Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethnic and Gender Differences in Drinking and Smoking among London Adolescents

Objectives. The study examines stages of drinking and smoking careers and transitions from initiation to regular use among adolescents, as a function of ethnic status and gender. Design. The data were collected using a confidential, self-completion questionnaire assessing onset and frequency of drinking and smoking. The sample consisted of 1777 adolescents, between the ages of 11 and 14, drawn from eight secondary schools in south-west London. Results. For both smoking and drinking, white children were more likely to have ever smoked tobacco and drunk alcohol, and were also more likely to progress from initiation to regular use than were either black or Asian children. Asian children reported the latest onset and the lowest prevalence rates for both drinking and smoking. Males reported experimenting with both cigarettes and alcohol at an earlier age than females, although a lower proportion of males report regular and lifetime involvement with both alcohol and tobacco. Furthermore, a significantly higher proportion of females who try smoking go on to do so regularly. Discussion. The importance of sociocultural factors in relation to race and gender in predicting onset and escalation of substance use is discussed. The fact that age of onset does not appear to be a significant determinant of transition rate from initiation to regular use is also explored.
Novel Nonlinear Companding Transform for Reduced Peak-to-Average Power Ratio in OFDM

Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (OFDM) is an excellent solution to overcome multipath effects and inter-symbol interference in high-speed mobile communication systems. However, OFDM inherently has a high Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR) that adversely affects the system. In this study, we propose a nonlinear companding transform scheme function, in order to reduce the high PAPR in OFDM signals. With the proposed scheme, the average power of the OFDM signal can be maintained nearly unchanged over the companding process by properly chosen values of the parameters of the companding function. One salient feature of the proposed scheme over error function based companding schemes is that the signal compression and expansion levels of the companding function can be adjusted independently, and thus it is easier to maintain the average power. With the aid of simulations, we prove that the proposed scheme has an outstanding PAPR reduction capability and it works well with nonlinear transmitter amplifiers as well. Moreover, we show that the BER performance of the proposed companding transform is superior to the one obtained from the error function companding.
Plasma Membrane Cholesterol Modulates Cellular Vacuolation Induced by the Helicobacter pylori Vacuolating Cytotoxin

ABSTRACT The Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) induces the degenerative vacuolation of mammalian cells both in vitro and in vivo. Here, we demonstrate that plasma membrane cholesterol is essential for vacuolation of mammalian cells by VacA. Vacuole biogenesis in multiple cell lines was completely blocked when cholesterol was extracted selectively from the plasma membrane by using β-cyclodextrins. Moreover, increasing plasma membrane cholesterol levels strongly potentiated VacA-induced vacuolation. In contrast, inhibiting de novo biosynthesis of cholesterol with lovastatin or compactin had no detectable effect on vacuolation. While depletion of plasma membrane cholesterol has been shown to interfere with both clathrin-mediated endocytosis and caveola-dependent endocytosis, neither of these two internalization pathways was found to be essential for vacuolation of cells by VacA. Depleting plasma membrane cholesterol attenuated the entry of VacA into HeLa cells. In addition, β-cyclodextrin reagents blocked vacuolation of cells that were either preloaded with VacA or had VacA directly expressed within the cytosol. Collectively, our results suggest that plasma membrane cholesterol is important for both the intoxication mechanism of VacA and subsequent vacuole biogenesis.
Altered regulation of in-vivo coagulation in orthopedic patients prior to knee or hip replacement surgery

Up to 20% of patients develop venographically proven deep-vein thrombosis after elective orthopedic surgery even under the cover of heparin or low molecular weight heparin. The extent to which the chronic inflammation of osteoarthritis requiring elective orthopedic surgery alters in-vivo coagulation and whether any specific alteration influences the development of postoperative thrombosis are unknown. This study compared the concentrations of activated factor VII (FVIIa), tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI), activated factor X (FXa)–TFPI, thrombin–antithrombin, and prothrombin fragment 1+2 (F1+2) in plasmas of 535 healthy individuals (ages 17–76) with those in the preoperative plasmas of 306 arthritis patients (ages 30–92) scheduled for elective knee or hip replacement surgery. C-reactive protein was also measured in the plasmas of approximately 15% of the participants. Age-adjusted concentrations of FVIIa, F1+2, and C-reactive protein were higher in patients than controls, while the concentrations of thrombin–antithrombin, TFPI and FXa–TFPI were similar. Chronic inflammation in the patients was thus associated with increased coagulation in vivo. Without compensatory increases in the concentrations of TFPI (natural inhibitor of prothrombinase), the elevated concentrations of FVIIa in the preoperative plasmas and the trauma associated with surgery may enhance the risk for developing postoperative deep-vein thrombosis.
Comparative analysis of gene expression profiles between primary knee osteoarthritis and an osteoarthritis endemic to Northwestern China, Kashin-Beck disease.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the differences in gene expression profiles of adult articular cartilage from patients with Kashin-Beck disease (KBD) versus those with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS The messenger RNA expression profiles of articular cartilage from patients with KBD, diagnosed according to the clinical criteria for KBD in China, were compared with those of cartilage from patients with OA, diagnosed according to the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities OA Index. Total RNA was isolated separately from 4 pairs of the KBD and OA cartilage samples, and the expression profiles were evaluated by Agilent 4x44k Whole Human Genome density oligonucleotide microarray analysis. The microarray data for selected transcripts were confirmed by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification. RESULTS For 1.2 x 10(4) transcripts, corresponding to 58.4% of the expressed transcripts, 2-fold changes in differential expression were revealed. Expression levels higher in KBD than in OA samples were observed in a mean + or - SD 6,439 + or - 1,041 (14.6 + or - 2.4%) of the transcripts, and expression levels were lower in KBD than in OA samples in 6,147 + or - 1,222 (14.2 + or - 2.8%) of the transcripts. After application of the selection criteria, 1.85% of the differentially expressed genes (P < 0.001 between groups) were detected. These included 233 genes, of which 195 (0.4%) were expressed at higher levels and 38 (0.08%) were expressed at lower levels in KBD than in OA cartilage. Comparisons of the quantitative RT-PCR data supported the validity of our microarray data. CONCLUSION Differences between KBD and OA cartilage exhibited a similar pattern among all 4 of the pairs examined, indicating the presence of disease mechanisms, mainly chondrocyte matrix metabolism, cartilage degeneration, and apoptosis induction pathways, which contribute to cartilage destruction in KBD.
Comparison of bending stiffness of six different colours of copolymer polypropylene

This paper compares the bending stiffness of 5 different colours of copolymer polypropylene (CCP) with that of natural copolymer polypropylene (NCP). Flesh coloured and natural sheets are supplied thicker than other pigmented sheet. The bending stiffness of a specimen may be defined as EI, i.e. the product of E, Young's modulus of elasticity and I, the 2nd moment of area. Strips of “as supplied” (AS) and “post-draped” (PD) specimen were clamped and subjected to bending to assess the effect of pigmentation on bending characteristics. The gradient of the graph of bending deflection δ versus bending moment enables EI to be estimated. The process of thermoforming polypropylene reduces EI, the bending stiffness. However, the manual draping and vacuum procedure introduces so many variables that it is difficult to quantify the effect of pigmentation. The E of a bent specimen may be estimated from the gradient of the graph of δI versus bending moment. In the case of AS sheet, the effect of pigmentation on E is inconclusive. PD specimens indicate a significant reduction in E due to thermoforming. This was verified by an electron-microscope study of AS and PD specimens. Draping an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) results in a non-uniform wall thickness. The results of this study with respect to the effects of pigmentation on the bending stiffness of AFOs are inconclusive. More detailed studies require to be completed in order to confirm which factors are responsible for this non-uniformity in wall thickness and consequent variation in bending stiffness.
Psychiatric comorbidities of adults with early- and late-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Objective: We evaluated the psychiatric comorbidities in adults who were diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, 5th edition attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder as a function of recalled symptom onset before and after the age of 7 years and whether the childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms were associated with psychiatric comorbidities. Method: In all, 214 adults who were diagnosed with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, 5th edition attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and 174 non-attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder controls (aged 17–40 years) received psychiatric interviews to confirm their previous and current attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder status and other psychiatric diagnoses. Demographics and risks of lifetime psychiatric disorders were compared among three groups: (1) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, onset <7 years (early-onset); (2) attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, onset between 7 and 12 years (late-onset) and (3) non-attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder controls. We also tested the effects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms on the risk of later psychiatric comorbidities by Cox regression analyses. Results: Regardless of the age of onset, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder was significantly associated with a wide range of psychiatric comorbidities. There were similar comorbid patterns between early- and late-onset attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Regardless of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis, increased severity of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms was associated with higher risks of oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder, dysthymia and sleep disorder but not major depression, which was associated with the attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that elevating the threshold of age of onset to 12 years in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental disorders, 5th edition would not over-diagnose attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder in the adult population. Recalled childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptom severity was correlated with conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, dysthymia and sleep disorders.
No correlation between radiosensitivity or double-strand break repair capacity of normal fibroblasts and acute normal tissue reaction after radiotherapy of breast cancer patients

The aim was to study the relationship between cellular radiosensitivity or double-strand break (dsb) repair capacity of skin fibroblasts and the extent of acute reaction after radiotherapy for breast cancer. The study was performed with 25 breast cancer patients submitted to the radiotherapy unit of the Egyptian National Cancer Institute after conserving surgery. Dermal fibroblasts, established from skin biopsies, were used to determine the cellular radiosensitivity via colony assay and the capacity of dsb repair by constant-field gel electrophoresis. Acute reactions were scored using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) classification. The spectrum of acute reactions varied from grade 1 to 4, whereby most patients developed a grade 1 reaction after total doses ranging between 46 and 70 Gy. Skin fibroblasts showed a pronounced variation in both cellular radiosensitivity expressed as the mean inactivation dose (Dbar) (coefficient of variation, CV = 25%) as well as in the number of residual dsb (CV = 33%) with no significant correlation between these two endpoints (r2 = 0.20, p = 0.14). Both parameters did not correlate with the extent of acute reaction of the respective patient. The data obtained indicate that the sensitivity of fibroblasts measured either by colony assay or by dsb repair capacity is not a major parameter determining the extent of acute reaction after radiotherapy of breast cancer patients.
Patterns and distribution of presynaptic and postsynaptic elements within serial electron microscopic reconstructions of neuronal arbors from the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana

Microscale connectomics involves the large‐scale acquisition of high‐resolution serial electron micrographs from which neuronal arbors can be reconstructed and synapses can be detected. In addition to connectivity information, these data sets are also rich with structural information, including vesicle types, number of postsynaptic partners at a given presynaptic site, and spatial distribution of synaptic inputs and outputs. This study uses serial block‐face scanning electron microscopy (EM) to collect two volumes of serial EM data from ganglia of the medicinal leech. For the first volume, we sampled a small fraction of the neuropil belonging to an adult ganglion. From this data set we measured the proportion of arbors that contained vesicles and the types of vesicles contained and developed criteria to identify synapses and to measure the number of apparent postsynaptic partners in apposition to presynaptic boutons. For the second data set, we sampled an entire juvenile ganglion, which included the somata and arbors of all the neurons. We used this data set to placd our findings from mature tissue in the context of fully reconstructed arbors and to explore the spatial distribution of synaptic inputs and outputs on these arbors. We observed that some neurons segregated their arbors into input only and mixed input/output zones, that other neurons contained exclusively mixed input/output zones, and that still others contained only input zones. These results provide the groundwork for future behavioral studies. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:3677–3695, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Mental Health Integration

This article examines the impact of integrating mental health into primary health care. Mental Health Integration (MHI) within Intermountain Healthcare has changed the culture of primary health care by standardizing a team-based care process that includes mental health as a normal part of the routine medical encounter. Using a quantitative statistical analysis of qualitative reports (mixed methods study), the study reports on health outcomes associated with MHI for patients and staff. Researchers interviewed 59 patients and 50 staff to evaluate the impact of MHI on depression care. Patients receiving MHI reported an improved relationship with caregivers (P < .001) and improved overall functioning in their lives (P < .01). Staff providing care in MHI reported that patients experienced improved access to mental health care, improved overall patient productivity in daily functions (P < .01), and access to team care (P < .001). As MHI became routine, patients discussed complementary team interventions more frequently (P < .0001). Mental health problems rank second in chronic disease today. MHI offers promising results for improving the quality and cost of effective treatment for chronic disease. This research provides guidelines for organizing mental health care, staff productivity, and patient satisfaction, using a team approach to improve outcomes.
Trauma at the hands of another: distinguishing PTSD patterns following intimate and nonintimate interpersonal and noninterpersonal trauma in a nationally representative sample.

OBJECTIVE Interpersonal trauma and violence is currently considered a global public health emergency. However, studies have not differentiated between intimate interpersonal trauma and nonintimate interpersonal trauma in their impact on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. This cross-sectional study based on epidemiologic data examined the differential likelihoods of endorsing PTSD symptoms following 3 categories of trauma: noninterpersonal (eg, accidents, natural disasters), nonintimate interpersonal (physical assaults perpetrated by nonintimates), and intimate interpersonal (physical assaults perpetrated by intimates or caregivers and sexual assaults). METHOD DSM-IV PTSD symptom data drawn from a weighted subsample (N = 1,012) of people reporting "most severe" reactions following one of the above types of trauma in the 2007 Australian National Survey of Mental Health and Well-Being (NSMHWB) were analyzed using binary logistic regression. RESULTS Participants reporting intimate interpersonal compared with noninterpersonal trauma were significantly (P < .001) more likely to endorse core symptoms (intrusive reexperiencing, avoidance of reminders, hypervigilance, and startle response) of PTSD. The intimate interpersonal trauma group members were significantly more likely than the nonintimate interpersonal trauma group members to endorse distress at reminders (odds ratio [OR] = 3.2; P < .001; 99.7% CI, 1.3-7.9), avoiding thinking about the event (OR = 3.2; P < .001; 99.7% CI, 1.3-7.7), detachment from others (OR = 3.2; P < .001; 99.7% CI, 1.2-8.9), and restricted affect (OR = 4.1; P < .001; 99.7% CI, 1.5-11.3). Participants reporting nonintimate interpersonal and noninterpersonal traumas did not significantly differ except in endorsement of behavioral avoidance (OR = 2.8; P < .001; 99.7% CI, 1.2-6.6), hypervigilance (OR = 2.5; P = .002; 99.7% CI, 1.0-6.3), and exaggerated startle response (OR = 3.5; P < .001; 99.7% CI, 1.7-7.4). CONCLUSIONS Survivors of intimate trauma appear to experience particularly severe intrusive memories and reminders of past trauma and suppression of emotional responsivity. The unique impact of interpersonal trauma, however, intimate or otherwise, compared with noninterpersonal trauma, is the experience of an environment as unsafe and unpredictable, due to the potential of human threat. Such findings have significant implications for the assessment of and interventions for survivors of interpersonal violence.
The Influence of Competency and Organizational Culture on Performance Lecturer Kopertisregion IX Employed On PTS in

Purpose do research is to analyze and test influence, competence cultural, organization motivationand commitment to satisfaction lecturer PTS employed kopertis the ix in Makassar, to analyze and test influence, competence cultural, organization motivation and commitment to lecturer PTS performance employed kopertis the ix in makassar, and to analyze and test influence satisfaction with the performance of lecturer pts employed kopertis the ix in makassar.To apply these objectives then used the technique of data collection through the dissemination of a questionnaire and documentation-documentation, using the methods of analysis i.e. analysis descriptive, statistical analysis of inferensial using SEM analysis and testing of validity and reliability. The results of the study conducted found that competence effect significantly to job satisfaction, organizational culture is not significant effect against lecturers, job satisfaction, work motivation with job satisfaction lecturer Kopertis region IX employed on building in Makassar, shows there is a significant influence of motivation with a lecturer job satisfaction. The results of the analysis on the influence on performance competence significantly influential professors. Organizational culture with the performance of the region IX Kopertis lecturers employed at the institution in Makassar showed there was significant influence towards the satisfaction of region IX Kopertis lecturers employed at the institution in Makassar. influence the motivation of working towards a performance lecturer Kopertis region IX employed on PTS in Makassar. Research results influence organizational commitment towards job satisfaction lecturer there is significant influence on performance lecturer. The results of the analysis of organizational commitment not significantly to the performance of a lecturer
Precursor lesions of Wilms' tumor in Indian children

Studies regarding different ethnic populations of children with Wilms' tumor (WT) in the U. S. have shown differences between age and gender incidence and the type of its precursor lesions (nephrogenic rests). To the authors' knowledge there are few reports in the literature regarding nephrogenic rests in a large number of cases from other parts of the world.
Effect of Bonded Molecules on Replenishment of Lubricant-Depleted Area Created by Sliding on Molecularly Thin Lubricant Film

The effect of a bonded lubricant on the replenishment of a lubricant-depleted area was examined. The replenishment process for a monolayer perfluoropolyether lubricant with different bonding ratios was imaged in real time using two-stage imaging ellipsometric microscopy. The relationship between the diffusion coefficient and bonding ratio was evaluated by comparing the experimental results with those of lubricant diffusion simulation. The diffusion coefficient of the replenishment process agreed with that of spreading on a disk with bonded lubricant, which suggests that the replenishment process can be modeled by the diffusion of mobile lubricant molecules through bonded ones.
Core temperature "null zone".

An experimental protocol was designed to investigate whether human core temperature is regulated at a "set point" or whether there is a neutral zone between the core thresholds for shivering thermogenesis and sweating. Nine male subjects exercised on an underwater cycle ergometer at a work rate equivalent to 50% of their maximum work rate. Throughout an initial 2-min rest period, the 20-min exercise protocol, and the 100-min recovery period, subjects remained immersed to the chin in water maintained at 28 degrees C. On completion of the exercise, the rate of forehead sweating (Esw) decayed from a mean peak value of 7.7 +/- 4.2 (SD) to 0.6 +/- 0.3 g.m-2.min-1, which corresponds to the rate of passive transpiration, at core temperatures of 37.42 +/- 0.29 and 37.39 +/- 0.48 degrees C, as measured in the esophagus (Tes) and rectum (Tre), respectively. Oxygen uptake (VO2) decreased rapidly from an exercising level of 2.11 +/- 0.25 to 0.46 +/- 0.09 l/min within 4 min of the recovery period. Thereafter, VO2 remained stable for approximately 20 min, eventually increased with progressive cooling of the core region, and was elevated above the median resting values determined between 15 and 20 min at Tes = 36.84 +/- 0.38 degrees C and Tre = 36.80 +/- 0.39 degrees C. These results indicate that the core temperatures at which sweating ceases and shivering commences are significantly different (P less than 0.001) regardless of whether core temperature is measured within the esophagus or rectum. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)