Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Public Misunderstanding of Political Facts: How Question Wording Affected Estimates of Partisan Differences in Birtherism

In 2010 and 2011, highly visible national surveys documented frequent failure among the public, especially among Republicans, to acknowledge that Barack Obama was born in the United States. However, different questions yielded strikingly different results. The highest rate of partisan division was generated by a CBS/New York Times closed-ended question that included potentially leading introductory sentences. The smallest partisan gap in apparent misinformation was generated by an ABC News/Washington Post open-ended question that did not ask a follow-up that was needed to gauge public beliefs about whether Mr. Obama was born in the United States. This paper reviews the polls on birtherism and describes an experiment embedded in a nationally representative sample survey testing whether methodological features of these two questions might have distorted their results and caused the apparent discrepancy between them. A version of the closed-ended question including the leading introductory sentences yielded a much larger degree of apparent partisan division than did a version of the question without the introductory sentences. Following the open question with another question that clarified people�s beliefs (asking about whether Hawaii was part of the United States at the time of Barack Obama�s birth) did not alter the conclusions supported by that item about the accuracy of public understanding. This study therefore illustrates how different question wording caused different polls to produce notably different results and provides a caution about the use of potentially leading wording.
What physicians can learn from consumers of dietary supplements.

BACKGROUND Many Americans consume dietary supplements, including vitamins, minerals, herbs, and amino acids. Government regulation of dietary supplements is limited, and patients typically do not consult with their physicians regarding the use of supplements. METHODS We conducted a qualitative study to describe patients' decisions about the use of dietary supplements and the communication they have with their physicians about such use. Four focus groups of customers from 3 local suburban health food stores were interviewed. RESULTS The customers in the health food stores we investigated were motivated to pursue wellness and wanted to take responsibility for their health. They would welcome a partnership with their physicians, but generally believed that physicians are closed-minded and have little knowledge about dietary supplements. These consumers determined the effectiveness of dietary supplements through personal study and subjective experimentation. CONCLUSIONS The health food store customers in our study were self-informed consumers who did not consult their physicians about their use of dietary supplements, because they did not believe that physicians were knowledgeable about or interested in supplements. An open-minded patient-centered approach would help physicians provide better care for patients who use dietary supplements.
Biochemistry and Molecular Regulation of Matrix Macromolecules in Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms

Past concepts of aneurysmal dilatation as a passive process of attenuation are oversimplified and inaccurate. Aneurysm formation is a complex remodeling process that involves both synthesis and degradation of matrix proteins. Interstitial procollagen gene expression is increased in AAA compared to AOD or normal aorta, whereas tropoelastin gene expression is decreased in both AOD and AAA. The medial elastin network is disrupted and discontinuous in small AAA. Thus, the growth rate of an established AAA may well relate to the balance between collagen synthesis and degradation. Although the increased procollagen expression found in AAA may represent a compensatory response, understanding the factors that modulate matrix metabolism in AAA may allow for development of pharmacologic strategies which effectively inhibit the growth of small aneurysms.
Mean Size as a Unit of Visual Working Memory

Visual environments often contain multiple elements, some of which are similar to one another or spatially grouped together. In the current study we investigated how one can use perceptual groups in representing ensemble features of the groups. In experiment 1 we found that participants' performance improved when items were easily segmented by a grouping cue based on proximity, suggesting that spatial grouping facilitates extracting and remembering ensemble representations from visual arrays consisting of multiple elements. In experiment 2 we found that spatial grouping improved performance only when the grouped subsets were tested for the memory task, whereas it impaired performance when other subsets that were not grouped were tested, suggesting that the benefit from grouping may come from better extraction for storage, rather than later decision processes such as accessibility. Taken together, our results suggest that perceptual grouping of multiple items by proximity facilitates extraction of ensemble statistics from groups of items, enhancing visual memory of the ensembles in a visual array.
Performance evaluation of GAPD-based brain PET

A Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode (GAPD) is actively studied silicon-based photo-detector that is a promising photo-sensor for PET because of various advantages, such as gain, compact size, fast response and magnetic field insensitivity. Previously, we have developed a brain PET employing GAPD-based PET detector block, charge signal transmission method via 4 m long cable, high density position decoder circuit (PDC) and digital signal processing with FPGA-embedded ADC boards. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of the developed brain PET system. The PET consists of 18 detector blocks, each of which comprises 4 × 4 GAPDs and 4 × 4 LYSO arrays. The output signals of PET detector block were amplified by preamplifier circuits and then transferred to the PDC. The PDC was used to identify the one valid channel among 256 channels of PET detector blocks and to output digital address analog pulse corresponding to the valid channel. Three FPGA-embedded DAQ boards were used to digitize analog output signals of the PDCs. The gain uniformity, spatial resolution, sensitivity, stability and count rate performance were measured. Tomographic image of 3D Hoffman brain phantom was also acquired to evaluate imaging capability of the PET. Normalized average photo-peak positions of PET detector block were 1.0 ± 0.14 without the gain correction and 1.0 ± 0.03 with the gain correction. Spatial resolution and sensitivity in the center of field of view were 3.1 mm and 0.8%, respectively. The average scatter fraction was 0.4 with lower energy threshold of 350 keV. The maximum true count rate and maximum NECR were measured 43.3 kcps and 6.5 kcps at an activity concentration of 16.7 kBq/ml and 5.5 kBq/ml, respectively. Activity distribution patterns between white and gray matter in the Hoffman brain phantom were well imaged. These results demonstrate that the developed GAPD based brain PET system is useful for high quality brain PET imaging.
Effectiveness and safety of 1 vs 4 h blood pressure profile with clinical and laboratory assessment for the exclusion of gestational hypertension and pre-eclampsia: a retrospective study in a university affiliated maternity hospital

Objective We asked whether 60 compared with 240 min observation is sufficiently informative and safe for pregnancy day assessment (PDAC) of suspected pre-eclampsia (PE). Design A retrospective study of 209 pregnant women (475 PDAC assessments, 6 months) with routinely collected blood pressure (BP), symptom and laboratory information. We proposed a 60 min screening algorithm comprising: absence of symptoms, normal laboratory parameters and ≤1high-BP reading (systolic blood pressure, SBP 140 mm Hg or higher or diastolic blood pressure, DBP 90 mm Hg or higher). We also evaluated two less inclusive screening algorithms. We determined short-term outcomes (within 4 h): severe hypertension, proteinuric hypertension and pregnancy-induced hypertension, as well as long-term outcome: PE-related diagnoses up to the early puerperium. We assessed performance of alternate screening algorithms performance using 2×2 tables. Results 1 in 3 women met all screen negative criteria at 1 h. Their risk of hypertension requiring treatment in the next 3 h was 1.8% and of failing to diagnose proteinuric hypertensive PE at 4 h was 5.1%. If BP triggers were 5 mm Hg lower, 1 in 6 women would be screen-negative of whom 1.1% subsequently develops treatment-requiring hypertension and 4.5% demonstrate short-term proteinuric hypertension. We present sensitivity, specificity, negative and positive likelihood ratios for alternate screening algorithms. Conclusions We endorse further research into the safest screening test where women are considered for discharge after 60 min. Safety, patient and staff satisfaction should be assessed prospectively. Any screening test should be used in conjunction with good clinical care to minimise maternal and perinatal hazards of PE.
Myrtus communis Berry Color Morphs: A Comparative Analysis of Essential Oils, Fatty Acids, Phenolic Compounds, and Antioxidant Activities

Extracts of mature dark blue and white berries from two Tunisian Myrtus communis morphs growing at the same site were assessed for their essential‐oil and fatty‐acid compositions, phenolic contents, and antioxidant activities. The GC and GC/MS analyses of the essential oils allowed the identification of 33 constituents. The oils from the dark blue fruits showed high percentages of α‐pinene (11.1%), linalool (11.6%), α‐terpineol (15.7%), methyl eugenol (6.2%), and geraniol (3.7%). Myrtenyl acetate (20.3%) was found to be the major compound in the oils from white berries. GC Analysis of the pericarp and seed fatty acids showed that the polyunsaturated fatty acids constituted the major fraction (54.3–78.1%). The highest percentages of linoleic acid (78.0%) and oleic acid (20.0%) were observed in the seeds and the pericarps of the white fruits, respectively. The total phenol, flavonoid, and flavonol contents and the concentration of the eight anthocyanins, identified by HPLC analysis, were significantly higher in the dark blue fruits. All extracts showed a substantial antioxidant activity, assessed by the free radical‐scavenging activity and the ferric reducing power, with the dark blue fruit extracts being more effective.
Compositional Variability in Essential Oil from Different Parts of Alpinia speciosa from India

The essential oils from the leaves, flowers and roots of cultivated Alpinia speciosa K. Schum. were examined by capillary GC and GC-MS. Monoterpenoids composed 89.6% of the total identified constituents of the leaf oil, out of which 59.3% were oxygenated, represented mainly by terpinen-4-ol (28.4%) and 1,8-cineole (19.2%). The flower and leaf oils had a uniform qualitative, but different quantitative composition. However, the flowers oil was also dominated by oxygenated monoterpenoids (68.9%) viz., terpinen-4-ol (26.0%), 1,8-cineole (24.4%) and linalool (6.1%), along with the monoterpene hydrocarbon, sabinene (11.3%). On the contrary, the root oil had an entirely different composition and was characterized by endo-fenchyl acetate (40.1%), 1,8-cineole (11.8%), camphene (7.8%), bornyl acetate (6.9%) and borneol (5.8%). Moreover, endo-fenchyl acetate, exo-fenchyl acetate and endo-fenchol were characteristic of only the A. speciosa root oil.
COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF THE EPIDURAL DEXMEDETOMIDINE, KETAMINE OR FENTANYL IN COMBINATION WITH BUPIVACAINE IN DOGS

Castration is one of the most common procedure. It is a potential source of mild to moderate pain which is enough to induce inflammatory process, necessitate the incorporation of analgesics. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of epidural bupivacaine alone or in association with fentanyl, ketamine or dexmedetomidine on analgesia for the first 24 h post surgical castration. Forty male mongrel dogs were randomly allocated into 4 groups received bupivacaine 0.25% (1.5 mg kg-1) alone or in combination with fentanyl citrate (2 µg kg-1) or ketamine hydrochloride (2 mg kg-1) or dexmedetomidine hydrochloride (1.13 µg kg-1) into the lumbosacral space. Dogs were scored for sedation using numeric descriptive scale. Analgesia was assessed subjectively through Modified University of Melbourne Pain Scale score and objectively by following up the circulating level of interleukins 6 and 10. The bupivacaine-dexmedetomidine group showed the greatest sedation score, the lowest pain score without neuroendocrine modulation in contrast with bupivacaine or bupivacaine-fentanyl groups. From these result, it is concluded that bupivacaine-dexmedtomidine group provide long term analgesia last for the first 24 h post operative without additional analgesics.
Long-term results after curative resection for carcinoma of the gallbladder. French University Association for Surgical Research.

BACKGROUND The surgical management of gallbladder carcinoma is controversial, especially as regards the indications for radical resection. The aim of this study was to evaluate the results of surgical treatment for gallbladder carcinoma with special reference to the extent of its histological spread. METHODS Eighty-six patients from 25 French centers underwent resection for cure and were included in this study. They comprised 65 women and 21 men (mean age 65 +/- 21 years). Resection included radical resection in 21 patients (partial hepatectomy, regional lymphadenectomy, and common bile duct resection) and simple cholecystectomy in 65. RESULTS There were 3 postoperative deaths (3.5%). The mean follow-up period was 25 +/- 24 months. The overall 5-year actuarial survival rate was 26%. The 5-year actuarial survival rate was 27% for patients who had radical resection. Eight patients with nodal metastasis had a 5-year survival rate of 0%, but the rate for 13 patients without such metastasis was 43% (P <0.05). For patients undergoing simple cholecystectomy, the 5-year actuarial survival rate was 44% for stage I disease, 22% for stage II, and 0% for stage III (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS In patients with stage I gallbladder carcinoma, outcome is good after cholecystectomy only. In stages II to IV, radical resection should only be considered in the absence of regional lymph node metastasis.
Anisotropic local physical properties of human dental enamel in comparison to properties of some common dental filling materials

Abstract Objective. A major aspect in evaluating the quality of dental materials is their physical properties. Their properties should be a best fit of the ones of dental hard tissues. Manufacturers give data sheets for each material. The properties listed are characterized by a specific value. This assumes (but does not prove) that there is no direction dependence of the properties. However, dental enamel has direction-dependent properties which additionally vary with location in the tooth. The aim of this paper is to show the local direction dependence of physical properties like the elastic modulus or the thermal expansion in dental hard tissues. With this knowledge the ‘perfect filling/dental material' could be characterized. Materials and method. Enamel sections of ∼400–500 μm thickness have been cut with a diamond saw from labial/buccal to palatal/lingual (canine, premolar and molar) and parallel to labial (incisor). Crystallite arrangements have been measured in over 400 data points on all types of teeth with x-ray scattering techniques, known from materials science. Results. X-ray scattering measurements show impressively that dental enamel has a strong direction dependence of its physical properties which also varies with location within the tooth. Dental materials possess only little or no property direction dependence. Therefore, a mismatch was found between enamel and dental materials properties. Conclusion. Since dental materials should possess equal (direction depending) properties, worthwhile properties could be characterized by transferring the directional properties of enamel into a property ‘wish list' which future dental materials should fulfil. Hereby the ‘perfect dental material' can be characterized.
Ethnic Complexity in Northern Israel During Iron Age II

Much discussion has focused on the ability archaeology (and archaeologists) to identify ethnic groups on the basis of material culture. According to Colin Renfrew the most problematic of all the concepts which we have tended to use is that of a people (1993, 20). Much of the discussion of this subject in Syro-Palestinian archaeology has concentrated around the identification of the Israelites' (for example, Congress 1992, 5-17; Dever 1993, 1995a; Finkelstein 1995, 1996a, 1997; Kempinski 1995; Bunimovitz and Yasur-Landau 1996; Herzog 1997; Kletter 1995). Most of the discussion has focused on Iron Age I (the Settlement period), in an attempt to identify the similarities and differences between the various ethnic groups which existed in Palestine at this time (for the various groups see Mazar 1981; Aharoni 1979). The present article will discuss the ethnicity of the inhabitants of Northern Israel during Iron Age II. The departure point of this article is the rural sector, which has not received much attention from Tell-minded' archaeological research (Ahlstrom 1982a, 24-25), but, for reasons given below, seems to hold the key to the attempt to identify ethnic groups in ancient Israel (see also London 1989, 52).
Limiar anaeróbio em natação: comparação entre diferentes protocolos

Os objetivos do presente estudo foram comparar diferentes protocolos lactacidemicos e analisar a validade do menor valor glicemico para a determinacao do limiar anaerobio em natacao. Dez nadadores treinados (19,4 ± 1,6 anos) participaram de quatro a cinco avaliacoes separadas por 48 ou 72 h em piscina de 25 m. A velocidade de maximo estado estavel de lactato (VMEE) foi determinada a partir da resposta lactacidemica a esforcos de 2000 m em intensidade constante, enquanto as velocidades de limiar de lactato (VLL) e menor glicemia (V ; 0,05) de VLL (1,27 ± 0,10 m.s-1) e V<GLIC (1,25 ± 0,09 m.s-1). A lactacidemia relativa a VLM (7,05 ± 2,52 mM) foi significativamente maior (p < 0,05) que aquelas relativas a VMEE (4,41 ± 1,27 mM) e VLL (3,41 ± 1,38 mM). Esses dados sugerem que o teste de lactato minimo superestima o maximo estado estavel e que o menor valor glicemico constitui um bom indicador do limiar anaerobio tambem durante a natacao
Sphingomyelinase Restricts the Lateral Diffusion of CD4 and Inhibits Human Immunodeficiency Virus Fusion

ABSTRACT Previously, we reported that treatment of cells with sphingomyelinase inhibits human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry. Here, we determined by measuring fluorescence recovery after photobleaching that the lateral diffusion of CD4 decreased 4-fold following sphingomyelinase treatment, while the effective diffusion rate of CCR5 remained unchanged. Notably, sphingomyelinase treatment of cells did not influence gp120 binding, HIV-1 attachment, or fluid-phase and receptor-mediated endocytosis. Furthermore, sphingomyelinase treatment did not affect the membrane disposition of the HIV receptor proteins CD4, CXCR4, and CCR5, as determined by Triton X-100 extraction. Restriction of CD4 diffusion by antibody cross-linking also inhibited HIV infection. We therefore interpret the decrease in CD4 lateral mobility following sphingomyelinase treatment in terms of clustering of CD4 molecules. Examination of fusion intermediates indicated that sphingomyelinase treatment inhibited HIV at a step in the fusion process after CD4 engagement. Maximal inhibition of fusion was observed following short coculture times and with target cells that express low levels of CD4. As HIV entry into cells requires the sequential engagement of viral envelope protein with CD4 and coreceptor, we propose that sphingomyelinase inhibits HIV infection by inducing CD4 clustering that prevents coreceptor engagement and HIV fusion.
High gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-7 is associated with early stages of oral cancer.

BACKGROUND In the light of the recently found contribution of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) to oral oncogenesis, the correlation of MMP-7 with risk for oral cancer was investigated. MATERIALS AND METHODS The MMP-7 -181A/G polymorphism in 159 German and Greek patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma and 120 healthy controls of equivalent gender and ethnicity was studied. RESULTS The detected carrier frequency of the high expression G allele was significantly higher in patients compared to controls (74.8% versus 61.7%, p = 0.0257). This significant difference was more pronounced in patients with early stages of cancer and absent in those with advanced stages. A/G heterozygotes have a double relative risk (OR 2.07, 95%, CI 1.17-3.67) of developing early stages of oral cancer than low expression A/A homozygotes. CONCLUSION MMP-7 gene expression is associated with increased risk only for early stages of oral cancer, possibly due to the inhibitory effect of MMP-7 in angiogenesis.
Coping in patients with heart failure

The outcome of patients with chronic heart failure is influenced by the type of coping with chronic heart disease. We employed the COPE questionnaire to identify the mechanisms of coping and analyze the parameters involved. Our results show that heart failure patients use mainly emotion-based coping (acceptance, seeking emotional support, religion). Independent variables that influence the type of coping mechanisms include gender, anxiety, depression and decreased quality of life. Identification of disadaptive mechanisms should become an important step in a complex management program devised by a multidisciplinary team.
IRAK4 kinase activity controls Toll-like receptor–induced inflammation through the transcription factor IRF5 in primary human monocytes

Interleukin-1 receptor–associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) plays a critical role in innate immune signaling by Toll-like receptors (TLRs), and loss of IRAK4 activity in mice and humans increases susceptibility to bacterial infections and causes defects in TLR and IL1 ligand sensing. However, the mechanism by which IRAK4 activity regulates the production of downstream inflammatory cytokines is unclear. Using transcriptomic and biochemical analyses of human monocytes treated with a highly potent and selective inhibitor of IRAK4, we show that IRAK4 kinase activity controls the activation of interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5), a transcription factor implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple autoimmune diseases. Following TLR7/8 stimulation by its agonist R848, chemical inhibition of IRAK4 abolished IRF5 translocation to the nucleus and thus prevented IRF5 binding to and activation of the promoters of inflammatory cytokines in human monocytes. We also found that IKKβ, an upstream IRF5 activator, is phosphorylated in response to the agonist-induced TLR signaling. Of note, IRAK4 inhibition blocked IKKβ phosphorylation but did not block the nuclear translocation of NFκB, which was surprising, given the canonical role of IKKβ in phosphorylating IκB to allow NFκB activation. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of either IKKβ or the serine/threonine protein kinase TAK1 in monocytes blocked TLR-induced cytokine production and IRF5 translocation to the nucleus, but not nuclear translocation of NFκB. Taken together, our data suggest a mechanism by which IRAK4 activity regulates TAK1 and IKKβ activation, leading to the nuclear translocation of IRF5 and induction of inflammatory cytokines in human monocytes.