Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using an eHealth Intervention to Stimulate Health Behavior for the Prevention of Cognitive Decline in Dutch Adults: A Study Protocol for the Brain Aging Monitor

Background Internet-delivered intervention programs are an effective way of changing health behavior in an aging population. The same population has an increasing number of people with cognitive decline or cognitive impairments. Modifiable lifestyle risk factors such as physical activity, nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep, and stress all influence the probability of developing neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. Objective This study aims to answer two questions: (1) Is the use of a self-motivated, complex eHealth intervention effective in changing multiple health behaviors related to cognitive aging in Dutch adults in the work force, especially those aged 40 and over? and (2) Does this health behavior change result in healthier cognitive aging patterns and contribute to preventing or delaying future onset of neurodegenerative syndromes? Methods The Brain Aging Monitor study uses a quasi-experimental 2-year pre-posttest design. The Brain Aging Monitor is an online, self-motivated lifestyle intervention program. Recruitment is done both in medium to large organizations and in the Dutch general population over the age of 40. The main outcome measure is the relationship between lifestyle change and cognitive aging. The program uses different strategies and modalities such as Web content, email, online newsletters, and online games to aid its users in behavior change. To build self-regulatory skills, the Brain Aging Monitor offers its users goal-setting activities, skill-building activities, and self-monitoring. Results Study results are expected to be published in early 2016. Conclusions This study will add to the body of evidence on the effectiveness of eHealth intervention programs with the combined use of state-of-the-art applied games and established behavior change techniques. This will lead to new insights on how to use behavior change techniques and theory in multidimensional lifestyle eHealth research, and how these techniques and theories apply when they are used in a setting where no professional back-end is available. Trial Registration Nederlands Trial Register: NTR4144; http://www.trialregister. nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp? TC=4144 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6cZzwZSg3)
Oridonin induces apoptosis of HeLa cells via altering expression of Bcl-2 ／ Bax and activating caspase-3 ／ ICAD pathway

To study the mechanisms by which oridonin inhibited HeLa cell growth in vitro. METHODS: Viability of oridonin-induced HeLa cells was measured by MTT assay. Apoptotic cells with condensed nuclei were visualized by phase contrast microscopy. Nucleosomal DNA fragmentation was assayed by agarose gel electrophoresis.Caspase activity was assayed using fluorometric protease assay. ICAD, Bcl-2, and Bax proteins expression were detected by Western blot analysis. RESULTS: Oridonin induced oligonucleosomal fragmentation of DNA and increased caspase-3 activity, on the other hand, reduced the expression of inhibitor of caspase-3-activated DNase (ICAD), a caspase-3 substrate, at 12 h in HeLa cells. Oridonin-induced DNA fragmentation, caspase-3 activation and down-regulation of ICAD expression were effectively inlfibited by a caspase-3 inhibitor, z-DEVD-fmk (z-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-fmk). However, pretreatment with an inhibitor ofpoly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), 3, 4-dihydro-5-[4-(1-piperidinyl)butoxy]-l(2H)-isoquinolinone (DPQ), did not suppress oridonin-induced HeLa cell death. In addition, oridonin-induced apoptosis was associated with an increase in the expression of the apoptosis inducer Bax, and a significant reduction in expression of the apoptosis suppressor Bcl-2 in mitochondria. CONCLUSION:Oridonin induces HeLa cells apoptosis by altering balance of Bcl-2 and Bax protein expression and activation of caspase-3/ICAD pathway.
Knowledge of breast cancer and its risk factors among Al-Quds university students in Palestine

Background: Cancer is a major public health problem globally. The incidence of cancer is escalating rapidly in many low- and middle-income countries like Palestine due to the epidemiological transition. This could be due to lack of awareness, knowledge and beliefs about breast cancer and its management among females. Aims and objectives was to determine knowledge of breast cancer risk factors, symptoms and early detection methods among Al-Quds University female students.Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study conducted over a period of 6 months in Al-Quds University. Study population was 332 female university students. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire.Results: The most widely known risk factors by the students were old age 62.7%, followed by obesity 44% and never being pregnant 30.7%. Approximately half of the students (48.8%) identified breast lump as a symptom for breast cancer. However, non lump symptoms were less known and less than half were aware of other warning signs. Only 48.5 % of students identified correctly the appropriate time to perform breast self examination.Conclusions: The findings of this study showed a low level of knowledge on breast cancer risk factors, early warning signs and BSE among female university students. Therefore, effective educational programs are required to improve the knowledge level of university students regarding breast cancer and related practices.
BMPs, TGFbetas and integrins in muscle and germ cell development in mice

We characterized the expression of PSmad1/5/8 (BMP R-Smads) and PSmad2 (TGFbeta R-Smad) during peri-implantation and gastrulation in the mouse, and further characterized the expression of PSmad2 until E12.5, showing were the BMP and TGFbeta Smad-dependent signalling pathways are active (Chapter 2, 3 and 4). The role of ALK2 (BMP signalling) and ALK5 (TGFbeta signalling) in the development of PGCs in the mouse was studied in detail. ALK2 is needed for the formation of PGCs before gastrulation occurs and it signals in the visceral endoderm, a tissue that was previously not associated with primordial germ cell formation (Chapter 3). In contrast to suggestions derived from studies in vitro, ALK5 is probably not involved in PGC migration through the hindgut and to the gonadal ridges and TGF 1 is unlikely to be a chemoattractant for PGCs as proposed (Chapter 4). However, there may be a role for TGF signalling in PGC development in controlling mitotic arrest of PGCs in the gonadal ridges. Beta1 integrin was also implicated in PGC migration to the genital ridges. Beta1 integrin has two isoforms in mice: a more common one beta1A and a muscle specific beta1D that is upregulated late during development. We studied whether the replacement of beta1A by beta1D influenced the development of PGCs, but this occurred normally and we found no evidence of an effect on migration on the genetic background used. Furthermore, beta1 integrin has been implicated in heart development. We showed that the replacement of beta1A by beta1D did not cause heart abnormalities during development. However, we were able to show a clear role for beta1A during myogenesis. The differentiation of primary myoblasts was abnormal when only beta1D was expressed, while secondary myoblasts were formed normally. Furthermore, we showed a novel role of beta1 integrin during placentation, in particular the development of the labyrinthine layer (Chapter 5). CTGF is known to crosstalk with both TGFbeta and BMP in vitro. We studied possible interactions between them, focusing on heart development, where BMP and TGFbeta are known to play prominent roles. However, we were not able to detect direct crosstalk. Both CTGF and TGFbeta are associated with fibrosis. We investigated whether CTGF and TGFbeta were expressed following experimental induction of myocardial infarction in the mouse and showed that both genes are present in particular in the scar tissue and that TGFbeta Smad-dependent signalling is transient 1 week post-infarction and largely restricted to cardiac fibroblasts (Chapter 6).
Sex estimation using subpubic angle from reconstructed three-dimensional computed tomography pelvic model in a contemporary Malaysian population

Research in forensic anthropology is recent in Malaysia due to limited access to documented skeletal collections. However, advanced imaging techniques provide virtual bone samples for use in morphometric studies to establish population-specific standards by virtual anthropology. This study examined sexual dimorphism in the subpubic angle using a three-dimensional computed tomography model of the pelvis, in a contemporary Malaysian population. The sample comprised multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) scans of 50 male and 50 female adults. Segmentation of the MDCT scans was performed using 3D Slicer, and four landmarks were acquired using Stratovan Checkpoint for the subpubic angle measurement. The technical error of measurement (TEM), relative TEM, and coefficient of reliability (R) exhibited high reliability in measurements. Results showed that the subpubic angle in males was 68.6°±7.6° and in females 87.4°±6.5°. The subpubic angle in females was significantly larger than in males (P<0.001). Inverse correlation was found between the subpubic angle and age, in both males (r=−0.449, P<0.01) and females (r=−0.385, P<0.01). The overall accuracy of sex estimation using the subpubic angle was 94% (P<0.001). The subpubic angle, with a demarcating point of 78.6°, showed a sensitivity and specificity of 94% in the classification of female individuals. In conclusion, sex estimation using the subpu bic angle is highly accurate, with a high degree of expected sensitivity and specificity in the Malaysian population.
Experience of Stigma by Women Infected with HIV by Their Husbands: A Qualitative Study

Background: HIV/AIDS stigma continues to be a social problem. Among infected patients, women who are infected with HIV by their husbands live in diﬀerent conditions. Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the psychosocial experiences of this population group. PatientsandMethods: AqualitativestudywasconductedinShiraz,Iran,toexploretheexperienceof 10womenwithHIV/AIDS.The data were gathered through two focus group discussions and analyzed using the conventional content analysis method. Results: The name HIV/AIDS entails severe fear called onomatophobia. In addition, social stigma, discrimination, and self-stigma were found to be experienced by the participants. Among those experiences, discrimination in health sectors and onomatophobia were most agonizing. Accordingly, the subjects reported they did not tend to disclose their problem in the society. Conclusions: Women with HIV/AIDS are faced with certain psychosocial pressures, and it is required to reduce discrimination and inequity against them. Alongside social attention, social work support and psychological counseling are suggested for these patients. In addition, health policymakers should pay more attention to this issue.
The eco-physiology of macroalgae from a temperate marine embayment in southern Australia

This study investigated the effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on the growth and ecophysiology of a number of dominant species of macroalgae at a site in Port Phillip Bay (PPB), a large shallow water marine embayment located on the central southern coast of Victoria, Australia. This thesis investigated the physiological processes (i.e. photosynthesis, growth, nutrient uptake) of three species of macroalgae, Hincksia sordida (Harvey) Clayton (Phaeophyta), Polysiphonia decipiens Montague (Rhodophyta) and Ulva sp. (Chlorophyta) in response to a range of environmental regimes.
Antifeedant activities of secondary metabolites from Ajuga nipponensis against Plutella xylostella

Antifeedant activities of seven chemicals isolated from Ajuga nipponensis were examined in a bioassay against 3 rd instar larvae of Plutella xylostella. Five compounds (luteolin, stigmasterol, acacetin, 20-hydroxyecdysone and fraction 1) showed significant antifeedant activities, with the AFI50 values of 1935.02, 2515.94, 6589.58, 287.58, 2171. 31µg/ml after 24h and 1853.20, 3812.24, 2581.43, 103.42, 1429. 75µg/ml respectively after 48h of treatment. The synergistic effects of mixtures of secondary compounds were studied and antifeedant index was directly related to the component and the proportion of the mixture i.e., no synergism existed between luteolin and 20hydroxyecdysone mixture, but the values of CTC for fraction 1, stigmasterol, acacetin, luteolin and 20-hydroxyecdysone mixture were up to 627.07 and 111.72 after 24 and 48h, respectively. In addition, only apigenin showed effectiveness against Diamondback moth, with a high mortality percentage and low consumed leaf area when mixed with avermectins.
ASSOCIATION OF ANAEMIA WITH DIETARY PRACTICES IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Background: Anaemia is one of the ten most serious public health problems world over. Adolescent girls are more at risk to be anaemic due to their rapid growth, hormonal changes, imbalance between food intake and requirement and onset of menarche. This may lead to impaired intellectual growth, development, immunity and reproductive abilities. This study was planned to assess the prevalence of anaemia and its association with dietary habits in adolescent girls of District Rawalpindi. Methods: This cross-sectional analytical study was conducted in six villages of two union councils of district Rawalpindi. A sample of 104 randomly selected unmarried adolescent girls (11â€“19 years) was included in the study. Portable haemoglobin meter (Hemocue) was used to estimate haemoglobin levels. Demographic data was obtained by a self-structured questionnaire. Dietary variables were collected by using food frequency questionnaire and 24 hourâ€™s dietary recall method. Analysis was done using SPSS-21 and Nutrisurvey software. Results: The study revealed that 71.2% of adolescent girls were anaemic. The prevalence of mild, moderate and severe anaemia amongst the girls was found to be 53.8%, 15.4% and 1.9% respectively. The results revealed that girls who had anaemia were also found deficient in vitamin A and zinc. Conclusion: Anaemia in girls of rural area in district Rawalpindi was found to be substantially high in younger adolescents (9â€“14 years). Anaemia was significantly associated with vitamin A and zinc deficiency. Nutritional awareness and counselling for adolescent girls in community and educational institution is recommended.
Paradox of the Primeval: Ecological Restoration in Wilderness

a pturatistic approach. H uman perceptions of wilderness vary greatly among cultures, and have evolved profoundly over time (Nash, 1973). In the United States, at the end of the twentieth century, wilderness still means different things to different people. However, the focal point of virtually any mental image of wilderness must be a wild and natural landscape that contrasts with the highly-modified world most of us live in. Wilderness anchors one end of a landscape spectrum, the end characterized by wildness, naturalness, lack of human influence and lack of human control. In this essay I explore the implications of these wilderness attributes for the practice of ecological restoration in wilderness. Although there has been considerable interest in and debate about the aims, values and appropriateness of ecological restoration, most of this discussion has been devoted to restoration of substantially modified landscapes. When the concept of wilderness is introduced into these discussions, it is usually to suggest some fundamental opposition between restoration and wilderness preservation as appropriate paradigms for environmentalism (see Barry, 1998). I avoid this polarized perspective, seeking instead to explore the role of ecological restoration in the relatively unmodified landscape of congressionally-designated wilderness areas.
Regulation of cerebral perfusion in Alzheimer’s disease: From seconds to months

Cerebral autoregulation (CA) is the mechanism that aims to maintain adequate cerebral perfusion during changes in blood pressure (BP). Transfer function analysis (TFA), the most reported method in literature to quantify CA, shows large between-study variability in outcomes. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of measurement artifacts in this variation. Specifically, the role of distortion in the BP and/or CBFV measurement on TFA outcomes was investigated. The influence of three types of artifacts on TFA outcomes was studied: loss of signal, motion artifacts, and baseline drifts. TFA metrics of signals without the simulated artifacts were compared with those of signals with artifacts. TFA outcomes scattered highly when more than 10% of BP signal or over 8% of the CBFV signal was lost, or when measurements contained one or more artifacts resulting from head movement. Furthermore, baseline drift affected interpretation of TFA outcomes when the power in the BP signal was 5 times the power in the LF band. In conclusion, loss of signal in BP and loss in CBFV, affects interpretation of TFA outcomes. Therefore, it is vital to validate signal quality to the defined standards before interpreting TFA outcomes.
Investigating the importance of self-theories of intelligence and musicality for students' academic and musical achievement

Musical abilities and active engagement with music have been shown to be positively associated with many cognitive abilities as well as social skills and academic performance in secondary school students. While there is evidence from intervention studies that musical training can be a cause of these positive relationships, recent findings in the literature have suggested that other factors, such as genetics, family background or personality traits, might also be contributing factors. In addition, there is mounting evidence that self-concepts and beliefs can affect academic performance independently of intellectual ability. Students who believe that intelligence is malleable are more likely to attribute poor academic performances to effort rather than ability, and are more likely to take remedial action to improve their performance. However, it is currently not known whether student's beliefs about the nature of musical talent also influence the development of musical abilities in a similar fashion. Therefore, this study introduces a short self-report measure termed “Musical Self-Theories and Goals,” closely modeled on validated measures for self-theories in academic scenarios. Using this measure the study investigates whether musical self-theories are related to students' musical development as indexed by their concurrent musical activities and their performance on a battery of listening tests. We use data from a cross-sectional sample of 313 secondary school students to construct a network model describing the relationships between self-theories and academic as well as musical outcome measures, while also assessing potential effects of intelligence and the Big Five personality dimensions. Results from the network model indicate that self-theories of intelligence and musicality are closely related. In addition, both kinds of self-theories are connected to the students' academic achievement through the personality dimension conscientiousness and academic effort. Finally, applying the do-calculus method to the network model we estimate that the size of the assumed causal effects between musical self-theories and academic achievement lie between 0.07 and 0.15 standard deviations.
The use of novel tumour markers and statistical models in the preoperative diagnosis of ovarian cancer

9 Declaration 11 Acknowledgements 12 Abbreviations 13 Chapter 1: Literature Review 15 1.1 Epidemiology and importance of ovarian cancer 16 1.2 The management of women with an adnexal mass 21 1.3 The diagnosis of ovarian cancer 25 1.4 Ultrasound 27 1.4. 1 The physics of gray scale ultrasound 27 1.4. 2 The physics of Doppler 29 1.4. 3 History of ultrasound 33 1.4. 4 Morphology 34 1.4. 5 IOTA classification of morphology 42 1.4. 6 Subjective assessment 46 1.4. 7 Doppler assessment 46 1.5 Serum Tumour Markers 51 1.5. 1 CA125 51 1.5. 2 CA19.9 54 1.5. 3 CA72.4 58 1.5. 4 CA15.3 60 1.5. 5 Her-2/neu 62 1.6 Statistical models 65 1.6. 1 Risk of malignancy indices 65 1.6. 2 Logistic regression models 67 1.6. 3 Artificial neural networks 70 1.6. 4 Decision trees 75 1.6. 5 Validation of prognostic models 77 1.6. 6 Prospective validation of models 79 1.6. 7 Small masses 83 1.7 Hypotheses 86 1.8 Aims of the Thesis 87 Chapter 2: General Methods 88 2.1 Setting: The Early Pregnancy & Gynaecology Assessment 89 Unit (EPAGU), King's College Hospital, London 2.2 Subjects 91 2.3 Data collection 93 2.4 Ultrasound examination 94
Aspirin‐triggered lipoxins enhance resolution of myeloperoxidase‐mediated lung inflammation by promoting neutrophil apoptosis

We have reported that myeloperoxidase (MPO) prolongs carrageenan‐induced lung injury parallel with suppression of neutrophil apoptosis in a mouse model of inflammation. Since aspirin‐triggered 15‐epi‐lipoxin A4 (15‐epi‐LXA4) overrides MPO signaling in neutrophils in vitro, we investigated the impact of 15‐epi‐LXA4 on the resolution of lung inflammation. Treatment of mice with 15‐epi‐LXA4 accelerated the resolution of established inflammation when administered intravenously at the peak of inflammation evoked by carrageenan plus MPO. 15‐epi‐LXA4 produced decreases in bronchoalveolar neutrophil accumulation and increased the number of monocytes/macrophages. 15‐epi‐LXA4 reduced lung injury, tissue MPO content, attenuated edema formation and IL‐6 release. 15‐epi‐LXA4 augmented DNA fragmentation and caspase‐3 activity in bronchoalveolar neutrophils. Decreases in neutrophil number occurred parallel with increases in the percentage of apoptotic neutrophils and the percentage of macrophages containing apoptotic bodies. Co‐treatement with the pan‐caspase inhibitor zVAD‐fmk fully abolished the beneficial actions of 15‐epi‐LXA4. Our results indicate that aspirin‐triggered 15‐epi‐LXA4 overrides the anti‐apoptosis signal of MPO in neutrophils, thereby demonstrating a hitherto unrecognized mechanism by which aspirin could promote resolution of inflammation. (Support: CIHR MOP‐64283).
100% Tart cherry juice reduces pro‐inflammatory biomarkers in overweight and obese subjects

Subclinical inflammation is frequently noted in chronic disease including diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and obesity. Accumulating epidemiological evidence shows that diets rich in fruits, e.g., cherries, may significantly reduce risk, in part, via antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities. In this randomized, placebo‐controlled crossover study, we recruited 10 participants (38.1 ± 12.5 y; 8 females, 2 males) with BMI>25.0 (32.2 ± 4.6; 5 obese, 5 overweight) to consume 8 fl. oz. daily of either 100% tart cherry juice or an alternate placebo beverage, for 4 weeks each with a 2 week intervening washout period. Fasting blood samples were collected at the beginning and end of each arm for measurement of biomarkers of inflammation. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), an indicator of chronic inflammation, was significantly (p<0.05) lower with treatment than with the placebo beverage. Baseline hsCRP, an indicator of acute inflammation, was 7.0 ± 5.2 mg/l indicating increased CVD risk in these participants. Consumption of cherry juice did not affect hsCRP levels. The chemokine MCP1 and cytokine TNF‐alpha were lower (p<0.05) in participants that started the trial with cherry juice compared to the placebo beverage. Plasma IL‐6 and IL‐10 were not different between treatments. Collectively, the data suggest that 100% tart cherry juice may reduce biomarkers of inflammation often noted in chronic disease.