Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence and comorbidity of common mental disorders and associations with suicidal ideation in the adult population

OBJECTIVES Little information exists on the association between comorbidities of mental disorders and suicidal ideation in developing countries. The current study examined the relationship between the presence of comorbid mental disorders and suicidal ideation in the adult population. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted using the cluster random sampling method in 3 steps. Data were collected from a household assets survey and the self-administered 28-item General Health Questionnaire as first step in screening, and the Persian version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition - Text Revision was used in the second stage to determine the prevalence of mental disorders. Bivariate and multivariate analysis were used to investigate the associations between mental disorders and suicidal ideation. RESULTS Of the 763 participants, 199 (26.1%) had 1 or more mental disorder. Forty-two (71.4%) subjects with comorbidities had a history of suicidal ideation, whereas 59 (7.7%) of all participants had a history of suicidal ideation. We found that major depressive disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder were the most predictive of suicidal ideation in both sexes. The odds ratio for suicidal ideation associated with having 3 comorbid disorders was 2.70 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.40 to 14.12) in males and 3.06 (95% CI, 1.25 to 15.22) in females. CONCLUSIONS Consistent with pervious data, our results confirmed that mental disorders and comorbidities of mental disorders were important predictors of suicidal ideation. Our findings are very useful for applied intervention programs to reduce the suicide rate in regions in which it is high.
HAVING THE BUN AND THE HALFPENNY: CAN OLD PUBLIC SERVICE ETHICS SURVIVE IN THE NEW WHITEHALL?

The past few years have seen major changes in Whitehall. These include: the encouragement of business values; the erosion of the idea of a career civil service; the Citizen's Charter; the growth of Next Steps agencies; market testing; the rise of political patronage and tensions in ministerial/official relationships. The official view is that this is an evolution of a former tradition and that the old public service ethos can continue. This seems doubtful. At all events there are widely differing normative, evaluations of the recent developments. The article concludes by offering some more historical reflections about the significance of the developments in the context of British public administration.
Research on grid connection control for doubly-fed wind power system

According to the operation performance of Doubly-fed wind power system, a novel soft grid connection strategy with initial error compensation is proposed in this paper. Grid connection mathematical model of doubly-fed induction generator is deduced, and soft grid-connection control system of DFIG is designed based on the stator flux orientation vector control technique with the rotor current dynamic regulation considered. The simulation models of the DFIG wind power system were established based upon Matlab/Simulink, and experiments on the platform of 1.5MW DFIG wind power system were done to verify the proposed control strategy. The results have proven no surge current grid connection for DFIG and verified its correctness and effectiveness.
Factors Affecting Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Cholangiocarcinoma in the Northeastern Region of Thailand

Background: Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) remains a major health problem and causes high mortality in Northeastern Thailand. Patients with CCA have a poor prognosis, and little is known about their health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and its determinants. Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate factors affecting HRQOL and its changes over time among CCA patients. Methods: Two hundred thirty-seven patients with CCA were recruited during a 6-month period in 2011 in 5 tertiary hospitals in 4 provinces of northeastern Thailand. Health-related quality of life after diagnosis of CCA was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Hepatobiliary questionnaire (Thai version 4). The HRQOL score of CCA patients at different times after diagnosis was compared by repeated-measures analysis of variance. Generalized estimating equation was used to identify factors affecting HRQOL among CCA patients. Results: Of 237 eligible patients registered, 99 confirmed cases completed follow-up at 2 months. Overall HRQOL varied over time, with the score at baseline being significantly lower than 1 and 2 months later. An adjusted analysis showed that patients who were 60 to 69 years old had higher HRQOL scores than did younger patients. Patients using alternative medicine had lower HRQOL scores than did those who did not. Conclusions: Health-related quality-of-life scores among CCA patients changed over time and were related to age at recruitment and use of alternative medicine. Implications for Practice: Healthcare providers should carefully communicate about the diagnosis and its implications. Patients with CCA, especially younger patients and those who have used traditional medicine, may benefit from counseling and help with mobilizing family and social support.
Blockage of Conformational Changes of Heat Shock Protein gp96 on Cell Membrane by a α-Helix Peptide Inhibits HER2 Dimerization and Signaling in Breast Cancer

Cell membrane translocation of heat shock protein gp96 from the endoplasmic reticulum has been observed in multiple tumors and is associated with tumor malignancy. However, the cancer-intrinsic function and the related mechanism of cell membrane gp96 as a pro-oncogenic chaperone remain further elucidated. In this study, we found that inhibition of gp96 intramolecular conformational changes by a single α-helix peptide p37 dramatically increased its binding to HER2, whereas decreased HER2 dimerization, phosphorylation and downstream signaling. Targeting cell membrane gp96 promoted HER2 ubiquitination and subsequent lysosomal degradation, which led to decreased cell growth and increased apoptosis, and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. We also demonstrate that gp96 inhibitory peptide p37 synergized with trastuzumab to suppress cell growth and induce apoptosis. Our work demonstrates that blocking gp96 conformational changes directs HER2 for cellular degradation, and represents a new therapeutic strategy for inhibiting HER2 signaling in cancer.
‘Visual’ Acuity of the Congenitally Blind Using Visual-to-Auditory Sensory Substitution

Sensory Substitution Devices (SSDs) convey visual information through sounds or touch, thus theoretically enabling a form of visual rehabilitation in the blind. However, for clinical use, these devices must provide fine-detailed visual information which was not yet shown for this or other means of visual restoration. To test the possible functional acuity conveyed by such devices, we used the Snellen acuity test conveyed through a high-resolution visual-to-auditory SSD (The vOICe). We show that congenitally fully blind adults can exceed the World Health Organization (WHO) blindness acuity threshold using SSDs, reaching the highest acuity reported yet with any visual rehabilitation approach. This demonstrates the potential capacity of SSDs as inexpensive, non-invasive visual rehabilitation aids, alone or when supplementing visual prostheses.
CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE Prednisolone response in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: results from the ISOLDE study

Background: A trial of corticosteroids has been recommended for all patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with the subsequent “response” determining the treatment selected. This approach assumes that patients can be reliably divided into responder and non-responder groups. We have assessed whether such a separation is statistically valid, which factors influence the change in forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) after prednisolone, and whether the prednisolone response predicts 3 year changes in FEV1, health status, or number of exacerbations during placebo or fluticasone propionate treatment. Methods: Oral prednisolone 0.6 mg/kg was given for 14 days to 524 patients with COPD before randomised treatment for 3 years with fluticasone propionate or placebo. Factors relating to change in FEV1 after prednisolone were investigated using multiple regression. The response to prednisolone was entered into separate mixed effects models of decline in FEV1 and health status during the 3 years of the study. Results: The post-bronchodilator FEV1 increased by a mean 60 ml (CI 46 to 74) after prednisolone with a wide unimodal distribution. Current smoking was the factor most strongly associated with the change in FEV1 after prednisolone, with an increase of 35 ml in current smokers and 74 ml in confirmed ex-smokers (p<0.001). There was no relationship between the change in FEV1 after prednisolone and the response to inhaled bronchodilators, baseline FEV1, atopic status, age, or sex. The response to prednisolone, however expressed, was unrelated to the subsequent change in FEV1 over the following 3 years on either placebo or fluticasone propionate. Regression to the mean effects explained much of the apparent prednisolone response. The significant effect of treatment on decline in health status was not predicted by the prednisolone response. Conclusion: Patients with COPD cannot be separated into discrete groups of corticosteroid responders and non-responders. Current smoking reduces the FEV1 response to prednisolone. Prednisolone testing is an unreliable predictor of the benefit from inhaled fluticasone propionate in individual patients.
Active and inclusive citizenship for women: democratic considerations for fostering lifelong education

In this paper a critical feminist theoretical framework is used to explore the challenges of creating democratic learning spaces that will foster active and inclusive citizenship for women. Three democratic considerations are addressed to assess how adult educators can create more inclusive opportunities for lifelong education for women. The first consideration is the need for a careful examination of structural inequalities that create disadvantages for women in pursuing lifelong education. The second consideration is the need to create a broader and more gender inclusive understanding of the scope of lifelong learning possibilities, so that women’s learning experiences are not devalued. The third consideration explores how to take up gender as a complex variable within the broader discourse of inclusion. This paper is informed by preliminary results from a current SSHRC (Social Science and Humanities Research Council) study on lifelong learning trajectories for women in Canada and a CCL (Canadian Council on Learning) study on active citizenship for women in Nova Scotia.
Mathematics, vocabulary, and reading development in Chinese American and European American children over the primary school years

Forty European American (EA; 20 girls, 20 boys) and 40 second-generation Chinese American (CA; 20 girls, 20 boys) preschool and kindergarten children (mean age at Time 1 = 5.7 years) and their mothers, fathers, and teachers participated in 3 data collections (1993, 1995, and 1997) to investigate sociocultural and family factors that contribute to children's academic achievement. CA children outscored EA children in mathematics at all 3 times. Initially, EA children outscored CA children in receptive English vocabulary, but CA children caught up to EA children at Time 3. CA children were better readers than EA children at Time 3. According to parental self-reports, CA parents structured their children's time to a greater degree, used more formal teaching methods, and assigned their children more homework. Parents' work-oriented methods and child-specific beliefs at Time 1 influenced children's mathematics performance at Time 3.
Release of rabbit aorta contracting substance (RCS) and prostaglandins induced by chemical or mechanical stimulation of guinea‐pig lungs

1 Rabbit aorta contracting substance (RCS) and prostaglandins were released from guinea‐pig isolated perfused lungs by gentle massage and also by infusion of Prosparol. 2 RCS and prostaglandins were also released by infusion into the pulmonary artery of bradykinin, arachidonic and dihomo‐γ‐linolenic acids or shock perfusate (containing RCS‐releasing factor). 3 Arachidonic and dihomo‐γ‐linolenic acids caused a prolonged release of RCS and prostaglandins whereas bradykinin and shock perfusate gave a short‐lasting output. 4 RCS and prostaglandins, together with histamine were released when super‐fused chopped lung tissue was agitated. 5 Challenge of sensitized guinea‐pigs in vivo led to the release of an RCS‐like substance into the carotid arterial blood. 6 Intravenous injection of bradykinin into guinea‐pigs also released an RCS‐like substance. 7 The release of RCS and prostaglandins was inhibited by aspirin or indomethacin in all experiments. 8 RCS contracted all vascular tissues investigated and also rat stomach strip. 9 The half‐life of RCS was estimated as 1–2 minutes.
Stereoselective and non‐stereoselective actions of isoflurane on the GABAA receptor

1 Acutely dissociated cerebellar Purkinje neurones from 8–14 day old rats were studied under voltage clamp in the whole‐cell patch‐clamp configuration. Cl− currents induced by bath application of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) were measured (using symmetrical Cl− solutions) at both low (2 μm) non‐desensitizing and high (300 μm) desensitizing concentrations of GABA. 2 At 2 μm GABA, the bicuculline‐sensitive Cl− currents were potentiated by racemic isoflurane and both of its optical isomers. Isoflurane had no effect on membrane current in the absence of GABA. The dose‐response data for potentiation by racemic isoflurane could be fitted with a Hill equation with an EC50 = 320 ± 20 μm isoflurane and a Hill coefficient of h = 2.7 ± 0.4 (means ± s.e.mean). 3 The potentiations produced by the optical isomers of isoflurane at 2 μm GABA were stereoselective at moderate and high anaesthetic concentrations. The maximum stereoselectivity, about two fold, occurred at the EC50 concentration for general anaesthesia (310 μm isoflurane), with S(+)‐isoflurane being more effective than R(−)‐isoflurane. At sub‐anaesthetic concentrations, the stereoselectivity was less marked and vanished at the lowest concentration used (77 μm isoflurane). 4 The sustained residual current remaining after exposure of neurones to a desensitizing concentration of GABA (300 μm) was inhibited non‐stereoselectively, but only at high concentrations of isoflurane. The ratio of inhibitions by S(+)‐ and R(−)‐isoflurane (mean ± s.e.mean) was 1.14 ± 0.21 at 770 μm isoflurane. At the EC50 concentration for general anaesthesia, however, the inhibition was barely significant. 5 The above results are discussed in relation to the possible role of the GABAA receptor channel in general anaesthesia.
Hyperspectral Image Classification via Sparse Code Histogram

Sparse representation-based classifier and its variants have been widely adopted for hyperspectral image (HSI) classification recently. However, sparse representation is unstable so that similar features might obtain significantly different sparse codes. Despite the instability, we find that the sparse codes follow a class-dependent distribution under the structured dictionary consisting of training samples from all classes. Based on this observation, a novel discriminative feature, sparse code histogram (SCH), is developed for HSI classification. By counting the SCH of each sample from the sparse codes of its spatial neighbors, we can statistically obtain the distribution pattern of sparse codes of the class to which the sample belongs, and then treat the SCH as a new feature for classification. To reduce the possible outliers among the neighbors, a shape-adaptive neighborhood extractor is also employed to enhance the stability of the histogram feature. Experimental results demonstrate that SCH enjoys a strong discriminative power, which can achieve notably better performance than several state-of-the-art methods for HSI classification with limited training samples.
Enhanced Spontaneous Transmitter Release Is the Earliest Consequence of Neocortical Hypoxia That Can Explain the Disruption of Normal Circuit Function

After the onset of an acute episode of arrested circulation to the brain and consequent cerebral hypoxia, EEG changes and modifications of consciousness ensue within seconds. This in part reflects the rapid effect of hypoxia on the neocortex, where oxygen deprivation leads to impaired neuronal excitability and abnormal synaptic transmission. To identify the cellular mechanisms responsible for the earliest changes in neocortical function and to determine their time course, we have used patch-in-slice recording techniques to investigate the effects of acute hypoxia on the synaptic and intrinsic properties of layer 5 neurons. Coronal slices of mouse somatosensory cortex were maintained at 37°C and challenged with episodes of hypoxia (3–4 min of exposure to 95% N2, 5% CO2). In recordings with cell-attached patch electrodes, activation of ATP-sensitive potassium channels first became detectable 211 ± 11 sec (range, 185–240 sec; n = 6 patches) after the onset of hypoxia. Similar recording techniques revealed no alterations in the properties of Na+ currents in the first 4 min after the onset of hypoxia. The earliest hypoxia-induced disturbance was a marked increase in the frequency of spontaneous EPSCs and IPSCs, which began within 15–30 sec of the removal of oxygen. This rapid synaptic effect was not sensitive to TTX and was present in Ca2+-free perfusate, indicating that the hypoxia had a direct influence on the vesicular release mechanisms. The incoherent, massive increase in miniature PSCs would be expected to deplete the readily releasable pool of vesicles in cortical terminals, and to thereby markedly distort the neuronal interactions that underlie normal circuit function.
AtATM Is Essential for Meiosis and the Somatic Response to DNA Damage in Plants Online version contains Web-only data. Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.006577.

In contrast to yeast or mammalian cells, little is known about the signaling responses to DNA damage in plants. We previously characterized AtATM, an Arabidopsis homolog of the human ATM gene, which is mutated in ataxia telangiectasia, a chromosome instability disorder. The Atm protein is a protein kinase whose activity is induced by DNA damage, particularly DNA double-strand breaks. The phosphorylation targets of Atm include proteins involved in DNA repair, cell cycle control, and apoptosis. Here, we describe the isolation and functional characterization of two Arabidopsis mutants carrying a T-DNA insertion in AtATM. Arabidopsis atm mutants are hypersensitive to γ-radiation and methylmethane sulfonate but not to UV-B light. In correlation with the radiation sensitivity, atm mutants failed to induce the transcription of genes involved in the repair and/or detection of DNA breaks upon irradiation. In addition, atm mutants are partially sterile, and we show that this effect is attributable to abundant chromosomal fragmentation during meiosis. Interestingly, the transcription of DNA recombination genes during meiosis was not dependent on AtATM, and meiotic recombination occurred at the same rate as in wild-type plants, raising questions about the function of AtAtm during meiosis in plants. Our results demonstrate that AtATM plays a central role in the response to both stress-induced and developmentally programmed DNA damage.
A longitudinal analysis of the association between emotion regulation, job satisfaction, and intentions to quit.

The present longitudinal study explored the association between emotion regulation, defined as the conscious manipulation of one's public displays of emotion, and job satisfaction and intentions to quit. We predicted, based on an emotional dissonance model, that the suppression of unpleasant emotions decreases job satisfaction and increases intentions to quit. We propose a social interaction model that predicts that the amplification of pleasant emotions increases job satisfaction and decreases intentions to quit by improving the quality of interpersonal encounters at work. Data from 111 workers were gathered at two time points separated by four weeks. Advantages of the design included the use of longitudinal data and the statistical control for several personality, job, and demographic factors. Longitudinal regression analyses and tests of mediation revealed that, as predicted, (a) the suppression of unpleasant emotions decreases job satisfaction, which in turn increases intentions to quit, and (b) the amplification of pleasant emotions increases job satisfaction. Applied implications are discussed and suggestions for future research are offered. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of Noise Source Configuration on Directional Hearing Aid Benefit and Performance

Objective: To evaluate the impact of the position of noise source(s) and reverberation on the directional benefit and performance of three commercially available directional hearing aids. Design: Directional benefit and performance were measured for four different configurations of competing noise source(s) in two different reverberant rooms. Three pairs of hearing aids representing three commercial models were selected based on electroacoustic evaluation of directivity. Directional benefit and performance of 25 subjects with symmetrical, sloping, sensorineural hearing loss were measured in all test environments using a modified version of the Hearing in Noise Test. Results: Both reverberation and configuration of the competing noise source(s) significantly affected directional benefit and performance. There was no significant correlation between directional benefit and directional performance. The order of benefit and performance across hearing aid brands (from best to worst) varied depending on the noise source configuration. Conclusions: Data revealed increasing reverberation significantly decreased directional benefit and performance. The absolute and relative (rank ordering) directional benefit and performance varied across hearing aid brand, with noise source configuration. These results suggest that data collected in traditional test environments (e.g., a single competing noise placed at 180° azimuth) cannot be used to accurately predict directional benefit or performance in the majority of other test and real‐world environments. The impact of reverberation and noise source configuration on directional benefit/performance can be explained fairly well by the interaction between the spatial properties of the noise source(s) and the polar directivity patterns of the hearing aids.