Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Growth hormone treatment of children with short stature increases insulin secretion but does not impair glucose disposal.

Pediatricians willing to administer GH to non-GH-deficient children with short stature are concerned about the potential adverse effects of this hormone on glucose homeostasis and insulin action. This study was designed to determine the effects of GH therapy on carbohydrate metabolism in 10 prepubertal non-GH-deficient children with short stature. After 12 months of treatment with 0.3 U GH/kg BW.day, which resulted in an increase in height velocity from 4.0 +/- 0.3 (+/- SE) to 11.0 +/- 0.4 cm/yr, glucose tolerance was not impaired in these children. Not only were their fasting and postprandial plasma glucose concentrations unchanged from the pretreatment values, but basal glucose turnover did not vary; it was 0.53 +/- 0.04 before and 0.64 +/- 0.06 mmol/m2.min after GH treatment. Using the euglycemic clamp technique, the dose-response curves describing the effects of insulin on glucose disposal were comparable before and after GH treatment. There was a consistent 1.5- to 2-fold increase in plasma insulin and C-peptide concentrations during GH treatment, in both the basal and postprandial states, and after oral glucose or iv glucagon stimulation. We conclude that the GH regimen employed was remarkably effective in increasing growth velocity and devoid of detectable diabetogenic effects during a 1-yr treatment period in these non-GH-deficient children. (glucose, 1 mmol/L = 18 mg/dL; insulin, 1 pmol/L = 0.139 microU/mL; C-peptide, 1 pmol/L = 0.003 ng/ml).
Magnetic resonance imaging evidence of hippocampal sclerosis in asymptomatic, first-degree relatives of patients with familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the presence of hippocampal atrophy (HA) and other magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) signs of hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in asymptomatic relatives of patients with familial mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (FMTLE). METHODS We invited first-degree, asymptomatic relatives of patients with FMTLE to participate in our MRI protocol. After obtaining informed consent, all participating individuals underwent an MRI examination. Hippocampal abnormality was determined by qualitative and volumetric analyses, using a standard protocol. RESULTS We studied 52 asymptomatic individuals (27 men), with a mean age of 32 years (range, 7-71 years), from 11 families with FMTLE. Volumetric studies showed HA in 18 (34%) of 52 individuals: 11 had left HA and 7 had bilateral HA. In addition, careful visual analysis of T1- and T2-weighted images showed additional classic MRI signs of HS (such as abnormal T2 signal and/or abnormal internal structure) in 14 of these 18 individuals. There was no age difference between individuals with and without HA (t test, P =.80). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that MRI evidence of HS is not necessarily related to seizure severity and may occur in individuals who never had seizures. In addition, these observations strongly indicate that HS in FMTLE is not a consequence of recurrent seizures and is determined by a strong genetic predisposition. The determination of seizure severity in patients with FMTLE probably depends on the interaction of different factors, both genetic and environmental.
The role of burnout and depression in self-destructive behaviour of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army personnel

Arsia Taghva1, Mahdi Imani2, Mohammad R. Kazemi1, Khadijeh Shiralinia3: 1Department of Psychiatry, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. 2Department of Clinical Psychology, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. 3Department of Counseling, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran. E-mail: Dr.MahdiImani@gmail.com The role of burnout and depression in selfdestructive behaviour of the Islamic Republic of Iran Army personnel
Classification of SAR imagery based on the multiscale stochastic process

This paper presents efficient non-parameter and multiscale approach to segmentation of natural clutter in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery. The method we propose not only exploit the coherent nature of SAR sensor, and take of advantage of the characteristic statistical difference in imagery of different terrain types, but also do not require distribution of pixels due to using bootstrap method. Firstly, we employ multiscale autoregressive (MAR) model for describing random processes that evolve in scale. Secondly, the confidence internals of the parameters in MAR model for each category of terrain of interest are calculated using bootstrap technical. Then, for each pixel, we generate a set of parameter estimation that characterizes the local evolution in scale. The pixel is classified by relation between the parameters estimation and the confidence internal of each type. Finally, test images are classified to demonstrate the method.
Both B1R and B2R act as intermediate signaling molecules in high glucose‐induced stimulation of glutamate uptake in ARPE cells

Bradykinin (BK) is a potent modulator of biological processes in the retina, and retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) and the regulation of glutamate are believed to be important in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. However, the mechanism by which BK regulates glutamate uptake in RPE cells in diabetic retinopathy is unknown. Here, we examined the involvement of BK receptors in high glucose‐induced dysfunction of glutamate uptake in human ARPE cells. High glucose stimulated glutamate uptake and the expression of excitatory amino acid transporter‐4 (EAAT4) mRNA, and these were blocked by treatment with small interfering RNA (siRNA) for BK1 receptor (B1R) and BK2 receptor (B2R), but not scrambled siRNA, supporting an involvement of B1R and B2R in this process. High glucose‐stimulated glutamate uptake was also blocked by the B1R antagonist [des‐Arg10]‐HOE 140 and the B2R antagonist HOE 140. High glucose increased B1R and B2R mRNA and protein expression in a time‐dependent manner, increased B1R and B2R translocation from the cytosol to the nucleus, and stimulated kininogen, kallikrein, and kininase I mRNA expression. We examined whether BK receptors were involved in high glucose‐induced signaling pathways. High glucose stimulated arachidonic acid release, cytosolic phospholipase A2 and cyclooxygenase‐2 proteins, nuclear factor‐κB activation, and inhibitor‐κB activation; these events were blocked by treatment with B1R and B2R siRNAs, but not scrambled siRNA. In addition, high glucose‐induced stimulation of glutamate uptake was blocked by the cyclooxygenase‐2 inhibitors arachidonyl trifluoromethyl ketone, mepacrine, 5‐bromo‐2‐(4‐fluorophenyl)‐3‐[4‐(methyl‐sulfonyl)phenyl]‐thiophene, and N‐[2‐cyclohexyloxy‐4‐nitrophenyl] methane‐sulfonamide, and by the nuclear factor‐κB inhibitors pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and SN‐50. J. Cell. Physiol. 221: 677–687, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Epidermal differentiation during carapace and plastron formation in the embryonic turtle Emydura macquarii

As part of a large comparative study on the development of reptilian skin, we provide the first ultrastructural description of differentiation of the epidermis of the carapace and plastron in the Chelonia, using the Australian pleurodiran turtle Emydura macquarii as a model. The epidermis is initially composed of an external flat peridermis and a basal layer of cuboidal cells. During differentiation, the peridermis darkens, flakes off and is partially lost before hatching. Four to 6 layers of flat cells containing lipids and mucus form from the basal layer beneath the external peridermis. Because such cells are found only during embryogenesis, we have referred to these layers as embryonic epidermis. They contain reticulate bodies made of a meshwork of coarse filaments similar to those described in the inner peridermis of lizard and bird embryos. In advanced embryos, cells of the embryonic epidermis condense into a thin dark stratum which is subsequently lost after hatching. The lowermost 2 layers of the embryonic epidermis keratinise, as for a typical lepidosaurian α‐layer. A splitting zone is progressively formed beneath the α‐layer to separate the embryonic epidermis from the underlying β‐layer. Patterns of cytodifferentiation of the β‐synthesising cells over the carapace and plastron essentially resemble those of the lepidosaurian epidermis. The β‐keratin matrix initially accumulates among ribosomes as round bodies not clearly surrounded by a membrane. These bodies appear not to be derived from the Golgi apparatus. Melanosomes and other dark granules of uncertain nature are present among early differentiating β‐cells. The round β‐keratin bodies merge with the dense bodies to produce the definitive variegated pattern of the mature β‐keratin layer. The histochemistry suggests that calcium combines with organic molecules within β‐keratinising cells to harden the tissue. In contrast to the β‐keratin cells of lizards and snakes, cells of the mature β‐keratin layer of E. macquarii maintain their cell boundaries in part or completely, a characteristics shared with the β‐keratin layer of Sphenodon and crocodilians.
Effect of Post-Exercise Supplement Consumption on Adaptations to Resistance Training

Objective: Athletes are interested in nutritional manipulations that may enhance lean tissue gains stimulated by resistance training. Some research demonstrates that acute consumption of food containing protein causes superior muscle protein synthesis compared to isoenergetic foods without protein. This benefit has not been verified in longer-term training studies. We compared body composition and muscle function responses to resistance training in males who consumed a carbohydrate or a multi-macronutrient beverage following each training session. Methods: Nineteen, untrained men (18–25 years) consumed either a milk (MILK) or a carbohydrate-electrolyte (CHO) drink immediately following each workout during a 10 week resistance training program. Muscle strength (1RM for seven exercises), body composition (DXA scan), fasted, resting concentrations of serum total and free testosterone, cortisol, IGF-1, and resting energy expenditure (REE) were measured prior to and at the end of training. Results: Resistance training caused an increase (44 ± 4%, p < 0.001) in muscular strength for all subjects. The training program reduced percent body fat (8%, p < 0.05, −0.9 ± 0.5 kg) and increased fat-free soft tissue (FFST) mass (2%, 1.2 ± 0.3 kg, p < 0.01). MILK tended to increase body weight and FFST mass (p=0.10 and p=0.13, respectively) compared to CHO. Resting total and free testosterone concentrations decreased from baseline values in all subjects (16.7%, 11%, respectively, p < 0.05). Significant changes in fasting IGF-1, cortisol, and REE across training were not observed for either group. Conclusion: Post-resistance exercise consumption of MILK and CHO caused similar adaptations to resistance training. It is possible that a more prolonged training with supplementation period would expand the trend for greater FFST gains in MILK.
An assessment of workplace programmes designed to control inhalation risks using respiratory protective equipment.

OBJECTIVES Few studies have assessed respiratory protective equipment (RPE) failures at the organizational level despite evidence to suggest that compliance with good practice may be low. The aim of this study was to develop an understanding of what current RPE programmes look like across industry and how this compares with good practice. METHODS Twenty cross-industry site visits were conducted with companies that had RPE programmes in place. Visits involved management interviews to explore current RPE systems and procedures and the decision making underpinning these. Observations of RPE operatives were included followed by short interviews to discuss the behaviours observed. Post-site assessments jointly undertaken by an RPE scientist and psychologist produced ratings for each site on six critical aspects of RPE programmes (knowledge/awareness, selection, use, training/information, supervision, and storage/cleaning/maintenance). Overall ratings for theoretical competence (i.e. management knowledge of RPE) and practical control (i.e. actual RPE practice on the shop floor) were also given. Qualitative analysis was performed on all interview data. RESULTS The performance of RPE programmes varied across industry. Fewer than half the companies visited were considered to have an acceptable level of theoretical competence and practical control. Four distinct groups emerged from the 20 sites studied, ranging from Learners (low theoretical competence and practical control--four sites), Developers (acceptable theoretical competence and low practical control--five sites), and Fortuitous (low theoretical competence and acceptable practical control--two sites), to Proficient (acceptable theoretical competence and practical control--nine sites). None of the companies visited were achieving optimal control through the use of RPE. Widespread inadequacies were found with programme implementation, particularly training, supervision, and maintenance. CONCLUSIONS Our taxonomy based on the four groups (Learners, Developers, Fortuitous, and Proficient) provided a useful expert-informed tool for explaining the variation in performance of RPE programmes across industry. Although further research and development are required, this taxonomy offers a useful starting point for the development of practical tools that may assist managers in making the much-needed improvements to all facets of programme implementation, particularly training, supervision, and maintenance.
Dynastic Marriage in Sixteenth-Century Habsburg Diplomacy and Statecraft: An Interdisciplinary Approach

SINCE THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY most Western historians have dismissed the court and family practices of European royalty as unworthy of study. Voltaire and the Encyclopedists campaigned relentlessly to shift the interest of scholars away from narrowly dynastic concerns and toward the development of societies and cultures as a whole. ' Such work has stimulated a more pluralistic view of the forces at work in historical processes, thereby minimizing the significance of rulers and their activities. To investigate "the unimportant details of battles, genealogies, and court pageantry" has been to confess intellectual mediocrity, lack of scholarly integrity, or both.2 Accounts of sovereign houses have been largely uncritical, particularly when conducted under official or familial auspices. At least one writer has seen them as pandering to the megalomania of a public that likes to imagine itself in the places of kings and queens. ' It is therefore not surprising that historians have given little sustained attention to the customs of royalty. Such has been the fate, for example, of dynastic marriage. Indeed, the indifference of a modern researcher to this institution might have received acclaim from colleagues in the sixteenth century. In an age which witnessed the creation of that spectacular matrimonial conglomerate, the Habsburg Empire, some observers denied that such royal intermarriage served any useful and serious purpose at all. Leading humanists found their moral sensibilities offended by the practice and may
Measurement Of Scientific Attitudes Acquired By Senior Secondary School Science Students In Kontagora , Niger State , Nigeria

Attitude is the way one feels or thinks about something (Hornby, 2001), that is, attitude could be an expression of like or dislike of a person, place, thing or an event. The WebFinance Incorporated (2017) defined attitude as the predisposition or the tendency to respond positively or negatively towards a certain idea, object, person or situation. Attitude can therefore be acquired or formed, Gbore and Daramola (2013), Amjad and Mohammed (2012) all argued that due to the elastic nature of attitude, it can be learnt from past and present experiences, family member, teacher, society and group norms. They also added that attitudes are also interlinked or influenced by mental set which is composed of beliefs, values, likes and dislikes, hence attitudes determine behaviour of a person. Science is seen as a systematic and logical approach to discovering how things in the universe work. It is also the body of knowledge accumulated through the discoveries about all the things in the universe (Bradford, 2015), science therefore consists of several dimensions: processes, products and attitudes. However, up to the middle ages, only the processes and products of science were more emphasized than scientific attitudes in science instruction. In the sixteenth Abstract: The paper measured the scientific attitudes acquired by senior secondary school Science students in Kontagora, Niger state. Nigeria. Two hundred and sixty-eight (268) (127-males and) 141 females) science students constituted the subject of this study. The sample was randomly draw from a population of 809 science students in 14 secondary school (6 – public and 8 – private schools). The instrument used for data collection was a questionnaire, which consists of 40-item structured questions developed by the researchers. The instrument was validated by experts and reliability tested, data collected after administration of questionnaire were analyzed using mean ratings to answer the research question raised. The t – test was used to test two hypotheses raised at p < 0.05 level of significance. The result revealed that the science students acquired moderate level of scientific attitudes related to curiosity, open–mindedness, critical mindedness, objectivity, humility, rationality, willingness to suspend judgment and low level of honesty, furthermore, the students still hold unto some superstitions beliefs due to their background. In addition, statistically, the science students do not differ in scientific attitudes acquired in terms of gender and school type (public or private). Based on the result obtained, recommendations were made to school owners: government and private to provide adequate infrastructure and necessary facilities for studying of science and sponsor science teachers for in-service training, attendance of conferences and workshops so as to enhance quality science education.
Is bilateral ECT ever indicated?

ABSTRACT– To investigate whether it is indicated to make a shift to bilateral technique when the first 6–10 unilateral ECT treatments have produced no improvement in patients with endogenous depression, a retrospective study was made concerning 61 patients 34 of whom (group U) continued with unilateral treatment while in 27 (group UB) a shift was made to bilateral technique. No significant differences were found between the groups with regard to final therapeutic result, only a tendency to better effect in the first mentioned group. This tendency can be explained by the somewhat higher age in this group. The duration of seizures, administration of benzodiazepines, as well as treatment with antidepressive drugs, were equal in the groups, which were thus comparable. It is concluded that since bilateral ECT may severely impair memory for weeks or months the patients should not be stressed by a change to this technique.
Molecular and functional characterization of the human platelet Na+/Ca2+ exchangers

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Na+/Ca2+ exchanger is a bi‐directional transporter that plays an important role in maintaining the concentration of cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) of quiescent platelets and increasing it during activation with some, but not all, agonists. There are two classes of Na+/Ca2+ exchangers: K+‐independent Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) and K+‐dependent Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCKX). Platelets have previously been shown to express NCKX1. However, initial studies from our laboratory suggest that NCX may also play a role in platelet activation. The objective of this study was to determine if the human platelet expresses functional NCXs.
3D Quantification of Wall Shear Stress and Oscillatory Shear Index Using a Finite-Element Method in 3D CINE PC-MRI Data of the Thoracic Aorta

Several 2D methods have been proposed to estimate WSS and OSI from PC-MRI, neglecting the longitudinal velocity gradients that typically arise in cardiovascular flow, particularly on vessel geometries whose cross section and centerline orientation strongly vary in the axial direction. Thus, the contribution of longitudinal velocity gradients remains understudied. In this work, we propose a 3D finite-element method for the quantification of WSS and OSI from 3D-CINE PC-MRI that accounts for both in-plane and longitudinal velocity gradients. We demonstrate the convergence and robustness of the method on cylindrical geometries using a synthetic phantom based on the Poiseuille flow equation. We also show that, in the presence of noise, the method is both stable and accurate. Using computational fluid dynamics simulations, we show that the proposed 3D method results in more accurate WSS estimates than those obtained from a 2D analysis not considering out-of-plane velocity gradients. Further, we conclude that for irregular geometries the accurate prediction of WSS requires the consideration of longitudinal gradients in the velocity field. Additionally, we compute 3D maps of WSS and OSI for 3D-CINE PC-MRI data sets from an aortic phantom and sixteen healthy volunteers and two patients. The OSI values show a greater dispersion than WSS, which is strongly dependent on the PC-MRI resolution. We envision that the proposed 3D method will improve the estimation of WSS and OSI from 3D-CINE PC-MRI images, allowing for more accurate estimates in vessels with pathologies that induce high longitudinal velocity gradients, such as coarctations and aneurisms.
Differential Requirement for Tapasin in the Presentation of Leader- and Insulin-Derived Peptide Antigens to Qa-1b-Restricted CTLs1

The loading of MHC class I molecules with peptides involves a variety of accessory proteins, including TAP-associated glycoprotein (tapasin), which tethers empty MHC class I molecules to the TAP peptide transporter. We have evaluated the role of tapasin for the assembly of peptides with the class Ib molecule Qa-1b. In normal cells, Qa-1b is predominantly bound by a peptide, the Qa-1 determinant modifier (Qdm), derived from the signal sequence of class Ia molecules. Our results show that tapasin links Qa-1b to the TAP peptide transporter, and that tapasin facilitates the delivery of Qa-1b molecules to the cell surface. Tapasin was also required for the presentation of endogenous Qdm peptides to Qdm-specific, Qa-1b-restricted CTLs. In sharp contrast, tapasin expression was dispensable for the presentation of an insulin peptide to insulin-specific, Qa-1b-restricted CTL isolated from TCR transgenic mice. However, tapasin deficiency significantly impaired the positive selection of these insulin-specific, Qa-1b-restricted transgenic CD8+ T cells. These findings reveal that tapasin plays a differential role in the loading of Qdm and insulin peptides onto Qa-1b molecules, and that tapasin is dispensable for retention of empty Qa-1b molecules in the endoplasmic reticulum, and are consistent with the proposed peptide-editing function of tapasin.
Faking Good and Faking Bad Among Military Conscripts

A question that continues to worry practitioners and researchers is how much recruiters can trust self-reported measures of personality. Several models of faking assume that applicants differ in their motivation to fake, but field evidence regarding these differences is still rare. For the current field study, we exploited a unique setting: The examination for compulsory military service in Switzerland. We were able to show that differences in the military service motivation of Swiss conscripts (N = 918) were associated with faking good or faking bad, respectively. In particular, military service motivation was related to self-admitted faking, mean personality scores, and increased correlations between personality dimensions, which supports faking models that stress the importance of motivational differences.