Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Empirical Examination of Sexual Relations Between Adolescents and Adults

SUMMARY The American view that adolescent-adult sexual relations are by definition “child sexual abuse” has spread throughout the Western world and reshaped public policy. This paper, originally presented as a talk, examines the scientific validity of this view. A historical perspective traces the conflation of the adolescent experience with rape, incest, and that of the young, prepubescent child. Biological and cognitive perspectives support the view that adolescents have more in common with adults than children. Sweeping claims that adolescents react as children are said to is critically tested by examining two types of relations-those between heterosexual teenage boys and women and those between gay or bisexual teenage boys and men. Non-clinical empirical data show overwhelmingly that such relations are characterized mostly by positive reactions based on consent if not initiative on the part of the minor, with perceived benefit rather than harm as a correlate. It is concluded that the American view is false, and that public policy that heightens official reaction to such relations, such as that currently proposed by the European Union, are either misinformed or disingenuous in alleging to protect when the motive is to control adolescents.
Early Optical Polarization of a Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow

We report the optical polarization of a gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglow, obtained 203 seconds after the initial burst of γ-rays from GRB 060418, using a ring polarimeter on the robotic Liverpool Telescope. Our robust (2σ) upper limit on the percentage of polarization, less than 8%, coincides with the fireball deceleration time at the onset of the afterglow. The combination of the rate of decay of the optical brightness and the low polarization at this critical time constrains standard models of GRB ejecta, ruling out the presence of a large-scale ordered magnetic field in the emitting region.
Learning Expressive Linkage Rules using Genetic Programming

A central problem in data integration and data cleansing is to find entities in different data sources that describe the same real-world object. Many existing methods for identifying such entities rely on explicit linkage rules which specify the conditions that entities must fulfill in order to be considered to describe the same real-world object. In this paper, we present the GenLink algorithm for learning expressive linkage rules from a set of existing reference links using genetic programming. The algorithm is capable of generating linkage rules which select discriminative properties for comparison, apply chains of data transformations to normalize property values, choose appropriate distance measures and thresholds and combine the results of multiple comparisons using non-linear aggregation functions. Our experiments show that the GenLink algorithm outperforms the state-of-the-art genetic programming approach to learning linkage rules recently presented by Carvalho et. al. and is capable of learning linkage rules which achieve a similar accuracy as human written rules for the same problem.
Reduction of Diabetic Macular Edema in the Untreated Fellow Eye Following Intravitreal Injection of Aflibercept.

A 59-year-old patient with bilateral worsening diabetic macular edema received intravitreal injection of aflibercept (Eylea; Regeneron, Tarrytown, NY) to the left eye only. On 1-month follow-up, there was noted bilateral improvement of visual acuity and diabetic macular edema on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography imaging, reflecting bilateral effect of unilateral treatment with aflibercept. [Ophthalmic Surg Lasers Imaging Retina. 2016;47:474-476. ].
Psychiatric Morbidity Among Street Children in Duhok

Background Due, in part, to family constraints in dealing with the economical burden of raising a family, a wave of street children is sweeping the developing world. Such children are prone to both somatic and mental illnesses. This is the first ever study that has been conducted to explore the psychopathology among street children in the Duhok Governorate. Methods The study was conducted between March 2004 and May 2005 in Duhok City among street children who attended the Zewa Center—the only center for street children in the region at the time of the study. Among a total of 107 eligible children, 100 agreed to participate (93% response rate). A modified family map (genogram) was used to obtain demographic data from the children and their caregivers through semi-structured interviews. In addition, the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview for Children and Adolescents (MINI-KID) structured interviews were conducted with the children. Results The study found that 98% of children worked on the street because of the economic need and pressure on their families. There was high rate of parental illiteracy (90% of fathers and 95% of mothers), and 61% of respondents were shown to have at least one psychiatric disorder. A high percentage (57%) of these children suffered from anxiety disorders including posttraumatic stress disorders (29%). Ten percent had depression, and 5% had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Conclusion Street children in Duhok seem to be working children due to their families’ needs.
Nanocrystallization During Nanoindentation of a Bulk Amorphous Metal Alloy at Room Temperature

It is known that nanocrystallites can form in shear bands produced during severe bending or high-energy ball milling of thin ribbons of a metallic glass. We present direct experimental evidence that highly confined and controlled local contact at the ultrafine scale in the form of quasi-static nanoindentation of a bulk glassy metal alloy at room temperature can also cause nanocrystallization. Atomic force microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that nanocrystallites nucleate in and around shear bands produced near indents and that they are the same as crystallites formed during annealing without deformation at 783 kelvin. Analogous to results from recent experiments with glassy polymers, our results are reasoned to be a consequence of flow dilatation inside the bands and of the attendant, radically enhanced, atomic diffusional mobility inside actively deforming shear bands.
Lattice Rectification in Atom Probe Tomography: Toward True Three-Dimensional Atomic Microscopy

Abstract Atom probe tomography (APT) represents a significant step toward atomic resolution microscopy, analytically imaging individual atoms with highly accurate, though imperfect, chemical identity and three-dimensional (3D) positional information. Here, a technique to retrieve crystallographic information from raw APT data and restore the lattice-specific atomic configuration of the original specimen is presented. This lattice rectification technique has been applied to a pure metal, W, and then to the analysis of a multicomponent Al alloy. Significantly, the atoms are located to their true lattice sites not by an averaging, but by triangulation of each particular atom detected in the 3D atom-by-atom reconstruction. Lattice rectification of raw APT reconstruction provides unprecedented detail as to the fundamental solute hierarchy of the solid solution. Atomic clustering has been recognized as important in affecting alloy behavior, such as for the Al-1.1Cu-1.7Mg (at. %) investigated here, which exhibits a remarkable rapid hardening reaction during the early stages of aging, linked to clustering of solutes. The technique has enabled lattice-site and species-specific radial distribution functions, nearest-neighbor analyses, and short-range order parameters, and we demonstrate a characterization of solute-clustering with unmatched sensitivity and precision.
Dose-dependent decrease of platelet activation and tissue factor by omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with advanced chronic heart failure

Summary Chronic heart failure (CHF) is characterised by activation of neuroendocrine and inflammatory pathways, and both are linked to a prothrombotic state. Treatment with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3-PUFA) showed significant benefits including mortality reduction in CHF, but exact mechanisms of action are still unclear. We investigated the effects of n3-PUFA on markers of platelet activation and thrombogenesis in patients with severe CHF. Thirty-six patients with non-ischaemic CHF (LVEF<35%, NYHA class>2) under optimised therapy were randomised to supplementation with 1g/day or 4g/day n3-PUFA, or placebo for 12 weeks. Using whole-blood flow cytometry, monocyteplatelet aggregates characterised by CD14+/CD42b+ co-expression and monocytic tissue factor (TF) were determined. Plasma levels of P-selectin, sCD40L, fibrinogen, prothrombin fragment F1.2, TF and proinflammatory markers (high sensitive[hs] interleukin-6, hsCRP, hsTNFalpha, monocyte chemotactic protein-1) were measured by immunoassay. Supplementation with 1g/day and 4g/day n3-PUFA but not placebo significantly reduced monocyte-platelet aggregates in a dose-dependent manner (p for trend=0.02 across the groups). A dose of 4g/day but not 1g/day n3-PUFA significantly decreased P-selectin (p=0.03). Plasma TF decreased dose-dependently upon n3-PUFA supplementation (p for trend=0.02), paralleled by a significant decrease of TF+-monocytes (p for trend=0.01). The amount of 4g/day n3-PUFA exhibited modest anti-inflammatory effects with a significant reduction of hs interleukin-6 (p<0.01) and a trend-wise reduction of hsTNF-alpha (p=0.09). No changes were seen for sCD40L, fibrinogen, hsCRP and monocyte chemotactic protein-1, while F1.2 was decreased by 4g/day n3-PUFA (P=0.03). In patients with severe non-ischaemic CHF, treatment with n3-PUFA leads to a dose-dependent decrease of platelet activation and TF. Higher dosage exhibits also anti-inflammatory effects. * ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00149409
Floral Reflectance, Color, and Thermoregulation: What Really Explains Geographic Variation in Thermal Acclimation Ability of Ectotherms?

Adaptive phenotypic plasticity in thermally sensitive traits, that is, thermal acclimation, generally increases with increasing latitude and altitude. The presumed explanation is that high‐latitude/altitude organisms have evolved greater acclimation ability because of exposure to greater temperature fluctuations. Using a conceptual model of the thermal environment during the reproductive season, we tested this hypothesis against an alternative that plasticity is greater because of increased exposure to specific temperatures that strongly select for thermal acclimation. We examined geographic variation in floral reflectance/color plasticity among 29 European populations of a widespread perennial herb, Plantago lanceolata. Individuals partially thermoregulate reproduction through temperature‐sensitive plasticity in floral reflectance/color. Plasticity was positively correlated with latitude and altitude. Path analyses support the hypothesis that the thermal environment mediates these geographic effects. Plasticity declined as seasonal temperature range increased, and it increased as duration of the growing season shortened and as the proportion of time exposed to temperatures favoring thermoregulation increased. Data provide evidence that floral reflectance/color plasticity is adaptive and that it has evolved in response not to the magnitude of temperature variation during the reproductive season but rather to the relative exposure to low temperatures, which favor thermoregulation.
Heparanase and Syndecan-1 Interplay Orchestrates Fibroblast Growth Factor-2-induced Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Tubular Cells

Background: FGF-2 induces EMT in PTECs, and HPSE regulates HS/syndecans. Results: The lack of HPSE prevents FGF-2-induced EMT; FGF-2 induces EMT through PI3K/AKT and produces an autocrine loop. Conclusion: HPSE is necessary for FGF-2 to produce EMT, to activate FGF-2 intracellular signaling, and to regulate its autocrine loop. Significance: HPSE is an interesting pharmacological target for the prevention of renal fibrosis. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) into myofibroblasts contributes to the establishment of fibrosis that leads to end stage renal disease. FGF-2 induces EMT in PTECs. Because the interaction between FGF-2 and its receptor is mediated by heparan sulfate (HS) and syndecans, we speculated that a deranged HS/syndecans regulation impairs FGF-2 activity. Heparanase is crucial for the correct turnover of HS/syndecans. The aim of the present study was to assess the role of heparanase on epithelial-mesenchymal transition induced by FGF-2 in renal tubular cells. In human kidney 2 (HK2) PTEC cultures, although FGF-2 induces EMT in the wild-type clone, it is ineffective in heparanase-silenced cells. The FGF-2 induced EMT is through a stable activation of PI3K/AKT which is only transient in heparanase-silenced cells. In PTECs, FGF-2 induces an autocrine loop which sustains its signal through multiple mechanisms (reduction in syndecan-1, increase in heparanase, and matrix metalloproteinase 9). Thus, heparanase is necessary for FGF-2 to produce EMT in PTECs and to sustain FGF-2 intracellular signaling. Heparanase contributes to a synergistic loop for handling syndecan-1, facilitating FGF-2 induced-EMT. In conclusion, heparanase plays a role in the tubular-interstitial compartment favoring the FGF-2-dependent EMT of tubular cells. Hence, heparanase is an interesting pharmacological target for the prevention of renal fibrosis.
Theory of continuum random walks and application to chemotaxis.

We formulate the general theory of random walks in continuum, essential for treating a collision rate which depends smoothly upon direction of motion. We also consider a smooth probability distribution of correlations between the directions of motion before and after collisions, as well as orientational Brownian motion between collisions. These features lead to an effective Smoluchowski equation. Such random walks involving an infinite number of distinct directions of motion cannot be treated on a lattice, which permits only a finite number of directions of motion, nor by Langevin methods, which make no reference to individual collisions. The effective Smoluchowski equation enables a description of the biased random walk of the bacterium Escherichia coli during chemotaxis, its search for food
Laser Desorption/Ionization Time‐of‐Flight Mass Spectrometry of Triacylglycerols and Other Components in Fingermark Samples *

Abstract: The chemical composition of fingermarks could potentially be important for determining investigative leads, placing individuals at the time of a crime, and has applications as biomarkers of disease. Fingermark samples containing triacylglycerols (TAGs) and other components were analyzed using laser desorption/ionization (LDI) time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS). Only LDI appeared to be useful for this application while conventional matrix‐assisted LDI‐TOF MS was not. Tandem MS was used to identify/confirm selected TAGs. A limited gender comparison, based on a simple t‐distribution and peaks intensities, indicated that two TAGs showed gender specificity at the 95% confidence level and two others at 97.5% confidence. Because gender‐related TAGs differences were most often close to the standard deviation of the measurements, the majority of the TAGs showed no gender specificity. Thus, LDI‐TOF MS is not a reliable indicator of gender based on fingermark analysis. Cosmetic ingredients present in some samples were identified.
Quiescent neuronal progenitors are activated in the juvenile guinea pig lateral striatum and give rise to transient neurons

In the adult brain, active stem cells are a subset of astrocytes residing in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and the dentate gyrus (DG) of the hippocampus. Whether quiescent neuronal progenitors occur in other brain regions is unclear. Here, we describe a novel neurogenic system in the external capsule and lateral striatum (EC-LS) of the juvenile guinea pig that is quiescent at birth but becomes active around weaning. Activation of neurogenesis in this region was accompanied by the emergence of a neurogenic-like niche in the ventral EC characterized by chains of neuroblasts, intermediate-like progenitors and glial cells expressing markers of immature astrocytes. Like neurogenic astrocytes of the SVZ and DG, these latter cells showed a slow rate of proliferation and retained BrdU labeling for up to 65 days, suggesting that they are the primary progenitors of the EC-LS neurogenic system. Injections of GFP-tagged lentiviral vectors into the SVZ and the EC-LS of newborn animals confirmed that new LS neuroblasts originate from the activation of local progenitors and further supported their astroglial nature. Newborn EC-LS neurons existed transiently and did not contribute to neuronal addition or replacement. Nevertheless, they expressed Sp8 and showed strong tropism for white matter tracts, wherein they acquired complex morphologies. For these reasons, we propose that EC-LS neuroblasts represent a novel striatal cell type, possibly related to those populations of transient interneurons that regulate the development of fiber tracts during embryonic life.
Defining Cultural Competence: A Practical Framework for Addressing Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Health and Health Care

Objectives. Racial/ethnic disparities in health in the U.S. have been well described. The field of “cultural competence” has emerged as one strategy to address these disparities. Based on a review of the relevant literature, the authors develop a definition of cultural competence, identify key components for intervention, and describe a practical framework for implementation of measures to address racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Methods. The authors conducted a literature review of academic, foundation, and government publications focusing on sociocultural barriers to care, the level of the health care system at which a given barrier occurs, and cultural competence efforts that address these barriers. Results. Sociocultural barriers to care were identified at the organizational (leadership/workforce), structural (processes of care), and clinical (provider-patient encounter) levels. A framework of cultural competence interventions— including minority recruitment into the health professions, development of interpreter services and language-appropriate health educational materials, and provider education on cross-cultural issues—emerged to categorize strategies to address racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. Conclusions. Demographic changes anticipated over the next decade magnify the importance of addressing racial/ethnic disparities in health and health care. A framework of organizational, structural, and clinical cultural competence interventions can facilitate the elimination of these disparities and improve care for all Americans.
Biosynthesis of antifungal and antibacterial polyketides by Burkholderia gladioli in coculture with Rhizopus microsporus

Fungi–bacteria interactions can impact the course of fungal infection and biotechnological use. The mucoralean fungus Rhizopus microsporus, traditionally used in food fermentations (tempe and sufu), is frequently accompanied by Burkholderia gladioli pv. cocovenenans. When producing tempe bongkrek, the bacterial contamination can lead to lethal food‐related intoxications caused by the respiratory toxin bongkrekic acid. To unveil the metabolic potential of the fungus‐associated bacterium, we sequenced its genome, assigned secondary metabolite biosynthesis gene clusters and monitored the metabolic profile under various growth conditions. In addition to the bongkrekic acid biosynthesis gene cluster we found gene clusters coding for the biosynthesis of toxoflavin and a complex polyketide. The orphan polyketide synthase gene cluster was activated under conditions that emulate tempe production, which enabled isolation and structure elucidation of four members of the enacyloxin family of antibiotics, out of which one is new. Moreover, we found that the fungus positively influences the growth of the bacteria and dramatically increases bongkrekic acid production in stationary culture, which inhibits the growth of the fungus. These results showcase the context‐dependent formation of antifungal and antibacterial agents at the fungal‐bacterial interface, which may also serve as a model for scenarios observed in mixed infections.
Getting Through to Circadian Oscillators: Why Use Constant Routines?

Overt 24-h rhythmicity is composed of both exogenous and endogenous components, reflecting the product of multiple (periodic) feedback loops with a core pacemaker at their center. Researchers attempting to reveal the endogenous circadian (near 24-h) component of rhythms commonly conduct their experiments under constant environmental conditions. However, even under constant environmental conditions, rhythmic changes in behavior, such as food intake or the sleep-wake cycle, can contribute to observed rhythmicity in many physiological and endocrine variables. Assessment of characteristics of the core circadian pacemaker and its direct contribution to rhythmicity in different variables, including rhythmicity in gene expression, may be more reliable when such periodic behaviors are eliminated or kept constant across all circadian phases. This is relevant for the assessment of the status of the circadian pacemaker in situations in which the sleep-wake cycle or food intake regimes are altered because of external conditions, such as in shift work or jet lag. It is also relevant for situations in which differences in overt rhythmicity could be due to changes in either sleep oscillatory processes or circadian rhythmicity, such as advanced or delayed sleep phase syndromes, in aging, or in particular clinical conditions. Researchers studying human circadian rhythms have developed constant routine protocols to assess the status of the circadian pacemaker in constant behavioral and environmental conditions, whereas this technique is often thought to be unnecessary in the study of animal rhythms. In this short review, the authors summarize constant routine methodology and what has been learned from constant routines and argue that animal and human circadian rhythm researchers should (continue to) use constant routines as a step on the road to getting through to central and peripheral circadian oscillators in the intact organism.
An Actor-Partner Interdependence Model of Attachment Processes, Conflict Resolution, and Psychological Abuse on Relationship Quality in a Community Sample of Heterosexual Couples.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether adult attachment style, psychological abuse in the marriage, conflict resolution strategies, and gender are associated with relational quality in childless couples in the early years of their marriage. Data were collected from 92 married couples who were recruited from university campuses, churches, and community organizations through e-mails, flyers, newspaper advertisements and mailings. Conceptualizing the interdependence of dyadic data from the actor-partner interdependence model (APIM), multilevel linear modeling (MLM) was used to analyze differences within and between couples. It was hypothesized that higher levels of attachment anxiety or avoidance, psychological abuse, and maladaptive conflict resolution strategies would be associated with lower relational quality. Results indicated that attachment avoidance had stronger associations with relational quality than did attachment anxiety, and that higher levels of attachment avoidance were associated with lower relational quality. Additionally, findings indicated a direct negative relationship between both actor and partner psychological abuse and the actor's relational quality. The discussion section addresses strengths and limitations of the present study as well as directions for future research.