Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Beliefs about outcomes for mental disorders: a comparative study of primary health practitioners and psychiatrists in Singapore.

OBJECTIVES To compare responses to a mental health literacy survey assessing the likely outcome of three major mental disorders by primary health practitioners (OPD doctors and GPs) and by psychiatrists in Singapore. METHODS We used two vignettes of Major Depression and Schizophrenia developed in an Australian study. In addition, a third vignette of Mania was developed locally and included. The respondents were required to choose one of the set of prognostic options if the patients received or did not receive professional help, to rate the likely impact of the disorder, and to assess the likelihood of the patient being discriminated against. Psychiatrists' responses were obtained by surveying staff at Woodbridge Hospital, while the primary health practitioners were required to respond to a postal survey. RESULTS The response rate for the psychiatrists was 70% (69/99), while the Primary health practitioners had an overall response rate of 38% (264/691). The response from OPDs being 51% (77/151) and that of the GPs being 35% (189/540). There was evidence of disorder specificity, with schizophrenia judged as having the worst outcome and depression the best outcome in response to treatment. There was also evidence of group specificity, with the psychiatrists most optimistic and the OPD doctors least optimistic about the outcome following professional intervention. The majority of both the primary health practitioners and the psychiatrists judged that patients would be discriminated against, more so for schizophrenia and mania than for depression. Compared to the OPD doctors, a lower percentage of GPs felt that the patients would be discriminated against. CONCLUSION Primary health practitioners in Singapore hold more negative views than Singapore psychiatrists about the outcome of professional intervention for three major psychiatric disorders. This finding has implications for education and training for primary health practitioners as well as for treatment of psychiatric patients in the primary health setting.
β2‐Adrenergic receptor desensitization in perirenal adipose tissue in fetuses and lambs with placental insufficiency‐induced intrauterine growth restriction

Placental insufficiency‐induced intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) fetuses have chronic hypoxaemia and elevated plasma catecholamine concentrations. In this study, we determined whether adrenergic responsiveness becomes desensitized in the perirenal adipose tissue of IUGR fetuses and lambs by measuring adrenergic receptor (AR) mRNA and protein levels. We also tested the ability of adrenaline to mobilize non‐esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) in young lambs. Perirenal adipose tissue was collected from IUGR and control fetuses at 133 days of gestational age (dGA) and lambs at 18 days of age (dA). β2‐AR mRNA concentrations were 59% and 74% lower (P < 0.05) in IUGR fetuses and lambs compared to controls, respectively, which also resulted in lower protein levels (P < 0.05). No treatment differences were detected for α1A‐, α1B‐, α1D‐, α2A‐, α2B‐, α2C‐, β1‐ and β3‐AR expression. mRNA concentrations were also determined for hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), perilipin (lipid droplet‐associated protein), and two adipokines, leptin and adiponectin. Adiponectin and HSL were not different between treatments at either age. Compared to controls, perilipin and leptin mRNA concentrations were lower (P < 0.05) in IUGR fetuses but not in lambs. Because of the β2‐AR results, we challenged a second cohort of lambs with exogenous adrenaline at 21 dA. The ability of adrenaline to mobilize NEFA was 55 ± 15% lower (P < 0.05) in IUGRs than controls. Collectively, our findings indicate that elevated catecholamine exposure in utero causes desensitization of adipose tissue by down‐regulation of β2‐AR, and this persists in lambs. This impairment in adrenergic stimulated lipolysis might partially explain early onset obesity in IUGR offspring.
Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase Is Not Essential for Control of Trypanosoma cruzi Infection in Mice

ABSTRACT Immune control of many intracellular pathogens, including Trypanosoma cruzi, is reported to be dependent on the production of nitric oxide. In this study, we show that mice deficient in inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS or NOS2) exhibit resistance to T. cruzi infection that is comparable to that of wild-type mice. This is the case for two iNOS-deficient mouse strains, Nos2tm1Lau and Nos2 N5, infected with the Brazil or Tulahuen strain of T. cruzi. In all cases, blood parasitemia, tissue parasite load, and survival rates are similar between wild-type and iNOS-deficient mice. In contrast, both wild-type and Nos2tm1Lau mice died within 32 days postinfection when treated with the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor aminoguanidine. Increased transcription of NOS1 or NOS3 is not found in iNOS-knockout (KO) mice, indicating that the absence of nitric oxide production through iNOS is not compensated for by increased production of other NOS isoforms. However, Nos2tm1Lau mice exhibit enhanced expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1α compared to that of wild-type mice, and these alterations may in part compensate for the lack of iNOS. These results clearly show that iNOS is not required for control of T. cruzi infection in mice.
Twitter: A Novel Tool for Studying the Health and Social Needs of Transgender Communities

Background Limited research has examined the health and social needs of transgender and gender nonconforming populations. Due to high levels of stigma, transgender individuals may avoid disclosing their identities to researchers, hindering this type of work. Further, researchers have traditionally relied on clinic-based sampling methods, which may mask the true heterogeneity of transgender and gender nonconforming communities. Online social networking websites present a novel platform for studying this diverse, difficult-to-reach population. Objective The objective of this study was to attempt to examine the perceived health and social needs of transgender and gender nonconforming communities by examining messages posted to the popular microblogging platform, Twitter. Methods Tweets were collected from 13 transgender-related hashtags on July 11, 2014. They were read and coded according to general themes addressed, and a content analysis was performed. Qualitative and descriptive statistics are presented. Results There were 1135 tweets that were collected in total. Both “positive” and “negative” events were discussed, in both personal and social contexts. Violence, discrimination, suicide, and sexual risk behavior were discussed. There were 34.36% (390/1135) of tweets that addressed transgender-relevant current events, and 60.79% (690/1135) provided a link to a relevant news article or resource. Conclusions This study found that transgender individuals and allies use Twitter to discuss health and social needs relevant to the population. Real-time social media sites like Twitter can be used to study issues relevant to transgender communities.
T Cell Intrinsic Heterodimeric Complexes between HVEM and BTLA Determine Receptivity to the Surrounding Microenvironment1

The inhibitory cosignaling pathway formed between the TNF receptor herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM, TNFRSF14) and the Ig superfamily members, B and T lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) and CD160, limits the activation of T cells. However, BTLA and CD160 can also serve as activating ligands for HVEM when presented in trans by adjacent cells, thus forming a bidirectional signaling pathway. BTLA and CD160 can directly activate the HVEM-dependent NF-κB RelA transcriptional complex raising the question of how NF-κB activation is repressed in naive T cells. In this study, we show BTLA interacts with HVEM in cis, forming a heterodimeric complex in naive T cells that inhibits HVEM-dependent NF-κB activation. The cis-interaction between HVEM and BTLA is the predominant form expressed on the surface of naive human and mouse T cells. The BTLA ectodomain acts as a competitive inhibitor blocking BTLA and CD160 from binding in trans to HVEM and initiating NF-κB activation. The TNF-related ligand, LIGHT (homologous to lymphotoxins, exhibits inducible expression, and competes with HSV glycoprotein D for HVEM, a receptor expressed by T lymphocytes, or TNFSF14) binds HVEM in the cis-complex, but NF-κB activation was attenuated, suggesting BTLA prevents oligomerization of HVEM in the cis-complex. Genetic deletion of BTLA or pharmacologic disruption of the HVEM-BTLA cis-complex in T cells promoted HVEM activation in trans. Interestingly, herpes simplex virus envelope glycoprotein D formed a cis-complex with HVEM, yet surprisingly, promoted the activation NF-κB RelA. We suggest that the HVEM-BTLA cis-complex competitively inhibits HVEM activation by ligands expressed in the surrounding microenvironment, thus helping maintain T cells in the naive state.
Relationships of motor performance of adult men to anthropometry: A multivariate analysis

Relationships between 12 anthropometric characteristics and motor performance, as measured by various fitness tests, were considered in a sample of 165 Flemish adults observed at age 30 years. In addition to a bivariate correlation study, a canonical correlation analysis was carried out. More than 72% of the variance was shared by the first three canonical variables. The first canonical variable can be explained as a general size function. Static and functional strength are clearly related to this function. The second canonical variable can be interpreted as a size‐fatness function. Nearly all motor tests are projected on the second composite, indicating that in adult men, subcutaneous fatness is negatively related to physical fitness. By means of a biplot of the first two canonical variables, interrelationships between body dimensions and motor performance are clarified. A combination of the first two functions seems to provide information about physique. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A MEAN-FIELD MODEL FOR SEMIFLEXIBLE CHAINS

We derive a mean‐field model for a semiflexible chain using a functional integral approach. The resulting model satisfies the global constraint 〈u2(s)〉=1 rather than the hard constraint that u2(s)=1 for all s. The function u(s) is the tangent vector ∂r/∂s, where r(s) represents the conformation of the chain and s is the arc length.
Contaminación de las aguas del Río Rímac

Contaminacion de las aguas del Rio Rimac Gabriela Garcia Castillo UPeU, Facultad de Ingenieria y Arquitectura, EP. Ingenieria Ambiental Resumen Objetivo : El conocimiento del medio acuatico, asi como las principales fuentes de contaminacion, su transporte, su transferencia y bioacumulacion son necesarios para una evaluacion adecuada del grado de contaminacion de las aguas del rio Rimac y sus efectos en los recursos hidrobiologicos y en la salud humana. Las aguas del rio Rimac se encuentran contaminadas principalmente por residuos de la industria minero-metalurgica, desechos domesticos de los centros ubicados en su orilla, desechos industriales y agricolas. Asimismo el creciente requerimiento de agua potable para abastecer a la poblacion de Lima y Callao, para la agricultura y generacion de energia hacen necesario realizar estudios de la calidad del agua y sus efectos en los recursos hidrobiologicos y en la salud humana. Contenido: Frente a esta grave contaminacion las soluciones concretas de parte de las autoridades competentes, urge declarar la emergencia ambiental de la cuenca del Rimac. La Declaratoria de Emergencia Ambiental . (DEA) es un Instrumento de Gestion Ambiental (IGA) que se utiliza en casos de ocurrencia de algun dano ambiental subito y significativo, sea este ocasionado por causas naturales, humanas o tecnologicas. Ademas, debe considerarse que -segun lo establecido por Decreto Supremo 007-2010-AG-, resulta de interes nacional la proteccion de la calidad del agua en las fuentes naturales, motivo por el cual se encuentra totalmente justificada la DEA de las cuencas altas de rio Rimac. Conclusiones: Ante este problema, la mejor solucion para reducir la contaminacion del rio Rimac, es empezar limpiando la rivera donde se acumula los cerros de basura, luego se pondre a disposicion de los pobladores atedanos unos contendedores en donde podran ayudar a reciclar la basura. Una empresa procesadora de materiales reciclados se encargara de elaborar productos a base de los materiales recogidos para luego ser vendidos y finalmente se pueda repartir la ganancias 60% la empresa 40% los pobladores; incentivando asi el cuidado del rio Rimac. Palabras Clave: bioacumulacion , recursos hidrobiologicos , Gestion Ambiental
Bioremediation of Chromium (Vi) from Textile Industry’s Effluent and Contaminated Soil Using Pseudomonas putida

Nine bacterial colonies were screened for the Cr(VI) removal efficiency and out of these three bacterial strains Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacillus sp. were isolated from soil and used to remove Cr(VI) from aqueous solution. The effect of time and concentrations on the removal rate of hexavalent chromium were studied using batch experiment. Maximum Cr (VI) removal was noted 75.0% by Bacillus sp. at 10mg/l, 69.70% by Pseudomonas aeruginosa at 40mg/l and 90.88% by Pseudomonas putida at 10mg/l of synthetic solution, during 96 hours. Among these three bacteria, the maximum Cr(VI) removal was reported by Pseudomonas putida on lower concentration. On the basis of highest removal rate, Pseudomonas putida was selected and used for further chromium removal from samples. It was found to be removed the highest Cr(VI) by 82.92%, from effluent and 74.41% from soil during 96 hours. The present study depicts that bacteria removes chromium efficiently and this could be used for industrial waste management and other environmental contaminants.
A Site in the Fourth Membrane-associated Domain of the N-Methyl-d-aspartate Receptor Regulates Desensitization and Ion Channel Gating*

The N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor has four membrane-associated domains, three of which are membrane-spanning (M1, M3, and M4) and one of which is a re-entrant pore loop (M2). The M1–M3 domains have been demonstrated to influence the function of the ion channel, but a similar role for the M4 domain has not been reported. We have identified a methionine residue (Met823) in the M4 domain of the NR2A subunit that regulates desensitization and ion channel gating. A tryptophan substitution at this site did not alter the EC50 for glycine or the peak NMDA EC50 but decreased the steady-state NMDA EC50 and markedly increased apparent desensitization, mean open time, and peak current density. Results of rapid solution exchange experiments revealed that changes in microscopic desensitization rates and closing rates could account for the changes in macroscopic desensitization, steady-state NMDA EC50, and current density. Other amino acid substitutions at this site could increase or decrease the rate of desensitization and mean open time of the ion channel. Both mean open time and desensitization were dependent primarily upon the hydrophobic character of the amino acid at the position. These results demonstrate an important role for hydrophobic interactions at Met823 in regulation of NMDA receptor function.
The ethics of the placebo in clinical practice

While discussions of the ethics of the placebo have usually dealt with their use in a research context, the authors address here the question of the placebo in clinical practice. It is argued, firstly, that the placebo can be an effective treatment. Secondly, it is demonstrated that its use does not always entail deception. Finally guidelines are presented according to which the placebo may be used for clinical purposes. It is suggested that in select cases, use of the placebo may even be morally imperative. The argument is illustrated by three case vignettes.
Optimal Placement of Wireless Sensor Nodes with Fault Tolerance and Minimal Energy Consumption

In this paper, an evolutionary algorithm is presented to develop a solution for the variable radii sensor placement optimization problem. Sensor nodes are placed in a sensor field such that maximum coverage of the target region is achieved. Coverage is defined in terms of monitoring points of interest. In point coverage, it is desired to place the sensor nodes such that certain target points in the area to be monitored are efficiently covered. The sensors are assumed to have varying communication and sensing radii within specified ranges. To attain a certain degree of fault tolerance, the network is required to have k-connectivity. Therein, the challenge lies in finding a solution that provides the optimal choice and arrangement of sensor nodes with a minimized overall energy consumption. Our devised algorithm places the sensors to form an energy-efficient and fault tolerant network that provides coverage of the given query points
Motivational Properties of Self-Reinforcement

To examine the motivational effects of Self-reinforcement (SR), Ss were asked to match to sample tachistoscopically presented stimuli from four response choices 100 trials with non-repeated samples were given. Three groups received 60% non-contingent reinforcement in Phase I. A fourth (NR) group received no reinforcement during the experiment. In Phase II, an External reinforcement (ER) group received continued non-contingent reinforcement, an SR group was given control over reinforcement delivery, and an Extinction (EX) group received no reinforcement. In Phase III no Ss were reinforced. Analysis of correct responses indicated no group differences in Phases I or II but significant differences under extinction in Phase III. The SR group gave significantly more accurate recognitions than all other groups. In Phase 11, SR administration closely matched the preceding ER schedule.
Perioperative changes in PIVKA-II

Abstract Background and aims. Proteins induced by vitamin K absence for factor II (PIVKA-II) is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay that monitors uncarboxylated prothrombin and responds to vitamin K deficits prior to changes in the prothrombin test. The aim of this project was to study perioperative PIVKA-II changes during various types of surgery in a prospective observational study. Methods. Patients undergoing abdominal or orthopaedic surgery were included. Blood was sampled on the day of surgery (preoperatively) and up to 5 days after surgery. The activated partial thromboplastin time, Quick and Owren prothrombin times were analyzed, together with PIVKA-II. Results. Thirty-nine patients were included, 27 +male and 12 +female. All but 7 +patients had elevated PIVKA-II levels preoperatively. PIVKA-II levels had already increased significantly (p < 0.017) on day 1 after surgery as compared to presurgery plasma levels. The median PIVKA-II was highest on day 5. Routine tests were mostly normal. No significant difference in PIVKA-II was seen when comparing patients undergoing abdominal versus orthopaedic surgeries. There was no significant correlation between PIVKA-II and routine coagulation tests. Patients with anterior resection, emergency laparotomy and emergency hip fractures had higher postoperative increases, which could be linked to increased gastrointestinal recovery times, paralytic ileus, peritonitis and comorbidities. Conclusions. PIVKA-II levels increase during the perioperative period, despite mostly normal routine coagulation tests. Pre- and perioperative vitamin K supplementation in patients with elevated PIVKA-II levels should be studied, and its clinical significance be defined in future studies.
Quasirandom Rumor Spreading on the Complete Graph Is as Fast as Randomized Rumor Spreading

In this paper, we provide a detailed comparison between a fully randomized protocol for rumor spreading on a complete graph and a quasirandom protocol introduced by Doerr, Friedrich, and Sauerwald [Quasirandom rumor spreading, in Proceedings of the 19th Annual ACM-SIAM Symposium on Discrete Algorithms, ACM, New York, SIAM, Philadelphia, 2008, pp. 773-781]. In the former, initially there is one vertex which holds a piece of information, and during each round every one of the informed vertices chooses uniformly at random and independently one of its neighbors and informs it. In the quasirandom version of this method (cf. Doerr, Friedrich, and Sauerwald) each vertex has a cyclic list of its neighbors. Once a vertex has been informed, it chooses uniformly at random only one neighbor. In the following round, it informs this neighbor, and at each subsequent round it picks the next neighbor from its list and informs it. We give a precise analysis of the evolution of the quasirandom protocol on the complete graph with $n$ vertices and show that it evolves essentially in the same way as the randomized protocol. In particular, if $S(n)$ denotes the number of rounds that are needed until all vertices are informed, we show that for any slowly growing function $\omega(n)$, we have $\log_2 n + \ln n - 4 \ln \ln n \leq S(n) \leq \log_2 n + \ln n + \omega(n)$, with probability $1-o(1)$.
Detection and distribution of heat shock proteins 27 and 90 in human benign and malignant prostatic tissue.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether it is possible to predict the behaviour of prostate tumours by identifying cellular characteristics, specifically specific heat shock proteins (HSPs). MATERIALS AND METHODS An immunohistochemical study staining for HSP 27 and 90 was undertaken on 15 benign and 13 malignant samples of freshly frozen prostatic tissue obtained from patients with a similar age range in each group (benign, mean age 71.6 years, range 61-86; malignant, mean age 72.7 years, range 58-87). Gleason scores for the tumours ranged from 2 to 8. RESULTS Consistent patterns of cytoplasmic staining were seen in all sections of tissue from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The stroma stained strongly positive for HSP 27, but negatively for HSP 90 and glandular epithelium showed positive apical staining for both HSPs. Stromal patterns in prostatic carcinoma tissue were similar to that of BPH tissue for both HSP 27 and 90. Areas of prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia stained as strongly as did adjacent areas of BPH. For HSP 27, there was varied staining of individual epithelial cells, suggesting cellular heterogeneity, with an apparent reduction in staining with increasing Gleason score and invasiveness. For HSP 90, this pattern was less marked, with a predominance for positive staining throughout all grades of carcinoma. CONCLUSIONS The distribution of HSPs, primarily HSP 27, may aid in identifying different cell populations within prostatic carcinomas and thus help forecast biological behaviour.