Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pumping iron: compliance with chelation therapy among young people who have thalassaemia major

Compliance with medical regimens is not simply a technical or practical task but part of the everyday experience of living with a chronic illness. Any discussion of compliance must, therefore, begin from the individual's personal and social context. This paper explores how young people who have thalassaemia major respond to their daily chelation therapy. It suggests that compliance dominates the young person's narratives and represents the most disruptive aspect of their illness. More specifically, compliance evokes both practical and emotional difficulties as the young person tries to make sense of the relationship between body, self and illness. Within this dynamic process the young person has to reconcile the consequences of non-compliance within the broader experience and responsibilities of 'growing-up' and maintaining a positive self-identity.
Regulation of bacterial protease activity

Proteases, also referred to as peptidases, are the enzymes that catalyse the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in polipeptides. A variety of biological functions and processes depend on their activity. Regardless of the organism’s complexity, peptidases are essential at every stage of life of every individual cell, since all protein molecules produced must be proteolytically processed and eventually recycled. Protease inhibitors play a crucial role in the required strict and multilevel control of the activity of proteases involved in processes conditioning both the physiological and pathophysiological functioning of an organism, as well as in host-pathogen interactions. This review describes the regulation of activity of bacterial proteases produced by dangerous human pathogens, focusing on the Staphylococcus genus.
Reading Aloud Boosts Connectivity through the Putamen

Functional neuroimaging and lesion studies have frequently reported thalamic and putamen activation during reading and speech production. However, it is currently unknown how activity in these structures interacts with that in other reading and speech production areas. This study investigates how reading aloud modulates the neuronal interactions between visual recognition and articulatory areas, when both the putamen and thalamus are explicitly included. Using dynamic causal modeling in skilled readers who were reading regularly spelled English words, we compared 27 possible pathways that might connect the ventral anterior occipito-temporal sulcus (aOT) to articulatory areas in the precentral cortex (PrC). We focused on whether the neuronal interactions within these pathways were increased by reading relative to picture naming and other visual and articulatory control conditions. The results provide strong evidence that reading boosts the aOT–PrC pathway via the putamen but not the thalamus. However, the putamen pathway was not exclusive because there was also evidence for another reading pathway that did not involve either the putamen or the thalamus. We conclude that the putamen plays a special role in reading but this is likely to vary with individual reading preferences and strategies.
Investigating dilemmas in teaching: towards a new form of pedagogical scholarship

This article investigates five dilemmas that emerge from analysis of a brief episode of classroom practice: issues concerning the design and management of the classroom discussion, the use of drama in teaching, teacher handling of pupil disturbances, and the advantages and drawbacks of competition. We argue that such dilemma-driven analysis is missing from current pedagogical scholarship, in which analyses tend to be theory-driven and narrower in their scope. Our aims are to (a) do justice to the richness and complexity of classroom activity and the work of teaching; (b) illustrate a means of working with representations of practice that is likely to facilitate the development of teacher professional judgment; and (c) uncover some of the central dilemmas experienced by Israeli primary teachers. The data are drawn from a sixth grade Hebrew language lesson in an Israeli state primary school.
Detailed Physiologic Characterization Reveals Diverse Mechanisms for Novel Genetic Loci Regulating Glucose and Insulin Metabolism in Humans

OBJECTIVE Recent genome-wide association studies have revealed loci associated with glucose and insulin-related traits. We aimed to characterize 19 such loci using detailed measures of insulin processing, secretion, and sensitivity to help elucidate their role in regulation of glucose control, insulin secretion and/or action. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We investigated associations of loci identified by the Meta-Analyses of Glucose and Insulin-related traits Consortium (MAGIC) with circulating proinsulin, measures of insulin secretion and sensitivity from oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs), euglycemic clamps, insulin suppression tests, or frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance tests in nondiabetic humans (n = 29,084). RESULTS The glucose-raising allele in MADD was associated with abnormal insulin processing (a dramatic effect on higher proinsulin levels, but no association with insulinogenic index) at extremely persuasive levels of statistical significance (P = 2.1 × 10−71). Defects in insulin processing and insulin secretion were seen in glucose-raising allele carriers at TCF7L2, SCL30A8, GIPR, and C2CD4B. Abnormalities in early insulin secretion were suggested in glucose-raising allele carriers at MTNR1B, GCK, FADS1, DGKB, and PROX1 (lower insulinogenic index; no association with proinsulin or insulin sensitivity). Two loci previously associated with fasting insulin (GCKR and IGF1) were associated with OGTT-derived insulin sensitivity indices in a consistent direction. CONCLUSIONS Genetic loci identified through their effect on hyperglycemia and/or hyperinsulinemia demonstrate considerable heterogeneity in associations with measures of insulin processing, secretion, and sensitivity. Our findings emphasize the importance of detailed physiological characterization of such loci for improved understanding of pathways associated with alterations in glucose homeostasis and eventually type 2 diabetes.
Two Types of Bureaucracy: Enabling and Coercive

A conceptualization of workflow formalization is proposed that helps reconcile the contrasting assessments of bureaucracy as alienating to employees or as enabling them to perform their tasks better. Interpreting formalization as an organizational technology, recent research on the design of equipment technology is used to identify 2 types of formalization - enabling and coercive. Whether the impact of formalization on employees' attitudes is positive or negative is a function of whether that formalization enables employees better to master their tasks or functions as a means by which management attempts to coerce employees' effort and compliance. Some forces are identified that tend to discourage the enabling orientation to the benefit of the coercive orientation, as well as some persistent countertendencies that encourage the enabling orientation.
The MDRD equation predicts peritoneal dialysis-delivered creatinine clearances from serum creatinine.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The four- and six-variable Modified Diet in Renal Disease equations (MDRDEs) are empiric expressions that estimate GFR in patients with kidney disease. No method currently exists to directly compare MDRDE estimates of clearance by the failing biologic kidney to the clearances achieved by dialytic modalities. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Because the MDRDEs estimate GFR, which in turn determines much of the small molecule clearance by the biologic kidney, the aim of this study was to determine if the MDRDEs would predict the measured creatinine clearances (including residual renal clearance, if any) from the serum creatinine values alone in 454 peritoneal dialysis patients. RESULTS For the group, the four-variable MDRDE predicted a creatinine clearance of 6.5 +/- 3.7 ml/min/1.73 m(2) when measured clearance was from home collections of dialysate and urine was 6.8 +/- 3.1 ml/min/1.73 m(2). The presence or volume of residual urine had no effect on accuracy. The six-variable MDRDE was similarly accurate. Creatinine appearance rates were similar to those reported in other dialysis populations. CONCLUSIONS Using serum creatinine values in "standard" fashion, MDRDEs can approximate creatinine clearances achieved by peritoneal dialysis with an accuracy similar to that of the MDRDEs in predialysis populations, perhaps because the MRDREs account exponentially for the increasing fractional gut metabolism of daily creatinine production as the serum creatinine increases. "MDRD-like" equations may provide a much needed method of directly comparing dialytic clearances to those achieved by diseased native kidneys and by kidney transplants.
Isolation and characterization of ovarian cancer antigen CA 125 using a new monoclonal antibody (VK‐8): identification as a mucin‐type molecule

A new murine monoclonal antibody (MAb VK‐8), detecting the CA 125 ovarian cancer antigen, was used to purify this antigen from OVCAR‐3 ovarian cancer cells by affinity chromatography. The biochemical properties of the purified antigen are characteristic of a mucin‐type glycoprotein: (1) the molecule is highly glycosylated (77% w/w), mainly with galactose, N‐acetylglucosamine, and N‐acetylgalactosamine, (2) the protein moiety is rich in serine, threonine and proline, (3) many of the serine and threonine residues are glycosylated, (4) the glycan chains are almost entirely O‐linked, with core 2 [Galβ1 → 3(GlcNAcβ1 → 6)GalNAc] structures predominating and (5) these chains carry fucosylated Type 2 (Ley and Lex, and H type 2) blood group structures. The antigen exhibited a very high m.w. (>103 kDa) in aqueous buffer as well as in urea, but was degraded by proteolytic enzymes to smaller fragments that no longer reacted with the antibody. Although this result, and other immunochemical data, indicate that OC125, the original MAb to CA125, and VK‐8 antibodies detect epitopes on the protein portion of the molecule, the involvement of carbohydrate cannot be ruled out. Further insight into the structure and function of the CA125 antigen will come from cloning the gene coding for the peptide backbone, and from more detailed carbohydrate structural analysis. Int. J. Cancer 71: 842‐850, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.
The Appeal of Qualitative Methods to Traditional Agenda-Setting Research

Agenda-setting research is vigorously pursued within the general field of communication research. Despite this, the agenda-setting model continues to be criticized on methodological grounds. Some of the criticisms arise out of the field's heavy reliance on quantitative methods. This article argues that qualitative methods can be used to counter some of these criticisms. This is done using research on media coverage of the environment in the West African country of Ghana. Environmental issues have featured prominently in research aimed at proving that the media do indeed influence the public agenda. However, even within this subarea of agenda-setting research, there is no agreement on the agenda-setting effects of the media. This study adopted qualitative methods and found that the media indeed influenced the environmental agenda of the public. The qualitative approach helped to avoid some of the criticisms levelled against traditional agenda-setting methodology.
Changes in Autobiographical Memory Specificity following Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Pharmacotherapy for Major Depression

Background: An important cognitive marker of clinical depression is a reduced ability to be specific in recalling personal memories, a phenomenon coined ‘overgeneral memory’. Overgeneral memory is considered as a stable cognitive trait that is intrinsically linked with depression and independent of mood state. Previous studies show that autobiographical memory is modifiable. Sampling and Methods: This study investigated whether autobiographical memory is differentially affected by treatment type. Depressed patients were randomly assigned to receive either cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for depression or pharmacotherapy (PHT). Results: The proportion of categoric memories decreased and the proportion of specific memories increased following both types of treatments, adding support to the view that overgeneral memory is modifiable. CBT also had a greater impact on reducing extended overgeneral memories compared to PHT. Conclusions: The results from the current study are important in that they show that overgeneral memory can be targeted and modified through brief treatment. The clinical significance of the finding that there was a greater decrease in extended memories in the CBT group is unclear.
Third-year University Mathematics Education Students' Metaphorical Understanding of Mathematics Teaching and Learning

This paper reports on the metaphors that 36 third-year university mathematics education students have about mathematics. These metaphors were investigated through a questionnaire with five open-ended items. An inductive analysis of the students' metaphors for mathematics indicated that students had well developed and complex metaphors about mathematics, mathematics learning, mathematics teaching and the mathematics teacher. Several common themes emerged, including the view that hard work, patience and perseverance are needed for success in mathematics. Some students emphasised their role in learning mathematics as active while others view their role of the teacher as crucial. Three mental images are common: firstly, the notion that mathematics learning is challenging and may involve anxiety; secondly, that perseverance is needed as continuing effort will bring reward; and lastly, that positive or negative mental images of mathematics are related to the perception of and the active vs passive role of the learner. Considering that the metaphors were collected from students with an extensive engagement with mathematics learning, the findings implied that these metaphors reflect the students' mental images formed as a result of experiencing mathematics learning.
Achievement goals, study strategies, and exam performance: A mediational analysis.

Two studies examined achievement goals as predictors of self-reported cognitive/ metacognitive and motivational study strategies and tested these study strategies as mediators of the relationship between achievement goals and exam performance in the normatively graded college classroom. The results support hypotheses generated from the trichotomous achievement goal framework. Mastery goals are positive predictors of deep processing, persistence, and effort; performance-approach goals are positive predictors of surface processing, persistence, effort, and exam performance; and performance-avoidance goals are positive predictors of surface processing and disorganization and negative predictors of deep processing and exam performance. Persistence and effort mediate the relationship between performance-approach goals and exam performance, whereas disorganization mediates the relationship between performance-avoidance goals and exam performance.
The end-to-end distribution function for a flexible chain with weak excluded-volume interactions

An explicit expression is derived for the distribution function of end-to-end vectors and for the mean square end-to-end distance of a flexible chain with excluded-volume interactions. The Hamiltonian for a flexible chain with weak intra-chain interactions is determined by two small parameters: the ratio $\epsilon$ of the energy of interaction between segments (within a sphere whose radius coincides with the cut-off length for the potential) to the thermal energy, and the ratio $\delta$ of the cut-off length to the radius of gyration for a Gaussian chain. Unlike conventional approaches grounded on the mean-field evaluation of the end-to-end distance, the Green function is found explicitly (in the first approximation with respect to $\epsilon$). It is demonstrated that (i) the distribution function depends on $\epsilon$ in a regular way, while its dependence on $\delta$ is singular, and (ii) the leading term in the expression for the mean square end-to-end distance linearly grows with $\epsilon$ and remains independent of $\delta$.
MDPs with Unawareness

Markov decision processes (MDPs) are widely used for modeling decision-making problems in robotics, automated control, and economics. Traditional MDPs assume that the decision maker (DM) knows all states and actions. However, this may not be true in many situations of interest. We define a new framework, MDPs with unawareness (MDPUs) to deal with the possibilities that a DM may not be aware of all possible actions. We provide a complete characterization of when a DM can learn to play near-optimally in an MDPU, and give an algorithm that learns to play near-optimally when it is possible to do so, as efficiently as possible. In particular, we characterize when a near-optimal solution can be found in polynomial time.
EFFECT OF THE PRESENCE AND DIFFICULTY OF TASK ON STRATEGY USE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY

Assessing use of language learning strategies has become common place around the world. One strategy assessment tool is the questionnaire, which usually asks students to report on their typical, general use of language learning strategies. Because of this general focus, most questionnaires do not require respondents to complete an actual language task as part of strategy assessment. Although general learning strategy questionnaires will remain important, task-based strategy assessment may have an increasing role. This article analyzes the meaning of task, discusses task-based research, and presents a rationale for task-based strategy assessment. The article describes a recent exploratory study about (1) effects of including or not including a language task as part of strategy assessment procedures and (2) how students' reported strategies differ when the language task is easy versus difficult. An important interaction arose between task difficulty and students' proficiency levels. The article concludes with implications for task-based strategy assessment.
The fact of pluralism and Israeli national identity

Much of John Rawls' later work is concerned with the appli cation of his philosophical conceptions to the reality of liberal-democratic polities. I suggest that given the modern democratic reality of ethno national pluralism, Rawls' political conception of justice is insufficient to ensure democratic stability. Democratic states manage to contain ethnic pluralism while remaining compatible with liberal principles by promoting a corporate national identity. The key, I argue, lies in the particular member ship criteria devised and implemented by the state. Hence, the promotion of a corporate national identity negates state neutrality, but not necessarily political liberalism.
Quantitative analysis of spectroscopy data for skin oximetry

This work presented the use of Modified Lambert Beer law (MLBL), Extended Modified Lambert Beer model (EMLB) and cumulant based forward model (CM) for the estimation of mean blood oxygen saturation (SmO2) in skin of healthy individuals via an iterative fitting routine. The proposed strategy required a priori knowledge of extinction coefficients of hemoglobin components in the wavelength range of 520--600 nm to give the best estimation of SmO2. This study conducted spectroscopy measurement on left index finger of four Asians at rest condition. Quantitative analysis of the collected data using the employed strategy revealed SmO2 with mean value of 71.5 ± 1.15 %, 95.1 ± 3 % and 96.3 ± 3.8 % given by MLBL, EMLB and CM, respectively. The consistent and high SmO2 value estimated by EMLB and CM agreed considerably well with the value reported in the literature. The underestimation of SmO2 given by the MLBL could be a result of insufficiency of the model at describing light propagation in skin. This work concluded that both EMLB and CM, and the proposed strategy can suitably be used in clinical setting for skin oximetry.
Development of population‐based resilience measures in the primary school setting

Purpose – The purpose of the population‐based study in the paper is to report on progress in formulating instruments to measure children's resilience and associated protective factors in family, primary school and community contexts.Design/methodology/approach – In this paper a total of 2,794 students, 1,558 parents/caregivers, and 465 staff were surveyed in October 2003. A cross‐sectional research method was used for the data collection. Three surveys (student survey, parent/caregiver survey, and staff survey) were developed and modified to measure student resilience and associated protective factors. Exploratory factor analysis with Oblimin rotation and confirmatory factor analysis were used to analyse the reliability and validity of the scales of the three surveys.Findings – The surveys in this paper find good construct validity and internal consistency for the social support scale of parent/caregiver survey, which had been modified from previous studies. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated a goodne.
Self-esteem and attraction.

Is a person more receptive to love and affection when his self-esteem, is high or when it is low? Learning theorists, clinicians, and dissonance theorists provide conflicting answers. This paper proposes and tests an explanation for these contradictory research findings. This explanation is based on the assumption that low-self-esteem individuals are unusually receptive to affection when they realize that it is being offered, but that it is most difficult for them to recognize affectionate overtures. A laboratory experiment provides support for this integration.
Adolescent into Adult: An Inquiry

The beginning of adolescence is sometimes rather sudden; changes in the personality-subtle changes, difficult to define though often easy to recognize-tell us that adolescence has arrived, occasionally with startling abruptness. T h e end of adolescence is even more difficult to define, and not many writers have attempted to describe it. Usually the transformation into adulthood is slow; almost imperceptibly changes take place, faster in some traits, slower in others, and in the course of a year or two or three years the young man or woman is an adolescent no longer. Occasionally the maturation in some aspect of the personality is dramatically swift.
A Unified Addressing Schema for Hexagonal and Honeycomb Networks with Isomorphic Cayley Graphs

As interconnection architectures, the regular six-degree hexagonal networks and the regular three-degree honeycomb networks have been widely investigated. For the lack of a proper addressing schema, some published routing algorithms are very complicated and the topological properties of some complex hexagonal and honeycomb related architectures are not well known. In this paper, a unified addressing schema for hexagonal and honeycomb meshes is proposed; two Cayley graphs isomorphic to the two meshes are presented as a formal foundation for the addressing schema. Using the suggested addressing schema, simple distance formulas and concise shortest-path routing algorithms of the two meshes are developed. The routing algorithms may be directly applied in real interconnection networks such as cellular networks. The models based on the unified addressing schema and the two isomorphic Caylay graphs established a concise and elegant foundation to investigate complex hexagonal and honeycomb related networks