Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bulimic Women's Perceptions of Interaction within Their Families

The association between women's perceptions of the interaction within their families and symptomatology related to eating was investigated in a case series of 81 women suffering from bulimic disorders. Bingeing was more frequent when the family was perceived to have poor problem-solving skills but was less frequent when the women perceived their families as having a more cohesive style. In contrast, abnormal restriction of intake was linked, although not significantly, to the converse pattern of perceived interaction within the family—greater when the family was relatively cohesive and lower when the family had good problem-solving skills The same family characteristics appear to be ‘risky’ for some symptoms and ‘protective’ against others.
Could Freemium Models Work for Legacy Newspapers

The newspaper industry has long been looking for sustainable business models for theirdigital editions. One of their popular choices is the freemium business model based onfree and premium content with a paywall. However, freemium has not yet lived up tothe expectation of the industry and has not secured the revenues that industry playershoped for. This article discusses a number of the main principles of the freemium strategyand tactics, and highlights the critical points for legacy newspaper organisations.
Helicobacter pylori-Induced HB-EGF Upregulates Gastrin Expression via the EGF Receptor, C-Raf, Mek1, and Erk2 in the MAPK Pathway

Helicobacter pylori is associated with hypergastrinemia, which has been linked to the development of gastric diseases. Although the molecular mechanism is not fully understood, H. pylori is known to modulate the Erk pathway for induction of gastrin expression. Herein we found that an epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor kinase inhibitor significantly blocked H. pylori-induced gastrin promoter activity, suggesting involvement of EGF receptor ligands. Indeed, H. pylori induced mRNA expression of EGF family members such as amphiregulin, EGF, heparin-binding EGF-like growth factor (HB-EGF), and transforming growth factor-α. Of these, specific siRNA targeting of HB-EGF significantly blocked H. pylori-induced gastrin expression. Moreover, H. pylori induced HB-EGF ectodomain shedding, which we found to be a critical process for H. pylori-induced gastrin expression. Thus, we demonstrate a novel role for human mature HB-EGF in stimulating gastrin promoter activity during H. pylori infection. Further investigation using specific siRNAs targeting each isoform of Raf, Mek, and Erk elucidated that the mechanism underlying H. pylori-induced gastrin expression can be delineated as the sequential activation of HB-EGF, the EGF receptor, C-Raf, Mek1, and the Erk2 molecules in the MAPK pathway. Surprisingly, whereas Erk2 acts as a potent activator of gastrin expression, siRNA knockdown of Erk1 induced gastrin promoter activity, suggesting that Erk1 typically acts as a repressor of gastrin expression. Elucidation of the mechanism of gastrin modulation by HB-EGF-mediated EGF receptor transactivation should facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies against H. pylori-related hypergastrinemia and consequently gastric disease development, including gastric cancers.
Saliency and Active Contour based Traffic Sign Detection

In this paper, we propose a new approach to detect salient traffic signs, which is based on visual saliency and auto-generated strokes for image segmentation. The proposed algorithm deals with two tasks on detecting traffic signs: auto-location and auto extraction. Firstly, inspired by recent work of visual saliency detection, we obtain the location of traffic signs in a natural image by multi-scale principle component analysis (MPCA). Secondly, in order to extract traffic signs, auto-generated strokes are used instead of drawing the strokes by the users, the sign board area is extracted using localizing Region-Based Active Contour. Extensive experiments on public datasets show that our approach outperforms state-of-the-art methods remarkably in salient traffic sign detection. Moreover, the proposed detection method has higher accurate rate and robustness to different natural scenes.
Impairment of the intestinal barrier is evident in untreated but absent in suppressively treated HIV-infected patients

Background and aims: Impairment of the gastrointestinal mucosal barrier contributes to progression of HIV infection. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on the HIV-induced intestinal barrier defect and to identify underlying mechanisms. Methods: Epithelial barrier function was characterised by impedance spectroscopy and [3H]mannitol fluxes in duodenal biopsies from 11 untreated and 8 suppressively treated HIV-infected patients, and 9 HIV-seronegative controls. The villus/crypt ratio was determined microscopically. Epithelial apoptoses were analysed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labelling (TUNEL) and caspase-3 staining. Tight junction protein expression was quantified by densitometric analysis of immunoblots. Mucosal cytokine production was determined by cytometric bead array. Results: Only in untreated but not in treated HIV-infected patients, epithelial resistance was reduced (13 (1) vs 23 (2) Ω cm2, p<0.01) and mannitol permeability was increased compared with HIV-negative controls (19 (3) vs 9 (1) nm/s, p<0.05). As structural correlates, epithelial apoptoses and expression of the pore-forming claudin-2 were increased while expression of the sealing claudin-1 was reduced in untreated compared with treated patients and HIV-negative controls. Furthermore, villous atrophy was evident and mucosal production of interleukin 2 (IL2), IL4 and tumour necrosis factor α (TNFα) was increased in untreated but not in treated HIV-infected patients. Incubation with IL2, IL4, TNFα and IL13 reduced the transepithelial resistance of rat jejunal mucosa. Conclusions: Suppressive HAART abrogates HIV-induced intestinal barrier defect and villous atrophy. The HIV-induced barrier defect is due to altered tight junction protein composition and elevated epithelial apoptoses. Mucosal cytokines are mediators of the HIV-induced mucosal barrier defect and villous atrophy.
The Regulated Expression of a Diverse Set of Genes during Thymocyte Positive Selection In Vivo1

A signal initiated by the newly formed Ag receptor is integrated with microenvironmental cues during T cell development to ensure positive selection of CD4+CD8+ progenitors into functionally mature CD4+ or CD8+ T lymphocytes. During this transition, a survival program is initiated, TCR gene recombination ceases, cells migrate into a new thymic microenvironment, the responsiveness of the Ag receptor is tuned, and the cells commit to a specific T lineage. To determine potential regulators of these processes, we used mRNA microarray analysis to compare gene expression changes in CD4+CD8+ thymocytes from TCR transgenic mice that have received a TCR selection signal with those that had not received a signal. We found 129 genes with expression that changed significantly during positive selection, the majority of which were not previously appreciated. A large number of these changes were confirmed by real-time PCR or flow cytometry. We have combined our findings with gene changes reported in the literature to provide a comprehensive report of the genes regulated during positive selection, and we attempted to assign these genes to positive selection process categories.
Molecular Characterization of Mycoplasma gallisepticum Isolates from Jordan

Abstract Two groups of Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) isolates (n = 24) from Jordan were analyzed by molecular methods and compared with other Middle Eastern isolates, related international isolates, and reference strains. The first group (n = 19) was isolated from July 2004 to January 2005 (isolation period A), and the newer group (n = 5) from June 2007 to April 2008 (isolation period B). The groups of isolates are from chicken flocks from northern Jordan, but are not from the same farms. None of the flocks were vaccinated for MG. Random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis, targeted sequencing of the partial MG cytadhesin 2 (mgc2), and the MG 16S–23S rRNA intergenic spacer region (IGSR) divided the Jordanian isolates into two groups. All of the 19 isolates from time period A, in addition to two isolates from time period B, were indistinguishable from the F strain. Three of five isolates from time period B were characterized as wild types and were indistinguishable from each other. The wild-type field strain was readily distinguished from the F strain. It was 91% and 96.4% similar to the F strain based on Clustal-W alignments of sequences of mgc2 and IGSR, respectively. Sequence similarity of mgc2 gene of the Jordan wild-type strain to isolates from Israel and Egypt ranged from 96.5% to 100%, whereas for IGSR it was 99.4%–100%. We theorize that the F-strain live MG vaccine, commonly used in Jordan prior to 2007, was transmitted to nonvaccinated poultry in the region and was a predominant genotype during time period A.
Community-Acquired Pneumonia: Can It Be Defined with Claims Data?

The use of administrative data to study pneumonia is limited because International Classification of Diseases, 9th revision, Clinical Modification (ICD9-CM) diagnosis codes do not specify whether pneumonia is community-ac quired (CAP), a key clinical distinction. We classified 212 patients discharged with a diagnosis code for pneumonia as to whether or not they had CAP, using three adminis trative data-based systems (Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) alone, principal diagnosis alone, and a complex al gorithm). We examined agreement with classification by clinician chart review. We also compared the length of stay (LOS) and mortality among the CAP populations identi fied with different methods. Agreement between the clin ical review and the three administrative data methods ranged from 86 to 80%. Classification by DRG performed least well. Populations defined by claims data had similar mortality but shorter mean LOS (9.70, 9.40, and 7.91 days for the algorithm, principal diagnosis and DRG methods, respectively) than the clinically defined population (10.85 days). We conclude that studies of CAP using populations identified by claims may underestimate LOS.
Fluvial network analysis on Titan: Evidence for subsurface structures and west‐to‐east wind flow, southwestern Xanadu

Data of Titan's surface from the Cassini‐Huygens mission show inferred fluvial networks interpreted as products of liquid alkane flow. Using synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data, we delineated drainage networks, measured network parameters, and used these measurements in a simplified algorithm for classifying terrestrial drainage patterns. The results show a variety of patterns, indicating that a variety of factors control fluvial drainage on Titan. Drainage network patterns in southwestern Xanadu are classified as rectangular, suggesting control by a subsurface tectonic structural fabric. Link orientations also suggest that this subsurface tectonic fabric is oriented predominantly east‐west. Spatial variations in drainage networks are consistent with a west‐to‐east precipitation pattern, supporting inferences from aeolian dune morphology. These results illustrate how fluvial landform analysis can yield new information on both atmospheric and subsurface processes.
Alpha interferon in the treatment of symptomatic myelofibrosis with myeloid metaplasia

2 patients with myelofibrosis and myeloid metaplasia had symptomatic splenomegaly and were treated with interferon alpha‐2c (IFN alpha‐2c). The splenic pain and pressure symptoms disappeared, accompanied by a decrease in the size of the spleen. However, the peripheral blood count worsened and no improvement in the bone marrow fibrosis could be observed.
Size-Resolved Penetration of Filtering Materials from CE-Marked Filtering Facepiece Respirators

ABSTRACTThroughout the years, the performance of the FFRs has been the topic of extensive studies, resulting mainly in the characterization of aerosol penetration through filters using aerosols that are thought to be similar to those encountered in workplaces. There are limited number of studies in the literature reporting CE-marked respirator performance, and there is a need to perform a penetration evaluation of CE-marked respirators through all 3 filtering classes: FFP1 (80%), FFP2 (94%), and FFP3 (99%). In this study, the percentage penetrations and the most penetrating particle size (MPPS) of 47 mm filters cut out from 13 different CE-marked respirator half masks (2 samples of each FFR) were evaluated size-selectively using nine sizes of charge-neutralized monodisperse aerosol, which ranged from 20 to 400 nm (CMD). Comparison of the penetrations at MPPS from all the examined filters showed that the percentage penetration ranged 3.2–16.3% (FFP1), 2.4–34.3% (FFP2), and 0.02–3.3% (FFP3). Experimental data also revealed that the penetration difference between 2 samples from the same respirator was in most cases up to 6.8%, and between 2 identical respirators up to 2.5%. The MPPS was found to be between 30 and 60 nm (CMD) in all measurements. By comparing the obtained results to the European Standard we conclude that the standard method underestimates particle penetration (especially for particles < 100 nm) due to the usage of non neutralized, polydisperse test aerosol, detection methods burdened with measurement artifacts, and the assumption that the MPPS is at ≈ 600 nm (MMD) as the criterion for filtering facepieces to pass the penetration test.
Job Shop Scheduling by Simulated Annealing

We describe an approximation algorithm for the problem of finding the minimum makespan in a job shop. The algorithm is based on simulated annealing, a generalization of the well known iterative improvement approach to combinatorial optimization problems. The generalization involves the acceptance of cost-increasing transitions with a nonzero probability to avoid getting stuck in local minima. We prove that our algorithm asymptotically converges in probability to a globally minimal solution, despite the fact that the Markov chains generated by the algorithm are generally not irreducible. Computational experiments show that our algorithm can find shorter makespans than two recent approximation approaches that are more tailored to the job shop scheduling problem. This is, however, at the cost of large running times.
Growth Hormone Therapy in Patients with Turner Syndrome

This article summarizes the published data on final height after growth-promoting therapy in Turner syndrome. Using growth hormone (GH) doses ranging between 0.5 and 1.2 IU/kg/week, final height after therapy is improved by 1.5–9.3 cm [final height after therapy vs. projected adult height (PAH)] within various studies. There is no obvious GH dose-response relationship, but a better estimated benefit from therapy seems to result in those studies that combined even rather low GH doses with the anabolic steroid oxandrolone. It is not possible to retrospectively define an optimal treatment regime out of the various published data due to different GH doses, age and dosage of estrogen replacement therapy and the variable methods for calculating the benefit from therapy. It seems to be essential to start estrogens at a safe bone age (> 13 years) in very low doses. Higher GH doses (up to 2.0 IU/kg/week) led to a better growth response during the first years of therapy but data on final height are still to be awaited.
Learning and teaching with Moodle-based E-learning environments, combining learning skills and content in the fields of Math and Science & Technology

E-Learning environments may contribute to the teaching and learning process if the integration is done within the framework of proper pedagogy. Building customized E-learning programs places high demands on design, programming skills, and time. An alternative to this can be deployment of courses within learning management systems. One such system that has been gradually gaining worldwide popularity is Moodle (Modular Object-Oriented Dynamic Learning Environment), a course management system for online learning. Moodle is “open source”, allowing developers to tailor the system to individual needs. It also communicates extremely well with many web -based resources (Facebook, YouTube, Wikipedia, JClik, Hot Potatoes, etc.), allowing developers creativity and versatility. The design of Moodle is based on socio-constructivist pedagogy. This means its goal is to provide a set of tools that support an inquiry- and discovery-based approach to online learning. Furthermore, it purports to create an environment that allows for collaborative interaction among students as a standalone, or in addition to, conventional classroom instruction. In this paper we present an overview of E-learning environments that we have implemented using the Moodle platform. These environments include interactive activities combining simulations, short videos, virtual experiments, games and more, in order to enhance interactive learning based on constructivism theory, and allow for students and teachers to learn skills for intelligent use of information and technological communication. The environments have been developed in partnership with teachers, as an enhancement to face-to-face teaching, for both curricular and extra-curricular learning. One main advantage of these environments is the freedom of teachers to add, change or use them as is, according to their needs; hence, the teachers are equal partners in the development. We will also show how these environments supply teachers with many interesting tools that can be used to improve the teaching– learning process, and the students to reinforce their abilities and knowledge, in a user friendly and stimulating manner engaging them in a fun, familiar and modern environment where much of their daily non-school activities take place.
TRAUMATIC SHOCK. XV. CARBOHYDRATE METABOLISM IN HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK IN THE DOG.

Traumatic shock may be regarded as a process of rapid biologicdisintegration resulting from progressive tissue anoxia consequent to peripheral circulatory failure. This concept explains the recent growth of interest in the intermediary metabolic derangements in shock, which have been found to be severe, involving many enzyme systems concerned with protein and carbohydrate metabolism. Since the liver is a master organ in this respect, it deserves close scrutiny. That this organ should suffer at least as severely as any organ in shock is suggested by the sharp reduction in volume and velocity of flow through the portal system (1, 2) and by the observed reduction of liver excretory functions early in shock (3). Moreover, the recent demonstration that crosscirculation of the dog in hemorrhagic shock from a donor dog via the liver is capable of preventing the onset of irreversibility to transfusion (4) and of curing such irreversibility when established (5) indicates that liver damage plays a primary role in the shock phenomenon. It is, therefore, natural that a relationship should be sought between metabolic derangements in large part normally under liver control and the progressive deterioration characteristic of the late stages of the shock syndrome when therapy is no longer effective. The metabolism of pyruvic and lactic acids and glucose shows abnormalities in shock (6, 7). In shock the rise in blood pyruvic acid and the simultaneous and usually disproportionately greater rise in lactic acid, producing an increase in the lactic to pyruvic acid ratio, are due to anoxia. Even though changes in blood concentration of these metabolites are not specific manifestations of traumatic shock, since they occur also in fever, following vigorous exercise, epinephrin injection, and in
First trimester screening for aneuploidies in successive pregnancies: correlations between markers

Screening for chromosomal abnormalities in the first trimester of pregnancy is based on maternal age, nuchal translucency (NT), and biochemical markers (pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A and free beta human chorionic gonadotrophin). We have assessed the influence of screenings and outcomes in previous pregnancies on screenings in subsequent pregnancies.
Model-Driven Software Engineering in Practice

Model based software development differs from the conventional software development process and used in conjunction with a range of agile techniques. Despite improvements in third generation programming languages and runtime platforms, the levels of abstraction at which PLAs are developed today remains low-level relative to the concepts and concerns within the application domains themselves, such as manually tracking the library dependency or ensuring component composition syntactical and semantic correctness. [1] A promising means to address this problem involves developing PLAs using model-driven engineering (MDE) [2] which involves systematic use of models as key design and implementation artifacts throughout the software lifecycle. Thus to induce the works on architectures and models, researchers have been working to create structured models. The literature in this area hence proliferates; where the current edition [3] tries to address some of the significant aspects.
Attempted Suicide Among the Irish-Born Population in Birmingham

Summary The epidemiology of attempted suicide among Irish immigrants in Birmingham is described from data concerning 352 (138 male, 214 female) hospital admissions made during the period 1969 to 1972. Admissions from the Irish Republic and from Northern Ireland were similarly distributed, but were both grossly over-represented. The average annual rate of admission (222 male, 362 female) was probably higher than the rates in Dublin, Belfast and Edinburgh. The female patient rate (286) was greater than that of Edinburgh, but the male rate (143) was not. Fewer Irish than British admissions gave a history of previous attempted suicide or repeated this attempt. Indices of stress among immigrants were, however, greater. The importance of sociocultural factors is discussed.
ÖĞRETMENLİK MESLEĞİNİN MADDİ YÖNÜNE İLİŞKİN GENEL BİR DEĞERLENDİRME

Bu makalede, Cumhuriyetin 80. yilinda, egitim sisteminin en stratejik ogesi olan ogretmenlerin ekonomik sikintilarina dikkat cekmek amaclanmistir. Bu amac dogrultusunda, ulkemizde konuyla ilgili olarak yapilan arastirma sonuclari incelenmis, gelismis ulkelerle karsilastirmalar yapilmis ve ogretmenlerin icinde bulunduklari maddi sikintilar ortaya konulmaya calisilmistir. Egitim, bir ulkenin kalkinmasinda en onemli araclardan biridir. Bu surecin en onemli ogesi ise ogretmenlerdir. Ogretmenlik meslegi bir ulusun gelecegini hazirlama sorumlulugunu tasiyan ozel ve onemli bir uzmanlik alanidir. Ogretmenler, ulkenin kalkinmasinda onemli bir yeri olan genc kusaklarin yetistirilmesi gibi onemli bir gorevi ustlenmislerdir. Bu nedenle ogretmenlerin islerini en iyi sekilde yapabilmeleri icin oncelikle iyi yetistirilmeleri sonra da kendilerini ise vermelerini saglayacak uygun kosullarin saglanmasi gerekmektedir. Sonuc olarak, ulkemizde, ogretmenlere odenen ucret ve saglanan olanaklar yeterli duzeye ulasmamistir. Ogretmenler, yasadiklari ekonomik sikintilar nedeniyle kendilerini islerine verememektedirler. Ogretmenlerin islerini en iyi sekilde yapabilmeleri icin basta ekonomik sorunlari olmak uzere meslege iliskin cesitli sorunlarin acilen cozume kavusturulmasi ve ogretmenlik mesleginin degerine yakisir bir ucret belirlenmesi onerilmistir.