Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of thyroid stimulating hormone on the ultra- structure of the thyroid gland in the Mexican axolotl during metamorphic climax

Anuran metamorphosis has long-served as a model of how thyroid hormones regulate post-embryonic development in vertebrates. However, comparatively little is known about urodele metamorphosis. Twofold approach was utilized in the present study including induction of metamorphosis in the obligatory neotenic Mexican axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum) by applying thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) treatment and investigating the alternations in the ultrastructure of the thyroid gland that occur during metamorphic climax. The results highlighted the difficulty of inducing metamorphosis in this obligatory neotenic urodele animal and indicated that there are huge variations in the response of experiment animals to the TSH treatment which ranged from complete insensitivity to death. During metamorphic climax induced by TSH treatment, the thyroid follicular cells exhibited evident signs of activation compared with both non-metamorphosed and control animals. These signs include the presence of abundant stacks of rough endoplasmic reticulum on the basement membrane side of the cell, large amount of Golgi complexes, intracellular droplets, dense lysosomal like vacuoles, mitochondria and free ribosomes are observed in the cytoplasm. Colloid vesicles and clear vesicles were also observed in the cytoplasm indicating the production of thyroid hormone.
The World Health Organization and Public Health Research and Practice in Tuberculosis in India

Two major research studies carried out in India fundamentally affected tuberculosis treatment practices worldwide. One study demonstrated that home treatment of the disease is as efficacious as sanatorium treatment. The other showed that BCG vaccination is of little protective value from a public health viewpoint. India had brought together an interdisciplinary team at the National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) with a mandate to formulate a nationally applicable, socially acceptable, and epidemiologically sound National Tuberculosis Programme (NTP). Work at the NTI laid the foundation for developing an operational research approach to dealing with tuberculosis as a public health problem. The starting point for this was not operational research as enunciated by experts in this field; rather, the NTI achieved operational research by starting from the people. This approach was enthusiastically welcomed by the World Health Organization's Expert Committee on Tuberculosis of 1964. The NTP was designed to “sink or sail with the general health services of the country. ” The program was dealt a major blow when, starting in 1967, a virtual hysteria was worked up to mobilize most of the health services for imposing birth control on the people. Another blow to the general health services occurred when the WHO joined the rich countries in instituting a number of vertical programs called “Global Initiatives. ” An ill-conceived, ill-designed, and ill-managed Global Programme for Tuberculosis was one outcome. The WHO has shown rank public health incompetence in taking a very casual approach to operational research and has been downright quixotic in its thinking on controlling tuberculosis worldwide.
Knowledge and Attitudes of Doctors Toward People Living With HIV/AIDS in Saudi Arabia

Objectives:Reports showed that Saudi Arabia has low prevalence of HIV/AIDS despite increasing influx of foreign nationals from countries with high risk of HIV. Knowledge and stigmatizing attitudes of health care workers contribute to difficulties of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) accessing prevention, care, and treatment services. Nothing is known about stigma and discrimination about PLWHA in Saudi Arabia. Design:We assessed knowledge of Saudi Arabian doctors about HIV and their attitudes toward PLWHA using a cross-sectional study design. Method:In this study, 1483 doctors completed a self-administered questionnaire. Result:Knowledge scores and stigma index were computed from responses to relevant statements in the questionnaire. Stigmatizing attitudes of contact, reproductive rights, blaming, and judgmental were identified. HIV knowledge was a significant predictor of high stigma. Doctors' year of medical practice, status/specialty, and location of practice in Saudi Arabia were major predictors of HIV knowledge. Conclusions:Evidence of poor knowledge of HIV suggests the need for further training of health workers on HIV transmission mode.
The Transversality of New Materialism

This article centres around three ways in which ‘new materialism’ or ‘neomaterialism’—terms coined by DeLanda and Braidotti in the second half of the 1990s—can be called ‘transversal’. New materialism is a cultural theory that does not privilege culture, but focuses on what Haraway would call ‘naturecultures’. It explores a monist perspective of the human being, disposed of the dualisms that have dominated the humanities until today, by giving special attention to matter, as it has been so much neglected by dualist thought. New materialism, a cultural theory inspired by the thoughts of Deleuze, that spurs a renewed interest in philosophers such as Spinoza and Leibniz, shows how cultured humans are always already in nature, and how nature is necessarily cultured, how the mind is always already material, and how matter is necessarily something of the mind. New materialism opposes the transcendental and humanist (dualist) traditions that are haunting a cultural theory that is standing on the brink of both the modern and the post-postmodern era. The transcendental and humanist traditions, which are manifold yet consistently predicated on dualist structures, continue to stir debates that have a stifling effect on the field (think of the feminist polemic concerning the failed materialism in the work of Butler, and of the Saussurian/Lacanian linguistic heritage in media and cultural studies). New materialism allows for the conceptualisation of the travelling of the fluxes of matter and mind, body and soul, nature and culture, and opens up active theory formation. The three transversalities concern disciplinarity, paradigms and the spatiotemporality of theory.
Outcomes of a 12-Month Technology-Based Intervention to Promote Weight Loss in Adolescents at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

Background: Obese adolescents are at risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Obesity interventions delivered through media, such as the web and text messages [short message service (SMS)] may be beneficial when targeting obese adolescents. Methods: A randomized controlled trial, Pace-Internet for Diabetes Prevention Intervention (PACEi-DP), compared three forms of an obesity intervention to usual care (UC): (a) website only (W); (b) website, monthly group sessions, and follow-up calls (WG); and (c) website and SMS (WSMS). Participants were overweight or obese adolescents at risk for T2DM (n = 101; age 12–16 years; mean body mass index (BMI) percentile = 97.6; 74.3% Hispanic). In addition to the website, WSMS participants received SMS supporting intervention goals and behavioral strategies and communicated via SMS with a case manager. WG participants had additional group activities related to weight loss and received follow-up calls from a health coach. UC participants were given printed materials and encouraged to attend three initial group sessions. Repeated measures mixed model regression analyses tested treatment effects for anthropometric, behavioral, and behavioral change strategy outcomes. Results: There were no treatment effects for BMI, adiposity, physical activity, or diet at 12 months. Treatment effects were observed for sedentary behavior, with the W arm having a greater decrease in sedentary behavior (4.9 to 2.8 h/day) than the UC arm (p = .006). Conclusion: Although not sufficient to produce weight loss, the combination of web intervention and group sessions with telephone follow-up yielded improvements in sedentary behavior and in the use of behavior change strategies expected to lead to behavior change.
Increased concentrations of interleukin-6 and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and decreased concentrations of beta-2-glycoprotein I in Gambian children with cerebral malaria

To investigate the pathogenic versus the protective role of cytokines and toxin-binding factors in Plasmodium falciparum infections, we measured the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), IL-1 beta, IL-1 receptor antagonist, and IL-6, as well as soluble receptors of tumor necrosis factor and IL-6 (sIL-6R) in serum of Gambian children with cerebral malaria, mild or asymptomatic malaria, or other illnesses unrelated to malaria. Because cytokine secretion may be triggered by toxic structures containing phosphatidylinositol (PI), we also measured concentrations of anti-PI antibodies and the PI-binding serum protein beta-2-glycoprotein I. We found increased concentrations of IL-6, sIL-6R, IL-1ra, and some immunoglobulin M antibodies against PI in children with cerebral malaria, but those who died had decreased concentrations of beta-2-glycoprotein I. We conclude that increased concentrations of cytokines and soluble cytokine receptors represent a normal host response to P. falciparum infections but that excessive secretion of cytokines like IL-6 may predispose to cerebral malaria and a fatal outcome while beta-2-glycoprotein I may protect against a fatal outcome of cerebral malaria.
Contrasting short‐term plasticity at two sides of the mitral–granule reciprocal synapse in the mammalian olfactory bulb

The mitral–granule reciprocal synapse shapes the response of the olfactory bulb to odour stimuli by mediating lateral and reciprocal inhibition. We investigated the short‐term plasticity of both the mitral‐to‐granule excitatory synapse and the granule‐to‐mitral inhibitory synapse in rat olfactory bulb slices, using whole‐cell patch clamp recordings. The granule‐to‐mitral inhibitory synapse invariably exhibited paired‐pulse depression at interstimulus intervals of less than a second, while the mitral‐to‐granule excitatory synapse showed heterogeneous responses, which on average yielded a moderate facilitation. Trains of stimuli led to a much greater depression at the granule‐to‐mitral synapse than at the mitral‐to‐granule synapse. Since mitral cells commonly respond to odours by burst firing with each inhalation cycle, we used bursts of stimuli to study recovery from depression. We found that recovery from depression induced by fast trains of stimuli was more rapid at the mitral‐to‐granule synapse than at the granule‐to‐mitral synapse. In addition, depression was enhanced by higher calcium concentrations, suggesting at least partial contribution of presynaptic mechanisms to short‐term depression. The observed short‐term plasticity could enable mitral cells to overcome autoinhibition and increase action potential propagation along lateral dendrites by burst firing.
Conformational changes in chemically modified Escherichia coli thioredoxin monitored by H/D exchange and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

Hydrogen/deuterium (H/D) exchange in combination with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and near‐ultraviolet (UV) circular dichroism (CD) was used to study the conformational properties and thermal unfolding of Escherichia coli thioredoxin and its Cys32‐alkylated derivatives in 1% acetic acid (pH 2.7). Thermal unfolding of oxidized (Oxi) and reduced (Red) ‐thioredoxin (TRX) and Cys‐32‐ethylglutathionyl (GS‐ethyl‐TRX) and Cys‐32‐ethylcysteinyl (Cys‐ethyl‐TRX), which are derivatives of Red‐TRX, follow apparent EX1 kinetics as charge‐state envelopes, H/D mass spectral exchange profiles, and near‐UV CD appear to support a two‐state folding/unfolding model. Minor mass peaks in the H/D exchange profiles and nonsuperimposable MS‐ and CD‐derived melting curves, however, suggest the participation of unfolding intermediates leading to the conclusion that the two‐state model is an oversimplification of the process. The relative stabilities as measured by melting temperatures by both CD and mass spectral charge states are, Oxi‐TRX, GS‐ethyl‐TRX, Cys‐ethyl‐TRX, and Red‐TRX. The introduction of the Cys‐32‐ethylglutathionyl group provides extra stabilization that results from additional hydrogen bonding interactions between the ethylglutathionyl group and the protein. Near‐UV CD data show that the local environment near the active site is perturbed to almost an identical degree regardless of whether alkylation at Cys‐32 is by the ethylglutathionyl group, or the smaller, nonhydrogen‐bonding ethylcysteinyl group. Mass spectral data, however, indicate a tighter structure for GS‐ethyl‐TRX.
Alterations in Taste Sensation: A CASE PRESENTATION OF A PATIENT WITH END-STAGE PANCREATIC CANCER

Alterations in taste can occur as a result of cancer, cancer treatment, and from a variety of other causes. Cancer patients frequently experience taste alterations, which often go undetected in the clinical setting. This case presentation depicts a 90-year-old client with end-stage pancreatic cancer undergoing chemotherapy treatment with gemcitabine. The symptomatology of taste changes is described. Etiology and rationale for taste changes is presented for the cancer patient population, and for the general population. Review of the cancer literature, research instruments, and goals/outcomes are discussed. The author determined that interventional studies are lacking, and research is needed.
Optimization of Parity-Check Matrices of LDPC Codes

Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes are widely used in communications due to their excellent practical performance. Error probability of LDPC code under iterative decoding on the binary erasure channel is determined by a class of combinatorial objects, called stopping sets. Stopping sets of small size are the reason for the decoder failures. Stopping redundancy is defined as the minimum number of rows in a parity-check matrix of the code, such that there are no small stopping sets in it. Han, Siegel and Vardy derive upper bounds on the stopping redundancy of general binary linear codes by using probabilistic analysis. For many families of codes, these bounds are the best currently known. In this work, we improve on the results of Han, Siegel and Vardy by modifying their analysis. Our approach is different in that we judiciously select the first and the second rows in the parity-check matrix, and then proceed with the probabilistic analysis. Numerical experiments confirm that the bounds obtained in this thesis are superior to those of Han, Siegel and Vardy for two codes: the extended Golay code and the quadratic residue code of length 48.
The Role of GPs in Hospital Choice Analysis

This paper examines the role of general practitioners (GPs) in the empirical analysis of hospital choice outcomes. It emphasizes the potential endogeneity of patients’ choice sets governed by strategic information transmission on the part of the GP and the ensuing sample selection biases and inconsistency of estimators that fail to take GP level choice set selection effects into account. A comprehensive econometric model for the joint decision mechanism of patient and GP is proposed that distinguishes potentially diverging ∗The views expressed in this paper are the sole responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the Competition Commission or the Department of Health. The authors are grateful for helpful discussions with Martin Browning, Bo Honoré, Paul Fenn, Carol Propper, John Van Reenen, Gemma Tetlow, Elaine Kelly, and staff of the Co-operation and Competition Directorate, Monitor, the Competition Commission and the Office of Fair Trading. All errors are ours.
Relationship Between Jump Rope Double Unders and Sprint Performance in Elementary Schoolchildren

Abstract Miyaguchi, K, Demura, S, and Omoya, M. Relationship between jump rope double unders and sprint performance in elementary schoolchildren. J Strength Cond Res 29(11): 3229–3233, 2015—According to dynamic analyses of muscle contraction, jump rope is a typical stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) movement. It has been reported that the relationship with SSC is higher in double unders than in single unders (basic jumps); however, the relationship between jump rope and sprint performances has not been extensively studied. To clarify this relationship in elementary schoolchildren, we compared the sprint speed and SSC ability of children who were grouped according to gender and ability. The subjects were 143 elementary fifth and sixth graders (78 boys, 65 girls). The consecutive maximal number of double unders, reactivity index (index of SSC ability) by Myotest, and 20-m sprint time were measured. According to the mean of jump rope records, the children were divided into a superior ability group (more than average + 0.5 SD) and an inferior ability group (less than average − 0.5 SD) for each gender. In both genders, a significant difference was found in the 20-m sprint time between the inferior and superior ability groups. The times for the superior ability groups (boys, 3.75 ± 0.23 seconds; girls, 4.02 ± 0.24 seconds) were excellent compared with the inferior ability groups (boys, 4.17 ± 0.32 seconds; girls, 4.23 ± 0.21 seconds). This effect size was higher in boys (1.44) than in girls (0.93). The reactivity index in the superior ability group was excellent compared with that in the inferior ability group. In conclusion, children who perform better in double unders are also faster during a 20-m sprint run. This tendency may be higher in boys. Classic jump rope training, such as double unders, should be effective as elementary plyometrics for improving the sprint ability of children.
A reference-less multilevel memristor based RRAM module

This paper presents a robust reference-less multilevel memristor based Resistive RAM (RRAM) module. In contrast to similar multilevel RRAMs, the proposed multilevel module eliminates the need for any comparing reference level. Because of the use of a differential 1T2M memory cell, data decoding is performed with traditional standard cells. On the other hand, no feedback loops are needed to ensure read, write and data decoding correctness. In addition, the proposed module is pinout compatible with the traditional 6T SRAM module. Simulation results, along with a comparison with other memristor based multilevel modules are presented.
Optimization of on-State and Switching Performances for 15–20-kV 4H-SiC IGBTs

The 4H-SiC p-channel IGBTs designed to block 15 and 20 kV are optimized for minimum loss (on-state plus switching power) by adjusting the parameters of the JFET region, drift layer, and buffer layer, using 2-D MEDICI simulations. Switching loss exhibits a strong dependence on buffer layer thickness, doping, and lifetime due to their influence on the current tail. In contrast, drift layer lifetime has little effect on the crossover frequency at which the MOSFET and IGBT have equal loss.
Differential atrial performance at rest and exercise in athletes: Potential trigger for developing atrial dysfunction?

Highly trained athletes show an increased risk of atrial arrhythmias. Little is known about atrial volumes and function during exercise in this population. Our aim was to analyze atrial size and contractile function during exercise. Fifty endurance athletes with 11 ± 8 h of training per week and 30 sedentary control subjects were included. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and during exercise. Left (LA) and right atrial (RA) size and function were assessed by two‐dimensional echocardiography. Peak negative strain (Sa) during atrial contraction and active atrial emptying volume (AEV) were measured. Athletes and control subjects showed a significant increment of deformation and AEV of both atria with exercise (P < 0.01 vs baseline for LA and RA). Among athletes, a subgroup with significant LA (n = 8)/RA (n = 15) dilatation (≥40 mL/m2) showed a significantly lower increment in AEV with exercise (LA∆AEV: 1.4 ± 1.1 mL/m2 vs 2.1 ± 0.9 mL/m2, P = 0.04; RA∆AEV: 0.9 ± 0.8 mL/m2 vs 2.3 ± 1.1 mL/m2, P < 0.01) and lower increment in deformation vs other athletes (LA∆Sa: −3.2 ± 2.9% vs −9.5 ± 4.4%, P < 0.01; RA∆Sa: −2.5 ± 3.3% vs. −9.8 ± 3.3%, P < 0.01). During exercise, active atrial strain increases, but less in athletes compared to controls, but due to larger atrial volumes, they reached similar increases in atrial emptying volume. However, this overall lesser deformation increases from a subgroup with significant atrial dilatation showing impairment in atrial contractile reserve.
Development of Japanese infant speech database and speaking rate analysis

Utterances of five infants with their parents were recorded every month from their birth until 30 to 60 months old to investigate spoken language development from the viewpoint of acoustic characteristics. Recording time was at least one hour per month. An infant speech database is now being developed from the recordings. Each entry of the database contains a speech file of an utterance and its transcription with some property tags such as speaker, background noise level, and utterance characteristics. A search program with WEB browsing interface was developed for the contents of the database. Using the database, preliminary analysis was conducted on speaking rate. It was observed that infant speaking rate is much slower than parent speaking rate and parent speaking rate is almost equal to the speaking rate of adult conversation.
Long‐lived mitochondrial (Mit) mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans utilize a novel metabolism

The Caenorhabditis elegans mitochondrial (Mit) mutants have disrupted mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) functionality, yet, surprisingly, they are long lived. We have previously proposed that Mit mutants supplement their energy needs by exploiting alternate energy production pathways normally used by wild‐type animals only when exposed to hy‐poxic conditions. We have also proposed that longevity in the Mit mutants arises as a property of their new metabolic state. If longevity does arise as a function of metabolic state, we would expect to find a common metabolic signature among these animals. To test these predictions, we established a novel approach monitoring the C. elegans exometabolism as a surrogate marker for internal metabolic events. Using HPLC‐ultraviolet‐based metabolomics and multivariate analyses, we show that long‐lived clk‐1(qm30) and isp‐1(qm150) Mit mutants have a common metabolic profile that is distinct from that of aerobically cultured wild‐type animals and, unexpectedly, wild‐type animals cultured under severe oxygen deprivation. Moreover, we show that 2 shortlived mitochondrial ETC mutants, mev‐1(kn1) and ucr‐2.3(pk732), also share a common metabolic signature that is unique. We show that removal of soluble fuma‐rate reductase unexpectedly increases health span in several genetically defined Mit mutants, identifying at least 1 alternate energy production pathway, malate dismutation, that is operative in these animals. Our study suggests long‐lived, genetically specified Mit mutants employ a novel metabolism and that life span may well arise as a function of metabolic state. —Butler, J. A. , Ventura, N. , Johnson, T. E. , Rea, S. L. Long‐lived mitochondrial (Mit) mutants of Caenorhabditis elegans utilize a novel metabolism. FASEB J. 24, 4977–4988 (2010). www.fasebj. org