Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hypothesis-based weight of evidence: A tool for evaluating and communicating uncertainties and inconsistencies in the large body of evidence in proposing a carcinogenic mode of action—naphthalene as an example

Human health risk assessment consists of bringing to bear a large body of in vitro, animal, and epidemiologic studies on the question of whether environmental exposures to a substance are a potential risk to humans. The body of scientific information is typically less than definitive and often contains apparent contradictions. Often various possible conclusions about potential human risks may be drawn from the data and these may vary from very strong to tenuous. The task, therefore, is to communicate the uncertainties in the inferences from the data effectively, giving proper consideration to contrary data and alternative scientifically plausible interpretations. We propose an approach, Hypothesis-Based Weight of Evidence (HBWoE), to organize, evaluate, and communicate the large body of available relevant data on a given chemical, using naphthalene as an example. The goal for our use of the term “weight of evidence” (WoE) is broad in that we express the relative degrees of credence that should be placed in alternative possible interpretations of the naphthalene data and hypothesized carcinogenic modes of action (MoAs), expressed in a way that shows how such credence is tied to specific scientific interpretations, considering consistencies, inconsistencies, and contradictions within the data set.
The Impact of Input Flooding and Textual Enhancement on Iranian EFL Learners’ Syntactic Development

The present study was an attempt to examine the impact of input flooding (IF) and textual enhancement (TIE) on EFL learners' syntactic development. Four homogenous groups were selected based on the pre-test and placement tests. During the treatment, the first group (i.e., IF) received reading comprehension passages in which the structure was flooded. The second group (i.e., TIE) received reading comprehension passages in which the structure was textually enhanced. The third group (IF + TIE) received the reading comprehension passages with the structures enhanced through both input flood and textual enhancement. The fourth group received reading texts in which the structure was neither flooded nor textually enhanced. The results showed that textual enhancement and input flooding have positive effects on the recognition and production of syntactic development. These techniques resulted in higher acquisition scores in production and recognition when combined. The findings of the present study are further discussed with implications for teachers in second/foreign language teaching.
Various annealing methods for activation of arsenic in Molecular Beam Epitaxy grown HgCdTe

Extrinsic p-type doping of Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) epilayers grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE) was carried out with an arsenic (As) cracker cell. As-grown samples were characterised via Fourier Transform Infrared Transmission Spectrometry (FTIR) and Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (SIMS). A preliminary study on various activation annealing techniques is made, where HgCdTe layers were annealed under Hg overpressures in a closed tube furnace at varying temperatures to either activate arsenic and/or, to eliminate Hg vacancies. Variable field magneto-transport measurements coupled with the quantitative mobility spectrum analysis (QMSA) were then utilised to study the Hall effect characteristics of the annealed material.
A Systematic Review of Education for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS among Older Adults

Through a comprehensive literature search, the authors of this systematic review identified 21 articles focused on primary prevention of HIV/AIDS for adults aged 50 and over. Three major challenges to providing HIV/AIDS education for older adults include health professionals' ageism, older adults' reluctance to discuss sexuality, and their misconception of their HIV risk. Clinical guidelines for social workers, nurses, and physicians identified the importance of sharing information and assessing risk, considering cultural diversity, and devising creative delivery strategies. Three models of HIV/AIDS education include group education programs delivered by social workers or other health professionals, peer education models, and one-on-one early intervention models including HIV/AIDS testing. Additional outreach and research on HIV/AIDS prevention among older adults is needed.
Multimedia data dissemination in opportunistic systems

Opportunistic networks are human-centric mobile ad-hoc networks, in which neither the topology nor the participating nodes are known in advance. Routing is dynamically planned following the store-carry-and-forward paradigm, which takes advantage of people mobility. This widens the range of communication and supports indirect end-to-end data delivery. But due to individuals’ mobility, OppNets are characterized by frequent communication disruptions and uncertain data delivery. Hence, these networks are mostly used for exchanging small messages like disaster alarms or traffic notifications. Other scenarios that require the exchange of larger data are still challenging due to the characteristics of this kind of networks. However, there are still multimedia sharing scenarios where a user might need switching to an ad-hoc alternative. Examples are the cases of 1) absence of infrastructural networks in far rural areas, 2) high costs due limited data volumes or 3) undesirable censorship by third parties while exchanging sensitive content. Consequently, we target in this thesis a video dissemination scheme in OppNets. For the video delivery problem in the sparse opportunistic networks, we propose a solution that encloses three contributions. The first one is given by granulating the videos at the source node into smaller parts, and associating them with unequal redundancy degrees. This is technically based on using the Scalable Video Coding (SVC), which encodes a video into several layers of unequal importance for viewing the content at different quality levels. Layers are routed using the Spray-and-Wait routing protocol, with different redundancy factors for the different layers depending on their importance degree. In this context as well, a video viewing QoE metric is proposed, which takes the values of the perceived video quality, delivery delay and network overhead into consideration, and on a scalable basis. Second, we take advantage of the small units of the Network Abstraction Layer (NAL), which compose SVC layers. NAL units are packetized together under specific size constraints to optimize granularity. Packets sizes are tuned in an adaptive way, with regard to the dynamic network conditions. Each node is enabled to record a history of environmental information regarding the contacts and forwarding opportunities, and use this history to predict future opportunities and optimize the sizes accordingly. Lastly, the receiver node is pushed into action by reacting to missing data parts in a composite backward loss concealment mechanism. So, the receiver asks first for the missing data from other nodes in the network in the form of request-response. Then, since the transmission is concerned with video content, video frame loss error concealment techniques are also exploited at the receiver side. Consequently, we propose to combine the two techniques in the loss concealment mechanism, which is enabled then to react to missing data parts.
Fifty-two medical student suicides.

The authors surveyed all U.S. medical schools to ascertain the frequency with which medical students attempt suicide, complete suicide, and seek psychiatric treatment. In the classes of 1974-1981 the annual suicide rate for male students was 15.6 per 100,000, which is comparable to their agemates in the national population. The rate for female students equaled that of the male students but was three to four times that of their agemates. Seventy-six percent of the suicides were committed by sophomore and junior students, and 50% were committed in November, December, or January. The authors discuss four steps schools can take in suicidal prevention.
Changing incidence and prognostic factors of survival in AIDS-related non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in the era of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART)

Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is an AIDS-defining disease. The impact of HAART on the epidemiology and prognosis is debated controversially. A retrospective analysis has been performed in order to determine the influence of HAART. We collected data of 214 cases of AIDS-related Lymphoma (ARL) treated at our centre from January 1984 until May 2003 and analysed them using the Kaplan-Meier-, log rank- and Cox proportional hazard-model. The incidence of ARL increased between 1991 and 1994 up to a peak of 14.83 per 1000 patient years. In the subsequent periods from 1995 onwards however, it decreased to 3.7 in 1000 patient years. The incidence of AIDS-related primary CNS lymphomas (PCNSL) took a comparable, yet more pronounced development. Using the univariate Kaplan-Meier analysis prolonged survival was significantly associated with the achievement of a complete remission as well as with a favourable virological response to HAART. No significant differences could be shown for the use of protease inhibitors as well as for virological response being achieved before the diagnosis of NHL. When using the Cox model, complete remission overrides viral response and thus remained the only independent prognostic factor. Classical prognostic factors (CD4 count, prior Kaposi Sarcoma, extranodal manifestation, staging and histological subtype of NHL) were no longer significant for HAART patients in the multivariate analysis. These results illustrate the requirement for new prospective studies in order to determine the best options and ideal timing of coadministering chemotherapy and the type of HAART. Furthermore this study demonstrates that HAART decreases the incidence of ARL, and that achievement of a complete remission in patients suffering from ARL is--according to the multivariate analysis--the single most important prognostically relevant factor with respect to the time of survival.
Antibody Formation: Stimulation by Polyadenylic and Polycytidylic Acids

Complexes of polyadenylic and polyuridylic acids, or of polycytidylic acid and methylated bovine serum albumin, enhance the early rate of increase in numbers of antibody-forming spleen cells in mice immunized with sheep red blood cells or other particulate antigens. Polyadenylic and polycytidylic acids, respectively, appear to be the source of the critical stimulators which, as demonstrated by others in bacteria, may act by influencing nucleotide kinase activity. The stimulated antibody response, but not the normal response, is antagonized by kinetin riboside and by an adenosine derivative occurring in sRNA.
Relationship between Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklets and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2 (cid:1) load and release in rat cerebral arterial smooth muscle

Relationship between Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklets and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca 2 (cid:1) load and release in rat cerebral arterial smooth muscle. Ca (cid:1) sparklets are subcellular Ca 2 (cid:1) signals produced by the opening of sarcolemmal L-type Ca 2 (cid:1) channels. Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklet activity varies within the sarcolemma of arterial myocytes. In this study, we examined the relationship between Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklet activity and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca 2 (cid:1) accumulation and release in cerebral arterial myocytes. Our data indicate that the SR is a vast organelle with multiple regions near the sarcolemma of these cells. Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklet sites were located at or (cid:2) 0.2 (cid:3) m from SR-sarcolemmal junctions. We found that while Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklets increase the rate of SR Ca 2 (cid:1) reﬁlling in arterial myocytes, their activity did not induce regional variations in SR Ca 2 (cid:1) content or Ca 2 (cid:1) spark activity. In arterial myocytes, L-type Ca 2 (cid:1) channel activity was independent of SR Ca 2 (cid:1) load. This ruled out a potential feedback mechanism whereby SR Ca 2 (cid:1) load regulates the activity of these channels. Together, our data suggest a model in which Ca 2 (cid:1) sparklets contribute Ca 2 (cid:1) inﬂux into a cytosolic Ca 2 (cid:1) pool from which sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca 2 (cid:1) -ATPase pumps Ca 2 (cid:1) into the SR, indirectly regulating SR function.
Employment and women's health: Effects of paid employment on women's mental and physical health.

This article reviews empirical evidence con- cerning the effects of paid employment on women's mental and physical health, with special attention to variations in the effects of employment depending on the character- istics of women and their jobs. We highlight methodolog- ical issues and focus primarily on studies with longitudinal data for representative samples of women. We conclude that women's employment does not have a negative effect on their health, on the average. Indeed, employment ap- pears to improve the health of unmarried women and married women who have positive attitudes toward em- ployment. Possible mediators linking employment to health outcomes are discussed. Current evidence suggests that increased social support from co-workers and super- visors may be one important mediator of the beneficial health effects of employment. Given the paucity of avail- able longitudinal studies, we encourage additional pro- spective research examining the mental and physical health consequences of employment according to job characteristics, personal characteristics, and disease out- come. We also recommend research on several promising mediators of employment-health relationships.
Macrophage-Derived Complement Component C4 Can Restore Humoral Immunity in C4-Deficient Mice1

Mice with a disrupted C4 locus (C4−/−) have an impaired immune response to thymus-dependent Ags. To test the role of bone marrow-derived C4 in humoral immunity, we reconstituted deficient animals with wild-type bone marrow or an enriched fraction of bone marrow-derived macrophages. C4 chimeras were immunized with 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl5 conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (NP5- KLH) or infected with HSV-1, and the Ab response was evaluated. Wild-type bone marrow rescued the humoral immune response to both Ags, i.e., the soluble Ag and HSV-1, demonstrating that local C4 production is sufficient for humoral responses. Although the C4 chimeric animals lacked detectable C4 in their sera, C4 mRNA was identified in splenic sections by in situ hybridization, and C4 protein deposits were identified in the germinal center areas of splenic follicles by immunofluorescence staining. Macrophages derived from bone marrow produced sufficient C4 protein to restore the humoral response to NP5-KLH in C4-deficient animals when administered along with Ag. Cell-sorting experiments, followed by C4-specific RT-PCR, identified splenic macrophages (CD11b+, CD11c−) as a cellular source for C4 synthesis within the spleen.
Dynamic Change of Procalcitonin, Rather Than Concentration Itself, Is Predictive of Survival in Septic Shock Patients When Beyond 10 ng/mL

ABSTRACT Procalcitonin (PCT) concentration of greater than 10 ng/mL is compatible for septic shock. Its predictive value for survival is not well established, mainly because of much overlap and variation of PCT in this condition. We hypothesized that dynamic change of PCT, rather than PCT itself, is predictive of hospital survival when greater than 10 ng/mL. Thirty-seven septic shock patients with PCT concentration of greater than 10 ng/mL were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Patients were divided into survivors (n = 25) and nonsurvivors (n = 12) based on 28-day hospital outcome. Subsequent PCT measurements were taken 5 days after enrollment. Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were recorded simultaneously. Dynamic changes of the PCT and SOFA score were defined as the difference between the subsequent and initial measurement. There were no significant differences between survivors and nonsurvivors in age, sex, initial measurement of PCT, and SOFA. All survivors had a decrease in PCT concentration; median decrease was 9.73 ng/mL. All nonsurvivors had an increase in PCT concentration; median increase was 5.95 ng/mL. Significant decrease in PCT concentration (>25%) was observed in all the 25 survivors, whereas there was none in 12 nonsurvivors. Procalcitonin of initial, subsequent measurements, and dynamics significantly correlated with their counterparts of SOFA score. In conclusion, significant decrease in PCT concentration, rather than PCT concentration itself, may be a useful indicator of survival in septic shock patients when PCT concentration is greater than 10 ng/mL. Procalcitonin concentration highly correlated with the SOFA score in septic shock patients even when the PCT concentration is greater than 10 ng/mL.
Role of diagnostic ultrasound in the assessment of musculoskeletal diseases

The wide availability and recent improvement in technology coupled with portability, low cost and safety makes ultrasound the first choice imaging investigation for the evaluation of musculoskeletal diseases. Diagnostic use of ultrasound findings is greatly enhanced by knowledge of the clinical presentation. Conversely, ultrasound skills with its prerequisite anatomical knowledge make the clinical diagnosis more precise and reduce uncertainty in the choice of therapy. Therefore, it is essential for rheumatologists to acquire ultrasonography skills in order to improve patient care. Ultrasound examination provides an excellent opportunity for patient education and to explain the rationale for therapy. This review summarizes the indications for musculoskeletal ultrasound and describes its role in diagnosis, monitoring and prognosis.
Protein Kinase C (cid:100) Specifically Associates with Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Following Cytokine Stimulation*

Phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase is activated as a result of cytokine-induced association of the enzyme with specific tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins. PI 3-ki- nase lipid products, PI 3,4-P 2 and PI 3,4,5-P 3 , have been shown, in vitro , to directly activate novel and atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes. However, the mechanism by which PI 3-kinase may be involved in regulation of PKC isoforms in vivo is presently unknown. We investigated a possible relationship by looking for associa- tions between these enzymes. We found that in a human erythroleukemia cell line, as well as in rabbit platelets, PI 3-kinase and PKC (cid:100) associate in a specific manner that is modulated by cell activation. Granulocyte-mac- rophage colony-stimulating factor treatment of cells caused increased association of PKC (cid:100) and PI 3-kinase as did treatment of platelets with platelet-activating fac- tor. Results using two PI 3-kinase inhibitors, wortmannin and LY-294002, showed that the former inhibited this association, while the latter did not, suggesting that PI 3-kinase lipid products may not be a prerequisite for the PI 3-kinase/PKC (cid:100) association. Our results also suggest that tyrosine phosphorylation of PKC (cid:100) is not involved in its association with PI 3-kinase.
To throw the baby out with the bathwater: double blinding for specific oral tolerance induction

We appreciate the review article by Niggeman et al. (1) about specific oral tolerance induction (SOTI) in children with food allergy but we firmly disagree with their statement about the desirability of doubleblind placebo-controlled trials to validate the procedure. We have performed SOTI for many years (2, 3) with strikingly similar results to those published in the literature (4, 5) and it is clear from clinical practice that blinding is unfeasible, as almost all patients experience symptoms or reactions (mouth tingling, transient stomach pain, transient decrease in voice tone, cough, runny nose, asthma) as a consequence of minimal contact with the food in question. Furthermore, we believe that it would be totally unethical to leave parents uncertain as to whether tolerance has been achieved or not. One should never forget that we are dealing with children with clear-cut symptoms, strong laboratory evidence of sensitization, diagnosis made after repeated positive challenges in the previous years and age beyond the opportunity of naturally acquired tolerance. Regular intake of allergen during SOTI can take months (if not years), and this is a further impairment to the development of placebo-controlled studies. We believe that SOTI is a major opportunity of changing the quality of life of our patients and that large studies with a longterm follow-up are needed to confirm its long-term safety and efficacy. The desirability of double-blind placebo-controlled trials may be a taboo which could contribute to leave SOTI in a grey area of poorly standardized practice, and this would lose a major opportunity for allergic patients and for good quality research.
The role of galE in the biosynthesis and function of gonococcal lipopolysaccharide

Lipopolysaccharide is an essential component of the outer membrane of Gram‐negative bacteria and an important virulence factor of many pathogens, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae. We have cloned the gonococcal galE gene which was found to be located in the gonococcal homologue of the meningococcal capsule gene complex region D. Sequence alignment indicated extensive homology with the Escherichia coli and Salmonella GalE proteins. Mutants with insertions in the galE gene were used as a tool to characterize the structure and function of gonococcal lipopolysaccharide. They displayed deep rough phenotypes, and chemical analysis confirmed the loss of galactose from the mutant lipopolysaccharide. Functional analysis indicated that the terminal oligosaccharides contain galactose and that these are lost in galE mutants. The importance of these oligosaccharides in gonococcal biology is clear from the fact that they contain the epitopes that are the targets for killing by normal human serum, and the acceptor site for sialic acid, which acts to protect the gonococcus from this killing. Furthermore, infection experiments in vitro indicate that the galE mutants exhibit unaltered intergonococcal adhesion as well as adhesion to, and invasion of, epithelial cells.
The Comparative Effects of Sevoflurane and Methohexital for Electroconvulsive Therapy

The standard anesthetic agent for electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) has been methohexital. We compared sevoflurane, a short-acting halogenated anesthetic, to methohexital for induction in ECT. Twelve subjects received sevoflurane or methohexital on alternating treatment days. Seizure duration, time to administering ECT, emergence and recovery, as well as several hemodynamic measures were recorded. A total of 69 treatments were analyzed. When sevoflurane was used, seizure durations recorded by observation and by EEG, were shorter by 10 and 23 seconds, respectively. With sevoflurane, seizure duration remained, however, within a clinically acceptable range. Methohexital allowed faster administration of ECT and discharge from the recovery room (3.8 vs. 6.2 minutes and 40.8 vs. 47.0 minutes, respectively). No difference in the post-ECT hemodynamic changes was found between the two treatments. We conclude that, when indicated, sevoflurane could provide a suitable alternative treatment option to methohexital, but some limitations, including shortened seizure duration and potential side effects, should be kept in mind.