Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Digital Field of Dreams: The Social Construction of Distance Education Programs at Public Universities

Growth in distance education programs at public postsecondary institutions has been phenomenal. Nevertheless, not all of these institutions achieved their goals that prompted the creation of a distance education program in the first place. In an effort to understand why some programs succeed in achieving goals while others do not, past research has focused on either the technology used in delivering the program or the pedagogy used in designing course content. These studies may not have uncovered the whole story for though distance education programs may be based on technology and pedagogy they are designed and implemented within a social environment which affects the program's design and ultimate achievements. This would imply a need for a better understanding of how different social groups involved in distance education program design and implementation interact during the developmental process.This study sought to understand the effect of the social environment on the design of distance education program. Using Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) theory, it examined a collaborative distance education program's development from inception to implementation. The goal in investigating the social construction of this distance education program was to determine to what extent the program's final design was shaped by social forces surrounding the technology rather than the technology itself.The study used key social groups' attributes to assess to what extent each group was able to influence the program's design. Without reference to technological or pedagogical systems this study clearly demonstrated the potential of SCOT theory to explain how social groups shaped the program's ultimate outcome.
Purification and Biochemical Characterization of a Specific β-Glucosidase from the Digestive Fluid of Larvae of the Palm Weevil, Rhynchophorus palmarum

Abstract A &bgr;-glucosidase was purified from the digestive fluid of the palm weevil Rhynchophorus palmarum L. (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by chromatography on anion-exchange, gel filtration, and hydrophobic interaction columns. The preparation was shown to be homogeneous on polyacrylamide gels, &bgr;-glucosidase is a monomeric protein with a molecular weight of 58 kDa based on its mobility in SDS-PAGE and 60 kDa based on gel filtration. Maximal &bgr;-glucosidase activity occurred at 55°C and pH 5.0. The purified &bgr;-glucosidase was stable at 37°C and its pH stability was in the range of 5.0–6.0. The enzyme readily hydrolyzed p-nitrophenyl-&bgr;-D-glucoside, cellobiose, cellodextrins and required strictly &bgr;-gluco configuration for activity. It cleaved glucose-glucose beta-(1–4) linkages better than &bgr;-(1–2), &bgr;-(1–3) and &bgr;-(1–6) linkages. The catalytic efficiency (Kcat/KM) values for p-nitrophenyl-&bgr;-D-glucoside and cellobiose were respectively 240.48 mM-1s-1 and 134.80 mM-1s-1. Beta-glucosidase was capable of catalysing transglucosylation reactions. The yield of glucosylation of 2-phenylethanol (20 %), catalysed by the beta-glucosidase in the presence of cellobiose as glucosyl donor, is lower than those reported previously with conventional sources of beta-glucosidases. In addition, the optimum pH is different for the hydrolysis (pH 5.0) and transglucosylation reactions (pH 6.6).
Genetic analysis of disease subtypes and sexual dimorphisms in mouse experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE): relapsing/remitting and monophasic remitting/nonrelapsing EAE are immunogenetically distinct.

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) is the principal animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS), the major inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Murine EAE is generally either an acute monophasic or relapsing disease. Because the clinical spectrum of MS is more diverse, the limited range of disease subtypes observed in EAE has raised concern regarding its relevance as a model for MS. During the generation of a large F2 mapping population between the EAE-susceptible SJL/J and EAE-resistant B10.S/DvTe inbred lines, we identified four distinct subtypes of murine EAE resembling clinical subtypes seen in MS. We observed acute progressive, chronic/nonremitting, remitting/relapsing, and monophasic remitting/nonrelapsing EAE. An additional subtype, benign EAE, was identified after histologic examination revealed that some mice had inflammatory infiltrates of the central nervous system, but did not show clinical signs of EAE. Genome exclusion mapping was performed to identify the loci controlling susceptibility to each disease subtype. We report three novel EAE-modifying loci on chromosomes 16, 7, and 13 (eae11-13, respectively). Additionally, unique loci with gender-specific effects govern susceptibility to remitting/relapsing (eae12) and monophasic remitting/nonrelapsing (eae7 and 13) EAE.
Diffusion Tensor Tractography Reveals Abnormal Topological Organization in Structural Cortical Networks in Alzheimer's Disease

Recent research on Alzheimer's disease (AD) has shown that the decline of cognitive and memory functions is accompanied by a disrupted neuronal connectivity characterized by white matter (WM) degeneration. However, changes in the topological organization of WM structural network in AD remain largely unknown. Here, we used diffusion tensor image tractography to construct the human brain WM networks of 25 AD patients and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls, followed by a graph theoretical analysis. We found that both AD patients and controls had a small-world topology in WM network, suggesting an optimal balance between structurally segregated and integrative organization. More important, the AD patients exhibited increased shortest path length and decreased global efficiency in WM network compared with controls, implying abnormal topological organization. Furthermore, we showed that the WM network contained highly connected hub regions that were predominately located in the precuneus, cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, which was consistent with the previous diffusion-MRI studies. Specifically, AD patients were found to have reduced nodal efficiency predominantly located in the frontal regions. Finally, we showed that the alterations of various network properties were significantly correlated with the behavior performances. Together, the present study demonstrated for the first time that the Alzheimer's brain was associated with disrupted topological organization in the large-scale WM structural networks, thus providing the structural evidence for abnormalities of systematic integrity in this disease. This work could also have implications for understanding how the abnormalities of structural connectivity in AD underlie behavioral deficits in the patients.
Anti-Erythrocyte Allo-Immunization to Sickle Cell Disease Patients Followed in Transfusion Therapy Unit of the National Blood Transfusion Center of Abidjan Côte D’Ivoire

The objective of this study is to evaluate the frequency of post-transfusion anti-erythrocyte allo-immunization to sickle cell patients in order to propose strategies of optimal blood safety in Coted'Ivoire. It is a prospective study (January to December 2013) of patients with major sickle cell disease enrolled in the transfusion therapy unit of the National Blood Transfusion Center (CNTS)in Abidjan. The reed blood cells have been phenotyped and compatibilized by indirect Coombs test in the ABO and Rh Kel systems. The search for irregular antibodies was performed before each transfusion episode. The incidence of post-transfusion anti-erythrocyte allo-immunization to the sickle cell disease patients were high (12/42 or 28.6%). We identified 14 allo-antibodies essentially anti-Rh specificity (12/14) with a high prevalence of anti-E allo-antibodies (6/14) and anti-C (4/14). None anti-Kel antibodies was found. This study raises the risk of allo-immunization in non-phenotyped and non-compatibilized transfusions, especially in sickle cell multitransfused. The erythrocyte phenotyping should be systematic to all major sickle cell patients.
Purpura Fulminans: A Cutaneous Marker of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation

A previously healthy 14-year-old girl presented to the emergency department with high fever, cough, shortness of breath and right lobar pneumonia on chest radiograph. She had extensive purpura with hemorrhagic bullae on her left leg. The patient was very ill-appearing with hypotension, tachycardia, tachypnea, and oliguria. There was no other bleeding. Hemogram showed leukocytosis (13000/cmm) with 35% bands, platelets 76,000/ml and sedimentation rate of 98 mm. The prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were prolonged and the fibrin degradation products were grossly elevated. Blood culture grew group-A streptococci. A diagnosis of purpura fulminans from septic shock was made. She was resuscitated and given parenteral antibiotics and platelets. The patient recovered within two weeks and later had skin grafting. Purpura fulminans is an infrequent, often fatal, acute cutaneous reaction resulting from infective or non-infective conditions.1 When it arises during sepsis, in-hospital mortality is 42%. 2 Antecedent infections are most commonly group-A streptococcus, staphylococcus, peumococcus, vibrio, and meningococcus, and less commonly varicella.3 Neonates with protein C and protein S deficiencies are at higher risk for purpura fulminans. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosis may have antiphospholipid antibody syndrome.1 The disease may occur without preceding illness.1 Purpura fulminans from sepsis requires surgical debridement, skin grafting and even amputation.4 Normal saline resuscitation restores volume and promotes urine output >0.5ml/kg/hour.5 Although there is no proven benefit, treatment of severe disseminated intravascular coagulation with purpura fulminans with heparin may be warranted.5,6 Most clinicians prefer to provide platelet replacement if platelet counts drop below 20,000/mL.5,6 Administration of protein C concentrate early in the course of the disease may reduce both morbidity and mortality.3 There is some evidence that recombinant tissue plasminogen activator infusion may result in improved organ perfusion and cardiac performance.7
Dual-Task Performance in Early Stage Dementia: Differential Effects for Automatized and Effortful Processing

Attentional functions of individuals with early stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) and normal older adults (NC) were studied using a concurrent-task paradigm. Fourteen patients (5 men, 9 women) and 14 age- and sex-matched normal adults engaged in speeded unimanual tapping and speaking tasks during single- and dual-task trials. Speaking tasks were either relatively automatized (Speech Repetition) or relatively effortful (Speech Fluency). As single-task tapping rates were slower for the AD participants than for the NC participants, a proportional decrement score was used as an index of interference in the dual-task conditions. Interference during concurrent-task performance was greater when the cognitive task was effortful for both the NC and the AD groups. Although AD patients suffered higher levels of interference than NC participants while performing the effortful speech task, the two groups showed equivalent small changes in tapping speed while combining the automatized speaking and tapping tasks. Results suggest that a general-purpose attentional processing resource declines in the early stages of AD but dual-task performance is well-maintained when the component tasks are relatively automatized.
Cell surface properties of normal, differentiating, and neoplastic pancreatic acinar cells

Acinar, centroacinar, and endocrine cells of the adult rat pancreas each exhibit distinctive cell‐surface glycoconjugate patterns as detected by binding of a battery of lectin‐ferritin conjugates. Acquisition of these unique glycoconjugate patterns appears to be developmentally regulated, as studies on embryonic rat pancreases at days 15, 17, and 19 of gestation indicate. Further, the three cell types appear to arise from a common stem cell(s) with surface glycoconjugate properties similar to those of the adult centroacinar cell. Studies on the cell‐surface properties of a rat acinar cell tumor20 indicate that the neoplastic acinar cells are likely to be arrested at a developmental stage equivalent to acinar cells of the day 19 embryonic pancreas and are characterized by absence of detectable basal lamina. We hypothesize that pancreatic cancers may arise from the equivalent of the undifferentiated embryonic stem cell(s) and that the morphologic features of the tumor depend on the extent of cell differentiation, including expression of cell‐surface glycoproteins and extracellular matrix, prior to neoplastic proliferation.
Distribution of roots of random polynomials.

We consider polynomials of high degree with random coefficients which appear in the context of ``quantum chaotic'' dynamics and investigate various conditions under which their roots tend to concentrate near the unit circle in the complex plane. Correlation functions of roots are computed analytically. We also investigate a certain class of random polynomials whose roots cover, in a uniform way, the Riemann sphere. Special emphasis is devoted to the influence of symmmetries.
The effectiveness of music as an intervention for hospital patients: a systematic review.

INTRODUCTION Over the past few decades there has been a growing interest in the use of music, which has seen it used to achieve a diverse range of outcomes. While music as an intervention for hospital patients has subject to considerable evaluation, many of these studies are small and findings are therefore often contradictory. This systematic review was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of music as an intervention for hospital patients. METHOD A comprehensive search was undertaken involving all major health care databases. For studies to be included in the review they must have investigated the effect of music, involved adult hospital patients and used a randomized controlled trial design. These studies must also have used outcome measures such as anxiety, satisfaction, pain, mood and vital signs. Identified studies were critically appraised, and then categorized according to whether music was evaluated during normal care delivery or during invasive and unpleasant procedures. When appropriate, studies were combined in a meta-analysis. RESULTS A total of 29 studies were identified that fulfilled the inclusion criteria, of which 10 were subsequently excluded following critical appraisal. Music played via headphones reduces anxiety of patients during normal care deliver, but it has no impact on the anxiety of patients undergoing procedures such as bronchoscopy, sigmoidoscopy or surgery with a spinal anaesthetic. Music produces a small reduction in respiratory rate during normal care delivery, but appears to have little effect on other vital sign parameters. It has no impact on the vital signs of patients undergoing procedures. Although the evidence is limited, music also appears improve the mood and tolerance of patients. CONCLUSION This review demonstrates the effectiveness of music for the reduction of anxiety during normal care deliver. Given the inexpensive nature of this intervention, and the lack of adverse events, it is recommended as an adjunct to normal care practices. This review also highlights the need for further research into many aspect of this intervention.
APPLICATIONS OF FT RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY FOR THE CHARACTERIZATION OF CELLULOSE

FT Raman spectroscopy was used for the investigation of cellulose and cellulose derivates. Lattice structures of cellulose, polymorphic modifications I and II, as well as amorphous structure were clearly identified by means of FT Raman vibrational spectra. Chemometric models were developed utilizing univariate calibration as well as methods of multivariate data analyses of the FT Raman spectral data. Cellulose properties like the degree of crystallinity XcRaman and the degree of substitution DSCMC as well as DSAC were determined.
The Exoribonuclease XRN4 Is a Component of the Ethylene Response Pathway in Arabidopsis[W][OA]

EXORIBONUCLEASE4 (XRN4), the Arabidopsis thaliana homolog of yeast XRN1, is involved in the degradation of several unstable mRNAs. Although a role for XRN4 in RNA silencing of certain transgenes has been reported, xrn4 mutant plants were found to lack any apparent visible phenotype. Here, we show that XRN4 is allelic to the unidentified components of the ethylene response pathway ETHYLENE-INSENSITIVE5/ACC-INSENSITIVE1 (EIN5/AIN1) and EIN7. xrn4 mutant seedlings are ethylene-insensitive as a consequence of the upregulation of EIN3 BINDING F-BOX PROTEIN1 (EBF1) and EBF2 mRNA levels, which encode related F-box proteins involved in the turnover of EIN3 protein, a crucial transcriptional regulator of the ethylene response pathway. Epistasis analysis placed XRN4/EIN5/AIN1 downstream of CTR1 and upstream of EBF1/2. XRN4 does not appear to regulate ethylene signaling via an RNA-INDUCED SILENCING COMPLEX–based RNA silencing mechanism but acts by independent means. The identification of XRN4 as an integral new component in ethylene signaling adds RNA degradation as another posttranscriptional process that modulates the perception of this plant hormone.
Pancreatic Lymphoepithelial Cysts: A Short Case Series

Introduction Pancreatic lymphoepithelial cysts are rare benign pancreatic lesions that mimic more common neoplastic mucinous tumours. Preoperative diagnosis may be uncertain, which leads to subsequent resection and confirmation of their identification on pathological examination. Endoscopic ultrasound and biopsy can indicate the nature of this pancreatic cyst, therefore precluding the need for operative intervention. Methods Four consecutive patients with a pancreatic lymphoepithelial cyst were identified over a two-year period (March 2012 to February 2014); three from resected specimens and one from endoscopic ultrasound guided fine needle aspiration biopsy. Details of patient demographics, investigations and management were retrospectively analysed. Results Four male patients aged 45-69 years (mean 59 years) were identified; three underwent pancreatic resection (two distal pancreatectomies and one median pancreatectomy) and one was diagnosed following endoscopic ultrasound guided biopsy. Pathological examination revealed keratin and squamous epithelium in all cases consistent with a lymphoepithelial cyst. Conclusions Lymphoepithelial pancreatic cysts are rare and present a diagnostic dilemma. Definitive preoperative diagnosis is seldom achieved due to their non-specific radiological and endoscopic ultrasound features, combined with variations in tumour marker expression and difficulties in achieving cytological and histological assessment. As a result these lesions tend to be over-treated with pancreatic resection. An increasing awareness of these cysts and the role of endoscopic ultrasound may allow conservative management.
Salmonella enterica Serovar-Host Specificity Does Not Correlate with the Magnitude of Intestinal Invasion in Sheep

ABSTRACT The colonization of intestinal and systemic tissues bySalmonella enterica serovars with different host specificities was determined 7 days after inoculation of 1 to 2-month-old lambs. Following oral inoculation, S. entericaserovars Abortusovis, Dublin, and Gallinarum were recovered in comparable numbers from the intestinal mucosa, but serovar Gallinarum was recovered in lower numbers than the other serovars from systemic sites. The pattern of bacterial recovery from systemic sites following intravenous inoculation was similar. The magnitude of intestinal invasion was evaluated in ovine ligated ileal loops in vivo. Serovars Dublin and Gallinarum and the broad-host-range Salmonellaserovar Typhimurium were recovered in comparable numbers from ileal mucosa 3 h after loop inoculation, whereas the recovery of serovar Abortusovis was approximately 10-fold lower. Microscopic analysis of intestinal mucosae infected with serovars Typhimurium and Dublin showed dramatic morphological changes and infiltration of inflammatory cells, whereas mucosae infected with serovars Abortusovis and Gallinarum were indistinguishable from uninfected mucosae. Together these data suggest that Salmonella serovar specificity in sheep correlates with bacterial persistence at systemic sites. Intestinal invasion and avoidance of the host's intestinal inflammatory response may contribute to but do not determine the specificity of serovar Abortosovis for sheep. Intestinal invasion by serovar Abortusovis was significantly reduced after mutation of invH but was not reduced following curing of the virulence plasmid, suggesting that theSalmonella pathogenicity island 1 influences but the virulence plasmid genes do not influence the ability of serovar Abortusovis to invade the intestinal mucosa in sheep.
Changes in liver lysosomes and cell junctions close to an invasive tumour

THE lysosome content of the liver cells in animals bearing tumours is often increased (Majewski, 1964; Ghadially and Parry, 1965; Parry and Ghadially, 1967). Schersth, Wahlqvist and Johansson (1969) found an increase in lysosomal enzymes in the livers of human patients with renal tumours, and suggested that the phenomenon might be due either to increased endocytosis by the liver cells and a consequent stimulus to lysosome production, or else to absorption by the liver cells of enzyme-containing material derived from the tumour. If the latter explanation was correct, an increase in lysosomal enzymes in the liver would not be expected if their concentration in the tumour was low. The present paper reports an increase in liver lysosomes in mice bearing the uncomplicated ascitic and solid intrahepatic forms of the Landschutz sarcoma, a tumour that contains very little histochemically demonstrable acid phosphatase or esterase. In the course of the work it was noticed that desmosomes were not greatly altered by the proximity of the tumour. This observation has an important bearing on the possible role of cathepsins in malignant invasion.
Web Site Usability, Design, and Performance Metrics

Web sites provide the key interface for consumer use of the Internet. This research reports on a series of three studies that developand validate Web site usability, design and performance metrics, including download delay, navigability, site content, interactivity, and responsiveness. The performance metric that was developed includes the subconstructs user satisfaction, the likelihood of return, and the frequency of use.Data was collected in 1997, 1999, and 2000 from corporate Web sites via three methods, namely, a jury, third-party ratings, and a software agent. Significant associations between Web site design elements and Web site performance indicate that the constructs demonstrate good nomological validity. Together, the three studies provide a set of measures with acceptable validity and reliability. The findings also suggest lack of significant common methods biases across the jury-collected data, third-party data, and agent-collected data.Results suggest that Web site success is a first-order construct. Moreover, Web site success is significantly associated with Web site download delay (speed of access and display rate within the Web site), navigation (organization, arrangement, layout, and sequencing), content (amount and variety of product information), interactivity (customization and interactivity), and responsiveness (feedback options and FAQs).