Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An ordered pathway for the assembly of fungal ESCRT-containing ambient pH signalling complexes at the plasma membrane

The fungal pal/RIM signalling pathway, which regulates gene expression in response to environmental pH involves, in addition to dedicated proteins, several components of ESCRT complexes, which suggested that pH signalling proteins assemble on endosomal platforms. In Aspergillus nidulans, dedicated Pal proteins include the plasma membrane receptor PalH and its coupled arrestin, PalF, which becomes ubiquitylated in alkaline pH conditions, and three potentially endosomal ESCRT-III associates, including Vps32 interactors PalA and PalC and Vps24 interactor calpain-like PalB. We studied the subcellular locations at which signalling takes place after activating the pathway by shifting ambient pH to alkalinity. Rather than localising to endosomes, Vps32 interactors PalA and PalC transiently colocalise at alkaline-pH-induced cortical structures in a PalH-, Vps23- and Vps32-dependent but Vps27-independent manner. These cortical structures are much more stable when Vps4 is deficient, indicating that their half-life depends on ESCRT-III disassembly. Pull-down studies revealed that Vps23 interacts strongly with PalF, but co-immunoprecipitates exclusively with ubiquitylated PalF forms from extracts. We demonstrate that Vps23–GFP, expressed at physiological levels, is also recruited to cortical structures, very conspicuous in vps27Δ cells in which the prominent signal of Vps23–GFP on endosomes is eliminated, in a PalF- and alkaline pH-dependent manner. Dual-channel epifluorescence microscopy showed that PalC arrives at cortical complexes before PalA. As PalC recruitment is PalA independent and PalA recruitment is PalC dependent but PalB independent, these data complete the participation order of Pal proteins in the pathway and strongly support a model in which pH signalling takes place in ESCRT-containing, plasma-membrane-associated, rather than endosome-associated, complexes.
The Effects of Neurofeedback Training on Concentration in Children with Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder

This study investigated the effects of neurofeedback training on concentration in children with attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A single-subject ABA' experimental design was used to determine the effects of neurofeedback training. The participants of the study were three boys with ADHD. In the intervention phase after the baseline assessment, participant 1 and 3 trained neurofeedback for twelve sessions, and participant 2 trained ten times. The EEG was recorded during each session and was analyzed for relative power spectrum by beta/theta ratio. The concentration behaviors were measured on a 10-second interval scale during 15 minutes. The concentration was assessed using Auditory Continuous Performance Test (ACPT), and the ADHD symptoms were assessed by the Conners Teacher Rating Scale-Revised (CTRS-R) in pre and posttest. The data were visually analyzed using graphs and descriptive statistical analysis. The results of the study suggest that, after the neurofeedback training sessions, the participants showed a significant increase in their concentration behaviors. The scores of ACPT and CRTS-R were improved as well. However, no significant EEG change was observed, and no correlation of EEG with concentration behaviors was established.
Established and emerging vascular risk factors and the development of aortic stenosis: an opportunity for prevention?

Background: Aortic stenosis (AS) is the commonest valvular heart disease in the developed world. It is becoming increasingly accepted that the pathogenesis of AS and of its preceding abnormalities, aortic valve sclerosis (AVS) and aortic valve calcification (AVC), shares many characteristics with the atherosclerotic process. Objective: To assess the contribution of established and emerging vascular risk factors in the development of AS and to evaluate the potential of pharmacological intervention to modify the natural history of AS. Methods: We reviewed the epidemiological data that link AS and atherosclerosis and studies of vasculoprotective agents in patients with AS. Results/conclusions: AS, AVS and AVC share many common risk factors with atherosclerosis and are possible markers of preclinical vascular disease. Statins appear to delay the progression of AS. However, more studies are needed before introducing such pharmacologic treatment for AS. The future may point towards targeted prevention of AS.
Follow-up of a pair of renal transplant recipients from a donor with a malignant lymphoma.

Transmission of cancer from donor organs is a well recognized phenomenon. Despite the exclusion of patients with a malignancy and extensive screening of potential cadaveric donors, sporadic cases of donortransmitted malignancy continue to be reported. The consensus amongst most clinicians upon diagnosing an occult malignancy in a donor would be to withdraw immunosuppression and explant the graft. We report the outcome of two cadaveric renal transplant recipients when it transpired on subsequent autopsy that the donor had an occult malignant lymphoma.
The substantivity of a number of oral hygiene products determined by the duration of effects on salivary bacteria.

The persistence of action, or substantivity, of antimicrobial agents in the mouth appears to be a major variable influencing plaque inhibition. Such substantivity can be assessed by measuring the duration and magnitude of suppression of salivary bacterial numbers produced by antimicrobial agents. Although this has been determined for some agents, there is little information on the substantivity of the numerous products which contain these and other antimicrobial agents. This study was commissioned on the basis that efficacy cannot be assumed merely because a product contains a known active agent. Nine formulations or products were chosen: 2 rinses containing chlorhexidine or C31G, 4 rinses containing cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) (with and without fluoride and/or alcohol), a minus-CPC control rinse, and 2 toothpastes with and without stannous fluoride. Additionally, water was used as a placebo control. Twenty health dentate volunteers took part in this blind, 10 cell randomized, single rinse, cross-over study, which was balanced for carryover. Mouthrinses were 15 ml volumes and toothpastes 3 gm in 10 ml water slurries rinsed for 60 seconds. On the day of each study volunteers suspended oral hygiene habits and at approximately 9:00 a.m. rinsed with the allocated formulation. Unstimulated saliva samples were obtained immediately before and 30, 60, 180, 300, and 420 minutes after rinsing. The samples were immediately processed for total anaerobic bacterial counts. All rinses except water and the minus CPC control rinse produced significant falls in counts to 30 minutes. Of more relevance in this inter-treatment comparison-designed study, the C31G rinse showed significant substantivity compared to water only for 60 minutes. C31G was highly significantly less substantive than chlorhexidine from 30 minutes to 420 minutes. The CPC rinses were similar and significantly more substantive than their control rinse to between 180 and 300 minutes. The stannous fluoride and control pastes were similarly substantive to 300 minutes, with the stannous fluoride paste remaining substantive compared to water to 430 minutes. Based on antimicrobial action these formulations varied considerably in substantivity and this is likely to reflect their comparative plaque inhibitory properties.
Comparison of SPIO and USPIO for in vitro labeling of human monocytes: MR detection and cell function.

PURPOSE To label human monocytes with superparamagnetic iron oxide (SPIO) and compare labeling efficiency with that of ultrasmall SPIO (USPIO) and evaluate the effect of iron incorporation on cell viability, migratory capacity, and proinflammatory cytokine production. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was approved by the institutional ethics committee; informed consent was obtained from donors. Freshly isolated human monocytes were labeled with iron particles of two sizes, USPIOs of 30 nm and SPIOs of 150 nm, for 1.5 hours in culture medium containing 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 3.7 mg of iron per milliliter. Labeling efficiency was determined with relaxation time magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (4.7 T) and Prussian blue staining for presence of intracellular iron. Cell viability was monitored; migratory capacity of monocytes after labeling was evaluated by using an in vitro assay with monolayers of brain endothelial cells. Levels of proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin (IL) 1 and IL-6, were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay 24 hours after labeling. Data were analyzed with Student t test or two-way analysis of variance followed by a multiple-comparison procedure. RESULTS R2 relaxation rates increased for cell samples incubated with SPIOs, whereas rates were not affected for samples incubated with highest concentration of USPIOs. Labeling monocytes with SPIOs (1.0 mg Fe/mL) resulted in an R2 of 13.1 sec(-1) +/- 0.8 (standard error of the mean) (7 sec(-1) +/- 0.2 for vehicle-treated cells, P < . 05) and had no effect on cell viability. On the basis of T2 relaxation times, the in vitro MR detection limit of 58 labeled monocytes per 0.05 microL was calculated. Migration of labeled monocytes was not different from that of vehicle-treated cells. Intracellular iron had no effect on production of IL-1 and IL-6 24 hours after labeling. CONCLUSION In vitro labeling of human monocytes is effective by using SPIOs, not USPIOs. Incubation with SPIOs (1.0 mg Fe/mL) results in efficient labeling detectable on MR images and does not affect cellular viability and activation markers such as cell migration and cytokine production.
Freshwater ciliates as ecophysiological model organisms - lessons from Daphnia, major achievements, and future perspectives

Similar to Daphnia, many planktonic ciliates are algivores that occur in vir- tually every natural lake and reproduce primarily asexually. Due to their larger popula- tion size and shorter generation time, their significance as algal consumers and second- ary producers may exceed that of Daphnia during algal blooms and when averaged over the season. The high reproduction rate, the ease of culturing, the accessibility to experimental manipulation, and the potential to apply sophisticated measuring techni- ques such as flow cytometry render some ciliate species ideal candidates for ecophy- siological laboratory experiments. This paper summarizes recent research in which ciliates have been used as model organisms for investigating the effect of environ- mental key parameters on planktonic organisms. Special attention is given to the (com- bined) effect of temperature, food, pH and predators. Niche partitioning has been stud- ied at the level of genus, species and clone. Open questions and emerging perspectives of ciliate research for issues of general ecological relevance will be discussed at the end of each section.
Predictors of Cell Phone Use in Distracted Driving: Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract This study examines the predictors of six distracted driving behaviors, and the survey data partially support Ajzen’s (1991) Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The data suggest that the attitude variable predicted intention to engage in all six distracted driving behaviors (reading and sending text messages, making and answering cell phone calls, reading/viewing social media, and posting on social media while driving). Extending the model to include past experience and the variable perceived safety of technology yielded an improvement in the prediction of the distraction variables. Specifically, past experience predicted all six distracted driving behaviors, and the variable perceived safety of technology predicted intentions to read/view social media and intention to post on social media while driving. The study provides evidence for the importance of incorporating expanded variables into the original TPB model to predict cell phone use behaviors while driving, and it suggests that it is essential to tailor campaign materials for each specific cell phone use behavior to reduce distracted driving.
Implications of tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) in head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) represent the most common malignancies of the upper aerodigestive tract. Expression of tropomyosin-related kinase B (TrkB) was found to be essential to prevent anoikis in rat intestinal epithelial cells allowing for survival of cells outside the epithelial cell layer and subsequent metastatic spread. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential role of TrkB in HNSCC disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis of TrkB expression were performed under standard conditions. Immunohistochemistry was performed with the Avidin Biotin Complex method, whereas immunocytochemistry was performed by fluorescence staining. Tumor cell invasiveness was measured by an in vitro invasion assay. RESULTS A variable but consistent expression of TrkB could be observed in HNSCC tissues and cell lines, whereas no significant expression was seen in the healthy control tissue (soft palate). Immunohisto- and cytochemical staining further demonstrated pronounced TrkB expression in HNSCC tumor cells. However, the invasive properties of TrkB-expressing HNSCC cells were not significantly altered after treatment with 10 or 100 ng/ml brain-derived neurotrophic factor, the natural ligand of TrkB. CONCLUSION The presented data implicates to a great extent that TrkB plays a significant role in HNSCC disease since it was consistently found to be overexpressed in cells of this tumor entity. We conclude that the role of this receptor tyrosine kinase is rather the prevention of anoikis, as demonstrated earlier, and less the modulation of HNSCC invasiveness, since invasion was not affected after receptor stimulation. Further studies should investigate possible inhibitors of TrkB and their suitability for the treatment of head and neck cancer.
A mixed effects Markov model for repeated binary outcomes with non‐ignorable dropout

In many areas of research, repeated binary measures often represent a two‐state stochastic process, where individuals can transition among two states. In a behavioural or physical disability setting, individuals can flow from susceptible or subthreshold state, to an infectious or symptomatic state, and back to a subthreshold state. Quite often the transition among the states happens in continuous time but is observed at discrete, irregularly spaced timepoints which may be unique to each individual. Methods for analyses of such data are typically based on the Markov assumption. Cook (Biometrics 1999; 55:915–920) introduced a conditional Markov model that accommodates the subject‐to‐subject variation in the model parameters with random effects. We extend this model by adding a non‐ignorable dropout component to the model. Specification of the distribution of the random effects is made to guarantee a closed form expression of the marginal likelihood. This methodology is illustrated by applications to a data set from a parasitic field infection survey, a data set from a cocaine treatment study, and a data set from an aging study. Simulations suggest that the shared parameter model is robust with respect to at least one alternative non‐ignorable model. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Segmentation based Automated System for Brain Tumor Detection

The functionality of brain can be disrupted by brain tumor, which is an abnormal growth of tissue in brain or central spine. Due to undefined size, shape and location, detection of brain tumor from MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is a challenging and difficult task. Previous tumor segmentation methods were generally based on intensity enhancement techniques on T1-weighted image, which was appeared with gadolinium contrast agent on strictly uniform intensity patterns. This paper presents a new method based on Thresholding along with morphological image analysis techniques to detect brain tumor from MRI image. The image was first converted to grayscale and then noises were removed by applying different filtering techniques. The grayscale image was then converted to binary image adding 0.3 with the Otsu's threshold value to perfectly segment the tumor region. Afterwards, morphological operations were performed to detect the tumor that contains the brightest part of the MRI. The method suggested for detection was tested over 72 FLAIR images of 72 patients taken from BRATS Brain Tumor database, out of which the proposed algorithm was able to detect tumor from 61 images successfully. Experimental result showed an accuracy rate of 84.72% in detecting 61 patients Brain Tumor which is very much promising compares to other existing method. General Terms Image Segmentation, Medical Image Analysis, Digital Image Processing.
Incidental Cystotomy at the Time of a Hysterectomy

Objectives: To evaluate risk factors for incidental cystotomy at the time of a hysterectomy. Methods: All hysterectomies performed between January 1, 2000 and May 31, 2004 were reviewed. Demographic and operative data were abstracted from medical records. Cases were patients with cystotomies while controls were those without bladder injury. Categorical variables were analyzed with the χ2 or Fisher exact test (where applicable) while the Student t test was used for continuous data. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis. Results: During the study period, 1424 hysterectomies were performed (50% abdominally, 45% vaginally, and 5% laparoscopically assisted vaginal). Thirty-four (2.4%) cystotomies occurred. Risk factors for incidental cystotomy included prior cesarean delivery (adjusted OR: 2.86, 95% CI: 1.39–5.92), pelvic adhesions (adjusted OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.11–5.31), and vaginal hysterectomy (adjusted OR: 2.63, 95% CI: 1.18–5.87). Conclusions: Prior cesarean delivery, pelvic adhesive disease, and vaginal hysterectomy are independent risk factors for incidental cystotomy at the time of a hysterectomy.
DNA polymerase activities in growing cells infected with simian virus 40

Growing CV1 cells were infected with simian virus 40 (SV40), and the levels of DNA polymerases-alpha, -beta, and -gamma were analyzed in the cytoplasm, nuclear Triton wash, and nucleus. In the cytoplasmic fraction, the amount of alpha-, beta-, or gamma-polymerase remained unaltered after SV40 infection. The activity of DNA polymerase-alpha increased five- to sixfold in the nuclear Triton wash and threefold in the nuclei and then remained enhanced only inside the nuclei. That of DNA polymerases-beta and gamma increased mostly in the nuclei after infection. These results suggest that DNA polymerase-alpha could be the major enzyme involved in SV40 DNA replication.
The impact of anti-tobacco industry prevention messages in tobacco producing regions: evidence from the US truth® campaign

Background: Adolescents who live in tobacco producing regions may not respond favourably to anti-industry ads. Objective: To examine whether state level involvement in tobacco production appears to limit the effectiveness of anti-industry ads to prevent tobacco use among adolescents in the USA. Design: Time trend analyses were done using repeated cross sectional data from six waves of the Legacy Media Tracking Survey, which were collected between 1999 and 2003. Setting and participants: 28 307 adolescents, ages 12–17 years, were classified as living in: tobacco producing states (TPS) (n = 1929); non-tobacco producing states (non-TPS) with low tobacco control funding comparable to TPS (n = 5323); non-TPS with relatively high funding (n = 15 076); and non-TPS with established anti-industry ad campaigns (n = 5979). Main outcome measures: Reactions to anti-industry ads; strength of anti-industry attitudes/beliefs; changes in anti-industry attitudes/beliefs over time. Results: Ad reactions did not differ by state type. Multivariate adjusted time trend analyses indicated significant, comparable increases in anti-industry attitudes/beliefs since the onset of the truth® campaign, in both TPS and non-TPS. Mediation analyses indicated that these increases were due, in part, to campaign exposure. Conclusions: Adolescents who live in tobacco producing regions appear to be as responsive to anti-industry ads as their counterparts in non-tobacco producing regions. This study provides further evidence for the effectiveness of such ads.
Homoerotic sensibilities in late imperial China

1. Introduction 2. Historical Origins of Qing Male Homoerotic Sensibilities 3. Class and Taste: The Literati as the Primary Location of Homosexual Sensibilities 4. Male-Romance in Vogue: From Qianlong to Tongzhi, 1736-1874 5. The Commericalisation of Male Love: The World of Boy-Actors 6. Conclusion Bibliographies Glossary Index
The development of resilience - a model

1 Chapter 1 – Introduction 2 1.1 The history of the construct 3 Chapter 2 – Literature Review 7 2.1 Resilience from the child development perspective 7 The defining of resilience 7 Theoretical models 11 Current status of child development research on resilience 13 Summary of child development research 21 2.2 Resilience and personality theory 22 The model of ego resiliency 23 Vaillant’s defense mechanisms 27 Optimism 29 Sense of coherence model 31 Hardiness 34 Summary of personality models and resilience 36 2.3 Biological factors and resilience 36 Temperament and resilient functioning 37 Environmental impact, brain development and resilience 39 Emotional / self regulation and resilience 41 The impact of stress and trauma on brain function 44 General cognitive processing and coping 45 Summary of biological factors and resilience 46 2.4 Resilience and positive psychology 46 Personal control 47 Self efficacy 49 Flow theory 51 The broaden and build theory of positive emotions 55 Coping and positive emotion 57 Summary of positive psychology models and resilience 59 2.5 Trauma, recovery and post traumatic growth 59 Recovery and resilience 60 Post traumatic growth and resilience 61 Transactional models 62 Physiological models 63 Self transformation and the finding of meaning 65 Summary of recovery, post traumatic growth and resilience 67 Chapter 3 – The Study 68 3.1 The nature of the problem 68 The research question 70 3.2 The theoretical framework 71 Contextual definitions 71 The paradigms of science 72 Differences in qualitative and quantitative methods 74 Quality and qualitative methods 75 How to proceed with quality control 77 Triangulation 78 The chosen theoretical framework 79 The chosen methodology 80 3.3 The research design 82 Bracketing 82 The sample 84 The data collection process – interviews 85 The data collection process – note taking 87 The data management 87 3.4 Research results 89 Thematic analysis 89 Consistent themes 89 Dominant themes 96 Intermittent themes 102 Gender differences 105 Pathways to resilience 106 A note on qualitative differences 108 Chapter 4 – A model of resilience 113 4.