Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Maternal Deprivation and of Refeeding on the Blood Pressure of Infant Rats1

&NA; Blood pressure regulation was explored in infant rats 12‐14 days of age during the 30‐40% changes in cardiac rate that accompany nutrient (maternal) deprivation and refeeding at this age. Using specially modified tail cuff and intraarterial cannulation techniques, blood pressure was found to be maintained at stable levels (65‐75 mm Hg) throughout these marked changes in pumping rate. The results suggest that adrenergic vasoconstrictor tone is controlled reciprocally with heart rate during a complex cardiovascular response to changes in nutrient levels at this early age. The possible role of such a mechanism in the development of “spontaneous” hypertension is discussed.
Classroom interaction in University Settings: The case of questions in three disciplines

La implantacion de la ensenanza AICLE en el espacio de Educacion Superior en Espana se ha realizado hasta la fecha de forma muy heterogenea y descentralizada (Dafouz y Nunez 2009), y con escasas o ninguna adaptacion curricular de los planes de estudios existentes (Dafouz, 2008; Dalton-Puffer y Smit 2007). Existe, por tanto, la imperiosa necesidad de llevar a cabo investigaciones empiricas rigurosas que pongan de relieve las necesidades linguisticas y particularidades metodologicas derivadas de la implantacion de este nuevo enfoque. La tesis aqui propuesta pretende asi contribuir a la investigacion en un ambito que requiere de datos empiricos fiables para su consolidacion como alternativa para el aprendizaje conjunto de una lengua extranjera y de contenidos curriculares especificos.
Towards a Framework for Assessing Daily Mobility Using GPS Data

In health and aging studies that include GPS assessments, mobility is often represented by a single indicator such as the number of activity locations, the size of the activity space, or the total distance covered. We argue, however, that mobility is a multi-dimensional construct. In this paper, we first provide a framework to categorize and systematically organize daily-life mobility indicators. We then illustrate this framework by computing several mobility indicators based on GPS data recorded from healthy older adults. We apply a correlational approach to the computed mobility indicators as a first step towards discovering underlying dimensions of daily mobility. We found a trend towards higher correlations between mobility indicators that represent more similar properties of mobility. The framework can be used by health researchers to inform the choice of appropriate mobility indicators in the design of empirical studies.
Impact of transmission intensity and age on Plasmodium falciparum density and associated fever: implications for malaria vaccine trial design.

To facilitate design of vaccine trials, malaria was studied in 6-month- to 6-year-old Kenyans during high (HI) and low intensity transmission seasons. During 84 days after cure, exposure to infected mosquitoes was 9-fold greater in the HI group, yet incidence of P. falciparum infection was increased only 2-fold, with no age effect. The density of recurrent P. falciparum was 14-fold greater in the HI group, and there was a striking association between age and parasitemia > or = 5000/microL. Fever was the only clinical manifestation attributable to parasitemia and only when the parasite density was > or = 5000/microL. Sixty-four percent of children with > or = 20,000 parasites/microL versus 10% with 1-4999/microL were febrile when parasitemic. Recurrent P. falciparum infection as a vaccine trial end point can be studied year-round among children < or = 6 years [corrected] in western Kenya. However, high-grade parasitemia (> or = 5000 or 20,000/microL) with or without elevated temperature will be optimally studied in the high transmission season among children < 2 years.
On apologizing in Persian: A socio-cultural inquiry

The present study attempts to outline the degree and type of use of apology strategies in Persian and elaborate on the sociocultural attitudes and values of this community. The informants were 330 college educated adults in Shiraz, Iran. The corpus examined was 3300 responses to a Discourse Completion Test (DCT) that consisted of 10 different social situations of varying severity of offense, strength of social relationship and power between hypothetical speakers and hearers. The survey was written in Persian to elicit responses that approximate verbal apologies that might be given in these situations. The researchers analyzed the corpus to determine the strategies used and the frequencies of their use. Although this is a study in its societal context, results supported earlier findings suggesting the universality of apology strategies; however, the selection of apology strategies in this study reinforced the culture-specific aspect of language use. Despite the fact that a restricted classification of strategies was used as a model for analyzing the data, the results are expected to be conducive to cross-cultural comparisons.
Serotonergic hyperinnervation of the frontal cortex in an animal model of depression, the bulbectomized rat

We studied the influence of olfactory bulbectomy in rats on three different parameters of serotonin (5‐HT) presynapses, 5‐HT transporter density, tryptophan hydroxylase apoenzyme concentration, and the levels of 5‐HT and 5‐hydroxyindole acetic acid (5‐HIAA) in various brain regions. Compared with sham‐operated controls, the Bmax values of [3H]paroxetine binding, the apoenzyme concentration of tryptophan hydroxylase and the level of 5‐HIAA, and, therefore, the 5‐HIAA/5‐HT ratio were significantly and selectively increased in the frontal cortex of bulbectomized rats, measured 12 weeks after surgery. The most likely explanation of the concomitant increase in levels of all three markers of 5‐HT presynapses in the frontal cortex is an increased density of 5‐HT innervation in this remote projection field of the raphe nuclei. It is suggested that the bulbectomy‐associated axotomy of 5‐HT fibers projecting to the bulb stimulates collateral sprouting and synaptogenesis, especially in the frontal cortex. The resulting 5‐HT hyperinnervation must be expected to alter global neuronal activity in this region and to impair the balance of information flow between this and other brain regions, resulting in a multitude of secondary behavioral and neurochemical changes. The frontocortical abnormalities observed by brain imaging studies in the brains of depressed patients may also be explained by a selective 5‐HT hyperinnervation of this brain region. J. Neurosci. Res. 54:109–116, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A study of gene–environment interaction on the gene for angiotensin converting enzyme: a combined functional and population based approach

Introduction: Studies on the role of the insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the gene coding for angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in atherosclerosis have been inconsistent. In a meta-analysis, we recently showed that this relationship is stronger in high risk populations. In this paper, we used a combined functional and population based approach to investigate the gene–environment interaction of the ACE I/D polymorphism in relation to carotid artery wall thickness. Methods: The study was part of the Rotterdam Study, a prospective population based cohort study. In 5321 subjects, IMT was measured in the carotid arteries by ultrasonography and ACE genotype was determined by size analysis of polymerase chain reaction products. Results: In multiple regression analysis, I/D polymorphism and smoking were the main determinants for plasma ACE activity (r2 = 0.28). There was a positive association between the D allele of the I/D polymorphism and carotid artery thickness among current smokers (p = 0.03). Subjects carrying only one of the risk factors (smoking or the D allele) did not show significant differences in IMT compared with the non-/former smokers group carrying two II alleles, while carriers of both risk factors had significant higher IMT. The association was not present in non-/former smokers. Discussion: The results provide further evidence that genetic and environmental factors interact in the formation of the arterial lesions. This study shows that large population based studies can be extremely helpful in unravelling the genetic origin of complex diseases such as atherosclerosis.
Phase and group delays for circularly-polarized microstrip antennas

Applications such as high-precision GPS require an accurate characterization of the phase and group delays in the received signal. The purpose of this investigation is to explore and characterize both the phase and group delays for circularly-polarized (CP) microstrip antennas, which are common in GPS systems. Two types of CP patches are examined. The first is a square patch that is fed with a dual feed employing a 90deg phase shifter. The second is a nearly-square patch that is fed along the diagonal. The L1 GPS frequency 1.575 GHz is used in both cases
Outcome of fetuses with enlarged nuchal translucency and normal karyotype

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between nuchal translucency measurements and outcome of pregnancy with special regard to fetuses with an enlarged nuchal translucency and a normal karyotype. Fetal nuchal translucency measurements were performed on consecutive mothers attending the prenatal diagnosis center of our hospital. A complete follow‐up was obtained in 88.4% of the cases. Of the 74 fetuses (4.4%) with an enlarged nuchal translucency (<3 mm), 25 (33.8%) had an abnormal karyotype. Two pregnancies ended in a spontaneous abortion before karyotyping was performed. In the remain‐ing 47 eukaryotic fetuses with enlarged nuchal translucency, five (10.6%) had a structural anomaly, two were affected by genetic syndromes (4.2%) and an additional four fetuses (8.5%) were affected by a single‐gene disorder. A spontaneous abortion or an intrauterine death occurred in 6.4% and in 2.1% of these fetuses, respectively. The total incidence of an unfavorable outcome in the group of chromosomally normal fetuses with enlarged nuchal translucency was 32%. In contrast, in the group with a normal nuchal translucency (+3 mm), the incidence of an unfavorable outcome was 7.5%. There is a strong association between enlarged nuchal translucency measurements and congenital (structural and genetic) abnormalities, as assessed by receiver operator characteristic analysis. This may represent, in fetuses with a normal karyotype, a non‐specific sign of a disturbance in the developmental process. In these cases, detailed ultrasound surveillance is recommended. Copyright © 1998 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Isometric bite force and its relation to dimensions of the facial skeleton.

Maximum voluntary isometric bite force was recorded at the incisors and at the molars in 29 healthy females aged 19–23 years. The relationships between the variations in bite force and dimensions of the facial skeleton were studied by means of linear simple and multiple regression analyses.There was a high correlation between incisor and molar bite force. Bite force was mainly associated with a long mandible and a small gonion angle. 49% of the variation in incisor bite force could be explained by variations in the length of the mandible, the gonion angle and the length of the anterior cranial base. 56% of the variation in molar bite force could be explained by variations in the length of the mandible, the gonion angle and a long maxilla.
Capitalizing on Economic Function of the Institution of Zakāt in Modern Economy

This study analyzes the economic potential of the institution of Zakāt on income redistribution, poverty and aggregate demand. Through a mathematical exposition, we show that if a person keeps idle investible wealth, then Zakāt will deplete the idle wealth over time. On the macroeconomic front, proportional Zakāt linked with income will act as an automatic stabilizer. If an economy is in disequilibrium and policies fail to immediately recover and boost incomes, wealth Zakāt will enable the distributive allocation that works independently of the business cycles and will help in stabilizing the extremes of the business cycles. In this way, wealth Zakāt will act as a permanent stabilizer. We discuss that Zakāt is an important tool for redistributing income and it can also increase aggregate spending. The redistribution from people with lower MPC to people with higher MPC will boost aggregate spending even with the same level of aggregate income. Finally, we recommend certain steps at the policy and implementation level so that the institution of Zakāt can be effectively utilized to contribute in poverty alleviation. We recommend that it is appropriate to disburse Zakāt at the federal level. This way, the regional disparities can be reduced more effectively. To gain the trust and the confidence of people, it is vital to improve the governance and transparency. In this regard, we recommend that the Zakāt collection and disbursement details shall be reported in a standard way periodically. We also highlight the importance of creating synergies between Zakāt and other welfare programs. We also draw attention towards modifying the accounting standards to achieve transparent computation, assessment and collection.
Routine use of operational diagnostic criteria affects the pharmacotherapy of dysthymia: National questionnaire survey of experienced psychiatrists in Japan

Abstract The purpose of the present paper was to evaluate, with the use of a questionnaire, how Japanese psychiatrists diagnose and treat a typical adult dysthymia case. Clinicians who routinely use operational diagnostic criteria (ODC) had more correct diagnoses than those who did not. Approximately 70% of psychiatrists who routinely use ODC chose selective serotonin re‐uptake inhibitors (SSRI) as the first choice of treatment, while of those psychiatrists who do not use these criteria, only half prescribed SSRI. This difference was statistically significant (P = 0.01). The results of the present study suggest that psychiatrists who are familiar with ODC tend to treat dysthymia according to evidence‐based pharmacotherapy.
Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease in Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment Subtypes: Stratification Based on Imaging Biomarkers.

BACKGROUND Prediction of progression to Alzheimer's disease (AD) in amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is challenging because of its heterogeneity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate a stratification method on different cohorts and to investigate whether stratification in amnestic MCI could improve prediction accuracy. METHODS We identified 80 and 79 patients with amnestic MCI from different cohorts, respectively. They underwent baseline magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scans. We performed hierarchical clustering with three imaging biomarkers: Brain volume on MRI, left hippocampus grey matter loss on MRI, and left inferior temporal gyrus glucose hypometabolism on FDG-PET. Regions-of-interest for biomarkers were defined by the Automated Anatomical Labeling atlas. We performed voxel-wise statistical parametric mapping to explore differences between clusters in patterns of grey matter loss and glucose hypometabolism. We compared time to progression using an interval-censored parametric model. We evaluated predictive performance using logistic regression. RESULTS Similar clusters were found in different cohorts. MCI1 had the healthiest biomarker profile of cognitive performance and imaging biomarkers. MCI2 had cognitive performance and MRI measures intermediate between those of nonconverters and converters. MCI3 showed the severest reduction in brain volume and left hippocampal atrophy. MCI4 showed remarkable glucose hypometabolism in the left inferior temporal gyrus, and also demonstrated significant decreases in most cognitive scores, including non-memory functions. MCI4 showed the highest risk for progression. The prediction of progression of MCI2 especially benefited from the stratification. CONCLUSION Stratification with imaging biomarkers in amnestic MCI can be a good approach for improving predictive performance.
Purification and partial characterization of the nephritis strain- associated protein from Streptococcus pyogenes, group A

We report the isolation and purification of the nephritis strain- associated protein (NSAP) first described by Villareal et al. (8). Amino acid analysis, and determination of the first 21 amino-terminal amino acids indicated that this 46 kD protein is a streptokinase. Biochemical analysis confirmed that NSAP could act as a plasminogen activator; immunological investigations indicated that NSAP is antigenically different from streptokinase from group C streptococcus, and possibly represents a unique streptokinase. It is this uniqueness that may contribute to the role of NSAP in the pathogenesis of acute poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis.
Solvent extraction effects on phytochemical constituents profiles, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and functional group analysis of Ecballium elaterium seeds and peels fruits

Abstract Ecballium elaterium is a perennial herb with multiple medicinal properties. It was widely used in folk medicine as cathartic, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents. The present study was devoted to investigate the effect of diethyl ether, acetone, and methanol solvent on the extraction, phytochemicals profiles, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Ecballium elaterium seeds and peels fruits. The total phenolic, flavonoid, flavonol, condensed tannins and carotenoids contents were estimated. Maximum phenolic (107 ± 4 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid (18 ± 0 mg QE/g) contents were also found in the methanol peels fruits extract. Results showed that methanol peels fruits extract have the highest antioxidant activity with IC 50 values of 1.2 ± 0.1 and 1 ± 0 mg/mL for DPPH and ABTS, respectively, and EC 50 value of 1040 ± 5 mg/mL for reducing power assays. Acetone and diethyl ether peels fruits extracts showed the best antibacterial agents especially against Micrococcus luteus , however no antifungal activity was observed. Spectral data of FT-IR analysis of
Dual-Color Herpesvirus Capsids Discriminate Inoculum from Progeny and Reveal Axonal Transport Dynamics

ABSTRACT Alphaherpesviruses such as herpes simplex virus and pseudorabies virus (PRV) are neuroinvasive double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that establish lifelong latency in peripheral nervous system (PNS) neurons of their native hosts. Following reactivation, infection can spread back to the initial mucosal site of infection or, in rare cases, to the central nervous system, with usually serious outcomes. During entry and egress, viral capsids depend on microtubule-based molecular motors for efficient and fast transport. In axons of PNS neurons, cytoplasmic dynein provides force for retrograde movements toward the soma, and kinesins move cargo in the opposite, anterograde direction. The dynamic properties of virus particles in cells can be imaged by fluorescent protein fusions to the small capsid protein VP26, which are incorporated into capsids. However, single-color fluorescent protein tags fail to distinguish the virus inoculum from progeny. Therefore, we established a dual-color system by growing a recombinant PRV expressing a red fluorescent VP26 fusion (PRV180) on a stable cell line expressing a green VP26 fusion (PK15-mNG-VP26). The resulting dual-color virus preparation (PRV180G) contains capsids tagged with both red and green fluorescent proteins, and 97% of particles contain detectable levels of mNeonGreen (mNG)-tagged VP26. After replication in neuronal cells, all PRV180G progeny exclusively contain monomeric red fluorescent protein (mRFP)-VP26-tagged capsids. We used PRV180G for an analysis of axonal capsid transport dynamics in PNS neurons. Fast dual-color total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, single-particle tracking, and motility analyses reveal robust, bidirectional capsid motility mediated by cytoplasmic dynein and kinesin during entry, whereas egressing progeny particles are transported exclusively by kinesins. IMPORTANCE Alphaherpesviruses are neuroinvasive viruses that infect the peripheral nervous system (PNS) of infected hosts as an integral part of their life cycle. Establishment of a quiescent or latent infection in PNS neurons is a hallmark of most alphaherpesviruses. Spread of infection to the central nervous system is surprisingly rare in natural hosts but can be fatal. Pseudorabies virus (PRV) is a broad-host-range swine alphaherpesvirus that enters neuronal cells and utilizes intracellular transport processes to establish infection and to spread between cells. By using a virus preparation with fluorescent viral capsids that change color depending on the stage of the infectious cycle, we find that during entry, axons of PNS neurons support robust, bidirectional capsid motility, similar to cellular cargo, toward the cell body. In contrast, progeny particles appear to be transported unidirectionally by kinesin motors toward distal egress sites.
trans-activation of the simian virus 40 enhancer by a pX product of human T-cell leukemia virus type I

A trans-acting factor, p40, of human T-cell leukemia virus type I profoundly potentiated the function of the enhancer from simian virus 40 but not polyomavirus and Rous sarcoma and murine sarcoma viruses. This trans-activation was seen in a limited repertoire of cells, in contrast to trans-activation of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I enhancer by p40.
Isolated bypass to the superior mesenteric artery for intestinal ischemia.

OBJECTIVE A number of reports indicate revascularization for intestinal ischemia should include the superior mesenteric artery (SMA) and the celiac artery. However, no controlled or randomized studies have proven this approach superior to SMA bypass alone. We report our results using bypass to only the SMA for intestinal ischemia. DESIGN Retrospective review with mean follow-up of 40 months (range, 2 to 110 months). SETTING University medical center and Veterans Affairs hospital. PATIENTS/METHODS The records of patients who underwent intestinal revascularization of the SMA alone from 1982 through 1993 were reviewed. Patients were assessed for indication for operation, operative technique, perioperative mortality, and long-term outcome. The SMA grafts were examined for patency within the last 6 months using duplex scanning or arteriography. Patient survival and graft patency rates were calculated using life-table methods. RESULTS Twenty-nine bypasses to only the SMA were performed in 26 patients (16 female and 10 male; mean age, 59 years; age range, 13 to 81 years). Indication for operation was symptomatic chronic mesenteric ischemia in 23 cases and acute intestinal ischemia in five cases. One bypass was performed for asymptomatic SMA occlusion. There were three perioperative deaths (10% mortality rate), all in patients with acute intestinal ischemia and previous mesenteric arterial surgery. Life-table 4-year primary graft patency and patient survival rates were 89% and 82%, respectively. Symptomatic improvement was maintained in all patients available for follow-up. CONCLUSION Revascularization of only the SMA for intestinal ischemia provides excellent graft patency with acceptable perioperative mortality and long-term patient survival. The SMA bypass alone for intestinal ischemia appears as successful as bypasses to multiple visceral vessels.