Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Passiflora incarnata L. Improves Spatial Memory, Reduces Stress, and Affects Neurotransmission in Rats

Passiflora incarnata L. has been used as a medicinal plant in South America and Europe since the 16th century. Previous pharmacological studies focused mainly on the plant's sedative, anxiolytic, and anticonvulsant effects on the central nervous system and its supporting role in the treatment of addiction. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the behavioral and neurochemical effects of long‐term oral administration of P. incarnata. The passionflower extract (30, 100, or 300 mg/kg body weight/day) was given to 4‐week‐old male Wistar rats via their drinking water. Tests were conducted after 7 weeks of treatment. Spatial memory was assessed in a water maze, and the levels of amino acids, monoamines, and their metabolites were evaluated in select brain regions by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We observed reduced anxiety and dose‐dependent improvement of memory in rats given passionflower compared to the control group. In addition, hippocampal glutamic acid and cortical serotonin content were depleted, with increased levels of metabolites and increased turnover. Thus, our results partially confirmed the proposed mechanism of action of P. incarnata involving GABAA receptors. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Impact of Service‐Learning on Cultural Competence

ABSTRACT Service‐learning provides an excellent pedagogy for introducing students to clients of different cultural backgrounds, helping students become aware of the issues these clients face related to culture and health care, and teaching culturally appropriate care. The Transcultural Self‐Efficacy Tool was used to evaluate self‐perceived cultural competence in a convenience sample of 60 baccalaureate nursing students enrolled in a community health nursing course following the completion of service‐learning projects with local and international communities. Pre‐ and posttests were analyzed based on total scores and subscale (cognitive, practical, and affective) scores. A paired‐samples t test compared the mean pretest total score to the mean posttest total score, which demonstrated a significant increase. In addition, paired‐samples t tests demonstrated a significant increase in each subscale.
Association of the T300A non-synonymous variant of the ATG16L1 gene with susceptibility to paediatric Crohn’s disease

The hunt for genetic variants conferring risk to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been ongoing for more than 10 years, with a number of susceptibility genes implicated through various approaches. Earlier this year, through the genotyping of 16 360 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), Hampe et al 1 made an important addition to this repertoire by reporting a highly significant association between Crohn’s disease and the autophagy-related 16-like 1 ( ATG16L1 ) gene. Specifically, a common coding variant, rs2241880 (T300A), was shown to confer a strong risk for the disease, and this association was replicated in the same study in separate cohorts of patients with Crohn’s disease but not with ulcerative colitis. Although these findings are compelling, there are continuing concerns regarding the performance of association studies in complex traits.2 Many errors and biases can blight any individual study, whereas independent replication ensures that the original findings are indeed robust and provide a more accurate estimate of the likely effect size.3,4. Such independent replication efforts are now considered mandatory in the study of complex traits.2 We have an ongoing genome-wide association study of children with Crohn’s disease using the Illumina Infinium II HumanHap500 BeadChip.5,6 The probe for rs2241880 is present on this platform, so we were able to query our current dataset for its association with Crohn’s disease as a single test. All analyses were carried out using the software package “plink” (http://pngu.mgh.harvard.edu/~purcell/plink/index.shtml). In order to avoid potential bias deriving from population stratification, controls were genetically matched to Caucasian patients with Crohn’s disease by clustering of the pairwise identity-by-state distances. Complete linkage agglomerative clustering was …
VLDL lipolysis products increase VLDL fluidity and convert apolipoprotein E4 into a more expanded conformation

Our previous work indicated that apolipoprotein (apo) E4 assumes a more expanded conformation in the postprandial period. The postprandial state is characterized by increased VLDL lipolysis. In this article, we tested the hypothesis that VLDL lipolysis products increase VLDL particle fluidity, which mediates expansion of apoE4 on the VLDL particle. Plasma from healthy subjects was collected before and after a moderately high-fat meal and incubated with nitroxyl-spin labeled apoE. ApoE conformation was examined by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy using targeted spin probes on cysteines introduced in the N-terminal (S76C) and C-terminal (A241C) domains. Further, we synthesized a novel nitroxyl spin-labeled cholesterol analog, which gave insight into lipoprotein particle fluidity. Our data revealed that the order of lipoprotein fluidity was HDL∼LDL<VLDL<VLDL+lipoprotein lipase. Moreover, the conformation of apoE4 depended on the lipoprotein fraction: VLDL-associated apoE4 had a more linear conformation than apoE4 associated with LDL or HDL. Further, by changing VLDL fluidity, VLDL lipolysis products significantly altered apoE4 into a more expanded conformation. Our studies indicate that after every meal, VLDL fluidity is increased causing apoE4 associated with VLDL to assume a more expanded conformation, potentially enhancing the pathogenicity of apoE4 in vascular tissue.
Outcomes of Various Techniques of Abdominal Fascia Closure after TRAM Flap Breast Reconstruction

Background: There is no consensus regarding the optimal technique for closure of the abdominal fascia after transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction. The authors reviewed outcomes with various techniques to identify the optimal one. Methods: The authors reviewed the charts of 81 consecutive patients who underwent TRAM flap breast reconstruction at their institution from 2002 to 2005. Various amounts of anterior rectus sheath fascia were harvested with the TRAM flap. Patients were divided into five groups based on fascia closure technique: (1) human acellular dermal matrix bridging inlay graft, (2) human acellular dermal matrix bridging inlay graft with primary closure of overlying anterior rectus sheath, (3) polypropylene mesh inlay graft, (4) polypropylene mesh inlay graft with primary closure, and (5) primary closure. For comparative analysis, three additional groups were created: all human acellular dermal matrix bridging inlay graft (groups 1 and 2), all mesh (groups 3 and 4), and all inlay (groups 1 and 3). Rates of donor-site complications were compared between groups. Results: Rates of abdominal bulge formation were as follows: overall, 14.8 percent; human acellular dermal matrix bridging inlay graft alone, 31 percent; human acellular dermal matrix bridging inlay graft plus primary closure, 20 percent; mesh alone, 10 percent; mesh plus primary closure, 5 percent; and primary closure alone, 5 percent. Rates of any complication (including bulge) were as follows: overall, 23.5 percent; human acellular dermal matrix bridging inlay graft alone, 42 percent; human acellular dermal matrix plus primary closure, 20 percent; mesh alone, 30 percent; mesh plus primary closure, 10 percent; and primary closure alone, 5 percent. Time to bulge formation was longer for all human acellular dermal matrix versus all mesh (p = 0.021. Time to any complication was longer for all inlay versus primary closure alone (p = 0.048), human acellular dermal matrix alone versus primary closure alone (p = 0.041). Conclusions: For abdominal fascia repair after TRAM flap breast reconstruction, primary closure, when feasible, is preferable to an inlay graft; polypropylene mesh is preferable to human acellular dermal matrix if an inlay graft is required; adding primary closure to a mesh or human acellular dermal matrix inlay graft reduces bulge formation and other complications; and bulge occurs later with human acellular dermal matrix than with synthetic mesh.
Evaluation in Text: Authorial Stance and the Construction of Discourse

"Evaluation" is the expression in discourse of what a writer or speaker thinks and feels. It is often discussed under the heading of "stance" or "the interpersonal". In this book, writers coming from different standpoints are brought together, providing a profile of the topic from several perspectives. These perpectives include: systemic linguistics; narrative; corpus linguistics; and discourse analysis. This book is intended for advanced level undergraduates, postgraduates, and researchers in discourse analysis. More specifically, those studying and working on evaluation, stance, and attitudinal or interpersonal language.
[ARTIGO RETRATADO] Qualidade de vida de cuidadores de idosos vinculados ao Programa Saúde da Família - Teixeiras, MG

O estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a associacao entre a percepcao subjetiva da qualidade de vida dos cuidadores domiciliares de idosos vinculados ao Programa Saude da Familia (PSF) e as caracteristicas sociodemograficas e de saude, grau de sobrecarga percebida e grau de independencia funcional do idoso. Foram entrevistados 66 cuidadores, de agosto a dezembro de 2008, utilizando os instrumentos WHOQOL-bref; Zarit Burden Interview e a Medida de Independencia Funcional para os idosos. Houve o predominio de mulheres cuidadoras, donas de casa e em media com 50,5 anos. A media da medida de independencia funcional foi 57,82, classificando a amostra de idosos em dependencia modificada. A escala Zarit correlacionou-se negativamente A todos os dominios do WHOQOL-bref. As variaveis independentes estatisticamente relacionadas a qualidade de vida geral, no modelo multiplo, foram: a escala de sobrecarga, a presenca de companheiro e a presenca de doenca no cuidador, considerando, em especial, o fato de que o baixo nivel de escolaridade e de renda pode afetar a forma como o cuidado e realizado. (AU)
Lipid profile and metabolic syndrome status in patients with oral lichen planus, oral lichenoid reaction and healthy individuals attending a dental college in northern India - a descriptive study.

BACKGROUND Chronic inflammation causes disturbances in the lipid metabolism. When this dyslipidemia becomes prolonged it increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Recent literature reveals similar dyslipidemia in patients with lichen planus. However, the results were not compared with lichenoid reactions. OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to profile the lipid levels and metabolic syndrome status in patients with oral lichen planus (OLP), oral lichenoid reactions (OLR) and healthy individuals in order to evaluate their respective cardiovascular risk. MATERIALS AND METHODS This case-control descriptive study included 32 adults from the OPD visiting the Department of Oral Medicine, 18 with either oral lichen planus or oral lichenoid reactions and 14 age and sex matched healthy controls. Ethical clearance and informed consent were obtained. Their lipid levels, body mass index and metabolic syndrome status were evaluated. Statistical analyses were performed with the SPSS version 16.0 software.P≥0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS The key findings of this study were a) increased levels of S.cholesterol and LDL-C in OLP and OLR patients when compared to normal healthy individuals b) significantly higher S.triglyceride and VLDL in OLP when compared to OLR and c) lower HDL-C levels in OLP when compared to OLR. 2(18%) patients with OLP and 3(50%) with OLR were found to have high BMI suggestive of obesity whereas none of the normal individuals were obese. CONCLUSION There may be an association between chronic inflammation and dyslipidemia that increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. OLP and OLR patients have increased serum cholesterol and LDL-C when compared to normal adults. Further research on lipid levels in OLR are required to establish the findings of this study.
Thyroid cancer mortality and incidence: A global overview

In most areas of the world, thyroid cancer incidence has been appreciably increasing over the last few decades, whereas mortality has steadily declined. We updated global trends in thyroid cancer mortality and incidence using official mortality data from the World Health Organization (1970–2012) and incidence data from the Cancer Incidence in Five Continents (1960–2007). Male mortality declined in all the major countries considered, with annual percent changes around −2/−3% over the last decades. Only in the United States mortality declined up to the mid 1980s and increased thereafter. Similarly, in women mortality declined in most countries considered, with APCs around −2/−5% over the last decades, with the exception of the UK, the United States and Australia, where mortality has been declining up to the late 1980s/late 1990s to level off (or increase) thereafter. In 2008–2012, most countries had mortality rates (age‐standardized, world population) between 0.20 and 0.40/100,000 men and 0.20 and 0.60/100,000 women, the highest rates being in Latvia, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova and Israel (over 0.40/100,000) for men and in Ecuador, Colombia and Israel (over 0.60/100,000) for women. In most countries, a steady increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer (mainly papillary carcinomas) was observed in both sexes. The declines in thyroid cancer mortality reflect both variations in risk factor exposure and changes in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, while the increases in the incidence are likely due to the increase in the detection of this neoplasm over the last few decades.
Entitlement Attitudes Predict Students' Poor Performance in Challenging Academic Conditions.

Excessive entitlement – an exaggerated or unrealistic belief about what one deserves – has been associated with a variety of maladaptive behaviors, including a decline in motivation and effort. In the context of tertiary education, we reasoned that if students expend less effort to obtain positive outcomes to which they feel entitled, this should have negative implications for academic performance. We tested this hypothesis in a naturalistic experiment in a large course, in which students’ self-reported entitlement attitudes (measured at the beginning of the semester), the idiosyncratic difficulty of the class, and several other individual difference variables associated with academic achievement (personal responsibility, frustration intolerance, and locus of control) were used to predict final exam performance. As expected, greater entitlement was associated with poorer final exam marks, particularly among students for whom the class was objectively challenging. Although no other personality variable qualified the interaction, the extent to which students accepted responsibility for their performance mediated the main effect of entitlement, while external locus of control independently predicted poor exam performance.
Is there a case for differential treatment of young men and women?

The Medical Journal of Australia ISSN: 0025-729X 16 October 2006 185 8 454-455©The Medical Journal of Australia 2006www.mja. com.auHealth Policy — Viewpointur current research examining young men aged 15–44years presents worrying epidemiological evidence — apicture of men dying prematurely of conditions such asischaemic heart disease and cancer, at a time when screening andtreatment for many of these diseases has improved (Box).
Automotive Ride Comfort Control Using MR Fluid Damper

In this paper, the performance of automotive ride comfort using Bouc-Wen type magneto-rheological (MR) fluid damper is studied using a two degree of freedom quarter car model. The sliding mode control is used to force the MR damper to follow the dynamics of ideal sky-hock model. The model is tested on two excitations, the first is a road hump with severe peak amplitude and the second is a statistical random road. The results are generated and presented in time and frequency domains using Matlab/Simulink software. Comparison with the fully active, ideal semi-active and conventional passive suspension systems are given as a root mean square values. Simulation results, for the designed controller, show that with the controllable MR damper has a significant improvement for the vehicle road holding then its lateral stability as well as road damage in comparison with passive, fully active and ideal semi-active suspension systems.
Relating Benefits from Using IS to an Organization’s Operating Characteristics: Interpreting Results from Two Countries

Abstract: To obtain the greatest benefit from its information system, an organization must determine which applications will provide the most benefit to organizational performance. This study reviews data collected from 310 manufacturing firms in Israel and 197 such firms in the U.S. For each firm, data were obtained about the benefits derived from using information systems, as perceived by a senior manager, and the organization’s operating characteristics. Data were pooled across both countries. No meaningful relationship was found between the benefit a firm derives from its overall information systems application portfolio and its organizational operating characteristics. However, for two individual applications, the benefit derived is linked significantly to the organization’s operating characteristics. Thus the model relating benefits from information systems to the organization’s operating environment, first demonstrated by data collected in Israel, is confirmed by the data collected in the U.S. The model applies across both countries, even though there may be differences between the two countries, for example, in culture, size of businesses, and relationship with customers and suppliers.
Can Findings from Postal Questionnaires be Combined with Interview Results to Improve the Response Rate among Ethnic Minority Populations?

Study Objective. To maximise the response rate in a community survey among ethnic minorities by combining postal questionnaires and interviews and to evaluate the validity of combining results from these different methods. Design. A cross-sectional community survey of a local population using postal questionnaires with interview questionnaires for non-respondents. Postal questionnaires were in English and interview questionnaires were prepared in South Asian languages. A sub-sample completed both postal and interview questionnaires. Setting. Two general practices in Tameside, Greater Manchester, UK. Participants. Questionnaires were mailed to 1,267 people. People were included if they defined their ethnicity as Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi or a combination of these. Fifty-five people who returned postal questionnaires were also interviewed. Main Results. Overall response rate was 75%. Comparison of questionnaire and interview responses produced values of kappa ranging from marginally below zero to one. Equivalence was greater with a shorter time between postal completion and interview and where questions were more objective. Conclusions. It is possible to achieve a good response rate for an epidemiological study among ethnic minorities by using both postal questionnaires and interviews. Care should be taken when results from these two methods are combined, since equivalence is uncertain.
Cross‐signaling among phosphinositide‐3 kinase, mitogen‐activated protein kinase and sonic hedgehog pathways exists in esophageal cancer

The hedgehog (Hh) signaling pathway is essential for the development of tissues and organs. Hyperactive Hh signaling has been implicated in many gastric cancers, including esophageal cancer. However, the interaction between the Hh pathway and other potential signaling pathways in primary esophageal tumorigenesis has not been well investigated. In our study, we found that esophageal cancer cells expressed Hh signaling molecules and that the hyperexpression of Hh target genes was related to protein kinase B (AKT) activation but not extracellular signal‐regulated kinase activation. We analyzed the relationship between Gli1 or p‐AKT expression and clinicopathological features in esophageal carcinoma samples and found that Gli1 expression was associated with lymph vessel invasion (p = 0.016), blood vessel invasion (p = 0.006) and a poor prognosis (p = 0.003), and p‐AKT expression was associated with blood vessel invasion (p = 0.031) and a poor prognosis (p = 0.031). We also studied the relationship between Hh and phosphinositide‐3 kinase (PI3K)/AKT or mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in both TE‐1 and TE‐10 cell lines. We found that the PI3K/AKT pathway played a critical role in Hh signaling after stimulation with epidermal growth factor, Gβγ and N‐Shh. Conversely, PI3K/AKT and MAPK signaling cooperated with the Shh pathway to promote esophageal cancer cell survival and proliferation. The results from esophageal cancer cells shed light on the significance of Hh signaling in esophageal tumor formation and the crosstalk of the Hh pathway with other basic signaling pathways, which is consistent with that observed in human tumor samples.
On monodromy representation of period integrals associated to an algebraic curve with bi-degree (2,2)

Abstract We study a problem related to Kontsevich's homological mirror symmetry conjecture for the case of a generic curve Y with bi-degree (2,2) in a product of projective lines ℙ1 × ℙ1. We calculate two differenent monodromy representations of period integrals for the affine variety X(2,2) obtained by the dual polyhedron mirror variety construction from Y. The first method that gives a full representation of the fundamental group of the complement to singular loci relies on the generalised Picard-Lefschetz theorem. The second method uses the analytic continuation of the Mellin-Barnes integrals that gives us a proper subgroup of the monodromy group. It turns out both representations admit a Hermitian quadratic invariant form that is given by a Gram matrix of a split generator of the derived category of coherent sheaves on on Y with respect to the Euler form.
Bilingual Methods for Adaptive Training Data Selection for Machine Translation

In this paper, we propose a new data selection method which uses semi-supervised convolutional neural networks based on bitokens (Bi-SSCNNs) for training machine translation systems from a large bilingual corpus. In earlier work, we devised a data selection method based on semi-supervised convolutional neural networks (SSCNNs). The new method, Bi-SSCNN, is based on bitokens, which use bilingual information. When the new methods are tested on two translation tasks (Chinese-to-English and Arabic-to-English), they significantly outperform the other three data selection methods in the experiments. We also show that the BiSSCNN method is much more effective than other methods in preventing noisy sentence pairs from being chosen for training. More interestingly, this method only needs a tiny amount of in-domain data to train the selection model, which makes fine-grained topic-dependent translation adaptation possible. In the follow-up experiments, we find that neural machine translation (NMT) is more sensitive to noisy data than statistical machine translation (SMT). Therefore, Bi-SSCNN which can effectively screen out noisy sentence pairs, can benefit NMT much more than SMT.We observed a BLEU improvement over 3 points on an English-to-French WMT task when Bi-SSCNNs were used.