Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The alternative model of silicone for experimental simulation of suture of living tissue in the teaching of surgical technique 1

Abstract Purpose: To develop a silicone alternative model of tissue suture simulation to be used in the teaching of surgical technique. Methods: Twelve alternative models of silicone for tissue suture simulation were manufactured and implemented as a tool for suture pattern training of undergraduate medical students of Universidade Federal do Amazonas. Forty-eight students participated in the research. The evaluation of the proposed model was done through a questionnaire using the Likert scale, in order to verify the student satisfaction index of the alternative resource and its performance as opposed to the model historically used in the discipline, which is to suture in cloths. Results: The alternative model showed satisfactory results, especially with respect to the structural aspect, such as, better perception of anatomical planes, handling and transport. About 89.58% of positive concordant responses demonstrating expressive approval for incorporation of a complementary form of the alternative methodological proposal of the discipline of surgical technique. Conclusions: The model developed for experimental simulation of tissue sutures has proved to be a fully feasible alternative method for the training of this surgical skill. It is a simple, reproducible and low-cost model.
Interpersonal Coordination and Individual Organization Combined with Shared Phenomenological Experience in Rowing Performance: Two Case Studies

The principal aim of this study was to examine the impact of variability in interpersonal coordination and individual organization on rowing performance. The second aim was to analyze crew phenomenology in order to understand how rowers experience their joint actions when coping with constraints emerging from the race. We conducted a descriptive and exploratory study of two coxless pair crews during a 3000-m rowing race against the clock. As the investigation was performed in an ecological context, we postulated that our understanding of the behavioral dynamics of interpersonal coordination and individual organization and the variability in performance would be enriched through the analysis of crew phenomenology. The behavioral dynamics of individual organization were assessed at kinematic and kinetic levels, and interpersonal coordination was examined by computing the relative phase between oar angles and oar forces and the difference in the oar force impulse of the two rowers. The inter-cycle variability of the behavioral dynamics of one international and one national crew was evaluated by computing the root mean square and the Cauchy index. Inter-cycle variability was considered significantly high when the behavioral and performance data for each cycle were outside of the confidence interval. Crew phenomenology was characterized on the basis of self-confrontation interviews and the rowers' concerns were then analyzed according to course-of-action methodology to identify the shared experiences. Our findings showed that greater behavioral variability could be either “perturbing” or “functional” depending on its impact on performance (boat velocity); the rowers experienced it as sometimes meaningful and sometimes meaningless; and their experiences were similar or diverging. By combining phenomenological and behavioral data, we explain how constraints not manipulated by an experimenter but emerging from the ecological context of a race can be associated with functional adaptations or perturbations of the interpersonal coordination.
Effects of Ethanol Exposure during Distinct Periods of Brain Development on Hippocampal Synaptic Plasticity

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders occur when a mother drinks during pregnancy and can greatly influence synaptic plasticity and cognition in the offspring. In this study we determined whether there are periods during brain development that are more susceptible to the effects of ethanol exposure on hippocampal synaptic plasticity. In particular, we evaluated how the ability to elicit long-term potentiation (LTP) in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) was affected in young adult rats that were exposed to ethanol during either the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd trimester equivalent. As expected, the effects of ethanol on young adult DG LTP were less severe when exposure was limited to a particular trimester equivalent when compared to exposure throughout gestation. In males, ethanol exposure during the 1st, 2nd or 3rd trimester equivalent did not significantly reduce LTP in the DG. In females, ethanol exposure during either the 1st or 2nd trimester equivalents did not impact LTP in early adulthood, but following exposure during the 3rd trimester equivalent alone, LTP was significantly increased in the female DG. These results further exemplify the disparate effects between the ability to elicit LTP in the male and female brain following perinatal ethanol exposure (PNEE).
The Long Isoform of Terminal Deoxynucleotidyl Transferase Enters the Nucleus And, Rather than Catalyzing Nontemplated Nucleotide Addition, Modulates the Catalytic Activity of the Short Isoform

During variable/diversity/joining (V[D]J) recombination, the enzyme terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (Tdt) adds random nucleotides at the junctions of the rearranging gene segments, increasing diversity of the antibody (Ab) and T cell receptor repertoires. Two splice variants of Tdt have been described, but only one (short isoform of Tdt [TdtS]) has been convincingly demonstrated to catalyze nontemplated (N) addition in vitro. We have expressed each splice variant of Tdt in transgenic (Tg) mice and found that the TdtS transgene catalyzes N addition on the endogenous Tdt−/− background and in fetal liver, but that the long isoform of Tdt (TdtL) transgene does neither. In contrast to previous in vitro results, both TdtS and TdtL are translocated to the nucleus in our model. Furthermore, TdtL/TdtS double Tg mice exhibit less N addition in fetal liver than do TdtS Tg mice. Whereas the TdtS transgene was shown to have functional consequences on the antiphosphorylcholine (PC) B cell repertoire, TdtL Tg mice exhibit a normal PC response, and Tdt−/− mice actually exhibit an increase in the PC response and in TEPC 15 idiotype+ Ab production. We conclude that TdtL localizes to the nucleus in vivo where it serves to modulate TdtS function.
Using concurrent operants to evaluate perseverative conversation in children and adolescents diagnosed with Asperger's disorder

Perseverative conversation is a problem vocal behavior that is unique to individuals with Asperger’s disorder. It is characterized by long-winded monol ogues revolving around circumscribed interests. The current research literature sugg sts that perseverative conversation may exacerbate already poor social relati ons, impede productivity at work and home, and lead to disruptive behavior when it is restricted. Despite the negative repercussions there is a lack of research relat ed to the assessment and treatment of this behavior. In the field of applied behavior analysis, concurre nt operants assessments have been used effectively to identify relative pre fer nc for concurrently available reinforcers. In the current study, choice assessme nt using concurrent operants arrangements were used to evaluate the reinforcing prope rties f perseverative conversation in children and adolescents with Asperger’s disorder . Five participants, all with Asperger’s disorder and reported difficulties with pe rsev rative conversation, were assessed in three phases: A preference assessment for c onversation topics; an assessment of preference for reinforcer dimensions; and an asse ssment of preference for competing dimensions. In the first phase a two-stage prefere nc assessment separated high-preferred from less-preferred conversation t opics and in the second and third phases participants were asked to make choices regarding their preference for conversation content, conversational style, and conversation duration. Phase II results suggested that participants preferred conversing about the ir respective circumscribed interests over neutral topics, actively conversing rather than listening, and conversing for longer duration rather than shorter duration. Phase III, which asse ssed relative preference for the three reinforcer dimensions, resulted in a hiera rc y of preference for all but one participant. Two participants demonstrated the stronges t preference for conversation content and two participants demonstrated the strongest preference for conversational style. Conversation duration was least preferre d by four of the five participants. Perseverative conversation occurred at a relatively high rate across
Pim-1 Kinase Protects P-Glycoprotein from Degradation and Enables Its Glycosylation and Cell Surface Expression

The oncogenic serine/threonine kinase Pim-1 phosphorylates and activates the ATP-binding cassette transporter breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2). The ABC transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp; ABCB1) also contains a Pim-1 phosphorylation consensus sequence, and we hypothesized that Pim-1 also regulates Pgp. Pgp is exported from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as a 150-kDa species that is glycosylated to 170-kDa Pgp, translocates to the cell surface, and mediates drug efflux; alternatively, 150-kDa Pgp is cleaved to a 130-kDa proteolytic product by ER proteases or undergoes ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Pim-1 and Pgp interaction was studied in GST pull-down and phosphorylation in in vitro kinase assays. Pim-1 knockdown and inhibition effects on Pgp expression were studied by immunoblotting and flow cytometry and on Pgp stability by immunoblotting after cycloheximide treatment. Pim-1 directly interacted with and phosphorylated Pgp in intact cells and in vitro. Pim-1 knockdown or inhibition decreased cellular and cell surface 170-kDa Pgp, in association with both transient increase in 130-kDa Pgp and increased Pgp ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Pim-1 inhibition also decreased expression of 150-kDa Pgp in the presence of the glycosylation inhibitor 2-deoxy-d-glucose. Finally, Pim-1 inhibition sensitized Pgp-overexpressing cells to doxorubicin. Thus, Pim-1 regulates Pgp expression by protecting 150-kDa Pgp from proteolytic and proteasomal degradation and enabling Pgp glycosylation and cell surface translocation and thus Pgp-mediated drug efflux. Pim-1 inhibitors are entering clinical trials and may provide a novel approach to abrogating drug resistance.
Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Contributes to Aortic Stiffening via Proapoptotic and Fibrotic Signaling Mechanisms

Vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis and collagen synthesis contribute to aortic stiffening. A cellular signaling mechanism contributing to apoptotic and fibrotic events is endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that induction of ER stress in a normotensive rat would cause profibrotic and apoptotic signaling, thereby contributing to aortic stiffening. Furthermore, we hypothesized that inhibition of ER stress in an angiotensin II (Ang II) model of hypertension would improve aortic stiffening. Induction of ER stress with tunicamycin in normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats (10 &mgr;g/kg per day, osmotic pump, 28 days) caused an increase in systolic blood pressure (mm Hg; 160±5) compared with vehicle-treated (127±3) or tunicamycin-treated rats that were cotreated with ER stress inhibitor 4-phenylbutyric acid (100 mg/kg per day, 28 days, [124±6]). There was an increase in aortic apoptosis (fold; 3.0±0.3), collagen content (1.4±0.1), and fibrosis (2.0±0.1) in the tunicamycin-treated rats compared with vehicle-treated rats. Inhibition of ER stress in male Sprague-Dawley rats given Ang II (60 ng/min, osmotic pump, 28 days) and treated with either tauroursodeoxycholic acid or phenylbutyric acid (100 mg/kg per day, IP, 28 days) led to a 20 mm Hg decrease in blood pressure with either inhibitor compared with Ang II treatment alone. Aortic apoptosis, increased collagen content, and fibrosis in Ang II–treated rats were attenuated with ER stress inhibition. We conclude that ER stress is a new signaling mechanism that contributes to aortic stiffening via promoting apoptosis and fibrosis.
Feasibility of an Intervention to Support Hearing and Vision in Dementia: The SENSE‐Cog Field Trial

People with dementia (PwD) frequently experience hearing and vision impairment that is underrecognized and undertreated, resulting in reduced quality of life. Managing these impairments may be an important strategy to improve outcomes in PwD. Our objective was to field‐trial a multifaceted sensory intervention (SI) to enhance hearing and vision in PwD.
The Relationship Between Degree of Bilingualism and Cognitive Ability: A Critical Discussion and Some New Longitudinal Data

In 1962, Elizabeth Peal and Wallace Lambert of McGill University published a monograph entitled “The Relation of Bilingualism to Intelligence. ”The research, conducted in Montreal with 10-year-old children, compared the performance of monolinguals t o that of bilingual, French/English-speaking subjects on a variety of standard tests of intelligence. In contrast to previous research on bilingualism and intelligence, Peal and Lambert (1962) discov, ered that their bilingual sample showed superior performance on measures of verbal intelligence and on nonverbal tests “involving concept-formation or symbolic flexibility Ip. 141. ” What differentiated the study from its ancestral relatives was the care with which Peal and Lambert exercised control over sample selection. They drew a distinction between true, “balanced bilinguals” who are proficient in both their first (11) and second language (L2) and “pseudo-bilinguals” who, for various reasons, have not yet attained ageappropriate abilities in their second language. According to Peal and Lambert(l962): “The pseudo-bilingual knows one language much better than the other, and does not use his second language in communication. The true (or balanced) bilingual masters both at an early age and has facility with both as means of communication [p. 61. ” Into their sample of bilinguals, only those considered “balanced” were admitted. Peal and Lambert’s study had substantial impact on two fronts. First, it raised the consciousness of researchers on the problem of selecting appropri320 HAKUTA AND DIAZ
An on-line BIST RAM architecture with self-repair capabilities

The emerging field of self-repair computing is expected to have a major impact on deployable systems for space missions and defense applications, where high reliability, availability, and serviceability are needed. In this context, RAM (random access memories) are among the most critical components. This paper proposes a built-in self-repair (BISR) approach for RAM cores. The proposed design, introducing minimal and technology-dependent overheads, can detect and repair a wide range of memory faults including: stuck-at, coupling, and address faults. The test and repair capabilities are used on-line, and are completely transparent to the external user, who can use the memory without any change in the memory-access protocol. Using a fault-injection environment that can emulate the occurrence of faults inside the module, the effectiveness of the proposed architecture in terms of both fault detection and repairing capability was verified. Memories of various sizes have been considered to evaluate the area-overhead introduced by this proposed architecture.
A Unit Resolution-Based Approach to Tractable and Paraconsistent Reasoning

A family of unit resolution-based paraconsistent inference relations ⊢*Σ for propositional logic in the clausal case is introduced. Parameter Σ is any consistent set of clauses representing the beliefs which are intended to be exploited through full deduction, i.e., every classical consequence of Σ must be kept w.r. t. ⊢*Σ, whatever the belief base B. Contrariwise to many paraconsistent inference relations, any relation ⊢*Σ can be decided in time linear in |B| whenever Σ is of bounded size. We show that ⊢*Σ exhibits several valuable properties, including strong paraconsistency. We also show how a unit propagation algorithm can be simply turned into a decision procedure for ⊢*Σ. We finally show how the ⊢*Σ family relates to several inference relations proposed so far as approximations of classical entailment.
Bayesian analysis of similarity matrices for speaker diarization

Inspired by recent success of speaker clustering in Total Variability space we propose a new probabilistic model for speaker diarization based on Bayesian modeling of pairwise similarity scores. The recordings are represented by symmetric similarity matrices of likelihood ratio scores from probabilistic linear discriminant analysis (PLDA) trained on short-term i-vectors. We employ Bayesian approach to address the problem of unknown number of speakers in conversation. Diarization error rates on the NIST 2008 SRE telephone data indicate comparable performance with state-of-the-art eigenvoice-based diarization. But unlike the eigenvoice approach, our method finds the number of speakers automatically, making the proposed model more viable for practical applications.
An ezrin-rich, rigid uropod-like structure directs movement of amoeboid blebbing cells

Melanoma cells can switch between an elongated mesenchymal-type and a rounded amoeboid-type migration mode. The rounded ‘amoeboid’ form of cell movement is driven by actomyosin contractility resulting in membrane blebbing. Unlike elongated A375 melanoma cells, rounded A375 cells do not display any obvious morphological front–back polarisation, although polarisation is thought to be a prerequisite for cell movement. We show that blebbing A375 cells are polarised, with ezrin (a linker between the plasma membrane and actin cytoskeleton), F-actin, myosin light chain, plasma membrane, phosphatidylinositol (4,5)-bisphosphate and β1-integrin accumulating at the cell rear in a uropod-like structure. This structure does not have the typical protruding shape of classical leukocyte uropods, but, as for those structures, it is regulated by protein kinase C. We show that the ezrin-rich uropod-like structure (ERULS) is an inherent feature of polarised A375 cells and not a consequence of cell migration, and is necessary for cell invasion. Furthermore, we demonstrate that membrane blebbing is reduced at this site, leading to a model in which the rigid ezrin-containing structure determines the direction of a moving cell through localised inhibition of membrane blebbing.
Development of a broadband and squint-free Ku-band phased array antenna system for airborne satellite communications

Novel avionic communication systems are required for various purposes, for example to increase the flight safety and operational integrity as well as to enhance the quality of service to passengers on board. To serve these purposes, a key technology that is essential to be developed is an antenna system that can provide broadband connectivity within aircraft cabins at an affordable price. Currently, in the European Commission (EC) 7th Framework Programme SANDRA project (SANDRA, 2011), a development of such an antenna system is being carried out. The system is an electronically-steered phased-array antenna (PAA) with a low aerodynamic profile. The reception of digital video broadcasting by satellite (DVB-S) signal which is in the frequency range of 10.7-12.75 GHz (Ku-band) is being considered. In order to ensure the quality of service provided to the passengers, the developed antenna should be able to receive the entire DVB-S band at once while complying with the requirements of the DVB-S system (Morello & Mignone, 2006). These requirements, as will be explained later, dictate a broadband antenna system where the beam is squint-free, i.e. no variation of beam pointing direction for all the frequencies in the desired band. Additionally, to track the satellite, the seamless tunability of the beam pointing direction of this antenna is also required. In this work, a concept of optical beamforming (Riza & Thompson, 1997) is implemented to provide a squint-free beam over the entire Ku-band for all the desired pointing directions. The optical beamformer itself consists of continuously tunable optical delay lines that enable seamless tunability of the beam pointing direction.
Observation of σ-pore currents in mutant hKv1.2_V370C potassium channels

Current through the σ-pore was first detected in hKv1.3_V388C channels, where the V388C mutation in hKv1.3 channels opened a new pathway (σ-pore) behind the central α-pore. Typical for this mutant channel was inward current at potentials more negative than -100 mV when the central α-pore was closed. The α-pore blockers such as TEA+ and peptide toxins (CTX, MTX) could not reduce current through the σ-pore of hKv1.3_V388C channels. This new pathway would proceed in parallel to the α-pore in the S6-S6 interface gap. To see whether this phenomenon is restricted to hKv1.3 channels we mutated hKv1.2 at the homologue position (hKv1.2_V370C). By overexpression of hKv1.2_V370C mutant channels in COS-7 cells we could show typical σ-currents. The electrophysiological properties of the σ-pore in hKv1.3_V388C and hKv1.2_V370C mutant channels were similar. The σ-pore of hKv1.2_V370C channels was most permeable to Na+ and Li+ whereas Cl- and protons did not influence current through the σ-pore. Tetraethylammonium (TEA+), charybdotoxin (CTX) and maurotoxin (MTX), known α-pore blockers, could not reduce current through the σ-pore of hKv1.2_V370C channels. Taken together we conclude that the observation of σ-pore currents is not restricted to Kv1.3 potassium channels but can also be observed in a closely related potassium channel. This finding could have implications in the treatment of different ion channel diseases linked to mutations of the respective channels in regions close to homologue position investigated by us.
Phase I Clinical Trial Outcomes in 93 Patients with Brain Metastases: The MD Anderson Cancer Center Experience

Purpose: Patients with brain metastases are often excluded from clinical trials, but it is unclear whether they pose an enhanced risk. Experimental Design: We reviewed the records of 1,181 consecutive patients, with and without brain metastases, treated in our Phase I Clinical Trials Program. Results: Ninety-three patients had brain metastases at the time of referral. Their median age was 54 years; median follow-up, 8 months. The rates of stable disease ≥ 4 months, partial response, and complete response combined in patients with and without brain metastases were 17% and 27%, respectively (P = 0.03). Although the median survival of patients with brain metastases was shorter than that of patients without brain metastases (7.5 vs. 10.3 months; P = 0.002), in multivariate analysis, the presence of brain metastases was not an independent factor predicting survival. There was no difference in time-to-treatment failure (1.74 vs. 1.84 months, respectively; P = 0.61) or in grade 3 and 4 toxicity rates (including neurologic; 12% vs. 10%, respectively; P = 0.77) between patients with and without brain metastases. Conclusions: The rates of survival and response of patients with brain metastases were lower than those for other patients in the phase I setting, but the presence of brain metastases was not an independent prognostic factor predicting survival, indicating that other covariates that coexist with brain metastases were more significant. Time-to-treatment failure for patients with brain metastases was not decreased, nor was the incidence of serious adverse effects (including neurologic toxicity) increased, suggesting that these patients should be eligible for early clinical trials. Clin Cancer Res; 17(12); 4110–8. ©2011 AACR.