Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic evidence for different male and female roles during cultural transitions in the British Isles

Human history is punctuated by periods of rapid cultural change. Although archeologists have developed a range of models to describe cultural transitions, in most real examples we do not know whether the processes involved the movement of people or the movement of culture only. With a series of relatively well defined cultural transitions, the British Isles present an ideal opportunity to assess the demographic context of cultural change. Important transitions after the first Paleolithic settlements include the Neolithic, the development of Iron Age cultures, and various historical invasions from continental Europe. Here we show that patterns of Y-chromosome variation indicate that the Neolithic and Iron Age transitions in the British Isles occurred without large-scale male movements. The more recent invasions from Scandinavia, on the other hand, appear to have left a significant paternal genetic legacy. In contrast, patterns of mtDNA and X-chromosome variation indicate that one or more of these pre-Anglo-Saxon cultural revolutions had a major effect on the maternal genetic heritage of the British Isles.
Impaired Viral Immune Responses Regulatory T Cell Deficiency Leads to Skin Inflammation Arising from Cutaneous

Individuals with atopic dermatitis immunized with the small pox vaccine, vaccinia virus (VV), are susceptible to eczema vaccinatum (EV), a potentially fatal disseminated infection. Dysfunction of Forkhead box P3 (FoxP3)-positive regulatory T cells (Treg) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis. To test whether Treg deﬁciency predisposes to EV, we percutaneously VV infected FoxP3-deﬁcient (FoxP3 KO ) mice, which completely lack FoxP3 + Treg. These animals generated both fewer VV-speciﬁc CD8 + effector T cells and IFN- g –producing CD8 + T cells than controls, had higher viral loads, and exhibited abnormal Th2-polarized responses to the virus. To focus on the consequences of Treg deﬁciency conﬁned to the skin, we generated mixed CCR4 KO FoxP3 KO bone marrow (CCR4/FoxP3) chimeras in which skin, but not other tissues or central lymphoid organs, lack Treg. Like FoxP3 KO mice, the chimeras had impaired VV-speciﬁc effector T cell responses and higher viral loads. Skin cytokine expression was signiﬁcantly altered in infected chimeras compared with controls. Levels of the antiviral cytokines, type I and II IFNs and IL-12, were reduced, whereas expression of the proinﬂammatory cytokines, IL-6, IL-10, TGF- b , and IL-23, was increased. Importantly, infection of CCR4/FoxP3 chimeras by a noncutaneous route (i.p.) induced immune
Photic inhibition of TrkB ⁄Ras activity in the pigeon’s tectum during development: impact on brain asymmetry formation

Asymmetric photic stimulation during embryonic or post-hatch development induces a functional lateralization of the pigeon’s visual system, which is accompanied by left–right differences in tectal cell sizes. The intracellular membrane-anchored GTPase Ras can be activated by a number of upstream mechanisms including binding of brain-derived neurotrophic factor to its specific TrkB receptor. Ras activity plays an important morphogenetic role in neurons and therefore might also be involved in the asymmetric differentiation of tectal cells. To investigate the role of Ras, we determined the relative levels of activated Ras and of signalling active phospho-TrkB in tecta of lightand dark-incubated pigeons and combined this with an immunohistochemical detection of Ras-GTP and TrkB receptors. While Ras activation levels did not differ between lightand dark-incubated pigeons during embryonic development, directly after hatching Ras activity was significantly decreased in the stronger stimulated left tectum of light-incubated animals. This was accompanied by lower levels of TrkB phosphorylation. Immunohistochemical staining revealed Ras-GTP-positive cell bodies within the efferent cell layer. These cells were TrkB-positive and developed enlarged soma sizes within the right tectum during the first week after hatching. This association suggests asymmetric Ras activation to be involved in the asymmetric differentiation of the efferent cells as a result of asymmetric TrkB signalling. Because asymmetric light exposure occurs only during embryonic development, the observed transient asymmetric inhibition of TrkB ⁄Ras activity after hatching may reflect differential embryonic maturation of tectal inhibitory circuits leading to a functional superiority of the right eye in the adult organism.
Assessment of housing density, space allocation and social hierarchy of laboratory rats on behavioural measures of welfare

Minimum space allowances for laboratory rats are legislated based on weight and stocking rates, with the understanding that increased housing density encourages crowding stress. However, there is little evidence for these recommendations, especially when considering positive welfare outcomes. This study consisted of two experiments which investigated the effects of housing density (rats per cage), space allocation (surface area per rat) and social rank (dominance hierarchy) on the ability to perform simple behavioural tests. Male Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (n = 64) were allocated to either high-density (n = 8) or low-density (n = 8) cages. The second experiment investigated the effects of surface area. SD rats (n = 40) were housed in dyads in either the large (n = 10) or small (n = 10) cage. In both experiments, animals were tested on a judgment bias paradigm, with their responses to an ambiguous stimulus being ascribed as optimistic or pessimistic. Animals were also tested on open-field, novel-object recognition and social-interaction tests. Recordings were taken from 1700-2100h daily for rat observation and social rank establishment. Dominant animals responded with significantly more optimistic decisions compared to subordinates for both the housing density (p<0.001) and space allocation (p = 0.0015) experiment. Dominant animals responded with increased social affiliative behaviours in the social-interaction test, and spent more time in the centre of the open-field test for both experiments. No significance was detected between housing density or space allocation treatments. These findings suggest that social rank is a significantly greater modifier of affective state than either housing density or space allocation. This finding has not yet been reported and suggests that future drafts of housing guidelines should consider animal social status in addition to floor space requirements.
CT-Guided Percutaneous Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy of Pulmonary Lesions

Background: Transthoracic CT-guided percutaneous fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) has become a well- established diagnostic technique and been useful in differentiating malignant and benign pulmonary lesions. Materials and Methods: 505 patients (311 men and 194 women) aged 7-90 years old (mean age 56.2 years) with pulmonary lesions underwent CT-guided transthoracic fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Cytopathologic evaluation of FNAB samples was performed in all patients. In addition, each case was reviewed for complications, including pneumothorax and hemoptysis. Data were analysed using SPSS software for windows ver. 11.5. Results: FNAB samples were adequate for diagnosis in 410 (81.2%) of 505 patients. Two hundred and forty-nine lesions (60.7%0) were malignant, and 161 (39.3%) were benign or atypical. Thirty-four (6.7%) patients had pneumothorax out of which none of them required thoracostomy tube placement. Additionally, hemoptysis was noted in 9 (1.8%) patients and follow-up was carried out. No further complications were reported. Conclusion: CT-guided FNAB of pulmonary lesions can yield well-established diagnoses and it can be useful in the management of patients with suspected lung cancer. (Tanaffos 2006; 5(3): 37-44)
Unique distributions of the gap junction proteins connexin29, connexin32, and connexin47 in oligodendrocytes

Oligodendrocytes of adult rodents express three different connexins: connexin29 (Cx29), Cx32, and Cx47. In this study, we show that Cx29 is localized to the inner membrane of small myelin sheaths, whereas Cx32 is localized on the outer membrane of large myelin sheaths; Cx29 does not colocalize with Cx32 in gap junction plaques. All oligodendrocytes appear to express Cx47, which is largely restricted to their perikarya. Cx32 and Cx47 are colocalized in many gap junction plaques on oligodendrocyte somata, particularly in gray matter. Cx45 is detected in the cerebral vasculature, but not in oligodendrocytes or myelin sheaths. This diversity of connexins in oligodendrocytes (in different populations of cells and in different subcellular compartments) likely reflects functional differences between these connexins and perhaps the oligodendrocytes themselves. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Views of young people towards physical activity: determinants and barriers to involvement

A five‐month, exploratory, in‐depth study was conducted in six sites across England with young people aged 11‐15 and the parents of secondary school aged children to identify drivers and barriers to involvement in physical activity. Over 100 young people were interviewed in both secondary school and out‐of‐school settings. Two group interviews were also conducted with parents. Findings highlight that both young people and parents consider physical activity important for physical, mental and social wellbeing. Clear gender differences were found in relation to regular involvement in physical activity. Young women were less likely to engage in active pursuits in and out of school, and were more critical of physical education. The research suggests that the determinants of physical activity in young people are complex. A flexible and differentiated approach to the provision and promotion of physical activity seems needed to meet the changing motivational needs and preferences of this age group.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education

At UK institutions of higher education, the academic attainment of White students tends to be higher than that of students from other ethnic groups. The present study confirmed this trend in students who were taking courses by distance learning with the UK’s Open University. It was apparent in students of all ages apart from the youngest, and it was largely independent of their gender, academic background and socioeconomic circumstances, or the particular course being taken. Students’ interactions with teachers and other students are attenuated in distance education, and so the results suggest that the explanation for the attainment gap in ethnic minority students must be sought elsewhere than in the nature of their relationships with teachers and other students.
Erect penile length and circumference dimensions of 1,661 sexually active men in the United States.

INTRODUCTION Penile size continues to receive popular and empirical attention. Little is known about the process of self-measurement and whether the behaviors a man engages in to become erect for self-measurement are associated with his erect penile dimensions. AIMS The article aims to assess men's erect penile dimensions in a study in which the men would presumably be motivated to report accurate information about their penis size; and to explore associations between men's erect penile dimensions, their method of measurement, and their demographics. METHODS Data are from an Internet-based baseline phase of a large prospective daily diary study that compared men's use of a standard-sized condom to men's use of a condom sized to fit their erect penis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcomes are participant characteristics, activities engaged in during self-measurement process, and self-reported erect penile length and circumference. RESULTS For this sample of 1,661 men, the mean erect penile length was 14.15 cm (SD = 2.66; range = 4 to 26 cm), and the mean erect penile circumference was 12.23 cm (SD = 2.23; range = 3 to 19). Participant characteristics were not associated with measured length or circumference. Most men measured their penis while alone, using hand stimulation to become erect. CONCLUSIONS In this sample of men who measured their erect penile length and circumference for the purposes of receiving a condom sized to fit their erect penis, we found a mean erect penile length of 14.15 cm and a mean erect penile circumference of 12.23 cm. The self-reported erect penile dimensions in this study are consistent with other penile dimension research. Also, findings suggest that mode of getting an erection may influence erect penile dimensions. Additionally, how a man becomes erect for self-measurement may be associated with his erect penile length and/or circumference.
Pharmacodynamics and safety of lefradafiban, an oral platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist, in patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing elective angioplasty

OBJECTIVE Lefradafiban is the orally active prodrug of fradafiban, a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist. The present phase II study aimed to determine the dose of lefradafiban that provides 80% blockade of the glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptors by fradafiban, and to study the pharmacodynamics and safety of different doses in patients with stable angina undergoing angioplasty. DESIGN A double blind, placebo controlled, dose finding study. SETTING Four academic and community hospitals in the Netherlands. PATIENTS 64 patients with stable coronary artery disease undergoing elective percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty. INTERVENTIONS 30 mg, 45 mg, and 60 mg of lefradafiban three times daily or placebo was given for 48 hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary safety end point was the occurrence of bleeding, classified as major, minor, or insignificant according to the thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) criteria. Efficacy indices included per cent fibrinogen receptor occupancy (FRO), ex vivo platelet aggregation, and plasma concentrations of fradafiban. RESULTS Administration of lefradafiban 30, 45, and 60 mg three times daily resulted in a dose dependent increase in median FRO levels of 71%, 85%, and 88%, respectively. Inhibition of platelet aggregation was closely related to FRO. There were no major bleeding events. The 60 mg lefradafiban group had a high (71%) incidence of minor and insignificant bleeding. The incidence of bleeding was 44% in the 30 mg and 45 mg groups, compared with 9% in placebo patients. Puncture site bleeding was the most common event. The odds of bleeding increased by 3% for every 1% increase in FRO. CONCLUSIONS Lefradafiban is an effective oral glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor blocker. The clinical effectiveness of doses up to 45 mg three times daily should be investigated.
Alcohol dependence with comorbid drug dependence: genetic and phenotypic associations suggest a more severe form of the disorder with stronger genetic contribution to risk.

BACKGROUND Twin data suggest that alcohol dependence comorbid with illicit drug dependence represents a more heritable form of the disorder. In the Collaborative Study on the Genetics of Alcoholism sample, approximately half the alcohol-dependent individuals also meet diagnostic criteria for illicit drug dependence. In this study, we tested for heterogeneity in the association between the muscarinic acetylcholine M2 receptor gene (CHRM2) and alcohol dependence, reported previously in the full sample, among the subgroups of alcohol-dependent individuals with and without comorbid drug dependence. METHODS Family-based association tests were conducted separately (a) in individuals with alcohol dependence with comorbid drug dependence (n = 477) and (b) in individuals with alcohol dependence without comorbid drug dependence (n = 433). These subgroups were subsequently compared on other phenotypic characteristics. RESULTS The evidence for association between CHRM2 and alcohol dependence came entirely from the subgroup of individuals with comorbid drug dependence. There was no evidence of association with CHRM2 among the alcohol-dependent individuals without drug dependence. Subsequent phenotypic analyses suggest that the subgroup of alcohol-dependent individuals with comorbid drug dependence differ on a number of other phenotypic characteristics, including several measures of the severity of their alcohol problems, personality traits and comorbid psychiatric disorders. CONCLUSIONS These analyses provide specific genetic evidence suggesting that alcohol dependence with comorbid drug dependence represents a particularly severe form of the disorder, with higher genetic contribution to vulnerability.
Design of the low-noise LC oscillator with the digital frequency tuning based on the composite resonator

This paper presents a low phase noise differential LC oscillator with the new resonator type. The resonator architecture is an LC tank with an additional pair of serial resonators. The circuit was implemented in 0.18 \im CMOS technology and the measured phase noise reached −131.3 dBc at 3 MHz offset from a 6.776 GHz carrier with a power dissipation of 1.60 mW and the figure of merit (FOM) is −196.3 dB. The proposed area of application is the core of the local oscillator in a low-power wireless transceiver.
Interactivity of Social Media and Online Consumer Behavior: the Moderating Effects of Opinion Leadership

The internet provides information media and social media for online consumers to seek information on the websites and opinions from other consumers. This study examined how the three dimensions of interactivity (control, communication direction, and synchronicity) affected users’ online information seeking process. Particularly, this study assessed how cognitive involvement and perceived social presence mediated the effects of interactivity onto satisfaction of websites, purchase intention and spreading word(of(mouth. Moreover, we also investigated how users’ opinion leadership moderated the effects of interactivity. This study recruited 511 respondents to participate in the survey. The results showed that control and synchronicity positively influenced consumers’ involvement, which further mediated the effects of these two dimensions of interactivity onto user satisfaction of the website, purchase intention and spreading word(of(mouth. On the other hand, communication direction and synchronicity positively affected their social presence, which only mediated the effect of synchronicity onto those three dependent variables. Lastly, users’ opinion leadership moderated the effects of communication direction and synchronicity on social presence, but did not moderate the effects of control and synchronicity on involvement.
Carer Knowledge and Perceptions of Healthy Lifestyles for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities.

Background Carers can have a significant impact supporting people with intellectual disabilities to make healthy lifestyle choices. This study examines carers’ training needs on diet and physical activity. Methods A cross-sectional survey was undertaken of the knowledge and perceptions of carers supporting adults with intellectual disabilities. An interviewer administered questionnaire was used to examine carer knowledge of public health recommendations on diet and physical activity; perceptions of the benefits of healthy diets and physical activity levels; and the carer views on the barriers to change experienced by individuals with intellectual disabilities. Results Sixty-three carers took part in the study. They generally had a low level of knowledge around public health recommendations on diet and physical activity. Greater importance was attributed to the health benefits of diet than physical activity. Carers rated intrapersonal barriers to change within the person with intellectual disabilities as more important, than interpersonal or external barriers to change, with significant differences in perceived barriers relevant to diet and physical activity. Conclusions Carers supporting adults with intellectual disabilities have significant training needs relevant to promoting healthy lifestyles. This highlights the opportunity to promote health improvement via the development, and provision, of effective training initiatives.
Fractional Resurfacing for the Treatment of Atrophic Facial Acne Scars in Asian Skin

BACKGROUND Atrophic facial acne scars is one of the most common problems in patients with inflammatory acne. Ablative laser resurfacing has unpleasant complications and a long recovery peroid. Nonablative therapies yield less improvement and satisfaction. The introduction of fractional photothermolysis (FP) is an alternative treatment for atrophic acne scars. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of a nonablative 1,550‐nm erbium‐doped fiber laser in the FP of atrophic facial acne scars in one treatment session. METHODS Forty‐five patients (skin type III‐IV, mean age 29) with atrophic facial acne scars were enrolled in the study. Each patient received one treatment of FP. Comparative photographs were taken using specific complexion analysis to identify and quantify depressed scars and texture. Physician evaluations and patient satisfaction were graded on a 4‐point scale. Side effects were recorded at each follow‐up visit. RESULTS The improvement in atrophic scars and texture after a FP treatment were significant. Twenty‐seven (60%) of the patients had good to excellent results after 1 month. CONCLUSION The FP of atrophic facial acne scars resulted in significant improvement even in a single treatment, with good satisfaction and unremarkable side effects. The authors have indicated no significant interest with commercial supporters.
Glucocorticoid-endocannabinoid interaction in cardiac surgical patients: relationship to early cognitive dysfunction and late depression

Abstract Background: Endocannabinoids (ECs) are rapidly acting immune-modulatory lipid-signaling molecules that are important for adaptation to stressful and aversive situations. They are known to interact with glucocorticoids and other stress-responsive systems. Maladaptation to acute or chronic stress represents a major risk factor for the development of psychiatric disorders. In the present study, we administered stress doses of hydrocortisone in a prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind study in patients undergoing cardiac surgery (CS) to examine the relationship between the use of glucocorticoids, plasma EC levels, and the occurrence of early postoperative cognitive dysfunction (delirium) and of later development of depression. Methods: We determined plasma levels of the ECs anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in CS patients of the hydrocortisone (n=56) and the placebo group (n=55) preoperatively, at postoperative day (POD) 1, at intensive care unit discharge, and at 6 months after CS (n=68). Postoperative delirium was diagnosed according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association IVth Edition (DSM-IV) criteria, and depression was determined by validated questionnaires and a standardized psychological interview (Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV). Results: Stress doses of hydrocortisone did not affect plasma EC levels and the occurrence of delirium or depression. However, patients who developed delirium on POD 1 had significantly lower preoperative 2-AG levels of the neuroprotective EC 2-AG (median values, 3.8 vs. 11.3 ng/ml; p=0.03). Preoperative 2-AG concentrations were predictive of postoperative delirium (sensitivity=0.70; specificity=0.69; cutoff value=4.9 ng/ml; receiver operating characteristic curve area=0.70; 95% confidence interval=0.54–0.85). Patients with depression at 6 months after CS (n=16) had significantly lower anandamide and 2-AG levels during the perioperative period. Conclusions: A low perioperative EC response may indicate an increased risk for early cognitive dysfunction and long-term depression in patients after CS. Glucocorticoids do not seem to influence this relationship.