Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Enhancing the Safety of Elderly Victims After the Close of an APS Investigation

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to test whether particular actions on the part of adult protective services (APS), the elderly victim, and/or society’s response to abusive individuals, are associated with the continuation of abuse after the close of an APS investigation and thereby compromise victim safety. Method. Interviews were conducted with 71 APS caseworkers, 55 of the elderly victims of substantiated abuse, and 35 third-party persons. Results. A small proportion of elderly victims continue to experience abuse after the close of an APS investigation. Elderly victims were more likely to experience continued abuse when they chose to have ongoing contact with their abusers, vis-à-vis cohabitation or otherwise, and when their abusers experienced no consequences. Although continuation of abuse did not differ by the type of maltreatment involved, reasons for the cessation of abuse, and other safety indicators, did. Implications. To enhance victim safety, greater monitoring may be warranted in cases wherein elderly victims continue to have contact with their abuser and when abusive individuals experience no consequences. To further enhance victim safety, abusive individuals must be incorporated into an overall strategic response to elder abuse. A potential avenue for facilitating victim safety while maintaining victim autonomy is to understand their motivations for desiring continued contact with their abuser and developing interventions based upon such knowledge.
Intracerebroventricular propranolol prevented vascular resistance increases on arousal from sleep apnea.

Despite the increased risk of sudden cardiac death associated with sleep apnea, little is known about mechanisms controlling cardiovascular responses to sleep apnea and arousal. Chronically instrumented pigs were used to investigate the effects of airway obstruction (AO) during rapid-eye-movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep and arousal on mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR). A stainless steel cannula was implanted in the lateral cerebral ventricle. During REM sleep, HR was 133 +/- 10 beats/min, MAP was 65 +/- 8 mmHg, CO was 1,435 +/- 69 ml/min, and TPR was 0.046 +/- 0.004 mmHg.ml-1.min. During AO, CO decreased by 90 +/- 17 ml/min (P < 0.05). On arousal from AO, MAP increased by 15 +/- 3 mmHg, HR increased by 10 +/- 3 beats/min, and TPR increased by 0.008 +/- 0.001 mmHg.ml-1.min (all P < 0.05). Changes during NREM were similar but were more modest during AO. After the intracerebroventricular administration of propranolol (50 micrograms/kg; a beta-adrenoreceptor blocking agent), decreases in CO during AO and increases in HR during arousal were intact, but increases in MAP and TPR were no longer significant. These data suggest that vascular responses to AO during sleep may be regulated in part by beta-adrenergic receptors in the central nervous system.
Notice of RetractionSi multi-nanochannel FETs to improve device uniformity/stability and detection of 10 fM insulin in serum

Here we demonstrate the use of multiple Si nanochannel (NC) or nanograting (NG) instead of the conventional single channel or nanowire design in biosensors can significantly reduce device to device variation, and improve device performance (higher current, higher ON/OFF ratio, smaller SS, lower Vt) in buffer solution. NG devices also result in higher sensor stability (repeated sensing over tens of hours) in buffer and human serum. We believe such improvements are due to reduced discrete dopant fluctuation and biochemical noise in the solution. The improved devices allow us to sense pH linearly with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) coated devices, and to selectively detect insulin with limit of detection down to 10fM in both buffer solution and human serum without pre-purification.
Unconventional Monetary Policy, Fiscal Side Effects and Euro Area (Im)balances

We study the macroeconomic effects of unconventional monetary policy in the euro area using structural vector autoregressions, identified with external instruments. The instruments are based on the common unexpected variation in euro area sovereign yields for different maturities on policy announcement days. We first show that expansionary monetary surprises are effective at lowering public and private interest rates and increasing economic activity, consumer prices, and inflation expectations. We then document that the shocks lead to a rise in primary public expenditures and a widening of internal trade balances.
Vaccination with the ospA- and ospB-Negative Borrelia burgdorferi Strain 50772 Provides Significant Protection against Canine Lyme Disease

ABSTRACT Beagles received placebo or ospA- and ospB-negative Borrelia burgdorferi before a tick challenge. A total of 28 (41%) ticks and skin biopsy specimens from each control dog (n = 10) contained B. burgdorferi. In contrast, 12 (19%) ticks recovered from the vaccine recipients (n = 10) were infected (P = 0.0077), and 5 dogs yielded spirochetes from the skin biopsy specimens (P = 0.0325). In addition, 9 (90%) placebo recipients and 4 (40%) vaccine recipients developed joint abnormalities (P = 0.0573). Therefore, vaccination with the ospA- and ospB-negative spirochete provided significant protection against Lyme disease.
Comparison of a Very Low-Carbohydrate and Low-Fat Diet on Fasting Lipids, LDL Subclasses, Insulin Resistance, and Postprandial Lipemic Responses in Overweight Women

Objective: Very low-carbohydrate diets are widely used for weight loss yet few controlled studies have determined how these diets impact cardiovascular risk factors compared to more traditional low-fat weight loss diets. The primary purpose of this study was to compare a very low-carbohydrate and a low-fat diet on fasting blood lipids, LDL subclasses, postprandial lipemia, and insulin resistance in overweight and obese women. Methods: Thirteen normolipidemic, moderately overweight (body fat >30%) women were prescribed two hypocaloric (−500 kcal/day) diets for 4 week periods, a very low-carbohydrate (<10% carbohydrate) and a low-fat (<30% fat) diet. The diets were consumed in a balanced and randomized fashion. Two fasting blood draws were performed on separate days and an oral fat tolerance test was performed at baseline, after the very low-carbohydrate diet, and after the low-fat diet. Results: Compared to corresponding values after the very low-carbohydrate diet, fasting total cholesterol, LDL-C, and HDL-C were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) lower, whereas fasting glucose, insulin, and insulin resistance (calculated using the homeostatic model assessment) were significantly higher after the low-fat diet. Both diets significantly decreased postprandial lipemia and resulted in similar nonsignificant changes in the total cholesterol/HDL-C ratio, fasting triacylglycerols, oxidized LDL, and LDL subclass distribution. Conclusions: Compared to a low-fat weight loss diet, a short-term very low-carbohydrate diet did not lower LDL-C but did prevent the decline in HDL-C and resulted in improved insulin sensitivity in overweight and obese, but otherwise healthy women. Small decreases in body mass improved postprandial lipemia, and therefore cardiovascular risk, independent of diet composition.
Modeling and control of TCV

A new approach to the modeling and control of tokamak fusion reactors is presented. A nonlinear model is derived using the classical arguments of Hamiltonian mechanics and a low-order linear model is derived from it. The modeling process used here addresses flux and energy conservation issues explicitly and self-consistently. The model is of particular value, because it shows the relationship between the initial modeling assumptions and the resulting predictions. The mechanisms behind the creation of uncontrollable modes in tokamak models are discussed. A normalized coprime factorization H/sub /spl infin// controller is developed for the Tokamak a/spl grave/ Configuration Variable (TCV), CRPP-EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland, tokamak using the linearized model, which has been extensively verified on the TCV and JT-60U, JAERI, Naka, Japan, tokamaks. Recent theory is applied to reduce the controller order significantly whilst guaranteeing a priori bounds on the robust stability and performance. The controller is shown to track successfully reference signals that dictate the plasma's shape, position and current. The tests used to verify this were carried out on linear and nonlinear models.
ICOS-ligand, expressed on human endothelial cells, costimulates Th1 and Th2 cytokine secretion by memory CD4+ T cells

Endothelial cells (EC) play a central role in inflammatory immune responses and efficiently induce effector functions in T cells, despite lacking the classical costimulatory ligands CD80 and CD86. By using the mAb HIL-131 we now demonstrate that human inducible costimulator-ligand (ICOS-L), a molecule related to CD80/CD86, is constitutively expressed on human EC in vivo. In vitro, ICOS-L expression was strongly enhanced on human umbilical vein EC and microvascular EC by the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor α and IL-1β, and to a lower extent by stimulation of EC by CD40 or lipopolysaccharide. Coculture of MHC class II+ EC with resting memory CD4+ T cells in the presence of superantigen led to a marked up-regulation of ICOS on T cells and to the production of Th1 (IFN-γ, IL-2) and Th2 cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, IL-13). When these cocultures were performed in the presence of the inhibitory mAb HIL-131, secretion of all cytokines was reduced by about 50–80%, indicating that ICOS-L is a major costimulator in EC-mediated T cell activation. Taken together, our data suggest an important physiological role of ICOS-L in the reactivation of effector/memory T cells on the endothelium controlling the entry of immune cells into inflamed tissue.
Prevalence of Low Bone Mass and Vitamin D Deficiency in β-Thalassemia Major

Abstract Low bone mass, a major cause of morbidity in patients with β-thalassemia major (β-TM), is multifactorial. There is lack of data about the current prevalence of low bone mass in patients with β-TM. The aims of this study are to examine the current prevalence of low bone mass in β-TM patients and the association between demographic characteristics, markers of iron overload, endocrinopathies, glycemic status and bone mineral density (BMD) as well as to study the 25-OH-vitamin D status of the patients and its relationship with BMD. Our institution serves the largest cohort of β-TM patients in the UK. From 99 patients (49 males, 50 females) with a mean ± standard deviation (SD) age of 36 ± 9 years, 55.5% had low BMD for their age as defined by Z-score BMD <−2.0 either at the lumbar spine (43.9%) or at the hip (25.5%). The only statistically significant association on the multivariate analysis was between hypogonadism and low BMD at the lumbar spine. In our study, 29.9% of patients had vitamin D deficiency, 65.7% had vitamin D insufficiency and 12.4% had optimal levels. No association between vitamin D status and low bone mass was found. Our study demonstrated a much lower prevalence of low bone mass in adults with β-TM compared to previous studies. Further studies are needed to examine whether this suggests a widespread improvement across patients with β-TM possibly due to advances in therapeutics. Most patients had suboptimal 25-OH-vitamin D levels, but no association between vitamin D status and bone mass was demonstrated.
Acute intermittent porphyria in women: clinical expression, use and experience of exogenous sex hormones. A population‐based study in northern Sweden

Abstract. Andersson C, Innala E, Bäckström T (University Hospital, Umeå, Sweden). Acute intermittent porphyria in women: clinical expression, use and experience of exogenous sex hormones. A population‐based study in northern Sweden. J Intern Med 2003; 254: 176–183.
The process of analysis during a grounded theory study of men during their partners' pregnancies.

This research builds on the work of Barclay (1993) who studied couples during pregnancy and discovered that there was a mismatch between sexual interest levels of men and women during pregnancy. As well, little is known about the social and emotional experiences of men during their partners' pregnancies. One antenatal group consisting of six men, whose partners were in the second trimester of pregnancy, attended a series of five meetings and subsequent individual interviews. Additional data and insights were gained by the researcher and the research assistant attending other antenatal classes with men and women present. The research data consisted of transcripts of tape-recorded interviews, group discussions, observations and field notes made by the researcher and co-leader following each of the group sessions. The aim was systematically to develop a substantive grounded theory which was drawn from the experiences of the men during this transitional period in their lives. This paper discusses the process of analysis which led to the central phenomenon, the core category of the research, around which the grounded theory is built. Five theoretical constructs emerged from the data collected: (a) ambivalence in the early stages of pregnancy, (b) relationship with baby not real, (c) how should I be as a father? , (d) coping with the changing roles and lifestyle, and (e) disequilibrium in relationship with female partner. The last construct emerged as the basic social process. The nature of this relationship changed over the duration of the pregnancy. Emotional turmoil and anxiety in men contributed to the 'mismatch' in male and female expectations of the relationship. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mutation at high rates reduces spatial structure within populations

The question of whether or not the high rates (µ) of mutation that occur for some hypervariable markers can affect commonly used empirical measures of spatial structure of genetic variation within populations is addressed. The results show that values of these measures are approximately halved when µ is 10−2. Finest spatial‐scale correlations, measured by either Moran's I‐statistics or conditional kinship, are reduced by 30%−50%. When the mutation rate is 10 times lower, much smaller reductions result, e.g. averaging 7% for the finest scale correlations. Still smaller orders of magnitude of µ cause negligible changes in spatial structure, where any effects normally would not be detectable. The reductions are caused by forward mutations, and when the reductions are measured as percentages, they are nearly independent of the amount of structure produced sans mutation, except when dispersal is nearly minimal. The percent reductions are also nearly independent of the number of alleles and of back mutations, hence of the nature of the mutation process (e.g. stepwise or not). The results demonstrate that some hypervariable loci should have reduced spatial structuring, and that marker choice may affect the values observed in experimental surveys. Moreover, if fine‐scale correlations are used to indirectly estimate dispersal distances, then mutation at high rates could inflate estimates, easily up to two‐ to three‐fold.
Chronicle of a Deceleration Foretold Income inequality in Latin America in the 2010s

After a decade of strong progress toward the goal of reducing the high levels of income disparities, there are clear signs of a deceleration in the pace of inequality reduction in Latin America. This paper argues that the deceleration is the result of two set of reasons. First, several of the driving factors of the fall in inequality in the 2000s have lost strength, due to “natural” motives; and second, the external conditions faced by the Latin American economies have worsened in the early 2010s, making further reductions in inequality more difficult.
Effects of Estrogen, Androgen, and Phytoestrogen on Retrieving and Licking Behaviors in Nulliparous and Male Rats

Abstract In order to examine the effects of estrogen, androgen, and phytoestrogen on maternal behavior induced by exposure to fresh pups in ovariectomized nulliparous rats, 1 mg estradiol benzoate (EB), 1 mg testosterone propionate (TP), 1 mg coumestrol (CM), or oil (female control) was injected subcutaneously daily for 10 days. To elucidate the sex difference, 1 mg EB or oil (male control) was injected in orchidectomized rats by the same method as that used in nulliparous rats. Exposure to fresh pups was started 6 days after the first injection. Behavioral tests were carried out daily for 5 days from the first exposure to the last on the 10th day. In the behavioral test, the onset of retrieving and licking behaviors was recorded. In female control rats, the median onset day of retrieving behavior was day 5. Onset in the EB female group was day 1.5, which was shorter than that in the female control (P<0.05). TP female and CM female rats started to show retrieving at day 5 and day 4.5, respectively, comparable to the female controls. In males, the median day of retrieving onset in the control and EB groups was over day 5 and day 4.5, respectively. No statistical difference was seen between the female and male controls. In contrast, there was a difference between the EB-treated female and EB male groups. Licking activity was less frequent than seen in the retrieving behavior among all groups, but there was no statistical difference among the groups. These results suggest that estrogen facilitates retrieving behavior in female, but not in male rats. TP and CM have no effect on retrieving behavior in female rats.
Digital microfluidic system: A new design for heterogeneous sample based integration of multiple DMFBs

A second generation Lab-on-chip device termed as digital micro fluidic biochip (DMFB) has been developed in recent years as a time multiplexed reconfigurable device capable of executing multiple bioassay protocols simultaneously on a single 2D planar array. Optical detection, processing and analysis are considered to be of major significance in bioassay operations as this may influence the conclusive decisions involving diagnosis, detection and testing. Detection results obtained from a series of tests in a single biochip - may prompt to perform next sequence of tests on separate biochips in order to converge towards specific disease profile, diagnosis and determination of the future course of treatment. In this paper we have first proposed a design of a digital detection analyzer circuit to be coupled with a biochip for execution of prescheduled multiple bioassay protocols. The analyzer enables automated detailed analysis of the optical detection results based on the data acquired at the detection site through successful Biochip operation for heterogeneous droplet samples. we further proposed a design of centralized controller that operates on the basis of the digitized output pattern obtained from the proposed analyzer for a specific test sequence and logically determines the address of the next biochip to perform the next test sequences destined in the diagnostic process flow using an intelligent database stored in the integrated system memory. The synthesis, simulation for the overall system has been carried out using precharacterized reference data for measurement of different parameters of human blood samples and corresponding final detection results are displayed and verified successfully.
Cholesterol Modification of p40-Specific Small Interfering RNA Enables Therapeutic Targeting of Dendritic Cells

Small interfering RNA (siRNA)–based therapies allow targeted correction of molecular defects in distinct cell populations. Although efficient in multiple cell populations, dendritic cells (DCs) seem to resist siRNA delivery. Using fluorescence labeling and radiolabeling, we show that cholesterol modification enables siRNA uptake by DCs in vitro and in vivo. Delivery of cholesterol-modified p40 siRNA selectively abolished p40 transcription and suppressed TLR-triggered p40 production by DCs. During immunization with peptide in CFA, cholesterol-modified p40 siRNA generated p40-deficient, IL-10–producing DCs that prevented IL-17/Th17 and IFN-γ/Th1 responses. Only cholesterol-modified p40-siRNA established protective immunity against experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and suppressed IFN-γ and IL-17 expression by CNS-infiltrating mononuclear cells without inducing regulatory T cells. Because cholesterol-modified siRNA can thus modify selected DC functions in vivo, it is intriguing for targeted immune therapy of allergic, autoimmune, or neoplastic diseases.
Immuno stimulatory effect of dietary supplementation of zinc sulphate andzinc-methionine on immune response in broilers

A study was conducted on 288 broiler male chicks fed with maize-soybean-fishmeal based diet supplemented with Zinc-sulphate at 0(T1), 20 (T2), 40 (T3), 60 (T4) and 80 (T5) mg/Kg diet and Zinc-methionine (BIOPLEX) at 20 (T6), 40 (T7), 60 (T8), 80 (T9) mg/Kg diet. Each treatment consisted of 4 replicates with 8 birds per replicate. All the birds during the first week were fed with a basal diet without any zinc supplementation to deplete the body zinc reserves. From 1st to 4th week the birds were fed with starter diet containing 23.0% CP, 2877 Kcal of ME/Kg diet and 5th and 6th week the birds were fed with finisher diets containing 20.4% CP, 2943 Kcal of ME/Kg diet. The zinc supplementation showed positive significant (P<0.05) immune response to SRBC titers, NDV titers and CMI index indicating that there is increased immune response to zinc supplementation. The Zinc-methionine supplementation showed better immune response than Zinc-sulphate supplementation. The SRBC titers and ND titers showed better humoral immune response with supplementation at 60 mg/Kg diet and 80 mg/Kg diet respectively with both Zincsulphate and Zinc-methionine. The CMI index indicated that the cell mediated immune response was highest at 40 mg/Kg dietary zinc-sulphate and 80 mg/Kg dietary Zinc-methionine supplementation. The heterophill to lymphocyte ratio indicated that birds showed less stress when zinc was supplemented
Immunologic Mechanisms in the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Although much is known about the etiology and pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), our understanding of the immune pathways remains incomplete. The observed clinical and pathologic manifestations result from activation of several interrelated immune pathways. Current concepts of RA pathogenesis, supported by animal models, laboratory studies, and clinical observation, have reestablished and revised some of the original views. Early proposals emphasized the importance of autoantibodies and immune complexes in the initiation of RA, suggested a role for T cells in the inflammatory response characteristic of RA, and based disease perpetuation on an imbalance in the cytokine networks. We now recognize that each of these interrelated mechanisms significantly contributes to RA pathogenesis, including T cells that can help initiate and perpetuate the disease. This article reviews the major components and immune pathways involved in RA and briefly discusses the animal models that contribute to our understanding. Although a unified theory of RA pathogenesis may not be possible at this time, a paradigm is presented that considers the immune pathways that contribute to disease progression and joint destruction. These pathways may have important implications for treatment, because their modulation by biologic response modifiers (BRMs) directed toward specific targets provides benefits to patients with RA. BRMs are a new class of therapeutic agents derived from biologically active molecules and designed to modulate specific immune or inflammatory pathways. Although currently approved BRMs still have limitations, choosing an appropriate target, possibly early rather than late in the immune response, might result in new and improved therapies for RA.