Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Roles of Integrative and Instrumental Motivation on English Language Acquisition among Iranian Medical and Dentistry Students

Motivation is an important aspect of language acquisition. This study was devised to determine the motivational orientations of medical and dentistry students at Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences (RUMS) in English language acquisition. In this cross- descriptive study, 200 students of the dentistry and medical schools were chosen by census sampling method in 2009. The data gathering method was the integrative and instrumental motivation scale of Gardner, which was adapted to a 5 point likert's scale ranging from strongly disagree (1) to disagree (2), neutral (3), agree (4) and strongly agree (5). The questions of 1-12 indicated the integrative and 13-25 indicated the instrumentality motivation. Two open ended question were included to measure language self efficacy of the students to rate their own English proficiency level and elicit qualitative information to see whether there has been any change in the level of their motivation. The data were analyzed, using SPSS14, t test and Chi square: The results indicated that the students were highly motivated to learn English and there was no statistically significant differences on instrumental versus integrative motivational orientations of these students (p=0.07). This study indicated high motivation for learning English among the medical and dentistry students at RUMS. Considering the importance of learning English for the students, language teachers and program developers should assist the students and plan better and comprehensive programs for teaching English at the university level which would include involving the students in the actual use of the English language.
Europeans and Biotechnology in 2002

Martin W. Bauer, Nicola Lindsay and Morag Brocklehurst (UK) Wolfgang Wagner, Helge Torgersen, Nicole Kronberger and Petra Grabner (Austria) Erling Jelsoe, Arne Mortensen, Jesper Lassen and Mercy Wambui Kamara (Denmark) Timo Rusanen and Maria Rusanen (Finland) Daniel Boy, Suzanne de Cheveigne, Julie Bardes and Jacqueline Chervin (France) Jurgen Hampel, Matthias Kohring and Joerg Matthes (Germany) Giorgos Sakellaris and Aglaia Chatjouli (Greece) Agnes Allansdottir and Francesca Matteuci (Italy) Cees Midden, Anneleos Meijnders and Jan Gutteling (Netherlands) Torben Hviid Nielsen and Siv Froydis Berg (Norway) Tomasz Twardowski and Andrzej Przestalski (Poland) Correia Jesuino, Carmen Diego (Portugal) Bjorn Fjaestad, Susanna Ohman and Anna Olofsson (Sweden) Heinz Bonfadelli and Urs Dahinden and Martina Leonarz (Switzerland)
Humanin Derivatives Inhibit Necrotic Cell Death in Neurons

Humanin and its derivatives are peptides known for their protective antiapoptotic effects against Alzheimer’s disease. Herein, we identify a novel function of the humanin-derivative AGA(C8R)-HNG17 (namely, protection against cellular necrosis). Necrosis is one of the main modes of cell death, which was until recently considered an unmoderated process. However, recent findings suggest the opposite. We have found that AGA(C8R)-HNG17 confers protection against necrosis in the neuronal cell lines PC-12 and NSC-34, where necrosis is induced in a glucose-free medium by either chemohypoxia or by a shift from apoptosis to necrosis. Our studies in traumatic brain injury models in mice, where necrosis is the main mode of neuronal cell death, have shown that AGA(C8R)-HNG17 has a protective effect. This result is demonstrated by a decrease in a neuronal severity score and by a reduction in brain edema, as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An insight into the peptide’s antinecrotic mechanism was attained through measurements of cellular ATP levels in PC-12 cells under necrotic conditions, showing that the peptide mitigates a necrosis-associated decrease in ATP levels. Further, we demonstrate the peptide’s direct enhancement of the activity of ATP synthase activity, isolated from rat-liver mitochondria, suggesting that AGA(C8R)-HNG17 targets the mitochondria and regulates cellular ATP levels. Thus, AGA(C8R)-HNG17 has potential use for the development of drug therapies for necrosis-related diseases, for example, traumatic brain injury, stroke, myocardial infarction, and other conditions for which no efficient drug-based treatment is currently available. Finally, this study provides new insight into the mechanisms underlying the antinecrotic mode of action of AGA(C8R)-HNG17.
Fibrinogen in obesity before and after weight reduction.

Several studies have shown that obesity is associated with atherosclerosis. The reason may be that there is often a gathering together of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in obesity. Recently plasma fibrinogen level has been identified as an important cardiovascular risk factor. The aim of the study was to investigate fibrinogen levels in obesity before and after weight reduction. Obese but otherwise healthy patients with overweight problems were studied. 448 female patients (39.1 +/- 13.2 years, body mass index 38.7 kg/m2) and 136 male patients (39.4 +/- 12.8 years, body mass index 40.7 kg/m2) were examined after overnight fasting. Sixty patients (44 female, 16 male) were studied after 9.5 +/- 6.2 month of dieting (1200 kcal/day: 20% protein, 30% fat and 50% carbohydrates). The weight loss was 16.7 +/- 11.0 kg in the female and 16.2 +/- 6.7 kg in the male patients, and blood pressure, triglycerides, blood glucose and uric acid had declined. The fibrinogen level correlated with the body mass index, the waist circumference, the hip circumference and the waist to hip ratio. The fibrinogen level also correlated with insulin. A partial correlation of fibrinogen and insulin continued to exist after removing the linear effects of the other variables measured. After weight reduction, the level of fibrinogen was lower. In patients with extreme overweight and high fibrinogen levels, who reduced their BMI by 7.4 +/- 1.24 kg/m2, the weight loss correlated with the decrease in fibrinogen. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Adolescent psychological problems, partnership transitions and adult mental health: an investigation of selection effects

Background. Marital status is a strong correlate of psychiatric morbidity in adulthood, but debate continues on how far this association reflects causal influences or selection effects based on prior psychological characteristics. Method. Prospective data from the National Child Development Study were used to examine effects of adolescent emotional and behavioural problems on transitions into and out of first partnerships, and their implications for psychiatric morbidity at age 33. Results. Emotional and behavioural problems in adolescence showed systematic links with early partnership transitions (age at partnership formation, type of first partnership, and risks of first partnership breakdown). More detailed tests suggested that these effects only accounted for a modest proportion of the associations between partnership status and psychiatric morbidity at age 33. Conclusions. In a non-referred community sample selection effects associated with adolescent emotional and behavioural problems appear to play only a modest role in links between partnership status and adult mental health.
Mannose-binding protein genetic polymorphisms in black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether dysfunctional or deficient mannose-binding protein (MBP) variants are found with increased frequency in black patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) compared with controls. METHODS Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction amplification of 4 different polymorphic sites was performed on samples from 92 black SLE patients and 86 geographically matched black controls. RESULTS Two structural polymorphisms of MBP, associated with low serum levels of MBP, were found with significantly increased frequency in the SLE patient population compared with controls. In contrast, a promoter haplotype associated with particularly high serum levels of MBP was negatively associated with SLE. CONCLUSION Deficiencies of MBP predispose individuals to SLE.
Comparison of inhalation toxicity studies of gentamicin in rats and dogs

Abstract Nebulized gentamicin solution was administered to rats (nose-only) and dogs (face mask) for 14 days with a 14-day recovery period. Control groups of each were exposed to saline aerosols. Mean estimated inhaled lung doses of gentamicin were 39, 123 and 245 mg/kg for rats (deposited doses 6, 17 and 34 mg/kg) over 30, 90 and 180 min, respectively. Since dogs do not tolerate exposures as long as rats, inhaled lung doses were limited to 7, 14 and 41 mg/kg (deposited doses of 1, 3 and 8 mg/kg) over 15, 30 and 60 min. Comparable doses were achieved at the low dose for rats and high dose for dogs. Serum AUCs (14 ± 2 µg/mL*h (mean ± SD) at 6 mg/kg in rats and 11 ± 7 µg/mL*h at 8 mg/kg in dogs) showed comparable exposure between the two, implying similar absorbed doses and confirming similar deposited lung doses. Rat exposures resulted in dose-related lung pathology (including low dose) manifested as upper respiratory tract irritant reactions with alveolar histiocytosis, inflammation, airway epithelial metaplasia and lymphomegaly in lung tissue. This was associated with high lung tissue gentamicin levels 24 h post-dose on Day 14 (375 ± 33 µg/g at deposited dose of 6 mg/kg). Dose-related kidney tubular necrosis (a well-known toxicity of parenteral gentamicin) was observed, but no test-article related effects on lung histopathology in dogs (even at highest deposited dose of 8 mg/kg) and low levels of lung tissue gentamicin (42 ± 11 µg/g) 24 h post-dose on Day 14.
Effects of route of administration and blood flow on hepatic drug elimination.

The effects of route of administration and blood flow on the elimination of lidocaine, diphenylhydantoin and propranolol have been investigated in the isolated perfused rat liver. After administration directly into the portal vein, drug concentrations in the reservoir were the same at a given flow rate as concentrations in the hepatic vein after drug was placed directly into the reservoir. The apparent clearance of the drug calculated from these concentrations gave an estimate of intrinsic drug clearance, which is an estimate of the activity of the drug-metabolizing enzymes. Intrinsic clearance is defined as drug clearance when flow is not rate limiting and therefore should be independent of flow. This was confirmed by showing that, at steady state, neither hepatic venous drug concentrations nor concentrations in the reservoir after portal venous administration of lidocaine were affected by altering hepatic blood flow from 10 to 20 ml/min. Propranolol was given as a single dose into the reservoir at flows of 10 and 20 ml/min. The area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) in the reservoir was decreased by increased flow, but AUC for hepatic venous blood was unchanged. Although AUC in hepatic venous blood was unchanged. Although AUC in hepatic venous blood was unchanged, higher peak concentrations and a more rapid half-life was seen in keeping with the clearance of drug from the reservoir. These data suggest that after oral drug administration, steady-state concentrations or AUC in systemic blood is dependent only on the activity of the enzymes involved (i.e., intrinsic clearance) and unaffected by flow, provided drug is completely absorbed and eliminated only by the liver. Furthermore, this will apply even to drugs whose systemic clearance and drug half-life after i.v. administration is profoundly affected by altered hepatic blood flow.
Teicoplanin in open fractures: a preliminary report.

The occurrence of infection following open fractures varies with the severity of the fracture and associated soft tissue damage. In order to study the effect of antibiotics given prophylactically, teicoplanin has been used in a prospective study. On admission, fractures were graded according to the severity of the tissue damage: Type I--soft tissue injury less than 1 cm Type II--soft tissue injury more than 1 cm. Type III fractures characterized by extensive soft tissue and bone damage were not included in the study. Type I patients were given a single dose of teicoplanin, 400 mg i.v. ; Type II patients were given a single dose of teicoplanin, 400 mg i.v. , followed by two further intravenous injections at 12 and 24 hours. Patients were assessed for the presence of wound and bone infections and follow up was for 1 year. Preliminary results, predominantly from Type II fractures involving long bones, show that teicoplanin is effective in lowering the incidence of infection following open fractures.
Incidence and prevalence of upper-limb work related musculoskeletal disorders: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common work-related diseases. Frequently this association is thought to have a temporal cause-effect relation. The absence of accessible diagnostic criteria and ethological cause-effect demonstration are probably important reasons for the lack of good evidence data on these pathologies. OBJECTIVE For these reasons, the authors aim to present a systematic review on prevalence and incidence of the upper limb WRMSD. METHODS The survey was conducted for papers published between January 1st, 2000 and July 2012, according to the PRISMA statement (2009) guidelines. RESULTS From the 2016 papers obtained, 94 met the qualitative selection criteria. From these 27 address upper-limb WRMSD, and 17 present data on prevalence or incidence on upper-limb musculoskeletal diseases, six of them with a control group. Annual incidence ranges from 0.08 to 6.3, and prevalence from 0.14 to 14.9. Rotator cuff syndrome among shoe industry workers, present the highest incidence, and cubital, radial or ulnar nerve entrapment, the highest prevalence among a miscellaneous group of workers. CONCLUSIONS More studies are needed to clarify the relation between work and WRMSD's, especially prospective investigations from different economic sectors and work activities, but with similar, reproducible and comparable methodologies.
A comparison of differential evolution and Harmony Search methods for SVM model selection in hyperspectral image classification

Support vector machines is a very popular method in classification of hyperspectral images due to their good generalization capability even with a limited number of training datasets. However, the performance of SVM strongly depends on selection of kernel parameters when RBF kernel is used. In order to achieve a high classification performance, the kernel parameters, that are the value of regularization term and kernel width, should optimally be chosen. In this work, the use of recently developed evolutionary optimization methods, harmony search and differential evolution methods, are investigated in the context of hyperspectral image classification for the first time in this paper. The experimental results showed that these methods provide fast and accurate results in comparison to classical grid search approach.
Electrochemical, UV-Visible and EPR studies on nitrofurantoin: Nitro radical anion generation and its interaction with glutathione

This paper deals with the reactivity of the nitro radical anion electrochemically generated from nitrofurantoin with glutathione. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) and controlled potential electrolysis were used to generate the nitro radical anion in situ and in bulk solution, respectively and cyclic voltammetry, UV-Visible and EPR spectroscopy were used to characterize the electrochemically formed radical and to study its interaction with GSH. By cyclic voltammetry on a hanging mercury drop electrode, the formation of the nitro radical anion was possible in mixed media (0.015M aqueous citrate/DMF, 40/60, pH 9) and in aprotic media. A second order decay of the radicals was determined, with a k2 value of 201 and 111M-1 s-1, respectively. Controlled potential electrolysis generated the radical and its detection by cyclic voltammetry, UV-Visible and EPR spectroscopy was possible. When glutathione (GSH) was added to the solution, an unambiguous decay in the signals corresponding to a nitro radical anion were observed and using a spin trapping technique, a thiyl radical was detected. Electrochemical and spectroscopic data indicated that it is possible to generate the nitro radical anion from nitrofurantoin in solution and that GSH scavenged this reactive species, in contrast with other authors, which previously reported no interaction between them.
Elastase Release of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor in Pulmonary Fibroblast Cultures Results in Down-regulation of Elastin Gene Transcription

We have reported previously that a factor released by elastase treatment of pulmonary fibroblast cultures is capable of down-regulating elastin gene expression. In the present study we have pursued the identification of the factor released by elastase treatment and the characterization of the level of elastin gene expression at which this factor exerts its effect. We have found by immunologic and biochemical procedures that elastase treatment results in the release of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) that is bound within the matrix. Both purified bFGF and bFGF released by elastase from cell matrices decrease the transcriptional level of the elastin gene by 70-80% within 24 h. Transient transfections of pulmonary fibroblasts with a series of elastin promoter deletion constructs show that the region of the elastin gene responsive to bFGF is located within sequences spanning −900 to −200 base pairs. The biological implications of these findings coupled with our previous report are significant, since they demonstrate that elastase digestion of pulmonary fibroblast matrices not only results in the proteolysis of elastin but also results in the release of a potent regulator of elastin gene transcription whose activity can influence repair mechanisms.
Neutrophil Elastase Acts as a Biased Agonist for Proteinase-activated Receptor-2 (PAR2)*

Human neutrophil proteinases (elastase, proteinase-3, and cathepsin-G) are released at sites of acute inflammation. We hypothesized that these inflammation-associated proteinases can affect cell signaling by targeting proteinase-activated receptor-2 (PAR2). The PAR family of G protein-coupled receptors is triggered by a unique mechanism involving the proteolytic unmasking of an N-terminal self-activating tethered ligand (TL). Proteinases can either activate PAR signaling by unmasking the TL sequence or disarm the receptor for subsequent enzyme activation by cleaving downstream from the TL sequence. We found that none of neutrophil elastase, cathepsin-G, and proteinase-3 can activate Gq-coupled PAR2 calcium signaling; but all of these proteinases can disarm PAR2, releasing the N-terminal TL sequence, thereby preventing Gq-coupled PAR2 signaling by trypsin. Interestingly, elastase (but neither cathepsin-G nor proteinase-3) causes a TL-independent PAR2-mediated activation of MAPK that, unlike the canonical trypsin activation, does not involve either receptor internalization or recruitment of β-arrestin. Cleavage of synthetic peptides derived from the extracellular N terminus of PAR2, downstream of the TL sequence, demonstrated distinct proteolytic sites for all three neutrophil-derived enzymes. We conclude that in inflammation, neutrophil proteinases can modulate PAR2 signaling by preventing/disarming the Gq/calcium signal pathway and, via elastase, can selectively activate the p44/42 MAPK pathway. Our data illustrate a new mode of PAR regulation that involves biased PAR2 signaling by neutrophil elastase and a disarming/silencing effect of cathepsin-G and proteinase-3.
Clinical features and neuroimaging (CT and MRI) findings in presumed Zika virus related congenital infection and microcephaly: retrospective case series study

Objective To report radiological findings observed in computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the first cases of congenital infection and microcephaly presumably associated with the Zika virus in the current Brazilian epidemic. Design Retrospective study with a case series. Setting Association for Assistance of Disabled Children (AACD), Pernambuco state, Brazil. Participants 23 children with a diagnosis of congenital infection presumably associated with the Zika virus during the Brazilian microcephaly epidemic. Main outcome measures Types of abnormalities and the radiological pattern of lesions identified on CT and MRI brain scans. Results Six of the 23 children tested positive for IgM antibodies to Zika virus in cerebrospinal fluid. The other 17 children met the protocol criteria for congenital infection presumably associated with the Zika virus, even without being tested for IgM antibodies to the virus—the test was not yet available on a routine basis. Of the 23 children, 15 underwent CT, seven underwent both CT and MRI, and one underwent MRI. Of the 22 children who underwent CT, all had calcifications in the junction between cortical and subcortical white matter, 21 (95%) had malformations of cortical development, 20 (91%) had a decreased brain volume, 19 (86%) had ventriculomegaly, and 11 (50%) had hypoplasia of the cerebellum or brainstem. Of the eight children who underwent MRI, all had calcifications in the junction between cortical and subcortical white matter, malformations of cortical development occurring predominantly in the frontal lobes, and ventriculomegaly. Seven of the eight (88%) children had enlarged cisterna magna, seven (88%) delayed myelination, and six each (75%) a moderate to severe decrease in brain volume, simplified gyral pattern, and abnormalities of the corpus callosum (38% hypogenesis and 38% hypoplasia). Malformations were symmetrical in 75% of the cases. Conclusion Severe cerebral damage was found on imaging in most of the children in this case series with congenital infection presumably associated with the Zika virus. The features most commonly found were brain calcifications in the junction between cortical and subcortical white matter associated with malformations of cortical development, often with a simplified gyral pattern and predominance of pachygyria or polymicrogyria in the frontal lobes. Additional findings were enlarged cisterna magna, abnormalities of corpus callosum (hypoplasia or hypogenesis), ventriculomegaly, delayed myelination, and hypoplasia of the cerebellum and the brainstem.
The outcome of endodontic resurgery: a systematic review.

AIM The aim of this paper is to establish an outcome standard for the assessment of healing radiographically after resurgery of persistent periradicular lesions by systematically reviewing the results from published studies. METHODOLOGY The systematic review process requires the definition of predetermined criteria delineating the inclusion parameters of studies reviewed. Of 42 papers that were reviewed, eight qualified for inclusion. A weighted-average was calculated from the results taken from the eight eligible, peer-reviewed studies, published between 1970 and 1997. RESULTS Three hundred and thirty patients out of 2375 (14%) from the included studies underwent resurgery for failure of healing as determined radiographically. Of this population, 35.7% healed successfully after resurgery, 26.3% healed with uncertain results and 38% did not heal at the one-year follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Although there is nearly equal distribution of results between all categories, a 35.7% rate of healing as assessed radiographically is essentially equivalent to the 38% failure rate. This paper will allow an evaluation of current research results to establish an outcome standard and enable techniques and filling materials to be evaluated and compared. Furthermore, the outcome standard can assist in defining demographic and aetiological factors that contribute to the potential outcome of resurgery cases.