Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The influence of alcohol on L 1 vs . L 2 pronunciation

In this study, we investigated the influence of alcohol intake on pronunciation in both a native and a non-native language. At a Dutch music festival, we recorded the speech of 87 participants in Dutch (native language) and English (non-native language) when reading a few sentences in both languages. The recorded audio samples were judged by 108 sober native Dutch speakers in a perception experiment at the same festival. Participants were asked to judge how clear the Dutch pronunciations of a random selection of speakers were and how native-like the English pronunciations were. The results, analysed using generalized additive modelling (which is able to identify non-linear relationships), indicated a small linear negative relationship between alcohol intake and clarity of Dutch speech. For English there was no effect of alcohol intake on the native-likeness of the English pronunciations.
Recovery of Renal Function and the Discontinuation of Dialysis in Patients Treated with Continuous Peritoneal Dialysis

Objective Previous studies have shown that patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) treated with continuous peritoneal dialysis (CPD) have better preservation of endogenous renal function than patients treated with hemodialysis (HD). We wondered if this better preservation of endogenous renal function seen with CPD patients translates into the improved likelihood of recovery of endogenous renal function in those patients with potentially reversible causes of renal failure. Methods To evaluate this question, we reviewed the records of all 1200 patients that completed CPD training at a large, freestanding peritoneal dialysis center in New Haven, Connecticut, between 1979 and 1999, and the records of all patients completing CPD training in New England between 1993 and 1998. In New Haven, about half the new patients with ESRD were started on CPD compared to only 15% in New England. We then compared the chances of recovery of renal function in these two cohorts of CPD patients to the chances of recovery of renal function in two groups of HD patients. The first group consisted of all patients that started on HD in New England between 1993 and 1998. The second group consisted of all patients that started HD in our HD unit in New Haven, Connecticut, between 1993 and 1999. The data on the New England patients were provided by the ESRD Network of New England. All patients entered into the present study had to have been on dialysis for a minimum of 3 months, as in the United States Renal Data System database, and had to have recovered sufficient renal function to be able to be maintained off dialysis for a minimum of 30 days. Results 29 of 1200 CPD patients (2.4%) trained in New Haven recovered sufficient renal function to permit the discontinuation of dialysis for a minimum of 30 days. In comparison, only 305 of 19 032 patients (1.6%) managed with HD in New England (p < 0.05 compared to New Haven CPD patients) and 3 of 430 patients (0.7%) in our HD center (p < 0.05 compared to New Haven CPD patients) recovered sufficient glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to allow the discontinuation of dialysis for at least 30 days. If only those CPD patients that initiated dialysis between 1993 and 1999 in New Haven were analyzed, 15 of 369 (4.1%) recovered sufficient GFR to allow discontinuation of dialysis for at least 30 days (p < 0.025 compared to both groups of HD patients). Of the 2924 patients completing CPD training in New England, 60 (2.1%) recovered renal function; this percentage is not significantly different from the percent of HD patients in New England recovering renal function. Conclusion Although the present study is a retrospective study and the actual criteria for selection of CPD and HD therapy are not controlled for, the data raise the question of whether there may be a therapeutic advantage to treating newly diagnosed ESRD patients, that have a potentially reversible cause of renal failure, with CPD.
Optimized design of hot air pipe in greenhouse based on CFD technique

The greenhouse environment with Forced-air heating system affected by diameter of hot air pipe (HAP), shape, arrangement, number of exhaust outlet in pipe were simulated by computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. The standard k-ε turbulence model, and the Non-gray DO model of radiation model were applied. The numerical solution was made by use of a finite volume discretisation code with the pressure implicit with splitting of operators (PISO) algorithm. Compared with CFD simulation results of 8 cases, the HAP parameters are chosen in the experimental greenhouse, which is a 300mm diameter, circle profile exhaust outlet and 12 exhaust outlets of interlaced arrangement. According to the air pressure distribution in the HAP, the structure is optimized by adjusting the distance of exhaust outlet, which value is used by 1.05. The simulation and experimental results of heating environment in greenhouse show that heating effect of optimized structure is better than the results of other cases.
Supervised multimodal fusion and its application in searching joint neuromarkers of working memory deficits in schizophrenia

Multimodal fusion is an effective approach to better understand brain disease. To date, most current fusion approaches are unsupervised; there is need for a multivariate method that can adopt prior information to guide multimodal fusion. Here we proposed a novel supervised fusion model, called “MCCAR+jICA”, which enables both identification of multimodal co-alterations and linking the covarying brain regions with a specific reference signal, e.g., cognitive scores. The proposed method has been validated on both simulated and real human brain data. Features from 3 modalities (fMRI, sMRI, dMRI) obtained from 147 schizophrenia patients and 147 age-matched healthy controls were included as fusion input, who participated in the Function Biomedical Informatics Research Network (FBIRN) Phase III study. Our aim was to investigate the group co-alterations seen in three types of MRI data that are also correlated with working memory performance. One joint IC was found both significantly group-discriminating (p=7.4E-06, 0.001, 7.0E-09) and highly correlated with working memory scores(r=0.296, 0.241, 0.301) and PANSS negative scores (r=-0.229, -0.276, -0.240) for fMRI, dMRI and sMRI, respectively. Given the simulation and FBIRN results, MCCAR+jICA is shown to be an effective multivariate approach to extract accurate and stable multimodal components associated with a particular measure of interest, and promises a wide application in identifying potential neuromarkers for mental disorders.
Effect of Thermal Treatment on Meat Proteins with Special Reference to Heterocyclic Aromatic Amines (HAAs)

Meat is one of the most imperative protein sources available with respect to its production and consumption. It is the richest source of some valuable nutrients like proteins, essential amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals like iron, zinc, and selenium. Thermal treatment produces conformational changes in protein structure as well as flavor, texture, and appearance, and chemical properties of the ingredients are also changed. Heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs), potent mutagens/carcinogens, are formed during the cooking of meat at high temperature. The review paper highlights the effects of various cooking methods, i.e., pan-frying, deep-frying, charcoal grilling, and roasting, on the formation of HAAs. The levels of HAAs produced in cooked meats vary depending upon the cooking method, time of cooking, and the type of meat being cooked. Metabolic behavior of HAAs is very unique, they interfere in the activity of many enzymes, modify the metabolic pathways, and lead to the adduct formation of DNA. The application of black pepper and several other spices during processing may reduce the formation of these (HAAs) mutagenic compounds.
Why write about action research ?

The conduct of action research, unlike other models of research, is more to do with achieving principled change than in producing and publishing knowledge, as Kurt Lewin said in support of action research “research that produces nothing but books will not suffice” (Lewin, 1946: 35). However whilst writing and publication might be a subordinate aim to action in action research there is still, it is suggested in this article, a strong case to be made for writing and publishing from action research. In particular, following a brief exploration of the principles behind writing from research, three main advantages to writing from action research in particular are explored. The first of these refers to some of the benefit of writing to the writer themselves, with writing being described as a reflective and reflexive process, indeed a form of inquiry in its own right. Building upon these personal benefits a case is made for the collaborative benefits of writing. These are related to the collaborative principles of action research and to notions of narratives. This article then conducts a broader exploration of the potential for writing to play a part in developing a broader community of action researchers. This, it is suggested, is a consequence of developing extended dialogue through publishing from action research which can result in the formation and maintenance of extended communities, or networks, of action researchers. Finally this article concludes with a brief commentary on the nature of writing from action research, as opposed to other forms of research, and speculates that this could be considered one means of enacting the reflexive principles of the discipline of action research and of the participatory inclinations of action researchers.
The Purchasing Involvement Scale Gokhan Karaatli

Development of purchasing involvement (PI) as a useful construct and its measurement for understanding and predicting consumer behavior has lagged behind other areas. Purchasing involvement is conceptualized as an enduring individual difference variable. This paper discusses the theoretical reasoning for the new scale as well as the two studies that were used to develop and test the new purchasing-involvement scale. The first study involves an analysis of the Purchasing-Involvement Scale (Slama and Taschian, 1985) and the development of the new 26 item PI scale. The second study provides additional support for the reliability and validity of the proposed scale.
H pylori infection in patients with Behcet's disease.

AIM To evaluate endoscopic findings and the prevalence of H pylori in patients with Behcet's disease (BD) who have upper gastrointestinal symptoms. METHODS The patients with BD diagnosed according to the International Study Group and followed up in the Department of Dermatology and other related departments and who had any upper gastrointestinal complaints, were included in this study. Forty-five patients with BD and 40 patients in the control group were evaluated by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and two biopsied specimens were taken during endoscopy for H pylori. A two-week triple therapy for H pylori eradication was administered to H pylori positive patients. Two months after the treatment, the patients were evaluated by urea-breath test for eradication control. RESULTS Patients with BD had a mean age of 36.2 +/- 11.4 years (18-67 years). The mean follow-up time was 35 +/- 14 mo (16-84 mo). Aphthous or deep ulcer in esophagus, stomach and duodenum had never been confirmed by endoscopic examination. Most gastric lesions were gastric erosion (40%) and the most duodenal lesions were duodenitis (17.5%) in two groups. H pylori was positive in 33 patients (73.3%) with BD. The two-week triple eradication therapy was successful in 75% of the patients. There was no difference between the groups in respect to prevalence of H pylori (73.3% vs 75%, P > 0.05), and eradication rate (75% vs 70%, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Endoscopic findings, eradication rate and prevalence of H pylori were similar in patients with BD and control group.
Imaging of Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

SUMMARY: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma is fatal if unresectable. However, improved survival has been reported after gross total resection and multimodality therapy. In this report, we describe the contrast-enhanced high-resolution CT characteristics of anaplastic thyroid carcinoma in 57 patients. Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma presented as a large neck mass with necrosis in 82% of cases. The tumors demonstrated common extrathyroidal extension (91%). Sixty-two percent of tumors demonstrated calcification. Visceral space invasion involved the esophagus (62%), trachea (57%), and larynx (29%). Carotid artery encasement was present in 42%, and 43% involved the internal jugular vein. Sixty-three percent had lateral compartment lymphadenopathy; 58% of these nodes were necrotic, and 11% were cystic. No metastatic nodes had calcification. Central compartment lymphadenopathy was seen in 56% of cases, and lateral retropharyngeal lymphadenopathy was detected in 12%. Knowledge of these imaging features aids in guiding the approach to the initial tissue diagnosis with either fine-needle aspiration or core biopsy, assessing the feasibility of surgical resection, and determining prognosis.
Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Variants Selectively Infect and Kill Human Melanomas but Not Normal Melanocytes

ABSTRACT Metastatic malignant melanoma remains one of the most therapeutically challenging forms of cancer. Here we test replication-competent vesicular stomatitis viruses (VSV) on 19 primary human melanoma samples and compare these infections with those of normal human melanocyte control cells. Even at a low viral concentration, we found a strong susceptibility to viral oncolysis in over 70% of melanomas. In contrast, melanocytes displayed strong resistance to virus infection and showed complete protection by interferon. Several recombinant VSVs were compared, and all infected and killed most melanomas with differences in the time course with increasing rates of melanoma infection, as follows: VSV-CT9-M51 < VSV-M51 < VSV-G/GFP < VSV-rp30. VSV-rp30 sequencing revealed 2 nonsynonymous mutations at codon positions P126 and L223, both of which appear to be required for the enhanced phenotype. VSV-rp30 showed effective targeting and infection of multiple subcutaneous and intracranial melanoma xenografts in SCID mice after tail vein virus application. Sequence analysis of mutations in the melanomas used revealed that BRAF but not NRAS gene mutation status was predictive for enhanced susceptibility to infection. In mouse melanoma models with specific induced gene mutations including mutations of the Braf, Pten, and Cdkn2a genes, viral infection correlated with the extent of malignant transformation. Similar to human melanocytes, mouse melanocytes resisted VSV-rp30 infection. This study confirms the general susceptibility of the majority of human melanoma types for VSV-mediated oncolysis.
Homolateral and contralateral masking of tinnitus by noise-bands and by pure tones.

Tinnitus can be masked by broad band noise, narrow band noise and pure tones. The levels necessary for masking form characteristic patterns, which can be classified in five types. Unilateral tinnitus can usually also be inhibited by stimulation of the contralateral ear. When using interrupted stimuli inhibition is effective also in the intervals up to a certain length, dependent on various parameters.Les acouphenes peuvent ětre masques par des bruits a bandes larges, des bruits a bandes etroites et des sons purs. Les intensites necessaires pour le masquage des bourdonnements donnent des courbes de masque caracteristiques. Elles peuvent ětre differenciees en cinq types. Les acouphenes unilateraux peuvent ětre aussi inhibes par une stimulation acoustique de l'oreille contro-laterale. En emettant des stimuli interrompus, l'inhibition est aussi effective dans les intervalles jusqu'a une certaine duree dependante de divers parametres.
A School Meals Program Implemented at Scale in Ghana Increases Height-for-Age during Midchildhood in Girls and in Children from Poor Households: A Cluster Randomized Trial

ABSTRACT Background Attention to nutrition during all phases of child and adolescent development is necessary to ensure healthy physical growth and to protect investments made earlier in life. Leveraging school meals programs as platforms to scale-up nutrition interventions is relevant as programs function in nearly every country in the world. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a large-scale school meals program in Ghana on school-age children's anthropometry indicators. Methods A longitudinal cluster randomized control trial was implemented across the 10 regions of Ghana, covering 2869 school-age children (aged 5–15 y). Communities were randomly assigned to 1) control group without intervention or 2) treatment group providing the reformed national school feeding program, providing 1 hot meal/d in public primary schools. Primary outcomes included height-for-age (HAZ) and BMI-for-age (BAZ) z scores. The analysis followed an intention-to-treat approach as per the published protocol for the study population and subgroup analysis by age (i.e., midchildhood for children 5–8 y and early adolescence for children 9–15 y), gender, poverty, and region of residence. We used single-difference ANCOVA with mixed-effect regression models to assess program impacts. Results School meals had no effect on HAZ and BAZ in children aged 5–15 y. However, in per-protocol subgroup analysis, the school feeding intervention improved HAZ in 5- to 8-y-old children (effect size: 0.12 SDs), in girls (effect size: 0.12 SDs)—particularly girls aged 5–8 y living in the northern regions, and in children aged 5–8 y in households living below the poverty line (effect size: 0.22 SDs). There was also evidence that the intervention influenced food allocation and sharing at the household level. Conclusion School meals can provide a platform to scale-up nutrition interventions in the early primary school years, with important benefits accruing for more disadvantaged children. This trial was registered at www.isrctn. com as ISRCTN66918874.
Definition of the Orbital Cortex in Relation to Specific Connections with Limbic and Visceral Structures and Other Cortical Regions

Abstract: The orbitofrontal cortex is often defined topographically as the cortex on the ventral surface of the frontal lobe. Unfortunately, this definition is not consistently used, and it obscures distinct connectional and functional systems within the orbital cortex. It is difficult to interpret data on the orbital cortex that do not take these different systems into account. Analysis of cortico‐cortical connections between areas in the orbital and medial prefrontal cortex indicate two distinct networks in this region. One system, called the orbital network, involves most of the areas in the central orbital cortex. The other system, has been called the medial prefrontal network, though it is actually more complex, since it includes areas on the medial wall, in the medial orbital cortex, and in the posterolateral orbital cortex. Some areas in the medial orbital cortex are involved in both networks. Connections to other brain areas support the distinction between the networks. The orbital network receives several sensory inputs, from olfactory cortex, taste cortex, somatic sensory association cortex, and visual association cortex, and is connected with multisensory areas in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and perirhinal cortex. The medial network has outputs to the hypothalamus and brain stem and connects to a cortical circuit that includes the rostral part of the superior temporal gyrus and dorsal bank of the superior temporal sulcus, the cingulate and retrosplenial cortex, the entorhinal and posterior parahippocampal cortex, and the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex.
Dendritic cells generated from blood precursors of chronic myelogenous leukemia patients carry the philadelphia translocation and can induce a CML‐specific primary cytotoxic T‐cell response

Dendritic cells (DC) are professional antigen‐presenting cells specialized in the initiation of primary immune responses. We were interested to know whether mature DC can be grown in vitro from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), and whether they carry the Philadelphia (Ph) translocation. Using a method recently described, DC were generated from PBMC precursors of 12 patients with CML using GM‐CSF, IL‐4, and monocyte‐conditioned medium. DC exhibited the typical morphology with thin cytoplasmatic processes and expressed high levels of MHC class II, CD86, and CD83 typical for mature DC. After sorting with the monoclonal antibody CD83, a cell population of more than 95% CD83 positive cells was obtained. The presence of the Ph translocation was analyzed in these cells, in PBMC, lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL), and in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)‐induced T blasts from the same patients by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In contrast to all other cells analyzed, the vast majority of DC (95.9 ± 0.7%) displayed the Ph translocation, irrespective of disease stage or therapy. PBMC were predominantly positive for the Ph chromosome (67.6 ± 7.3%), whereas only 11.4 ± 1% of the B cells and 4.4 ± 1.1% of the PHA blasts carried the Ph translocation. Using such leukemic DC as antigen‐presenting cells, a primary CML‐directed cytotoxic immune response in vitro was obtained, as shown by the specific recognition of Ph chromosome positive cells. We conclude that DC can be generated from blood progenitors of CML patients in vitro and exhibit, to a large extent, the Ph translocation. Such DC, which in a preliminary experiment have been able to induce a primary CML‐directed cytotoxic immune response in vitro, might be ideal candidates for adoptive immunotherapy either by direct transfer of DC for in vivo generation of a T‐cell response or by in vitro generation of CML‐specific cytotoxic autologous or HLA‐matched normal T‐cell clones for use in vivo. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 20:215–223, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.