Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Schizophrenia spectrum participants have reduced visual contrast sensitivity to chromatic (red/green) and luminance (light/dark) stimuli: new insights into information processing, visual channel function, and antipsychotic effects

Background: Individuals with schizophrenia spectrum diagnoses have deficient visual information processing as assessed by a variety of paradigms including visual backward masking, motion perception and visual contrast sensitivity (VCS). In the present study, the VCS paradigm was used to investigate potential differences in magnocellular (M) vs. parvocellular (P) channel function that might account for the observed information processing deficits of schizophrenia spectrum patients. Specifically, VCS for near threshold luminance (black/white) stimuli is known to be governed primarily by the M channel, while VCS for near threshold chromatic (red/green) stimuli is governed by the P channel. Methods: VCS for luminance and chromatic stimuli (counterphase-reversing sinusoidal gratings, 1.22 c/degree, 8.3 Hz) was assessed in 53 patients with schizophrenia (including 5 off antipsychotic medication), 22 individuals diagnosed with schizotypal personality disorder and 53 healthy comparison subjects. Results: Schizophrenia spectrum groups demonstrated reduced VCS in both conditions relative to normals, and there was no significant group by condition interaction effect. Post-hoc analyses suggest that it was the patients with schizophrenia on antipsychotic medication as well as SPD participants who accounted for the deficits in the luminance condition. Conclusions: These results demonstrate visual information processing deficits in schizophrenia spectrum populations but do not support the notion of selective abnormalities in the function of subcortical channels as suggested by previous studies. Further work is needed in a longitudinal design to further assess VCS as a vulnerability marker for psychosis as well as the effect of antipsychotic agents on performance in schizophrenia spectrum populations.
Normativity and friendship choices among ethnic majority- and minority-group children

Two-hundred-and-fifty-eight White British (ethnic majority) and British South Asian (minority) children (5, 9 and 13 years old) chose potential friends from descriptions of peers who had traits and preferences that were either consistent (normative) or inconsistent (deviant) with ethnic group membership. White children chose peers from the ethnic ingroup. Younger Asian children (5 years) more often selected an outgroup peer, although ingroup choices increased with age (9 and 13 years). Normativity and strength of ethnic identification did not affect choices. However, children who selected an outgroup child tended to have more cross-ethnic friendships than those who did not. The implications for theories of group dynamics and intergroup contact are discussed.
Job satisfaction as mediator: An assessment of job satisfaction's position within the nomological network

Job satisfaction's position within the nomological network and the mechanism outlined by theories of social exchange suggest that job satisfaction functions as a mediator of the relationship between various antecedent variables and volitional workplace behaviours. We extend social exchange theory to include perceptions of the total job situation and develop a model that positions job satisfaction as a mediator of the relationships between various internal and external antecedent variables, and three volitional workplace behaviours: citizenship behaviours, counterproductive workplace behaviours, and job withdrawal. The fit of a fully mediated model is good and all four classes of antecedents (dispositions, workplace events, job characteristics, job opportunities) contributed uniquely to the prediction of satisfaction. Job satisfaction is also shown to mediate most antecedent-consequence relationships, although two important exceptions are evident. A direct link from pro-social disposition to OCBs, and a direct link and one from anti-social disposition to counterproductivity, suggest that job satisfaction does not fully moderate the relationships between dispositions and contextual behaviours.
Trustworthy specifications of ARM® v8-A and v8-M system level architecture

Processor specifications are of critical importance for verifying programs, compilers, operating systems/hypervisors, and, of course, for verifying microprocessors themselves. But to be useful, the scope of these specifications must be sufficient for the task, the specification must be applicable to processors of interest and the specification must be trustworthy. This paper describes a 5 year project to change ARM's existing architecture specification process so that machine-readable, executable specifications can be automatically generated from the same materials used to generate ARM's conventional architecture documentation. We have developed executable specifications of both ARM's A-class and M-class processor architectures that are complete enough and trustworthy enough that we have used them to formally verify ARM processors using bounded model checking. In particular, our specifications include the semantics of the most security sensitive parts of the processor: the memory and register protection mechanisms and the exception mechanisms that trigger transitions between different modes. Most importantly, we have applied a diverse set of methods including ARM's internal processor test suites to improve our trust in the specification using many other expressions of the architectural specification such as ARM's simulators, testsuites and processors to defend against common-mode failure. In the process, we have also found bugs in all those artifacts: testing specifications is very much a two-way street. While there have been previous specifications of ARM processors, their scope has excluded the system architecture, their applicability has excluded newer processors and M-class, and their trustworthiness has not been established as thoroughly. Our focus has been on enabling the formal verification of ARM processors but, recognising the value of this specification for verifying software, we are currently preparing a public release of the machine-readable specification.
A National Assessment of GIS in American High Schools

Geographic information systems (GIS) technology and methods have transformed decision making in universities, government, and industry by bringing digital spatial data sets and geographic analysis to the desktop computer. Some educators consider GIS to be one of the most promising means for implementing educational reform. However, GIS technology has been adopted by an estimated less than 1% of American high schools. The reasons behind the interest in GIS technology and methods, their slow implementation, their extent in the curriculum, and their effectiveness in teaching and learning are unclear. To address these concerns, this research: (1) describes the geographic and curricular extent to which GIS technology and methods are being implemented in secondary education in the United States, and (2) explains why and how GIS is being implemented. The study addresses technological, methodological, instructional, sociological, and behavioural issues surrounding the implementation of GIS technology and methods in secondary education. A survey was employed to discover (1) how secondary teachers are using GIS in their curricula, and (2) why they are using GIS in their curricula. A 33-item survey questionnaire was sent to 1528 teachers who owned Idrisi, by the Clark Labs at Clark University of Worcester, Massachusetts USA, MapInfo, by MapInfo Corporation of Chicago, Illinois USA, or ArcView, by ESRI, Incorporated, of Redlands, California USA. A total of 422 surveys were returned, yielding a 28% response rate. Nearly nine out of ten survey respondents taught in public high schools. Over half of the responses were from personnel in high schools enrolling between 500 and 1999 students with standard class sizes of 20–29 students. Teachers interested in GIS are highly educated and experienced. Over 76% have a Master’s or PhD degree. Over 60% of respondents have been teaching at least 15 years, and 45% have been teaching at least 20 years. GIS is preferred by teachers who have the educational background necessary to implement this advanced tool and who may have more time to devote to it. Survey results confirmed the research of Bednarz and Audet (1999), which found that most geographic technology training has been aimed at inservice teachers, rather than preservice teachers. Results also support findings of a survey that suggested that teachers are not being adequately trained to apply technology effectively to their teaching strategies (Milken Exchange and the International Society for Technology in Education, 1999).
Mice that lack the interferon-gamma receptor have profoundly altered responses to infection with Bacillus Calmette-Guerin and subsequent challenge with lipopolysaccharide

Mice with a targeted disruption of the interferon gamma receptor gene (IFN-gamma R0/0 mice) and control wild-type mice were inoculated with the Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) strain of Mycobacterium bovis. BCG infection was not lethal for wild-type mice whereas all IFN-gamma R0/0 mice died approximately 7-9 wk after inoculation. Histological examination at 2 and 6 wk after BCG inoculation showed that livers of IFN-gamma R0/0 mice had higher numbers of acid-fast bacteria than wild- type mice, especially at 6 wk. In parallel, the livers of IFN-gamma R0/0 mice showed a reduction in the formation of characteristic granulomas at 2 wk after inoculation. Injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) 2 wk after BCG inoculation was significantly less lethal for IFN- gamma R0/0 mice than for wild-type mice. Reduced lethality of LPS correlated with a drastically reduced production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in the IFN-gamma R0/0 mice. Interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and IL-6 levels in the serum were also significantly reduced in the IFN-gamma R0/0 mice after BCG infection and LPS challenge. The greatly reduced capacity of BCG-infected IFN-gamma R0/0 mice to produce TNF-alpha may be an important factor in their inability to resist BCG infection. These results show that the presence of a functional IFN-gamma receptor is essential for the recovery of mice from BCG infection, and that IFN-gamma is a key element in the complex process whereby BCG infection leads to the sensitization to endotoxin.
Filipino American women, work and family: an examination of factors affecting high labor force participation

With great numbers of women entering the labor force, there has been an interest in research on the relationship between work and the family. Much of the research has focused on Caucasian women; comparatively little attention has been paid to women from other ethnic groups. One group conspicuously left out of the research literature is Filipino American women. The lack of empirical research in this area is especially noteworthy since Filipino Americans constitute the second largest Asian American subgroup in the United States today and are expected to become the largest during the next decade (Gardner et al., 1985). Most Filipinos are immigrants. The population of Filipino Americans in the United States increased by 8 percent between 1980 and 1990 (US Department of Commerce, 1990). This rapid growth rate has resulted in a corresponding increase in the number of Filipino Americans in the labor force.
Identification and Differentiation of European and African/Australian Strains of Mycoplasma Mycoides Subspecies Mycoides Small-Colony type Using Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis

Mycoplasma mycoides subspecies mycoides small-colony type (M. m. m. SC) is the cause of the economically important contagious bovine pleuropneumonia. Isolates from Africa and Australia have previously been documented to have a fragment of approximately 8.84 kb, which is absent in European strains. A set of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primers over this region was designed to identify M. m. m. SC isolates and separate European strains from those of Africa/Australia. Specificity of the PCR assay was achieved through the positioning of an oligonucleotide within the insertion sequence IS1296, upstream of this deletion, which then was paired with a reverse primer, upstream of the deletion, within the 8.84 kb-deleted region or downstream of the deletion, generating fragments of 1.1 kb (all M. m. m. SC strains), 1.4 kb (African/Australian strains only) and 1.3 kb (European strains only), respectively. Identification and differentiation was specific for DNA from M. m. m. SC with no amplification of DNA from other cluster members or closely related species. The PCR products did not require differentiation by use of a restriction endonuclease, and have potential for use in detection of this organism in clinical samples.
Positron emission tomography and its application to the study of cerebrovascular disease in man.

La PET (tomographie d'emission de positrons) est encore dans son enfance. Les examens par la PET ont deja montre que les modifications du debit sanguin sont extremement variables, parfois d'une importance clinique incertaine et difficiles a interpreter sans informations concomitantes sur le metabolisme et d'autres variables physiologiques
Foot Infections in Diabetes are Rarely Due to a Single Microorganism

The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency with which multiple organisms can be isolated from severe foot infections in diabetic patients with carefully planned techniques of collection and processing of specimens. One hundred and seventy‐seven organisms were isolated from 52 patient admissions (mean 3.4 per infection) at a district hospital. This was compared to a mean of 2.1 organisms per lesion at a local university hospital and 2.3 at a smaller community hospital. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in about half of all lesions at the three hospitals, while anaerobic organisms were isolated from 30 at the district hospital, 10 at the university hospital, and 4 at the community hospital. This study concludes that, firstly, proper techniques for collection, transportation and examination of culture specimens are important in the isolation of multiple organisms from foot infections in diabetes, and secondly, Staphylococcus aureus is often absent while anaerobic organisms are common.
Author ' s personal copy Mobile phones andcore network growth in Kenya : Strengthening weak ties

In contrast to recent US studies showing a decrease in core network size, our Kenyan data reveals substantial network growth. We attribute this to the diffusion of mobile telephones. Results from pooled survey data from Nairobi professionals and entrepreneurs in 2002 and 2007 as well as qualitative interviews from 2007 to 2009 show virtual saturation in the diffusion of phones during this period, but no direct effect of technology use. What explains this puzzle is a network effect of mobile telephony: increased technological access to existing networks in a context of resource scarcity leads to a strengthening of weak ties and the enhancement of core networks among Kenyans. Video ethnographic data before and after the 2007 post-election unrest supports this interpretation, showing that mobile phones are a crucial resource in managing interpersonal networks for instrumental purposes. 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
The Modified Brostrom Procedure for Lateral Ankle Instability

Twenty-eight ankles in twenty-seven patients (average age 28) underwent the Gould modification of the Brostrom repair for symptomatic lateral ankle instability. Fifty-four percent were high level professional ballet dancers, 35% were recreational athletes, and 11% were nonathletes. Follow-up averaged 64.3 months (range 30–132 months). Of the 28 operations performed, there were 26 excellent results, one good result, and one fair result. All the professional dancers obtained excellent results. There were no failures, stretch-outs, re-dos, or complications. This operation is believed to be an excellent choice for the dancer, athlete, or nonathlete who needs a stable ankle with a full range of plantarflexion and dorsiflexion and normal peroneal function.
Hepatic expression of hepatitis C virus RNA in chronic hepatitis C: A study by in situ reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) replicates at a low rate and this makes its detection and intrahepatic localization difficult. To evaluate the clinical implications and effect of interferon alfa (IFN‐α) therapy on hepatic expression of HCV RNA, HCV RNA was detected by in situ reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (IS‐RT‐PCR) in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded liver sections from 26 patients with chronic hepatitis C. Results were compared with RT‐PCR of HCV RNA extracted from liver sections/tissue. Twenty‐four paired post‐IFN‐α treatment biopsy specimens were also assessed. Using RT‐PCR of the extracted RNA as a positive standard and non‐HCV liver sections as the negative standard, the sensitivity and specificity of IS‐RT‐PCR were 69% and 100%, respectively. HCV RNA was detected in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes (median, 5% hepatocytes positive; range, 0 to 35%) and very occasionally in infiltrating mononuclear cells. There was no correlation between hepatic expression of HCV RNA and the clinical, biochemical parameters, total and activity scores of histology activity index. Presence of HCV RNA in liver as detected by IS‐RT‐PCR was associated with higher serum HCV RNA levels (4.9 × 106 vs. 0.4 × 106 genome Eq/mL, P < .01). There was no difference in the pretreatment proportion of HCV RNA‐positive hepatocytes among patients with different biochemical responses to IFN‐α therapy. In the posttreatment samples, HCV RNA was undetectable by IS‐RT‐PCR in 16 of 24 patients (P < .01), including all 4 patients who had complete and sustained response (SR). We conclude that HCV RNA was detected by IS‐RT‐PCR in 0 to 35% of hepatocytes in patients with chronic HCV infection, detection of HCV RNA in liver by IS‐RT‐PCR was associated with higher viremia levels and IFN‐α therapy reduced hepatocytic expression of HCV RNA.
Opportunities for Inclusion the Education of Learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Special Schools in Uganda.

The Government of Uganda aims to provide good quality education for all learners in inclusive schools. However, some learners who have severe disabilities, including those who are deaf, will, for some time, continue to receive their education in special schools. In this article, Kirsten Kristensen, consultant in inclusive and special needs education for many countries in East Africa, Martin Omagor-Loican, Commissioner for Special Needs Education, Negris Onen, Principal Education Officer for Special Needs and Inclusive Education, both at the Ministry of Education in Sports in Uganda, and Daniel Okot, co-ordinator for the Diploma in Special Needs Education at Kyambogo University, provide an account of their study of 15 such schools. The findings from the study indicate a striking need for reform and transformation. While Uganda has an advanced structure for training teachers in special needs education, the quality of education and educational materials in special schools, is poor. Often children are admitted to special schools without proper assessment of their educational needs and the resources are not available to provide them with an appropriate range of experiences. The authors of this article call for a thoroughgoing review of provision and make a series of coherent and persuasive recommendations for developments in policy and practice focused on enabling special schools in Uganda to play an essential role in future as resource centres supporting an inclusive education system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Merger and acquisition announcements as corporate wedding narratives

This study uses a discursive perspective to analyze the way in which top managers legitimize change in official announcements. It focuses on the foundations of legitimacy invoked using both Weber's typology, based on modes of authority, and the conventionalist model, stressing the constitutive frameworks that justify collective action. We use a narrative approach to examine four texts intended for employees in the context of mergers‐acquisitions in the Canadian financial services sector. We look at those announcements as wedding narratives. A framework based on the canonical schema and Greimas's actantial model was applied to the texts. The analysis reveals that these narrations of corporate marriages, while describing the same event, give distinct versions of it. These distinctions bring out differences between firms in terms of the foundations of legitimacy invoked, the contribution of the various actors, and the narrative style favoured.
Sanguinarine Downregulates AT1a Gene Expression in a Hypertensive Rat Model

We studied the in vivo effects of sanguinarine in a hypertensive rat model and its effects on AT1a mRNA expression in kidney tissues. Rats received daily for 14 d sanguinarine 0.1 mg/kg (SangL) and 0.3 mg/kg (SangH), losartan 1 mg/kg by weight (Los), or DMSO (Con). Blood pressures were monitored regularly and urine volume and sodium concentration was measured on days 0, 7, and 14. On day 15, animals were anesthetized (sodium thiopentane, 50 mg/kg), blood samples for aldosterone levels were taken, and kidneys were removed for AT1a mRNA expression. Los and SangH groups showed reduced AT1a mRNA expressions by 4.22- and 5.9-fold, respectively. In the SangL group it was reduced by 2.7-fold. Decreases in systolic blood pressures mirrored decreases in AT1a mRNA expressions in all groups. Los and SangH groups showed reductions in systolic blood pressure of 12.3% and 19.3%, respectively, whereas in the SangL group, it was reduced by 8.07%. Urine output in the Los group increased (228% mean increase from days 0-14), whereas sodium excretion decreased by 69.6% (mean decrease from days 0-14). In the SangL and SangH groups, urine volumes increased significantly by 108.3% and 115% (mean increase from days 0-14), respectively. Urinary sodium excretion increased significantly by 60.9% in the SangH group. We concluded that sanguinarine reduces blood pressure in the Dahl rat because of decreased AT1 receptor expression and reduced aldosterone levels. The action of losartan on increased urinary volume and decreased sodium excretion may be attributed to reduced vasopressin secretion.
Transcription Factor Nrf2 Plays a Pivotal Role in Protection against Elastase-Induced Pulmonary Inflammation and Emphysema1

Emphysema is one of the major pathological abnormalities associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The protease/antiprotease imbalance and inflammation resulting from oxidative stress have been attributed to the pathogenesis of emphysema. Nrf2 is believed to protect against oxidative tissue damage through the transcriptional activation of a battery of antioxidant enzymes. In this study, we investigated the protective role of Nrf2 in the development of emphysema using elastase-induced emphysema as our model system. We found that elastase-provoked emphysema was markedly exacerbated in Nrf2-knockout (KO) mice compared with wild-type mice. The severity of emphysema in Nrf2-KO mice correlated intimately with the degree of lung inflammation in the initial stage of elastase treatment. The highly inducible expression of antioxidant and antiprotease genes observed in wild-type alveolar macrophages was significantly attenuated in the lungs of Nrf2-KO mice. Interestingly, transplantation of wild-type bone marrow cells into Nrf2-KO mice retarded the development of initial lung inflammation and subsequent emphysema, and this improvement correlated well with the appearance of macrophages expressing Nrf2-regulated antiprotease and antioxidant genes. Thus, Nrf2 appears to exert its protective effects through the transcriptional activation of antiprotease and antioxidant genes in alveolar macrophages.