Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of caregiving and employment on the voluntary activities of midlife and older women.

One factor thought to contribute to higher levels of stress among caregivers is the restriction on personal time and leisure activities that they feel. We use data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH) to examine the influences that caregiving, the relationship of the care-recipient with the caregiver, and the intensity of the caregiving have on women's participation in personal, family-centered, and community activities. We find that care-giving regardless of age, does not reduce the frequency of participation in voluntary activities. In fact, among younger women, some types of caregiving are associated with significantly higher levels of participation. Based on our results, we conclude that caregiving does not necessarily result in a "loss of self. " Caregivers may be using outside activities as a way to relieve the stress of the caregiving tasks; caregivers may be particularly adept at balancing roles, or most caregiving may not be at a level of intensity sufficient to interfere with other activities.
Prevalence of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviors in US High School Students by Metropolitan Status and Geographic Region.

BACKGROUND Geographic differences in the prevalence of physical activity (PA) have been found among adults in the US; similar studies have not been conducted among adolescents. METHODS Using nationally representative cross-sectional data from the CDC's 2003 Youth Risk Behavior Survey, we estimated the prevalence of PA and sedentary behaviors by metropolitan status and geographic region. RESULTS The prevalence of PA was lowest and prevalence of sedentary behavior highest for urban students. Students from the South reported the lowest prevalence of PA and the highest prevalence of TV watching, while students from the West generally reported the highest PA prevalence and lowest sedentary behavior prevalence. Prevalence differences ranged from < 1.0% to > 15%, with most differences falling between 5% and 10%. CONCLUSIONS Findings mirror regional variations previously observed in adult PA. We need to understand factors that contribute to lower PA in youth living in the South and in urban settings.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay detection of immunoglobulins G and M to Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis virus in vaccinated and naturally infected humans

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were developed for detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to Venezuelan equine encephalomyelitis (VEE) virus in vaccinated and naturally infected humans. A total of 441 sera found negative for VEE antibodies by plaque reduction neutralization were examined by IgG ELISA and gave a 1.0% false-positive rate; no false-positives were found in the IgM ELISA. Sera with neutralizing antibody to western or eastern equine encephalomyelitis virus did not react with VEE antigen in the IgG ELISA. Sensitivity of the IgG ELISA was determined by testing 100 coded pre- and postvaccination human sera. Sixty-two were positive by ELISA; 58 of these 62 were also positive by neutralization tests, and 38 were negative by both tests. No neutralization-positive, ELISA-negative sera were found. Comparison of titers obtained by ELISA and neutralization tests indicated that 88% varied randomly by a fourfold dilution factor or less, while 61% were identical or varied only twofold. In sera obtained sequentially from 10 vaccinees and 5 naturally infected patients, both IgG and IgM antibodies appeared between 2 and 3 weeks after vaccination or onset of symptoms. The IgG and IgM antibody ELISAs described are rapid, specific, and sensitive indicators of VEE antibody status in vaccinated and naturally infected individuals.
Monitoring simultaneously the growth of nanoparticles and aggregates by in situ ultra-small-angle x-ray scattering

Ultra-small-angle x-ray scattering can provide information about primary particles and aggregates from a single scattering experiment. This technique is applied in situ to flame aerosol reactors for monitoring simultaneously the primary particle and aggregate growth dynamics of oxide nanoparticles in a flame. This was enabled through the use of a third generation synchrotron source (Advanced Photon Source, Argonne IL, USA) using specialized scattering instrumentation at the UNICAT facility which is capable of simultaneously measuring nanoscales to microscales (1nmto1μm). More specifically, the evolution of primary-particle diameter, mass-fractal dimension, geometric standard deviation, silica volume fraction, number concentration, radius of gyration of the aggregate, and number of primary particles per aggregate are measured along the flame axis for two different premixed flames. All these particle characteristics were derived from a single and nonintrusive measurement technique. Flame temperature profile.
Measurement of eye diagrams and constellation diagrams of optical sources using linear optics and waveguide technology

We demonstrate the characterization of optical sources with high sensitivity, high temporal resolution, and phase sensitivity using linear optical sampling. Eye diagrams and constellation diagrams are reconstructed using the interference of the source under test with a train of sampling pulses. This concept is implemented using a waveguide optical hybrid, which splits and recombines the sources and adjusts the phase between the recombined signals to provide optimal detection. This diagnostic is used to characterize on-off keyed (OOK) waveforms at rates up to 640 Gb/s and various phase-shift keyed (PSK) signals at 10 and 40 Gb/s.
DNA synthesis in the elongating nondividing cells of the lentil epicotyl and its promotion by gibberellin.

Two-day-old lentil seedlings, (Lens culinaris Med.) were incubated for a 48-hour period with and without gibberellin (GA) in the presence and absence of 5-fluorodeoxyuridine (FUDR). The number of cells per epicotyl did not increase during this period. Growth of the epicotyl was thus due to cell elongation alone.The elongating cells of this tissue synthesized DNA. GA promoted and FUDR inhibited cell elongation, DNA synthesis, and RNA synthesis in the tissue.FUDR promoted uptake of thymidine and thymidine incorporation into cellular DNA, presumably by inhibiting synthesis of endogenous thymidine. Presence of GA promoted thymidine incorporation into cellular DNA and uridine incorporation into cellular RNA. In either case, there was no effect on the uptake of the precursor into the tissue.Fractionation of thymidine-labeled nucleic acids on a MAK column showed that thymidine was exclusively incorporated into the DNA fraction. Presence of GA promoted thymidine incorporation into this fraction and also increased the amount of ribosomal RNA.The data provide direct evidence for the conclusion that DNA synthesis is necessary for elongation of certain plant cells.
The Role of the Frontal and Parietal Cortex in Proactive and Reactive Inhibitory Control: A Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Study

Mounting evidence suggests that response inhibition involves both proactive and reactive inhibitory control, yet its underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. In particular, the roles of the right inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and inferior parietal lobe (IPL) in proactive and reactive inhibitory control are still under debate. This study aimed at examining the causal role of the right IFG and IPL in proactive and reactive inhibitory control, using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and the stop signal task. Twenty-two participants completed three sessions of the stop signal task, under anodal tDCS in the right IFG, the right IPL, or the primary visual cortex (VC; 1.5 mA for 15 min), respectively. The VC stimulation served as the active control condition. The tDCS effect for each condition was calculated as the difference between pre- and post-tDCS performance. Proactive control was indexed by the RT increase for go trials (or preparatory cost), and reactive control by the stop signal RT. Compared to the VC stimulation, anodal stimulation of the right IFG, but not that of the IPL, facilitated both proactive and reactive control. However, the facilitation of reactive control was not mediated by the facilitation of proactive control. Furthermore, tDCS did not affect the intraindividual variability in go RT. These results suggest a causal role of the right IFG, but not the right IPL, in both reactive and proactive inhibitory control.
Signal-Tuned Gabor Functions as Models for Stimulus-Dependent Cortical Receptive Fields

We propose and analyze a model, based on signal-tuned Gabor functions, for the receptive fields and responses of V1 cells. Signal-tuned Gabor functions are gaussian-modulated sinusoids whose parameters are obtained from a given, spatial, or spectral “tuning” signal. These functions can be proven to yield exact representations of their tuning signals and have recently been proposed as the kernels of a variant Gabor transform—the signal-tuned Gabor transform (STGT)—which allows the accurate detection of spatial and spectral events. Here we show that by modeling the receptive fields of simple and complex cells as signal-tuned Gabor functions and expressing their responses as STGTs, we are able to replicate the properties of these cells when tested with standard grating and slit inputs, at the same time emulating their stimulus-dependent character as revealed by recent neurophysiological studies.
Targets for Endothelin in the Diseased Kidney: Clues for Therapeutic Intervention

The endothelin system has been implicated in various renal diseases. This review focuses on the involvement of endothelin-1 in pathogenesis and pathophysiology of acute and chronic renal failure with regard to its hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic effects. Future developments concerning the use of endothelin receptor antagonists and the role of endothelin in the kidney transplantation setting are discussed.
A national survey of occupational therapy students' and physiotherapy students' attitudes to disabled people

Objective : To investigate the possible influence of curricular and non-curricular activities on the attitudes of occupational therapy and physiotherapy students towards disabled people at the beginning and end of their pre-registration education. Design : A cross-sectional survey. Setting : United Kingdom. Participants : Two thousand two hundred and ninety-nine students. Main outcome measures : Interaction with Disabled Persons' Scale. Results : Occupational therapy and physiotherapy programmes attract different types of student. Occupational therapy students' attitudes to disabled people were significantly more positive than those of physiotherapy students at the beginning (P < 0.0001) and end (P < 0.0001) of their respective programmes. Students with disabled family members (P < 0.0001) and informal social contact with disabled people (P < 0.0001) had significantly more positive attitudes than those without such contact, and such students tend to choose occupational therapy as a career. Work experience with disabled people did not significantly influence the attitudes towards disabled people of occupational therapy students at the end of their programme (P = 0.187) but did for all other students. A significantly higher proportion of occupational therapy students undertake extracurricular employment and socialize with disabled people than their physiotherapy counterparts. Conclusion : Physiotherapy students hold less positive attitudes to disabled people than occupational therapy students at both the beginning and end of their pre-registration education. Physiotherapy educators need to give greater credit for work experience with disabled people and to ensure the provision of appropriate disability training to counteract possible overemphasis on physical impairments in the curricula.
The impact of metacognitive strategies on enhancing EFL A2 level students’ writing

El uso de las estrategias metacognitivas permite desarrollar un proceso de aprendizaje reflexivo y consciente de como aprendemos. El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar el impacto de las estrategias metacognitivas en el mejoramiento de la escritura. La intervencion se llevo a cabo con 24 estudiantes de ingles de tercer nivel de creditos, paralelo D3, en el Instituto Universitario de Lenguas de la Universidad de Cuenca, en Cuenca, Ecuador, durante 32 horas de instruccion. La intervencion se realizo en el uso de estrategias metacognitivas aplicadas a la escritura de ensayos narrativos y de opinion. La investigacion uso el metodo mixto paralelo convergente, integrando los datos cuantitativos y cualitativos para el analisis del impacto de las estrategias metacognitivas en el mejoramiento del rendimiento de la escritura. Los datos cuantitativos fueron recolectados a traves de un diseno quasi-experimental, el cual utilizo un pre-test y post-test para medir el rendimiento de los estudiantes en la escritura antes y despues de la intervencion. De igual manera se uso una rubrica para determinar las estrategias metacognitivas mas usadas en el proceso de escritura antes y despues de la intervencion. Los datos cualitativos fueron recolectados a traves de una encuesta semiestructurada, basada en la Escala de Likert para conocer las actitudes, reflexiones y percepciones de los estudiantes despues de la intervencion. Los resultados demostraron que el uso de las estrategias metacognitivas y de auto-regulacion tuvo un impacto significativo en el nivel de escritura de los estudiantes, logrando alcanzar el Nivel B1 del Marco Comun Europeo de Referencia para las Lenguas.
Overexpression of C16orf74 is involved in aggressive pancreatic cancers

Clinical outcome of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has not been improved in the last three decades due to the lack of effective molecular-targeted drugs. To identify a novel therapeutic target for PDAC, we have performed genome-wide anamysis and found that Homo sapiens chromosome 16 open reading frame 74 (C16orf74) was up-regulated in the vast majority of PDAC. Overexpression of C16orf74protein detected by immunohistochemical analysis was an independent prognostic factor for patients with PDAC. The knockdown of endogenous C16orf74 expression in the PDAC cell lines KLM-1 and PK-59 by vector-based small hairpin-RNA (shRNA) drastically attenuated the growth of those cells, whereas ectopic C16orf74 overexpression in HEK293T and NIH3T3 cells promoted cell growth and invasion, respectively. More importantly, the endogenous threonine 44 (T44)-phosphorylated form of C16orf74 interacted with the protein phosphatase 3 catalytic subunit alpha (PPP3CA) via the PDIIIT sequence in the PPP3CA-binding motif within the middle portion of C16orf74 in PDAC cells. The overexpression of mutants of C16orf74 lacking the PDIIIT sequence or T44 phosphorylation resulted in the suppression of invasive activity compared with wild-type C16orf74, indicating that their interaction should be indispensable for PDAC cell invasion. These results suggest that C16orf74 plays an important role for PDAC invasion and proliferation, and is a promising target for a specific treatment for patients with PDAC.
Preparation of Hydrogel Substrates with Tunable Mechanical Properties

The modulus of elasticity of the extracellular matrix (ECM), often referred to in a biological context as “stiffness,” naturally varies within the body, e.g., hard bones and soft tissue. Moreover, it has been found to have a profound effect on the behavior of anchorage‐dependent cells. The fabrication of matrix substrates with a defined modulus of elasticity can be a useful technique to study the interactions of cells with their biophysical microenvironment. Matrix substrates composed of polyacrylamide hydrogels have an easily quantifiable elasticity that can be changed by adjusting the relative concentrations of its monomer, acrylamide, and cross‐linker, bis‐acrylamide. In this unit, we detail a protocol for the fabrication of statically compliant and radial‐gradient polyacrylamide hydrogels, as well as the functionalization of these hydrogels with ECM proteins for cell culture. Included as well are suggestions to optimize this protocol to the choice of cell type or stiffness with a table of relative bis‐acrylamide and acrylamide concentrations and expected elasticity after polymerization. Curr. Protoc. Cell Biol. 47:10.16. 1‐10.16. 16. © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
A Molecular Study of Euglenoid Phylogeny using Small Subunit rDNA

ABSTRACT The euglenoids are an ancient and extremely diverse lineage of eukaryotic flagellates with unclear relationships among taxa. Synapomorphies for the euglenoids include a surface pellicle and a closed mitosis with a series of separate sub‐spindles. The taxonomy currently in use is inconsistent with the available data and needs revision. Most euglenoid phylogenies are largely intuitive reconstructions based on a limited number of morphological characters. Therefore, we have added molecular characters from the Small Subunit (SSU) rDNA to generate an overall phylogenetic framework for the euglenoids. SSU rDNA sequences from photosynthetic, osmotrophic, and phagotrophic euglenoids were aligned based on secondary structure. Phylogenetic analysis using the conserved areas of the sequence was performed using parsimony, maximum likelihood, and distance methods. Trees derived using different criteria are in agreement. The euglenoids form a distinct monophyletic clade with phagotrophic members diverging prior to the phototrophic and osmotrophic members. Among photosynthetic members, the biflagellate form diverged prior to the uniflagellate form. Additionally, the genus Euglena appears to be paraphyletic, with osmotrophic taxa, such as Astasia and Khawkinea, diverging independently within the clade containing the photosynthetic genus Euglena.
Prevalence of Toxoplasma Gondii in Food products in North West of Iran in 2010

Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular obligate parasite that causes toxoplasmosis in warm- blooded animals including humans. The transmission of the disease is usually attributed to ingestion of undercooked or raw meat products. The aim of this study was to detection of Toxoplasma gondii in meat products using molecular method in East Azerbaijan-North West of Iran. DNA was extracted from 164 meat product samples obtained from 15 commercial establishments. Nested-polymerase chain reaction with primers specific for Toxoplasma gondii SAG2 locus was used for detection of the parasite in samples. Toxoplasma gondii DNA was detected in 25%, 20.3%, 21.8%, and 32.8%, in salami, sausage, hamburger, kebab samples, respectively. The results of this study indicated high prevalence of Toxoplasma contamination in food products in study region
Assessment of results of surgical treatment for persistent atrial fibrillation during coronary artery bypass grafting using implantable loop recorders.

OBJECTIVES We report our experience with a modified mini-maze procedure and pulmonary vein isolation using radiofrequency energy for treating persistent atrial fibrillation during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). METHODS Ninety-five patients with persistent atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease underwent open heart surgery combined with intraoperative irrigated radiofrequency ablation. Patients were randomized into the following three groups: CABG and irrigated radiofrequency pulmonary vein isolation (CABG+PVI, n = 31); CABG and an irrigated radiofrequency modified mini-maze procedure (CABG+MM, n = 30); and isolated CABG (CABG alone, n = 34). All patients received implantable loop recorders. RESULTS No reoperation and no hospital mortality were recorded. Mean follow-up was 14.4 ± 9.7 months. The implantable loop recorder-determined freedom from atrial fibrillation was 80% in the CABG+PVI group, 86.2% in the CABG+MM group and 44.1% in the CABG alone group. CONCLUSIONS Patients with concomitant atrial fibrillation and coronary heart disease may benefit from intraoperative ablation to prevent relapse of arrhythmia.
C4d staining of perioperative renal transplant biopsies.

BACKGROUND Deposition of C4d in peritubular capillaries (PTCs) has been shown to be a sensitive marker for antibody-mediated (humoral) rejection in renal transplant biopsies. Some studies also suggest that C4d in PTCs is specific for humoral rejection or, at least, for the presence of donor-specific antibodies. However, in other studies, PTC C4d deposits were noted in more than 40% of renal transplant biopsies performed for graft dysfunction and capillary C4d deposition in heart transplants may result from ischemic injury. METHODS To test the specificity of C4d staining as a marker for acute humoral rejection ACR in renal allografts, indirect immunofluorescence using a monoclonal anti-C4d antibody and a fluorescein-isothiocyanate-conjugated secondary antibody was performed on cryostat sections of 90 renal transplant biopsies, including 35 pairs of preimplantation and 1-hr postreperfusion biopsies of the same graft, postreperfusion biopsies of 12 additional grafts, and 8 positive controls (biopsies with known C4d-positive AHR). Eighteen grafts were cadaveric, 17 grafts were liviing-related, and 12 grafts were living-unrelated (excluding controls). Included in these grafts were 13 grafts that developed AHR 3 to 34 days posttransplantation. RESULTS Only 2 of 82 perioperative biopsies showed C4d staining in PTCs. Both perioperative biopsies were postreperfusion biopsies of grafts diagnosed with AHR 5 and 34 days posttransplantation, respectively, and, in each case, the recipient had been treated with plasmapheresis before transplantation because of a positive crossmatch (cytotoxic and flow cytometric) and continued to have a weakly positive flow crossmatch at the time of transplantation. In one biopsy, C4d staining was focal, and in the other biopsy, it was diffuse; in both biopsies, C4d staining was relatively mild (1+ on a 0-4+ scale). No C4d staining was noted on preimplantation biopsies of each graft. All biopsies that contained glomeruli showed linear capillary loop or blotchy mesangial staining, or both, which was similar in prereperfusion and postreperfusion biopsies. All positive controls showed diffuse C4d staining in PTCs. CONCLUSIONS C4d staining in PTCs may be seen as early as 1 hr posttransplantation in some recipients with low levels of antidonor antibodies. However, this was not observed as a feature of ischemic or ischemia-reperfusion injury in perioperative renal transplant biopsies, including those of cadaveric grafts with cold ischemia times of as long as 41 hr.
Atopic dermatitis with possible polysensitization and monkey esophagus reactivity

Context: Atopic dermatitis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease resulting from interactions between environmental and genetic factors. Recent studies link atopic dermatitis with asthma and with eosinophilic esophagitis. Case Report: Based on this association, we investigated by indirect immunofluorescence the immunoreactivity patterns on monkey esophagus substrate utilizing the serum of a patient with severe atopic dermatitis. We also examined the patient's skin biopsy by H&E histology and immunohistochemistry. We detected strong deposits of albumin, IgE, IgG, IgD, IgA, Complement/C1q and mast cell tryptase in multiples structures of the skin, as well as a broad pattern of intraepithelial staining on monkey esophagus. Strong staining positivity was also detected within the inflammatory infiltrate around the upper dermal vessels, as well as additional positive staining for the human leukocyte antigen system antigens DR DP and DQ. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that there could be an indication for testing patients with severe atopic dermatitis for autoreactivity to filaggrin (anti-keratin antibodies) utilizing monkey esophagus. Larger studies are needed to clarify any immunologic interaction between the reactivity to albumin and food allergens that may sensitize patients via the esophageal mucosa.