Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum hepcidin levels are related to the severity of liver histological lesions in chronic hepatitis C

Summary. Hepcidin is synthesized in the liver and has a crucial role in iron homoeostasis. Its synthesis is up‐regulated in chronic inflammation and iron excess. We examined the determinants of serum hepcidin and liver hepcidin mRNA levels and their association with histological lesions in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC) and healthy controls. We studied 96 patients with CHC and 30 controls. Serum hepcidin levels were measured by an in‐house competitive ELISA. Hepcidin mRNA levels were determined by a one‐step qRT‐PCR in total RNA extracted from liver biopsy specimens of 27 patients with CHC and six disease controls. Histological lesions were evaluated according to Ishak’s classification. Serum hepcidin was significantly lower in patients with CHC than healthy controls (14.6 ± 7.3 vs 34.6 ± 17.3 ng/mL, P < 0.001). In patients with CHC, serum hepcidin correlated positively with aspartate aminotransferase (r = 0.334, P = 0.001) and insulin resistance (r = 0.27, P = 0.016) and had a trend for correlation with alanine aminotransferase (r = 0.197, P = 0.057) and serum haemoglobin (r = 0.188, P = 0.067) but not with ferritin. A significant positive correlation was also found between serum hepcidin levels and both necroinflammation (r = 0.259, P = 0.011) and fibrosis (r = 0.214, P = 0.036). Serum hepcidin was among others an independent predictor of cirrhosis (odds ratio: 1.145, P = 0.039). Liver hepcidin mRNA levels did not differ between patients and controls and were relatively lower in patients with than without cirrhosis (19.3 ± 21.7 vs 38.3 ± 26.0, P = 0.067). Patients with CHC have reduced serum hepcidin levels, which correlate with worse necroinflammation and fibrosis. The previously mentioned observations suggest a viral effect on hepatic hepcidin production, but might also support its involvement in the inflammatory process.
Contributions of Child Sexual Abuse, Self-Blame, Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms, and Alcohol Use to Women’s Risk for Forcible and Substance-Facilitated Sexual Assault

ABSTRACT Child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault have been linked to increased self-blame, posttraumatic stress symptoms, and alcohol use. The current study aims to examine (a) whether these constructs explain women’s risk for later adult sexual assault and revictimization, (b) whether such factors differentially confer risk for specific types of adult sexual assault (i.e., substance-facilitated and forcible), and (c) if self-blame confers risk indirectly through other risk factors. Multiple types of self-blame, posttraumatic stress, and alcohol use were examined among 929 female college students as serial mediators of the relationship between child sexual abuse and adult sexual assault and as risk factors for sexual revictimization among child sexual abuse survivors. In the model predicting risk for substance-facilitated adult sexual assault, child sexual abuse indirectly predicted greater risk for substance-facilitated adult sexual assault mediated through two separate paths: global blame-to-posttraumatic-stress and global blame-to-alcohol use. In the model predicting risk for forcible adult sexual assault, child sexual abuse directly predicted greater risk for forcible adult sexual assault, and this relation was mediated by the global blame-to-posttraumatic-stress path. Among child sexual abuse survivors, child sexual abuse specific characterological and behavioral self-blame directly predicted greater risk for forcible and substance-facilitated revictimization, but the pathways were not mediated by posttraumatic stress or alcohol use. Results emphasize the importance of assessing different types of self-blame in predicting posttraumatic stress symptoms as well as examining risk for sexual victimization and revictimization. Findings did not support hypotheses that increased posttraumatic stress would predict increased alcohol use but did indicate that heightened self-blame is consistently associated with heightened posttraumatic stress and that heightened global self-blame predicts increased alcohol use. Implications for future research and intervention are discussed.
The Measurement of Computer Attitudes: An Empirical Comparison of Available Scales

This study empirically compared four available measures of attitudes towards computers, including computer anxiety. One objective of the study was to determine which, if any, of the measures was superior to the others on the psychometric criteria of reliability and validity. A secondary objective of the study was to identify a smaller number of items from the four measures of computer attitudes that would take less time to complete, yet result in highly reliable scales of computer attitudes. Results showed that all measures tested were essentially equal in terms of reliability and validity. Attempts to empirically derive improved scales were unproductive. Two of the measures were superior on a number of other criteria. Intended use should be the main criterion for choice as any of the four measures will likely provide reliable, reasonably valid information.
Synthesis, physico-chemical and antimicrobial properties of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) mixed-ligand complexes of dimethylglyoxime - Part I

Some mixed-ligand complexes of the general formula [M(Hdmg)2B], where Hdmg = dimethylglyoximato monoanion, B = 2-aminophenol, diethylamine or malonic acid were prepared. The complexes were characterized by metal analysis, melting points, solubility, conductivity, infrared and UV/VIS electronic spectra. The antimicrobial activities of he complexes were tested using Escherichia coli, staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. The complexes melted/decomposed at 120 - 306°C and, most of them dissolved only in polar solvents. The complexes are mostly darkbrown or black. The IR spectra indicated that the complexes coordinated, through the N atom of the oxime group of Hdmg, and O atoms of the 2-aminophenol or malonic acid. In the electronic spectra of the complexes, the absorption bands observe in the UV/VIS region are presumed to be either due to charge transfer or intra-ligand transitions form the ligands or d-d transitions form the metal ions. The complexes showed antimicrobial activity against the tested micro-organisms at 10 mg/ml. The possible used of he complexes as antibiotic can therefore be suggested.
EasyWinWin: managing complexity in requirements negotiation with GSS

More than 3/4 of large software projects suffer large cost and schedule overruns or fail outright. Deficits in project requirements cause more than half of these failures and overruns. This is in part because the establishment of software requirements is fraught with complexity. Finding ways to manage that complexity might be an important step in reducing the risk of software development. Group support systems (GSS) offer functionality that may reduce some aspects of complexity and reduce the cognitive load of addressing other aspects of complexity. We examine the sources of causes of complexity in software requirements in the context of EasyWinWin, a requirements negotiation methodology supported by GSS. Early field trials suggest that EasyWinWin is a significant step forward in managing the complexity of establishing requirements, and that further advantage could be gained by combining a GSS solution with other technologies like intelligent agents and requirements management systems.
Design, Fabrication, Characterization and Modeling of Integrated Functional Materials

Abstract : The dynamically evolving needs of the U.S. soldier in the battlefield in response to changes in the technology of warfare and associated threats require advances in multiple areas including biomedical diagnostics, chemical sensing, communication technology, efficient power generation without increased payload, and mobile refrigeration. These technological advances are critically dependent on the development of new and currently non-existing materials. This research addresses the directed development of novel materials towards long-term needs of the United States Army. In order to address specific areas of integrated functional materials targeted towards the needs of the U.S. soldier in the field we have initiated research efforts in three main areas which are diagnostics and sensing, communication and energy, and power generation and refrigeration. The specific three independent Tasks that have been undertaken are: Task I: Nanostructured materials for biomedical diagnostics and chemical sensing Task II: Multifunctional composites for communication and energy applications Task III: Solid-state materials for power generation and refrigeration The specific outcome of the research activities is expected to lead to new devices/systems/composite materials useful for the USAMRMC.
Histone acetylation is a checkpoint in FGF‐stimulated mesoderm induction

We have previously demonstrated that the transcription factor, AP‐1 (c‐jun/c‐fos heterodimer), mediates fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling during mesoderm induction in Xenopus embryo. In the present studies, we show that histone acetylation is involved in FGF‐mediated signaling leading to mesoderm induction. Histone acetylation is a dynamic process regulated by the activities of two histone‐modifying enzymes, the histone acetyltransferase(s) and histone deacetylase(s) (HDACs). We found that basal and FGF‐regulated activator protein 1 (AP‐1) activity in Xenopus embryo is markedly reduced by treatment of trichostatin A (TSA), a specific inhibitor of HDAC. However, activity of another transcription factor, NFκB, is enhanced by TSA treatment. AP‐1‐mediated mesoderm induction in the animal caps is dramatically suppressed by TSA at a dose‐dependent manner. This suppression can be rescued by ectopic expression of HDAC3 at early stage. Finally, we found that histone acetylation in animal caps is inhibited by FGF whereas enhanced by TSA (as a control). Therefore, we propose that histone acetylation is a checkpoint for transduction of the FGF/AP‐1 signals to induce mesoderm. Published 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated small-vessel vasculitis

Purpose of reviewThis review focuses on recent advances in the diagnosis, pathogenesis and treatment of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated small-vessel vasculitis. Recent findingsAntineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies are closely associated with Wegener's granulomatosis and microscopic polyangiitis. Within the Churg–Strauss syndrome, antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, mostly directed towards myeloperoxidase, characterize patients with glomerulonephritis and small-vessel vasculitis. There is increasing evidence that myeloperoxidase–antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies are directly involved in the pathogenesis of necrotizing vasculitis. This is less clear for proteinase 3–antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, markers for Wegener's granulomatosis. With respect to proteinase 3–antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, complementary proteinase 3, a peptide translated from the antisense DNA strand of proteinase 3 and homologous to several microbial peptides, may be involved in induction of proteinase 3–antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies. Currently, various controlled trials have been initiated. Methotrexate has been shown to be effective for induction of remission in locoregional Wegener's granulomatosis. Other trials are underway. SummaryApart from its diagnostic potential, antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, particularly myeloperoxidase–antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies, are directly involved in the pathogenesis of the associated vasculitides. New treatment modalities, supposedly more efficacious and less toxic than daily oral cyclophosphamide, are being tested in randomized controlled trials.
Critical pedagogy, performativity and a politics of hope: trainee further education lecturer practice

Abstract The article examines trainee lecturers' perceptions of teaching and learning in the sector, drawing upon a small-scale study of trainees on a full-time further education teacher-training programme at an English new university. The article explores how current changes may be affecting the development of lecturers' professional practice. It seeks to examine the relationship between critical pedagogy, performativity and a politics of hope. It concludes by arguing that it is not enough to hold to an ethic of care or even a concern to engage students, and that there is a wider politics inscribed within pedagogic practice: a politics of hope that is characterised by an aspiration towards critical and democratic practice
Sexual and relationship satisfaction in mainland China

We investigated the sexual relationships of married Chinese men and women living in Beijing and Shanghai. Within the framework of the Interpersonal Exchange Model of Sexual Satisfaction (IEMSS), we also examined factors related to sexual satisfaction. Completed questionnaires were returned by 193 men and 231 women. In general, respondents reported moderate levels of sexual and relationship satisfaction. Overall, respondents were neither erotophobic nor erotophilic and reported a frequency of affectionate and sexual behavior between “2 or 3 times a month” and “once or twice a week” and at least one sexual concern and for problem. Contrary to predictions based on the cultural message that sexual pleasure is restricted to men, the women reported significantly greater sexual satisfaction than did the men, and men and women did not differ in their reports of sexual rewards or relationship satisfaction. Further, men described their sexual relationship as more costly than did women. However, women reported more .
Forward flux sampling for rare event simulations

Rare events are ubiquitous in many different fields, yet they are notoriously difficult to simulate because few, if any, events are observed in a conventional simulation run. Over the past several decades, specialized simulation methods have been developed to overcome this problem. We review one recently developed class of such methods, known as forward flux sampling. Forward flux sampling uses a series of interfaces between the initial and final states to calculate rate constants and generate transition paths for rare events in equilibrium or nonequilibrium systems with stochastic dynamics. This review draws together a number of recent advances, summarizes several applications of the method and highlights challenges that remain to be overcome.
Axonal Regeneration after Sciatic Nerve Lesion Is Delayed but Complete in GFAP- and Vimentin-Deficient Mice

Peripheral axotomy of motoneurons triggers Wallerian degeneration of injured axons distal to the lesion, followed by axon regeneration. Centrally, axotomy induces loss of synapses (synaptic stripping) from the surface of lesioned motoneurons in the spinal cord. At the lesion site, reactive Schwann cells provide trophic support and guidance for outgrowing axons. The mechanisms of synaptic stripping remain elusive, but reactive astrocytes and microglia appear to be important in this process. We studied axonal regeneration and synaptic stripping of motoneurons after a sciatic nerve lesion in mice lacking the intermediate filament (nanofilament) proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and vimentin, which are upregulated in reactive astrocytes and Schwann cells. Seven days after sciatic nerve transection, ultrastructural analysis of synaptic density on the somata of injured motoneurons revealed more remaining boutons covering injured somata in GFAP–/–Vim–/– mice. After sciatic nerve crush in GFAP–/–Vim–/– mice, the fraction of reinnervated motor endplates on muscle fibers of the gastrocnemius muscle was reduced 13 days after the injury, and axonal regeneration and functional recovery were delayed but complete. Thus, the absence of GFAP and vimentin in glial cells does not seem to affect the outcome after peripheral motoneuron injury but may have an important effect on the response dynamics.
Building upon sound foundations

Abstract Phonological awareness has been acknowledged as an important predictor of, and influence upon, reading progress. This study offers an independent evaluation of the Sound Foundations phonological awareness program, and investigates the differential impact of session frequency on the acquisition of phonological awareness, phoneme identity training on phonological decoding ability, and the generalisation of taught phonological awareness skills to untaught phonological awareness and decoding tasks. Participants, part‐way through their first year of formal education, were assigned to either a group that received the standard Sound Foundations program, a group that received the same Sound Foundations program more frequently over a shorter period, or a comparison group that did not participate in the Sound Foundations program. Pre‐test and post‐test measures employed a number of relevant reading related measures, and the data were analysed using a priori orthogonal polynomial contrasts and Cohen's d effect sizes. A positive linear trend was found on the CTOPP Phonological Awareness Score that indicated participation in the Sound Foundations program improved phonological awareness, and greater improvements were found when the program was delivered more frequently over a shorter intervention period. Statistically significant changes in the phonological decoding abilities of participants in each group were found across time, however improvements in this ability were not statistically significantly different between groups. The data also indicated that taught skills generalised to some areas of phonemic awareness, and not to others.
CHOOSING A MEDICAL CAREER: WHAT INFLUENCES SECONDARY SCHOOL FEMALE GRADUATES?

Objective: To assess attitudes and reasons of secondary school female students for choosing medicine as a career. Design: A cross-sectional study with a sample of 191 female students, who responded to an administered questionnaire. Results: The mean age of the students was 18.3 ± 0.94. The mean general average test scores for female students who applied to medicine, MLT and Nursing was 94.02%, 91.26% and 86.78% respectively. Personal interest was the main reason in 85.7% of the applicants. Only 109 students (57.1%) of the study group have any knowledge about the profession of Medicine. One hundred sixty one of the students (84.3%) expected difficulties in their studies. Conclusion: The study showed that personal interest was the main reason behind the students′ choice. A sizable proportion had no knowledge of the specialty they opted for, while more than 80% of the applicants anticipated some difficulties upon entering the Medical College. The majority of MLT applicants were not interested in nursing as a specialty. The current strategy for educating secondary school female students about Medical College programmes should be strengthened.
Generating Synthetic Decentralized Social Graphs with Local Differential Privacy

A large amount of valuable information resides in decentralized social graphs, where no entity has access to the complete graph structure. Instead, each user maintains locally a limited view of the graph. For example, in a phone network, each user keeps a contact list locally in her phone, and does not have access to other users' contacts. The contact lists of all users form an implicit social graph that could be very useful to study the interaction patterns among different populations. However, due to privacy concerns, one could not simply collect the unfettered local views from users and reconstruct a decentralized social network. In this paper, we investigate techniques to ensure local differential privacy of individuals while collecting structural information and generating representative synthetic social graphs. We show that existing local differential privacy and synthetic graph generation techniques are insufficient for preserving important graph properties, due to excessive noise injection, inability to retain important graph structure, or both. Motivated by this, we propose LDPGen, a novel multi-phase technique that incrementally clusters users based on their connections to different partitions of the whole population. Every time a user reports information, LDPGen carefully injects noise to ensure local differential privacy.We derive optimal parameters in this process to cluster structurally-similar users together. Once a good clustering of users is obtained, LDPGen adapts existing social graph generation models to construct a synthetic social graph. We conduct comprehensive experiments over four real datasets to evaluate the quality of the obtained synthetic graphs, using a variety of metrics, including (i) important graph structural measures; (ii) quality of community discovery; and (iii) applicability in social recommendation. Our experiments show that the proposed technique produces high-quality synthetic graphs that well represent the original decentralized social graphs, and significantly outperform those from baseline approaches.
Effects of leadership and leader‐member exchange on commitment

Purpose – The present study attempts to integrate both behavioural and relational perspectives of leadership and test their applicability in determining employees' organizational commitment.Design/methodology/approach – Leadership behaviours were measured using Bass and Avolio's multifactor' leadership questionnaire (MLQ) Form 5X. Liden and Maslyn's multi‐dimensional model of leader‐member exchange (LMX‐MDM) scale was used to measure the quality of relationship between respondents and their superiors. Meyer and Allen's instrument for the multidimensional organisational commitment was adopted for this study. A total of 201 research and development (R&D) professionals including engineers and scientists working in R&D department of manufacturing firms, R&D organisations, and research institutes in Singapore participated in the study.Findings – The findings from hierarchical regression analysis reveal that transformational leadership has positive association with the dimensions of LMX and organizational commi.
Multiproduct-Firm Oligopoly: An Aggregative Games Approach

We develop an aggregative games approach to study oligopolistic price competition with multiproduct firms. We introduce a new class of demand systems, derived from discrete/continuous choice, and nesting CES and logit demand systems. The associated pricing game with multiproduct firms is aggregative and a firm's optimal price vector can be summarized by a uni-dimensional sufficient statistic, the iota-markup. We prove existence of equilibrium using a nested fixed-point argument, and provide conditions for equilibrium uniqueness. In equilibrium, firms may choose not to offer some products. We analyze the pricing distortions and provide monotone comparative statics. Under CES and logit demands, another aggregation property obtains: All relevant information for determining a firm's performance and competitive impact is contained in that firm's uni-dimensional type. Finally, we re-visit classic questions in static and dynamic merger analysis, and study the impact of a trade liberalization on the inter- and intra-firm size distributions, productivity and welfare.