Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of the 3-2-1 Reading Strategy on EFL Reading Comprehension

This quasi-experimental study tested the effect of the 3-2-1 strategy on English as a foreign language (EFL) learners’ reading comprehension. A sample of Saudi EFL college-level students were randomly selected and divided into two groups: an experimental group (42 students) and a control group (43 students). Students of both groups took a reading comprehension test at the beginning of the 2010 academic year. The researcher used the 3-2-1 strategy when teaching the experimental group for six weeks whereas the students in the control group were not trained on the strategy. Students were matched according to their reading proficiency, taught by the same teacher (the researcher), and were similar in age. After six weeks of instruction, both groups completed the same reading comprehension test again. Measures of the means, standard deviations, and ANCOVA were used to determine the differences between the two groups. The study revealed that at the end of the six-week instruction, there was a significant statistical difference in reading comprehension between the two groups that favored the experimental group. The study concludes with recommendations for training EFL students and teachers on using different comprehension strategies, especially those that have proven to be effective in boosting reading comprehension such as the 3-2-1 strategy.
EHD 2 inhibits ligand-induced endocytosis and signaling of the leucine-rich repeat receptor-like protein LeEix 2

Plants are constantly being challenged by aspiring pathogens. In order to protect themselves, plants have developed numerous defense mechanisms that are either specific or non-specific to the pathogen. Pattern recognition receptors can trigger plant defense responses in response to specific ligands or patterns. EIX (ethylene-inducing xylanase) triggers a defense response via the LeEix2 receptor, while bacterial flagellin triggers plant innate immunity via the FLS2 receptor. Endocytosis has been suggested to be crucial for the process in both cases. Here we show that the EIX elicitor triggers internalization of the LeEix2 receptor. Treatment with endocytosis, actin or microtubule inhibitors greatly reduced the internalization of LeEix2. Additionally, we demonstrate that plant EHD2 binds to LeEix2 and is an important factor in its internalization and in regulation of the induction of defense responses such as the hypersensitive response, ethylene biosynthesis and induction of pathogenesis-related protein expression in the case of EIX/LeEix2 (an LRR receptor lacking a kinase domain), but does not appear to be involved in the FLS2 system (an LRR receptor possessing a kinase domain). Our results suggest that various endocytosis pathways are involved in the induction of plant defense responses.
Density of states of disordered systems.

Density of states calculations for the tight-binding model with diagonal disorder are presented. An instanton approach is used to calculate the tails of the spectrum, including all prefactors. It is shown that a Hartree resummation improves the predictions. Furthermore, an effective-medium approximation is used to calculate the density of states in the band. Combining both approaches, a prediction is obtained for all energies. Large numerical simulations have been performed to check the validity of the approach for the Anderson model with Gaussian and with binary disorder on square and simple cubic lattices. The theory agrees well with the simulations.
A Study of the Winter Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) Flora in Fall Creek, Indiana

Lipscomb, Robert G. (U.S. Geological Survey, c/o Ind. Institute of Technology, Ft. Wayne, Indiana) A Study of the Winter Diatoms (Bacil lariophyceae) Flora in Fall Creek, Indiana. Butler U. Bot. Studies l4(2):4l-52. Illus. 1964. The diatom flora was studied at four stations on Fall Creek upstream from its confluence with White River at Tenth Street, Indianapolis, Indiana, over a three month period, December through February 1961-2. The entire course of the Creek studied was classified (Table 2) as fairly clean water. Pollution was due largely to contamination by sanitary wastes. The water had an average temperature of 2.5 °C and an average of slightly alkaline reaction. The communities were composed of a few species well represented and many species sparsely represented. Twenty -five species not previously reported from Marion County, twentytwo of which had not previously been reported from the State, were identified. Diatoma hi emale and Gomphonema olivaceum were markedly sensitive to pollution, whereas Meridion circulare displayed a significant resistance. The presence of Navicula gracilis at all stations was not correlated with pollution. Although the study was conducted over a short period, the results tend generally to be in agreement with the findings of other workers. Natural waters display a variety of environments. The seasonal and diurnal variation in light and temperature, the change in chemical characteristics, and the fluctuation in velocity are limiting factors to which all life forms present must adapt. 1 Appreciation is expressed to Dr. Rex N. Webster for his supervision of this research and the suggestions, guidance, and assistance in preparation of the manuscript; to Dr. M. T. Hall for his critical reading of the manuscript; to Mr. Robert Black and Miss Mildred Campbell of the Department of Biology, Shortridge High School, for making available the Hodge Diatom Collection; and to my wife, Jeanette Lipscomb, for typing the manuscript and for her assistance and encouragement during its preparation. 2 Present address: U.S. Geological Survey, c/o Indiana Institute of Technology, Ft. Wayne, Indiana.
Nuclear Translocation of Insulin Receptor Substrate-1 by the Simian Virus 40 T Antigen and the Activated Type 1 Insulin-like Growth Factor Receptor*

32D cells are a murine hemopoietic cell line that undergoes apoptosis upon withdrawal of interleukin-3 (IL-3) from the medium. 32D cells have low levels of the type 1 insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) receptor and do not express insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1) or IRS-2. Ectopic expression of IRS-1 delays apoptosis but cannot rescue 32D cells from IL-3 dependence. In 32D/IRS-1 cells, IRS-1 is detectable, as expected, in the cytosol/membrane compartment. The SV40 large T antigen is a nuclear protein that, by itself, also fails to protect 32D cells from apoptosis. Co-expression of IRS-1 with the SV40 T antigen in 32D cells results in nuclear translocation of IRS-1 and survival after IL-3 withdrawal. Expression of a human IGF-I receptor in 32D/IRS-1 cells also results in nuclear translocation of IRS-1 and IL-3 independence. The phosphotyrosine-binding domain, but not the pleckstrin domain, is necessary for IRS-1 nuclear translocation. Nuclear translocation of IRS-1 was confirmed in mouse embryo fibroblasts. These results suggest possible new roles for nuclear IRS-1 in IGF-I-mediated growth and anti-apoptotic signaling.
Short‐term recovery after subtotal and total abdominal hysterectomy—a randomised clinical trial

Please cite this paper as: Persson P, Brynhildsen J, Kjølhede P on behalf of the Hysterectomy Multicentre Study Group in South‐East Sweden. Short‐term recovery after subtotal and total abdominal hysterectomy—a randomised clinical trial. BJOG 2010;117:469–478.
Voltammetric studies of the interaction of metal chelates with DNA. 2. Tris-chelated complexes of cobalt(III) and iron(II) with 1,10-phenanthroline and 2,2'-bipyridine

Voltammetric methods were used to probe the interaction (electrostatic or intercalative) of metal complexes, ML 3 3+/2+ , with calf thymus DNA. Binding constants (K n+ ) and binding site sizes (s) were determined from voltammetric data. The exact magnitude for the parameters depends on whether the ML 3 3+/2+ /DNA reaction is assumed to be static (S) or mobile (M) within the characteristic time of a voltammetric experiment
Evaluation of Bilaterally Implanted Adult Subjects with the Nucleus 24 Cochlear Implant System

Objective: To evaluate the speech perception benefits of bilateral implantation for subjects who already have one implant. Study Design: Repeated measures. Patients: Thirty adult cochlear implant users who received their second implant from 1 to 7 years with a mean of 3 years after their first device. Ages ranged from 29 to 82 years with a mean of 57 years. Setting: Tertiary referral centers across the United Kingdom. Main Outcome Measures: Monosyllabic consonant-nucleus-consonant words and City University of New York sentences in quiet with coincident speech and noise and with the noise spatially separated from the speech by ±90°. Results: At 9 months, results showed the second ear in noise was 13.9 ± 5.9% worse than the first ear (p < 0.001); a significant binaural advantage of 12.6 ± 5.4% (p < 0.001) over the first ear alone for speech and noise from the front; a 21 ± 6% (p < 0.001) binaural advantage over the first ear alone when noise was ipsilateral to the first ear; no binaural advantage when noise was contralateral to the first ear. Conclusions: There is a significant bilateral advantage of adding a second ear for this group. We were unable to predict when the second ear would be the better performing ear, and by implanting both ears, we guarantee implanting the better ear. Sequential implantation with long delays between ears has resulted in poor second ear performance for some subjects and has limited the degree of bilateral benefit that can be obtained by these users. The dual microphone does not provide equivalent benefit to bilateral implants.
Forces Acting on the Juvenile Hip Joint in the One‐Legged Stance

Summary: A two-dimensional biomechanical model of the juvenile hip joint was developed to describe the forces acting on the capital epiphysis and the greater trochanter apophysis in the one-legged stance. Based on anatomic femur specimens of 16 children, ranging from toddlers to teenagers, and radiographic studies of 1,350 hip joints of healthy children, we showed that the apophysis of the greater trochanter is a pressure apophysis. If the muscular forces acting on the apophysis of the greater trochanter are added, the unit sum may be considered a resultant force acting from a craniolateral direction. The trochanteric resultant force near the end of the growth period is equivalent to ∼1.7 times body weight. The trochanteric resultant force stimulates craniolateral growth of the greater trochanteric apophysis. This mechanism is responsible for the direction of the forces exerted by the hip abductors and thus the direction and magnitude of Pauwels' hip-joint resultant, and finally influences the neck-shaft angle.
Rapid Elimination of Field Colonies of Subterranean Termites (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae) Using Bistrifluron Solid Bait Pellets

ABSTRACT The efficacy of bistrifluron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, in cellulose bait pellets was evaluated on the mound-building subterranean termite, Coptotermes acinaciformis (Froggatt). Three concentrations of the bistrifluron were used: 0 (untreated control), 0.5, and 1.0% over an 8 wk period. Both doses of bistrifluron bait eliminated (viz. termites absent from nest or mound) termite colonies: 83% of colonies (10 of 12) were either eliminated or moribund (viz. colony had no reproductive capacity and decreased workforce) after 8 wk, compared with none of the control colonies. The remaining two treated colonies were deemed to be in decline. Early signs that bistrifluron was affecting the colonies included: 3 wk after baiting mound temperatures showed a loss of metabolic heat, 4 wk after baiting foraging activity in feeding stations was reduced or absent, and dissection of two mounds at 4 wk showed they were moribund. Colony elimination was achieved in around half or less the time, and with less bait toxicant, than other bait products tested under similar conditions in the field, because of either the active ingredient, the high surface area of the pellets, or a combination of both. This suggests the sometimes long times reported for control using baits may be reduced significantly. The use of a mound building species demonstrated clearly colony level effects before and after termites stopped foraging in bait stations.
Immunodominance in the CTL response against minor histocompatibility antigens: interference between responding T cells, rather than with presentation of epitopes.

We have investigated mechanisms involved in immunodominance of the CTL response of C57BL/6 (B6) mice against cells of BALB.B origin. This transplantation barrier consists of at least 40 minor histocompatibility (H) Ags. Insufficient presentation of nondominant epitopes in the presence of dominant epitopes was investigated as a possible mechanism for immunodominance. Ag presentation was assessed by recognition of dendritic cells of BALB.B origin, MLC restimulatory capacity, and quantification of cell surface presentation by peptide elution from intact cells. Cells from BALB.B mice, which fail to elicit CTL against nondominant epitopes, presented nondominant epitopes to a similar extent as cells from minor H congenic mice; the latter do elicit CTL against nondominant minor H Ags. Nevertheless, presentation of nondominant and dominant epitopes by the same APC appeared to be an important factor for immunodominance to occur, since simultaneous immunization with the epitopes on separate cells elicited CTL against both types of epitopes. This suggested that immunodominance is determined in the interaction between different responding T cells and the APC. Support for this was obtained in an in vitro model in which the CTL response against a nondominant epitope was inhibited by the concomitant response against a dominant epitope. This study suggests that immunodominance in the CTL response against certain minor H Ags results from interference between T cell responses and not from insufficient presentation of peptide epitopes. The study also provides an in vitro model for further investigations of the immunodominance phenomenon.
Toll-Like Receptor 4 Mediates Innate Immune Responses to Haemophilus influenzae Infection in Mouse Lung1

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) have been implicated in the regulation of host responses to microbial Ags. This study characterizes the role of TLR4 in the innate immune response to intrapulmonary administration of Haemophilus influenzae in the mouse. Two different strains of mice efficiently cleared aerosolized H. influenzae concurrent with a brisk elaboration of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, macrophage-inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, and MIP-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage and a corresponding mobilization of intrapulmonary neutrophils. Congenic strains of mice deficient in TLR4 demonstrated a substantial delay in clearance of H. influenzae with diminished IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, MIP-1α, and MIP-2 in bronchoalveolar lavage and a notable absence of intrapulmonary neutrophils. In TLR4-expressing animals, but not TLR4-deficient animals, TNF-α and MIP-1α expression was up-regulated in epithelial cells of the conducting airway in response to H. influenzae which was preceded by an apparent activation of the NF-κB pathway in these cells based on the findings of decreased overall IκB and an increase in its phosphorylated form. This study demonstrates a critical role of TLR4 in mediating an effective innate immune response to H. influenzae in the lung. This suggests that the airway epithelia might contribute to sensing of H. influenzae infection and signaling the innate immune response.
Mass spectrometric analysis of formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded tissue: Unlocking the proteome within

The predominance of tissues stored worldwide in hospitals and clinical laboratories exist in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) blocks that are generated by simple and well‐established protocols. Although generation of FFPE tissues has facilitated their characterization by such techniques as histopathology, they have proven refractory to biomarker discovery investigations using state‐of‐the‐art MS‐based proteomic methodologies. Very recently new methods have been developed that enable proteins extracted from FFPE tissues to be analyzed by MS. This review will highlight and discuss those efforts that have led to this exciting recent progress. Although these developments are quite new, the ability to conduct MS‐based proteomic analyses of FFPE tissues opens heretofore intractable clinical samples for discovery‐based biomarker research.
Precipitation and its extremes in changed climates

While the specific humidity of the atmosphere is expected to increase as the climate warms, roughly consistent with constant relative humidity in a global mean, precipitation increases do not keep pace with specific humidity increases. To investigate systematically how precipitation changes with climate, we conducted a series of simulations with an idealized general circulation model in which we varied the optical thickness of the longwave absorber. In the simulations, global-mean precipitation increases approximately linearly with global-mean surface air temperature over a wide range of climates and asymptotically approaches a maximum in warm climates, with the maximum estimable from the surface energy budget. The large-scale (grid-scale) precipitation, which is particularly important in the extratropics, exhibits more complex behavior, with a maximum in a moderately warm climate and smaller values in colder and warmer climates. Changes in precipitation extremes likewise do not scale with specific humidity changes but exhibit more complex behavior, with a wide range in which they increase approximately linearly with global-mean surface air temperature at a fractional rate approximately equal to that of the mean precipitation and, for some extreme-value statistics, with a maximum or plateau in warm climates.
Systematic Reviews and Meta- and Pooled Analyses Pelvic In ﬂ ammatory Disease and the Risk of Ovarian Cancer and Borderline Ovarian Tumors: A Pooled Analysis of 13 Case-Control Studies

In ﬂ ammation has been implicated in ovarian carcinogenesis. However, studies investigating the association between pelvic in ﬂ ammatory disease (PID) and ovarian cancer risk are few and inconsistent. We investigated the association between PID and the risk of epithelial ovarian cancer according to tumor behavior and histotype. We pooled data from 13 case-control studies, conducted between 1989 and 2009, from the Ovarian Cancer Association Consortium (OCAC), including 9,162 women with ovarian cancers, 2,354 women with borderline tumors, and 14,736 control participants. Study-speci ﬁ c odds ratios were estimated and subsequently combined into a pooled odds ratio using a random-effects model. A history of PID was associated with an increased risk of borderline tumors (pooled odds ratio (pOR) = 1.32, 95% con ﬁ dence interval (CI): 1.10, 1.58). Women with at least 2 episodes of PID had a 2-fold increased risk of borderline tumors (pOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.08, 4.24). No association was observed between PID and ovarian cancer risk overall (pOR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.83, 1.19); however, a statistically nonsigni ﬁ cantly increased risk of low-grade serous tumors (pOR = 1.48, 95% CI: 0.92, 2.38) was noted. In conclusion, PID was associated with an increased risk of borderline ovarian tumors, particularly among women who had had multiple episodes of PID. Although our results indicated a histotype-speci ﬁ c association with PID, the association of PID with ovarian cancer risk is still somewhat uncertain and requires further investigation.
A Three-dimensional Analysis of Flow in the Pivot Regions of an ATS Bileaflet Valve

Bileaflet heart valves are currently the most commonly implanted type of mechanical prosthetic valve, because of their low transvalvular pressure drop, centralised flow and durability. However, in common with all mechanical heart valves, implanted bileaflet valves show an inherent tendency for blood clot formation at the valve site. Fluid dynamical phenomena associated with blood clotting are elevated blood shear stresses and regions of persistent blood recirculation, particularly when both occur together. Using three-dimensional CFD modelling, combined with enlarged scale experimental modelling, we investigated the blood flow through the ATS bileaflet valve during forward flow, with particular attention to the leaflet pivot regions. Recirculating regions were found both within and downstream of the valve housing ring. Qualitative assessment of the entire cardiac cycle suggested that recirculating blood within the housing ring will be washed away whilst the valve is closed, but as with all bileaflet valve designs recirculating blood downstream of the valve may have a residence time much longer than one cardiac cycle.
Instar Determination of the Neotropical Beetle Oxelytrum discicolle (Coleoptera: Silphidae)

ABSTRACT The carrion beetle Oxelytrum discicolle (Brullé, 1840) has forensic importance in the Neotropical region. The age of their larvae can provide important information to estimate the minimum postmortem interval of the corpse. This study was designed to determine the larval stages of this species, using three morphological measurements, as follows: distance between dorsal stemmata, pronotal width, and total body length. Three instars were identified. Distance between dorsal stemmata and pronotal width were good discriminating variables to determine instars, whereas total length was widely variable. For each instar, intervals of three morphological measures are given.
Colonization with penicillin‐resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in a child‐care center

We obtained nasopharyngeal cultures for Streptococcus pneumoniae from 54 children ages 2 to 24 months attending an Omaha child-care center (CCC) in April 1994. Thirty-two (59%) of the 54 children were colonized with S. pneumoniae belonging to serotypes 23, 19, 6 and 11. Seventeen (53%) of the pneumococcal isolates were highly resistant to penicillin (minimal inhibitory concentration ≥2.0 mUg/ml; HR-SP) and 7 (22%) were intermediately resistant to penicillin (0.12 ≤minimal inhibitory concentration ≤ 1.0 mUg/ml; IR-SP). Within each pneumococcal capsular serotype, there were 1 to 3 DNA subtypes based on pulsed field gel electrophoresis analysis. A single pulsed field gel electrophoresis strain predominated in most CCC rooms, suggesting horizontal transmission among cohorted children. Nasopharyngeal cultures obtained 4 months later revealed similar S. pneumoniae colonization rates (28 of 52, 54%); however, only 2 (7%) of 28 isolates were HR-SP and 11 (39%) were IR-SP. Colonization with resistant pneumococci persisted after 4 months in 4 (12%) of 34 children cultured on both occasions. Antibiotic use by attendees had decreased notably between the two sampling periods, suggesting that selective pressure within the CCC might contribute to seasonal variation in colonization rates with HR-SP and IR-SP. We conclude that multiple genetic clones of penicillin-resistant pneumococci can occur simultaneously in a single CCC, especially during periods of heavy antibiotic selection pressure. However, individual clones of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae may be spread