Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can Wiki Be Used to Facilitate Critical Thinking? : A Qualitative Approach

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the use of wiki for the development of critical thinking skills of students in higher education. This study seeks to explore the learning experiences of students in utilizing wiki to facilitate the development of critical thinking skills. Wiki was introduced to 19 postgraduate students taking the “Studying at Masters Level and Research Methods” module in one of the post-1992 university in the United Kingdom. They used the designed wiki as a learning tool and their responses towards wiki were explored based on the discussions and interaction in the wiki pages. At the end of the term, questionnaires and a focus group were used to collect their perceptions. The results show that critical thinking happens during the individual construction of knowledge when they reflect on and evaluate information. However, students did not always show their critical and analytical skills in collaborating and discussing in the wiki due to the low level of interaction.
Caregiver responses and needs. An ambulatory bone marrow transplant model.

PURPOSE This longitudinal, descriptive outcomes study was conducted to compare the emotional responses and needs of the caregivers of patients who undergo bone marrow transplantation (BMT) for hematologic malignancies, as observed in an inpatient/outpatient (IPOP) setting with those in an inpatient setting. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY A convenience sample of 43 caregivers for patients undergoing either autologous or allogeneic BMT was selected from both the inpatient unit (n = 26) and the IPOP ambulatory setting (n = 17). Emotional responses were measured by the Profile of Mood States. The importance and satisfaction of informational, patient-care, and psychological needs were assessed with the Caregiver Needs Survey, a modified version of the Home Cancer Caregiver Needs Survey. Data were collected at six points across the BMT trajectory, from before the procedure to 12 months after. Descriptive statistics were used to report sample characteristics, emotional responses, and needs. Nonparametric statistics were used to compare the IPOP and inpatient caregiver groups, and to identify relationships between emotional responses and needs within groups. RESULTS IPOP caregivers were found to have significantly less mood disturbance at points before discharge. Both groups showed a decrease in mood disturbance 6 and 12 months after BMT. IPOP caregivers had higher levels of satisfaction of their informational and psychological needs at day 21. Significant correlations between total mood disturbance and satisfaction of informational, psychological, and patient-care needs were found for inpatient caregivers across treatment time points. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS These findings support the IPOP model of care as being less emotionally distressing for and better meeting the needs of family caregivers. Specific implications for practice include the importance of caregiver education in the area of patient-care information and of assessment and intervention to meet caregiver psychological needs. Continued evaluation of the impact of changes in care delivery on family caregivers is essential for the provision of comprehensive cancer care.
A WEB‐BASED PERSONALIZED BUSINESS PARTNER RECOMMENDATION SYSTEM USING FUZZY SEMANTIC TECHNIQUES

The web provides excellent opportunities to businesses in various aspects of development such as finding a business partner online. However, with the rapid growth of web information, business users struggle with information overload and increasingly find it difficult to locate the right information at the right time. Meanwhile, small and medium businesses (SMBs), in particular, are seeking “one‐to‐one” e‐services from government in current highly competitive markets. How can business users be provided with information and services specific to their needs, rather than an undifferentiated mass of information? An effective solution proposed in this study is the development of personalized e‐services. Recommender systems is an effective approach for the implementation of Personalized E‐Service which has gained wide exposure in e‐commerce in recent years. Accordingly, this paper first presents a hybrid fuzzy semantic recommendation (HFSR) approach which combines item‐based fuzzy semantic similarity and item‐based fuzzy collaborative filtering (CF) similarity techniques. This paper then presents the implementation of the proposed approach into an intelligent recommendation system prototype called Smart BizSeeker, which can recommend relevant business partners to individual business users, particularly for SMBs. Experimental results show that the HFSR approach can help overcome the semantic limitations of classical CF‐based recommendation approaches, namely sparsity and new “cold start” item problems.
N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists and the development of tolerance to the discriminative stimulus effects of morphine in rats.

Several reports have indicated that N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists prevent the development of analgesic tolerance to opiates. Some effects of opiates, such as their discriminative stimulus effects, are known to be more resistant to tolerance induction. In this study, adult male Long-Evans rats were trained to discriminate 3.2 mg/kg of s.c. morphine from water (vehicle) using a standard, two-lever fixed ratio 10 schedule of food reinforcement. Subsequently, repeated morphine treatment (20 mg/kg; 14 days b.i.d.) was administered, which induced tolerance-like rightward shifts in the dose-effect curves for both morphine's discriminative stimulus and response rate-suppressing effects. Withdrawal-induced, response rate reductions indicative of behavioral dependence appeared as well. Separate groups were then treated repeatedly with a combination of morphine or its vehicle and one of the following competitive or noncompetitive NMDA antagonists: dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg i.p.), 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-1-propenyl-1-phosphonic acid (D-CPPene; 3 and 5.6 mg/kg i.p.), eliprodil (17.3 mg/kg i.p.), or R(+)-3-amino-1-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidone [(+)-HA-966; 10 mg/kg i.p.]. The development of tolerance to morphine's stimulus effects was attenuated by eliprodil and the higher dose of D-CPPene, but not by dizocilpine, the lower dose of D-CPPene, nor R(+)-3-amino-1-hydroxy-2-pyrrolidone. All antagonists prevented the induction of tolerance to morphine's response rate effects. Dizocilpine and D-CPPene (5.6 mg/kg) appeared to prevent the induction of behavioral dependence as well. NMDA antagonists can prevent tolerance to the discriminative stimulus effects of morphine, and perhaps to its behavioral dependence effects, but their site of action on the NMDA receptor complex confers a different ability to do so.
Effects of chitosan on nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase activity and mRNA expression in weaned piglets

The effects of chitosan on nitric oxide (NO) production and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity and gene expression in vivo or vitro were investigated in weaned piglets. In vivo, 180 weaned piglets were assigned to five dietary treatments with six replicates. The piglets were fed on a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg chitosan/kg feed, respectively. In vitro, the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from a weaned piglet were cultured respectively with 0 (control), 40, 80, 160, and 320 µg chitosan/ml medium. Results showed that serum NO concentrations on days 14 and 28 and iNOS activity on day 28 were quadratically improved with increasing chitosan dose ( P < 0.05). The iNOS mRNA expressions were linearly or quadratically enhanced in the duodenum on day 28, and were improved quadratically in the jejunum on days 14 and 28 and in the ileum on day 28 ( P < 0.01). In vitro, the NO concentrations, iNOS activity, and mRNA expression in unstimulated PBMCs were quadratically enhanced by chitosan, but the improvement of NO concentrations and iNOS activity by chitosan were markedly inhibited by N-(3-(aminomethyl) benzyl) acetamidine (1400w) (P < 0.05). Moreover, the increase of NO concentrations, iNOS activity, and mRNA expression in PBMCs induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were suppressed significantly by chitosan ( P < 0.05). The results indicated that the NO concentrations, iNOS activity, and mRNA expression in piglets were increased by feeding chitosan in a dose- dependent manner. In addition, chitosan improved the NO production in unstimulated PBMCs but inhibited its production in LPS-induced cells, which exerted bidirectional regulatory effects on the NO production via modulated iNOS activity and mRNA expression.
Glyburide-Stimulated Glucose Transport in Cultured Muscle Cells via Protein Kinase C–Mediated Pathway Requiring New Protein Synthesis

To study the mechanism of action of sulfonylurea agents on peripheral tissues without the potentially confounding influences of insulin, the direct effect of glyburide (i.e., in the absence of insulin) was evaluated in the L6 cultured myogenic cell line. Glyburide approximately doubled the incorporation of [14C]-glucose into glycogen. The rate-determining enzymes of glycogen metabolism, glycogen synthase and glycogen phosphorylase, were unaffected by the drug. Glucose transport (2-deoxyglucose uptake) was also ∼ doubled. The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) also doubled glucose transport and showed the same lag period (4–6 h) as glyburide before an effect occurred. Blockade of protein kinase C activity by either 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2 methyl piperazine (H7) or chronic exposure to TPA completely abolished the stimulation by glyburide. Cycloheximide, a protein synthesis inhibitor, also completely eliminated the effect of glyburide. The presence of ATP-sensitive K+ channels was assessed by measuring 86Rb efflux in ATP-depleted L6 muscle cells and RINm5F cells (which served as a positive control). Such channels were present and responded appropriately to glyburide and diazoxide in pancreatic β-cells but were not present in muscle cells. Glyburide stimulation of glucose transport was completely eliminated by both Quin 2, an intracellular chelator of Ca2+, and verapamil, a Ca2+ channel blocker. However, glyburide did not raise intracellular Ca2+ levels. We conclude that glyburide stimulates glucose transport in cultured L6 muscle cells by a protein kinase C–mediated pathway that requires new protein synthesis. Although intracellular Ca2+ metabolism may also be involved, the initial step in the mechanism of action is probably different between pancreatic β-cells and muscle cells.
CULTURE, VIOLENCE AND RAPE ADJUDICATION: REFLECTIONS ON THE ZUMA RAPE TRIAL AND JUDGMENT

This paper offers contextualised reflections on the role of cultural arguments during the rape trial of South Africa's former Deputy President, Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma. In conjunction with an analysis of International and South African Law on violence against women, it establishes and applies a gender and culture sensitive framework with which rape adjudication and other criminal law judgments can be examined.
Genomic data integration using guided clustering

MOTIVATION In biomedical research transcriptomic, proteomic or metabolomic profiles of patient samples are often combined with genomic profiles from experiments in cell lines or animal models. Integrating experimental data with patient data is still a challenging task due to the lack of tailored statistical tools. RESULTS Here we introduce guided clustering, a new data integration strategy that combines experimental and clinical high-throughput data. Guided clustering identifies sets of genes that stand out in experimental data while at the same time display coherent expression in clinical data. We report on two potential applications: The integration of clinical microarray data with (i) genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and (ii) with cell perturbation assays. Unlike other analysis strategies, guided clustering does not analyze the two datasets sequentially but instead in a single joint analysis. In a simulation study and in several biological applications, guided clustering performs favorably when compared with sequential analysis approaches. AVAILABILITY Guided clustering is available as a R-package from http://compdiag.uni-regensburg.de/software/guidedClustering.shtml. Documented R code of all our analysis is included in the Supplementary Materials. All newly generated data are available at the GEO database (GSE29700). CONTACT rainer.spang@klinik.uni-regensburg.de SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Measurement of fibrinogen binding to platelets in whole blood by flow cytometry: a micromethod for the detection of platelet activation

Platelet fibrinogen binding in whole blood has been measured in vitro by flow cytometry using a commercially available, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)‐conjugated polyclonal antifibrinogen antibody. Fibrinogen–antifibrinogen immune complexes were formed in experimental conditions approaching antigen–antibody equivalence, but optimal reaction conditions in which their formation was prevented or minimized could be achieved. Immune complex formation was associated with fibrinogen binding to unstimulated platelets but did not significantly affect ADP‐induced fibrinogen binding. Half‐maximal fibrinogen binding occurred at about 0·4 μm ADP, and ADP‐induced fibrinogen binding continued progressively during 20 min incubation with 10 μm ADP. Fibrinogen binding correlated closely with platelet glycoprotein IIb–IIIa expression in members of a family with Glanzmann's thrombasthenia, and, in double labelling experiments, with the binding of PAC1, a monoclonal antibody that binds to GP lib–IIIa only after the exposure of fibrinogen receptors. These studies show that platelet fibrinogen binding can be reliably measured in whole blood by means of a polyclonal antifibrinogen antibody which does not discriminate between plasma and platelet‐bound fibrinogen, despite the presence of an approximately 100‐fold excess of the former.
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FIVE EUROPEAN DRUG REIMBURSEMENT SYSTEMS

Objectives: The aim of our study is to compare five European drug reimbursement systems, describe similarities and differences, and obtain insight into their strengths and weaknesses and formulate policy recommendations. Methods: We used the analytical Hutton Framework to assess in detail drug reimbursement systems in Austria, Belgium, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden. We investigated policy documents, explored literature, and conducted fifty-seven interviews with relevant stakeholders. Results: All systems aim to balance three main objectives: system sustainability, equity and quality of care. System impact, however, is mainly assessed by drug expenditure. A national reimbursement agency evaluates reimbursement requests on a case-by-case basis. The minister has discretionary power to alter the reimbursement advice in Belgium, France, and the Netherlands. All systems make efforts to increase transparency in the decision-making process but none uses formal hierarchical reimbursement criteria nor applies a cost-effectiveness threshold value. Policies to deal with uncertainty vary: financial risk-sharing by price/volume contracts (France, Belgium) versus coverage with evidence development (Sweden, the Netherlands). Although case-by-case revisions are embedded in some systems for specific groups of drugs, systematic (group) revisions are limited. Conclusions: As shared strengths, all systems have clear objectives reflected in reimbursement criteria and all are prepared to pay for drugs with sufficient added value. However, all systems could improve the transparency of the decision-making process; especially appraisal lacks transparency. Systems could increase the use of (systematic) revisions and could make better use of HTA (among others cost-effectiveness) to obtain value for money and ensure system sustainability.
Time Course of Osteopontin, Osteocalcin, and Osteonectin Accumulation and Calcification After Acute Vessel Wall Injury

Although mineral deposits have long been described to be a prominent feature of atherosclerosis, the mechanisms of arterial calcification are not well understood. However, accumulation of the non-collagenous matrix bone-associated proteins, osteopontin, osteocalcin, and osteonectin, has been demonstrated in atheromatous plaques. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of these proteins in arterial calcification and, more precisely, during the initiation of this process. A model of rapid aortic calcification was developed in rabbits by an oversized balloon angioplasty. Calcification was followed using von Kossa staining and osteopontin, osteocalcin, and osteonectin were identified using immunohistochemistry. The aortic injury was rapidly followed by calcified deposits that appeared in the media as soon as 2 days after injury and then accumulated in zipper-like structures. Osteonectin was not detected in calcified deposits at any time after injury. In contrast, osteopontin and osteocalcin were detected in 8- and 14-day calcified structures, respectively, but not in the very early 2-day mineral deposits. These results suggest that these matrix proteins, osteopontin, osteocalcin, and osteonectin, are not involved in the initiation step of the aortic calcification process and that the former two might play a role in the regulation of arterial calcification.
Socioemotional Skills, Education, and Health-Related Outcomes of High-Ability Individuals

We use the high-IQ Terman sample to estimate relationships between education, socioemotional skills, and health-related outcomes that include health behaviors, lifestyles, and health measures across the life cycle. By both focusing on a high-IQ sample and controlling for IQ in regression models, we mitigate ability bias due to cognitive skill. In addition, we control for detailed personality measures to account for socioemotional skills. We model skills using factor analysis to address measurement error and adopt a powerful stepdown procedure to account for multiple hypothesis testing. We find that among high-IQ subjects, education is linked to better health-related outcomes, in contrast to previous evidence. Conscientiousness, Openness, Extraversion, and Neuroticism are linked to various health-related outcomes across the lifecycle. Furthermore, we find that accounting for a comprehensive set of skills, measurement error, and multiple hypothesis testing not only provides greater confidence in several established relationships but also generates novel results.
Rituximab in combination with CODOX‐M/IVAC: a retrospective analysis of 23 cases of non‐HIV related B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma with proliferation index >95%

The safety and efficacy of rituximab with CODOX‐M/IVAC (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, methotrexate/ifosfamide, etoposide, high dose cytarabine) was retrospectively analysed in 23 patients with non‐human immunodeficiency virus‐related B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma with proliferation index >95% [14 with classical Burkitt lymphoma (BL), five with B‐cell lymphoma unclassifiable, with features intermediate between diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and BL, and four with DLBCL]. Six (26%) low‐risk (LR) patients received three cycles of CODOX‐M and 17 (74%) high‐risk (HR) cases were assigned to four cycles of alternating CODOX‐M/IVAC. Rituximab 375 mg/m2 was infused on days 1 and 10 of each cycle. Toxicity was comparable to that reported with CODOX‐M/IVAC, with no treatment‐related death. Two patients developed grade 3 rituximab‐induced delayed neutropenia, with no adverse outcome. After completing treatment, 83% LR patients and 71% HR patients achieved CR by positron emission tomography–computerized tomography (PET–CT). Three (13%) patients received salvage treatment. At a median follow‐up of 34 months (range = 18–75), 19 (83%) patients (100% LR and 74% HR) were alive, including one case undergoing salvage for late relapse. Four HR patients (17%) had died, three from primary progressive disease and one from treatment‐refractory relapse 2 months after achieving CR. These results with R‐CODOX‐M/R‐IVAC compare favourably with existing data using CODOX‐M/IVAC and warrant further prospective studies. The potential pitfalls of PET–CT to assess response are highlighted.
A meta-analysis examining the nature of trade-offs in microfinance

Abstract This meta-analysis reviews existing evidence on the ability of microfinance institutions (MFI) to achieve social and financial goals simultaneously. Through an initial screen of 3088 articles covering empirical tests on microfinance performance trade-offs, I synthesize 623 empirical findings from 61 studies to identify the dimensions of MFI performance, and study characteristics associated with trade-offs between financial and social objectives Overall, findings suggest that depth of outreach, cost of outreach, and efficiency indicators increase the prevalence of trade-offs, while risk indicators are associated with fewer trade-offs. Profitability indicators and outreach to women are found to have no significant effect on performance trade-offs. Additionally, study characteristics suggest that using an economic frontier methodology or publishing in development journals increases the incidence of trade-offs, while time trends reveal that trade-offs become less acute as the industry matures. Consequently, MFIs face difficult decisions in relation to the possibility that social goals need be sacrificed to achieve financial sustainability.
Discriminant variables between organ donors and nondonors: a post hoc investigation.

CONTEXT Few studies in organ donation have focused on the attitudes and opinions of families who were asked to donate the organs of a deceased relative. OBJECTIVE To determine what variables influenced a family's decision to donate. DESIGN Post hoc investigation using a survey. SETTING Málaga, Spain. PARTICIPANTS Seventy-one people who had been approached for the donation of their deceased relatives' organs at a single hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Consent to donate. RESULTS Based on a stepwise discriminant function analysis, the following variables played a determining role in a family member's decision to donate: (1) the expressed wish of the deceased, (2) having a clear understanding of the definition of "brain death. " (3) the manners and approach of the doctors, (4) the hospital facilities, (5) concerns regarding the donation process, and (6) educational level. CONCLUSION Prodonation campaigns geared toward the public and hospital staff should focus on specific objectives to increase the likelihood of consent for organ donation.
Analysis of egg granuloma formation in Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice treated with antibodies to interleukin-5 and gamma interferon

Schistosoma japonicum-infected mice were treated with antibodies to interleukin-5 (IL-5) or gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) from week 3 or 4 to week 10 of infection. Neither antibody affected egg production by the parasite, and neither had a consistent effect on the secretion of IFN-gamma or IL-5 cell-related cytokines by spleen cells from infected mice. Mice treated with antibody to murine IL-5 had only rare eosinophils in hepatic circumoval granulomas. Granulomas around single eggs were reduced in volume by a third, but hepatic fibrosis was unaffected. Treatment with antibody to murine IFN-gamma also reduced the size of granulomas and also did not affect hepatic fibrosis, which was measured as hydroxyproline. Our results, taken together with the studies of others, indicate that a complex interaction of cytokines affects granuloma size and that the size and fibrosis of granulomas are to some extent regulated independently.