Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The prosody of backchannels in Slovak

This paper explores the prosodic realization of single affirmative cue words functioning as backchannels in cooperative task-oriented dialogues. It focuses on the comparison between four major lexical items signaling this meaning ( mhm , no , uhhuh, áno ) and compares the results with the realization of backchannels in a similar corpus of American English. Additionally, the entrainment properties of backchannels in terms of their similarity to the end of the preceding utterance in Slovak are examined. The results suggest that backchannels in Slovak are realized in a largely similar way to those in American English but with differences in intensity and duration when compared to acknowledgements and agreements. Slovak backchannels are also similar in slope and curvature of f0 contours to the ends of the turns preceding them.
Patient perspectives of their leg ulcer journey.

OBJECTIVE To understand the personal impact of venous leg ulceration from the patients' perspective. METHOD Face-to-face, unstructured interviews were conducted with nine patient participants with venous leg ulcers. The interviews were digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and, using thematic analysis, the themes and subthemes which impacted on quality of life were identified. RESULTS Four core themes were identified: the ulcer, symptoms, wound management and effects on daily life, with 16 subthemes that negatively impacted on quality of life (QoL) also identified. CONCLUSION This qualitative study offers a valuable insight into the complex issues that impact on daily living for this patient group. The implications of the findings are far reaching and suggest that proactive symptom management and the fostering of a patient focus to consultations may improve QoL and encourage the patient to engage as an active partner in his/her management plan; both of which are explored in the subsequent phases of the larger study. DECLARATION OF INTEREST This study was funded by West Midlands Strategic Health Authority. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
Acute and chronic diuretic treatment selectively affects vascular permeability in the unanesthetized normal rat.

Diuretics are widely used antihypertensive agents, and although their renal actions have been well characterized, the extent of their vascular effects remains to be defined. Because hypertension is associated with numerous vascular complications whose incidences are not always lowered once blood pressure is regulated, this study was undertaken to evaluate the effects of five selected diuretics on capillary permeability to see if they could contribute in some way to these vascular abnormalities. Extravasation of Evans blue dye (EB: 20 mg/kg) injected in the caudal vein of male Wistar rats was used to assess capillary permeability to albumin. Indapamide (0.04 mg/kg), cicletanine (2.0 mg/kg), amiloride (0.3 mg/kg), hydrochlorothiazide (0.5 mg/kg) and furosemide (0.5 mg/kg) were administered by acute i.v. injection or by 10-day "chronic" gavage. EB extravasation was increased in the upper bronchi, lung parenchyma and kidney after acute administration of indapamide (54, 41 and 31%, respectively) and hydrochlorothiazide (45, 41 and 19%, respectively), and increased in all tissues but the duodenum (upper bronchi, lung parenchyma, heart, liver, kidney and muscle; 57-118%) after furosemide. In contrast, capillary permeability was reduced after acute cicletanine in the heart (31%), duodenum (49%) and muscle (58%) and after amiloride in the heart (25%) and muscle (63%). Pretreatment with indomethacin abolished most changes in EB extravasation induced by acute injection of the diuretics. After 10-day gavage, however, changes in capillary permeability were null after amiloride or hydrochlorothiazide treatment, attenuated after cicletanine or furosemide or even reversed after indapamide. Arterial pressure was not affected by diuretic treatment. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Compositional Dependence of Chemical and Electrical Properties in Cu2ZnSnS4 Thin Films

Photovoltaic-grade thin-film solar cell absorber layers composed of Cu2ZnSnS4 are most often prepared under nonstoichiometric compositions, in particular Cu-poor and Zn-rich conditions. The effects of compositional deviations on chemical and electrical properties of this material are under investigation and are expected to have a strong influence on final device performance. Herein, a study of variation in the cationic ratios (Cu/Zn, Cu/Sn) across a broad range and their effect on the properties of thin films is presented. After etching to remove the ZnS phase, the ratio of Cu/Zn is nearly constant between all the films, while there are significant variations in the ratio of Cu/Sn. This is correlated with changes in the chemical and electrical properties of these films, as determined by variable temperature conductivity measurements. The postetching composition and absence of Sn–S secondary phases points to multivalency of Sn in this material, in addition to other potential factors such as differences in grain size and defect formation. The Cu/Sn ratio is shown to strongly affect the electrical properties of films, in particular of the conductivity, grain boundary barriers, and localization length.
Survival of first-time nonsurgical root canal treatment performed in a dental teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to use survival analysis to evaluate the long-term treatment outcome of first-time, nonsurgical root canal therapy performed in a dental teaching hospital and to identify factors that might affect that outcome. STUDY DESIGN One-tenth of all teeth treated between 1989 and 1994 were sampled. Patients were invited to return for a recall and were examined both clinically and radiographically. Any teeth that had been extracted or retreated or that were associated with a periapical radiolucency or presented with clinical signs and symptoms were deemed to have failed. An adjusted date of failure was calculated in the survival analysis by means of the Kaplan-Meier method. Ten covariables were further analyzed with the Cox regression model by using a backward stepwise regression method. RESULTS Of 550 sampled teeth, 251 were examined. The mean observation period was 74 months. The failure rate was 44% (n = 111), with a median survival time of 113 months (mean, 91 months). Use of the Cox Regression model revealed that tooth type was significant in affecting the survival time of the treatment. Radiographic presence of voids in the apical and middle thirds of root canal fillings was associated with a significantly lower mean survival time than the presence of voids found in the coronal third or no void at all. The use of a calcium hydroxide dressing after initial treatment was associated with a longer survival time than failure to use medication or dressing with Ledermix alone. CONCLUSION Simple calculation of percentages did not provide sufficient information on the treatment prognosis. The survival of first-time root canal therapy was significantly influenced by the tooth type, radiographic location of voids in the root canal filling, and the intracanal medicament used.
On the Interaction between Protein L and Immunoglobulins of Various Mammalian Species

Protein L, a cell wall molecule of certain strains of the anaerobic bacterial species Peptostreptococcus magnus, shows high affinity for human immunoglobulin (Ig) light chains. In the present study protein L was tested against a panel of human myeloma proteins of the IgG, IgM, IgA and IgE classes, and strong binding was seen with antibodies carrying kappa light chains. A high degree of specificity for Ig was demonstrated in binding experiments with human plasma proteins. Apart from human Ig, strong protein L‐binding activity was also detected in the serum of 12 out of 23 tested additional mammalian species, including other primates and rodents. Subsequent analysis with purified Ig samples demonstrated the binding of protein L to Ig of important laboratory animal species such as the mouse, the rat and the rabbit. The affinity constants for the interactions between protein L and polyclonal IgG of these species were 2.6 × 109, 3.9 × 108 and 7.4 × 107, respectively. In non‐human species, the binding of protein L was also found to be mediated through Ig light chains, and the results demonstrate the potential value of protein L as an immunochemical tool.
Assessment of Maternal Antibody Decay and Response to Canine Parvovirus Vaccination Using a Clinic-Based Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Interference caused by maternal antibodies is considered a major cause of canine parvovirus (CPV) vaccination failure. In this study, an immunoblot clinic-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method was used to detect CPV antibodies in sera of pregnant bitches and their offspring to study the response of pups to vaccination. With a easily accessible procedure for CPV antibody determination, the veterinarian should be able to gauge the response of pups after vaccination. The validity of the technique was tested in parallel against the standard hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test. Results of the ELISA were correlated with those of the standard HI method for quantification of CPV antibodies. With the ELISA, successfully immunized pups were identified, allowing for a more reliable and cost-effective program of vaccination. This simple clinic-based test could be used for the assessment of vaccination status of pups during the critical phase of 6 to about 16 weeks of age. This study is the first in which vaccination response to CPV in pups was followed, using a clinic-based ELISA for CPV antibody monitoring.
[Compact genomes].

The number of procaryotic genomes (both Archaea and Bacteria) completely sequenced is rapidly increasing since the publication in 1995 of the first ever finished one, Haemophilis influenzae. The small size and "simplicity" of these genomes make them ideal models for training in genomic before attacking more complex genomes, but they have also great intrinsic interest. Preliminary analyses of these compact genomes have detected many orphan genes, even in organisms previously extensively studied, as well as many families of duplicated genes. A major task now is to identify the function of these orphans by a combination of in silico, biochemical and genetic analyses (examples will be presented). Several genomes of hyperthermophiles have been or will be completely sequenced soon. Many of their genes have commercial (stable proteins), as well as medical interest (crystallization of proteins with eucaryotic homologs involved in pathogenesis). However, further work with these genomes will require the development of genetic tools for these hyperthermophiles. The complete understanding of genome evolution, structure and function will require the sequencing of many genomes at the different levels of the evolutionary scale. Sequencing of genomes from closely related organisms can be relevant to study genome plasticity, whilst sequencing of genome from different domains (Archaea, Bacteria, Eucarya) can help to reconstruct the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA). The latter is a difficult task and will require not only classical molecular phylogenetic studies (which can be sometimes greatly misleading) but also in depth comparative analyses of all central genetic mechanisms in the three domains to infer their respective evolution. The fundamental problem is to determine if the compact genome of procaryotes is indeed a primitive one (as suggested by the term procaryote itself) or if it has been compacted from a more complex one by evolutionary forces related to the procaryotic way of life. Finally, taking into account the extreme diversity of procaryotes and their metabolism, it should be kept in mind that beside a core of genes essential for cellular life, the myriad of procaryotic genomes contain a mine of non essential genes with potential commercial or medical application. The total number of these genes probably outnumber the total number of eucaryotic genes.
Experiential Knowledge: A New Concept for the Analysis of Self-Help Groups

Experiential knowledge (truth based on personal experience with a phenomenon) is introduced as a new analytical concept that characterizes self-help groups. The attributes of experiential and professional knowledge are compared. This new concept is useful in considering the theoretical and practical issues regarding the relationship between self-help groups and professionals.
Pleiotropic plasma membrane ATPase mutations of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We isolated a large number of mutations in the structural gene for the plasma membrane ATPase (PMA1) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These mutations were selected by their resistance to the aminoglycoside antibiotic hygromycin B. Biochemical analysis of purified membrane preparations showed that the plasma membrane ATPase activity of the mutants was reduced as much as 75%. Intragenic complementation of pma1 mutants suggested that the yeast plasma membrane ATPase was a multimeric enzyme. The pma1 mutants were apparently defective in maintaining internal pH; more than half of the mutants were unable to grow either at a low pH or in the presence of a weak acid. Most pma1 mutants were also osmotic pressure sensitive. At a very low temperature (5 degrees C) many pma1 mutants were unable to grow and were arrested as unbudded cells. The three most severely affected mutants were also unable to grow in the presence of NH4+. The most extreme mutant exhibited a severe defect in progression through the cell cycle; on synthetic medium, the cells progressively accumulated nucleus-containing small buds that generally failed to complete bud enlargement and cytokinesis. Most of the pleiotropic phenotypes of pma1 mutants could be suppressed by the addition of 50 mM KCl but not NaCl to the medium.
In the End It All Makes Sense

This study explored psychological well-being in Australian adults with a particular focus on meaning in life. Older adults (N = 57) reported lower levels of search for meaning and higher levels of presence of meaning than young adults (N = 208) suggesting that both groups were able to distinguish between the two aspects of meaning. For older adults, higher presence was associated with better mental health and well-being outcomes, regardless of level of search. For the young adults, higher presence and lower search was associated with better outcomes. These results suggest that presence of meaning is an important aspect of well-being for older adults living in a high income English-speaking country and may be an important focus when working with depressed or anxious older adults, while both presence of, and search for meaning may be more meaningful therapeutic targets when working with depressed or anxious younger adults. Theoretical implications are discussed.
Acid suppression and gastri atrophy: sifting fact from fiction

Prolonged pharmacological acid suppression is associated with various histological changes in the gastric mucosa, particularly in Helicobacter pylori infected patients. In a number of subjects these changes include a shift in the gastric inflammation from the antrum to the corpus. This finding has been interpreted as gastric atrophy, and the possibility that acid suppression accelerates the progress of lesions that may lead to gastric cancer has been considered. Two recent studies on the relation between treatment with proton pump inhibitors and atrophic gastritis have yielded apparently contradictory results. These studies are reviewed in detail here and some of the possible reasons for the discrepant conclusions are explored. In particular, the way the terms "gastric atrophy" and "atrophic gastritis" are used is examined critically.
Retinoid-induced apoptosis and Sp1 cleavage occur independently of transcription and require caspase activation

Vitamin A and its derivatives, the retinoids, are essential regulators of many important biological functions, including cell growth and differentiation, development, homeostasis, and carcinogenesis. Natural retinoids such as all-trans retinoic acid can induce cell differentiation and inhibit growth of certain cancer cells. We recently identified a novel class of synthetic retinoids with strong anti-cancer cell activities in vitro and in vivo which can induce apoptosis in several cancer cell lines. Using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we analyzed the DNA binding activity of several transcription factors in T cells treated with apoptotic retinoids. We found that the DNA binding activity of the general transcription factor Sp1 is lost in retinoid-treated T cells undergoing apoptosis. A truncated Sp1 protein is detected by immunoblot analysis, and cytosolic protein extracts prepared from apoptotic cells contain a protease activity which specifically cleaves purified Sp1 in vitro. This proteolysis of Sp1 can be inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and iodoacetamide, indicating that a cysteine protease mediates cleavage of Sp1. Furthermore, inhibition of Sp1 cleavage by ZVAD-fmk and ZDEVD-fmk suggests that caspases are directly involved in this event. In fact, caspases 2 and 3 are activated in T cells after treatment with apoptotic retinoids. The peptide inhibitors also blocked retinoid-induced apoptosis, as well as processing of caspases and proteolysis of Sp1 and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase in intact cells. Degradation of Sp1 occurs early during apoptosis and is therefore likely to have profound effects on the basal transcription status of the cell. Interestingly, retinoid-induced apoptosis does not require de novo mRNA and protein synthesis, suggesting that a novel mechanism of retinoid signaling is involved, triggering cell death in a transcriptional activation-independent, caspase-dependent manner.
Teaching the clinical encounter in psychiatry: a trial of Balint groups for medical students

Objective: Balint groups are being trialled as a method to facilitate understanding of the relational aspects of student encounters with psychiatric patients. This paper reports on the establishment, processes and trends in the student evaluations of these groups. Method: The groups have been introduced as part of the medical student curriculum at a tertiary referral hospital. In six of the eight weeks of the clinical rotation in psychiatry, students meet in a group led by the authors, to discuss relational aspects of their interactions with patients. Ten third-year postgraduate medical students participate in the group each rotation. The educational value of each meeting and the group overall is assessed using questionnaires. Results: The groups tended to be rated positively by the participants. However, students were less certain of the relevance to their clinical practice. Vignettes demonstrating aspects of group process are presented in the context of the leaders’ experiential account. Conclusions: Short-term clinical reflection groups can be effectively implemented for medical students in a hospital environment. These groups have the potential to support students in the process of learning to work in doctor–patient relationships, but may encounter significant challenges necessitating adaptation of method and process to context.
Previsão de respostas a tratamentos de linhas celulares cancerígenas

O cancro e uma das doencas com maior indice de mortalidade em todo mundo. Para perceber asdiferentes origens da doenca, bem como para facilitar o desenvolvimento de novas formas de atratar, os laboratorios cultivam,in vitro, celulas cancerigenas (cell lines), colhidas em pacientescom cancro. Estas linhas celulares permitem aos investigadores testar novas abordagens e teremum processo adequado para comparacao de resultados.No instituto EMBL-EBI (Cambridge, Reino Unido) foi realizado um estudo em que o efeitode um grande numero de moleculas foi laboratorialmente testado no tratamento de linhas celularescom diversos tipos de cancro. Esse estudo incluiu ainda a utilizacao de algoritmos de Aprendiza-gem Computacional (Machine Learning) na construcao de modelos usados para prever o grau deeficacia de farmacos no tratamento do cancro.Os metodos usados no estudo original baseiam-se em algoritmos que constroem modelos comum nivel de representacao equivalente a logica proposicional. Os resultados reportados nesse es-tudo sao promissores mas, pensamos nos, podem ser melhorados. Outra limitacao dos algoritmosusados no estudo original e a ausencia ou limitacao de compreensibilidade dos modelos construi-dos. Em areas das Ciencias da Vida, a possibilidade de compreender o modelo de previsao e umamais-valia para ajudar o especialista a compreender o fenomeno que produziu os dados.O trabalho da dissertacao que propomos tem dois objetivos: i) melhorar o desempenho dosmetodos de previsao; e ii) melhorar a compreensibilidade dos modelos construidos. Para satisfazer estes objetivos e proposto a utilizacao de algoritmosInductive Logic Programming(ILP) ecomputacao evolutiva (Evolutionary computation).
Is Podarcis hispanica a Species Complex ?

Phylogenetic relationships between species and morphotypes of Podarcis wall lizards from the Iberian Peninsula and north Africa were estimated using partial 12S rRNA and cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA sequences. All species except Podarcis hispanica form monophyletic units. P. hispanica is paraphyletic, although all identified morphotypes are monophyletic. These morphotypes represent highly divergent lineages showing 10–15% pairwise sequence divergence with the cytochrome b gene. The data suggest that P. hispanica is a species complex. We recommend using P. hispanica* until additional sampling delimits the number and ranges of species currently referred to P. hispanica. P. carbonelli, which has recently been raised to species status, is confirmed as a genetically distinct form. P. atrata is genetically distinct, but much more closely related to some populations of P. hispanica than previously thought. © 2002 Elsevier
The technique of single stage pure robotic nephroureterectomy.

PURPOSE To describe a novel technique for a single setup approach for robotic radical nephroureterectomy (RANU) that does not require patient repositioning, port reassignment, or redocking of the robotic arms. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty consecutive patients underwent RANU at a single institution between January 2009 and January 2012. We implemented a unique port placement strategy based on a modified paramedian line (MPL), which allowed sufficient access to both the upper abdomen and the deep pelvis for radical NU with bladder cuff excision and concomitant lymphadenectomy. RESULTS The mean operative time was 161.3 minutes (range 91-330 minutes), mean estimated blood loss was 98.8 (range 50-200), and the mean hospital stay was 3 days (median 2 days, range 1-16 days). None of the procedures were converted to open or required blood transfusions. Lymphadenectomy was performed on 16 out of 20 patients, and the mean number of lymph nodes removed per patient when lymphadenectomy was performed was 14.1 (range 2-35). Three patients had positive lymph nodes. One patient had prolonged postoperative ileus, and one had a hospital course that was complicated by pneumonia. Mean patient follow-up was 13.5 months (range 1-24 months); one patient was found to have a recurrence at 3 month follow-up. CONCLUSION The use of our MPL line for novel port placement allows for an effective, efficient, and reproducible method for RANU without the need for repositioning of the patient or the robot.