Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relationship Between Cyberbalkanization and Opinion Polarization: Time-Series Analysis on Facebook Pages and Opinion Polls During the Hong Kong Occupy Movement and the Associated Debate on Political Reform

Online activity is often cyberbalkanized, but it remains unclear whether this phenomenon leads to polarization of public opinion or if the relationship works in the reverse direction. This study tested the temporal association between cyberbalkanization and opinion polarization during the debate on political reform in Hong Kong. Online communities were constructed by a post-sharing network of 1,644 Facebook pages (101,410 shares); the differences between intra- and inter-community shares were derived, and a cyberbalkanization index was computed. A time-series analysis showed that the index temporally preceded the opinion polarization, i.e., most of the opinion poll's respondents gave extreme ratings to government leaders, but not vice versa. The index was particularly predictive of polarization among youth.
Evaluation of Endothelial (dys)Function, Left Ventricular Structure and Function in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND Endothelial dysfunction is involved in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular complications in chronic kidney disease (CKD). Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous inhibitor of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), is considered as a marker of endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate serum ADMA, eNOS concentration and left ventricular structure and function in CKD patients and to assess the impact of the type of dialyzer on serum ADMA and eNOS concentrations after a haemodialysis (HD) session. MATERIAL AND METHODS Peripheral blood was collected from 35 predialysis CKD patients, 40 CKD patients on HD and 15 healthy subjects. Patients on HD were divided into two groups according to the dialyzer used based on polynephron or cellulose membranes. Plasma ADMA and eNOS concentrations were assessed. All subjects underwent echocardiography and were evaluated for selected biochemical parameters. RESULTS We found significantly higher serum ADMA (p<0.05) and significantly lower eNOS (p<0.05) concentration in CKD patients compared with healthy subjects. Both dialyzers significantly reduced serum ADMA concentration (p<0.05) but none of the analysed dialyzers showed superiority when comparing the results. We showed that stage V CKD patients, who had the highest serum ADMA concentration had the lowest left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) and the highest left ventricle mass (LVM) and left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd). CONCLUSIONS Our results supports the presence of endothelial dysfunction in CKD patients. Correlation between elevated serum AMDA concentration and disadvantageous changes in left ventricular structure and function may indicate an important role of endothelial dysfunction in cardiovascular complications in CKD patients.
Play Behavior of Red Colobus Monkeys in Kibale National Park, Uganda

Play is a conspicuous behavior in primates, yet there are few detailed species-specific accounts of primate play. This article presents the results of a 1-year study of play in red colobus monkeys (Procolobus rufomitratus). Descriptions of play frequencies and types of play are provided from infancy through adulthood. Age and sex comparisons are discussed in light of other research and hypotheses that may explain these observations.
Effect of the Bologna bachelor degree on considerations of medical students to interrupt or terminate their medical training

Background: The bachelor-master system potentially enables medical students to stop or temporary interrupt their training after obtaining a bachelor degree. A survey at the time of introduction of this two-cycle model in Dutch medical education showed little interest among students in these possibilities. Aims: To investigate students’ considerations to stop or pause now that this model is well established. Methods: Questionnaires were sent to 314 second year and 348 third year bachelor students and 256 first year master students at University Medical Center Utrecht. Results: Response rates were 33.4% for the second year and 42.0% for the third year bachelor students and 48.8% for the master students. Of all these students, one to three percent seriously considered a permanent stop. Of the bachelor students, about one quarter seriously considered a temporary stop after finishing the bachelor program. Of the master students, one in seven indicated that they did take a break at that opportunity. Conclusions: Awarding the bachelor degree does not particularly encourage students to discontinue their medical study. Our results are comparable to the results of the survey at the time of the introduction of the bachelor-master system, which supports our previous conclusion.
Acute gout attack with normal serum uric acid levels.

AIM The paper aims to determine the prevalence of clinical cases with acute gout attacks and normal serum uric acid levels. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study was conducted between October, 2013 and June, 2014 in 30 patients diagnosed with acute gout attack admitted to the 1st Clinic of Rheumatology of Iasi. The diagnosis was based on clinical manifestations and positive response to therapeutic test with colchicine. RESULTS Normal serum uric acid levels were found in 63.3% of the patients with acute gout attack. The inflammatory syndrome was detected in 76.6% of patients with high erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) levels and in 30% of patients who had elevated C-reactive protein levels. The urinary excretion of uric acid was measured in 11 patients and it was found increased in 55% of them. CONCLUSIONS The diagnosis of acute gout attack should not be excluded in the presence of normal serum uric acid levels if the clinical manifestations or the positive response at colchicine are suggestive of gout. The low uric acid level is correlated with increased inflammatory factors and urinary excretion of uric acid.
Influence of religiosity and spiritual coping on health‐related quality of life in Saudi haemodialysis patients

Introduction: Patients undergoing haemodialysis (HD) are frequently troubled by psychiatric disorders and coping problems, which can pose a serious threat to their physical and mental well‐being. Using religious and spiritual interventions as a means of coping with physical and mental challenges is widely recognized. Although this topic has been well studied, in the Middle East regions, where Islam is the dominant religion, studies are limited. Thus, this study was performed to explore the influence of religiosity and spiritual coping (SC) on the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) of Saudi patients receiving HD. Methods: A total of 168 HD patients from three hospitals in Saudi Arabia formed a convenient sample for this descriptive, cross‐sectional hospital‐based study. Data collection was done via questionnaire‐guided interviews using the Muslim Religious Index as well as the Arabic Versions of the Spiritual Coping Strategies scale and Quality of Life Index Dialysis. Regression analysis enabled identification of the factors influencing HRQoL. Findings: Older patients were found to reveal higher levels of religiosity, whereas the younger ones expressed a lesser degree of religious and nonreligious coping. Unemployed patients reported greater involvement in religious practices (RP) and more frequently used religious coping than those employed. The latter showed lower intrinsic religiosity and nonreligious coping usage than the unemployed. The respondents reported the greatest satisfaction scores on their psychological/spiritual dimension and the least scores on the social and economic dimension. Therefore, the factors that could influence the HRQoL of the respondents were identified as involvement in RP, intrinsic religious beliefs, religious coping usage and age. Discussion: This study revealed significant findings regarding the importance of religiosity and SC on the HRQoL of the Saudi HD patients. Therefore, it has been highly recommended to integrate religiosity into the health‐care process for such patients to facilitate the achievement of overall optimum health levels.
Differential involvement of the dorsal hippocampus in passive avoidance in C57bl/6J and DBA/2J mice

The inferior performance of DBA/2 mice when compared to C57BL/6 mice in hippocampus‐dependent behavioral tasks including contextual fear conditioning has been attributed to impaired hippocampal function. However, DBA/2J mice have been reported to perform similarly or even better than C57BL/6J mice in the passive avoidance (PA) task that most likely also depends on hippocampal function. The apparent discrepancy in PA versus fear conditioning performance in these two strains of mice was investigated using an automated PA system. The aim was to determine whether these two mouse strains utilize different strategies involving a different contribution of hippocampal mechanisms to encode PA. C57BL/6J mice exhibited significantly longer retention latencies than DBA/2J mice when tested 24 h after training irrespective of the circadian cycle. Dorsohippocampal NMDA receptor inhibition by local injection of the selective antagonist DL‐2‐amino‐5‐phosphonovaleric acid (AP5, 3.2 μg/mouse) before training resulted in impaired PA retention in C57BL/6J but not in DBA/2J mice. Furthermore, nonreinforced pre‐exposure to the PA system before training caused a latent inhibition‐like reduction of retention latencies in C57BL/6J, whereas it improved PA retention in DBA/2J mice. These pre‐exposure experiments facilitated the discrimination of hippocampal involvement without local pharmacological intervention. The results indicate differences in PA learning between these two strains based on a different NMDA receptor involvement in the dorsal hippocampus in this emotional learning task. We hypothesize that mouse strains can differ in their PA learning performance based on their relative ability to form associations on the basis of unisensory versus multisensory contextual/spatial cues that involve hippocampal processing. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Antibody Capture Immunoassay Detection of Japanese Encephalitis Virus Immunoglobulin M and G Antibodies in Cerebrospinal Fluid

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies to Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) were detected in acute-phase cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) specimens from patients with acute encephalitis by using a solid-phase radioimmunoassay of the antibody capture type. Of 12 patients with JEV infections subsequently proven by hemagglutination inhibition serology, 11 had JEV IgM antibodies, as measured by antibody capture radioimmunoassay, in the first CSF specimen (geometric mean titer, 1:2,500) compared with 0 of 8 patients with acute encephalitis proven not to be due to JEV. Specific IgM anti-JEV activity (units per microgram) was greater in CSF than in parallel serum specimens in all 11 positive cases by more than fourfold on the average (range, 1.4 to 13). Among seven patients with broadly reactive hemagglutination inhibition seroresponses typical of persons previously exposed to other flaviviruses, six had high levels of JEV IgG antibodies (as measured by antibody capture radioimmunoassay) in their acute-phase CSF (geometric mean titer, 1:26,000), whereas in five patients experiencing their first flavivirus infection, JEV IgG antibodies measured by antibody capture radio-immunoassay were either absent (one patient) or weakly reactive (four patients; geometric mean titer, 1:3,200). Specific IgG anti-JEV activity was greater in CSF than in parallel serum specimens in eight of the nine positive cases measured (range, 1.3- to 24-fold). The antibody capture solid-phase immunoassay approach is well suited for detecting specific antibody activity in CSF.
Biofeedback for hypertension: a systematic review

Objective To assess the evidence for the long-term effectiveness of biofeedback for the treatment of essential hypertension in adults. Methods A systematic review following accepted international guidelines was conducted. Randomized controlled trials that compared biofeedback procedures with antihypertensive medication, placebo (sham biofeedback treatment), no intervention or other behavioural treatments were included. The outcome measure was change in blood pressure. Results The inclusion criteria were fulfilled by 36 trials. Twenty-one trials employed biofeedback treatment with no adjunctive therapy, whereas 15 others used biofeedback treatment alongside another treatment. The majority of trials were small with no posttreatment follow-up or follow-up of less than 6 months. Qualitative heterogeneity of the included studies (e.g. poor quality of the trials, differences in interventions and inconsistencies in the measurement of outcomes) meant that it was inappropriate to pool data in the form of a meta-analysis. A narrative summary of the data based on trial authors' conclusions is presented. No studies reported long-term (>12 months) follow-up of patients. Data were grouped first by treatment type and then by comparator. Trial results were variable and conflicting, demonstrating no clear benefits of biofeedback in relation to moderation of hypertension. Conclusion Although there may be other reported life benefits to its use, we found no convincing evidence that consistently demonstrates the effectiveness of the use of any particular biofeedback treatment in the control of essential hypertension when compared with pharmacotherapy, placebo, no intervention or other behavioural therapies. Any future research needs to be conducted using accepted quality standards and given current guidelines for the treatment of hypertension is likely to be considered only as an adjunct to pharmacological treatment.
The Association Between the rs2234693 and rs9340799 Estrogen Receptor α Gene Polymorphisms and Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease: A Review

Although estrogen is primarily thought of as the hormone involved in female reproduction, it also plays a role in many additional physiological and pathological processes. Recent studies have demonstrated an association between estrogen and clustered risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as lipid and glucose metabolism and obesity-related phenotypes, as well as occurrence and severity of CVD. Evidence suggesting a genetic basis for this link is accumulating. Several polymorphisms of the estrogen receptor (ER) α (ESR1) gene exist that may influence the impact of estrogen, leading to clinically relevant phenotypes. Based on the relationship ERS1 seems to exhibit with CVD risk factors, these polymorphisms may play a role in the mediation of vasoprotective effects, modulation of cardiovascular physiology, and development of risk factors for CVD. The two most frequently studied polymorphisms located in ESR1 are often identified by their restriction endonucleases Pvull (rs2234693) and Xbal (rs9340799). ln this review, we have evaluated and summarized the results of studies involving rs2234693 and rs9340799 and clustered risk factors accompanying development of CVD. Despite inconsistent findings, together these studies provide some support for a relationship between polymorphisms in ESR1 and risk factors for CVD. These summarized findings do not yet support inclusion of ESR1 genotypes in genetic testing algorithms for predisposition to CVD, but they do indicate that further investigation into the potential connection between ESR1 and risk factors for CVD is warranted.
Polyaxonal amacrine cells of rabbit retina: Morphology and stratification of PA1 cells

Polyaxonal amacrine cells are a new class of amacrine cell bearing one to six branching, axon‐like processes, closely resembling the axons of Golgi type II cells found elsewhere in the central nervous system. Of the four types of polyaxonal amacrine cell that we have recognized in rabbit retina, three have been described previously in brief communications, and one is the subject of this paper.
Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus Delays Interferon Induction and Hides Its Double-Stranded RNA in Intracellular Membrane Vesicles

ABSTRACT Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) (family Flaviviridae, genus Flavivirus) accounts for approximately 10,000 annual cases of severe encephalitis in Europe and Asia. Here, we investigated the induction of the antiviral type I interferons (IFNs) (alpha/beta IFN [IFN-α/β]) by TBEV. Using strains Neudörfl, Hypr, and Absettarov, we demonstrate that levels of IFN-β transcripts and viral RNA are strictly correlated. Moreover, IFN induction by TBEV was dependent on the transcription factor IFN regulatory factor 3 (IRF-3). However, even strain Hypr, which displayed the strongest IFN-inducing activity and the highest RNA levels, substantially delayed the activation of IRF-3. As a consequence, TBEV can keep the level of IFN transcripts below the threshold value that would permit the release of IFN by the cell. Only after 24 h of infection have cells accumulated sufficient IFN transcripts to produce detectable amounts of secreted IFNs. The delay in IFN induction appears not to be caused by a specific viral protein, since the individual expressions of TBEV C, E, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, NS5, and NS2B-NS3, as well as TBEV infection itself, had no apparent influence on specific IFN-β induction. We noted, however, that viral double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), an important trigger of the IFN response, is immunodetectable only inside intracellular membrane compartments. Nonetheless, the dependency of IFN induction on IFN promoter stimulator 1 (IPS-1) as well as the phosphorylation of the alpha subunit of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 (eIF2α) suggest the cytoplasmic exposure of some viral dsRNA late in infection. Using ultrathin-section electron microscopy, we demonstrate that, similar to other flaviviruses, TBEV rearranges intracellular membranes. Virus particles and membrane-connected vesicles (which most likely represent sites of virus RNA synthesis) were observed inside the endoplasmic reticulum. Thus, apparently, TBEV rearranges internal cell membranes to provide a compartment for its dsRNA, which is largely inaccessible for detection by cytoplasmic pathogen receptors. This delays the onset of IFN induction sufficiently to give progeny particle production a head start of approximately 24 h.
Misattribution of speech and impaired connectivity in patients with auditory verbal hallucinations

Several studies report that patients with schizophrenia who experience auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) tend to misidentify their own speech as that of somebody else. We tested the hypothesis that this tendency is associated with poor functional integration within the network of regions that mediate the evaluation of speech. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we measured brain responses from 11 schizophrenics with AVH, 10 schizophrenics without AVH, and 10 healthy controls. Stimuli comprised prerecorded words, which varied for their source (self, alien) and acoustic quality (undistorted, distorted). Participants had to indicate whether each word was spoken in their own or another person's voice via a button press. Using dynamic causal modeling, we estimated the impact of one region over another (“effective connectivity”) and how this was modulated by source and distortion. In controls and in patients without AVH, the connectivity between left superior temporal and anterior cingulate cortex was significantly greater for alien‐ than for self‐generated speech; in contrast, the reverse trend was found in schizophrenic patients with AVH. In conclusion, when patients with AVH appraise their own speech we find impaired functional integration between left superior temporal and anterior cingulate cortex. Although this finding is based on external rather than internal speech, the same mechanism may contribute to the faulty appraisal of inner speech that putatively underlies AVH. Hum Brain Mapp 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Computational logic and the social

For centuries, the highest level of mathematics has been seen as an isolated creative activity, to produce a proof for review and acceptance by research peers. Mathematics is now at a remarkable inflexion point, with new technology radically extending the power and limits of individuals. ‘Crowdsourcing’ pulls together diverse experts to solve problems; symbolic computation tackles huge routine calculations; and computers, using programs designed to verify hardware, check proofs that are just too long and complicated for any human to comprehend. ‘Social machines’ are new paradigm, identified by Berners-Lee, for viewing a combination of people and computers as a single problem-solving entity. This paper outlines a research agenda for a new vision of a mathematics social machine, a combination of people, computers, and archives to create and apply mathematics, and places it in the context of verification research, computational logic and Roy Dyckhoff’s pioneering work on computer proof.
Young Galaxies: What Turns Them On?

Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z ~ 3 exhibit number densities and clustering similar to local L* galaxies; however, their star formation rates are much higher. We explore the scenario in which LBGs are starburst galaxies triggered by collisions and thus provide an explanation for these key properties. The relative paucity of starburst galaxies at low redshift can be attributed to a much higher collision rate in the past. We use high-resolution cosmological N-body simulations and a hierarchical halo finder to estimate the galaxy collision rate as a function of time in the popular ΛCDM cosmological model. We find that bright collisional starbursts are frequent enough to account for most of the high-z (2.5-4.5) LBGs. Moreover, many of the objects are of relatively small mass, but they cluster about large-mass halos. They therefore exhibit strong clustering, similar to that observed and stronger than that of the relevant massive halos.
Evaluation of cyclohexenoesculetin-beta-D-galactoside and 8-hydroxyquinoline-beta-D-galactoside as substrates for the detection of beta-galactosidase

We describe the synthesis of two new substrates for the detection of beta-galactosidase and evaluate their performance in comparison with that of 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal). Of 171 Enterobacteriaceae strains that were able to hydrolyze X-Gal, 166 (97.1%) also hydrolyzed cyclohexenoesculetin-beta-D-galactoside whereas only 96 (56.1%) showed evidence of hydrolysis of 8-hydroxyquinoline-beta-D-galactoside. No false-positive results were observed with either substrate.
Natural resistance of 129/SvJ mice to Strongyloides venezuelensis infection

The susceptibility of 129/SvJ mice to infection with Strongyloides venezuelensis was compared with that of C57BL/6 mice. After a primary infection, daily egg output in faeces (EPG) from 129/SvJ mice was lower and terminated earlier than that from C57BL/6 mice. Adult worm recovery from the small intestine of 129/SvJ mice on day 7 was also lower than that of C57BL/6 mice. When the numbers of larvae recovered from the lungs were examined on days 2, 3 and 4 after a primary infection, they were comparable between the two strains. On the other hand, when an equal number of larvae recovered from the lungs of each strain on day 3 were implanted orally into homologous strain mice, the magnitude of EPG and the number of adult worms in the small intestine on day 5 after implantation were significantly lower in 129/SvJ than in C57BL/6 mice. The number of mucosal mast cells in the jejunum was not significantly different between 129/SvJ and C57BL/6 naive mice. Total chondroitin sulphate concentration in the gut washings obtained from naive mice was significantly higher in 129/SvJ (11·34 ± 9·48) than in C57BL/6 mice (1·09 ± 0·77, P < 0·05). These results indicate that the natural resistance of 129SvJ mice to S. venezuelensis infection is expressed at the intestine, probably due to higher concentration of chondroitin sulphate, which prevents establishment of S. venezuelensis.