Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Manifesting Empowerment: How a Family Health Program Can Address Racism

Racism has been conducive to ostensible health disparities, with African Americans being gravely affected. The lack of cultural responsiveness within the health care system is one reason among others for the persistence of such discrepancies. Family is an integral factor in the culture and history of the African American community, making the inclusion of this variable in health care a potentially ancillary response to culture. The present study endeavored to ascertain the views of African American parents/guardians and health care professionals on how a family health program could address racism and the subsequent ill effects. Applying qualitative methods, various themes on addressing racism emerged, including the following: (1) enhancing self-esteem, increasing cultural pride and knowledge, and enhancing conduct; (2) increasing intraracial community cohesion; and (3) bolstering inter-racial community connection.
Dystrophin is required for the formation of stable muscle attachments in the zebrafish embryo

A class of recessive lethal zebrafish mutations has been identified in which normal skeletal muscle differentiation is followed by a tissue-specific degeneration that is reminiscent of the human muscular dystrophies. Here, we show that one of these mutations, sapje, disrupts the zebrafish orthologue of the X-linked human Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene. Mutations in this locus cause Duchenne or Becker muscular dystrophies in human patients and are thought to result in a dystrophic pathology through disconnecting the cytoskeleton from the extracellular matrix in skeletal muscle by reducing the level of dystrophin protein at the sarcolemma. This is thought to allow tearing of this membrane, which in turn leads to cell death. Surprisingly, we have found that the progressive muscle degeneration phenotype of sapje mutant zebrafish embryos is caused by the failure of embryonic muscle end attachments. Although a role for dystrophin in maintaining vertebrate myotendinous junctions (MTJs) has been postulated previously and MTJ structural abnormalities have been identified in the Dystrophin-deficient mdx mouse model, in vivo evidence of pathology based on muscle attachment failure has thus far been lacking. This zebrafish mutation may therefore provide a model for a novel pathological mechanism of Duchenne muscular dystrophy and other muscle diseases.
A practical evaluation of load shedding in data stream management systems for network monitoring

In network monitoring, an important issue is the number of tuples the data stream management system (DSMS) can handle for different network loads. In order to gracefully handle overload situations, some DSMSs are equipped with a tuple dropping functionality, also known as load shedding. These DSMSs register and relate the number of received and dropped tuples, i.e., the relative throughput, and perform different kinds of calculations on them. Over the past few years, several solutions and methods have been suggested to efficiently perform load shedding. The simplestapproach is to keep a count of all the dropped tuples, and to report this to the end user. In our experiments, we study two DSMSs, i.e., TelegraphCQ with support for load shedding, and STREAM without this support. We use three particular network monitoring tasks to evaluate the two DSMS with respect to their ability of load shedding and performance. We demonstrate that it is impor- tant to investigate the correctness of load shedding by showing that the reported number of dropped tuples is not always correct.
Association Between Maternal Use of SSRI Medications and Autism in Their Children.

In the February 2016 issue of JAMA Pediatrics, Boukhris and colleagues1 reported that in utero exposure to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) was associated with a significantly increased risk for autism. The authors examined all pregnancies from 1998 to 2009 in the Quebec Pregnancy/Children Cohort database that resulted in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) as the primary outcome. Among 145 456 full-term infants included in the analysis, 1054 children were diagnosed with ASD by the mean age of 6.2 years (SD, 3.2 years) at follow-up, including 1008 cases of ASD among 140 732 children (0.72%) who were not exposed to antidepressants, and 31 cases of ASD among the 2532 (1.2%) children who were exposed to SSRIs during the second or third trimester. Based on these results, the authors concluded that second- or third-trimester exposure to SSRIs was associated with increased risk for ASD (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.87; 95% CI, 1.15-3.04).
Regional differences in tyrosine kinase receptor signaling components determine differential growth patterns in the human lens.

PURPOSE The lens epithelium can be separated into two regions, the nondividing central zone and the equator, the site of all division in the normal lens. In the present study, the distribution of epithelial growth factor (EGF)/epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling components was investigated and related to mitotic distribution in the lens. METHODS Anterior and equatorial regions of the native epithelium were prepared separately from donor lenses. In vitro capsular bags were prepared from donor eyes and cultured. Receptor distribution was determined by immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR. Western blot analysis of phospholipase C (PLC)-gamma and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK; total and active) was performed on cell lysates. Function was determined by calcium imaging of Fura-2-AM-loaded cells and also, in the case of capsular bags, by cell growth. RESULTS Immunocytochemistry and RT-PCR showed an even distribution of EGFR across the native epithelium. Whole lenses, however, exhibited only a calcium response to EGF (10 ng/mL) at the equatorial region. Western blot analysis demonstrated significantly greater expression of PLCgamma and ERK (total and active) in the equator than in the central region. Addition of EGF increased growth rates of cells in capsular bags and an EGFR inhibitor decreased rates. EGF also induced a calcium response in posterior capsule cells in the capsular bags. CONCLUSIONS EGFR is evenly distributed across the entire epithelium, whereas related calcium signaling and expression of PLCgamma and ERK have a marked bias to the equator. Therefore, levels of downstream enzyme components rather than changes in receptor expression dictate EGFR signaling output in the normal lens. In the wounded lens (capsular bag) EGFR signaling persists in cells growing on the posterior capsule.
Estrogen therapy and coronary-artery calcification.

BACKGROUND Calcified plaque in the coronary arteries is a marker for atheromatous-plaque burden and is predictive of future risk of cardiovascular events. We examined the relationship between estrogen therapy and coronary-artery calcium in the context of a randomized clinical trial. METHODS In our ancillary substudy of the Women's Health Initiative trial of conjugated equine estrogens (0.625 mg per day) as compared with placebo in women who had undergone hysterectomy, we performed computed tomography of the heart in 1064 women aged 50 to 59 years at randomization. Imaging was conducted at 28 of 40 centers after a mean of 7.4 years of treatment and 1.3 years after the trial was completed (8.7 years after randomization). Coronary-artery calcium (or Agatston) scores were measured at a central reading center without knowledge of randomization status. RESULTS The mean coronary-artery calcium score after trial completion was lower among women receiving estrogen (83.1) than among those receiving placebo (123.1) (P=0.02 by rank test). After adjustment for coronary risk factors, the multivariate odds ratios for coronary-artery calcium scores of more than 0, 10 or more, and 100 or more in the group receiving estrogen as compared with placebo were 0.78 (95% confidence interval, 0.58 to 1.04), 0.74 (0.55 to 0.99), and 0.69 (0.48 to 0.98), respectively. The corresponding odds ratios among women with at least 80% adherence to the study estrogen or placebo were 0.64 (P=0.01), 0.55 (P<0.001), and 0.46 (P=0.001). For coronary-artery calcium scores of more than 300 (vs. <10), the multivariate odds ratio was 0.58 (P=0.03) in an intention-to-treat analysis and 0.39 (P=0.004) among women with at least 80% adherence. CONCLUSIONS Among women 50 to 59 years old at enrollment, the calcified-plaque burden in the coronary arteries after trial completion was lower in women assigned to estrogen than in those assigned to placebo. However, estrogen has complex biologic effects and may influence the risk of cardiovascular events and other outcomes through multiple pathways. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00000611.)
Turnover of individual cholesterol esters in human liver and plasma.

There are several lines of evidence which suggest that the liver is a major source of plasma cholesterol esters. First, eviscerated rats cannot maintain a normal concentration of cholesterol esters in the plasma (1); second, when isotopically labeled mevalonic acid is administered to rats, the specific radioactivity of the hepatic cholesterol esters initially exceeds that of the plasma cholesterol esters (2); and third, the perfusion of livers from cholesterol-fed rats leads to an increased secretion of cholesterol esters from the liver into the perfusate (3). Despite this, the composition of cholesterol esters in the liver and plasma is dissimilar, both in the rat (2, 3) and in man (4, 5). This has raised the question of whether an additional source of plasma cholesterol esters exists outside the liver. A transesterification reaction between free cholesterol and the beta fatty acid of lecithin has been demonstrated in plasma and could account for a portion of the plasma cholesterol esters (6, 7). Simultaneous esterification of cholesterol in liver and plasma could lead to the formation of cholesterol esters of differing composition. Some of the factors that govern the formation and composition of cholesterol esters have been determined in the rat. The turnover of cholesterol esters in rat liver and plasma is heterogeneous. The fractional turnover rate of plasma cholesteryl oleate is greater than that of the other esters (2) and may be related to the high degree of specificity for cholesteryl oleate formation by liver enzymes (8). When rats are fed cholesterol with different fatty acids, cholesteryl oleate accumulates in the * liver irrespective of the fatty acid fed, yet cho-lesteryl arachidonate remains the predominant ester in the plasma and is the major cholesterol ester secreted by the liver in the fasting rat (9). The heterogeneity of plasma cholesterol ester turnover found in the rat does not apply in man. Goodman (10) has demonstrated a similarity in the fractional turnover rates of individual cholesterol esters within a given class of plasma lipo-proteins. This finding has been confirmed by Nestel, Couzens, and Hirsch (5), who have shown this to apply equally in men with low and high plasma cholesterol concentrations. This paper reports further studies in man in which the incorporation of radioactivity into the individual cholesterol esters of liver and plasma has been measured. We have compared the specific radioactivities of individual esters in liver and plasma in order to determine, first, whether …
Strategies for the Simulation of Sea Ice Organic Chemistry: Arctic Tests and Development

A numerical mechanism connecting ice algal ecodynamics with the buildup of organic macromolecules is tested within modeled pan-Arctic brine channels. The simulations take place offline in a reduced representation of sea ice geochemistry. Physical driver quantities derive from the global sea ice code CICE, including snow cover, thickness and internal temperature. The framework is averaged over ten boreal biogeographic zones. Computed nutrient-light-salt limited algal growth supports grazing, mortality and carbon flow. Vertical transport is diffusive but responds to pore structure. Simulated bottom layer chlorophyll maxima are reasonable, though delayed by about a month relative to observations due to uncertainties in snow variability. Upper level biota arise intermittently during flooding events. Macromolecular concentrations are tracked as proxy proteins, polysaccharides, lipids and refractory humics. The fresh biopolymers undergo succession and removal by bacteria. Baseline organics enter solely through cell disruption, thus the internal carbon content is initially biased low. By including exudation, agreement with dissolved organic or individual biopolymer data is achieved given strong release coupled to light intensity. Detrital carbon then reaches hundreds of micromolar, sufficient to support structural changes to the ice matrix.
Effect of Biostimulation Using Sewage Sludge, Soybean Meal, and Wheat Straw on Oil Degradation and Bacterial Community Composition in a Contaminated Desert Soil

Waste materials have a strong potential in the bioremediation of oil-contaminated sites, because of their richness in nutrients and their economical feasibility. We used sewage sludge, soybean meal, and wheat straw to biostimulate oil degradation in a heavily contaminated desert soil. While oil degradation was assessed by following the produced CO2 and by using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), shifts in bacterial community composition were monitored using illumina MiSeq. The addition of sewage sludge and wheat straw to the desert soil stimulated the respiration activities to reach 3.2–3.4 times higher than in the untreated soil, whereas the addition of soybean meal resulted in an insignificant change in the produced CO2, given the high respiration activities of the soybean meal alone. GC–MS analysis revealed that the addition of sewage sludge and wheat straw resulted in 1.7–1.8 fold increase in the degraded C14 to C30 alkanes, compared to only 1.3 fold increase in the case of soybean meal addition. The degradation of ≥90% of the C14 to C30 alkanes was measured in the soils treated with sewage sludge and wheat straw. MiSeq sequencing revealed that the majority (76.5–86.4% of total sequences) of acquired sequences from the untreated soil belonged to Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Firmicutes. Multivariate analysis of operational taxonomic units placed the bacterial communities of the soils after the treatments in separate clusters (ANOSIM R = 0.66, P = 0.0001). The most remarkable shift in bacterial communities was in the wheat straw treatment, where 95–98% of the total sequences were affiliated to Bacilli. We conclude that sewage sludge and wheat straw are useful biostimulating agents for the cleanup of oil-contaminated desert soils.
Oromandibular Reconstruction: The History, Operative Options and Strategies, and Our Experience

Oromandibular reconstruction resulting from resection of benign tumor, malignant cancer, osteomyelitic or osteoradionecrotic mandible remains a challenge for plastic surgeons today. At present, fibula osteocutaneous flap is the perhaps most commonly used technique for oromandibular reconstruction because of its potential for contouring, immediate dental implant placement, and favorable donor site morbidity. In this study, we review the history of oromandibular reconstruction, summarize the characteristics of different osteocutaneous flaps, offer surgical options of different osteocutaneous flaps, and provide reconstructive strategies for different locations of mandibular defects. Furthermore, we give a detailed description of various modifications in oromandibular reconstruction: (1) the myoosseous flap for lateral segmental defect repair may reduce donor site complication; (2) to improve the function of oral commissure in patients with obscure recipient vessels, we modify the fibula osteocutaneous flap with anterolateral thigh flap and combine the tensor fascia lata using one set of recipient vessel for composite oromandibular reconstruction; (3) to decrease the likelihood of neck infection and improve aesthetic result, we add the segmental soleus muscle to the fibula osteocutaneous flap to obliterate and augment submandibular dead space. Lastly, dental rehabilitation considerations associated with mandibular reconstruction have been given to help assist in surgical treatment planning.
The diversification of Heliconius butterflies: what have we learned in 150 years?

Research into Heliconius butterflies has made a significant contribution to evolutionary biology. Here, we review our understanding of the diversification of these butterflies, covering recent advances and a vast foundation of earlier work. Whereas no single group of organisms can be sufficient for understanding life's diversity, after years of intensive study, research into Heliconius has addressed a wide variety of evolutionary questions. We first discuss evidence for widespread gene flow between Heliconius species and what this reveals about the nature of species. We then address the evolution and diversity of warning patterns, both as the target of selection and with respect to their underlying genetic basis. The identification of major genes involved in mimetic shifts, and homology at these loci between distantly related taxa, has revealed a surprising predictability in the genetic basis of evolution. In the final sections, we consider the evolution of warning patterns, and Heliconius diversity more generally, within a broader context of ecological and sexual selection. We consider how different traits and modes of selection can interact and influence the evolution of reproductive isolation.
Between Art and Gameness: Critical Theory and Computer Game Aesthetics

This article argues that the computer game can be a locus of aesthetic form in contemporary culture. The context for understanding this claim is the decline of the artwork as bearer of form in the late 20th century, as this was understood by Adorno. Form is the enigmatic other of instrumental reason that emerges spontaneously in creative works and, in the modern era, is defined as that which makes them captivating and enigmatic yet resistant to analytic understanding. Clarification of the ways in which form is at work in game play is sought from aesthetic theory (Kant), ludology (or theory of games), and the idea of a neo-baroque entertainment culture (Ndalianis). Kant emphasized the role of play in the constitution of imaginary realms associated with aesthetic pleasure. Ludology takes play as an anthropological given differentiated historically by the development of game structures. Neo-baroque theory postulates a labyrinthine, complex and de-centred entertainment culture, largely shaped by computing as a cultural practice. The article synthesizes insights from these perspectives and, drawing on ideas from Adorno and Benjamin, argues that computer games can occupy an oppositional or critical role within contemporary aesthetics and culture. Reflection on the constitutive processes of computer game play discloses a new place for instrumental reason within aesthetic experience, as the dialectic of form and analysis migrates from traditional art materials to digital electronics.
Comment réduire la taille d’un assortiment sans affecter la perception de la variété ? Une étude des effets isolés de la largeur et de la profondeur d’un assortiment

Résumé Cette recherche, réalisée en collaboration avec Carrefour et In Vivo, étudie la perception de la variété par le consommateur de manière à envisager des réductions d’assortiments. Nous mobilisons les caractéristiques intrinsèques de l’assortiment : la largeur et la profondeur. Nous interrogeons 1009 consommateurs en magasins laboratoires et mettons en évidence le rôle médiateur de la perception de la variété et la possibilité de réduire la variété d’un assortiment sans affecter la variété perçue par le consommateur.
A Patient with Intravenous Immunoglobulin-Responsive Lower Motor Neuron Syndrome

We report a 50-year-old woman who developed localized proximal muscle weakness, in addition to transient elevation of antibodies to GM1 ganglioside, without multifocal conduction block. She was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) and steroid pulse therapy, which were effective for over 10 years. Her clinical course and laboratory tests were consistent with lower motor neuron syndrome (LMNS) with localized proximal muscle weakness. We suggest that some patients diagnosed as LMNS may remain responsive to IVIg or steroid pulse therapy for a long time.
Long Distance Community in the Network Society

The authors examine the experience of the residents of Netville, a suburban neighborhood with access to some of the most advanced new communication technologies available, and how this technology affected the amount of contact and support exchanged with members of their distant social networks. Focusing exclusively on friends and relatives external to the neighborhood of Netville, the authors analyze community as relations that provide a sense of belonging rather than as a group of people living near each other. Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is treated as one of several means of communication used in the maintenance of social networks. Contrary to expectations that the Internet encourages a global village, those ties that previously were just out of reach geographically experience the greatest increase in contact and support as a result of access to CMC.
PKC-Theta is a Novel SC35 Splicing Factor Regulator in Response to T Cell Activation

Alternative splicing of nuclear pre-mRNA is essential for generating protein diversity and regulating gene expression. While many immunologically relevant genes undergo alternative splicing, the role of regulated splicing in T cell immune responses is largely unexplored, and the signaling pathways and splicing factors that regulate alternative splicing in T cells are poorly defined. Here, we show using a combination of Jurkat T cells, human primary T cells, and ex vivo naïve and effector virus-specific T cells isolated after influenza A virus infection that SC35 phosphorylation is induced in response to stimulatory signals. We show that SC35 colocalizes with RNA polymerase II in activated T cells and spatially overlaps with H3K27ac and H3K4me3, which mark transcriptionally active genes. Interestingly, SC35 remains coupled to the active histone marks in the absence of continuing stimulatory signals. We show for the first time that nuclear PKC-θ co-exists with SC35 in the context of the chromatin template and is a key regulator of SC35 in T cells, directly phosphorylating SC35 peptide residues at RNA recognition motif and RS domains. Collectively, our findings suggest that nuclear PKC-θ is a novel regulator of the key splicing factor SC35 in T cells.
A taxonomy of assessment accommodations for students with vision impairments in Australian schools

Educational accommodations for students with vision impairments are alterations in the way that an assessment or a test is administered. These alterations are not made to give the student an advantage, but to level the playing field with sighted peers. The authors provide for the educational practitioner a taxonomy of these types of accommodation as well as identifying the several principles underlying accommodation policies that are intended to maximize the participation of students with vision impairments.