Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Functional neuroimaging of mentalizing during the trust game in social anxiety disorder

Individuals with generalized social anxiety disorder tend to make overly negative and distorted predictions about social events, which enhance perceptions of threat and contribute to excessive anxiety in social situations. Here, we coupled functional magnetic resonance imaging and a multiround economic exchange game (‘trust game’) to probe mentalizing, the social-cognitive ability to attribute mental states to others. Relative to interactions with a computer, those with human partners (‘mentalizing’) elicited less activation of medial prefrontal cortex in generalized social anxiety patients compared with matched healthy control participants. Diminished medial prefrontal cortex function may play a role in the social-cognitive pathophysiology of social anxiety.
Essays on Intergenerational Mobility and Inequality in Economic History

This dissertation explores intergenerational mobility and inequality in the early twentieth century. The first chapter asks whether economic downturns increase or decrease mobility. I estimate the effect of the Great Depression on mobility, linking a sample of fathers before the Depression to their sons in 1940. I find that the Great Depression lowered intergenerational mobility for sons growing up in cities hit by large downturns. The effects are driven by differential, selective migration: the sons of richer fathers are able to move to better destinations. The second chapter compares historic rates of intergenerational mobility to today. Based on a sample matched from the Iowa 1915 State Census to the 1940 Federal Census, I argue that there was more mobility in the early twentieth century than is found in contemporary data, whether measured using intergenerational elasticities, rank-rank correlations, educational persistence, or occupational status measures. In the third chapter, I detail the machine learning method used to create the linked census samples used in chapters 1 and 2. I use a supervised learning approach to record linkage, training a matching algorithm on hand-linked historical data which is able to efficiently and accurately find links in noisy in historical data.
Challenges in the Contemporary Management of Syphilis among Pregnant Women in New Orleans, LA

Objective The aim of this retrospective review is to evaluate trends in the management of maternal and congenital syphilis (CS) in a tertiary care center in New Orleans, LA. Study Design All cases of maternal and neonatal syphilis over a five year period at Touro Infirmary, New Orleans, LA, were identified using ICD-9/10 codes. Charts were reviewed for demographic and obstetrical variables, stage of syphilis at diagnosis, lab values, and treatment regimen. Newborn treatment and other outcomes were recorded. Results During the study period 106 infected mother-baby pairs were identified. Of these, 73 charts are available for review. 41% (n = 30) of women received inadequate therapy according to their stage of disease. 9% of newborns (n = 6) were found to be symptomatic for CS; however, only 83.3% of these were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Only 20% (n = 6) of infants were adequately treated with an extended penicillin regimen if the mother was not adequately treated. Furthermore, only 63.0% of newborns had a nontreponemal titer performed. Conclusion With rising rates of CS, strict adherence to the 2015 CDC guidelines for treatment of syphilis must be maintained.
Assessment of normal flow velocity in basal cerebral veins. A transcranial doppler ultrasound study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Transcranial Doppler ultrasound has not yet been applied systematically to the analysis of the venous system and cerebrovenous disorders. Assessment of the intracranial venous system, however, would contribute to the understanding of cerebral hemodynamics and thus allow new possibilities for clinical application of the Doppler technique. Therefore, we demonstrated the validity of the transcranial Doppler technique in analyzing the basal cerebral veins. METHODS Venous transcranial Doppler ultrasound was performed with a range-gated 2-MHz transducer in 60 healthy volunteers in patients without central nervous disorders ranging in age from 10 to 71 years (mean +/- SD, 41.9 +/- 15 years). RESULTS A venous signal away from the probe and adjacent to the posterior cerebral artery, considered to correspond to the basal vein of Rosenthal, was found in all subjects on at least one side. Mean blood flow velocity ranged from 4 to 17 cm/s (mean +/- SD, 10.1 +/- 2.3 cm/s). Analysis for age dependency revealed a trend of decreasing values with increasing age, exclusively caused by a significant reduction of velocity in men aged 40 years or older. No significant intraindividual side-to-side differences were found. A venous signal away from the probe and paralleling the middle cerebral artery, interpreted as corresponding to the deep middle cerebral vein, was found in 21.7% of the subjects with similar velocities. CONCLUSIONS We have shown that transcranial Doppler methods can also be used for evaluation of the basal cerebral veins in both sexes, in differing age groups, and without major difficulty. The cerebral basal veins could be identified on the basis of their anatomic relation to specific arteries.
GaN: A multifunctional material enabling MEMS resonators based on amplified piezoelectric detection

The properties of a new class of electromechanical resonators based on GaN are presented. By using the flexural modes of a doubly clamped beam, the two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG) present at the AlGaN/GaN interface can be modulated by a field effect arising from the GaN buffer piezoelectricity. This leads to active piezoelectric transducers for which we show experimental results with detailed bias condition studies up to 10 MHz. Associated with modeling of the transduction physics, this allows explaining how the 2-DEG properties lead to the transconductance effect in the electromechanical domain.
Financial market anomalies: evidence from Tunisia stock market

The aim of this study is to investigate the presence of seasonal market anomalies (calendar anomalies) and to analyze their effects on the behavior of financial investors in terms of decisions and profit on the Tunisian market during the entire period that starts on January 2003 and ends on 31 December 2015. This work examines four calendar effects which are the new week of the year (WOY), the day of the week (DOW), the week of the month (WOM) and month of the year (MOY) effects using daily data of Tunisian Stock Market Index (TUNINDEX closing price) and dummy variables based on a GARCH (1,1) regression model adopted by Levy and Yagil (2012) to demonstrate whether the anomalies exist on the Tunisian market. The findings show that the returns for Friday are always positively significant. In contrast, the returns for October are almost negatively significant and low compared to other months. We also find that market calendar anomalies are clues to help investors improving their trading strategies and timing their investments to make abnormal profits.
MRI diffusion mapping of reversible and irreversible ischemic injury in focal brain ischemia

The reduction of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of water shortly after a focal ischemic insult is thought to reflect intracellular water accumulation (cytotoxic edema) related to high-energy metabolism failure and loss of ion homeostasis. We attempted to clarify whether varying ranges of ADC measurements in ischemic brain tissue can be used to differentiate between reversible and irreversible ischemic lesions before reperfusion in a temporary ischemia model. We induced 45 minutes of temporary ischemia in 12 rats using the middle cerebral artery suture occlusion method. Regional changes of ADC values were serially measured in seven regions of interest in each hemisphere and evaluated by ΔADC, defined as the difference between ADC value in an ischemic region and that in a contralateral homologous region. We acquired dynamic contrast-enhanced perfusion images 2 minutes before and after reperfusion to document reduced perfusion and its restoration. We confirmed the infarct area by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining 24 hours after occlusion and correlated this with the MRI studies. Recovery of initially reduced ADC values occurred only in ischemic regions where ΔADC values were not below −0.25 × 10−5 cm2/sec. Although the extent of infarction at postmortem examination varied in regions with moderately decreased prereperfusion ADC values, more than 70% of regions of interest with slight declines of prereperfusion ADC values exhibited no infarction. ADC values progressively decreased after reperfusion in regions that initially had severely decreased prereperfusion ADC values, and postmortem examination always demonstrated infarction in such regions. These results suggest that measurement of ΔADC can provide information that will enable the clinician to discriminate between irreversible and potentially reversible ischemic regions before reperfusion is performed.
Downregulation of macrophage inhibitory molecules in multiple sclerosis lesions

Inflammatory and demyelinating activity of activated resident macrophages (microglia) and recruited blood‐borne macrophages are considered crucial in multiple sclerosis (MS) lesion development. The membrane glycoproteins CD200 and CD47, highly expressed on neurons, are mediators of macrophage inhibition via their receptors CD200R and signal‐regulatory protein α, respectively, on myeloid cells. We determined the expression pattern of immune inhibitory molecules in relation to genes involved in macrophage activation and MS lesion pathology.
Transforming Perspectives: How Black Students Make Meaning of Multi-Country Study Abroad Experiences

Author(s): RAHYNS, JANELLE NICOLE | Advisor(s): ALLEN, WALTER; TERANISHI, ROBERT | Abstract: Not all those who wander are lost.J.R.R. Tolkien (1954) Black (African American) students experience college uniquely compared to other racial and ethnic groups (Allen, 1992). The study abroad experience offers a different lens to explore Black student development and how Black students make meaning of this opportunity. The primary objective of this study was to gain an understanding of how participants reflected on their multi-country study abroad experiences and how they made sense of these experiences. I examined the study abroad experience through interpretive phenomenological analysis, utilizing Jack Mezirow’s Transformative Learning Theory (1992) to investigate how Black college students reflected on their experiences. I attempted to address the following research questions; What key experiences facilitate transformative learning in multi-country study abroad contexts for Black college students? In what ways do Black college students make meaning of their international experiences? How, if at all, can student experiences be interpreted through the lens of transformative learning theory? In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted with a sample of seven Black college graduates who participated in multi-country study abroad experiences as undergraduates. Study rationale included the need to better support the college student development of Black students. Findings shed light on the unique Black college student experience, offering tools to support development. This dissertation identifies experiences that may contribute to providing educators, researchers, and policymakers insight on the study abroad experience for Black college students. For example, this dissertation identified Black students who participated in multi-country study abroad programs and applied a comparative lens to their study abroad experiences. Recommendations include expanding study abroad opportunities for Black students. The opportunity to experience differing countries provides a unique personal growth experience for Black students and these experiences may positively contribute to Black student development on US campuses. For example, Black students described and interpreted a strong sense of racial identity, interglobal competence, and commitment to activism after participating in a multi-country study abroad program. As race is the most salient identity named in their experiences abroad, Black students shared these experiences based on travel to different countries. These participants appeared to have a grounded and mature reflection on their racial identity and how race is viewed in other parts of the world.
Application and Results of the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (Mansa)

Background Based on experiences and empirical evidence gained in studies using the Lancashire Quality of Life Profile (LQLP), the Manchester Short Assessment of Quality of Life (MANSA) has been developed as a condensed and slightly modified instrument for assessing quality of life. Its properties have been tested in a sample of community care patients. Method Fifty-five randomly selected patients on the Care Programme Approach were interviewed using the LQLP, the MANSA and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale. Results Correlations between subjective quality of life scores on MANSA and LQLP were all 0.83 or higher (0.94 for the satisfaction mean score). Cronbach's alpha for satisfaction ratings was 0.74, and association with psychopathology was in line with results for LQLP as reported in the literature. Conclusions The MANSA is a brief instrument for assessing quality of life focusing on satisfaction with life as a whole and with life domains. Its psychometric properties appear satisfactory.
Small-Molecule Inhibition of Choline Catabolism in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Other Aerobic Choline-Catabolizing Bacteria

ABSTRACT Choline is abundant in association with eukaryotes and plays roles in osmoprotection, thermoprotection, and membrane biosynthesis in many bacteria. Aerobic catabolism of choline is widespread among soil proteobacteria, particularly those associated with eukaryotes. Catabolism of choline as a carbon, nitrogen, and/or energy source may play important roles in association with eukaryotes, including pathogenesis, symbioses, and nutrient cycling. We sought to generate choline analogues to study bacterial choline catabolism in vitro and in situ. Here we report the characterization of a choline analogue, propargylcholine, which inhibits choline catabolism at the level of Dgc enzyme-catalyzed dimethylglycine demethylation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. We used genetic analyses and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance to demonstrate that propargylcholine is catabolized to its inhibitory form, propargylmethylglycine. Chemically synthesized propargylmethylglycine was also an inhibitor of growth on choline. Bioinformatic analysis suggests that there are genes encoding DgcA homologues in a variety of proteobacteria. We examined the broader utility of propargylcholine and propargylmethylglycine by assessing growth of other members of the proteobacteria that are known to grow on choline and possess putative DgcA homologues. Propargylcholine showed utility as a growth inhibitor in P. aeruginosa but did not inhibit growth in other proteobacteria tested. In contrast, propargylmethylglycine was able to inhibit choline-dependent growth in all tested proteobacteria, including Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas putida, Burkholderia cepacia, Burkholderia ambifaria, and Sinorhizobium meliloti. We predict that chemical inhibitors of choline catabolism will be useful for studying this pathway in clinical and environmental isolates and could be a useful tool to study proteobacterial choline catabolism in situ.
Effects of the gut microbiota on host adiposity are modulated by the short-chain fatty-acid binding G protein-coupled receptor, Gpr41

The distal human intestine harbors trillions of microbes that allow us to extract calories from otherwise indigestible dietary polysaccharides. The products of polysaccharide fermentation include short-chain fatty acids that are ligands for Gpr41, a G protein-coupled receptor expressed by a subset of enteroendocrine cells in the gut epithelium. To examine the contribution of Gpr41 to energy balance, we compared Gpr41−/− and Gpr41+/+ mice that were either conventionally-raised with a complete gut microbiota or were reared germ-free and then cocolonized as young adults with two prominent members of the human distal gut microbial community: the saccharolytic bacterium, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron and the methanogenic archaeon, Methanobrevibacter smithii. Both conventionally-raised and gnotobiotic Gpr41−/− mice colonized with the model fermentative community are significantly leaner and weigh less than their WT (+/+) littermates, despite similar levels of chow consumption. These differences are not evident when germ-free WT and germ-free Gpr41 knockout animals are compared. Functional genomic, biochemical, and physiologic studies of germ-free and cocolonized Gpr41−/− and +/+ littermates disclosed that Gpr41-deficiency is associated with reduced expression of PYY, an enteroendocrine cell-derived hormone that normally inhibits gut motility, increased intestinal transit rate, and reduced harvest of energy (short-chain fatty acids) from the diet. These results reveal that Gpr41 is a regulator of host energy balance through effects that are dependent upon the gut microbiota.
Glucose Induces Mouse β-Cell Proliferation via IRS2, MTOR, and Cyclin D2 but Not the Insulin Receptor

An important goal in diabetes research is to understand the processes that trigger endogenous β-cell proliferation. Hyperglycemia induces β-cell replication, but the mechanism remains debated. A prime candidate is insulin, which acts locally through the insulin receptor. Having previously developed an in vivo mouse hyperglycemia model, we tested whether glucose induces β-cell proliferation through insulin signaling. By using mice lacking insulin signaling intermediate insulin receptor substrate 2 (IRS2), we confirmed that hyperglycemia-induced β-cell proliferation requires IRS2 both in vivo and ex vivo. Of note, insulin receptor activation was not required for glucose-induced proliferation, and insulin itself was not sufficient to drive replication. Glucose and insulin caused similar acute signaling in mouse islets, but chronic signaling differed markedly, with mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR) and extracellular signal–related kinase (ERK) activation by glucose and AKT activation by insulin. MTOR but not ERK activation was required for glucose-induced proliferation. Cyclin D2 was necessary for glucose-induced β-cell proliferation. Cyclin D2 expression was reduced when either IRS2 or MTOR signaling was lost, and restoring cyclin D2 expression rescued the proliferation defect. Human islets shared many of these regulatory pathways. Taken together, these results support a model in which IRS2, MTOR, and cyclin D2, but not the insulin receptor, mediate glucose-induced proliferation.
Influence of Prenatal Cocaine Exposure on Early Language Development: Longitudinal Findings from Four Months to Three Years of Age

ABSTRACT. The influence of prenatal cocaine exposure on children’s language functioning was evaluated longitudinally at six time points from 4 months to 3 years of age. The Miami Prenatal Cocaine Study prospectively enrolled 476 full-term African-American infants at birth, categorized as cocaine-exposed (n = 253) or non-cocaine-exposed (n = 223) by maternal self-report and bioassays (maternal/infant urine, meconium). The Bayley Scales of Infant Development, scored using the Kent Scoring Adaptation for language, was administered at 4, 8, 12, 18, and 24 months. The Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool was administered at 3 years. In longitudinal analyses using Generalized Estimating Equations, cocaine-exposed children had lower overall language skills than non-cocaine-exposed children (D = −0.151; 95% CI = −0.269, −0.033;p = .012). Longitudinal findings remained stable after evaluation of potential confounding influences including other prenatal substance exposures and sociodemographic factors. Preliminary evidence also indicated possible mediation through an intermediary effect involving cocaine-associated deficits in fetal growth.
Expression of Endomembrane Calcium Pumps in Colon and Gastric Cancer Cells

Calcium mobilization from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) into the cytosol is a key component of several signaling networks controlling tumor cell growth, differentiation, or apoptosis. Sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium transport ATPases (SERCA-type calcium pumps), enzymes that accumulate calcium in the ER, play an important role in these phenomena. We report that SERCA3 expression is significantly reduced or lost in colon carcinomas when compared with normal colonic epithelial cells, which express this enzyme at a high level. To study the involvement of SERCA enzymes in differentiation, in this work differentiation of colon and gastric cancer cell lines was initiated, and the change in the expression of SERCA isoenzymes as well as intracellular calcium levels were investigated. Treatment of the tumor cells with butyrate or other established differentiation inducing agents resulted in a marked and specific induction of the expression of SERCA3, whereas the expression of the ubiquitous SERCA2 enzymes did not change significantly or was reduced. A similar marked increase in SERCA3 expression was found during spontaneous differentiation of post-confluent Caco-2 cells, and this closely correlated with the induction of other known markers of differentiation. Analysis of the expression of the SERCA3 alternative splice isoforms revealed induction of all three known iso-SERCA3 variants (3a, 3b, and 3c). Butyrate treatment of the KATO-III gastric cancer cells led to higher resting cytosolic calcium concentrations and, in accordance with the lower calcium affinity of SERCA3, to diminished ER calcium content. These data taken together indicate a defect in SERCA3 expression in colon cancers as compared with normal colonic epithelium, show that the calcium homeostasis of the endoplasmic reticulum may be remodeled during cellular differentiation, and indicate that SERCA3 constitutes an interesting new differentiation marker that may prove useful for the analysis of the phenotype of gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas.
An Unsupervised Segmentation Method Using Markov Random Field on Region Adjacency Graph for SAR Images

A fast approach to obtain segmentation of SAR images has been suggested here based on the local statistical characteristics using Markov random field (MRF) model on region adjacency graph (RAG). First, an initially over-segmented image derived from the watershed segmentation algorithm as well as the original SAR image is taken as the inputs of the proposed method. Secondly, a MRF is defined on RAG of the initial over segmented regions, with a novel multilevel logistic (MLL) model for the region class labels and Gamma distribution for the marginal distribution of each class in the SAR images. The criterion used for getting the optimal segmentation is the maximization of the posterior marginal (MPM), which minimizing the expected value of the number of the misclassified regions in the over-segmented image. In the implementation, the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm is used to estimate the parameters of Gamma distribution, and the parameters of the MLL model is derived from the RAG. Experimental results on real SAR images show that the proposed method can reduce the computational complexity greatly and provide precise segmentation results