Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The regulation of proximal tubular salt transport in hypertension: an update

Purpose of reviewRenal proximal tubular sodium reabsorption is regulated by sodium transporters, including the sodium glucose transporter, sodium amino acid transporter, sodium hydrogen exchanger isoform 3 and sodium phosphate cotransporter type 2 located at the luminal/apical membrane, and sodium bicarbonate cotransporter and Na+/K+ATPase located at the basolateral membrane. This review summarizes recent studies on sodium transporters that play a major role in the increase in blood pressure in essential/polygenic hypertension. Recent findingsSodium transporters and Na+/K+ATPase are segregated in membrane lipid and nonlipid raft microdomains that regulate their activities and trafficking via cytoskeletal proteins. The increase in renal proximal tubule ion transport in polygenic hypertension is primarily due to increased activity of NHE3 and Cl/HCO3 exchanger at the luminal/apical membrane and a primary or secondary increase in Na+/K+ATPase activity. SummaryThe increase in renal proximal tubule ion transport in hypertension is due to increased actions by prohypertensive factors that are unopposed by antihypertensive factors.
A Modified Sequential Organ Failure Assessment Score for Critical Care Triage

ABSTRACT Objective: The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score has been recommended for triage during a mass influx of critically ill patients, but it requires laboratory measurement of 4 parameters, which may be impractical with constrained resources. We hypothesized that a modified SOFA (MSOFA) score that requires only 1 laboratory measurement would predict patient outcome as effectively as the SOFA score. Methods: After a retrospective derivation in a prospective observational study in a 24-bed medical, surgical, and trauma intensive care unit, we determined serial SOFA and MSOFA scores on all patients admitted during the 2008 calendar year and compared the ability to predict mortality and the need for mechanical ventilation. Results: A total of 1770 patients (56% male patients) with a 30-day mortality of 10.5% were included in the study. Day 1 SOFA and MSOFA scores performed equally well at predicting mortality with an area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) of 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.81-.85) and 0.84 (95% confidence interval 0.82-.85), respectively (P = .33 for comparison). Day 3 SOFA and MSOFA predicted mortality for the 828 patients remaining in the intensive care unit with an AUC of 0.78 and 0.79, respectively. Day 5 scores performed less well at predicting mortality. Day 1 SOFA and MSOFA predicted the need for mechanical ventilation on day 3, with an AUC of 0.83 and 0.82, respectively. Mortality for the highest category of SOFA and MSOFA score (>11 points) was 53% and 58%, respectively. Conclusions: The MSOFA predicts mortality as well as the SOFA and is easier to implement in resource-constrained settings, but using either score as a triage tool would exclude many patients who would otherwise survive. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2010;4:277-284)
Feasibility of Solar Energy in Disinfection of Drinking Water in Iran

The solar disinfection of water (SODIS) is a simple technique used to destroy pathogenic microorganisms and so it can improve microbiological quality of drinking water. Many countries are in good positions with respect to receiving solar radiation and Iran ranks first in this regard. Thus, it is important for health authorities to prefer this simple method for use in rural areas of the Country and at abnormal conditions instead of other complicated techniques. The main objective of this study was to determine the efficiency of locally available bottles (not transparent to UVC and semi-transparent to UVA) for use in solar disinfection of water in non-urban areas of Iran. For this purpose normal plastic bottles were used and the solar disinfection efficiency was evaluated in terms of fecal coliform reduction of contaminated surface water samples. Two types of locally available normal plastic bottles with UV transmittance values of 0.1 and 0.8 percent were selected and used according to WHO guidelines about SODIS in the disinfection process of water samples from a surface water resource. Examinations of microbiological quality of all water samples have been performed by determination of fecal coliform group (5 tube fermentation technique) according to the procedure outlined in Standard Methods. Water sampling had been accomplished in the fall of 2006. Results indicate that SODIS is also possible even if available plastic bottles with less transparency are used instead of standard bottles. According to the results obtained by use of these bottles, about 99.9% disinfection of water (up to 3 log reduction in fecal coliforms) is possible at the temperature of 39.6 degree centigrade. Also, it should be noted that by substituting the bottle with less UVT with the more transparent one, it would be possible to decrease the required contact time for 3 log reduction of microbial indicator from 8 to about 6 hours. Results of this 10 study clearly indicate that utilizing of both locally available bottles used in this study may have enough justification for SODIS process in non-urban areas and communities of Iran which mostly have warm climates.
Spirituality in Social Work Pedagogy: A Canadian Perspective

Abstract This paper discusses some results of a qualitative study that explored both student and educator viewpoints regarding the inclusion of spirituality in social work pedagogy. A grounded theory research methodology was used to analyze data obtained from semi-structured individual interviews completed with eighteen participants-eight educators and ten students. Data analysis uncovered the following pedagogical issues: delineating between spirituality and religion, the marginalization of spirituality, creating contexts for discussions about spirituality, making connections with theories and practices, and utilizing class exercises. The research analysis supports the need to become more intentional about including spirituality in social work pedagogy.
Reliability of corneal thickness and endothelial cell density measures.

PURPOSE We evaluated the reliability and agreement between the Orbscan, an ultrasonic pachymeter (Humphrey 855), and the Konan SP 9000-LC in terms of central corneal thickness. The Konan was also used to study the reliability and agreement between endothelial cell density measures. METHODS Twenty-five normal subjects were examined on two occasions (mean separation = 9 +/- 5 days) by a single examiner using all three instruments for central corneal pachymetry. The Konan Center Method and a manual counting method were performed by two examiners to determine endothelial cell density. Reliability and agreement were assessed by calculating the 95% limits of agreement (LoA) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). RESULTS For corneal pachymetry test-retest reliability, the 95% limits of agreement were -20 to +17 microm for the ultrasound, -27 to +22 microm for the Konan, and -13 to +13 microm for the Orbscan. There was fair-to-good agreement between the pachymeters (intraclass correlation coefficients range = 0.85 to 0.92). For endothelial cell density test-retest reliability, the 95% limits of agreement for the Konan Center Method was -498 to +530, and -482 to +333 cells/mm2 for examiners 1 and 2, respectively. The test-retest 95% limits of agreement for the manual overlaid grid method was -355 to +355, and -535 to +670 cells/mm2 for examiners 1 and 2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The reliability and agreement of the Orbscan and Konan corneal pachymeters was good, although the reliability of the Konan for estimating endothelial cell density was fair, at best.
Relationship With Original Pathogen in Recurrence of Acute Otitis Media After Completion of Amoxicillin/Clavulanate: Bacterial Relapse or New Pathogen

Objective: We sought to determine whether recurrent acute otitis media (rAOM) occurring within 30 days of amoxicillin/clavulanate treatment was caused by bacterial relapse or new pathogens. Methods: Pneumococcal conjugate vaccinated children, age 6–36 months, enrolled in a prospective, longitudinal study experiencing rAOM <1 month after completing amoxicillin/clavulanate therapy were studied. AOM episodes occurred between June 2006 and November 2012. Multilocus sequence typing was used to genotype isolates. Results: Sixty-six children were in the study cohort; 63 otopathogens were recovered from middle ear fluid after tympanocentesis. Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) accounted for 47% of initial AOMs versus 15% by Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn), P < 0.0001. NTHi accounted for 42% of rAOM versus 24% by Spn (P value = 0.04). NTHi was the main otopathogen that caused true bacteriologic relapses (77%). &bgr;-lactamase–producing NTHi and penicillin nonsusceptible Spn were not more common in rAOM than initial AOM infections. Among 21 paired (initial and rAOM events) NTHi isolates genotyped, 13 (61.9%) were the same organism; 1 of 9 (11.1%) of paired Spn isolates was the same (P value = 0.017). rAOM occurring within a week of stopping amoxicillin/clavulanate was a different pathogen in 21% of cases, 8–14 days later in 33%, 15–21 days in 41% and 22–30 days in 57% (P = 0.04). Conclusions: In amoxicillin/clavulanate-treated children, NTHi was the main otopathogen that caused true bacteriologic relapses. New pathogens causing rAOM versus persistence of the initial pathogen significantly increased week to week. Neither relapses nor new infections were caused more frequently by &bgr;-lactamase producing NTHi or penicillin nonsusceptible Spn.
Is access to specialist assessment of chest pain equitable by age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status? An enhanced ecological analysis

Objectives To determine whether access to rapid access chest pain clinics of people with recent onset symptoms is equitable by age, socioeconomic status, ethnicity and gender, according to need. Design Retrospective cohort study with ecological analysis. Setting Patients referred from primary care to five rapid access chest pain clinics in secondary care, across England. Participants Of 8647 patients aged ≥35 years referred to chest pain clinics with new-onset stable chest pain but no known cardiac history, 7570 with documented census ward codes, age, gender and ethnicity comprised the study group. Patients excluded were those with missing date of birth, gender or ethnicity (n=782) and those with missing census ward codes (n=295). Outcome measures Effects of age, gender, ethnicity and socioeconomic status on clinic attendance were calculated as attendance rate ratios, with number of attendances as the outcome and resident population-years as the exposure in each stratum, using Poisson regression. Attendance rate ratios were then compared with coronary heart disease (CHD) mortality ratios to determine whether attendance was equitable according to need. Results Adjusted attendance rate ratios for patients aged >65 years were similar to younger patients (1.1, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.16), despite population CHD mortality rate ratios nearly 15 times higher in the older age group. Women had lower attendance rate ratios (0.81, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.84) and also lower population CHD mortality rate ratios compared with men. South Asians had higher attendance rates (1.67, 95% CI 1.57 to 1.77) compared with whites and had a higher standardised CHD mortality ratio of 1.46 (95% CI 1.41 to 1.51). Although univariable analysis showed that the most deprived patients (quintile 5) had an attendance rate twice that of less deprived quintiles, the adjusted analysis showed their attendance to be 13% lower (0.87, 95% CI 0.81 to 0.94) despite a higher population CHD mortality rate. Conclusion There is evidence of underutilisation of chest pain clinics by older people and those from lower socioeconomic status. More robust and patient focused administrative pathways need to be developed to detect inequity, correction of which has the potential to substantially reduce coronary mortality.
Similarities Among Factors Associated With Components of Frailty in Elderly

Objective: To analyze similarities among factors associated with the components of frailty in elderly. Method: We studied 1,413 elderly from the second wave of the SABE Study in 2006. Each of the five components of the frailty phenotype was considered a dependent variable in the hierarchical logistic regression models. Results: In both genders, age, schooling, sedentary lifestyle, and screening positive for depression were associated similarly with more than one component of frailty. Other similarities were also observed with stroke and screening positive for cognitive decline in men, and number of diseases and gait speed in women. The most similar associations happened between weakness and slowness; weakness, slowness, and LPAL; or weakness, slowness, and exhaustion. Discussion: Encouraging physical activity, screening for and treating depression and treating both diseases of the central nervous system and chronic diseases must be the focus of strategies to avoid, delay, or even remedy frailty.
Correlated Trading and Returns

Retail clients at a major German discount broker trade in tandem - they tend to be on the same side of the market in a given stock during a given day, week, month, and quarter. Neither aggregate liquidity effects nor short sale constraints fully explain this behavior. The systematic execution of limit orders, coordinated through price movements or the correlated trading of other investors who pick retail limit orders, do not fully explain the observed comovement either. Rather, tandem trading appears to be mostly due to investors placing similar speculative bets. Correlated speculative trades perturb markets enough to make returns predictable over a short horizon. Correlated limit orders also predict subsequent returns, but for a different reason: limit order traders are compensated for accommodating other traders' temporary liquidity demands.
Parenting Style and the Promotion of Intrinsic and Extrinsic Goals

According to the dual valuing process model (Grouzet, 2013), the social context can either facilitate the natural human tendency to pursue intrinsic goals, or thwart it by promoting extrinsic goals. Congruent with this idea, research in self-determination theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000) suggests that parental autonomy support (PAS) is associated with the development of intrinsic goals, whereas more controlling parenting styles, such as conditional regard (PCR), are expected to facilitate extrinsic goals. Results from two preliminary studies suggest that mothers tended to use PAS to promote goals that were more intrinsic, as well young adults were more likely to autonomously internalize these goals, whereas PCR was associated with more extrinsic goals. In the current study, we sought to extend these findings by including a general measure of perceived parenting style, as well as asking participants to recall a goal that was promoted during adolescence (i.e., 13-16 years). Results from this study indicate no difference in the type of goal that was promoted or the way in which it was internalized when mothers used either autonomy support or conditional regard, over and above general parenting style. Results will be further discussed in with respect to parenting, self-determination theory, and the dual valuing process model. %%%%Graduate
Taste�?Based or Statistical Discrimination: The Economics of Discrimination Returns to its Roots

We briefly review the evolution of empirical work on discrimination. We discuss why traditional regression‐based approaches neither convincingly measure market discrimination nor disentangle the relative importance of animus versus statistical discrimination in explaining such discrimination as exists. We describe the development of modern correspondence studies. We argue that these studies have the promise to credibly identify the presence of discrimination if not its magnitude, can inform us about the underlying mechanism generating discrimination and can also point to avenues for new theoretical and empirical work on discrimination. We discuss two articles with exemplary applications of these new methods.
White Blood Cell Segmentation by Color-Space-Based K-Means Clustering

White blood cell (WBC) segmentation, which is important for cytometry, is a challenging issue because of the morphological diversity of WBCs and the complex and uncertain background of blood smear images. This paper proposes a novel method for the nucleus and cytoplasm segmentation of WBCs for cytometry. A color adjustment step was also introduced before segmentation. Color space decomposition and k-means clustering were combined for segmentation. A database including 300 microscopic blood smear images were used to evaluate the performance of our method. The proposed segmentation method achieves 95.7% and 91.3% overall accuracy for nucleus segmentation and cytoplasm segmentation, respectively. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can segment WBCs effectively with high accuracy.
The Role of Ability Beliefs and Incentives in Middle School Students’ Intention, Cardiovascular Fitness, and Effort

This study uncovers the predictive relationship of middle school students� ability beliefs (self-efficacy and expectancy-related beliefs) and incentives (outcome expectancy, importance, interest, and usefulness) to intention, cardiovascular fitness, and teacher-rated effort in physical education. Participants (N = 252; 118 boys, 134 girls) completed questionnaires assessing their ability beliefs, incentives, and intention for future participation in physical education, and then had their cardiovascular fitness assessed with the Progressive Aerobic Cardiovascular Endurance Run (PACER) test. Students� effort in class was rated by their respective physical education teachers. Correlation analysis yielded significantly positive relationships between ability beliefs and incentives. Regression results revealed that ability beliefs, importance, interest, and usefulness significantly predicted intention for future participation. Ability beliefs also emerged as significant predictors of PACER test scores whereas self-efficacy was the only predictor of teacher-rated effort. Implications for educational practice are discussed.
Academic achievement and time concept of the learner : research

The time concept and academic achievement of a group of high school learners were investigated and the results are described in this article. The focus was on: the differences between the time concept of high achievers and the time concept of low achievers; the differences in the time concept of high achievers and low achievers according to their mother tongue; and the educational implications of the findings with respect to the learners. These learners' time concept was measured by the application of a structured questionnaire. A group of 1 436 learners were involved in this research. Their academic achievements were rated on a scale of 0 to 100. Two groups were identified: high achievers and low achievers. A difference was found in the time concept of these two groups. Furthermore, the learners were divided into their various mother tongue groups that would give an indication of their time concept with which they grew up. The Afrikaans- and English speaking high achievers were more future directed, more conscientious in their time management, experience less anxiety about the future, were less focussed on the present and were more content with the present and the past than the low achievers. Among the learners with an African language no statistical significant difference were found between the high and low achievers, only 15,3% of them were high achievers. The learners with an African language need to be assisted to develop a linear and integrated time concept. Only then these learners will be able to actualise their full potential. Die tydkonsep en akademiese prestasie van 'n groep hoerskool leerders is ondersoek en die resultate is beskyf in hierdie artikel. Die fokus was op: die verskille tussen die tydkonsep van hoe presteerders en die tydkonsep van lae presteerders; die verskille in die tydkonsep van hoe en lae presteerders verdeel volgens hulle moedertaal; en die opvoedkundige implikasies van bevindings vir leerders. Hierdie leerders se tydkonsep was gemeet deur die toepassing van 'n gestruktureerde vraelys. 'n Groep van 1 436 leerders is in hierdie ondersoek betrek. Hulle akademiese prestasies is gegradeer van 0 tot 100. Twee groepe is geidentifiseer: hoe presteerders en lae presteerders. 'n Verskil is gevind in die tydkonsep van hierdie twee groepe. Verder is die leerders volgens hulle onderskeie moedertaalgroepe verdeel wat 'n aanduiding sou gee van die tydkonsep waarmee hulle grootgeword het. Die Afrikaans- en Engelssprekende hoe presteerders is meer toekomsgerig, meer konsensieus in hulle tydbestuur; ervaar minder toekomsangs, is minder op die hede gerig en is meer tevrede met die hede en verlede as die lae presteerders. By die Afrikataalleerders is geen statisties beduidende verskil gevind tussen die hoe en lae presteerders nie, slegs 15,3% van hulle is hoe presteerders. Die leerders met 'n Afrikataal moet begelei word om 'n lineer en geintegreerde tydkonsep te ontwikkel. Slegs dan sal hierdie leerders by magte wees om hulle volle potensiaal te aktualiseer.
Enhanced Anti-Serpin Antibody Activity Inhibits Autoimmune Inflammation in Type 1 Diabetes

Intracellular (clade B) OVA-serpin protease inhibitors play an important role in tissue homeostasis by protecting cells from death in response to hypo-osmotic stress, heat shock, and other stimuli. It is not known whether these serpins influence immunological tolerance and the risk for autoimmune diseases. We found that a fraction of young autoimmune diabetes-prone NOD mice had elevated levels of autoantibodies against a member of clade B family known as serpinB13. High levels of anti-serpinB13 Abs were accompanied by low levels of anti-insulin autoantibodies, reduced numbers of islet-associated T cells, and delayed onset of diabetes. Exposure to anti-serpinB13 mAb alone also decreased islet inflammation, and coadministration of this reagent and a suboptimal dose of anti-CD3 mAb accelerated recovery from diabetes. In a fashion similar to that discovered in the NOD model, a deficiency in humoral activity against serpinB13 was associated with early onset of human type 1 diabetes. These findings suggest that, in addition to limiting exposure to proteases within the cell, clade B serpins help to maintain homeostasis by inducing protective humoral immunity.
Majority Support for Minority Out‐Groups: The Roles of Compassion and Guilt

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of compassion and guilt on support for and avoidance of an out-group program. Participants were 98 heterosexuals who were given 3 different sets of perspective-taking instructions: other-focused, self-focused, and detachment. Next, they watched a video of a bogus interview with a gay university student who described being physically assaulted because of his sexuality. It was hypothesized that other-focused instructions would elicit stronger support for a gay and lesbian anti-violence program than the other 2 conditions. This hypothesis was supported for willingness to volunteer for the program, but not for funds allocated to the program. Self-focused instructions were associated with program avoidance. Implications of the results are discussed.