Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
L-Carnitine Supplementation Increases Trimethylamine-N-Oxide but not Markers of Atherosclerosis in Healthy Aged Women

Background: L-carnitine can be metabolized to trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), a molecule that promotes atherogenesis through its interaction with macrophages and lipid metabolism. Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess whether L-carnitine supplementation may promote changes in selected serum biomarkers of atherosclerosis. Methods: Before the start, in the mid-point and after completing the 24-weeks supplementation protocol, fasting blood samples were taken from the antecubital vein. Plasma free L-carnitine and TMAO were determined by the UPLC/MS/MS method. Serum proteins were determined by the enzyme immunoassay method using commercially available kits. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and triglycerides have been determined using standard automatic analyzer. Results: L-carnitine supplementation elevated fasting plasma carnitine in the mid-point of our study and it remained increased until the end of supplementation period. Moreover, it induced tenfold increase in plasma TMAO concentration but did not affect serum C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor-α, L-selectin, P-selectin, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 or lipid profile markers. Conclusion: We demonstrated that although oral L-carnitine supplementation significantly increased plasma TMAO concentration, no lipid profile changes or other markers of adverse cardiovascular events were detected in healthy aged women over the period of 24 weeks.
Expression, Localization, and Activity of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in the Human Placenta

The human placenta is an organ between the blood of the mother and the fetus, which is essential for fetal development. It also plays a role as a selective barrier against environmental pollutants that may bypass epithelial barriers and reach the placenta, with implications for the outcome of pregnancy. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is one of the most important environmental-sensor transcription factors and mediates the metabolism of a wide variety of xenobiotics. Nevertheless, the identification of dietary and endogenous ligands of AhR suggest that it may also fulfil physiological functions with which pollutants may interfere. Placental AhR expression and activity is largely unknown. We established the cartography of AhR expression at transcript and protein levels, its cellular distribution, and its transcriptional activity toward the expression of its main target genes. We studied the profile of AhR expression and activity during different pregnancy periods, during trophoblasts differentiation in vitro, and in a trophoblast cell line. Using diverse methods, such as cell fractionation and immunofluorescence microscopy, we found a constitutive nuclear localization of AhR in every placental model, in the absence of any voluntarily-added exogenous activator. Our data suggest an intrinsic activation of AhR due to the presence of endogenous placental ligands.
Establishing a composite neonatal adverse outcome indicator using English hospital administrative data

Objective We adapted a composite neonatal adverse outcome indicator (NAOI), originally derived in Australia, and assessed its feasibility and validity as an outcome indicator in English administrative hospital data. Design We used Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data containing information infants born in the English National Health Service (NHS) between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015. The Australian NAOI was mapped to diagnoses and procedure codes used within HES and modified to reflect data quality and neonatal health concerns in England. To investigate the concurrent validity of the English NAOI (E-NAOI), rates of NAOI components were compared with population-based studies. To investigate the predictive validity of the E-NAOI, rates of readmission and death in the first year of life were calculated for infants with and without E-NAOI components. Results The analysis included 484 007 (81%) of the 600 963 eligible babies born during the timeframe. 114/148 NHS trusts passed data quality checks and were included in the analysis. The modified E-NAOI included 23 components (16 diagnoses and 7 procedures). Among liveborn infants, 5.4% had at least one E-NAOI component recorded before discharge. Among newborns discharged alive, the E-NAOI was associated with a significantly higher risk of death (0.81% vs 0.05%; p<0.001) and overnight hospital readmission (15.7% vs 7.1%; p<0.001) in the first year of life. Conclusions A composite NAOI can be derived from English hospital administrative data. This E-NAOI demonstrates good concurrent and predictive validity in the first year of life. It is a cost-effective way to monitor neonatal outcomes.
ADIFOR: Fortran source translation for efficient derivatives

The numerical methods employed in the solution of many scientific computing problems require the computation of derivatives of a function f: R{sup n} {yields} R{sup m}. Both the accuracy and the computational requirements of the derivative computation are usually of critical importance for the robustness and speed of the numerical method. ADIFOR (Automatic Differentiation In FORtran) is a source translation tool implemented using the data abstractions and program analysis capabilities of the ParaScope Parallel Programming Environment. ADIFOR accepts arbitrary Fortran-77 code defining the computation of a function and writes portable Fortran-77 code for the computation of its derivatives. In contrast to previous approaches, ADIFOR views automatic differentiation as a process of source translation that exploits computational context to reduce the cost of derivative computations. Experimental results show that ADIFOR can handle real-life codes, providing exact derivatives with a running time that is competitive with the standard divided-difference approximations of derivatives and which may perform orders of magnitude faster than divided-differences in cases. The computational scientist using ADIFOR is freed from worrying about the accurate and efficient computation of derivatives, even for complicated functions,'' and hence, is able to concentrate on the more important issues of algorithm design or system modeling.more » 35 refs.« less
AIDS-Related Knowledge, Attitudes Beliefs and Behaviors in Los Angeles County

Abstract : This report documents the results of a survey of the general public conducted for the AIDS Program Office, Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. The purposes of the survey were to provide information about the occurrence within the general population of Los Angeles County of sexual and drug-taking behaviors that can spread human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and to determine the public's knowledge, attitudes, and opinions about the AIDS epidemic. This information may be used to guide programmatic efforts in planning effective education and prevention activities aimed at reducing the risk of HIV infection in the general public. The survey was conducted by telephone from October 1989 to January 1990 on a random sample of 1,305 residents of Los Angeles County. Black and Hispanic households were oversampled to obtain adequate information about ethnic populations in the county.
Task-Based Language Instruction: An Effective Means of Achieving Integration of Skills and Meaningful Language Use.

This paper describes task based language instruction (TBLI) in Japanese secondary education, focusing on: (1) "English Education in Japanese Senior High Schools: The Status Quo and the Future" (e.g., teacher centered instruction, teaching four communication skills separately without a real communicative purpose, and the approach of Japan's new course of study, which seeks more communication and more integration of four communication skills); (2) "Theoretical Basis for Using Integrated Communicative Approaches in Second Language Teaching" (characteristics of first language use and application of first language characteristics in second or foreign language learning); (3) "Task-Based Language Instruction: A Way to Achieve Our Goals" (TBLI and how it fulfills national requirements and implementing a TBLI approach); and (4) "Implementing TBLI in Japan" (practical suggestions for designing and implementing task-based teaching and samples of task-based teaching plans for use in Japan). Five appendixes present teaching materials. (Contains 27 references.) (SM) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Task-Based Language Instruction: Ark Effective Means of Achieving Integration of Skills and Meaningful Language Use U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement ItiE CATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) This document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy. PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE AND DISSEMINATE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
Profil Kemampuan Koneksi Matematis Siswa SMP Yang Bergaya Kognitif Reflektif- Impulsif Dalam Menyelesaikan Soal Geometri

Setiap siswa terlahir dengan karakteristik unik yang melekat pada dirinya termasuk gaya kognitif. Siswa dalam satu kelas tentu memiliki bermacam-macam tipe gaya kognitif. Perbedaan tipe gaya kognitif tersebut dapat menyebabkan perbedaan dalam hal kemampuan matematika. Salah satu kemampuan dasar matematika yang harus dimiliki oleh seorang siswa adalah kemampuan koneksi matematika. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendeskripsikan profil kemampuan koneksi matematis siswa SMP Muhammadiyah 1 Gamping kelas VIII yang bergaya kognitif Reflektif-Impulsif dalam menyelesaikan soal Geometri. Penelitian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif deskriptif. Subjek penelitian ini adalah 2 orang siswa kelas VIII SMP Muhammadiyah 1 gamping yang masing-masing bergaya kognitif refleksif dan impulsif. Adapun penentuan gaya kognitif siswa menggunakan Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). Teknik pengumpulan datanya menggunakan tes kemampuan komunikasi matematika (TKKM) dan wawancara. Analisis data dalam penelitian ini menggunakan model Milles dan Huberman. Sedangkan untuk mendapatkan data penelitian yang konsisten digunakan triangulasi waktu. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa dalam mengerjakan masalah yang diberikan subjek Reflektif memiliki kemampuan koneksi matematis yang lebih baik dari pada subjek impulsif. Subjek refleksif mampu mengenali dan menggunakan hubungan antar ide-ide dalam matematika, memahami bagaimana ide dalam matematika saling berhubungan dan membangun satu sama lain untuk menghasilkan suatu kesatuan yang utuh, mengenali dan mengaplikasikan matematika ke dalam lingkungan di luar matematika. Sedangkan subjek Impulsif belum sepenuhnya mampu mengenali dan menggunakan hubungan antar ide-ide dalam matematika, belum menunjukkan bahwa ia memahami bagaimana ide dalam matematika saling berhubungan dan membangun satu sama lain untuk menghasilkan suatu kesatuan yang utuh. Lebih lanjut lagi, Subjek Impulsif belum sepenuhnya mampu mengenali dan mengaplikasikan matematika ke dalam lingkungan di luar matematika.
Age-related changes in emotional behavior: Evidence from a 13-year longitudinal study of long-term married couples.

We examined age-related changes in emotional behavior in a sample of middle-aged and older long-term married couples over a 13-year period. Data were collected at 3 waves, each occurring 5 to 6 years apart. For the present study, only couples who participated in all 3 waves were examined (n = 87). Couples were either in the middle-aged group (40-50 years old, married at least 15 years) or the older group (60-70 years old, married at least 35 years). At each wave, couples engaged in 15-min unrehearsed conversations about an area of disagreement in their marriage. Emotional behaviors during the conversation were objectively coded using the Specific Affect Coding System. Latent growth curve analyses revealed that, for both husbands and wives, negative emotional behavior (primarily belligerence, defensiveness, fear/tension, and whining) decreased and positive emotional behavior (primarily humor, enthusiasm, and validation) increased with age. Findings generalized across middle-aged and older cohorts and levels of marital satisfaction. These findings support theories that suggest that positive emotion increases and negative emotion decreases with age, expanding upon previous findings by examining objectively coded emotional behaviors longitudinally in an interpersonal context. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).
Biomedical Variables and Adaptation to Disease and Health-Related Quality of Life in Polish Patients with MS

The aim of this research was to assess the level of adaptation to multiple sclerosis (Sclerosis multiplex; MS) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of the study population as well as to determine the relationship between biomedical factors related to the course of multiple sclerosis, adaptation to the disease, and HRQoL. Analysis of medical records, clinical and psychological interviews, the Extended Disability Status Scale (EDSS), Guy’s Neurological Disability Scale (GNDS), the Acceptance of Illness Scale (AIS), and the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale 29 (MSIS-29) were collected from 137 patients with MS. It was found that there was a relation between motor impairment, neurological disability, adaptation to illness, and HRQoL; it was also found that there were negative correlations between adaptation to illness and the severity of lower-limb disability, fatigue, mood disorders, other problems related to MS, and upper-limb disability. Of all the symptoms, lower-limb disability, fatigue, and mood disorders had the strongest relation with adaptation. All of the analysed symptoms were found to correlate with HRQoL. Of all the symptoms, HRQoL was most affected by lower- and upper-limb disability, fatigue, other MS problems, and mood disorders.
Mountains, Valleys and Pathways: Serials Users' Needs and Steps to Meet Them

ABSTRACT Increased focus on meeting user needs prompted by tight library budgets and competition from Internet sources makes knowing those needs and finding new ways to meet them more urgent than ever. Two user-focused projects are described: development of an access level record for serials, and revision of the ISSN standard (ISO 3297). The access level record working group identified those data elements of highest value for meeting FRBR user tasks, sought input from catalogers about record simplifications, and tested the new element set and cataloging guidelines via pilot projects. Revision of the ISSN standard involved gathering a working group from diverse ISSN user communities, developing a new mechanism-the linking ISSN (ISSN-L)-to meet ISSN users' needs for both manifestation-level (product-level) and title-level identification for continuing resources, and planning for new ISSN look-up and distribution services from the ISSN International Centre.
Virtual Time II: Storage Management in Distributed Simulation

The main contribution of this paper is the Cancelback Protocol, an extension of the Time Warp mechanism that handles storage management. It includes both fossil collection, the recovery of storage for messages and states that can never again influence the computation, and cancelback, the recovery of storage assigned to messages and states at times so far in the future that their memory would be better used for more immediate purposes. It guarantees that Time Warp is optimal in its storage requirements when run in shared memory, i.e. Time Warp will successfully complete a simulation using no more space than it would take to execute the same simulation with the sequential event list algorithm. This is better by a factor of two than the only previously published result. Without this protocol (or equivalent) Time Warp’s behavior can be unstable; hence it should be considered an essential part of Time Warp mechanism, rather than simply a refinement. In addition we also prove that asynchronous conservative algorithms, including all of the Chandy-Misra-Bryant (CMB) mechanisms, are not optimal; they cannot neces
An Overview of Pneumonia in Community and Hospital Settings

ABSTRACT Pneumonia is a common infection among patients both in the community and in the institutional setting and is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Canada. In the hospital setting, pneumonia is commonly associated with mechanical ventilation. The impact is significant, with the combined indirect and direct costs of community-acquired pneumonia in the United States estimated at US$12.2 billion and the direct costs of nosocomial pneumonia at US$2.2 billion. Several risk factors, such as altered level of consciousness, immunosuppression, obstruction, and malnutrition, may impair normal pulmonary defences. This article provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathogenesis, risk factors, diagnosis, management, and prevention of community- and hospital-acquired pneumonia, as well as issues related to antimicrobial resistance. RESUME La pneumonie est une infection courante chez les patients autant dans la collectivite que dans les etablissements de sante et l’une des principales causes de morbidite et de mortalite au Canada. Dans les etablissements de sante, la pneumonie est souvent associee a l’utilisation de la ventilation artificielle. Les consequences sont considerables, comme en temoignent les couts globaux directs et indirects de la pneumonie extrahospitaliere qui s’elevent aux Etats-Unis a environ 12,2 milliards de dollars US et les couts directs de la pneumonie nosocomiale a 2,2 milliards de dollars US. Plusieurs facteurs de risque, comme une alteration de la conscience, l’immunosuppression, une obstruction ou la malnutrition peuvent entraver les defenses naturelles des poumons. Cet article presente un apercu de l’epidemiologie, de la pathogenese, des facteurs de risque, du diagnostic, du traitement et de la prevention de la pneumonie extra-hospitaliere et nosocomiale, de meme que des problemes lies a la resistance aux antimicrobiens.
Board 51: CAREER: Actualizing Latent Diversity: Building Innovation through Engineering Students' Identity Development

Allison Godwin, Ph.D. is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Education at Purdue University. Her research focuses what factors influence diverse students to choose engineering and stay in engineering through their careers and how different experiences within the practice and culture of engineering foster or hinder belongingness and identity development. Dr. Godwin graduated from Clemson University with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and Ph.D. in Engineering and Science Education. Her research earned her a National Science Foundation CAREER Award focused on characterizing latent diversity, which includes diverse attitudes, mindsets, and approaches to learning, to understand engineering students’ identity development. She is the recipient of a 2014 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Educational Research and Methods Division Apprentice Faculty Grant. She has also been recognized for the synergy of research and teaching as an invited participant of the 2016 National Academy of Engineering Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium and 2016 New Faculty Fellow for the Frontiers in Engineering Education Annual Conference. She also was an NSF Graduate Research Fellow for her work on female empowerment in engineering which won the National Association for Research in Science Teaching 2015 Outstanding Doctoral Research Award.
Dietary factors and risk of gout and hyperuricemia: a meta-analysis and systematic review.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate the associations of dietary factors and the risk of gout and hyperuricemia. METHODS AND STUDY DESIGN PubMed and Embase databases were searched from inception to June 2017 for eligible studies. Nineteen prospective cohort or cross-sectional studies with adequate sample sizes are included, all involving red meat, seafoods, alcohol, fructose, dairy products, soy foods, high-purine vegetables and coffee. RESULTS Meta-analysis revealed several dietary associations with gout risk: red meat: OR 1.29 (95% CI 1.16-1.44); seafoods: OR 1.31 (95% CI 1.01-1.68); alcohol: OR 2.58 (95% CI 1.81-3.66); fructose: OR 2.14 (95% CI 1.65- 2.78); dairy products: OR 0.56 (95% CI 0.44-0.70); soy foods: OR 0.85 (95% CI 0.76-0.96); high-purine vegetables: OR 0.86 (95% CI 0.75-0.98); coffee: OR 0.47 (95% CI 0.37-0.59). Dietary association with hyperuricemia risk (red meat: OR 1.24 (95% CI 1.04-1.48); seafoods: OR 1.47 (95% CI 1.16-1.86); alcohol: OR 2.06 (95% CI 1.60-2.67); fructose: OR 1.85 (95% CI 1.66-2.07); dairy products: OR 0.50 (95% CI 0.37-0.66); soy foods: OR 0.70 (95% CI 0.56-0.88); high-purine vegetables ingestion: OR 1.10 (95% CI 0.88-1.39), P=0.39; coffee:OR0.76 in men (95% CI 0.55-1.06), OR 1.58 in women (95% CI 1.16-2.16). CONCLUSION The risk of hyperuricemia and gout is positively correlated with the intake of red meat, seafoods, alcohol or fructose, and negatively with dairy products or soy foods. High-purine vegetables showed no association with hyperuricemia, but negative association with gout. Coffee intake is negatively associated with gout risk, whereas it may be associated with increased hyperuricemia risk in women but decreased risk in men.
Traditional v. modern dietary patterns among a population in western Austria: associations with body composition and nutrient profile

Abstract Objective The present study aimed to identify dietary patterns, compare dietary patterns regarding nutrient profile and investigate the association between dietary patterns and body composition in a population in western Austria. Design In a cross-sectional study, eating habits, anthropometric measurements and body composition were assessed. Food intake was collected by two non-consecutive 24 h recalls. Factor analysis (principal component analysis) with complementary cluster analysis was applied to identify dietary patterns. Associations of dietary patterns with body composition and nutrient profile were examined by the t test, one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA with Bonferroni’s correction. The χ 2 test was used for categorical variables. Setting Tyrol, western Austria, 2014–2015. Participants Adults (n 463) aged 18–64 years. Results Three dietary patterns were derived, labelled as the ‘health-conscious’, the ‘western’ and the ‘traditional’ dietary pattern. After adjustment for confounding variables, individuals following the traditional and western patterns were more likely to be overweight/obese (P <0·001) and to have a higher body fat percentage (P <0·05). Individuals following the traditional dietary pattern consumed significantly more SFA and less PUFA and dietary fibre (P <0·001) than those in the other groups. Conclusions Individuals who mostly eat in a traditional way should be encouraged to increase their consumption of vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy fats. It is important to know local eating habits not only for planning individual nutritional therapy, but also for well-directed public health actions.
Epidemiology of Insomnia: Prevalence and Risk Factors

Insomnia is among the most prevalent health complaints, with approximately 10 to 15% of the general population suffering regularly from it and about 25 to 35% presenting transient or occasional insomnia (Ancoli-Israel & Roth, 1999; Ohayon, 2002; Morin et al., 2006; Doghramji, 2006; LeBlanc et al., 2009). However, many questions remain unanswered with regard to our understanding of insomnia and prevalence estimates vary because of inconsistent definitions and diagnostic criteria. In addition, the use of baseline and followup assessments to establish incidence and remission rates can be problematic because of the wide spectrum of insomnia duration (e.g., a positive finding of insomnia at baseline and 1year follow-up may reflect unremitting chronic insomnia or 2 episodes of transient insomnia) (Roth, 2001; Young, 2005).