Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantification of Circulating miRNAs by Droplet Digital PCR: Comparison of EvaGreen- and TaqMan-Based Chemistries

Droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) has been successfully used with TaqMan assays to assess gene expression through the quantification of mRNA and miRNA. Recently, a new ddPCR system that can also run DNA-binding dye-based assays has been developed but it has not yet been tested for miRNA. We tested and compared the feasibility of quantifying miRNA with the new QX200 Droplet Digital PCR system when used with EvaGreen dye– and TaqMan probe–based assays. RNA from plasma and serum of 28 patients with cancer and healthy persons was reverse-transcribed and quantified for two circulating miRNAs and one added exogenous miRNA, with both EvaGreen dye–based miRCURY LNA miRNA assays and TaqMan assays. Amplification and detection of target miRNAs were performed on the QX200 ddPCR system. Conditions required to run miRCURY LNA miRNA assays were optimized. The EvaGreen-based assay was precise, reproducible over a range of concentrations of four orders of magnitude, and sensitive, detecting a target miRNA at levels down to 1 copy/μL. When this assay was compared with TaqMan assays, high concordance was obtained for two endogenous miRNAs in serum and plasma (Pearson r > 0.90). EvaGreen dye–based and TaqMan probe–based assays can be equally used with the ddPCR system to quantify circulating miRNAs in human plasma and serum. This study establishes the basis for using EvaGreen dye–based assays on a ddPCR system for quantifying circulating miRNA biomarkers and potentially other low-abundance RNA biomarkers in human biofluids. See all the articles in this CEBP Focus section, “Biomarkers, Biospecimens, and New Technologies in Molecular Epidemiology. ” Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 23(12); 2638–42. ©2014 AACR.
The modern and glacial overturning circulation in the Atlantic ocean in PMIP coupled model simulations

This study analyses the response of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) to LGM forcings and boundary conditions in nine PMIP coupled model simulations, including both GCMs and Earth system Models of Intermediate Complexity. Model results differ widely. The AMOC slows down considerably (by 20–40%) during the LGM as compared to the modern climate in four models, there is a slight reduction in one model and four models show a substantial increase in AMOC strength (by 10–40%). It is found that a major controlling factor for the AMOC response is the density contrast between Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) and North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) at their source regions. Changes in the density contrast are determined by the opposing effects of changes in temperature and salinity, with more saline AABW as compared to NADW consistently found in all models and less cooling of AABW in all models but one. In only two models is the AMOC response during the LGM directly related to the response in net evaporation over the Atlantic basin. Most models show large changes in the ocean freshwater transports into the basin, but this does not seem to affect the AMOC response. Finally, there is some dependence on the accuracy of the control state.
Activation of Initiator Caspases through a Stable Dimeric Intermediate*

Structural and biochemical studies have revealed that procaspases form dimers prior to proteolytic activation. How the two procaspases interact in the dimer is unclear. To study the mechanisms of dimer-dependent caspase activation we used a heterodimeric system so that two caspase molecules can be specifically brought together. Surprisingly, only one caspase partner in the dimer needs to be enzymatically active for caspase processing and activation to occur. Caspase activation is inefficient in the dimer in the absence of intramolecular processing, suggesting that caspase activation is initiated via intramolecular processing. Homodimerization of caspase-8 or caspase-9 leads to the formation of a stable dimeric complex. However, heterodimerization between caspase-8 and caspases-3, -9, or -10 failed to induce stable dimer formation or caspase activation. Our data suggest that the formation of a stable dimeric intermediate initiates caspase activation.
Plasmablastic Plasmacytoma of the Breast

Breast plasmacytomas are extremely rare entities that can be seen as primary malignant neoplasms in the absence of bone involvement or as secondary neoplasms from disseminated multiple myeloma. Clinicians should be aware of this entity, as it may mimic benign and malignant lesions in the breast. Microscopically, immature plasmacytomas may mimic other neoplasms, so caution should be made on histological examination to ensure the correct diagnosis and corresponding therapy. Here we present a case of a plasmablastic plasmacytoma of the breast in a 55-year-old woman that was originally thought to be an angiosarcoma.
Determinants of fine‐scale homogenization and differentiation of native freshwater fish faunas in a Mediterranean Basin: implications for conservation

Aim Increasing threats to freshwater biodiversity are rapidly changing the distinctiveness of regional species pools and local assemblages. Biotic homogenization/differentiation processes are threatening the integrity and persistence of native biodiversity patterns at a range of spatial scales and pose a challenge for effective conservation planning. Here, we evaluate the extent and determinants of fine‐scale alteration in native freshwater fish assemblages among stream reaches throughout a large river basin and consider the implications of these changes for the long‐term conservation of native fishes.
Cerebral and muscle oxygenation changes during static and dynamic knee extensions to voluntary fatigue in healthy men and women: a near infrared spectroscopy study

The aim of the study was to examine the changes in cerebral and muscle blood volume (Cbv, Mbv) and oxygenation (Cox, Mox) during static and dynamic knee extensions to fatigue in men (N = 10; 29 ± 9 years) and women (N = 14; 27 ± 8 years). After assessment of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) during unilateral knee extensions with the dominant limb, each subject exercised at 50%, 75% and 100% of 1 RM in random order on separate occasions. Simultaneous changes in Cbv, Cox, Mbv and Mox from the contralateral prefrontal lobe and the dominant limb were measured by near infrared spectroscopy. During all three contractions, Cbv and Cox increased while Mbv and Mox decreased until fatigue in both genders. There were no signs of levelling off or decline in Cbv and Cox during any of these contractions, implying that there was no reduction in cerebral neuronal activation. Conversely, there was a rapid decline in Mbv and Mox during the early stages of the contractions, with a plateau or slight increase towards the end. The respective delta values at 50%, 75% and 100% of 1RM for Cbv (0·088 versus 0·062 versus 0·070), Cox (0·042 versus 0·033 versus 0·038), Mbv (−0·225 versus −0·198 versus −0·196), and Mox (−0·169 versus −0·146 versus −0·158) were not significantly different in the total group (N = 24). These findings suggest that fatigue during resistance exercise lasting up to 60 s is mediated peripherally because of reduced blood volume and oxygen availability and is independent of the type and intensity of muscle contraction and gender.
Retrospective analysis of selective lymphadenectomy in apparent early-stage endometrial cancer.

PURPOSE Selective lymphadenectomy is widely accepted in the management of endometrial cancer. Purported benefits are individualization of adjuvant therapy based on extent of disease and resection of occult metastases. Our goal was to assess effects of the extent of selective lymphadenectomy on outcomes in women with apparent stage I endometrial cancer at laparotomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with endometrial cancer who received primary surgical treatment between 1973 and 2002 were identified through an institutional tumor registry. Inclusion criteria were clinical stage I/IIA disease and procedure including hysterectomy and selective lymphadenectomy (pelvic or pelvic + aortic). Exclusion criteria included presurgical radiation, grossly positive lymph nodes, or extrauterine metastases at laparotomy. Recurrence and survival were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS Among 509 patients, the median number of lymph nodes removed was 15 (median pelvic, 11; median aortic, three). Pelvic and aortic node metastases were found in 24 (5%) of 509 patients and 11 (3%) of 373 patients, respectively. Patients with poorly differentiated cancers having more than 11 pelvic nodes removed had improved overall survival (hazard ratio [HR], 0.25; P < .0001) and progression-free survival (HR, 0.26; P < .0001) compared with patients having poorly differentiated cancers with 11 or fewer nodes removed. Number of nodes removed was not predictive of survival among patients with cancers of grade 1 to 2. Performance of aortic selective lymphadenectomy was not associated with survival. Three (27%) of 11 patients with microscopic aortic nodal metastasis are alive without recurrence. CONCLUSION These data add to the literature documenting the possible therapeutic benefit of selective lymphadenectomy in management of patients with apparent early-stage endometrial cancer.
Repeatability of the measurement of aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) in the clinical assessment of arterial stiffness in community-dwelling older patients using the Vicorder® device

Abstract Background. Pulse wave velocity measured using the Vicorder® apparatus is a non-invasive indicator of arterial stiffness. The objective of this study was to assess its repeatability in older patients when used by medical professionals with limited experience of the technique. Methods. Aortic pulse wave velocity (aPWV) was measured using the Vicorder® system four times using the conventional pathway and twice by adapted pathway in 25 consecutive ambulant patients (15 male) after they rested supine for 15 min. A nurse and a doctor independently and alternately measured PWV using the same equipment and were blinded to their colleague's PWV readings. ‘Within’ and ‘between’ observer differences were assessed using intra-class correlation coefficients (rI) and 95% limits of agreement (95% LoA) derived from Bland-Altman plots. Results. Mean age was 79.8 (mean blood pressure [BP] = 133/69, Mean heart rate [HR]: 70.9). Mean PWV was 11.73 (Standard Deviation [SD] 2.6–3.6). ‘Between’ and ‘within’ observer repeatability was high, with rIs ranging from 0.8–0.93. The repeatability index for ‘between’ nurse and doctor measures was slightly lower (rI = 0.88) when an adapted cuff measure was used in assessing PWV compared to conventional cuff measures (rI = 0.93). Mean PWV readings ‘between’ observers differed by only 0.094 (95% CI −0.24 to 1.59). Conclusion. When undertaken by operators with limited previous technical experience, both ‘within’ and ‘between’ observer repeatability of PWV measurement was high. This method has the potential to be included in the clinical assessment of arterial stiffness in older ambulant patients.
Where's the "Culture" in Cross-Cultural Transition?

Research examined psychological and sociocultural adjustment during cross-cultural transitions in two groups of sojourners. One hundred and forty-five Malaysian and Singaporean students in New Zealand and 156 Malaysian students in Singapore participated in the studies. In line with past sojourner research, results revealed that locus of control, life changes, social difficulty, and social support variables predicted psychological adjustment during cross-cultural transitions. In contrast, length of residence in the host culture, cultural distance, interaction with host nationals and co-nationals, extroversion, acculturation strategies, and mood disturbance predicted sociocultural adaptation. In addition to these general findings, culture-specific results also emerged; high host national contact and cultural integration were associated with mood disturbance in Malaysian sojourners in Singapore. As expected, Malaysian and Singaporean students in New Zealand experienced greater social difficulty than Malaysian students in Singapore although there was no significant difference in mood disturbance. Also consistent with the hypothesis, the magnitude of the correlation between psychological and sociocultural adjustment was significantly greater in the Singapore-based compared to the New Zealand-based sample.
Beyond the dual-support system: Scholarship, research and teaching in the context of academic autonomy

ABSTRACT The present dual-support system for teaching and research in universities is in decay for a number of reasons—the more selective funding policies adopted by the University Grants Committe and now the Universities Funding Council; the inability of universities to fund research overheads out of their routine budgets; the arbitrary exclusion of the polytechnics from dual-support funds; and the growth of research as a separate activity with its own career structure. But the dual-support system is more than a set of administrative and financial arrangements; it is also an authoritative statement about how universities see the relationship between research and teaching, and indeed a metaphor about the essential character of the academic enterprise. These arrangements suggest an enterprise that is organic, autonomous and also perhaps inward in its orientation. So in both administrative and normative senses the dual-support system is out-of-date. Various proposals have been made to reform it, including t.
Booster Breaks: An Easy-to-Implement Workplace Policy Designed to Improve Employee Health, Increase Productivity, and Lower Health Care Costs

Workplace stress and physical inactivity are major health problems. To combat them, Booster Breaks have been proposed, which represent a new way of thinking about work breaks. This article introduces a workplace program and policy to improve employee health and productivity and lower healthcare costs by implementing Booster Breaks. This innovation uses break times to promote health and is based on the Booster Break ripple effects model, whose levels, effects, and implications are described herein. A Booster Break program can transform workplace policies to improve organizational morale and lower health care costs with favorable ripple effects for society.
Critical thinking assessment

as a goal of education throughout most of this century (for example, John Dewey's How We Think, 1910; and the Educational Policies Commission's The Central Purpose of American Education, 1961), not a great deal has been done about it. Since the early 1980s, however, attention to critical thinking instruction has increased significantly-with some spillover to critical thinking assessment, an area that has been neglected even more than critical thinking instruction. Partly as a result of this neglect, the picture I paint of critical thinking assessment is not all rosy, though there are some bright spots. More explicitly, my major theme is that, given our current state of knowledge, critical thinking assessment, albeit difficult to do well, is possible. Two subthemes are that (a) the difficulties and possibilities vary with the purpose of the critical thinking assessment and the format used, and (b) there are numerous traps for the unwary. In pursuit of these themes, I consider some possible purposes in attempting to assess critical thinking, note some traps, list and comment on available critical thinking tests (none of which suit all of the purposes), and finish with suggestions for how to develop your own critical thinking assessment, including a discussion of some major formats. But first, some attention must be paid to the definition of critical thinking, because critical thinking assessment requires that we be clear about what we are trying to assess. Robert H. Ennis is professor of education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Defining Critical Thinking The upper three levels of Blooms' taxonomy of educational objectives (analysis, synthesis, and evaluation) are often offered as a definition of critical thinking. Sometimes the next two levels (comprehension and application) are added. This conception is a good beginning, but it has problems. One is that the l vels are not really hierarchical, as suggested by the theory, but rather are interdependent. For example, although synthesis and evaluation generally do require analysis, analysis generally requires synthesis and evaluation (Ennis, 1981). More significantly, given our concern here, the three (or five) concepts are too vague to guide us in developing and judging critical thinking assessment. Consider analysis, for example. What do you assess when you test for ability to analyze? The difficulty becomes apparent when we consider the following variety of things that can be labeled "analysis": analysis f the political situation in the Middle East, analysis of a chemical substance, analysis of a word, analysis of an argument, and analysis of the opponent's weaknesses in a basketball game. What testable thing do all these activities have in common? None, except for the vague principle that it is often desirable to break things into parts. A definition of critical thinking that I at one time endorsed is that critical thinking is the correct assessing of statements (Ennis, 1962). If I had not laborated this definition, it would be as vague as Bloom's taxonomy. But even when elaborated, it suffers
The Social fabric : dimensions and issues

Preface - James F Short Jr INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW The Social Fabric as Metaphor and Reality - James F Short Jr PART ONE: HOW IS SOCIAL ORDER POSSIBLE? From Structure to Order - Neil Smelser Individual Choice and the Social Order - William J Goode Institutionalized Public Memory - Mary Douglas A Conceptual Framework for Measuring Norms - Peter H Rossi and Richard A Berk The Problem of Order - Morris Zelditch Jr PART TWO: THE ORWELLIAN VISION: SOCIOLOGICAL INTERPRETATIONS Orwell as Macro-sociologist - Morris Janowitz War and Peace in Oceania - Kai Erikson The Iron fist and the Velvet Glove - Gary T Marx Totalitarian Potentials Within Democratic Structures PART THREE: SOCIAL SYSTEMS, INSTITUTIONS, AND PROCESSES To What Degree is a Social System Dependent on its Resource Base? - William R Catton Jr, Gerhard Lenski, and Fred H Buttel The Limits and Possibilities of Government - Richard D Schwartz A Perspective from Sociology of Law Government and the Making of Social Structure - Thomas S Moore and S M Miller Wheeling and Annealing - Eric M Leifer and Harrison C White Federal and Multidivisional Control Citizen Soldier Versus Economic Man - Charles C Moskos Social History and the Life Course Perspective on the Family - Irving Tallman A View from the Bridge Religion and the Social Fabric - Robert Wuthnow Media Linkages of the Social Fabric - Sandra Ball-Rokeach PART FOUR: SCIENCE, SCIENTISTS, AND THE SOCIAL FABRIC Sociology and the Nuclear Debate - Theodore Caplow Uses and Control of Knowledge - Harriet Zuckerman Implications for the Social Fabric
Antibiotic resistance of retail food and human Campylobacter isolates on the island of Ireland from 2001–2002

The antimicrobial resistance profiles of Campylobacter isolates recovered from a range of retail food samples (n=374) and humans (n=314) to eight antimicrobial compounds were investigated. High levels of resistance in food C. jejuni isolates were observed for ceftiofur (58%), ampicillin (25%) and nalidixic acid (17%) with lower levels observed for streptomycin (7·9%) and chloramphenicol (8·3%). A total of 80% of human C. jejuni isolates were resistant to ceftiofur, while 17% showed resistance to ampicillin and nalidixic acid, 8·6% to streptomycin and 4·1% to chloramphenicol. Resistance to clinically relevant antimicrobials such as erythromycin, ciprofloxacin and tetracycline was 6·7, 12, and 15% respectively for all food isolates and was similar to corresponding resistance prevalences observed for human isolates, where 6·4, 12 and 13% respectively were found to be resistant. Comparisons of C. jejuni isolates in each location showed a high degree of similarity although some regional variations did exist. Comparison of total C. jejuni and C. coli populations showed minor differences, with C. jejuni isolates more resistant to ampicillin and ceftiofur. Multidrug resistance patterns showed some profiles common to human and clinical isolates.
A STUDY OF THE ROLE OF AWARENESS IN FOREIGN LANGUAGE BEHAVIOR

This study is a quantitative and qualitative investigation of the effects of awareness, or the lack thereof, on 32 adult second or foreign language (L2) learners' subsequent intake and written production of targeted Spanish morphological forms. Think-aloud protocol data, gathered while learners completed a problem-solving task (a crossword puzzle) and postexposure assessment tasks (a multiple-choice recognition task and a written production task), were used to measure awareness or the lack thereof, and morphological learning was assessed by learners' performances on the two postexposure tasks. From a theoretical perspective, no dissociation between awareness and further processing of targeted forms was found in this study, the results of which are compatible with the claim that awareness plays a crucial role in subsequent processing of L2 data (e.g., Robinson, 1995; Schmidt, 1990, 1993, 1994, 1995). From a methodological perspective, the data collection procedure clearly underscores the need for studies that investigate the roles of attention and awareness in second language acquisition (SLA) to gather as much data as possible from different sources that reveal participants' internal processes. By attempting to ascertain what learners really attend to or are aware of, or both, while exposed to or interacting with L2 data, such information can also address the methodological issue of how representative learners' performances in experimental groups really are in studies conducted under an attentional framework in SLA.
Spatial effects from bipolar current injection in 3D myocardium: implications for conductivity measurements

This study aims at predicting the spatial extent of the polarization in myocardium (surface and in-depth patterns) resulting from bipolar current injection. The three-dimensional effects resulting from transmural fiber rotation and unequal anisotropy ratio for the intra- and extracellular domain are modeled using a 3D finite element bidomain model. Circular current and voltage electrodes with different radii and distance between them are considered. The authors assess the accuracy of the idealized models, applied in combination with the four electrode technique for interpretation of conductivity measurements in myocardium, in the presence of transmural rotation. Based on the spatial sensitivity of the extracellular and transmembrane potential fields to the underlying conductivity tensors the authors recommend an alternative placement of the sensing electrodes for standard electrical or optical measurements.
On the Weiss conjecture for finite locally primitive graphs

Abstract A graph Γ is said to be locally primitive if, for each vertex α, the stabilizer in Aut Γ of α induces a primitive permutation group on the set of vertices adjacent to α. In 1978, Richard Weiss conjectured that for a finite vertex-transitive locally primitive graph Γ, the number of automorphisms fixing a given vertex is bounded above by some function of the valency of Γ. In this paper we prove that the conjecture is true for finite non-bipartite graphsprovided that it is true in the case in which Aut Γ contains a locally primitive subgroup that is almost simple.