Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Triandis model for the study of health and illness behavior: A social behavior theory with sensitivity to diversity

The Triandis model of social behavior offers exceptional promise to nurse researchers whose goal is to achieve cultural sensitivity in their research investigations. The model includes six components: consequental beliefs, affect, social influences, previous behavioral habits, physiologic arousal, and facilitating environmental resources. A directed methodology to include culture-relevant items in the measurement of each of these model components allows researchers to capture the diverse explanations of health and illness behavior that might pertain in diverse populations. Researchers utilizing the model can achieve theory-based explanations of differences they observe by gender, race/ethnicity, social class, and sexual orientation. The Triandis model can provide studies to target variables for future intervention studies, as well as highlight areas for needed political action to equalize access to and delivery ofnursing care.
A Synchronous Buck DC–DC Converter Using a Novel Dual-Mode Control Scheme to Improve Efficiency

A novel dual-mode control scheme is developed here to enable synchronous buck converters (SBC) to operate in a continuous-conduction mode under heavy-load conditions and in a discontinuous-conduction mode under light-load conditions. When an SBC operates in a discontinuous-conduction mode, a quasi-resonant valley switching technique can be employed to turn on a synchronous switch, perform zero-voltage switching at main switches, and improve the light-load efficiency. The proposed scheme does not require the addition of an auxiliary circuit in the SBC, providing it with the advantages of low cost and easily built-in integrated circuits. To verify its feasibility, an SBC equipped with the proposed control scheme is developed, with output voltage and output power of 5 V and 25 W, respectively.
Metric structure from motion by indoor localization using Wi-Fi channel state information

3D reconstruction methods for real-world environments based on camera images have recently been studied by many researchers and structure from motion (SFM) has been attracting attention as one of the most practical approaches for 3D reconstruction. SFM can estimate relative positions of cameras using many camera images and then reconstruct a 3D scene of the environment based on the positions. However, because the distances between cameras estimated by SFM have scale ambiguity, the scale ambiguity remains also in the reconstructed 3D scene. In this study, we propose a method for reconstructing a 3D scene with real-world scale in an indoor environment by estimating the absolute coordinates of cameras based on an indoor localization technique using Wi-Fi channel state information (CSI).
Recombination analysis of naturally diploid Candida albicans

A multiply auxotrophic strain, hOG45, was derived from Candida albicans ATCC 10261. Prototrophic revertants of this multiple auxotroph were selected after mutagenesis. These prototrophic revertants were distinguishable from the original prototroph, ATCC 10261, because of their mitotic instability. They gave rise to auxotrophic derivatives which displayed one or more of the auxotrophic requirements characteristic of hOG45. Two of the auxotrophic requirements, those for adenine and methionine, frequently reappeared together in the auxotrophic derivatives of the prototrophic revertants. This apparent linkage of ade and met was confirmed by protoplast fusion analysis of the original auxotroph. These data indicate that C. albicans ATCC 10261 is diploid, the multiple auxotroph h0G45 is homozygous for recessive auxotrophic alleles, the prototrophic revertants are multiple heterozygotes, the auxotrophic derivatives are homozygotes produced by mitotic crossing-over, and the association between the ade and met alleles is due to linkage.
Colorectal cancer statistics, 2017

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies in the United States. Every 3 years, the American Cancer Society provides an update of CRC incidence, survival, and mortality rates and trends. Incidence data through 2013 were provided by the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program, the National Program of Cancer Registries, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. Mortality data through 2014 were provided by the National Center for Health Statistics. CRC incidence rates are highest in Alaska Natives and blacks and lowest in Asian/Pacific Islanders, and they are 30% to 40% higher in men than in women. Recent temporal patterns are generally similar by race and sex, but differ by age. Between 2000 and 2013, incidence rates in adults aged ≥50 years declined by 32%, with the drop largest for distal tumors in people aged ≥65 years (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.50; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.48‐0.52) and smallest for rectal tumors in ages 50 to 64 years (male IRR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.85‐0.96; female IRR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.93‐1.08). Overall CRC incidence in individuals ages ≥50 years declined from 2009 to 2013 in every state except Arkansas, with the decrease exceeding 5% annually in 7 states; however, rectal tumor incidence in those ages 50 to 64 years was stable in most states. Among adults aged <50 years, CRC incidence rates increased by 22% from 2000 to 2013, driven solely by tumors in the distal colon (IRR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.13‐1.35) and rectum (IRR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.13‐1.31). Similar to incidence patterns, CRC death rates decreased by 34% among individuals aged ≥50 years during 2000 through 2014, but increased by 13% in those aged <50 years. Progress against CRC can be accelerated by increasing initiation of screening at age 50 years (average risk) or earlier (eg, family history of CRC/advanced adenomas) and eliminating disparities in high‐quality treatment. In addition, research is needed to elucidate causes for increasing CRC in young adults. CA Cancer J Clin 2017. © 2017 American Cancer Society. CA Cancer J Clin 2017;67:177–193. © 2017 American Cancer Society.
Huntingtin proteolysis releases non‐polyQ fragments that cause toxicity through dynamin 1 dysregulation

Cleavage of mutant huntingtin (HTT) is an essential process in Huntington's disease (HD), an inherited neurodegenerative disorder. Cleavage generates N‐ter fragments that contain the polyQ stretch and whose nuclear toxicity is well established. However, the functional defects induced by cleavage of full‐length HTT remain elusive. Moreover, the contribution of non‐polyQ C‐terminal fragments is unknown. Using time‐ and site‐specific control of full‐length HTT proteolysis, we show that specific cleavages are required to disrupt intramolecular interactions within HTT and to cause toxicity in cells and flies. Surprisingly, in addition to the canonical pathogenic N‐ter fragments, the C‐ter fragments generated, that do not contain the polyQ stretch, induced toxicity via dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and increased ER stress. C‐ter HTT bound to dynamin 1 and subsequently impaired its activity at ER membranes. Our findings support a role for HTT on dynamin 1 function and ER homoeostasis. Proteolysis‐induced alteration of this function may be relevant to disease.
The Opinions About e-Health Among Nurses Employed in Hospitals Located in an Urban Area in Poland

The acceptance of e-health solutions by users representing the main professional groups in the healthcare system is of key importance for the successful development of this field. The attitude of nurses to information technology may influence the process of shaping an e-health environment. This survey was conducted to assess the use of information technologies and opinions about e-health among nurses employed in hospital centers located in an urban area in Poland. The questionnaire included items on the use of computers and the Internet, perception of the importance of e-health systems, and opinions about the roles and benefits of e-health for healthcare stakeholders. The questionnaire was distributed to 215 nurses participating in extension courses. The analysis was performed on 153 questionnaires accepted after quality control. The respondents were convinced about the importance of information technology in the delivery of healthcare services and specifically of e-health systems; however, there was a significant group that expressed skepticism about the need for the development of e-health services in Poland at the moment. The respondents indicated the Ministry of Health, the National Health Fund, and public health specialists as the stakeholders who should have the most important role in initiating e-health development.
Spectral profiles of cultured neuronal and glial cells derived from HRMAS 1H NMR spectroscopy

In the investigations of brain function and pathology in vivo by magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), a decrease in the relative concentration of N‐acetyl aspartate (NAA) has been correlated with neuronal cell damage or loss, while a relative increase in the resonance intensity of creatine has been correlated with gliosis. However, neither metabolite is confined strictly to one cell‐type. In this study, pattern recognition of spectra derived from high‐resolution magic angle spinning (HRMAS) 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to distinguish three neural cell types; cortical astrocytes, cerebellar neurones and O‐2A progenitors. The intact cells contained significant amounts of lipid resonances (–CH2CH3 and –CH2CH2CH2–) in all three cell‐types, even when a T2‐edited Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill (CPMG) pulse sequence was used, selectively attenuating resonances from macromolecules. Creatine was also detected in all three cell types. Principle component analysis (PCA) readily differentiated the NMR spectra, based on the individual metabolic profile derived from the cohort of cell type examined using conventional solvent‐suppressed and CPMG pulse sequences. Creatine was not found to contribute to this separation. Moreover, the large lipid content of neuronal cells contributed most to the separation from the other cell types. This suggests that during MRS in vivo, where lipid resonances are commonly ‘edited out’ by T2 delays, significant information may be sacrificed concerning relative contribution from individual cell types. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An Improved Exponential Model for Predicting Remaining Useful Life of Rolling Element Bearings

The remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of rolling element bearings has attracted substantial attention recently due to its importance for the bearing health management. The exponential model is one of the most widely used methods for RUL prediction of rolling element bearings. However, two shortcomings exist in the exponential model: 1) the first predicting time (FPT) is selected subjectively; and 2) random errors of the stochastic process decrease the prediction accuracy. To deal with these two shortcomings, an improved exponential model is proposed in this paper. In the improved model, an adaptive FPT selection approach is established based on the 3σ interval, and particle filtering is utilized to reduce random errors of the stochastic process. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the improved model, a simulation and four tests of bearing degradation processes are utilized for the RUL prediction. The results show that the improved model is able to select an appropriate FPT and reduce random errors of the stochastic process. Consequently, it performs better in the RUL prediction of rolling element bearings than the original exponential model.
Emotion Socialization in Maltreating and Nonmaltreating Mother-Child Dyads: Implications for Children's Adjustment

This study investigated maternal emotion socialization in physically maltreating and nonmaltreating mother-child dyads (N = 63 dyads) to examine the relation between maternal support in response to children's emotional displays and children's psychological adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing behavior problems). Child participants consisted of both boys (64%) and girls (36%) and ranged from 6 to 12 years of age. Findings indicated maltreatment negatively predicted maternal support and positively predicted children's internalizing and externalizing problems. Further, maternal support negatively predicted children's internalizing and externalizing problems. Finally, maternal support partially mediated the relation between maltreatment and internalizing problems. No mediation was indicated for externalizing difficulties. Findings suggest that a lack of maternal support in response to children's emotion is particularly important to the development of children's internalizing behavior problems.
Aberrant parasympathetic and hemodynamic function distinguishes a subgroup of psychologically distressed individuals with asymptomatic type-I diabetes mellitus

In a previous study, a subgroup of asymptomatic insulin-dependent diabetic individuals (termed IDDM-2) were identified on the basis of diminished parasympathetic cardiac input and elevated heart rate at rest. When compared to another group of asymptomatic IDDM participants (termed IDDM-1), and a nondiabetic healthy control group, the IDDM-2 group displayed elevated blood pressure, supported by elevated total peripheral resistance. Measures of psychological regulation were also taken in this study, and form the basis of this article, which examined whether these IDDM-2 patients differed from the other two groups on these measures. The possible role of glycemic control, IDDM duration, and number of somatic complaints among group differences in psychological regulation was also examined. The IDDM-2 group reported increased psychological distress, as reflected by increased dysphoric or depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, perceived stress, and cynical hostility, as well as decreased optimism and interpersonal, but not family, social support. Glycemic control did not account for any of the group differences in psychological regulation. However, group differences in dysphoria and anxiety were accounted for by differences in somatic complaints, whereas differences in interpersonal social support were accounted for by IDDM duration. Moreover, none of the variables investigated accounted for the diminished optimism of the IDDM-2 group. Therefore, in individuals with IDDM, who would otherwise be considered, after medical examination, as no different from other asymptomatic IDDM individuals, the combination of diminished parasympathetic cardiac input and elevated heart rate was associated with aberrant alterations of both hemodynamic and psychological functioning; the increased psychological distress in these individuals may be influenced, in part, by increased diabetes duration and number of somatic symptoms.
Experiments and simulations of picosecond pulse switching and turn-on delay time in Y-Ba-Cu-O Josephson junctions

We report our studies on single-picosecond electrical pulse switching of YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) grain-boundary bicrystal Josephson junctions. The test structures consisted of coplanar strip (CPS) transmission lines that were patterned in 50 nm thick YBCO films prepared on (100) MgO bicrystal substrates. Each CPS contained a 5 ? m wide, 10 ? m long microbridge and a 5 ? m wide grain-boundary Josephson junction. A train of 100 fs wide optical pulses from a Ti:sapphire laser was used to excite the microbridge and generate ~2 ps wide electrical pulses, which were then applied to switch the junction. The junction response was studied at 20 K using a cryogenic electro-optic sampling system. We measured a 0.65 ps wide, single-flux-quantum pulse generated by the junction as well as a 0.7 ps junction turn-on delay time. Junction switching and turn-on delay time have been compared with numerical simulations.
Incretin physiology beyond glucagon‐like peptide 1 and glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide: cholecystokinin and gastrin peptides

Gastrin and cholecystokinin (CCK) are homologous hormone systems known to regulate gastric acid secretion, gallbladder emptying, and cell growth in the pancreas and stomach. They are, however, also involved in the development and secretory functions of pancreatic islet cells. For instance, foetal and neonatal islets express significant amounts of gastrin, and human as well as porcine islet cells express the gastrin/CCK‐B receptor abundantly. Therefore, exogenous gastrin and CCK peptides stimulate insulin and glucagon secretion in man. Accordingly, endogenous hypergastrinaemia is accompanied by islet cell hyperplasia and increased insulin secretion. Conventionally, the effect of gastrointestinal hormones on insulin secretion (the incretin effect) has been defined and quantified in relation to oral versus intravenous glucose loadings. Under these unphysiological conditions, the release of gastrin and CCK and, hence, their effect on insulin secretion are modest in comparison with the effects of glucose‐dependent insulinotropic polypeptide and glucagon‐like peptide 1 (GLP‐1). Consequently, the interest of CCK and gastrin in incretin research has for decades been limited. A few years ago, however, it was suggested that gastrin together with epidermal growth factor or later GLP‐1 might stimulate beta cell growth and secretion. Recent studies have shown that the combination of gastrin and GLP‐1 actually restores normoglycaemia in diabetic mice. Therefore, a short review of the incretin system in a broader functional context that includes gastrin and CCK peptides may be timely.
Ultrastructure of Skeletal Muscles in Mice Lacking Muscle‐Specific VEGF Expression

Vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (VEGF) influences several physiological processes including endothelial cell function, angiogenesis and maintenance of organ/tissue capillarity. While the functional aspects of VEGF were vigorously investigated, only little detail is known on structural integrity of skeletal muscle fibers and capillaries in mice lacking VEGF expression in their muscles. Therefore, we assessed systematically the architecture of the glycolytic plantaris and the oxidative soleus muscles obtained from muscle‐specific VEGF knockout (mVEGF‐KO, n = 7) mice and their wild‐type (WT, n = 7) littermates by morphometry after transmission electron microscopy. The capillary/fiber ratio was lower (plantaris: −63.5%; soleus: −54.8%; P ≤ 0.05) in mVEGF‐KO mice than in WT mice. In plantaris, quantification of volume density (Vv) of compartments revealed higher Vv of total mitochondria (+56.5%, P ≤ 0.05) as well as higher Vv‐values for both intrafibrillar (+39%; P ≤ 0.05) and subsarcolemmal (+220%; P ≤ 0.05) mitochondrial pools in mVEGF‐KO mice than WT mice. The capillary phenotype also differed (P ≤ 0.05) between the two mouse‐strains: Vv (–17.4%), absolute area size (–19.1%) and thickness (–19.6%) of the endothelium layer were lower and Vv of capillary lumen (+15.1%) was higher in mVEGF‐KO mice than in WT littermates. In soleus, mitochondrial Vv in fibers and the structural indicators specific to the capillary phenotype exhibited the same tendency in differences between the mouse strains without reaching statistical significance. Our morphometric analysis demonstrates that the lower capillary supply in plantaris of mVEGF‐KO mice is accompanied by higher mitochondrial Vv in muscle fibers as well as lumen dilation and endothelium thinning of capillaries. These structural alterations were more pronounced in a glycolytic than an oxidative muscle. Anat Rec, 300:2239–2249, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A comparison of pretreatment methods for the analysis of phosphate oxygen isotope ratios in bioapatite.

RATIONALE The integrity of the biological phosphate oxygen isotope (δ(18)O(p) ) signal is thought to be contingent upon the complete removal of competing sources of oxygen such as associated organic matter. A range of pretreatment methods to purify phosphate material from competing sources of oxygen has been reported, with contradictory evidence on the usefulness and efficiency of one or another. Yet, a systematic comparison of these techniques for bioapatite phosphate has not been conducted. METHODS Chemical and thermal pretreatment techniques were tested for their effectiveness at removing organic matter and the likelihood that they modify original δ(18)O values. The test was performed in inorganic (synthetic apatite and a phosphorite rock) and organic (bone and tooth tissues) phosphate materials for which we had an expectation of the actual original δ(18)O(p) value. Analysis of nitrogen content (wt.%), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were employed. RESULTS We detected variable efficiency at removing organic matter between pretreatment methods with no correlation to any specific structural change. The δ(18)O(p) results showed considerable variation between samples pretreated with the different methods and the untreated samples, with a compositional range of up to 4.5 ‰ in the bone samples. Variations of the δ(18)O(p) values within error were found for tooth enamel, phosphorite rock and inorganic apatite. CONCLUSIONS We recommend a cautious approach when interpreting and comparing δ(18)O(p) data from bone samples treated with different pretreatment protocols. In general, the untreated samples seem to show δ(18)O(p) values closer to the expected ones. According to our results, pretreatment is completely unnecessary in highly mineralized tissues.
Depletion of Wee-1 Kinase Is Necessary for both Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vpr- and Gamma Irradiation-Induced Apoptosis

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) protein R (Vpr) induces G2 arrest, and prolonged G2 arrest leads to apoptosis. We find that in HeLa cells the cell cycle regulatory kinase, Wee-1, is depleted following prolonged G2 arrest induced by Vpr. Of note, small interfering RNAs directed to Wee-1 triggered apoptosis, suggesting a direct role for Wee-1 in apoptosis. In support of this hypothesis, overexpression of Wee-1 suppressed Vpr-mediated apoptosis. Importantly, similar results were observed with cells induced to undergo apoptosis gamma irradiation. Thus, Wee-1 may serve as a key regulator of both HIV type 1 Vpr- and gamma irradiation-mediated apoptosis and possibly serve as a general regulator linking the cell cycle to some pathways of apoptosis.
Dissemination of Toxoplasma gondii to immunoprivileged organs and role of Toll/interleukin‐1 receptor signalling for host resistance assessed by in vivo bioluminescence imaging

Toxoplasma gondii infection can lead to life‐threatening systemic disease in the immunocompromised individual and in the developing fetus. Despite intensive investigation in animal models of toxoplasmosis, the processes leading to systemic dissemination remain poorly characterized. In the present study, in vivo bioluminescence imaging (BLI) was applied to the Toxoplasma mouse model to study the dynamics of infection in real time. Photon emission analyses revealed rapid dissemination of parasites in the organism and dissemination to immunoprivileged organs (brain, eyes and testes). Spatio‐temporal analysis by BLI in individual mice showed that the virulent RH strain (type I) and the non‐virulent ME49/PTG strain (type II) disseminate widely, but the virulent RH strain (type I) exhibits a more dramatic expansion of parasite biomass. Assessment by BLI of the Toll/interleukin‐1 receptor (TIR) signalling pathway in host resistance to T. gondii revealed that signal transduction to the adaptor protein MyD88 is probably mediated by Toll‐like receptor(s) rather than by IL‐1R or IL‐18R signalling. However, TLR1–/–, TLR2–/–, TLR4–/–, TLR6–/– and TLR9–/– animals did not exhibit increased susceptibility to infection. These results suggest that intricate mechanisms regulate TIR‐mediated responses during Toxoplasma infection.