Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical and Histological Significance of Gadolinium Enhancement in Carotid Atherosclerotic Plaque

Background and Purpose— Although the ability of MRI to investigate carotid plaque composition is well established, the mechanism and the significance of plaque gadolinium (Gd) enhancement remain unknown. We evaluated clinical and histological significance of Gd enhancement of carotid plaque in patients undergoing endarterectomy for carotid stenosis. Methods— Sixty-nine patients scheduled for a carotid endarterectomy prospectively underwent a 3-T MRI. Carotid plaque enhancement was assessed on T1-weighted images performed before and 5 minutes after Gd injection. Enhancement was recorded according to its localization. Histological analysis was performed of the entire plaque and of the area with matched contrast enhancement on MR images. Results— Gd enhancement was observed in 59% patients. Three types of carotid plaques were identified depending on enhancement location (shoulder region, shoulder and fibrous cap, and central in the plaque). Fibrous cap rupture, intraplaque hemorrhage, and plaque Gd enhancement was significantly more frequent in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients (P=0.043, P<0.0001, and P=0.034, respectively). After histological analysis, Gd enhancement was significantly associated with vulnerable plaque (American Heart Association VI, P=0.006), neovascularization (P<0.0001), macrophages (P=0.030), and loose fibrosis (P<0.0001). Prevalence of neovessels, macrophages, and loose fibrosis in the area of Gd enhancement was 97%, 87%, and 80%, respectively, and was different depending on the enhancement location in the plaque. Fibrous cap status and composition were different depending on the type of plaque. Conclusions— Gd enhancement of carotid plaque is associated with vulnerable plaque phenotypes and related to an inflammatory process.
The Mini-MAC: Further Development of the Mental Adjustment to Cancer Scale

Development of self-report measures of coping remains important to thc process of monitoring the mental state of patients suffering from cancer. The present study extended and refined the scope of the Mental Adjustment to Cancer (MAC) scale, a self-report measure designed to give a rapid assessment of coping style. A heterogeneous group of 573 cancer patients completed a questionnaire containing the MAC scale and an additional 26-item research scale. A rigorous factor analysis procedure was used to determine the items that would be retained for a new scale: the Mini-MAC. The scope of the original MAC scale was widened to include items relating to avoidance (an important psychological response), and the original response items were clarified and refined. The Mini-MAC should be a useful tool for obtaining a rapid, reliable, and economical assessment of coping style.
A IMPORTÂNCIA DO CAPITAL SOCIAL PARA O DESENVOLVIMENTO DE UMA REGIÃO:UM ESTUDO SOBRE OS MUNICÍPIOS DO CONSÓRCIO PÚBLICO PARA DESENVOLVIMENTO DO ALTO PARAOPEBA – CODAP, NO ESTADO DE MINAS GERAIS

O capital social pode criar oportunidades de desenvolvimento por meio de redes sociais de negociacao. Diante da importância do tema, o estudo analisa o grau de capital social existente nas zonas rurais da regiao analisada. A escolha dessa regiao deve-se ao seu rapido crescimento economico rural nos ultimos dez anos. Questionarios aplicados enfatizaram o interesse das pessoas em relacao a uma sociedade mais unida, em que o bem-estar proprio e o do proximo fossem considerados prioridades. Adicionalmente, calculou-se o indice de capital social em conjunto com a analise qualitativa, para demonstrar o quanto os agricultores estao envolvidos em organizacoes e na construcao de vinculos de amizade, permitindo verificar a presenca de capital social. Este, associado a outros tipos de capitais, pode contribuir para o desenvolvimento da regiao analisada.
Differential Endocytic Functions ofTrypanosoma brucei Rab5 Isoforms Reveal a Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-specific Endosomal Pathway*

We demonstrate the presence of a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor-specific endosomal pathway in the protozoan pathogen Trypanosoma brucei. In higher eukaryotes evidence indicates that GPI-anchored proteins are transported in both the endocytic and exocytic systems by mechanisms involving sequestration into specific membrane microdomains and consequently sorting into distinct compartments. This is potentially extremely important in trypanosomatids as the GPI anchor is the predominant mechanism for membrane attachment of surface macromolecules, including the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG). A highly complex developmentally regulated endocytic network, vital for nutrient uptake and evasion of the immune response, exists in T. brucei. In common with mammalian cells an early endosomal compartment is defined by Rab5 small GTPases, which control transport processes through the endosomal system. We investigate the function of two trypanosome Rab5 homologues. TbRAB5A and TbRAB5B, which colocalize in the procyclic stage, are distinct in the bloodstream form of the parasite. TbRAB5A endosomes contain VSG and transferrin, endocytosed by the T. brucei GPI-anchored transferrin receptor, whereas TbRAB5B endosomes contain the transmembrane protein ISG100but neither VSG nor transferrin. These findings indicate the presence of trypanosome endosomal pathways trafficking proteins through specific routes depending on the mode of membrane attachment. Ectopic expression of mutant TbRAB5A or -5B indicates that TbRAB5A plays a role in LDL endocytosis, whereas TbRAB5B does not, but both have a role in fluid phase endocytosis. Hence TbRAB5A and TbRAB5B have distinct functions in the endosomal system of T. brucei. A developmentally regulated GPI-specific endosomal pathway in the bloodstream form suggests that specialized transport of GPI-anchored proteins is required for survival in the mammalian host.
The RNA helicase RHAU (DHX36) unwinds a G4-quadruplex in human telomerase RNA and promotes the formation of the P1 helix template boundary

Human telomerase RNA (hTR) contains several guanine tracts at its 5′-end that can form a G4-quadruplex structure. Previous evidence suggests that a G4-quadruplex within this region disrupts the formation of an important structure within hTR known as the P1 helix, a critical element in defining the template boundary for reverse transcription. RNA associated with AU-rich element (RHAU) is an RNA helicase that has specificity for DNA and RNA G4-quadruplexes. Two recent studies identify a specific interaction between hTR and RHAU. Herein, we confirm this interaction and identify the minimally interacting RNA fragments. We demonstrate the existence of multiple quadruplex structures within the 5′ region of hTR and find that these regions parallel the minimal sequences capable of RHAU interaction. We confirm the importance of the RHAU-specific motif in the interaction with hTR and demonstrate that the helicase activity of RHAU is sufficient to unwind the quadruplex and promote an interaction with 25 internal nucleotides to form a stable P1 helix. Furthermore, we have found that a 5′-terminal quadruplex persists following P1 helix formation that retains affinity for RHAU. Finally, we have investigated the functional implications of this interaction and demonstrated a reduction in average telomere length following RHAU knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA).
Ginseng for managing menopausal woman's health

Background:The aim of this systematic review was to update, complete, and critically evaluate the evidence from placebo-controlled randomized clinical trials (RCTs) of ginseng for managing menopausal women's health. Methods:We searched the literature using 13 databases (MEDLINE, AMED, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, 6 Korean Medical, and 3 Chinese Databases) from their inception to July 2016 and included all double-blind RCTs that compared any type of ginseng with a placebo control in postmenopausal women. The methodological quality of all studies was assessed using a Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results:Ten RCTs met our inclusion criteria. Most RCTs had unclear risk of bias. One RCT did not show a significant difference in hot flash frequency between Korean red ginseng (KRG) and placebo. The second RCT reported positive effects of KRG on menopausal symptoms. The third RCT found beneficial effects of ginseng (Ginsena) on depression, well-being, and general health. Four RCTs failed to show significant differences in various hormones between KRG and placebo controls except dehydroepiandrosterone. Two other RCTs failed to show effects of KRG on endometrial thickness in menopausal women. The other RCT also failed to show the effects of American ginseng on oxidative stress markers and other antioxidant enzymes. Conclusion:Our systematic review provided positive evidence of ginseng for sexual function and KRG for sexual arousal and total hot flashes score in menopausal women. However, the results of KRG or ginseng failed to show specific effects on hot flash frequency, hormones, biomarkers, or endometrial thickness. The level of evidence for these findings was low because of unclear risk of bias.
An investigation of select barriers and solutions for renewable energy deployment

Matching the availability of wind energy with customer demand is difficult for several reasons. The location of the resource, which may be remote or lacking transmission capacity, may not match the load. Also, the times when wind energy is available might not correlate with peak customer demand. Finally, there is a price difference between firm and non-firm transmission. In this paper, we discuss solar and wind resources regarding (a) assessment of intermittency, (b) available options for backfilling intermittent resources, (c) assessment of tariff solutions for accommodating intermittent resources, and (d) location mismatch issue
Effect of noninsulin antidiabetic drugs added to metformin therapy on glycemic control, weight gain, and hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetes.

CONTEXT Metformin is the recommended initial drug therapy for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). However, the optimal second-line drug when metformin monotherapy fails is unclear. OBJECTIVE To determine the comparative efficacy, risk of weight gain, and hypoglycemia associated with noninsulin antidiabetic drugs in patients with type 2 DM not controlled by metformin alone. DATA SOURCES A literature search via MEDLINE (beginning in January 1950) and Cochrane CENTRAL through January 2010 and a manual search of references for additional relevant studies. STUDY SELECTION Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with at least 3 months' duration, evaluating noninsulin antidiabetic drugs added to metformin in patients experiencing an inadequate response to maximized and stable (> or = 4 weeks at > or = 1500 mg or maximally tolerated dose) metformin therapy. DATA EXTRACTION Inclusion/exclusion criteria; duration of patient follow-up; drug, dose, and schedule used; use of concurrent lifestyle modification; and baseline characteristics (age, sex, anthropometrics, glycated hemoglobin A(1c) [HbA(1c)], duration of DM, and metformin dose). End points collected included mean change in HbA(1c), proportion of patients achieving HbA(1c) goal of less than 7%, change in weight, and incidence of hypoglycemia. Mixed-treatment comparison meta-analysis was used to calculate the weighted mean difference for changes from baseline in HbA(1c) and body weight and relative risk (RR) of HbA(1c) goal attainment and hypoglycemia, with associated 95% credible intervals. DATA SYNTHESIS Overall, 27 RCTs (n = 11 198) were included. Mean (range) trial duration was 32 (12-52) weeks. The different classes of drugs were associated with similar HbA(1c) reductions (range, 0.64%-0.97%) compared with placebo. Although use of thiazolidinediones, sulfonylureas, and glinides were associated with weight gain (range, 1.77-2.08 kg), glucagon-like peptide-1 analogs, alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors were associated with weight loss or no weight change. Sulfonylureas and glinides were associated with higher rates of hypoglycemia than with placebo (RR range, 4.57-7.50). CONCLUSION When added to maximal metformin therapy, all noninsulin antidiabetic drugs were associated with similar HbA(1c) reductions but differed in their associations with weight gain and risk of hypoglycemia.
Alternative Splicing of the Sodium Channel SCN8A Predicts a Truncated Two-domain Protein in Fetal Brain and Non-neuronal Cells*

The voltage-gated sodium channel α subunit SCN8A is one of the most abundant sodium channels in neurons from brain and spinal cord. We have identified two alternatively spliced exons, 18N and 18A, that encode transmembrane segments S3 and S4 in domain III. Exon 18N is expressed in fetal brain and non-neuronal tissues. Transcripts with exon 18N have a conserved in-frame stop codon that predicts the synthesis of a truncated, two-domain protein similar to the fetal form of the muscle calcium channel. The proportion of transcripts containing exon 18N is highest in mouse fetal brain between E12.5 and P1.5; at later ages transcripts containing exon 18A predominate. This developmental program is recapitulated in P19 cells during retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation. Non-neuronal tissues contain a low level of SCN8A transcripts containing exon 18N. SCN8A thus provides a new model of differentiation specific splicing. Genomic analysis ofSCN8A from human, mouse, and fish demonstrated a conserved structure in which exon 18N is located 300–500 bp upstream of exon 18A. Duplication of exon 18 thus preceded the divergence of fish and mammals. The genomic organization, developmental regulation, and coding content of exons 18N and 18A closely resemble the previously described alternate exons 5N and 5A of the neuronal sodium channel genes. Our proposal that the evolutionary origin of exons 18N and 18A was by duplication of exons 5N and 5A is consistent with other evidence that the four-domain cation channels arose by two rounds of duplication from a single-domain ancestral channel.
Der Einfluss der Zielorientierung im Unterricht auf die Verarbeitung negativer Rückmeldung bei Schülern. Befunde aus einer US-amerikanischen Übergangsstudie

Ausgangspunkt der hier vorgestellten Analysen ist die Beobachtung, dass schulische Kontextvariablen mit Variablen der psychosozialen Entwicklung in empirischen Studien selten in bedeutsamen Zusammenhang stehen. Am Beispiel produktiver und projektiver Verarbeitungsstrategien auf negative Ruckmeldung wird gezeigt, dass die vom Lehrer induzierte Zielstruktur als Variable des Unterrichtsklimas dann deutliche Effekte zeigt, wenn sich der Unterrichtskontext im Schulubergang deutlich andert. In der Langsschnittbetrachtung innerhalb eines Schuljahres zeigen sich hingegen keine Zusammenhange, was auf eine relativ schnelle Anpassung der Schuler an das veranderte Schulklima verweist. (DIPF/Orig.) Educational research has rarely revealed direct effects of classroom environment on psychosocial development. Using the example of productive and projective coping after negative feedback, this study demonstrates substantial effects of the goal structure when students experience a drastic change in the mastery focus when the move from elementary to middle school. Within each school year no significant effects were found suggesting a fast adjustment of students' coping behavior. (DIPF/Orig.)
Living on the Edge: Lessons from the Peri-urban Village

The idea of an urban renaissance — based on a celebration of city life and its possibilities — is timely given half of the world's population now resides in urban areas. Yet, as appealing as this prospect may be, both in principle and planning theory, it remains at odds with the desires of many residents who seek ‘lifestyle living’ in low-density suburban or ex-urban settings. This article presents the results of a qualitative investigation of what it means to ‘live on the edge’ in a peri-urban village, as understood by residents living in those settings. These results are evaluated in light of phenomenological literature on authentic and inauthentic places, and the myriad reasons so-called amenity migrants choose the peri-urban village as their preferred residential location. The results of in-depth interviews with 28 residents are presented as a four-part typology of ‘active’ lifestylers and those searching for community, and ‘passive’ speculators and those seeking a civilized society. Though prior work suggests people are attracted to the peri-urban village for its bio-physical environmental features, this research suggests socioeconomic factors and opportunities for active place-making experiences are as, if not more, important.
The Cognitive Neuroscience of Vision

1. Early Vision. 2. From Local To Global Image Representation. 3. The Problem Of Visual Recognition. 4. Object Recognition. 5. Face Recognition. 6. Word Recognition. 7. Visual Attention. 8. Hemispatial Neglect. 9. Mental Imagery. 10. Visual Awareness.
La activación del estereotipo bajo anestesia general reduce la ambigüedad de la información social

Information processing under general anesthesia: effects on the disambiguation of social information. We examine the effect of subliminal information on the interpretation of ambiguous behavior. The information dealt with a social category and a stereotypical trait associated with this category. Thirty patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia took part in the experiment. One third of the participants were presented with auditory information concerning a social category and an associated stereotypical trait (e.g., the firefighter is brave). Another third received the same social categories but the traits were synonymous of the stereotypical trait (e.g., the firefighter is daring). The remaining group did not receive any subliminal information. After they regained consciousness, the patients were asked to select the trait that best described a category's member who performed a certain type of behavior (e. g., the firefighter faces dangerous situations with determination). An ANOVA showed that the subliminal presentation of stereotypical traits, in contrast to synonymous information and non-information increased the use of such traits to describe the behaviors. This result indicates that the activation of related stereotypical traits leads ambiguous information to be interpreted in the direction of the stereotype.
Controller design and implementation of the transformation/manipulation system of a novel hybrid ground aerial robot

This paper presents the design and implementation of the control system for the transformation/manipulation system that is used in a new Hybrid Ground Aerial Robot (HGAR). The transformation mechanism is used to transform the robot from flying configuration to ground motion configuration and vice versa. The manipulator is attached to one of the four propeller arms to manipulate objects during ground motion. The controller is designed based on feedback linearization method. A simple algorithm is implemented on Arduino board for controlling the angle of the propeller arm with and without manipulator. The angle of the arm is controlled by propeller thrust. The angle of the arm is measured by inertial measurement unit (IMU). The manipulator is controlled by servomotors. The configuration of the manipulator is determined using the joint-angles data and fed to the propeller arm controller to estimate the compensated term. In addition, an integral term is added to the controller to introduce robustness against payload variation and parameters uncertainty. Experimental set up is built to apply the proposed controller on the system and test its accuracy. Finally, the experimental results showed the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed controller.
Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales

Dr. Gunnar Borg introduced the field of perceived exertion in the 1950s. His ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) scale is used worldwide by professionals in medicine, exercise physiology, psychology, cardiology, ergonomy, and sports. Now, Dr. Borg presents the definitive source for using the latest RPE and CR10 scales correctly. "Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales" begins with an overview and history to introduce readers to the field of perceived exertion. The book then covers principles of scaling and applications of both the RPE and the CR10 scaling methods.This user-friendly, informative, and readable text-discusses the fundamental bases of perceived exertion, -presents information on uses and misuses of the scales, and-provides guidance and direction on how and when to measure subjective somatic symptoms.A special appendix in the back of the book includes tear-out cards containing three RPE scales and three CR10 scales. A scale and instructions for how the scale is used are printed on each two-sided card. "Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales" is the complete theoretical and methodological guide to the field of human perception.
Do pathways lead to better organized care processes?

AIM Clinical pathways are used worldwide to (re)organize care processes. They are used by multidisciplinary teams in their search towards excellence. The goal of this study is (1) to assess differences in the perception of health professionals in their evaluation of care processes; (2) to assess whether care processes supported by clinical pathways perform better than those not supported by clinical pathways; and (3) to assess the sensitivity and specificity of clinical pathways in predicting well-organized care processes. METHODS A cross-sectional, multi-centre study was performed comprising 309 healthcare workers, 103 care processes and 49 hospitals. The Care Process Self Evaluation Tool (CPSET) was used to score care processes according to their organization. Processes were also scored according to the level of pathway implementation. RESULTS (1) Significant differences between healthcare professionals were found on two of five CPSET subscales. No significant differences were found among the overall CPSET scores. (2) Care processes supported by pathways had the highest CPSET scores. Nonetheless, continuous follow-up is necessary. (3) Clinical pathways have significant impact on the coordination of care (odds ratio: 8.92), follow-up (odds ratio: 6.65) and overall CPSET score (odds ratio: 4.26). Clinical pathways have a positive impact on the organization of care processes. Not all pathways have high CPSET scores, and care processes without pathways can also be well organized. Continuous evaluation is essential. This is the first study to analyse how healthcare teams perceive the organization of care processes with respect to clinical pathways. Our findings are important for other quality improvement methods.
Clock recovery by a fiber ring laser employing a linear optical amplifier

We report on subharmonic optical clock recovery (OCR) at 10 GHz from 160-Gb/s optical time-division multiplexed signals. The OCR circuit is based on a passively mode-locked principle in a fiber ring laser that utilizes fast gain dynamics of a linear semiconductor optical amplifier. To decrease the jitter amount in the clock pulse considerably, postelectrical signal processing is performed. The recovered clock is a 1.8-ps 10-GHz pulse train with 0.37 pulsewidth-bandwidth product.