Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
“Nerves” and Tranquilizer Use in Rural Brazil

Drawing on data from a morbidity survey of sampled households in 25 small villages in Espirito Santo, Brazil, this article is concerned with reports of “nerves” (nervos) or nerve problems (problema de nervos). Reported cases of nervos (30 percent of all reports of illness) included a variety of symptoms: insomnia, body pains, dizziness, trembling, weakness, and emotional states ranging from feelings of sadness to anger. In one-third of the accounts, “overwork” was mentioned as the main cause, due both to its direct physical effect and to stress related to economic hardship and responsibility. In 88 percent of the cases, the afflicted person regularly used at least one psychotropic drug to relieve symptoms. Daily use of drugs occurred in 68 percent of the cases, and in 47 percent of cases people were reported as “dependent” on the drugs. The extensive use of psychotropic drugs suggests medicalization of nervos, creating a sick role for patients and keeping at an individual level the problems resulting in nervos.
Comparison of wideband phased array concepts for achieving frequency independent radiation characteristics

A comparison of three phased array concepts that can be used to reduce the frequency dependence of the radiation characteristics of very wideband phased arrays is presented. The three concepts consist of a multiband array, a frequency tapered array and an array with varying element sizes and element distances. Parameters such as aperture area, number of elements, gain, effective radiated power (ERP) and half-power beamwidth (HPBW) are presented. It is shown that for two of the studied concepts, the frequency dependence can be drastically reduced compared to a conventional wideband phased array. Application of the array concepts in radar and electronic support measure (ESM) are discussed.
Cell type-specific development of rodent central nervous system progenitor cells in culture.

OBJECT The aim of the study was to assess the pluripotential central nervous system (CNS) progenitor cells that give rise to the many differentiated neuronal and glial cell types of the adult mammalian brain and the role of peptide growth factors such as the epidermal growth factor (EGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The action of these factors is crucial to the survival and ultimate differentiation of these CNS progenitor cells. However, the precise role of EGF and bFGF in the time course of cellular development, the acquisition of cell type specificity, and possible differential mitogenic behavior has not been clearly defined. METHODS The authors defined the time course of CNS progenitor cell development in cultured embryonic rodent cells by using immunocytochemical analysis to identify the expression of pluripotential (nestin)-, neuron (microtubule-associated protein-2 [MAP-2])-, and glia (glial fibrillary acidic protein [GFAP])-specific proteins in response to treatment with EGF and bFGF alone or in combination. The bromodeoxyuridine (BUdR) labeling index for each treatment group was used to define the mitogenic effects of each growth factor. In this investigation, the authors observed that progenitor cells develop in a stereotypical fashion when exposed to bFGF or EGF. Marked staining for nestin was evident soon after plating. This declined over time as staining for MAP-2 and GFAP increased. When treated with EGF alone, cells maintained their nestin immunoreactivity longer than those treated with bFGF alone or in combination with EGF. Treatment with bFGF alone promoted a significant increase in MAP-2 and, to a much lesser extent, GFAP reactivity. This was observed concomitant with the decline in nestin staining. The BUdR labeling index was similar among the different treatment groups and declined similarly over time in all treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS The effects of EGF and/or bFGF on the expression of development- and lineage-specific markers likely reflect the specific effects of these factors on developmental processes. These data indicate that bFGF exerts a preferential effect on neuronal development and, to a lesser extent, glial development, which is not explained by selective mitogenicity. The persistence of nestin staining seen in the cells treated with EGF alone indicates that EGF may function as a stem cell survival factor. This study provides evidence that CNS cell type-specific development can be altered by the manipulation of peptide growth factors that act as differentiation agents.
Identification of differential alternative splicing events with an adjusted beta-distribution model

High-throughput next generation sequencing of cDNA, i.e. RNA-Seq, presents an unprecedented resource for characterizing the alternative splicing (AS) in complex eukaryotic transcriptomes. Accumulating evidences indicate that AS is developmentally regulated, but the precise responses of AS event to development is not well understood. Here, we describe a new method, based on an adjusted beta-distribution model, for detection of differential AS patterns from RNA-Seq data comparisons. Applying our method to two datasets of RNA-Seq for zika infection in human cells and pollen tissue in Arabidopsis thaliana, we identified 1,871 differentially AS events for 1,394 protein-coding genes in human and 496 differentially AS events for 358 protein-coding genes in Arabidopsis, respectively. The results included known AS events reported before as well as novel events, which demonstrate that the biological replicates are important in the effective identification using ß-distribution. With a high accurate rate, our new method in differential AS identification will facilitate future investigation on transcriptomic annotation.
Double pulse approach of electropulsation: a fluorescence analysis of the nucleus perturbation at the single cell level

Plasmid Gene transfer and expression can be obtained by the application of electric pulses to a mixture of cells and plasmids (electrogenetherapy, EGT). Electropulsation is rather well characterized at the plasma membrane level. But, the transfer to and across the nuclear envelope remains a problem. Biological approaches showed that EGT was more effective during mitosis. Recently the group of Schoenbach showed that nanosecond ultra high field pulses may affect cytoplasmic organelles including the nucleus. The need for high field was linked on one hand on the time scale and on the other on the size of the target. Therefore we made an approach of the alteration of the nucleus induced by a microsecond high electric pulse (mus HV, up to 9 kV/cm, 5 mus). This perturbation was operated alone or a few seconds after EGT pulses (10x, 0.7 kV/cm, 5 ms) needed to introduce the plasmid in the cytoplasm. Structural alterations of the nucleus organization were investigated. This was obtained by a digitized fluorescence approach at the single cell level, using Hoechst dye as a probe with a high affinity to nucleic acids. The first train of pulses (EGT) induced a huge and rapid (<2min) swelling of cells and of their nucleus associated with a decrease of the mean fluorescence of the nucleus. Mean fluorescence level and volume changes were maintained along the next 10 minutes. The application of a mus HV pulse affects the cell volume and transiently the nucleus volume without any effects on the mean fluorescence level in the nucleus.
Study on partial discharge model of solid insulator

Considering the effect of the surface resistance of void in the actual discharge process, on the basis of the Partial discharge (PD) model based on the theory of plasma, the physical model of PD in voids was modified in this paper. The influence of the change to surface resistance in the void discharge process has been considered in this model. Based on this model, the simulations of PD were investigated by using SIMULINK. The discharge waveform obtained by simulation is very similar to the measured ones in the same condition. It can be seen from the results that the modified model simulation waveform is superior to the traditional proposed, and closer to the actual waveform. This indicates that the simulation model is effective and the simulation results are reliable.
Extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, NWFP, Pakistan: survey of biopsy results.

BACKGROUND Tuberculosis is a disease of poor countries. In the recent years, there has been an increase in the occurrence of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) world over. As very little data is available regarding the situation of EPTB in NWFP, this study was conducted to asses its frequency in various organ systems of the body and to evaluate the role of demographic factors like sex and age in its causation. METHODS A total of 525 cases of EPTB diagnosed histopathologically in the Department of Pathology, Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar in the years 2002-2005 were included in the study. Age, sex and sites of biopsies were recorded. RESULTS High female preponderance was noted with a M:F ratio of 1:2. Mean age was 35 years and 70% of the patients were in the age group 15-45 years. Lymph nodes were the most common site of EPTB, involved in 66.4% of the cases. CONCLUSION EPTB has high rates in females in their reproductive age. Tuberculous lymphadenitis is the most common form of EPTB. High occurrence of EPTB in female population needs immediate attention of tuberculosis control programs.
EVALUATION OF CAROTID INTIMA-MEDIA THICKNESS IN THE PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

Objectives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the changes of carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) in the patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Materials and Methods. The study included 30 male patients and 30 healthy male subjects. Patients with COPD had moderate level of pulmonary function testing. The study excluded participants taking medications and/or with a history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidaemia and other cardiovascular diseases. The CIMT was bilaterally measured by a Doppler ultrasonography device. Measurements were automatically performed by using IMT (Intima Media Thickness) Software. Two measurements were taken from both the left and right common carotid artery. The mean measurement was used for analysis. Independent sample t-test was used for the comparison of means between the two groups. Pearson’s correlation and linear regression analysis was made to determine the atherosclerotic risk parameters affecting CIMT. Statistical significance was accepted at the level of P < 0.05. Results. Mean CIMT in the COPD group and control group were 0.62 ± 0.05 mm and 0.45 ± 0.03 mm, respectively. In patients with COPD, the mean CIMT values had a significant negative correlation with FEV1/FVC ratio and FEV1 measurment. Linear regression analysis revealed FEV1/FVC ratio and FEV1 measurment as an independent predictor of the mean CIMT values. Conclusions. We believe that CIMT measurements can be used in the determination of early atherosclerosis and cardiovascular risks in the patients with COPD. Decreased lung function can related with atherosclerosis.
Effect of Essential Oils of Artemisia arborescens on Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa

This study was carried out to investigate the potential use of Artemisia arborescens as a source of antimicrobial agents against pathogens. Essential oils of A. arborescens were collected by hydrodistillation. The antibacterial properties of A. arborescens essential oil was studied on the standard gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa), and Staphylococcus aureus (gram-positive bacteria), then agar disk diffusion, minimal inhibition concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were detected. The results of agar disk diffusion tests showed the inhibition zones as follow: S. aureus 00-18 mm, E. coli 00-16 mm and 08-14 mm for P. aeruginosa. However, their antibacterial activities were lower than those of Gentamicin. The MIC for S. aureus and P. aeruginosa was between 33 and 66 mg/ml, and for Gram-negative bacteria of E. coli was between 66 and 132 mg/ml, while the MBC values of this oil against the tested bacterial strains were between 132 and 264 mg/ml.
Does Quality Affect Patients’ Choice of Doctor? Evidence from the UK

Provider competition is a currently popular healthcare reform model. A necessary condition for greater competition to improve quality is that providers will face higher demand if they improve their quality. We test this crucial assumption in an important part of the health care market using data on the choices made by 3.4 million English patients from amongst nearly 1000 family doctor practices. We find that patients do respond to quality: a one standard deviation increase in a publicly available measure of clinical quality would increase the number of patients a practice would attract by around 15%.
Scanpaths of Complex Image Viewing: Insights From Experimental and Modeling Studies

From the first works of Buswell, Yarbus, and Noton and Stark, the scan path for viewing complex images has been considered as a possible key to objective estimation of cognitive processes and their dynamics. However, evidences both pro and con were revealed in the modern research. In this article, the results supporting the Yarbus-Stark concept are presented. In psychophysical tests, two types of images (three paintings from Yarbus` works and four textures) were used with two instructions, namely, “free viewing” and “search for modified image regions. ” The focus of the analysis of experimental results and modeling has been given to local elements of the scan path. It was shown that each parameter used (square of viewing area, S; distance between center of mass of viewing area and image center, R; parameter Xi, based on duration of the current fixation and angle between preceding and following saccades), reflects the specificity of both visual task and image properties. Additionally, the return gaze fixations which have a set of specific properties and mainly address to the areas of interest on image were revealed. Evidently these facts can be formalized in an advanced mathematical model as additional instrument to study the mechanisms of complex image viewing.
Postmodern Fairy Tales: Gender and Narrative Strategies

Postmodern Fairy Tales seeks to understand the fairy tale not as children's literature but within the broader context of folklore and literary studies. It focuses on the narrative strategies through which women are portrayed in four classic stories: "Snow White," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Bluebeard. " Bacchilega traces the oral sources of each tale, offers a provocative interpretation of contemporary versions by Angela Carter, Robert Coover, Donald Barthelme, Margaret Atwood, and Tanith Lee, and explores the ways in which the tales are transformed in film, television, and musicals.
School Integration of Children with a Disability in Provinces and Territories in Canada

The purpose of this report is to review the status of school integration of children with a disability (CWD) in various provinces and territories in Canada. Two approaches are currently proposed: mainstreaming integration, with a full range of services, and inclusive integration in regular classes, with the necessary retrofitting. While various school integration policies are undergoing changes currently, the vast majority of provinces and territories seem to favor the first approach, with a full range of services (also called Least Restrictive Environment). However, there are shortcomings in the availability and reliability of statistical data, common indicators, and information regarding some priority target groups. There are various ways to measure the results of school services. According to several evaluative studies, the regular class would be preferable to any other service. However, systematic studies are few. Regarding success factors of school integration in regular classes, several works identify a systemic set of conditions divided in ten general categories: values, attitudes, social and legal factors, school organization, course program, education and learning, support services, interaction with the environment, supervision and follow-up, and training of representatives. Again, however, general studies are few. The budgetary and financial aspects are numerous and include factors affecting economic conditions and financial support, material and human resources, transportation and physical access, and ratios. Finally, at the end of our review, we draw broad research suggestions or questions, including: reviewing the indicators used by Statistics Canada and provinces and territories by comparing the indicators used in the United States and in the Organisation for Economic CoOperation and Development (OECD); carrying out comparative studies on integration policies in provinces and territories related to statistics and results; studying the benefits for children resulting from integration in a regular class in high school and the school capability to implement successful prerequisites for integration; assessing the impact of various factors on the quality of social integration of CWD in a regular class: the level of social skills of CWD, their level of disability as well as actions taken by educators to assist in the integration.
Investigation of the semileptonic transition of the $B$ into the orbitally excited charmed tensor meson

The transition form factors of the semileptonic $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{D}_{2}^{*}(2460)\ensuremath{\ell}\overline{\ensuremath{\nu}}(\ensuremath{\ell}=\ensuremath{\tau},\ensuremath{\mu},e)$ decay channel are calculated within the framework of the three-point QCD sum rules. The fit functions of the form factors are then used to estimate the total decay width and branching ratio of this transition. The order of branching ratio shows that this channel can be detected at the LHCb.
Enhancer-dependent expression of the rat preproinsulin gene in bovine papillomavirus type 1 vectors

The effect of position in a bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1) vector on foreign gene expression was assessed with the rat preproinsulin (rI1) gene. The rI1 gene was inserted at each of the BPV-1/pML2d junctions in either transcriptional orientation in derivatives of the pdBPV-1(142-6) vector which consists of the BamHI linear genome of BPV-1 DNA cloned into pML2d. Transformed lines of C127 cells were established and assayed for rI1 gene expression. Cells containing the rI1 gene at the 3' end of the BPV-1 transforming region expressed rat proinsulin, whereas cells with the gene at the 5' end of the nontransforming region did not. Variability in the plasmid copy number or in the extent of DNA rearrangement could not account for this difference. We conclude that the expression of the rat preproinsulin gene (which is normally tissue specific for pancreatic islet cells) in C127 cells depends on the transcriptional activation afforded by viral enhancer sequences located at the 3' end of the transforming region. Intervening BPV-1 or pML2d sequences appear to block this enhancer-mediated gene activation. In agreement with enhancer-dependent activation, a rat preproinsulin gene located in a blocked position (i.e., not adjacent to the BPV-1 enhancer) could be activated by the insertion of a DNA fragment containing the simian virus 40, Moloney murine sarcoma virus, or BPV-1 enhancer element adjacent to the rI1 gene. Thus, a gene which is normally not expressed in a particular cell may be activated when placed adjacent to a viral enhancer in a BPV-1 vector.
InBody 720 as a new method of evaluating visceral obesity.

BACKGROUND/AIMS This study was conducted to assess the efficacy of bioelectrical impedance analysis by InBody 720 as a new tool for measuring visceral fat area. METHODOLOGY A total of 53 consecutive patients elected to undergo surgical resection of primary gastric cancer received preoperative measurement of visceral fat area at the umbilical level with both computed tomography and bioelectrical impedance analysis by InBody 720. RESULTS Visceral fat area values measured by InBody 720 significantly correlated with those by computed tomography (R = 0.759). CONCLUSION Bioelectrical impedance analysis by InBody 720 was shown to be useful as a more convenient substitute for computed tomography when measuring visceral fat area.
Effects of chronic waterborne nickel exposure on two successive generations of Daphnia magna

In a 21‐d chronic toxicity test in which an F0 generation of Daphnia magna were exposed to waterborne Ni, the no‐observable‐effect concentration (for survival, reproduction, and growth) was 42 μg Ni L−1, or 58% of the measured 21‐d median lethal concentration (LC50) of 71.9 μg Ni L−1 (95% confidence interval, 56.5–95.0). Chronic exposure to 85 μg Ni L−1 caused marked decreases in survival, reproduction, and growth in F0 animals. In the F1 generation (daphnids born of mothers from the chronically exposed F0 generation), animals chronically exposed to 42 μg Ni L−1 for 11 d weighed significantly less (20%) than controls, indicating increased sensitivity of F1 animals. Additionally, in this successive generation, significant decreases in whole‐body levels of metabolites occurred following exposure to both 42 μg Ni L−1 (decreased glycogen and adenosine triphosphate [ATP]) and 21 μg Ni L−1 (decreased ATP). No significant changes were observed in whole‐body total lipid, total protein, and lactate levels at any concentration. Whereas F1 neonates with mothers that were exposed to 21 μg Ni L−1 showed increased resistance to acute Ni challenge, as measured by a significant (83%) increase in the acute (48‐h) LC50, F1 neonates with mothers that were exposed to 42 μg Ni L−1 were no more tolerant of acute Ni challenge than control animals were. Nickel accumulations in F1 animals chronically exposed to 21 and 42 μg Ni L−1 were 11‐ and 18‐fold, respectively, above control counterparts. The data presented suggest that chronic Ni exposure to two successive generations of D. magna lowered the overall energy state in the second generation. Whereas the quantity of neonates produced was not affected, the quality was; thus, environmentally meaningful criteria for regulating waterborne Ni concentrations in freshwater require consideration of possible multigenerational effects.