Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parameters influencing derivation of embryonic stem cells from murine embryos

The derivation of ES cells is poorly understood and varies in efficiency between different strains of mice. We have investigated potential differences between embryos of permissive and recalcitrant strains during diapause and ES cell derivation. We found that in diapause embryos of the recalcitrant C57BL/6 and CBA strains, the epiblast failed to expand during the primary explant phase of ES cell derivation, whereas in the permissive 129 strain, it expanded dramatically. Epiblasts from the recalcitrant strains could be expanded by reducing Erk activation. Isolation of 129 epiblasts facilitated very efficient derivation of ES cell lines in serum‐ and feeder‐free conditions, but reduction of Erk activity was required for derivation of ES cells from isolated C57BL/6 or CBA epiblasts. The results suggest that the discrepancy in ES cell derivation efficiency is not attributable merely to variable prodifferentiative effects of the extra‐embryonic lineages but also to an intrinsic variability within the epiblast to maintain pluripotency. genesis 46:758–767, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Constructing, negotiating and reconstructing English Language Learner Identity: a case study of a public sector university in Postcolonial Pakistan

I DECLARATION . III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS . IV LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS . XV INTRODUCTION . 1 1. Overview . 1 2. Impetus for my study (Rationale) . 2 3. Previous Research in Identity and Second Language Education . 4 4. Research Gap and Significance of the Current Study . 6 5. Aim of this study and Research Questions . 7 6. Summary of Research Design . 8 7. Structure of the Thesis . 9 CHAPTER 1: CONTEXTUALISATION OF THE STUDY AND KEY ISSUES 10 Introduction . 10 1.1 Historical and Political Background of English in Pakistan . 10 1.2 Sociolinguistic Milieu in Pakistan . 13 1.3 Language in Education Policy . 17 1.4 Urdu/Sindhi vis-à-vis English: A Controversy . 19 1.5 Streams of Education: A great divide . 22 1.5. 1 Religious Schools . 23 1.5. 2 Private Schools . 23 1.5. 3 Government Schools . 24 1.5. 4 Comparative Analysis the Pakistani System of Education . 25 1.6 English language Teaching and Learning in Higher Education (HE) . 27 1.7 Private English Language Teaching Industry . 30
Are trauma victims susceptible to "false memories"?

Laboratory studies using word-list paradigms have provided evidence that nontraumatized individuals falsely recall or recognize events that never occurred. In the present study, H. L. Roediger and K. B. McDermott's false-memory paradigm (1995) was utilized to examine possible source monitoring deficits in individuals with PTSD. Traumatized individuals with PTSD were compared with traumatized individuals without PTSD and with nontraumatized control participants. Participants heard lists of related words (e.g., bed, night) that were associates of a critical nonpresented word (e.g., sleep) and were given immediate free recall and later recognition tests. Traumatized participants with and without PTSD generated more false recalls of critical nonpresented words than did nontraumatized participants. False recall was related to trait anxiety and PTSD severity. The results are consistent with a general source-monitoring deficit in trauma-exposed individuals.
Impact of comorbidity on survival among men with localized prostate cancer.

PURPOSE To provide patients and clinicians more accurate estimates of comorbidity-specific survival stratified by patient age, tumor stage, and tumor grade. PATIENTS AND METHODS We conducted a 10-year competing risk analysis of 19,639 men 66 years of age and older identified by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) program linked to Medicare program files. All men were diagnosed with localized prostate cancer and received no surgery or radiation within 180 days of diagnosis. The analysis was stratified by tumor grade and stage and by age and comorbidity at diagnosis classified using the Charlson comorbidity index. Underlying causes of death were obtained from SEER. RESULTS During the first 10 years after diagnosis, men with moderately and poorly differentiated prostate cancer were more likely to die from causes other than their disease. Depending on patient age, Gleason score, and number of comorbidities present at diagnosis, 5-year overall mortality rates for men with stage T1c disease ranged from 11.7% (95% CI, 10.2% to 13.1%) to 65.7% (95% CI, 55.9% to 70.1%), and prostate cancer-specific mortality rates ranged from 1.1% (95% CI, 0.0% to 2.7%) to 16.3% (95% CI, 13.8% to 19.4%). Ten-year overall mortality rates ranged from 28.8% (95% CI, 25.3% to 32.6%) to 94.3% (95% CI, 87.4% to 100%), and prostate cancer-specific mortality rates ranged from 2.0% (95% CI, 0.0% to 5.3%) to 27.5% (95% CI, 21.5% to 36.5%). CONCLUSION Patients and clinicians should consider using comorbidity-specific data to estimate the threat posed by newly diagnosed localized prostate cancer and the threat posed by competing medical hazards.
Genetic and ecological data on the Anisakis simplex complex, with evidence for a new species (Nematoda, Ascaridoidea, Anisakidae).

Isozyme analysis at 24 loci was carried out on anisakid nematodes of the Anisakis simplex complex, recovered from various intermediate/paratenic (squid, fish) and definitive (marine mammals) hosts from various parts of the world. A number of samples were found to belong to A. simplex sensu stricto and Anisakis pegreffii, widely extending the geographic ranges and the number of hosts of these 2 species. In addition, a new distinct gene pool was detected, showing different alleles with respect to A. simplex s. str and A. pegreffii at 5 diagnostic loci (99% level). Samples with this gene pool were assigned to a new species, provisionally labeled A. simplex C. Reproductive isolation between A. simplex C and the other 2 Anisakis species was directly assessed by the lack of hybrid and recombinant genotypes in mixed samples from sympatric areas, i.e., Pacific Canada for A. simplex C+A. simplex s. str. , South Africa and New Zealand for A. simplex C+A. pegreffii, even when such samples were recovered from the same individual host. Similar levels of genetic divergence were observed among the three species (DNei from 0.36 to 0.45). At the intraspecific level, Canadian Pacific and Austral populations of A. simplex C were found to be genetically rather differentiated from one another (average DNei = 0.08), contrasting with the remarkable genetic homogeneity detected within both A. simplex s. str. and A. pegreffii (average DNei about 0.01). Accordingly, a lower amount of gene flow was estimated within A. simplex C (Nm = 1.6) than within the other 2 species (Nm = 5.4 and 17.7, respectively). Anisakis simplex C showed the highest average values of genetic variability with respect to both A. simplex s. str. and A. pegreffii, e.g., expected mean heterozygosity. Hr = 0.23, 0.16, and 0.11, respectively, in the 3 species. Data on geographic distribution and hosts of the 3 members so far detected in the A. simplex complex are given. Their ecological niche is markedly differentiated, with a low proportion of hosts shared. Intermediate and definitive hosts of A. simplex s. str. and A. pegreffii appear to belong to distinct food webs, benthodemersal, and pelagic, respectively; this would lead to different transmission pathways for the parasites.
A Direct Comparison of Real-World and Virtual Navigation Performance in Chronic Stroke Patients

Abstract Objectives: An increasing number of studies have presented evidence that various patient groups with acquired brain injury suffer from navigation problems in daily life. This skill is, however, scarcely addressed in current clinical neuropsychological practice and suitable diagnostic instruments are lacking. Real-world navigation tests are limited by geographical location and associated with practical constraints. It was, therefore, investigated whether virtual navigation might serve as a useful alternative. Methods: To investigate the convergent validity of virtual navigation testing, performance on the Virtual Tübingen test was compared to that on an analogous real-world navigation test in 68 chronic stroke patients. The same eight subtasks, addressing route and survey knowledge aspects, were assessed in both tests. In addition, navigation performance of stroke patients was compared to that of 44 healthy controls. Results: A correlation analysis showed moderate overlap (r=.535) between composite scores of overall real-world and virtual navigation performance in stroke patients. Route knowledge composite scores correlated somewhat stronger (r=.523) than survey knowledge composite scores (r=.442). When comparing group performances, patients obtained lower scores than controls on seven subtasks. Whereas the real-world test was found to be easier than its virtual counterpart, no significant interaction-effects were found between group and environment. Conclusions: Given moderate overlap of the total scores between the two navigation tests, we conclude that virtual testing of navigation ability is a valid alternative to navigation tests that rely on real-world route exposure. (JINS, 2016, 22, 467–477)
Nurse Practitioners and Parent Education: A Partnership for Health

Purpose To present the findings from a pilot‐test of an innovative curriculum for parent education classes that included information about well child care and the care of sick children presented to substance abusing women at a residential drug treatment facility. Data Sources Selected literature and the results of a comparison of pre‐ and post‐tests from the 37 women who received the classes over a 6 week period. Conclusions The Healthy Children, Happy Children parent education program was successful overall in increasing the knowledge of the mothers about common skin disorders, care of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and basic first aid. Implications for Practice Nurse practitioners (NPs) are well suited to teach parent education classes that contain information on growth and development, well child care and diagnosis and management of acute minor conditions. The Healthy Children, Happy Children curriculum can be adapted to a variety of settings and populations.
The greening of Christianity? A study of environmental attitudes over time

ABSTRACT In contradistinction to the ideas of Lynn White and others who have long suggested that the Judeo-Christian tradition fosters a ‘dominion over nature’ ethos, a number of scholars have recently argued that there has been a ‘greening of Christianity’. Largely missing from this debate is strong evidence at the individual level as to whether Christians have in fact adopted deeper environmental concerns over time. This study provides such evidence through an examination of longitudinal data from Gallup’s annual surveys on the environment. The analysis reveals little evidence that Christians have expressed more environmental concern over time. In fact, across many measures, Christians tend to show less concern about the environment. This pattern holds across Catholic, Protestant and other Christian denominations and for differing levels of religiosity. These findings support a conclusion that there has not been a discernible ‘greening of Christianity’ among the American public.
Pulmonary metastasectomy for osteogenic and soft tissue sarcoma: who really benefits from surgical treatment?

OBJECTIVES Surgical resection is widely accepted as a beneficial treatment of pulmonary metastases originating from osteogenic and soft tissue sarcomas despite adequate validation. The factors associated with the selection of patients who receive pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) are controversial and not well known. In this study, we aimed to identify the prognostic factors associated with survival after treatment with PM and to disclose the candidates who profit from PM being performed on patients with osteogenic and soft tissue sarcomas. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the variables and survival outcomes in 52 consecutive patients who underwent PM to treat lung metastases originating from osteogenic and soft tissue malignancies from April 1996 to January 2011. Prognostic factors associated with overall survival after the first PM were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS Fifty-eight PM procedures were performed in 52 patients as the first PM including 6 bilateral diseases. Wedge resection was the most frequently performed PM procedure (84%), and video-assisted thoracic surgery was introduced in 34 (59%). The median follow-up of the patients was 33 months and the 5-year survival rate after the first PM was 50.9%. Forty-eight (92%) patients underwent complete resection during the first PM. Thirty-three patients (62%) experienced relapse after the first PM. Among those patients, 20 received redo surgeries for pulmonary relapse, and the 5-year survival rate in this group was 49.7%. According to univariate analyses, the use of complete resection, the number of metastatic nodules (one or two) and the length of the disease-free interval prior to the first PM were each found to be significant favourable factors. According to a multivariate analysis, the use of complete resection and the number of metastatic nodules were both found to be independent prognostic factors associated with overall survival. Although our cohort included 15 patients with poor prognostic factors (29%), 5 patients who underwent redo surgery survived >22 months. CONCLUSIONS The survival of those patients with one or two pulmonary nodules and those who underwent complete resection was favourable following the treatment of osteogenic and soft tissue sarcomas with PM. Redo surgery may also provide some survival benefit in patients with poor prognostic factors.
Rate of occupational leg swelling is greater in the morning than in the afternoon

The aim of this study was to investigate the rate of occupational leg swelling depending on the time period of the working day. Volumetric variations of the legs of 70 hospital employees, enrolled in three groups, were evaluated. Group I: 35 morning shift workers; Group II: 35 afternoon shift workers; and Group III: 15 individuals randomly selected from Groups I and II, who were evaluated on the day they worked 12 hours consecutively. Volumetry was performed before and after each shift for both legs of the participants in Groups I and II. For Group III volumetry was performed early in the morning, at noon and in the evening. For statistical analysis, the Student's t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used with an alpha error of 5% being considered acceptable (P value < 0.05). Significant increases in volume were recorded for the limbs in all three groups (P value < 0.001). On comparing Groups I and II, the accumulation of fluids was significantly higher in the morning than in the afternoon (P value < 0.003). Asymptomatic workers may present with oedema of the legs during their work with the rate of oedema being different for morning and afternoon shifts. The possibility of wearing compression stockings should be considered for this type of work.
BER performance of pulsed UWB system in the presence of colored timing jitter

Ultra wideband systems impose a high demand on the jitter performance of the system clock. The effects of white Gaussian jitter have been considered in the literature. However, in practical systems, the system clock exhibits colored timing jitter. We investigate the BER performance of a binary pulse position modulation (PPM) single-user UWB communication system subjected to both white and colored clock timing jitters. Using typical simulation parameters found in the literature, we found that colored jitter degrades the BER performance more than white jitter, and the extent of BER degradation increases as the jitter becomes more correlated. The BER performance curve in the white jitter for the case where multiple chips are used to represent a single bit is analytically derived and it agrees with the simulation results. The theoretical BER performance in the colored jitter case is found to be lower bounded by that of the white jitter case and upper bounded by the BER performance for the case where a single chip is used to represent a single bit, agreeing with the simulation results.
Vascular Disease and Risk Factors, Rate of Progression, and Survival in Alzheimer’s Disease

Two hundred forty-seven patients with early Alzheimer’s disease were studied for the association of demographic, functional, and cognitive status and vascular comorbidities and risk factors present at index visit to rate of clinical disease progression over 3 years and to survival time. Patients who progressed to the moderate stage were designated fast progressors; those who remained in the early stage were designated slow progressors. At index visit, Mini-Mental State Exam score was significantly lower for the fast than the slow group; global impairment was significantly higher for the fast group. Cognitive scores showed greater annual decline in the fast group, and the fast group also had a greater annualized global change. The fast group had a shorter median survival time from onset, but age at onset, age at initial visit, history of heart problems, myocardial infarct, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, or past or current smoking did not differ between groups.
Pathogenesis of Influenza A (H5N1) Virus Infection in a Primate Model

ABSTRACT Cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis) infected with influenza virus A/Hong Kong/156/97 (H5N1) developed acute respiratory distress syndrome and fever associated with a necrotizing interstitial pneumonia. Reverse transcription PCR, virus isolation, and immunohistochemistry showed that the respiratory tract is the major target of the virus.
THE RELATIONSHIP OF BLOOD CONCENTRATIONS OF RAPAMYCIN AND CYCLOSPORINE TO SUPPRESSION OF ALLOGRAFT REJECTION IN A RABBIT HETEROTOPIC HEART TRANSPLANT MODEL1

Heterotopic heart transplants were performed on 50 New Zealand white rabbits. Groups of 5 rabbits were randomly assigned to receive, through an intravenous route, rapamycin (RAPA) or cyclosporine at the following doses: RAPA (0.05, 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg/day); CsA (5.0, 10.0, and 15.0 mg/kg/day). Drug vehicle and saline controls were also included. Trough blood concentrations were monitored in both RAPA- and CsA-treated groups on a weekly basis throughout the study. Biochemical assessment of renal and liver function was performed at the beginning and end of the study. Animals receiving RAPA exhibited excellent allograft survival; only two animals in the lowest dosage group (0.05 mg/kg/day) rejected their grafts. In contrast, no rejection occurred in the CsA-treated groups. Animals that rejected their grafts were maintained on the drug until the endpoint of the study was reached at 60 days posttransplant to monitor drug induced side-effects. In some instances animals were sacrificed prior to this time due to infectious and other complications. No significant changes in renal or liver function were noted in the RAPA-treated group, while in the group of animals receiving the highest dose of CsA (15.0 mg/kg/day) a significant decrease in creatinine clearance was noted. A correlation was shown to exist between dose and the trough concentrations of both drugs. The whole-blood concentrations of RAPA that resulted in maximal efficacy with minimal toxicity was in the range of 10–60 μg/L. Rabbits having trough whole-blood concentrations of <10 μg/L rejected their grafts. A much wider therapeutic range for CsA (50–300 μg/L) was noted. The results suggest that RAPA is as efficacious as CsA in prevention of allograft rejection in the animal model tested. The therapeutic monitoring of trough blood concentrations of RAPA, as with CsA, may be useful in guiding dosage adjustments to maximize the immunosuppressive efficacy while minimizing drug-induced side-effects.
Lung transplantation after long-term mechanical ventilation : results and 1-year follow-up.

BACKGROUND Long-term mechanical ventilation is considered as a relative or absolute contraindication for lung transplantation by most centers. We report on the results of transplantation in nine patients requiring long-term mechanical ventilation at two lung transplant centers. METHODS The study group (group 1) consisted of nine patients receiving mechanical ventilation who underwent lung transplantation at either Duke University Medical Center or the University of Florida between 1992 and 1997. Patients in group 1 met the following criteria: they underwent exercise therapy with a physical therapist, and they were without panresistant bacterial airway colonization. The study patients that met these criteria spent at least 13 days receiving mechanical ventilation prior to transplantation. The control population (group 2; n = 65) consisted of all patients who underwent transplantation at either center in the calendar year 1997 who were ventilator independent. The 1-year survival rates in each group were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method. The number of days required for extubation in each group were compared by the nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum test. The FEV(1) value at 1 year was reported in each group. RESULTS The 1-year survival rates were 78% and 83% in group 1 and group 2, respectively. The mean number of days required until extubation were 41 days in group 1 and 9 days in group 2 (p < 0.01). The allograft function was comparable in the two groups at 1 year. CONCLUSIONS In a select population of ventilator-dependent patients, the 1-year survival rate is comparable to the standard lung transplant population. However, these ventilator-dependent patients require a significantly longer time until extubation than other transplant recipients.
Differently Motivated Exchange Traded Fund Trading Activities and the Volatility of the Underlying Index

This paper examines the correlations between two types of a market index's volatility and three trading motives of the index's exchange traded funds (ETFs). We find that ETF trading driven by belief dispersion is highly correlated with both the variance in efficient price innovations (VEPI) and the index's total volatility. Privately informed ETF trading is closely connected to the VEPI but not the total volatility, while liquidity ETF trading explains the total volatility but has little power in explaining the VEPI. Moreover, the leading ETF dominates smaller ETFs in explaining both types of volatility and often has more explanatory power than control variables.
Comparison of common hard tissue cephalometric measurements between computed tomography 3D reconstruction and conventional 2D cephalometric images.

OBJECTIVE To compare cephalostat two-dimensional (2D) measurements to 3D computed tomography (CT) measurements in order to determine the compatibility of CT landmarks identification for orthodontic purposes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten human skulls were x-rayed in conventional lateral cephalogram and then scanned with spiral CT. Twenty-eight linear and angular cephalometric measurements were registered on the 2D lateral cephalogram and compared to the same measurement on the 3D CT scan. Significance of the results was determined by t-test for paired differences (P < .05). RESULTS No difference was found between 2D and 3D images for linear or ratio measurements. As for the angular cephalometric measurements, only the sella turcica dependent measurements, showed significant difference between 2D and 3D. CONCLUSIONS The compatibility of using most of the common orthodontic examined cephalometric measurements on 3D volume rendered image was proven except for the angular measurements that included sella anatomic landmark.