Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social support, religious commitment, and depressive symptoms in pregnant and postpartum women

Abstract Objective: Social support and religious commitment were examined in relation to antenatal and postpartum depressive symptoms in a prospective, longitudinal study to determine whether religious commitment explained variance in depression scores beyond that accounted for by social support. Background: Social support and religiosity are positively related to good mental/physical health, and depression is related to poor health outcomes in pregnancy and postpartum. It was hypothesised that social support and religious commitment would be inversely related to depressive symptoms, and that religious commitment would predict variance in depression scores over and above social support. Methods: In 106 mostly low SES Appalachian pregnant women, social support and religious commitment were measured during the first trimester. First and third trimester (Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale – 10 item version), and 6 weeks and 6 months postpartum (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale) depression symptoms were measured. Hierarchical regression examined relative contributions of social support (Prenatal Psychosocial Profile) and religious commitment (Religious Surrender and Attendance Scale – 3 Item Version) to depressive symptoms at each time point while controlling for education and marital status. Results: Regression results indicated that social support and religious commitment explained 10–18% and 0–3% of the variability in depression scores, respectively. Conclusion: Both social support (all time points) and religious commitment (only at 6 months postpartum) were inversely related to depression. Pregnant women low in social support and postpartum women low in social support or religious commitment may be at increased risk for depression.
Adjusting Stated Intention Measures to Predict Trial Purchase of New Products: A Comparison of Models and Methods

Several of the largest marketing research suppliers estimate that 70 to 90% of their clients use purchase intention scales in some form on a regular basis. Though there have been many studies of purchase intention, relatively few researchers have tried to relate purchase intention to actual purchase behavior. Those who have attempted to relate the two often have found substantial variation between stated intention and actual behavior. The authors have collected what they believe is the largest and most comprehensive database on purchase intention and actual purchase behavior for new products yet developed. They use different models in a comparison of predictive accuracy when stated intentions data are adjusted by separate perceptions of products such as willingness to consult others before purchase, affordability, liking, and availability.
A million spiking-neuron integrated circuit with a scalable communication network and interface

Modeling computer chips on real brains Computers are nowhere near as versatile as our own brains. Merolla et al. applied our present knowledge of the structure and function of the brain to design a new computer chip that uses the same wiring rules and architecture. The flexible, scalable chip operated efficiently in real time, while using very little power. Science, this issue p. 668 A large-scale computer chip mimics many features of a real brain. Inspired by the brain’s structure, we have developed an efficient, scalable, and flexible non–von Neumann architecture that leverages contemporary silicon technology. To demonstrate, we built a 5.4-billion-transistor chip with 4096 neurosynaptic cores interconnected via an intrachip network that integrates 1 million programmable spiking neurons and 256 million configurable synapses. Chips can be tiled in two dimensions via an interchip communication interface, seamlessly scaling the architecture to a cortexlike sheet of arbitrary size. The architecture is well suited to many applications that use complex neural networks in real time, for example, multiobject detection and classification. With 400-pixel-by-240-pixel video input at 30 frames per second, the chip consumes 63 milliwatts.
Endotoxin concentration in neutropenic patients with suspected gram-negative sepsis: correlation with clinical outcome and determination of anti-endotoxin core antibodies during therapy with polyclonal immunoglobulin M-enriched immunoglobulins

We carried out a study in patients with severe neutropenia from hematologic malignancy and suspected gram-negative sepsis to evaluate the clinical significance of endotoxin concentrations in plasma before and during a therapeutic intervention with a human polyclonal immunoglobulin M (IgM)-enriched immunoglobulin preparation (Pentaglobin; Biotest, Dreieich, Germany). Twenty-one patients with acute leukemia or non-Hodgkin's lymphoma entered the study upon the development of clinical signs of gram-negative sepsis and received the IgM-enriched immunoglobulin preparation every 6 h for 3 days (total dose, 1.3 liter with 7.8 g of IgM, 7.8 g of IgA, and 49.4 g of IgG), in addition to standardized antibiotic treatment. Concentrations of endotoxin and IgM and IgG antibodies against lipid A and Re lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in plasma were determined by a modified chromogenic Limulus amebocyte lysate test and semiquantitative enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, respectively, before each immunoglobulin infusion and during the following 25 days. Seventeen patients were endotoxin positive; in five of these patients, gram-negative infection was confirmed by microbiologic findings. Prior to therapy, endotoxemia correlated significantly with the occurrence of fever, and a quantitative correlation between the endotoxin concentration and body temperature was found during the individual course of infection in 8 of the 17 patients. Overall mortality from endotoxin-positive sepsis was 41% (7 of 17) and 64% (7 of 11) in patients with symptoms of septic shock. Nonsurvivors had significantly higher maximum concentration of endotoxin in plasma compared with those of survivors at the first study day (median of 126 versus 34 pg/ml; P < 0.05) and during the whole septic episode (median of 126 versus 61 pg/ml; P < 0.05). In survivors, immunoglobulin therapy resulted in a significant decrease in endotoxin levels in plasma within the initial 18-h treatment period, from a pretreatment median value of 28 pg/ml to a value of 8 pg/ml (P< 0.05). In the seven patients who died from uncontrollable infection, no effect of therapy on endotoxin levels in plasma was observed. IgM and IgG antibodies against lipid A and Re LPS increased significantly under immunoglobulin treatment, with significant correlations between antibodies against lipid A and Re LPS. These data strongly suggest a prognostic significance of the endotoxin levels in plasma and a potential effect of treatment with a polyclonal IgM-enriched immunoglobulin preparation. Further studies are needed to substantiate these findings and to assess the impact on the clinical course by way of a prospective placebo-controlled clinical trial.
Calcium, Calpain, and Calcineurin in Low-Frequency Depression of Transmitter Release

Low-frequency depression (LFD) of transmitter release occurs at phasic synapses with stimulation at 0.2 Hz in both isolated crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) neuromuscular junction (NMJ) preparations and in intact animals. LFD is regulated by presynaptic activity of the Ca2+-dependent phosphatase calcineurin (Silverman-Gavrila and Charlton, 2009). Since the fast Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM inhibits LFD but the slow chelator EGTA-AM does not, the Ca2+ sensor for LFD may be close to a Ca2+ source at active zones. Calcineurin can be activated by the Ca2+-activated protease calpain, and immunostaining showed that both proteins are present at nerve terminals. Three calpain inhibitors, calpain inhibitor I, MDL-28170, and PD150606, but not the control compound PD145305, inhibit LFD both in the intact animal as shown by electromyograms and by intracellular recordings at neuromuscular junctions. Analysis of mini-EPSPs indicated that these inhibitors had minimal postsynaptic effects. Proteolytic activity in CNS extract, detected by a fluorescent calpain substrate, was modulated by Ca2+ and calpain inhibitors. Western blot analysis of CNS extract showed that proteolysis of calcineurin to a fragment consistent with the constitutively active form required Ca2+ and was blocked by calpain inhibitors. Inhibition of LFD by calpain inhibition blocks the reduction in phosphoactin and the depolymerization of tubulin that normally occurs in LFD, probably by blocking the dephosphorylation of cytoskeletal proteins by calcineurin. In contrast, high-frequency depression does not involve protein phosphorylation- or calpain-dependent mechanisms. LFD may involve a specific pathway in which local Ca2+ signaling activates presynaptic calpain and calcineurin at active zones and causes changes of tubulin cytoskeleton.
LMX and employee voice

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating effect of employee psychological empowerment in the leader-member exchange (LMX)-employee voice relationship, and whether role clarity moderated the effect. Design/methodology/approach – A paired questionnaire survey was used to collect data by 295 employees and their supervisors from nine firms in the People’s Republic of China. Findings – The hypothesized moderated mediation model used in this study was supported. Psychological empowerment mediated the positive relationship between LMX and employee voice, and stronger role clarity tends to strengthen this indirect relationship. Originality/value – Few studies have explored the mediating mechanism in the relationship between LMX and employee voice. Based on role theory, this study broadens the research on the LMX-employee voice relationship by introducing employee psychological empowerment as the mediator. This study further explores role clarity as the boundary condition for this indirect r.
Do Consumer Price Subsidies Really Improve Nutrition?

Abstract Many developing countries use food-price subsidies or controls to improve nutrition. However, subsidizing goods on which households spend a high proportion of their budget can create large wealth effects. Consumers may then substitute toward foods with higher nonnutritional attributes (such as taste) but lower nutritional content per unit of currency, weakening or perhaps even reversing the subsidy's intended impact. We analyze data from a randomized program of large price subsidies for poor households in two provinces of China and find no evidence that the subsidies improved nutrition. In fact, they may have had a negative impact for some households.
Relationships between plasma insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 and second breast cancer risk in a prevention trial of fenretinide.

PURPOSE High circulating insulin-like growth factor (IGF) -I and/or low IGF-binding protein (IGFBP) -3 levels are associated with increased breast cancer risk in unaffected premenopausal women. We determined whether IGF-I and IGFBP-3 predict second breast cancer risk, and whether their changes during fenretinide explain observed reductions in second breast cancer in women </=50 years of age. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Within a Phase III trial, we measured baseline and 1-year levels of IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and their ratio in 302 subjects on fenretinide and 220 controls who provided plasma samples. The prognostic effect of IGF-I and IGFBP-3, and the surrogate effect of IGF-I during fenretinide were assessed by Cox models after 9.4 years. RESULTS Among controls, high IGF-I and low IGFBP-3 were associated with elevated second breast cancer risk [top versus bottom tertile, IGF-I, hazard ratio (HR) = 1.94, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.87-4.31, P = 0.105; and IGFBP-3, HR = 0.40, 95% CI, 0.18-0.93, P = 0.033]. Fenretinide induced reductions of IGF-I, IGFBP-3, and IGF-I:IGFBP-3 of 8% (95% CI, 2-12%; P = 0.004), 3% (95% CI, 1-5%; P = 0.002), and 5% (95% CI, 0-10%; P = 0.050), respectively. Second breast cancer risk was reduced by 39% (HR = 0.61; 95% CI, 0.40-0.94; P = 0.026). The percentage of treatment effect explained by IGF-I and IGF-I:IGFBP-3 reductions were 4.8% (95% CI, 0.8-28.9%) and 3.1% (95% CI, 0.5-20.8%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS Fenretinide induced a moderate reduction of IGF-I, which marginally explains observed cancer risk reductions in women </=50 years of age. In this age group high IGF-I and particularly low IGFBP-3 levels predict second breast cancer risk.
Adenovirus E1A is associated with a serine/threonine protein kinase

The adenovirus E1A proteins form stable protein complexes with a number of cellular proteins, including cyclin A and the product of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene. We have been interested in learning about the function of proteins associated with E1A and therefore looked for an enzymatic activity present in E1A complexes. We found a serine/threonine kinase activity that phosphorylates two proteins bound to E1A, the 107- and 130-kDa (107K and 130K) proteins. The kinase also phosphorylates histone H1 added as an exogenous substrate. The kinase activity is cell cycle regulated, being most active in S and G2/M-phase cells. The timing of phosphorylation of the 107K protein in vitro correlates with the phosphorylation pattern of the 107K protein in vivo. A variety of genetic and immunochemical approaches indicate that the activity is probably not due to the E1A-associated 300K, 130K, 107K, or pRB protein. Although we have not established the identity of the kinase, we present evidence that the kinase activity is consistent with phosphorylation by p34cdc2 or a related kinase.
The Emerging Role of Insulin and Insulin-Like Growth Factor Signaling in Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer cells frequently exploit the IGF signaling, a fundamental pathway mediating development, cell growth, and survival. As a consequence, several components of the IGF signaling are deregulated in cancer and sustain cancer progression. However, specific targeting of IGF-IR in humans has resulted efficacious only in small subsets of cancers, making researches wondering whether IGF system targeting is still worth pursuing in the clinical setting. Although no definite answer is yet available, it has become increasingly clear that other components of the IGF signaling pathway, such as IR-A, may substitute for the lack of IGF-IR, and induce cancer resistance and/or clonal selection. Moreover, accumulating evidence now indicates that IGF signaling is a central player in the induction/maintenance of epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and cell stemness, two strictly related programs, which play a key role in metastatic spread and resistance to cancer treatments. Here we review the evidences indicating that IGF signaling enhances the expression of transcription factors implicated in the EMT program and has extensive cross-talk with specific pathways involved in cell pluripotency and stemness maintenance. In turn, EMT and cell stemness activate positive feed-back mechanisms causing up-regulation of various IGF signaling components. These findings may have novel translational implications.
Changes in histone modifications during in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes

Nuclear core histone modifications influence chromosome structures and functions. Recently, the involvement of histone acetylations in the cell memory of gene expression has been suggested in mouse oocyte maturation. At present, there is little available data on histone modifications in mammalian oocyte maturation. In the present study, we examined changes in the acetylation of histone H3 lysines 9 (H3K9) and 14 (H3K14), and histone H4 lysines 5 (H4K5), 8 (H4K8) and 12 (H4K12), and trimethylation of H3K9 during in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes. Immunocytochemical analyses revealed that the all of the lysines examined were highly acetylated in the germinal vesicle stage, and this level of acetylation was maintained until the first prometaphase. In the first metaphase, the lysines near the N‐terminal end, H3K9 and H4K5, were completely deacetylated. The acetylation of the lysines far from the N‐terminal end, H3K14, H4K8, and H4K12, was markedly decreased but still present. The acetylations were increased transiently at the first anaphase and telophase, and then decreased again at the second metaphase to the same level as the first metaphase. Since effective concentrations of trichostatin A (TSA) to inhibit the deacetylation were different in various lysine residues, multiple histone deacetylases (HDACs) were suggested to function during meiotic maturation. The trimethylation of H3K9 was maintained in a high level throughout maturation. These results suggest that the histone acetylation during porcine oocyte maturation is precisely controlled by the cell cycle. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 71: 123–128, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Convolutions with the Continuous Primitive Integral

If 𝐹 is a continuous function on the real line and 𝑓=𝐹 is its distributional derivative, then the continuous primitive integral of distribution 𝑓 is ∫𝑏𝑎𝑓=𝐹(𝑏)−𝐹(𝑎). This integral contains the Lebesgue, Henstock-Kurzweil, and wide Denjoy integrals. Under the Alexiewicz norm, the space of integrable distributions is a Banach space. We define the convolution ∫𝑓∗𝑔(𝑥)=∞−∞𝑓(𝑥−𝑦)𝑔(𝑦)𝑑𝑦 for 𝑓 an integrable distribution and 𝑔 a function of bounded variation or an 𝐿1 function. Usual properties of convolutions are shown to hold: commutativity, associativity, commutation with translation. For 𝑔 of bounded variation, 𝑓∗𝑔 is uniformly continuous and we have the estimate ‖𝑓∗𝑔‖∞≤‖𝑓‖‖𝑔‖ℬ𝒱, where ‖𝑓‖=sup𝐼|∫𝐼𝑓| is the Alexiewicz norm. This supremum is taken over all intervals 𝐼⊂ℝ. When 𝑔∈𝐿1, the estimate is ‖𝑓∗𝑔‖≤‖𝑓‖‖𝑔‖1. There are results on differentiation and integration of convolutions. A type of Fubini theorem is proved for the continuous primitive integral.
Oxygen 18 fractionation during snowmelt: Implications for spring flood hydrograph separation

Isotopic hydrograph separation (IHS) to define sources of event and preevent water during hydrological episodes has greatly improved the understanding of water, solute, and contaminant transport to streams during recent decades. However, the large variation in snowmelt isotopic composition, caused by fractionation during melting, has impeded an accurate separation of streamflow during spring flood episodes. Here we present a method that greatly improves the separation of event and preevent water during snowmelt by accounting for both the temporal change in the snowmelt isotopic signal and the temporary storage of meltwater in the catchment. Comparison of results of this technique with previous results, using isotopic data from the 1997 spring flood on a small catchment in northern Sweden, suggests that earlier techniques significantly underestimate the preevent contribution. This paper also explores the importance of lateral mixing across the catchment of temporally varying event inputs for the IHS results.
Recidivism Among Juvenile Offenders over Periods Ranging from One to Twenty Years Following Residential Treatment

Abstract This paper examines the recidivism data for juvenile offenders discharged from a Massachusetts residential treatment center between 1976 and 1995. The criminal histories, juvenile and adult, of 162 delinquent youth referred through the Massachusetts Department of Youth Services who left the program were reviewed. Recidivism was defined as any post-program juvenile or adult conviction. A program stay of over 11 months was associated with no future convictions for all offenders (p = .031). Chronic offenders (4 arrests prior to commitment) madeup 59% of the sample (N = 95). As expected, chronic offending was highly associated with recidivism (p = .004), yet it was also seen that chronic offenders in placement for 11 months or more recidivated at a significantly lower rate then those in placement less than 11 months (p = .026). A cost benefit analysis showed that a savings of $18,690,728 could be achieved by retaining chronic juvenile offenders in residential placement for over 11 months.
Creating a whole greater than the sum of its parts: Fostering integrative learning with a reflective ePortfolio process

This research explores one university’s effort to facilitate integrative learning with a reflective ePortfolio process. Integrative learning is conceptualized using a multi-theoretical construct consisting of transfer of learning, reflective practice, and self-authorship. As part of the evaluation of this process, students completed a pre-survey and a post-survey. Two years later, a sample of students responded to a follow-up survey. These surveys contained the same 37 items, which have been reduced to five dimensions of integrative learning. The study provides strong evidence that engagement in the reflective ePortfolio process leads to integrative learning gains and that these gains are lasting. Students who engaged in the process demonstrated significant growth on all five dimensions of integrative learning. Using a delayed-treatment design to determine causation, the analysis revealed that, for all five dimensions, there was a significant, positive effect associated with engagement in the process. Results from the follow-up survey demonstrated that, for four dimensions, learning gains persisted two years later. Using three-level hierarchical linear modeling to identify differences in integrative learning gains, the study identified characteristics of students and sites that represent optimal interventions. Students who engaged in deeper reflection both started the process with stronger integrative learning abilities and experienced greater learning gains. Students of different demographic backgrounds experienced similar learning gains, though there were differences related to academic characteristics and co-curricular engagement. First-year students experienced stronger growth than sophomores on the identify knowledge, skills, and values
Acute renal failure--a dangerous condition.

Acute renal failure is the most serious and most expensive renal disorder in medical practice and appears to be increasing in frequency. From its earliest recognition,1it has been clear that severe renal dysfunction carries a heavy mortality rate, but only recently has it been recognized that apparently small decreases in renal function exacerbate the mortality of the underlying condition. Despite developments in treatment, the overall mortality rate from acute renal failure has not substantially altered in the past 40 years.2The apparent lack of improvement in outcome obscures the fact that the patients with acute renal failure in the 1990s are very different from their predecessors; they are substantially older, have significant comorbid conditions, and very frequently have multiple organ failure. Nephrologists like to believe that the treatment is getting better but the state of the patients they are called in to treat is getting worse and