Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Health information seekers in Japan: a snapshot of needs, behavior, and recognition in 2008.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to explore the latest information-seeking behavior among health care consumers in Japan and to compare these behaviors with those recorded in similar surveys administered in Japan and the United States after 2000. METHOD The authors conducted a randomized, population-based, door-to-door survey in 2008. A total of 1,200 Japanese adults over 15 years of age completed the questionnaire. MAIN RESULTS The results from 1,189 valid responses indicated that slightly more than half the number of participants had actively sought health information during the previous 2 years. Most seekers looked for information on a specific disease. "Physicians" remained the respondents' first choice as an information source, while "Internet" has gained greater popularity as a resource since the previous survey in 2000. Half the number of participants stated that they were willing to read academic or professional medical journal articles if written in Japanese and provided free of charge. CONCLUSION The evidence indicates that Japanese health care consumers are now proactively seeking health information. These consumers feel reassured by the information they can access and would like to read clinical research in their native language.
OER and MOOC: The Need for Openness

The Open Software movement serves as a landmark and a starting point for many “open-something” initiatives, such as Open Educational Resources (OER) and Massive Online Open Courses (MOOC). However, under a pragmatic point-of-view, many of its basic principles are not considered specially when dealing with the above mentioned initiatives: common, industry-standard OER and MOOC lack a considerable set of really open features in a way that deviate the sense of the “O” letter – for Open – in its acronyms. Considering this, the present paper presents a systematization of these concepts around the general principle of openness. There will be discussed some strengths, challenges, and drawbacks in adopting openness as the key for OER and MOOC for Education in 21 st Century.
[Early development of language in small children with autism spectrum disorder using alternative systems].

INTRODUCTION The latest research findings show the importance of early intervention in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in all areas of development, including language. The use of augmentative and alternative communication systems (AACS) favors linguistic and communicative development. AIM To show the effectiveness of AACS to develop oral language in non-verbal toddlers diagnosed with ASD. PATIENTS AND METHODS Thirty children (25 males and 5 females) diagnosed with ASD when they were between 18 and 30 months of age, through the instruments ADOS and ADIR. None of them displayed oral language development at the time of assessment. An intervention program in the area of language was designed based on the use of total communication by the therapist and training the child in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). One year later, the formal aspects of language were assessed with the PLON-R because oral language had been developed. RESULTS All the children had developed oral language to some extent over a one-year period. CONCLUSIONS Early intervention and the use of AACS with visual props favor the development of oral language in children with ASD in the first years of life.
Studies on siderophore production by microbial isolates obtained from aquatic environment

The paper investigates and reports siderophores production from bacteria isolated from aquatic environment. In the experimental findings, out of 125 bacterial isolates only twelve morphologically different bacterial cultures were isolated and identified as Escherichia coli(6 isolates, strains CH1-CH6), Pseudomonas aeruginosa(6 isolates, strains CH7-CH12) all of which showed siderophores production by Chrome Azurol Sulphonate(CAS) assay. E.coli Strain CH6showed maximum siderophores production (46%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain CH8 showed the lowest production of siderophore (10%). Siderophores produced by the E.coli strain (strains CH1-CH6) were hydroxymate type and those produced by P. aeruginosa(strains CH7-CH12) were catecholate type. E.coli strain CH6 was chosen for further examination as it showed maximum siderophore production on succinate medium (75%) with10mM Fe at optimum pH 7.0. The prime interest of this experimentation is to further explore and reexamine the biological application in the current Indian context of Agricultural development.
Quantification of carbohydrate oxidation by respiratory gas exchange and isotopic tracers.

Estimates of glucose oxidation measured by indirect respiratory calorimetry and by [U-13C]glucose tracer were compared as a function of respiratory exchange ratio (RER) in 14 studies performed on 9 healthy adult subjects. RER was varied between 0.7 and 1.04, either by fasting or by infusing glucose. 13C enrichment of plasma glucose and expired CO2 were measured by mass spectrometry. The two methods gave similar results when the nonprotein respiratory quotient (NPRQ) was between 0.76 and 0.90. Glucose oxidation by the tracer method was quantified to be higher than that by respiratory calorimetry when NPRQ was < 0.76; it was lower than the respiratory calorimetry estimate when NPRQ was > 0.90. The discrepancy between the two methods at low RER may represent the contribution of gluconeogenesis, whereas, at high RER, the discrepancy may be the consequence of lipogenesis. We conclude that respiratory calorimetry and [13C]glucose tracer give comparable results only in a narrow range of RER. These data are important when the disposal of glucose is compared using these techniques in different metabolic states with varying respiratory quotients.
The immunogenicity of heat-inactivated vaccinia virus in rabbits

SUMMARY Rabbits were immunized by multiple intradermal injections followed by six intravenous doses of vaccinia virus inactivated by heating to 65° C. Particular attention was paid to confirming that the virus used was fully inactivated and incapable of reactivation. The immunized rabbits developed neutralizing and other antibodies to a titre comparable with those developed in response to live virus, but multiple intravenous injections were required to elicit a maximum titre. A qualitatively different response was seen only in immunodiffusion tests in agar gel where two or three fewer lines developed with antisera to heated virus than with those to live virus. The rabbits were subsequently challenged intradermally either with vaccinia and cowpox or with rabbitpox. They showed some immunity to vaccinia and cowpox, compared with normal controls, but less than that elicited by live virus. Their resistance to lethal doses of rabbitpox was life-saving though some rabbits did develop lesions. Later rechallenge of the rabbits showed that they had not developed further immunity, in distinction from the normal controls. The implications of these findings are discussed. I wish to thank the National Fund for Research into Poliomyelitis and Other Crippling Diseases for their generous support in providing a Research Fellowship during which this work was done. I wish to thank also Professor A. W. Downie F.R. S. and the Staff of the Department of Bacteriology, University of Liverpool, for their encouragement and assistance respectively.
The role of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in infant cognitive development.

Dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) in infancy are necessary for normal brain growth and development, and may play an important role in the development of infant cognition. Several randomized, controlled studies have evaluated the effects of feeding both term and preterm infants formula containing LCPUFA or no LCPUFA on a variety of measures of cognitive behaviour. Studies of the relation of LCPUFA to performance on tests of psychomotor development have produced inconsistent results, with supplemented infants demonstrating either higher scores or no differences in comparison to controls. This pattern suggests that global tests of development may be insufficiently sensitive for detecting the effects of LCPUFA on infant cognitive function. In contrast, studies assessing the influence of LCPUFA on development of specific cognitive behaviours have shown a significant advantage for supplemented infants on measures of visual attention and problem solving. These results suggest that LCPUFA may enhance more efficient information processing or attention regulation in infants. Whether there are any long-term effects of dietary LCPUFA in infancy on childhood cognition is not known.
Current empirical status of acceptance and commitment therapy

Purpose of review Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is one of the several psychotherapies that have been described as ‘third wave’ cognitive behavioral therapies (CBTs). The present editorial review examines the current status of ACT with a focus on previous reviews, a meta-analysis and new studies that have been published between January 2006 and August 2008. Recent findings Recent studies on ACT suggest that ACT may be effective for a variety of disorders, including several anxiety disorders, depression, pain, trichotillomania, psychotic disorder, drug abuse and the management of epilepsy and diabetes. Summary The available evidence suggests that ACT works through different processes than active treatment comparisons, including traditional CBT. Although currently available data are promising, there is, however, a need for more well controlled studies to verify whether ACT is generally as or more effective than other active treatments across the range of problems examined.
Nutritional intake of elite football referees

Abstract There is a paucity of dietary data in football referees. In this study, 23 elite main and assistant referees (34.4 ± 5.6 years) completed a 7-day dietary record during the competitive season. No nutritional intake differences were observed between main and assistant referees. Referees’ mean daily energy intake (DEI) was 2819 ± 279 kcal. The intake of proteins (1.7 ± 0.2 g · kg−1), carbohydrates (4.1 ± 0.8 g · kg−1) and fats (1.4 ± 0.2 g · kg−1) represented, respectively, 18.4 ± 1.5%, 44.4 ± 4.4% and 34.6 ± 4.1% of the DEI. Carbohydrate intakes before, during and after exercise were 66 ± 42, 7 ± 15 and 120 ± 62 g. Daily carbohydrate, fibre, polyunsaturated fat and water intakes were below recommendations, while fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium intakes were above recommended values. The prevalence of inadequate intake was high for vitamin E (96%), folate (74%), vitamin A (61%), vitamin C (39%), magnesium (26%) and calcium (22%). Carbohydrate intake before, during and after exercise were far from achieving the minimum recommended values. Most referees demonstrated a negligent behaviour of hydration during exercise. Referees would benefit from dietary education in order to optimise performance and health.
Inhibition of c-Jun N-terminal kinase in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus blocks extinction of inhibitory avoidance memory

Step-down inhibitory avoidance (IA) memory formation involves association of stepping-down from a platform present in a training box (conditioned stimulus) with a footshock (unconditioned stimulus). A single short training session is enough to induce a lasting and strong memory trace expressed as an increase in step-down latency. Repeated nonreinforced retrieval, however, induces extinction of the IA response, a process involving a new learning that overrules the original one to indicate that the conditioned stimulus no longer predicts the unconditioned stimulus. Although the molecular requirements of IA memory consolidation are well understood, comparatively less is known about the signaling pathways involved in its extinction. Here we report that, when given into dorsal CA1 immediately but not 180 min after daily nonreinforced retrieval sessions, SP60015, a specific inhibitor of the mitogen-activated protein kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, impaired IA memory extinction in a dose-dependent manner without producing any motor or perceptual impairment or damaging the hippocampal formation. Our results suggest that, as happens during consolidation, extinction of IA long-term memory also requires c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity in the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus.
Magnon Band Gap of a Superlattice With Antiferromagnetic Interlayer Exchange Coupling

The magnon energy bands in a superlattice composed of two alternating ferromagnetic materials with antiferromagnetic interlayer exchange coupling is studied, by means of Green's function method and the Tyablikov decoupling approximation. It is found that a modulated energy gap exists in the magnon energy band along Kx direction perpendicular to the superlattice plane. The effect of the spin quantum numbers, the anisotropies, the interlayer exchange couplings and the external magnetic field on the energy gap has been investigated.
Sternomastoid function during hemispheric suppression by amytal: Insights into the inputs to the spinal accessory nerve nucleus

The debate as to whether the sternomastoids receive ipsilateral, contralateral, or bilateral cortical innervation is based largely on the observation of stroke patients and, to a lesser extent, on animal experimentation. The variability of vascular lesions, the lack of pathology correlation in the early reports, and the differences in posture between humans and laboratory animals contributed to the controversy. We studied the function of the sternomastoid (SM) muscles during transient, complete left hemiplegia in 18 right‐handed patients undergoing a Wada test. After injection in the right internal carotid artery (ICA), 14 patients were able to lift and turn their heads both to the right and to the left on command. Ten of the 14 patients who were able to follow commands after the injection had weakness of the right sternomastoid compared with the left. Our findings demonstrate that the left hemisphere can activate both the right and the left sternomastoid muscles during suppression of the right hemisphere. The sternomastoids receive bilateral hemispheric innervation and the maximal input comes from the ipsilateral hemisphere.
Membrane electrical properties and prediction of motor-unit type of medial gastrocnemius motoneurons in the cat.

Membrane electrical properties [time constant, action potential afterhyperpolarization (AHP), rheobase, input resistance, and axonal conduction velocity] were measured in motoneurons of cat medial gastrocnemius (MG) motor units. Motor units were classified on the basis of their mechanical responses as fast twitch, fast fatiguing (FF); fast twitch with intermediate fatigue resistance (FI); fast twitch, fatigue resistant (FR); or slow twitch, fatigue resistant (S; 11, 22). Motoneuron membrane time constant, estimated from the voltage response at the onset or termination of long (50-100 ms) current pulses and corrected for voltage-response nonlinearities (32), was found to differ significantly among the major motor-unit types, increasing in the order FF less than FR less than S. Afterhyperpolarization magnitude, half-decay time, and duration were all significantly greater for the fast (FF + FI + FR) versus the slow (S) motor units. The AHP half-decay time was correlated with muscle unit twitch time over the entire motoneuron population and within the type S motor-unit population. There was no significant correlation between twitch time and AHP half-decay time among the types FF and FR motor-unit populations. In agreement with previous studies, we found a significant difference in both rheobase and input resistance among the major motor-unit types, with rheobase increasing in the order S less than FR less than FF and input resistance decreasing in that order (S greater than FR greater than FF). The differences in input resistance were present both before and after correcting for voltage-response nonlinearities (32). Also in agreement with previous studies, the mean axonal conduction velocity was significantly faster among the fast (FF + FI + and FR) compared with the slow (S) motor units. These data were used to examine the properties alone to determine motor-unit type, which has traditionally been defined on the basis of the muscle unit's mechanical properties (11, 22). We used a discriminant analysis program to classify 73 mechanically typed motor units for which we had measures of rheobase, input resistance, membrane time constant, and AHP half-decay time. This model was able to properly classify 71 of the 73 motor units of this data set, indicating that the motor units of this data set could be grouped into three categories representing the three major motor-unit types (FF, FR, and S) on the basis of their rheobase, input resistance, membrane time constant, and AHP half-decay time. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Role of Apoptosis in Duct Obstruction‐Induced Pancreatic Involution in Rats

It has been recognised in mammals that after pancreatic duct obstruction, acinar cells progressively disappear and pancreatic islets are preserved. Previous studies by electron microscopy have suggested the involvement of apoptosis in acinar cell deletion. In the present study, we employed molecular biological methods and investigated whether acinar cell deletion is due to apoptosis. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, pancreatic duct ligation was performed through a left paramedian incision. Pancreatic tissue was studied at each of the following intervals after ligation: 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 h and 2, 3, 5, and 7 days. DNA fragmentation was determined by in situ labeling of DNA strand breaks on tissue sections [fluorescein-labeled terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling method (TUNEL)] and by electrophoretic detection of the fragments of extracted DNA. Tissue sections were also examined by hematoxylin/eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining of insulin. Pancreatic duct ligation induced acinar cell deletion by day 5. Pancreatic tissue from control rats demonstrated no TUNEL-positive nuclei. In contrast, acinar cells from rats 12 h to 5 days after duct ligation showed TUNEL-positive nuclei. The number of TUNEL-positive nuclei was maximum 2 days after duct ligation. Electrophoresis showed DNA fragmentation after duct ligation. Control rats showed a genomic DNA pattern. Islets were preserved throughout the experimental period in duct-ligated rats and control rats. The results suggest that apoptosis may be the dominant form of acinar cell death in the rat pancreatic duct ligation model.
Glycine activates myenteric neurones in adult guinea‐pigs

1 We studied the effects of glycine on myenteric neurones and muscle activity in the colon and stomach of adult guinea‐pigs. 2 Intracellular recordings revealed that myenteric neurones responded to local microejection of glycine (1 mm) with a fast, transient membrane potential depolarisation (57 % of 191 colonic neurones and 26 % of 50 gastric neurones). Most glycine‐sensitive neurones had ascending projections and were choline acetyltransferase immunoreactive. Glycine preferentially activated neurones with a late afterhyperpolarisation (AH‐neurones) and tonic spiking neurones with fast synaptic inputs (tonic S‐neurones) but less frequently phasic S‐neurones and inexcitable (non‐spiking) neurones. The depolarisation had a reversal potential at −19 ± 13 mV, which was increased by 18 ± 10 % upon lowering extracellular chloride concentration and decreased by 38 ± 14 % in furosemide (frusemide, 2 mm). 3 Strychnine (300 nm) reversibly abolished the glycine‐induced depolarisation and the Cl− channel blocker picrotoxin (100 μm) reduced the amplitude of the depolarisation by 55 ± 5 %. The glycine effect was a postsynaptic response because it was not changed after nerve blockade with tetrodotoxin (1 μm) or blockade of synaptic transmission in reduced extracellular [Ca2+]. The effect was specific since the response was not changed by the nicotinic antagonists hexamethonium (200 μm) and mecamylamine (100 μm), the GABAA receptor antagonist bicuculline (10 μm), the NMDA antagonist MK‐801 (20 μm) or the 5‐HT3 antagonist ICS 205930 (1 μm). 4 Glycine (1 mm) induced a tetrodotoxin‐ and strychnine‐sensitive contractile response in the colon; the contractile response in the stomach was tetrodotoxin insensitive. 5 Glycine activated myenteric neurones in the adult enteric nervous system through strychnine‐sensitive mechanisms. The glycine‐evoked depolarisation was caused by Cl− efflux and the maintenance of relatively high intracellular chloride concentrations involved furosemide‐sensitive cation‐chloride co‐transporters.
African American Father Involvement and Preschool Children's School Readiness

A developmental ecological model was used to identify child attributes, father characteristics, and familial factors associated with multidimensional father involvement with preschool children enrolled in Head Start. The relations between father involvement and children's school readiness were also investigated. Eighty-five African American fathers and father figures were surveyed about their involvement in child care, home-based educational and school-based educational activities. Children's school readiness competencies were evaluated via teacher report or direct assessment. Father involvement in child care and home-based educational activities were predicted by different contextual factors and child attributes. Fathers were more involved in child care activities when they lived in a child's home and when a child was highly emotional. Fathers who perceived the existence of a strong parenting alliance reported more involvement in home-based educational activities. Father involvement in child care and home-based educational activities was associated with higher levels of children's emotion regulation. Findings are consistent with a contextual, multidimensional perspective of African American fathering and hold policy implications for fatherhood initiatives in the early childhood education field. Efforts to increase father involvement may be most effective when addressing the multitude of influences on fathering behavior and focusing on father-child activities that occur outside of the preschool setting.
Fibroblast growth factor 23 in chronic kidney disease: New insights and clinical implications

Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF‐23) is a recently discovered regulator of phosphate and mineral metabolism. Its main physiological function is the enhancement of renal phosphate excretion. FGF‐23 levels are inversely related to renal function and in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) elevation in FGF‐23 precedes the rise of serum phosphate. Studies have demonstrated an important role for FGF‐23 in the development of secondary hyperparathyroidism through an effect on parathyroid hormone and calcitriol. In cross‐sectional studies FGF‐23 has been associated with surrogate markers of cardiovascular disease such as endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. FGF‐23 has also been associated with both progression of CKD and mortality in dialysis patients. The discovery of FGF‐23 has provided a profound new insight into bone and mineral metabolism, and it may become an important biomarker and therapeutic target in CKD.