: Evidence from Canada

This study uses corporate hedging explanations to examine observed differences in the use of derivatives by Canadian nonfinancial corporations. Our findings show that the scale, operational efficiency, and level of integration of treasury activities are important determinants for identifying Canadian and international users of derivatives. Canadian users have higher leverage and lower credit ratings than nonusers. The maturity of debt is also longer for users of derivatives, suggesting that derivatives may be used to reduce the adverse effects of wealth transfers from shareholders to bondholders. Our results provide weak support for the importance of corporate taxes on hedging decisions. We find no evidence that managerial risk aversion and ownership concentration influence corporate use of derivatives in Canada. Resume La presente recherche se base sur les justifications fournies par les entreprises relativement a leurs operations de couverture pour etudier les differences qui existent dans l'utilisation des produits derives par les societes non financiers canadiennes. Nos conclusions montrent que la taille, l'efficacite operationnelle et le niveau d'integration des operations de tresorerie sont des facteurs importants pour identifier les utilisateurs de produits derives, tant canadiens qu'etrangers. Les utilisateurs canadiens accusent un levier plus fort et une cote de credit plus faible que les non-utilisateurs. L'echeance de leur dette est aussi plus longue, ce qui suggere que les produits derives puissent servir a reduire les effets nefastes des transferts de richesse des action-naires aux obligataires. Nos resultats temoignent dans une faible mesure que les impots sur les societes ont une incidence sur les decisions de couverture; mais, nous n'avons aucune preuve indiquant que l'aversion pour le risque de la part de la direction ou que la concentration de la propriete influencent l'utilisation des produits derives par les entreprises au Canada.
Predictors of Hypertension in a Population of Undergraduate Students in Sierra Leone

We report on the first survey of hypertension in undergraduates in Sierra Leone. Levels of hypertension (12%) and obesity (4%) appear low compared to the general population but given the rapid increase of both and the expectation that many graduates will enter the formal employment sector and a sedentary lifestyle, there is still cause for concern. We measured their BMI (body mass index) and used a questionnaire to investigate demographic and lifestyle choices. In agreement with most authorities, we found that BMI and age were statistically significant predictors of systolic and diastolic blood pressure but that the explanatory power was low (r = 0.21 to 0.27). Men may be more sensitive than women to an increase in BMI on blood pressure (p < 0.1). We failed to find statistically significant relationships with ethnicity, religion, stress, course of study, levels of physical activity, diet, smoking, or consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Family history of hypertension, consumption of red palm oil, and self-diagnosed attacks of typhoid fever were close to conventional levels of significance (p < 0.1). We intend to use this as a baseline for longitudinal studies to assess risks and suggest appropriate public health action.
A comparison of brief intervention versus simple advice for alcohol use disorders in a North India community-based sample followed for 3 months.

AIM To examine the change in alcohol use parameters following a brief intervention (BI) based on the FRAMES protocol, compared to simple advice (SA), in a community setting in North India. METHOD Ninety male subjects, 20-45 years old, with an AUDIT score between 8 and 24, consented to participate in this study. They were recruited from an earlier study on treatment, non-seeking, and allocated alternatively to the BI or SA protocols. The subjects were compared on drinking parameters, Addiction Severity Index (ASI), WHO Quality of Life (WHOQOL_Bref) and readiness to change (RCQ) after 1 month and 3 months post intervention. The assessments were made by an investigator blind to the intervention status of the subject. RESULTS Of the 90 subjects, 87 (96.7%) were available for follow up in the first month and 86 (95.6%) in the third month. There was significant improvement across many drinking and QOL parameters in both the BI and SA groups, Significant differences were noticed across interventions, with a decrease in severity of dependence as measured by alcohol use in the last 30 days, composite ASI scores & improvement in physical and psychological quality of life, in those who received BI compared to those who received SA. Changes in motivation toward action were documented at first follow up, but were not sustained in either of the interventions. CONCLUSIONS BI had a slight advantage over SA in excessive users of alcohol in this community setting in India. It is probable that booster sessions would be needed to achieve sustained effect.
Differential pragmatic language loss after closed head injury: Ability to comprehend conversational implicature

Abstract Two experiments in which 2 closed-head-injured (CHI) subjects and 12 non-brain-damaged control subjects took part investigated the capacity to comprehend indirect speech acts. In the first experiment, the subjects were required to interpret conventional indirect speech acts. One CHI subject, but not the other, had trouble rejecting the literal meaning. In the second experiment, the subjects were required to interpret the meaning behind two literally conflicting sentences. While the control subjects interpreted these as representing a sarcastic exchange, the CHI subjects were unable to provide an adequate explanation. The results were interpreted in terms of common cognitive deficits after closed head injury.
Seasonal Shifts in Bacterial Community Responses to Phytoplankton-Derived Dissolved Organic Matter in the Western Antarctic Peninsula

Bacterial consumption of dissolved organic matter (DOM) drives much of the movement of carbon through the oceanic food web and the global carbon cycle. Understanding complex interactions between bacteria and marine DOM remains an important challenge. We tested the hypothesis that bacterial growth and community succession would respond differently to DOM additions due to seasonal changes in phytoplankton abundance in the environment. Four mesocosm experiments were conducted that spanned the spring transitional period (August–December 2013) in surface waters of the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP). Each mesocosm consisted of nearshore surface seawater (50 L) incubated in the laboratory for 10 days. The addition of DOM, in the form of cell-free exudates extracted from Thalassiosira weissflogii diatom cultures led to changes in bacterial abundance, production, and community composition. The timing of each mesocosm experiment (i.e., late winter vs. late spring) influenced the magnitude and direction of bacterial changes. For example, the same DOM treatment applied at different times during the season resulted in different levels of bacterial production and different bacterial community composition. There was a mid-season shift from Collwelliaceae to Polaribacter having the greatest relative abundance after incubation. This shift corresponded to a modest but significant increase in the initial relative abundance of Polaribacter in the nearshore seawater used to set up experiments. This finding supports a new hypothesis that starting community composition, through priority effects, influenced the trajectory of community succession in response to DOM addition. As strong inter-annual variability and long-term climate change may shift the timing of WAP phytoplankton blooms, and the corresponding production of DOM exudates, this study suggests a mechanism by which different seasonal successional patterns in bacterial communities could occur.
Use of conductive gels for electric field homogenization increases the antitumor efficacy of electroporation therapies

Electroporation is used in tissue for gene therapy, drug therapy and minimally invasive tissue ablation. The electrical field that develops during the application of the high voltage pulses needs to be precisely controlled. In the region to be treated, it is desirable to generate a homogeneous electric field magnitude between two specific thresholds whereas in other regions the field magnitude should be as low as possible. In the case of irregularly shaped tissue structures, such as bulky tumors, electric field homogeneity is almost impossible to be achieved with current electrode arrangements. We propose the use of conductive gels, matched to the conductivity of the tissues, to fill dead spaces between plate electrodes gripping the tissue so that the electric field distribution becomes less heterogeneous. Here it is shown that this technique indeed improves the antitumor efficacy of electrochemotherapy in sarcomas implanted in mice. Furthermore, we analyze, through finite element method simulations, how relevant the conductivity mismatches are. We found that conductivity mismatching errors are surprisingly well tolerated by the technique. Gels with conductivities ranging from 5 mS cm−1 to 10 mS cm−1 will be a proper solution for most cases.
Children, childhoods, and security studies: an introduction

Children and childhoods have not garnered much attention from either mainstream or critical currents of scholarship in International Relations and Security Studies, notwithstanding the significant ways in which they may be inseparable from the fields’ subject matters, core concepts, and ideas. Addressing this omission is not a matter of simply ‘bringing children in,’ however. Rather, it necessitates first coming to terms with how children are already present both as global political actors and as expressed through deeply held ideational commitments that enable and sustain our understandings of and engagements with security. At the same time, this is a presence that has only ever been partial inasmuch as the children and youth of the field’s imagining are not imbued with full and unqualified political subjecthood. Recovering robust subjecthood and a more nuanced understanding of lived childhoods promises, among other things, important theoretical correctives and more sophisticated conceptualization of emergent concepts like resilience.
Energy Efficient and Adaptive Design for Wireless Power Transfer in Electric Vehicles

Wireless power transfer (WPT) could revolutionize global transportation and accelerate growth in the Electric Vehicle (EV) market, offering an attractive alternative to cabled charging. Coil misalignment is inevitable due to driver parking behaviour and has a detrimental effect on power transfer efficiency (PTE). This paper proposes a novel coil design and adaptive hardware to improve PTE in magnetic resonant coupling WPT and mitigate coil misalignment, a crucial roadblock in its acceptance. The new design was verified using ADS, providing a good match to theoretical analysis. Custom designed receiver and transmitter circuitry was used to simulate vehicle and parking bay conditions and obtain PTE data in a small-scale setup. Experimental results showed that PTE can be improved by 30% at the array's centre, and an impressive 90% when misaligned by 3/4 of the arrays radius. The proposed novel coil array achieves overall higher PTE compared to the benchmark single coil design.