Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Occupation-Based Practice and its Relationship to Social and Occupational Participation in Adults with Spinal Cord Injury

The objective of this study was to increase the evidence regarding the use of occupation-based practice and its effects on social and occupational participation in adults with spinal cord injury. Three individuals who had experienced a spinal cord injury 2 to 5 years previously, lived in the community, and received services from one of the two selected occupation-based occupational therapists participated in the study. Using a qualitative ethnographic design, they participated in one semi-structured, open-ended interview that contained questions designed to elicit experiences of life satisfaction, participation in meaningful occupations, social roles and responsibilities, and participation in occupational therapy. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, narrative analysis, literature review, and narrative smoothing. Seven occupation-based approaches appeared to directly support the participants' current level of occupational and social participation. This study provides occupational therapists with a more practical understanding of how to apply these approaches in their own practices.
Natasha Barrett Ambisonics and acousmatic space : a composer ’ s framework for investigating spatial ontology

This paper investigates how ambisonics, when embedded into a compositional methodology, transcends its function as a technical tool and influences our perception, interpretation and physical relationship to sound archetypes. The ideas address the core ontology of spatial sound in composition and in listening, laying a framework for the development of an acousmatic spatial ontology.
Segmentation of artery wall in coronary IVUS images: a probabilistic approach

Intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) images represent a unique tool to analyze the morphology of arteries and vessels (plaques, etc). The poor quality of these images makes traditional segmentation algorithms (such as edge detection) fail to achieve the expected results. We present a probabilistic flexible template to separate different regions in the image. In particular, we use elliptic templates to model and detect the shape of the vessel inner wall in IVUS images. The use of elliptic templates forces a global probabilistic approach, that makes use of image statistics inside regions. We present the results of successful segmentation obtained from 12 patients undergoing stent treatment. A physician team has validated these results.
Sphingomyelin Synthase 2, but Not Sphingomyelin Synthase 1, Is Involved in HIV-1 Envelope-mediated Membrane Fusion*

Background: The roles of SMS isoforms (SMS1 and SMS2) in membrane fusion have not yet been reported. Results: Overexpression of Sms2 in Sms-deficient cells increased membrane fusion susceptibility and F-actin polymerization in the region of membrane fusion. Conclusion: SMS2 could promote membrane fusion by regulating HIV-1 Env-triggered F-actin polymerization. Significance: Our findings provide new insights into the role of SMS2 in membrane fusion. Membrane fusion between the viral envelope and plasma membranes of target cells has previously been correlated with HIV-1 infection. Lipids in the plasma membrane, including sphingomyelin, may be crucially involved in HIV-1 infection; however, the role of lipid-metabolic enzymes in membrane fusion remains unclear. In this study, we examined the roles of sphingomyelin synthase (SMS) in HIV-1 Env-mediated membrane fusion using a cell-cell fusion assay with HIV-1 mimetics and their target cells. We employed reconstituted cells as target cells that stably express Sms1 or Sms2 in Sms-deficient cells. Fusion susceptibility was ∼5-fold higher in Sms2-expressing cells (not in Sms1-expressing cells) than in Sms-deficient cells. The enhancement of fusion susceptibility observed in Sms2-expressing cells was reversed and reduced by Sms2 knockdown. We also found that catalytically nonactive Sms2 promoted membrane fusion susceptibility. Moreover, SMS2 co-localized and was constitutively associated with the HIV receptor·co-receptor complex in the plasma membrane. In addition, HIV-1 Env treatment resulted in a transient increase in nonreceptor tyrosine kinase (Pyk2) phosphorylation in Sms2-expressing and catalytically nonactive Sms2-expressing cells. We observed that F-actin polymerization in the region of membrane fusion was more prominent in Sms2-expressing cells than Sms-deficient cells. Taken together, our research provides insight into a novel function of SMS2 which is the regulation of HIV-1 Env-mediated membrane fusion via actin rearrangement.
Children's depressive symptoms and their regulation of negative affect in response to vignette depicted emotion-eliciting events

The present study examined the relationship between sub-clinical depressive symptoms and children's anticipated cognitive and behavioral reactions to two written vignettes depicting emotion-eliciting stressors (i.e., fight with one's best friend and failure at a roller blade contest). Participants (N = 244) ranging in age between 10 and 13 were presented each vignette and then asked to rate their anticipated utilization of each of seven emotion-regulation strategies (ERs), along with the anticipated mood enhancement effects of each strategy. In addition, ratings of participants' perceived coping efficacy to manage the stressful situation were collected. Results indicated that participants were more likely to endorse ERs for which they have greater confidence in their mood enhancement effects. Moreover, marked differences were observed between ratings for conceptually distinct cognitive ERs. Consistent with expectations, results revealed that participants displaying higher levels of depressive symptoms were more likely to endorse cognitive and behavioral ERs that are negative, passive, and/or avoidant in nature. Children's ratings of the anticipated mood enhancement effects of several ERs were inversely related to their level of depressive symptoms, as was their perceived self-efficacy to manage the stressor.
Management and survival of patients with FIGO high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia: the U.K. experience, 1995-2010.

OBJECTIVE To present survival rates of high-risk gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN) (FIGO score > 7) patients treated between 1995 and 2010 in the U.K. Death due to GTN is largely confined to patients with high-risk disease. In the U.K. a national system ensures that all patients are treated at only 2 specialist centers: Charing Cross Hospital (CXH) in London and Weston Park Hospital (WPH) in Sheffield. STUDY DESIGN A total of 196 high-risk patients were identified using the CXH and WPH GTN databases, based on the risk score at the time of presentation. RESULTS In all, 140 CXH and 56 WPH high-risk patients were treated with EMA/CO (etoposide, methotrexate, actinomycin D alternating with cyclophosphamide and vincristine) and MEA (methotrexate, etoposide, actinomycin D), respectively. The FIGO score at presentation ranged from 6-23. Eight patients (7from WPH and 1 from CXH) who were treated prior to 2002 as high-risk based on their pre-2002 scoring scored a 6 using FIGO 2002. Two (1%) patients died within 4 weeks of starting treatment (early death), 12 (6%) relapsed, and 9 patients subsequently died due to drug resistance. The overall survival was 94%, with a median follow-up of 4.69 years. CONCLUSION In the context of a national trophoblastic disease service, patients with high-risk GTN have an excellent prognosis with EMA/CO or MEA.
The Rho GTPase Cdc42 regulates hair cell planar polarity and cellular patterning in the developing cochlea

Hair cells of the organ of Corti (OC) of the cochlea exhibit distinct planar polarity, both at the tissue and cellular level. Planar polarity at tissue level is manifested as uniform orientation of the hair cell stereociliary bundles. Hair cell intrinsic polarity is defined as structural hair bundle asymmetry; positioning of the kinocilium/basal body complex at the vertex of the V-shaped bundle. Consistent with strong apical polarity, the hair cell apex displays prominent actin and microtubule cytoskeletons. The Rho GTPase Cdc42 regulates cytoskeletal dynamics and polarization of various cell types, and, thus, serves as a candidate regulator of hair cell polarity. We have here induced Cdc42 inactivation in the late-embryonic OC. We show the role of Cdc42 in the establishment of planar polarity of hair cells and in cellular patterning. Abnormal planar polarity was displayed as disturbances in hair bundle orientation and morphology and in kinocilium/basal body positioning. These defects were accompanied by a disorganized cell-surface microtubule network. Atypical protein kinase C (aPKC), a putative Cdc42 effector, colocalized with Cdc42 at the hair cell apex, and aPKC expression was altered upon Cdc42 depletion. Our data suggest that Cdc42 together with aPKC is part of the machinery establishing hair cell planar polarity and that Cdc42 acts on polarity through the cell-surface microtubule network. The data also suggest that defects in apical polarization are influenced by disturbed cellular patterning in the OC. In addition, our data demonstrates that Cdc42 is required for stereociliogenesis in the immature cochlea.
Exploring the inter-relationship of smoking age-at-onset, cigarette consumption and smoking persistence: genes or environment?

ABSTRACT Background We investigated the genetic and environmental contributions to covariation between smoking age-at-onset, cigarette consumption and smoking persistence. Method Multivariate biometrical modelling methods were applied to questionnaire data from Australian twins and their siblings (14 472 individuals from 6247 families). The contributions of genetic and environmental factors to covariation between the three traits were estimated, allowing for sex differences in both trait prevalence and the magnitude of genetic and environmental effects. Results All traits were moderately heritable in males and females (estimates between 0·40 and 0·62), but there were sex differences in the extent to which additive genetic influences were shared across traits. Twin-specific environmental factors accounted for a substantial proportion of the variance in smoking age-at-onset in females (0·19) and males (0·12), but had little influence (<0·08) on other traits. Unique environmental factors were estimated to have a moderate influence on smoking age-at-onset (0·17 for females, 0·19 for males), but a stronger influence on other traits (between 0·39 and 0·49). Conclusions These results provide some insight into observed sex differences in smoking behaviour, and suggest that searching for pleiotropic genes may prove fruitful. However, further work on phenotypic definitions of smoking behaviour, particularly persistence, is warranted.
An Investigation of Musical Achievement Among Vocal Students, Vocal-Instrumental Students, and Instrumental Students

IN THE EVER-INCREASING BODY of literature pertaining to music education, the area of evaluation has been strangely neglected. Most current texts, though they discuss aptitude and achievement tests, do not discuss evaluation as such or attempt to relate the use of aptitude and achievement tests to an evaluation of the music program. Since evaluation provides a means for determining the worth of the entire music program, as Leonhard and House point out, it is surprising that so little attention is given to it.l There is a growing awareness of the need for sound objectives for music programs yet the fact is that objectives are largely useless without a process of evaluation to determine whether the objectives are being achieved, and to svhat degree they are being achieved. This report describes an investigation of relative achievement among students in the three primary phases of public school music: vocal, instrumental, and a combination of the two.2 The study did not concern the acquiring of factual knowledge, which is easily measurable by any number of printed tests, but rather achievement in the
Influence of Question Format and Text Availability on the Assessment of Expository Text Comprehension

This study examines how passage availability and reading comprehension question format (open-ended vs. multiple-choice) influence question answering. In two experiments, college undergraduates read an expository passage and answered open-ended and multiple-choice versions of text-based, local, and global bridging inference questions. Half the participants were allowed to refer to the passage when answering the questions and half were not. Participants' prior domain knowledge relating to the text contents was assessed using multiple-choice and open-ended questions. Correlation-based analyses in the two experiments indicated: (a) a decline in the relationship between prior domain knowledge and comprehension when the passage was available during question answering; and (b) a high correlation between multiple-choice and open-ended question answering performance when the passage was not available for reference. Overall the results indicate that the nature of the reading comprehension assessment is influenced by the specific task with which comprehension is assessed.
Sundowning and circadian rhythms in Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to determine changes of circadian rhythms induced by Alzheimer's disease and to explore relationships among rhythm disturbances, sundowning, and sleep disturbances in patients with Alzheimer's disease. "Sundowning" is the occurrence or exacerbation of behavioral symptoms of Alzheimer's disease in the afternoon and evening. METHOD Circadian rhythms of core body temperature and motor activity were measured in 25 patients with diagnoses of probable Alzheimer's disease and in nine healthy individuals. The subjects with Alzheimer's disease were divided according to the occurrence of sundowning as determined by staff reports. RESULTS The subjects with Alzheimer's disease had less diurnal motor activity, a higher percentage of nocturnal activity, lower interdaily stability of motor activity, and a later activity acrophase (time of peak) than did the healthy individuals. They also had a higher mesor (fitted mean) temperature, higher amplitude of the fitted cosine temperature curve, and later temperature acrophase than did the healthy subjects. The severity of sundowning was associated with later acrophase of temperature, less correlation of circadian temperature rhythm with a 24-hour cycle, and lower amplitude of temperature curve. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that Alzheimer's disease causes disturbances of circadian rhythms and that sundowning is related to a phase delay of body temperature caused by Alzheimer's disease.
Distribution of serotypes and antimicrobial resistance of Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated in Brazil from 1988 to 1992

Forty-two serotypes were identified among 288 Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from patients living in Brazil. Serotyping was determined by the capsular typing test (Quellung reaction). Types 14 (10.4%), 6B (9.8%), 23F (8.0%), 5 (7.3%), 19F (6.9%), 6A (6.0%), and 1 and 4 (4.6%) were the most commonly identified strains. Two hundred twenty (76.4%) of the strains were of serotypes that are included in the 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. If vaccine-related serotypes are also considered, the proportions of coverage in the vaccine are 82.3% (if type 6B alone is added) and 85.7% (if all the vaccine-related types are considered to be cross-protecting). Decreased susceptibility to penicillin, which was identified by using the 1-microgram oxacillin disk method as a screening test, was detected in 70 (26.7%) strains. The MICs of nine antimicrobial agents were determined by using the procedures recommended by the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards. Seventy (35.9%) of the strains were resistant to tetracycline, 57 (29.2%) were resistant to sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim, 3 (1.5%) were resistant to rifampin, 2 (0.80%) were resistant to penicillin, and 1 (0.5%) was resistant to chloramphenicol. The two penicillin-resistant strains were also resistant to or had decreased susceptibilities to cephalosporins. Forty-seven (17.9%) of the strains were intermediately resistant to penicillin, 17 (8.7%) were intermediately resistant to tetracycline, 13 (6.7%) were intermediately resistant to chloramphenicol, 12 (6.1%) were intermediately resistant to erythromycin, and 6 (3.1%) were intermediately resistant to rifampin.
The interaction of complexity and grammatical processability: The case of Swedish as a foreign language

Abstract The aim of this study is to discuss the interaction of linguistic complexity and morpho-syntactic development in foreign language learners. The analysis of morpho-syntactic structures was carried out within the framework of Processability Theory (Pienemann 1998). To capture the level of complexity we investigate the following: sentence length, subordination and nominal vs. verbal style. Oral and written data from four adult learners were collected over a period of one year. The analysis of complexity and morpho-syntax suggests that learners can be divided into different types, such as: The Risk-taker, The Recycler and The Careful and Thorough.
Solubilization and Desorption of Pahs in Soilaqueous System by Biosurfactants Produced from Pseudomonas Aeruginosa P-CG3 Under Thermophilic Condition

Surface-active agents (surfactants) can enhance bioremediation of soils contaminated with PAHs by reducing sorption of PAHs or increasing desorption rates. The effectiveness of nonionic surfactant (Tween 80) and biosurfactants to enhance the solubilization and desorption of phenanthrene (Phe) and pyrene (Pyr) in soil-aqueous systems under thermophilic conditions was investigated using batch studies. Tween 80 and biosurfactants produced from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain, ATCC 9027 and a strain isolated in our laboratory, P-CG3 were tested in this study. The results showed that all the surfactants could effectively enhance the solubility of both Phe and Pyr under thermophilic condition (55°C), which was linearly proportional to the concentrations of surfactants at concentrations above their respective critical micelle concentration (CMC). When the surfactants' concentrations in aqueous phase were above their respective CMCs, substantial amounts of PAHs were desorbed from soil into the aqueous phase. Among the three surfactants used, the biosurfactant produced from our own isolate, P-CG3 was more effective in enhancing the solubilization and desorption of PAHs, implying that it might have the potential to be further applied in the bioremediation of PAH contaminated soils.
Framing Practice-Research Engagement for Democratizing Knowledge

Practice research engagement (PRE) is increasingly important for producing knowledge and innovations in practice for complex social problem-solving. We pose several questions: Why do PRE? What is required to organize effective PRE? And what is needed for PRE to contribute to democratizing knowledge? We present a framework to encourage researchers to think systematically about organizing PRE that focuses on: 1) frameworks, goals and interests, 2) relationships and organization, 3) strategies and methods, and 4) contextual forces and institutions. We describe challenges to effective engagement posed by these elements and identify a few approaches to dealing with them. We illustrate the concept and the challenges with four case studies - Gender Relations in India; Heroin Prescriptions in Australia; Inter-sectoral Cooperation in Africa and Asia; and Building Grassroots Movements in the US. We argue that PRE that contributes to the democratization of knowledge must pay special attention to social change theories, power relations, long-term domain development strategies and building friendly institutional bases.
Development and Effectiveness of an Educational Card Game as Supplementary Material in Understanding Selected Topics in Biology

To help students understand and apply basic biological concepts in a challenging and interactive format, this study focused on the development, effectiveness, and evaluation of an educational card game. The test supported that the use of this educational card game is more effective than the traditional method. The students perceived that the material is “very satisfactory. ”
The role of bilingualism in foreign language acquisition: Learning English in the Basque country

Abstract This paper deals with the acquisition of a third language (English) and its relationship to psychosocial and socio‐educational variables in a bilingual educational context, the Basque Country. Subjects were 321 secondary school students from two linguistic programmes: models A (Spanish, vehicular language) and D (Basque, vehicular language). The subjects answered questionnaires which measured both dependent and independent variables. The dependent variables were those related to English achievement, including the four language skills (reading, listening, speaking, writing) and a test of vocabulary and grammar. The independent variables were four dimensions of bilingual‐ism (early bilingualism, competence in Basque language, family bilingualism and linguistic model) and four measures of social motivation (attitude towards learning English, effort, residence in English speaking countries and English language instruction outside school). Manova analyses showed a significant positive effect of biling.
Adaptable behaviours for successful work and career adjustment

This paper proposes a conceptual approach to the construct of behavioural adaptability in work contexts and illustrates the application of the approach in two organisations. Behavioural adaptability is an important construct in both individual and organisational career development with practical value in strategic career planning. Using the Minnesota Theory of Work Adjustment, adaptable behaviours are described as being either proactive, reactive or tolerant. Two Australian civilian organisations participated in the research presented in this study (involving 257 respondents), thereby extending previous research on adaptive performance that has primarily focused on military personnel in the United States. Factor analytic results of self-reported behaviour and supervisor-rated performance offer initial support for the proposed framework. In addition, the validity of a set of predictors, including self-efficacy, work-requirements biodata, cognitive flexibility and personality traits, was examined. Results s.