Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuroprotectant FK506 inhibits glutamate‐induced apoptosis of astrocytes in vitro and in vivo

Neuron–astrocyte interactions are critical for signalling, energy metabolism, extracellular ion and glutamate homeostasis, volume regulation and neuroprotection in the CNS. Glutamate uptake by astrocytes may prevent excitotoxic glutamate elevation and determine neuronal survival. However, an excess of glutamate can cause the death of astrocytes. FK506, an inhibitor of calcineurin, and an immunosuppressive drug, is neuroprotective in animal models of neurologic diseases, including focal and global ischaemia. In the present work, we demonstrate that a single injection of FK506 60 min after a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) significantly decreases the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase nick‐end labelling (TUNEL)‐positive cells in the ischaemic cortex and striatum. Using 3‐D confocal microscopy we found that, 24 h after MCAo, many TUNEL‐positive cells in the ischaemic striatum and cortex are astrocytes. Furthermore, we demonstrate that exposure of cultured cortical astrocytes to 50–100 mM Glu for 24 h induces apoptotic alterations in nuclear morphology, DNA fragmentation, dissipation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨ) and caspase activation. FK506 (1 μM) efficiently inhibits Glu‐induced apoptosis of cultured astrocytes, DNA fragmentation and changes in mitochondrial ΔΨ. Our findings suggest that modulation of glutamate‐induced astrocyte death early after reperfusion may be a novel mechanism of FK506‐mediated neuroprotection in ischaemia.
Psychology Supervisors' Bias in Evaluations and Letters of Recommendation

ABSTRACT Clinical supervisors have important, but perhaps poorly understood, roles involving quality assessment and improvement, and datekeeping. Supervisors provide evaluation and certification of trainees attesting to their qualifications to continue in their training and performance as mental health service providers. However, bias in supervisory evaluations is a pervasive problem as a training issue in professional psychology. Supervisors (n = 62) at APA-accredited clinical psychology internships estimated rates of leniency, central tendency, and strictness bias among supervisors in general and their own bias in evaluations and letters of reference. The implications of bias in supervisory evaluation are discussed. Potential steps to limit supervisors' bias and increase accountability are recommended.
Growth of Belgian and Norwegian children compared to the WHO growth standards: prevalence below −2 and above +2 SD and the effect of breastfeeding

Background New national growth references have been published in Belgium and Norway. The WHO recommends universal use of their 2006 Child Growth Standards based on data from breastfed children. Objective To compare the growth of Belgian and Norwegian children with the WHO standards. Participants 6985 children 0–5 years of age from Belgium and Norway. Design Proportion of children below −2 SD and above +2 SD of the WHO standards was calculated for length/height, weight, body mass index and head circumference. Average SD scores of exclusively breastfed children of non-smoking mothers were compared with national reference data and with the WHO standards. Results Generally, the number of Belgian and Norwegian children below −2 SD lines of the WHO standards was lower and above +2 SD higher than expected. The largest differences were for head circumference (0.97% Belgian and 0.18% Norwegian children below −2 SD, 6.55% Belgian and 6.40% Norwegian children above +2 SD) and the smallest for length/height (1.25% Belgian and 1.43% Norwegian children below −2 SD, 3.47% Belgian and 2.81% Norwegian children above +2 SD). The growth pattern of breastfed children of non-smoking mothers was in both countries more alike the local national growth references than the WHO standards. Conclusions There are significant deviations in the proportion of children outside normal limits (±2 SD) of the WHO standards. This was true for all children, including those who were exclusively breastfed. Hence, adoption of the WHO growth charts could have consequences for clinical decision-making. These findings advocate the use of national references in Belgium and Norway, also for breastfed children.
A Triangular Model for Diagnosis and Management of Preschool ADHD: Symptom or Syndrome?

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common, well-defined, developmental disorder with a recognized genetic-neurologic basis. Studies report pathogenic involvement of the dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways. Its presentation in the preschool years is variable and can be mistaken for other common behavioral and developmental problems. The aim of this work is to propose an interactive “triangular model” based on the temperamental-genetic, emotional-behavioral, and developmental-genetic pathways of ADHD to explain the evolution of the clinical picture and serve as a guide to appropriate management, particularly in the preschool years. The model can also be used in parental counseling. This article describes 3 illustrative cases of preschool children with hyperactive and inattentive behaviors who were diagnosed with ADHD by standardized developmental and psychological batteries and followed at 2 child developmental centers. By applying the model, treatment could be targeted at the predominant area of difficulty for each child.
Gender and the Perception of Knowledge in Political Discussion

Differences in knowledge about politics between men and women have the potential to affect political discussion. We examine differences in the perception of political knowledge between men and women and the effects these differences have on how often men and women talk about politics. We find both men and women perceive women to be less knowledgeable about politics and men to be more knowledgeable, regardless of the actual level of knowledge each discussion partner holds. This perceptual knowledge gap could have ramifications for discussion as political participation, since people turn to those they perceive to be experts to gather political information.
Modified bases enable high-efficiency oligonucleotide-mediated allelic replacement via mismatch repair evasion

Genome engineering using single-stranded oligonucleotides is an efficient method for generating small chromosomal and episomal modifications in a variety of host organisms. The efficiency of this allelic replacement strategy is highly dependent on avoidance of the endogenous mismatch repair (MMR) machinery. However, global MMR inactivation generally results in significant accumulation of undesired background mutations. Here, we present a novel strategy using oligos containing chemically modified bases (2′-Fluoro-Uridine, 5-Methyl-deoxyCytidine, 2,6-Diaminopurine or Iso-deoxyGuanosine) in place of the standard T, C, A or G to avoid mismatch detection and repair, which we tested in Escherichia coli. This strategy increases transient allelic-replacement efficiencies by up to 20-fold, while maintaining a 100-fold lower background mutation level. We further show that the mismatched bases between the full length oligo and the chromosome are often not incorporated at the target site, probably due to nuclease activity at the 5′ and 3′ termini of the oligo. These results further elucidate the mechanism of oligo-mediated allelic replacement (OMAR) and enable improved methodologies for efficient, large-scale engineering of genomes.
Consumption Commitments : A Foundation for Reference-Dependent Preferences and Habit Formation

We build a theory of reference-dependent preferences based on adjustment costs in consumption. The main contribution of the theory is that it endogenizes the evolution of the reference point. The reference point generated by our model exhibits several features exogenously assumed in existing theories: it (1) reects recent expectations, (2) depends on past consumption levels, and (3) diminishes in importance when agents experience large shocks. When the ratio of idiosyncratic to aggregate risk is large, the model is approximately equivalent to standard habit formation speci cations in which the reference point is a weighted average of past consumption. We illustrate the implications of endogenizing the reference point using three applications: aggregate consumption dynamics, changes in policy parameters, and the welfare cost of shocks. In each application, our model of endogenous reference points con rms certain intuitions from existing theories but yields some starkly di¤erent predictions. For example, reducing idiosyncratic risk can raise the welfare cost of aggregate shocks by making reference points more persistent. E-mail addresses: chetty@fas.harvard. edu and szeidl@econ.berkeley. edu. We thank John Campbell, Gary Chamberlain, Tom Davido¤, Drew Fudenberg, Elhanan Helpman, Miklos Koren, Hanno Lustig, Todd Sinai, Jeremy Stein, and Moto Yogo for comments. We are grateful for funding from the National Science Foundation Grant SES 0522073, the Social Science Research Council, and the Institute for Humane Studies.
Determination of Weights for Multiobjective Decision Making or Machine Learning

Decision-making processes in complex systems generally require the mechanisms to make the tradeoff among contradicting design criteria. When multiple objectives are involved in decision making or machine learning, a crucial step is to determine the weights of individual objectives to the system-level performance. Determining the weights of multiobjectives is an evaluation process, and it has been often treated as an optimization problem. However, our preliminary investigation has shown that existing methodologies in dealing with the weights of multiobjectives have some obvious limitations in the sense that the determination of weights is tackled as a single optimization problem, a result based on such an optimization is incomprehensive, and it can even be unreliable when the information about multiple objectives is incomplete such as an incompleteness caused by poor data. The constraints of weights are also discussed. Variable weights are natural in decision-making processes. Therefore, we are motivated to develop a systematic methodology in determining variable weights of multiobjectives. The roles of weights in an original multiobjective decision-making or machine-learning problem are analyzed, and the weights are determined with the aid of a modular neural network. The inconsistency issue of weights is particularly discussed.
Post‐Soviet central Asia and post‐colonial Francophone Africa: some associations

An established axiom among historians states that, to put it sharply, 'there are neither similarities, nor parallels in history'. Ergo: no comparisons between different phenomena are legitimate, since any similarities can only be general, vague and superficial. Nevertheless, a comparison between historical situations, as long as it is not simplistic and mechanical and if taken cum grano salis, might be an additional useful tool for a better grasp of a deeper insight into historical realities. This article attempts to add such a tool to understanding the post-Soviet Central Asian states by comparing their relationship with the Russian Federation to that of the post-colonial states of Francophone Africa with France. It does not attempt to compare the states and societies of the two groups. The differences between, and indeed within each of the two groups are too numerous and obvious. Nor does it attempt to enter the argument on whether the case of Russia and the Soviet Union is at all one of 'Colonialism' and 'Imperialism' as defined with regard to the maritime, West European Powers. Finally, this article does not overlook the variances in time between the two phenomena, both those related to chronology three decades separate between the two - and to the global environment. One can think of several obvious differences: the geographical setting the French colonies were overseas, Central Asia is adjacent to Russia; the fact that, in comparison to the great ethnic, religious and cultural diversity of Francophone Africa, Central Asia is relatively homogeneous; the specifics of the colonization, colonial administration and decolonization; and the great variation between the two Imperial Powers, their political and administrative cultures and style. Furthermore, in the case of Russia there are basic differences between the Imperial (Tsarist) and the Soviet periods. One may even say that one deals with two different Powers and claim, therefore, that Central Asia was colonized twice within several decades; to this one should add the widespread thesis, almost an axiom, in all parts of the ex-USSR, that regards the Soviet Union as the colonial Power and
Echocardiographic Assessment after Surgical Repair of Tetralogy of Fallot

Surgical correction of tetralogy of Fallot is still one of the most frequently performed intervention in pediatric cardiac surgery, and in many cases, it is far from being a complete and definitive correction. It is rather an excellent palliation that solves the problem of cyanosis, but predisposes the patients to medical and surgical complications during follow-up. The decision-making process regarding the treatment of late sequel is among the most discussed topics in adult congenital cardiology. In post-operative Fallot patients, echocardiography is used as the first method of diagnostic imaging and currently allows both a qualitative observation of the anatomical alterations and a detailed quantification of right ventricular volumes and function, of the right ventricular outflow tract, and of the pulmonary valve and pulmonary arteries. The literature introduced many quantitative echocardiographic criteria useful for the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involving the right ventricle and those have made much more objective any decision-making processes.
Students’ Conceptions of Ionisation Energy: A Cross‐cultural Study

Previous studies have indicated that A‐level students in the UK and Singapore have difficulty learning the topic of ionisation energy. A two‐tier multiple‐choice instrument developed in Singapore in an earlier study, the Ionisation Energy Diagnostic Instrument, was administered to A‐level students in the UK, advanced placement high school students in the USA, and first‐year university students in China, New Zealand, and Spain to determine whether the students from different countries and educational systems had similar conceptions and difficulties as the students in Singapore with the concepts assessed in the instrument. The results showed that, in general, the students in all six samples had similar alternative conceptions, which were grouped under the categories of octet rule framework, stable fully‐filled and half‐filled subshell conceptions, and conservation of force thinking. The students also resorted to relation‐based thinking when answering items involving the trend of ionisation energies across Period 3. Implications for teaching and further research are discussed.
Standardization and validation of real time PCR assays for the diagnosis of histoplasmosis using three molecular targets in an animal model

Histoplasmosis is considered one of the most important endemic and systemic mycoses worldwide. Until now few molecular techniques have been developed for its diagnosis. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate three real time PCR (qPCR) protocols for different protein-coding genes (100-kDa, H and M antigens) using an animal model. Fresh and formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) lung tissues from BALB/c mice inoculated i.n. with 2.5x106 Histoplasma capsulatum yeast or PBS were obtained at 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks post-infection. A collection of DNA from cultures representing different clades of H. capsulatum (30 strains) and other medically relevant pathogens (36 strains of related fungi and Mycobacterium tuberculosis) were used to analyze sensitivity and specificity. Analytical sensitivity and specificity were 100% when DNAs from the different strains were tested. The highest fungal burden occurred at first week post-infection and complete fungal clearance was observed after the third week; similar results were obtained when the presence of H. capsulatum yeast cells was demonstrated in histopathological analysis. In the first week post-infection, all fresh and FFPE lung tissues from H. capsulatum-infected animals were positive for the qPCR protocols tested except for the M antigen protocol, which gave variable results when fresh lung tissue samples were analyzed. In the second week, all qPCR protocols showed variable results for both fresh and FFPE tissues. Samples from the infected mice at the remaining times post-infection and uninfected mice (controls) were negative for all protocols. Good agreement was observed between CFUs, histopathological analysis and qPCR results for the 100-kDa and H antigen protocols. We successfully standardized and validated three qPCR assays for detecting H. capsulatum DNA in fresh and FFPE tissues, and conclude that the 100-kDa and H antigen molecular assays are promising tests for diagnosing this mycosis.
The use of the General Health Questionnaire as an indicator of mental health in occupational studies.

This paper examines the psychometric properties of an existing measure of mental health, the GHQ-12, as revealed in three studies involving employees in an engineering firm (n = 659), recent school-leavers (n = 647), and unemployed men (n = 92). The measure was shown to be psychometrically sound in all cases, with a Likert scoring method providing a more acceptable distribution of scores than the more commonly deployed ‘ GHQ score ’ for use in parametric statistical analyses. Scores on GHQ-12 were found to be much higher (indicating lower mental health) for those who were unemployed, higher for women than for men in one sample, and unrelated to age, job level and marital status.
Manipulations of silver nanowires in a droplet on a low-frequency ultrasonic stage

In this work, we report the use of a low-frequency circular ultrasonic stage to form a circular spot of silver nanowires (AgNWs) at the stage center and to radially align AgNWs on the stage surface. The manipulations are implemented within an AgNW suspension droplet at the center of the ultrasonic stage. The ultrasonic stage (50.8 mm diameter, 3.5 mm thick) operates at a flexural vibration mode symmetric about its center and has a vibration peak at the center. The AgNW suspension is formed of deionized water with AgNWs dispersed in it. The operating frequency of the ultrasonic stage is 21.3 kHz; the AgNWs have diameter of 100 nm and length of approximately 30 μm. When the ultrasonic stage vibrates properly, AgNWs on the substrate surface in the droplet may move to the stage center and form a spot or rotate to the radial direction and align radially. The spot diameter and thickness are several hundred micrometers and several micrometers, respectively. The rotation speed of a single AgNW can be up to 31°/min when the vibration velocity of the stage center is 42 mm/s (0-p) for a 40-μL droplet. After the droplet dries out by natural evaporation without ultrasound, the spot and radial alignment have little change in the size and pattern. Principle analyses show that the spot formation and radial alignment of AgNWs are caused by the acoustic streaming in the radial direction in the droplet.
The regulation of the excretion of water by the kidneys

THE starting point of the present work was the well known fact that great diuresis follows the ingestion of large amounts of water per os, and the attempt has been made to find out whether this diuresis is related to any changes in the blood comparable to the changes in hydrogen ion concentration which regulate the breathing. In a paper published in 1915(1) it was shown by Dr J. S. Haldane and myself that as a consequence of drinking water the excretion of urine could be increased from about 40 c.c. per hour up to as much as 1200 c.c. per hour, the specific gravity falling to less than 1001. Comparative estimations of the amount of haemoglobin in the blood before and during diuresis did not however show any appreciable change, though the method of estimation of haemoglobin used was capable of giving results accurate to about 1 p.c. In another paper(2) it was shown, however, that the above-mentioned diuresis was accompanied by a distinct change in the electrical conductivity of the blood serum, amounting to about 5 p.c. , and the conclusion was drawn that the water absorbed from the alimentary canal did not remain in the blood stream but was distributed in the tissues and that at the same time salts passed out of the blood into the tissues, or the water in the alimentary canal, to an appreciable extent. On resuming this work the observations as to the production of diuresis by water drinking and the constancy of the percentage of haemoglobin in the blood were confirmed. Fig. 1 shows a composite curve giving the average results of 15 experiments in several of which haemoglobin estimations were made. None of these showed any definite change in relation to the diuresis. Nevertheless, it seemed likely that some relation existed between the diuresis and the composition of the blood. Now Haldane (3) has shown meanwhile that, in order to make theory agree with the experimental facts as to the relations between temperature, pressure and volume in gases, it is necessary to introduce some modifications into the equation expressing
Improved 3-D facial representation through statistical shape model

This paper describes an improved 3-D facial representation method capable of modeling different types of faces without any constraint from expression, age, gender, or ethnic origin. Using the proposed technique, a 3-D face can be represented by a low dimensional shape space vector (SSV) of the statistical shape model (SSM), which is calculated through a model-based surface registration process. This model-based surface registration method consists of two major processing stages, model building and hierarchical model fitting. A statistical shape model is first built using a set of training faces. Then the model is deformed to match the new face by a modified iterative closest point (ICP) scheme. The experimental results on real 3-D facial data show that the proposed method can reasonably interpret the articulation of 3-D faces.
Efficacy and performance impact of value prediction

Value prediction is a technique that bypasses inter-instruction data dependencies by speculating on the outcomes of producer instructions, thereby allowing dependent consumer instructions to execute in parallel. This work makes several contributions in value prediction research. A hybrid value predictor that achieves an overall prediction rate of up to 83% is presented. The design of a value-predicting eight-wide superscalar machine with its speculative execution core is described. This design is able to achieve 8.6% to 23% IPC improvements on the SPEC benchmarks. Furthermore, it is shown that prediction rate is not a good indicator of speedup because over 40% of predictions made may not be useful in enhancing performance, and a simple hardware mechanism that eliminates many of these useless predictions is introduced.