Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Social Media, News and Political Information during the US Election: Was Polarizing Content Concentrated in Swing States?

US voters shared large volumes of polarizing political news and information in the form of links to content from Russian, WikiLeaks and junk news sources. Was this low quality political information distributed evenly around the country, or concentrated in swing states and particular parts of the country? In this data memo we apply a tested dictionary of sources about political news and information being shared over Twitter over a ten day period around the 2016 Presidential Election. Using self-reported location information, we place a third of users by state and create a simple index for the distribution of polarizing content around the country. We find that (1) nationally, Twitter users got more misinformation, polarizing and conspiratorial content than professionally produced news. (2) Users in some states, however, shared more polarizing political news and information than users in other states. (3) Average levels of misinformation were higher in swing states than in uncontested states, even when weighted for the relative size of the user population in each state. We conclude with some observations about the impact of strategically disseminated polarizing information on public life.
Changes in ocular surface caused by antiglaucomatous eyedrops: prospective, randomised study for the comparison of 0.5% timololv 0.12% unoprostone

AIM To study changes induced in ocular surface epithelia and the tear film by antiglaucomatous eyedrops. A β blocker (0.5% timolol) and a novel prostaglandin F2α metabolite related drug (0.12% unoprostone) were examined in a prospective, randomised fashion. METHODS 40 patients were randomly assigned to use either 0.5% timolol (timolol group) or 0.12% unoprostone eyedrops (unoprostone group) twice a day for 24 weeks. In addition to routine ocular examinations, corneal epithelial integrity (vital staining tests, tear film break up time (BUT), anterior fluorometry, specular microscopy) and tear function (Schirmer's test, cotton thread test, tear clearance test (TCT)) were examined before and after the treatment. RESULTS Both eyedrops caused significant reduction in intraocular pressure from the baseline levels. No significant changes were noted in corneal integrity in both groups, except a decrease in BUT at 20 weeks in the timolol group. The timolol group demonstrated significant decreases in Schirmer's test, tear clearance test, and tear function index (Schirmer's test value multiplied by clearance test); however, no such changes were noted in the unoprostone group. CONCLUSION While unoprostone eyedrops caused no adverse effects on the corneal epithelial integrity and tear function, timolol caused significant impairments in tear production and turnover.
A Combined High-Efficiency Region Controller to Improve Fuel Consumption of Power-Split HEVs

An improved controller for the energy management system of a power-split hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) is developed with the objectives of minimizing fuel consumption and improving drivability. Considering the specific application of vehicles plying on scheduled trips such as public transport, this paper assumes that the controller is privileged with a priori knowledge of the estimated total tractive energy requirement and the duration of the journey. In comparison to a recently introduced constant high-efficiency region (CHER)-based controller, this paper demonstrates that further reductions in fuel consumption can be achieved under certain driving cycles by limiting the internal-combustion-engine (ICE) operation to a dynamically varying high-efficiency region and adopting state-of-charge (SOC) swing control for battery energy storage. The frequency of engine on/off is therefore directly decided by the size of the energy storage, allowable swing of the SOC, and the tractive energy required. Performances of the CHER and dynamic high-efficiency region (DHER) controllers are compared through simulations against the existing controller of a commercial vehicle. The results reveal that the DHER controller outperforms the other two controllers in terms of fuel consumption in highway-style-driving scenarios. Therefore, to minimize fuel consumption while improving drivability under all driving scenarios, this paper proposes to combine the CHER controller with the DHER controller such that the best features of both controllers can be utilized.
Human Fetal Lung Type II Pneumonocytes in Monolayer Cell Culture: The Influence of Oxidant Stress, Cortisol Environment, and Soluble Fibroblast Factors

Summary: A pure culture of human fetal lung type II pneumonocytes has been developed and labeled HFLP. Cells were studied during the period of exponential growth that was observed to occur in this system from day 4 to day 8 after subculture. Correlations with exponential growth were highly significant (P < 0.001) in all groups studied. Growth was not greatly different at any of the different oxygen tensions (30, 55, 80, and 145 mm Hg) examined except that growth was slightly more rapid at a PO2 of 145 mm Hg than at a PO2 of 80 mm Hg (P <0.05). The uptake of 3H-choline into DSPC at a PO2 of 30 mm Hg was significantly less than at 55 mm Hg (P < 0.001) or 80 mm Hg (P < 0.001), whereas the uptake at 145 mm Hg was also significantly less than that at 55 mm Hg (P < 0.001) or 80 mm Hg (P < 0.001). Uptake at 55 and 90 mm Hg was not significantly different. The response to added cortisol (1 µM) also varied with the oxygen tension, with no effect at a PO2 of 30 mm Hg while, at a PO2 of 55 mm Hg the 3H-choline uptake was significantly different on day 5 (P < 0.001), day 6 (P < 0.001) and day 7 (P < 0.01). Similarly, at a PO2 of 80 mm Hg the difference was significant on day 5 (P < 0.05), day 6 (P < 0.01) and day 7 (P < 0.01). At a PO2 of 145 mm Hg, the difference was just significant on day 7 (P < 0.05). In isolated HFLP cells, an oxidant challenge produced by increasing PO2 from 30 to 55 mm Hg resulted in a 96% increase in 3H-choline uptake in both the control group (P < 0.001) and the steroid-added group (P < 0.001). In the combined HFLP and fetal lung fibroblast culture there was a 275% increase over the uptake before oxidant challenge after 48 hr (control group P < 0.001, steroid group P < 0.001). In the experiment where HFLP cells were grown in the presence of 10% fibroblast-derived medium, the increase after 48 hr was 135% over values before the oxidant challenge (control group P < 0.001). In this experiment, the steroid-added group had an increased response compared to the control group 48 hr after the oxidant challenge (P < 0.02). Speculation: It was speculated that the type II pneumonocyte requires an unknown cofactor in order to respond to antenatal steroid treatment by increased production of surface active materials. It was further speculated that the change of PO2 that occurs in pulmonary tissue after delivery acts as an important biologic stimulus to cause increased production of surface active materials, and that this mechanism can be favorably enhanced by pretreatment with steroids, and is mediated in part by soluble factor(s) derived from the fetal lung fibroblast.
Synergistic interaction of the Neu proto-oncogene product and transforming growth factor alpha in the mammary epithelium of transgenic mice

Transgenic mice expressing either the neu proto-oncogene or transforming growth factor (TGF-alpha) in the mammary epithelium develop spontaneous focal mammary tumors that occur after a long latency. Since the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and Neu are capable of forming heterodimers that are responsive to EGFR ligands such as TGF-alpha, we examined whether coexpression of TGF-alpha and Neu in mammary epithelium could cooperate to accelerate the onset of mammary tumors. To test this hypothesis, we interbred separate transgenic strains harboring either a mouse mammary tumor virus/TGF-alpha or a mouse mammary tumor virus/neu transgene to generate bitransgenic mice that coexpress TGF-alpha and neu in the mammary epithelium. Female mice coexpressing TGF-alpha and neu developed multifocal mammary tumors which arose after a significantly shorter latency period than either parental strain alone. The development of these mammary tumors was correlated with the tyrosine phosphorylation of Neu and the recruitment of c-Src to the Neu complex. Immunoprecipitation and immunoblot analyses with EGFR- and Neu-specific antisera, however, failed to detect physical complexes of these two receptors. Taken together, these observations suggest that Neu and TGF-alpha cooperate in mammary tumorigenesis through a mechanism involving Neu and EGFR transactivation.
Spontaneous tumor rupture and surgical prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract Background. Spontaneous rupture is an uncommon but the most fatal complication of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is recognized as a risk factor for tumor recurrence. The present study is to investigate the short- and long-term survival of the patients with HCC rupture and evaluate the influence of tumor rupture on patient's survival after hepatic resection. Patients and methods. The clinical data of 101 patients with HCC rupture from 2000 to 2010 were reviewed retrospectively. The management of tumor rupture and clinicopathological parameters affecting 30-day mortality of the patients were recorded and evaluated. Long-term survival of the 41 patients undergoing hepatic resection was compared with 446 patients with non-ruptured HCC at the same time period. Results. The 30-day mortality rate of the 101 patients with HCC rupture was 35.6% and median survival was 79 days. The independent risk factors affecting 30-day mortality were tumor size and blood transfusion quantity. Compared with 446 non-ruptured HCC patients, 41 patients with ruptured HCC undergoing hepatic resection had a similar overall and disease-free survival to 446 without rupture (Log-rank test, p = 0.704 and 0.084, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that age, gender, and tumor size were independently significant factors in differentiating tumor rupture from non-rupture. Conclusion. Early mortality of spontaneous rupture of HCC was dependent on preoperational liver function, tumor status, and severity of bleeding. Prolonged survival can be achieved in patients with ruptured HCC after hepatic resection as those without the complication.
Polarized distribution of AMPA, but not GABAA, receptors in radial glia‐like cells of the adult dentate gyrus

Glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP)‐positive astrocytes with radial processes [radial glia (RG)‐like cells] in the postnatal dentate gyrus share many of the characteristics of embryonic radial glia and appear to act as precursor cells for adult dentate neurogenesis, a process important for pattern separation and hippocampus‐dependent learning. Although much work has delineated the mechanisms underlying activity‐neurogenesis coupling via gamma‐amino butyric acid (GABA)ergic neurotransmission on GFAP‐negative transient‐amplifying cells and neuroblasts, little is known regarding the effects of neurotransmitters on RG‐like cells. Conflicting evidence exists for both GABA and glutamate receptors on these cells. Here, using GFAP reporter mice, we show that the somatic membrane of RG‐like cells carries GABAA receptors and glutamate transporters but not ionotropic glutamate receptors, whereas 2‐amino‐3‐(hydroxyl‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐yl) propionic acid (AMPA) and GABAA receptors are expressed on the processes of these cells. Almost all RG‐like cells expressed the GluA2 subunit, which restricts the Ca2+ permeability of AMPA receptors. The glial GABAA receptors mainly comprised α2/α4, β1, and γ1/γ3. The selective presence of AMPA receptors on the radial processes may be important for sensing and responding to local activity‐driven glutamate release and supports the concept that RG‐like astrocytes are composed of functional and structural domains.
Patient-Physician Language Concordance and Use of Preventive Care Services among Limited English Profcient Latinos and Asians

Objectives. Patient-physician language concordance among limited English proficient (LEP) patients is associated with better outcomes for specific clinical conditions. Whether or not language concordance contributes to use of specific preventive care services is unclear. Methods. We pooled data from the 2007 and 2009 California Health Interview Surveys to examine mammography, colorectal cancer (CRC) screening, and influenza vaccination use among self-identified LEP Latino and Asian (i.e., Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese) immigrants. We defined language concordance by respondents reporting that their physician spoke their non-English language. Analyses were completed in 2013–2014. Results. Language concordance did not appear to facilitate mammography use among Latinas (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72, 1.45). Among Asian women, we could not definitively exclude a negative association of language concordance with mammography (AOR=0.55, 95% CI 0.27, 1.09). Patient-physician language concordance was associated with lower odds of CRC screening among Asians but not Latinos (Asian AOR=0.50, 95% CI 0.29, 0.86; Latino AOR=0.85, 95% CI 0.56, 1.28). Influenza vaccination did not differ by physician language use among either Latinos or Asians. Conclusions. Patient-physician language concordance was not associated with higher use of mammography, CRC screening, or influenza vaccination. Language concordance was negatively associated with CRC screening among Asians for reasons that require further research. Future research should isolate the impact of language concordance on the use of preventive care services from health system factors.
Caffeic acid ameliorates colitis in association with increased Akkermansia population in the gut microbiota of mice

Emerging evidence shows that dietary agents and phytochemicals contribute to the prevention and treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC). We first reported the effects of dietary caffeic acid (CaA) on murine experimental colitis and on fecal microbiota. Colitis was induced in C57BL/6 mice by administration of 2.5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). Mice were fed a control diet or diet with CaA (1 mM). Our results showed that dietary CaA exerted anti-inflammatory effects in DSS colitis mice. Moreover, CaA could significantly suppress the secretion of IL-6, TNFα, and IFNγ and the colonic infiltration of CD3+ T cells, CD177+ neutrophils and F4/80+ macrophages via inhibition of the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway. Analysis of fecal microbiota showed that CaA could restore the reduction of richness and inhibit the increase of the ratio of Firmicute to Bacteroidetes in DSS colitis mice. And CaA could dramatically increase the proportion of the mucin-degrading bacterium Akkermansia in DSS colitis mice. Thus, CaA could ameliorate colonic pathology and inflammation in DSS colitis mice, and it might be associated with a proportional increase in Akkermansia.
Social transformations from the Middle Bronze Age to the Middle Iron Age in Central Southern Britain

i Acknowledgements ii Table of figures vi Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1.1 Social change and Later Prehistory: research aims 1 1.2 The study area 3 1.3 Chronology 4 1.3.1 Middle Bronze Age 5 1.3.2 Late Bronze Age 5 1.3.3 Earliest Iron Age 6 1.3.4 Early Iron Age 7 1.3.5 Middle Iron Age 7 1.4 The necessity of this study 8 1.5 Layout of the thesis 9 Chapter 2 Current models for Later Prehistoric Society 17 2.1 Rowlands and Barrett 17 2.2 Brück 20 2.3 Cunliffe 23 2.4 Sharples 25 2.5 Hill 26 2.6 Summary 28 Chapter 3 Community theory and application 30 3.1 Themes within studies of community 31 3.2 Communal structures 34 3.3 Community, movement and interaction 38 3.4 An archaeological definition of community 41 3.5 Methodology the investigation of Prehistoric communities 42 3.5.1 Settlement patterns and agriculture 46 3.5.2 Sites 50 3.5.3 Environmental data 51 3.5.4 Material culture 51 3.5.5 Tying it all together 52 3.6 Summary 52 Chapter 4 – Middle Avon Valley 57 4.1 Land division 58 4.2 Settlement 59 4.3 Nature of habitation 65 4.4 Landscape and society 67 4.5 Summary 72 Chapter 5 – North-east Salisbury Plain Training Area 85 5.1 Land division 85 5.2 Settlement 87 5.3 Nature of habitation 92 5.4 Landscape and society 94 5.5 Summary 102 Chapter 6 Wylye Valley 119 6.1 Land division 119 6.2 Settlement 120 6.3 Nature of habitation 127
Exercise‐induced arterial hypoxaemia in healthy young women

1 We questioned whether exercise‐induced arterial hypoxaemia (EIAH) occurs in healthy active women, who have smaller lungs, reduced lung diffusion, and lower maximal O2 consumption rate (V̇O2,max) than age‐ and height‐matched men. 2 Twenty‐nine healthy young women with widely varying fitness levels (V̇O2,max, 57 ± 6 ml kg−1 min−1; range, 35‐70 ml kg−1 min−1; or 148 ± 5 %; range, 93‐188 % predicted) and normal resting lung function underwent an incremental treadmill test to VO2,max during the follicular phase of their menstrual cycle. Arterial blood samples were taken at rest and near the end of each workload. 3 Arterial PO2 (Pa,O2) decreased > 10 mmHg below rest in twenty‐two of twenty‐nine subjects at V̇O2,max (Pa,O2, 77.5 ± 0.9 mmHg; range, 67‐88 mmHg; arterial O2 saturation (Sa,O2), 92.3 ± 0.2 %; range, 87‐94 %). The remaining seven subjects maintained Pa,O2 within 10 mmHg of rest. Pa,O2 at VO2,max was inversely related to the alveolar to arterial O2 difference (A‐aDO2) (r= ‐0.93; 35‐52 mmHg) and to arterial PCO2 (Pa,CO2) (r= ‐0.62; 26‐39 mmHg). 4 EIAH was inversely related to V̇O2,max (r= ‐0.49); however, there were many exceptions. Almost half of the women with significant EIAH had VO2,max within 15 % of predicted normal values (VO2,max, 40‐55 ml kg−1 min−1); among subjects with very high VO2,max (55‐70 ml kg−1 min−1), the degree of excessive A‐aDO2 and EIAH varied markedly (e.g. A‐aDO2, 30‐50 mmHg; Pa,O2, 68‐91 mmHg). 5 In the women with EIAH at V̇O2,max, many began to experience an excessive widening of their A‐aDO2 during moderate intensity exercise, which when combined with a weak ventilatory response, led to a progressive hypoxaemia. Inactive, less fit subjects had no EIAH and narrower A‐aDO2 when compared with active, fitter subjects at the same VO2 (40‐50 ml kg−1 min−1). 6 These data demonstrate that many active healthy young women experience significant EIAH, and at a VO2,max that is substantially less than those in their active male contemporaries. The onset of EIAH during submaximal exercise, and/or its occurrence at a relatively low V̇O2,max, implies that lung structure/function subserving alveolar to arterial O2 transport is abnormally compromised in many of these habitually active subjects.
Treatment of tuberculosis in South Kazakhstan: clinical and economical aspects.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Since 1990, the tuberculosis incidence rate in Eastern Europe and post-Soviet republics has been increasing in many countries including Kazakhstan. This problem is particularly important in Kazakhstan regions with limited financial resources, among them - in South Kazakhstan province. The aim of this study was to investigate the main clinical and antibiotic-related economic aspects of tuberculosis treatment in South Kazakhstan province. MATERIAL AND METHODS In total, 502 patients participated in the study. They were hospitalized to the tuberculosis dispensary of Sayram district (South Kazakhstan province) in 2007-2013. Statistical analysis included logistic regression for better treatment outcomes and analysis of antibiotic treatment costs. RESULTS Two-thirds of patients had infiltrative tuberculosis (67%). Positive treatment outcomes were determined in 85% of cases. The patients were mostly treated with cycloserine, protionamide, capreomycin, and ofloxacin. The majority of antibiotic costs were related to the treatment with capreomycin. In case of the positive results of the test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, antibiotic expenses were almost 3 times greater than in case of negative test results (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS The majority of patients had extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. The negative results of the test for Mycobacterium tuberculosis at discharge were not related to pretreatment factors. Antibiotic-related costs were significantly higher in case of the positive results of the test of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, but were not associated with gender, residence place, hospitalization recurrence, or main blood test results before treatment.
Thrombin Receptor-Related Hemostatic Defect After Cardiopulmonary Bypass

Platelet abnormalities have been blamed for the hemostatic defect that develops after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), but investigators have not been able to agree upon an intrinsic platelet abnormality responsible for the observed defect. To better define the blood components responsible for this post-operative hemostatic defect, we compared platelet function in whole blood (WB) to that in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in 33 patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. We measured platelet aggregation in response to various platelet agonists, including thrombin and TRAP-6 (a 6-amino acid peptide that activates the thrombin "tethered ligand" receptor site). In WB there was a lasting, diminished response to TRAP-6, but not to gamma-thrombin, after CPB. Control experiments showed that this diminished response to TRAP-6: (1) was not related to heparin or heparin-protamine complexes, (2) was not the result of hemodilution during CPB, (3) was not related to increased amounts of naturally occurring enzymes (aminopeptidases) that degrade TRAP, and (4) was not able to be reversed by the addition of as much as a 10-fold excess of the usual TRAP-6 aggregating dose to WB preparations. In contrast, no corresponding defect in platelet aggregation could be identified in PRP obtained from patients after CPB. These results show that, in post-operative blood samples, blood components present in WB and not in PRP (eg, red blood cells, activated white cells or platelets bound to white cells) diminish the ability of TRAP peptides to activate the thrombin receptor but do not decrease the ability of gamma-thrombin to induce platelet aggregation. This suggests that for circulating platelets after CPB: (1) interactions of platelets with other blood cell elements are the cause of altered postoperative platelet reactivity rather than any intrinsic CPB-induced platelet defect, (2) drugs, such as aprotinin, that limit activation of white cells and the fibrinolytic system may also have beneficial effects on platelet function after CPB, and (3) alternate mechanisms exist that allow thrombin, but not TRAP-6, to activate platelets normally after CPB (perhaps a second, as yet undefined, thrombin receptor).