Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
eIF2α Phosphorylation Tips the Balance to Apoptosis during Osmotic Stress*

Regulation of cell volume is of great importance because persistent swelling or shrinkage leads to cell death. Tissues experience hypertonicity in both physiological (kidney medullar cells) and pathological states (hypernatremia). Hypertonicity induces an adaptive gene expression program that leads to cell volume recovery or apoptosis under persistent stress. We show that the commitment to apoptosis is controlled by phosphorylation of the translation initiation factor eIF2α, the master regulator of the stress response. Studies with cultured mouse fibroblasts and cortical neurons show that mutants deficient in eIF2α phosphorylation are protected from hypertonicity-induced apoptosis. A novel link is revealed between eIF2α phosphorylation and the subcellular distribution of the RNA-binding protein heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1). Stress-induced phosphorylation of eIF2α promotes apoptosis by inducing the cytoplasmic accumulation of hnRNP A1, which attenuates internal ribosome entry site-mediated translation of anti-apoptotic mRNAs, including Bcl-xL that was studied here. Hypertonic stress induced the eIF2α phosphorylation-independent formation of cytoplasmic stress granules (SGs, structures that harbor translationally arrested mRNAs) and the eIF2α phosphorylation-dependent accumulation of hnRNP A1 in SGs. The importance of hnRNP A1 was demonstrated by induction of apoptosis in eIF2α phosphorylation-deficient cells that express exogenous cytoplasmic hnRNP A1. We propose that eIF2α phosphorylation during hypertonic stress promotes apoptosis by sequestration of specific mRNAs in SGs in a process mediated by the cytoplasmic accumulation of hnRNP A1.
Parental Migration, Children’s Safety and Psychological Adjustment in Rural China: A Meta-Analysis

Studies concerning left-behind children in rural China have shown that parental absence due to migration is associated with greater risk of child victimization and accidental injuries, and a range of psychosocial problems. The authors conducted this meta-analysis to determine the extent to which left-behind children are affected by parental migration, as compared to children in nonmigrant rural families. A comprehensive literature search was conducted, and 90 studies published before 2017 were included in the data synthesis and analysis. The results revealed that compared to non-left-behind children, rural left-behind children are generally more disadvantaged in regard to child safety (d = 0.27) and psychological adjustment (d = 0.25). The effect sizes, though interpreted as small, revealed that children in rural China are significantly affected by parental migration. Children’s educational stage was a significant variable that moderated the effect sizes of child safety and psychological adjustment. The findings of the meta-analysis indicated that mother-only migration may have the most harmful effect on children. In terms of implications for interventions, the results suggest more attention should be given to rural left-behind children and to “mother-absent children” in particular. Future research is warranted to explore the association between left-behind children’s psychological adjustment and their exposure to injury and victimization.
ANTIBODIES TO RUMINANT ALPHA-HERPESVIRUSES AND PESTIVIRUSES IN NORWEGIAN CERVIDS

A serologic survey revealed that Norwegian populations of free-ranging reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), red deer (Cervus elaphus), and moose (Alces alces) have been exposed to alpha-herpesviruses and pestiviruses. A total of 3,796 serum samples collected during the period 1993–2000 were tested in a neutralization test for antibodies against bovine herpesvirus 1 (BHV-1) or cervid herpesvirus 2 (CerHV-2), and 3,897 samples were tested by a neutralization test and/or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for antibodies against bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV). Antibodies against alpha-herpesvirus were found in 28.5% of reindeer, 3.0% of roe deer, and 0.5% of red deer, while all moose samples were negative. In reindeer, the prevalence of seropositive animals increased with age and was higher in males than females. Antibodies against BVDV were detected in 12.3% of roe deer, 4.2% of reindeer, 2.0% of moose and 1.1% of red deer. The results indicate that both alpha-herpesvirus and pestivirus are endemic in reindeer and pestivirus is endemic in roe deer in Norway. The viruses may be specific cervid strains. Seropositive red deer and moose may have become exposed as a result of contact with other ruminant species.
Comparison of hormonal and haemodynamic changes after long-term oral therapy with pimobendan or enalapril--a double-blind randomized study.

Twenty-four patients (one female, 23 male) with mild to moderate heart failure were randomly and double-blindly assigned to an oral treatment with 5 mg enalapril twice daily or 5 mg pimobendan (UDCG 115) twice daily. After the first tablet intake, blood pressure and heart rate were measured for 6 h. Therapy continued over 6 months. Systolic arterial blood pressure dropped from 126 +/- 20 mmHg to 111 +/- 14 mmHg (P less than 0.05) after the first enalapril tablet and from 123 +/- 16 mmHg to 112 +/- 13 mmHg (P less than 0.05) after the first pimobendan tablet. After 6 months, no important changes in blood pressure were observed in the pimobendan group and only a minor decrease in the enalapril group. There was no significant change in heart rate either after the first dose or after long-term therapy with either medication. After 6 months, cardiac index increased from 2.73 +/- 0.75 l.min-1.m-2 to 3.38 +/- 0.69 l.min-1.m-2 (P less than 0.01) after pimobendam, but did not change after enalapril (2.95 +/- 0.75 l.min-1.m-2 to 2.96 +/- 0.89 l.min-1.m-2, NS). Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure decreased during pimobendan long-term therapy from 16 +/- 8 mmHg to 14 +/- 8 mmHg (NS) and during enalapril from 21 +/- 7 to 14 +/- 7 mmHg (P less than 0.01). Exercise capacity increased in the pimobendan group from 17.2 +/- 5.4 kJ to 23.0 +/- 9.6 kJ (P less than 0.05), and in the enalapril group from 20.4 +/- 11.9 kJ to 24.8 +/- 18.5 kJ (NS) during long-term therapy over 6 months. Plasma renin activity increased from 0.96 to 3.6 ng.ml-1.h-1 (P less than 0.05) during enalapril long-term therapy, but remained unchanged (1.38 vs. 1.32 ng.ml-1.h-1, NS) during pimobendan. The new inotrope, pimobendan, exerted favourable long-term effects without haemodynamic or humoral signs of tolerance development.
Testing magnetofrictional extrapolation with the Titov-Démoulin model of solar active regions

We examine the nonlinear magnetofrictional extrapolation scheme using the solar active region model by Titov and Demoulin as test field. This model consists of an arched, line-tied current channel held in force-free equilibrium by the potential field of a bipolar flux distribution in the bottom boundary. A modified version with a parabolic current density profile is employed here. We find that the equilibrium is reconstructed with very high accuracy in a representative range of parameter space, using only the vector field in the bottom boundary as input. Structural features formed in the interface between the flux rope and the surrounding arcade - "hyperbolic flux tube" and "bald patch separatrix surface" - are reliably reproduced, as are the flux rope twist and the energy and helicity of the configuration. This demonstrates that force-free fields containing these basic structural elements of solar active regions can be obtained by extrapolation. The influence of the chosen initial condition on the accuracy of reconstruction is also addressed, confirming that the initial field that best matches the external potential field of the model quite naturally leads to the best reconstruction. Extrapolating the magnetogram of a Titov-Demoulin equilibrium in the unstable range of parameter space yields a sequence of two opposing evolutionary phases, which clearly indicate the unstable nature of the configuration: a partial buildup of the flux rope with rising free energy is followed by destruction of the rope, losing most of the free energy.
A NOTE ON ADMISSIBLE SOLUTIONS OF 1D SCALAR CONSERVATION LAWS AND 2D HAMILTON–JACOBI EQUATIONS

Let Ω⊂ℝ2 be an open set and f∈C2(ℝ) with f" > 0. In this note we prove that entropy solutions of Dtu+Dxf(u) = 0 belong to SBVloc(Ω). As a corollary we prove the same property for gradients of viscosity solutions of planar Hamilton–Jacobi PDEs with uniformly convex Hamiltonians.
HIV risk behaviours among contracted and non-contracted male migrant workers in India: potential role of labour contractors and contractual systems in HIV prevention

Objective(s):To assess the HIV risk behaviours of male migrant contracted and non-contracted labourers in India and to understand the role of contract labour systems for use in HIV prevention efforts. Methods:Cross-sectional surveys (N = 11 219) were conducted with male migrant workers, aged 18–49 years from 21 districts in four high HIV prevalence states of India. Analyses involved data from the subsample of contracted labour (n = 3880; 35% of total sample) to assess the prevalence of HIV risk behaviours and sexually transmitted infection (STI) symptoms and further comparisons with non-contracted labourers. Results:Contracted male labourers are largely young; 70% were between the ages of 18 and 29 years. Over half (55%) were married, and a third (34%) resided away from their wives because of migrant work. More than one in six contract labourers (17%) reported having sex with a sex worker, and two-fifths of these reported an inconsistent use of condoms. One in 10 reported sex with both sex workers and non-spousal unpaid female partners in the past year in the places they had migrated to, and 31% reported sex with either a sex worker or non-spousal unpaid female partner in their places of origin over the past 2 years. After adjustment for sociodemographic characteristics, the contracted labourers were significantly more likely to report alcohol use and HIV risk behaviours than non-contracted labourers. Conclusion:The existence of a wide network of labour contractors and a structured infrastructure of the contract system provides opportunities for effective and sustained worksite HIV prevention programmes among contracted male migrant workers in India.
Computationally Efficient Robust Sparse Estimation in High Dimensions

Many conventional statistical procedures are extremely sensitive to seemingly minor deviations from modeling assumptions. This problem is exacerbated in modern high-dimensional settings, where the problem dimension can grow with and possibly exceed the sample size. We consider the problem of robust estimation of sparse functionals, and provide a computationally and statistically efficient algorithm in the high-dimensional setting. Our theory identifies a unified set of deterministic conditions under which our algorithm guarantees accurate recovery. By further establishing that these deterministic conditions hold with high-probability for a wide range of statistical models, our theory applies to many problems of considerable interest including sparse mean and covariance estimation; sparse linear regression; and sparse generalized linear models. In certain settings, such as the detection and estimation of sparse principal components in the spiked covariance model, our general theory does not yield optimal sample complexity, and we provide a novel algorithm based on the same intuition which is able to take advantage of further structure of the problem to achieve nearly optimal rates.
Moisture induced corrosion in gold and copper ball bonds

High gold prices have led to renewed interest in replacing gold with copper in existing packages and new packages in order to save costs. Although reliability is often cited as a reason for using copper, the main driving force for its use is undoubtedly cost. Perceptions that copper wire is more reliable are based on the notion that the intermetallics grow more slowly and that thinner intermetallics are more reliable and yet old data tend to support the idea that copper is as reliable as gold. More recently however, copper ball bonds on aluminium metallization have been found to fail more than gold during temperature cycling (TMCL) and pressure cooker testing (PCT) [1–3]. The key feature of these tests is the presence of moisture than appears to accelerate corrosion. A proposed solution to this problem is Pd-coated Cu wire, which looks to be a promising but relatively untested solution at present [1–4]. While Pd-coated copper wire may improve reliability, cost-savings will be less compared with bare copper wire. It is important to note however that a recent SEMI survey shows that industry is generally not as confident in copper as wire equipment and materials suppliers [5]. Localized corrosion of aluminium bond pads is well known in microelectronics packaging and in Al-Cu and Al-Cu-Si bond pads, CuAl2 acts as a cathode and aluminium corrodes in the presence of water (electrolyte) [6]. The situation is complicated by the presence of chlorine and other ionic contaminants in addition to moisture. In copper ball bonds, intermetallic coverage in as-bonded balls is very difficult to see but it appears that CuAl2 and Cu9Al4 are the compounds that form initially [7]. Intermetallic growth of Cu-Al compounds is slow compared to Au-Al compounds, which means that in finished packages, a large amount of Al remains whereas in gold ball bonds, with thin 1µm bond pads, aluminium can easily be consumed after encapsulation and moulding and surface mounting. It is plausible that during extended periods of exposure to moisture, stress and ionic contaminants, Cu ball bonds may be more susceptible to localized corrosion than Au ball bonds because slow intermetallic growth permits aluminium corrosion. This paper discusses ball bond corrosion and suggests that for high reliability applications or applications in moist environments, it may be necessary to accelerate the growth of Cu-Al intermetallics to mitigate potential corrosion and failure.
The best way to tell you to use a condom: The interplay between message format and individuals’ level of need for cognition

Abstract The present study addressed how individuals in high versus low need for cognition react to a persuasive message (concerning safer sexual conduct) presented either in a written format or in a comic-strip format. A control group that did not receive any persuasive message was also included. With reference to the Theory of Reasoned Action, we analyzed participants’ instrumental attitude and instrumental norm toward the use of condoms. Results indicated that, compared to participants in the control group, providing participants with the persuasive message bolstered their instrumental attitude and norm. More importantly, participants high in need for cognition displayed higher levels of both instrumental attitude and norm when the message was in a written, as compared to a comic-strip, format. In contrast, participants low in need for cognition reported a stronger level of both instrumental attitude and norm in reaction to a comic-strip than a written message. Results are discussed with respect to their theoretical and practical implications.
Body size and risk for clinical fractures in older women. Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group.

BACKGROUND Small body size predicts hip fractures in older women. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that small body size predicts the risk for other clinical fractures. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Population-based listings in four areas of the United States. PATIENTS 8059 ambulatory nonblack women 65 years of age or older. MEASUREMENTS Weight, weight change since 25 years of age, body mass index, lean body mass and percent body fat, and nonspine fractures during 6.4 years of follow-up. RESULTS Compared with women in the highest quartile of weight, women in the lowest quartile had relative risks of 2.0 (95% CI, 1.5 to 2.8) for hip fractures, 2.3 (CI, 1.1 to 4.7) for pelvis fractures, and 2.4 (CI, 1.5 to 3.9) for rib fractures. Adjustment for total-hip bone mineral density eliminated the elevated risk. Results were similar for other body size measures. Smaller body size was not a risk factor for humerus, elbow, wrist ankle, or foot fractures. CONCLUSIONS Total body weight is useful in the prediction of hip, pelvis, and rib fractures when bone mineral density has not been measured.
Nonsmall Cell Lung Carcinoma With Neuroendocrine Differentiation—An Entity of No Clinical or Prognostic Significance

The existence of non-small cell lung carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation as a distinct entity and its relevance for prognostic and treatment purposes is controversial. This study assesses the frequency and biologic and prognostic significance of neuroendocrine (NE) expression of synaptophysin (SNP), chromogranin (Ch), and neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) using tissue microarray (TMA) and immunohistochemistry. Six hundred nine nonsmall cell lung carcinomas (NSCLCs) were reviewed for subclassification. TMA blocks were made using duplicate 0.6-mm-diameter tissue cores and slides stained with SNP, Ch, and N-CAM. Immunoreactivity was considered if 1% or more of tumor cells were positive. Hematoxylin and eosin-stained sections were subclassified as: 243 adenocarcinoma (ACA), 272 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 35 large cell carcinoma, 32 non-small cell carcinoma NOS, and 6 other (carcinosarcoma, giant cell carcinoma). Positivity for either marker was identified in 13.6% of NSCLC (76/558). NSCLC showed reactivity for Ch in 0.4% of cases (2/524), for SNP in 7.5% of cases (39/521) and for N-CAM in 8.6% of cases (44/511), whereas only 0.2% of cases (1/517) showed coexpression of SNP and Ch and none of all 3 markers. The assessment of NE differentiation in NSCLC is unnecessary and expensive and is of no clinical or prognostic significance. SNP or N-CAM stains a small minority of NSCLC, whereas Ch immunoreactivity is less common. Positivity for any 2 NE markers is rare. SNP is more likely to be expressed in adenocarcinoma (P=0.01) and N-CAM in squamous-cell carcinoma (P=0.008). Otherwise there was no correlation between immunoreactivity and tumor morphology. Disease specific and overall survival is not influenced by NE differentiation and therefore non-small cell lung carcinoma with neuroendocrine differentiation should not be a subclass distinct from the other NSCLC.
Profiles of African American College Students’ Alcohol Use and Sexual Behaviors: Associations With Stress, Racial Discrimination, and Social Support

Though studies show that alcohol use and sexual activity increase during emerging adulthood, few studies examine within–ethnic group differences, particularly among African American college students. This investigation utilized a latent class analytic methodology to identify risk behavior profiles of alcohol use (frequency and amount of alcohol consumed), sexual activity (number of intimate partners), and co-occurring risk behaviors (drinking before sexual intercourse) among 228 African American college students. This investigation also examined whether identified risk behavior profiles were associated with stress (interpersonal, intrapersonal, academic, and environmental), experiences of racial discrimination, and social support (from family, friends, and the college community). Results identified five distinct profiles within this sample: (a) High Sexual Risk—above-average sexual activity; (b) Abstainers—below-average alcohol use and sexual activity; (c) Low Risk—average alcohol use and sexual activity; (d) Alcohol Risk—above-average alcohol use and below-average sexual activity; and (e) Co-Occurring Risk—above-average alcohol use and sexual activity. Identified profiles differed across interpersonal and environmental stress, and self-reported frequency of experiences with racial discrimination. Implications for prevention programs and interventions aimed at reducing alcohol and sexual activity for African American college students are discussed.
Self-Myofascial Release: No Improvement of Functional Outcomes in 'Tight' Hamstrings.

PURPOSE Self-myofascial release (SMR) is a common exercise and therapeutic modality shown to induce acute improvements in joint range of motion (ROM) and recovery; however, no long-term studies have been conducted. Static stretching (SS) is the most common method used to increase joint ROM and decrease muscle stiffness. It was hypothesized that SMR paired with SS (SMR+SS) compared with SS alone over a 4-wk intervention would yield greater improvement in knee-extension ROM and hamstring stiffness. METHODS 19 men (22 ± 3 y) with bilateral reduced hamstring ROM had each of their legs randomly assigned to either an SMR+SS or an SS-only group. The intervention consisted of 4 repetitions of SS each for 45 s or the identical amount of SS preceded by 4 repetitions of SMR each for 60 s and was performed on the respective leg twice daily for 4 wk. Passive ROM, hamstring stiffness, rate of torque development (RTD), and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were assessed pre- and postintervention. RESULTS Passive ROM (P < .001), RTD, and MVC (P < .05) all increased after the intervention. Hamstring stiffness toward end-ROM was reduced postintervention (P = .02). There were no differences between the intervention groups for any variable. CONCLUSION The addition of SMR to SS did not enhance the efficacy of SS alone. SS increases joint ROM through a combination of decreased muscle stiffness and increased stretch tolerance.
Analysis of the click-evoked brainstem potentials in humans using high-pass noise masking. II. Effect of click intensity.

Derived narrow-band brainstem responses were obtained for click levels of 10--60 dB SL in normal hearing subjects. The amplitudes and latencies of the wave I, wave III, and wave V components in the derived BSER were studied as a function of click intensity. Characteristic differences were found between the input-output behavior of waves I and III on one hand and wave V on the other hand, especially for the low-frequency narrow bands (center frequencies of 0.5 and 1.0 kHz). While the wave I and wave III (peak-to-succeeding trough) amplitude showed a small (20--30 dB) dynamic range with saturation effects, the wave V amplitude continued to increase across the intensity range studied. At the high-frequency end (narrow-band center frequencies of 4 and 8 kHz), wave V also showed saturation. It is suggested that this difference across center frequency (place of origin along the cochlear partition) is responsible for the dominance of wave V at low-frequency stimulation (e.g., with tonebursts). The latencies of the three waves studied maintained their constant interwave delays across the observed intensity range in each narrow band. Quite large (up to 3.5 ms) increases in the narrow-band latencies were found for decreasing click levels; this is comparable in value with those for the unmasked BSER although the mechanism seems to be different. The major contribution to the BSER which determines its latencies, originates at 60 dB SL from the 8-kHz region but at low SL (10 and 20 dB) from the 2-kHz region. At these low intensity levels, the contribution from the apical part of the cochlea, however, is still of the same size as that from the high-frequency end.