Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Taking Purpose into Account in Experimental Psychology: Testing for Controlled Variables

Experimental research in psychology is based on a causal model—the General Linear Model (GLM)—that assumes behavior has causes but not purposes. Powers (1978) used a control theory analysis to show that the results of psychological experiments based on such a model can be misleading if the organisms being studied are purposeful (control) systems. In the same paper, Powers presented evidence that organisms are such systems. Nevertheless, psychologists continue to use methods that ignore purpose because the behavior in most experiments appears to be non-purposeful (a caused result of variations in the independent variable). The experiments described in this paper show how purposeful behavior can appear to be caused by the independent variable when an organism's purposes are ignored. The results show how taking purpose into account using the control theory-based “Test for the Controlled Variable” can provide a productive new methodological direction for experimental research in psychology.
The onset of common mental disorders in primary care attenders in Harare, Zimbabwe

Background. This study aimed to investigate the onset and predictors of common mental disorders (CMD) in primary-care attenders in Harare, Zimbabwe. Method. Two (T1) and 12-month (T2) follow-up of a cohort of primary-care attenders without a common mental disorder (N=197) as defined by the Shona Symposium Questionnaire (SSQ), recruited from primary health care clinics, traditional medical practitioner clinics and general practitioner surgeries. Outcome measure was caseness as determined by scores on the SSQ at follow-up. Results. Follow-up rate was 86% at 2 months and 75% at 12 months. Onset of CMD was recorded in 16% at T1 and T2. Higher psychological morbidity scores at recruitment, death of a first-degree relative and disability predicted the presence of a CMD at both follow-up points. While female gender and economic difficulties predicted onset only in the short-term, belief in supernatural causation was strongly predictive of CMD at T2. Caseness at both follow-up points was associated with economic problems and disability at those follow-up points. Conclusions. Policy initiatives to reduce economic deprivation and targeting interventions to primary-care attenders who are subclinical cases and those who have been bereaved or who are disabled may reduce the onset of new cases of CMD. Closer collaboration between biomedical and traditional medical practitioners may provide avenues for developing methods of intervention for persons with supernatural illness models.
Importance of prepyriform cortex in food-intake response of rats to amino acids.

LEUNG, PHILIP M. -B. , AND QUINTON R. ROGERS. Importance of prepyriform cortex in food-intake response of rats to amino acids. Am. J. Physiol. 221(3): 929-935. 197 1 . -Bilateral electrolytic lesions were placed in the prepyriform cortex of male 230to 250-g rats and their food intake as affected by amino acid imbalance, deficiency, and excessive protein was examined. All rats with such lesions and groups of intact controls were fed in turn a basal, imbalanced (with either threonine or isoleucine as the limiting amino acid), or deficient diet (devoid of either threonine or isoleucine), and finally the lowor high-protein (670 or 75% casein) diet. No change in food intake was observed in rats fed the control diet after the placement of the lesions. However, animals with lesions in certain areas of the anterior prepyriform cortex showed a significant increase in food intake as compared to the intact controls fed the imbalanced or deficient diets, but the decrease in food intake was still evident in rats fed the high-protein diet. Intact animals select a protein-free diet over an imbalanced diet, whereas the rats with lesions in certain areas of the anterior prepyriform cortex chose the imbalanced diet over the protein-free diet. The altered choice between the basal and the imbalanced or deficient diets of the rats with lesions in the critical prepyriform cortical areas suggests that these areas are involved in the regulation of food intake of rats fed amino acid-imbalanced or deficient diets.
Fertilization Success in Marine Invertebrates: The Influence of Gamete Age

Gamete age has been postulated to be unimportant to the fertilization ecology of marine invertebrates. However, recent research suggests that, for some species at least, it may have a direct impact upon fertilization success. We present comparative data on the influence of gamete age on fertilization and development success in several marine invertebrates: the polychaetes Arenicola marina and Nereis virens and the asteroid echinoderm Asterias rubens. Oocytes are much longer lived in the polychaetes than in the echinoderm, with A. marina oocytes still capable of fertilizing and developing normally 96 h post-spawning. Developmental abnormalities and failure to reach blastula tend to occur well before the fertilizable life of the oocytes has expired. Sperm are similarly longer lived in the polychaetes; however, fertilizing capacity is markedly reduced following incubation in conspecific egg-conditioned seawater. These results are discussed in terms of the fertilization strategies of the three species. We further suggest that, for A. marina at least, longer-lived sperm and eggs are central to the fertilization strategy of this species.
Group consistency analysis for protecting the minority views

In the process of consensus building,the minority views are very important.This paper proposes a consensus model and a discussion mechanism that can protect the minority views automatically.The proposed method first clusters the expert group into a set of subgroups by a threshold value of similarity of pairs of expert preference vectors.If a subgroup includes a small number of experts,the opinion of the subgroup is called minority view.Then the mediator will put forward the minority views to the group according to the characteristics of the minority,and urge the group to discuss again referencing the minority views and submit some new preferences.The process is repeated until the group reaches a consensus after considering or eliminating the minority views.Finally,the paper gives an example to illustrate the feasibility of the method.
Caspase‐independent cytochrome c release is a sensitive measure of low‐level apoptosis in cell culture models

Age‐associated loss of tissue function and several chronic diseases may derive in part from the cumulative effects of subtle changes in the level of apoptotic cell death. Because apoptosis is rapid and undetectable once complete, small changes in its incidence are difficult to detect, even in well‐controlled cell cultures. We describe a new apoptosis assay that provides greater sensitivity than conventional assays because it measures the accumulation of apoptotic cells. Human and mouse fibroblasts and human mammary epithelial cells that initiated apoptosis were preserved for 3 days by inhibiting caspase activity using the chemical inhibitor Q‐VD‐OPH (QVD). Cells suspended in the process of apoptosis were scored by immunostaining for cytochrome c, which redistributed from mitochondria in healthy cells to the cytoplasm in dying cells. This caspase‐independent cytochrome c release (CICR) assay was more sensitive than several conventional assays when apoptosis was induced by actinomycin D, and detected cumulative background levels of apoptosis over a 3‐day interval. Using this assay, we show that normal fibroblasts undergo very little apoptosis upon X‐irradiation, indicating dominance of the senescence response in this cell type. Further, apoptosis increased subtly but measurably when human mammary epithelial and skin fibroblast cells entered crisis, indicating that cell death during crisis is largely non‐apoptotic.
Expression of apoptosis and apoptosis-related peptides in various stages of rejection in the human transplanted liver.

BACKGROUND/AIMS In the transplanted liver, the role of apoptosis and apoptosis-related proteins are largely unknown. This study addresses the question whether hepatocyte or leukocyte apoptosis plays an important role in acute rejection of the transplanted human liver and which pathways are involved. METHODOLOGY Cryosections from liver biopsies with acute rejection were stained with the TUNEL technique for detection of apoptosis and labeled immunohistochemically with antibodies against CD95, bcl-2, TGF-beta and iNOS. A double-labeling protocol was developed for simultaneous detection of iNOS and apoptosis. Liver tissue with chronic viral hepatitis, with hepatitis reinfection and tissue without pathological findings served as a control. RESULTS Leukocyte apoptosis was markedly reduced in severe compared to mild or moderate acute rejection. Hepatocyte apoptosis is detected rarely in acute rejection with a slight increase from mild to severe despite a strong expression of CD95 and TGF-beta on hepatocytes. The hepatocyte expression of iNOS is weak in acute rejection but strong in control slides with hepatitis B/C reinfection. In acute rejection, simultaneous expression of iNOS and apoptosis could be demonstrated in Kupffer-cells. CONCLUSIONS Severe acute rejection in the human transplanted liver is characterized by a lack of apoptosis of infiltrating portal lymphocytes probably caused by a reduced downregulation of lymphocyte function. Secondly, in spite of the strong expression of CD95 and TGF-alpha, hepatocyte apoptosis plays a limited role for liver damage in acute rejection. Finally, Kupffer cell apoptosis is increased in acute rejection and seems to be induced by nitric oxide.
Identification of an Arabidopsis Fatty Alcohol:Caffeoyl-Coenzyme A Acyltransferase Required for the Synthesis of Alkyl Hydroxycinnamates in Root Waxes1[W][OA]

While suberin is an insoluble heteropolymer, a number of soluble lipids can be extracted by rapid chloroform dipping of roots. These extracts include esters of saturated long-chain primary alcohols and hydroxycinnamic acids. Such fatty alcohols and hydroxycinnamic acids are also present in suberin. We demonstrate that alkyl coumarates and caffeates, which are the major components of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root waxes, are present primarily in taproots. Previously we identified ALIPHATIC SUBERIN FERULOYL TRANSFERASE (At5g41040), a HXXXD-type acyltransferase (BAHD family), responsible for incorporation of ferulate into aliphatic suberin of Arabidopsis. However, aliphatic suberin feruloyl transferase mutants were unaffected in alkyl hydroxycinnamate ester root wax composition. Here we identify a closely related gene, At5g63560, responsible for the synthesis of a subset of alkyl hydroxycinnamate esters, the alkyl caffeates. Transgenic plants harboring PAt5g63560::YFP fusions showed transcriptional activity in suberized tissues. Knockout mutants of At5g63560 were severely reduced in their alkyl caffeate but not alkyl coumarate content. Recombinant At5g63560p had greater acyltransferase activity when presented with caffeoyl-Coenzyme A (CoA) substrate, thus we have named this acyltransferase FATTY ALCOHOL:CAFFEOYL-CoA CAFFEOYL TRANSFERASE. Stress experiments revealed elevated alkyl coumarate content in root waxes of NaCl-treated wild-type and fatty alcohol:caffeoyl-CoA caffeoyl transferase plants. We further demonstrate that FATTY ACYL-CoA REDUCTASEs (FARs) FAR5 (At3g44550), FAR4 (At3g44540), and FAR1 (At5g22500) are required for the synthesis of C18, C20, and C22 alkyl hydroxycinnamates, respectively. Collectively, these results suggest that multiple acyltransferases are utilized for the synthesis of alkyl hydroxycinnamate esters of Arabidopsis root waxes and that FAR1/4/5 provide the fatty alcohols required for alkyl hydroxycinnamate synthesis.
Clinical predictors of fetal and maternal outcome in systemic lupus erythematosus: a prospective study of 103 pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE Our aim was to assess the outcome of pregnancy in a cohort of patients with SLE and to evaluate clinical and laboratory markers for fetal outcome and maternal flares. METHODS Sixty patients with 103 pregnancies were evaluated prospectively between 1984 and 1999. RESULTS There were 68 live births, 15 spontaneous abortions, 12 stillbirths and eight therapeutic abortions. Of liveborn infant births, 19 were premature, 24 had suffered intrauterine growth restriction and one had neonatal lupus. Maternal lupus flares occurred in 33% of pregnancies, mostly in the second trimester (26%) and in the post-partum period (51%). Flares during pregnancy showed a statistically significant association with discontinuation of chloroquine treatment, a history of more than three flares before gestation, and a SLEDAI (Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index) score of >or=5 in these flares. Antiphospholipid antibodies, C3 hypocomplementaemia and hypertension during pregnancy were significantly associated with fetal loss, prematurity and intrauterine growth restriction. CONCLUSIONS Patients with more active SLE and those with aPL antibodies and hypertension should be monitored and managed carefully during pregnancy.
Radical Treatment of Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients with Synchronous Oligometastases: Long-Term Results of a Prospective Phase II Trial (Nct01282450)

Background: Stage IV non–small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with oligometastases (< 5 metastatic lesions) may experience long-term survival when all macroscopic tumor sites are treated radically, but no prospective data on NSCLCs with synchronous oligometastases are available. Methods: A prospective single-arm phase II trial was conducted. The main inclusion criteria were pathologically proven NSCLC stage IV with less than five metastases at primary diagnosis, amendable for radical local treatment (surgery or radiotherapy). The study is listed in clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT01282450. Results: Forty patients were enrolled, 39 of whom were evaluable (18 men, 21 women); mean age was 62.1 ± 9.2 years (range, 44–81). Twenty-nine (74%) had local stage III; 17 (44%) brain, seven (18%) bone, and four (10%) adrenal gland metastases. Thirty-five (87%) had a single metastatic lesion. Thirty-seven (95%) of the patients received chemotherapy as part of their primary treatment. Median overall survival (OS) was 13.5 months (95% confidence interval 7.6–19.4); 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS was 56.4%, 23.3%, and 17.5%, respectively. Median progression-free survival (PFS) was 12.1 months (95% confidence interval 9.6–14.3); 1-year PFS was 51.3%, and both 2- and 3-year PFS was 13.6%. Only two patients (5%) had a local recurrence. No patient or tumor parameter, including volume and 18F-deoxyglucose uptake was significantly correlated with OS or PFS. The treatment was well tolerated. Conclusion: In this phase II study, long-term PFS was found in a subgroup of NSCLC patients with synchronous oligometastases when treated radically. Identification of this favorable subgroup before therapy is needed.
Synergistic interactions of physiologic increments of glucagon, epinephrine, and cortisol in the dog: a model for stress-induced hyperglycemia.

To evaluate the role of anti-insulin hormone actions and interactions in the pathogenesis of stress-induced hyperglycemia, the counterregulatory hormones, glucagon, epinephrine, and cortisol were infused alone as well as in double and triple combinations into normal conscious dogs in doses that were designed to simulate changes observed in severe stress. Infusion of glucagon, epinephrine, or cortisol alone produced only mild or insignificant elevations in plasma glucose concentration. In contrast, the rise in plasma glucose produced by combined infusion of any two counterregulatory hormones was 50-215% greater (P < 0.005-0.001) than the sum of the respective individual infusions. Furthermore, when all three hormones were infused simultaneously, the increment in plasma glucose concentration (144+/-2 mg/dl) was two- to fourfold greater than the sum of the responses to the individual hormone infusions or the sum of any combination of double plus single hormone infusion (P < 0.001). Infusion of glucagon or epinephrine alone resulted in a transient rise in glucose production (as measured by [3-(3)H]glucose). While glucagon infusion was accompanied by a rise in glucose clearance, with epinephrine there was a sustained, 20% fall in glucose clearance. When epinephrine was infused together with glucagon, the rise in glucose production was additive, albeit transient. However, the inhibitory effect of epinephrine on glucose clearance predominated, thereby accounting for the exaggerated glycemic response to combined infusion of glucagon and epinephrine. Although infusion of cortisol alone had no effect on glucose production, the addition of cortisol markedly accentuated hyperglycemia produced by glucagon and(or) epinephrine primarily by sustaining the increases in glucose production produced by these hormones. The combined hormonal infusions had no effect on beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration. It is concluded that (a) physiologic increments in glucagon, epinephrine, and cortisol interact synergistically in the normal dog so as to rapidly produce marked fasting hyperglycemia; (b) in this interaction, epinephrine enhances glucagon-stimulated glucose output and interferes with glucose uptake while cortisol sustains elevations in glucose production produced by epinephrine and glucagon; and (c) these data indicate that changes in glucose metabolism in circumstances in which several counterregulatory hormones are elevated (e.g., "stress hyperglycemia") are a consequence of synergistic interactions among these hormones.
Bibliometric quality of Serbian journals 2002-2011: More than just a dress for success

Within a program sponsored by the government, Serbian journals are routinely evaluated, ranked and “categorized”. Results are published yearly in the Journal Bibliometric Report (http://scindeksbic.ceon.rs/eng) by the Centre for Evaluation in Education and Science (CEON/ CEES; http://ceon.rs/). Journal ranking is based primarily on impact, i.e. citations received in both the Web of Science (WoS) and the Serbian Citation Index (SCIndeks; www.scindeks.ceon.rs). Impact indicators are supplemented with a group of measures reflecting the formal characteristics of journals. These are derived by quantifying ISI (now Thomson Reuters) qualitative admission criteria, such as the share of references in English, which can be generated with low-cost from the SCIndeks data. These indicators are supplemented with a few classical bibliometric measures, such as the journal-to-monograph ratio, selected mostly on the basis of findings about the quality of Yugoslav journals, later reviewed and systemized by Maričić (2002) and operationalized by Šipka (2004). Maričić referred to such indicators as “communicability”, which was not broadly accepted. For lack of consensus, in CEON/CEES products they are dubbed “indicators of bibliometric quality” (IBQs), while the term “indicators of impact” was kept for all measures based on the citation rate. Authors studying the quality of journals published in developing countries (e.g. Faria et al., 2007; Sheibaninia et al., 2010) find such indicators valid and useful. On the contrary, those dealing with reputed indexed journals quite expectedly do not find them useful and sometimes avoid them explicitly (e.g. Lokker et al., 2012).
Toxicity of subcutaneously administered recombinant human interleukin-2 in rats.

Recombinant human interleukin-2 (rIL-2) was administered subcutaneously to rats at doses of 0.3-10 mg/kg/day in a range-finding study and 0.03-0.3 mg/kg/day in a 4-week toxicity study. Treatment-related effects were assessed by hematology, clinical chemistry, anti-rIL-2 antibody production, and gross and histopathologic evaluations. Doses of 1 mg/kg/day or above were not tolerated, resulting in death or moribund termination by Day 7. Slight decreases in red blood cell counts (including hematocrit and hemoglobin) were observed at >/= 0.1 mg/kg/day. White blood cells counts increased in a dose-dependent manner; increases were primarily due to increases in lymphocytes and eosinophils. Hepatic abnormalities, including increases in aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin, were noted at 0.3 mg/kg/day. Histologic findings were evident primarily in the spleen, liver, lung, and injection sites, with dose-related increases in inflammatory cell foci/infiltrates noted in these sites. Findings in the liver also included biliary hyperplasia, hepatocellular degeneration, necrosis, vascular mural thickening in the portal triads, and fibrosis. Red and white pulp hyperplasia and capsular fibrosis occurred in the spleen. Most clinical and histopathologic findings were reversible within 4 weeks after termination of treatment. Anti-rIL-2 antibodies were detected beginning on Day 19 and were still present on Day 56. The pharmacological and toxicological effects associated with subcutaneous administration of rIL-2 are comparable to those reported after intravenous administration, indicating that subcutaneous dosing may be an alternative to the current clinical iv regimens.
Prospective evaluation of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition in very‐low‐birthweight infants

To evaluate the predictive and concurrent diagnostic agreement of the Ages and Stages Questionnaire 3rd Edition (ASQ‐3) with the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd Edition (Bayley‐III) in infants born preterm and very‐low‐birthweight (PT/VLBW; ≤1250g).
Rationale, development, implementation, and initial results of a fast track protocol for transfemoral transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)

The care pathway for patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), particularly in the US, was initially based on open surgical techniques and often includes general anesthesia, transesophageal echocardiographic monitoring, and cardiothoracic intensive care unit (ICU) stays. Whether a subgroup of patients could benefit from early extubation, fewer days in the ICU, and early ambulation in terms of both cost and effectiveness is unknown.
[Effect of family cohesion, subjective happiness and other factors on death anxiety in Korean elders].

PURPOSE The purposes of this study were to explore the effects of family cohesion and subjective happiness on death anxiety of Korean elders and to identify other factors contributing to death anxiety. METHODS The participants were 280 elders who lived in P metropolitan city. Data were collected between November 5, 2011 and January 12, 2012 using the Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), Family Cohesion Evaluation Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, and Fear of Death Scale (FODS). Data were analyzed using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 program. RESULTS Family cohesion, marital status, religious activity, perceived health status, and subjective happiness were included in the factors affecting death anxiety of Korean elders. These variables explained 50.1% of death anxiety. CONCLUSION The results of the study indicate that these variables should be considered in developing nursing intervention programs to decrease death anxiety and increase family cohesion and subjective happiness for life integration in Korean elders.