Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Girls with anorexia nervosa as young adults: personality, self-esteem, and life satisfaction.

OBJECTIVE The current study evaluated personality, self-esteem, and life satisfaction in former patients with different outcomes of childhood and adolescent-onset anorexia nervosa (AN). METHODS Forty-four female patients with AN were assessed 8.5 +/- SD 3.4 years after treatment start with a clinical interview and questionnaires including the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Self-esteem and general life satisfaction in former patients were compared with women in a large population study. RESULTS Former AN patients with no eating disorder and normal eating attitudes at follow-up (n = 21 [48%]) had similar TCI profiles and self-esteem as samples from normal populations, whereas participants with poorer outcome had significantly lower TCI Self Directedness, self-esteem, and life satisfaction scores. Life satisfaction was reduced in all outcome groups and was strongly associated with self-esteem. CONCLUSION Personality, self-esteem, and life satisfaction varied significantly between outcome groups. The results indicate that young patients with AN with a good outcome may have normal personality and self-esteem features in young adulthood.
Knowledge, attitude and use of emergency contraception among female undergraduates in Eastern Nigeria

Summary Our objective was to investigate the knowledge, use and attitude towards emergency contraceptive pills among female undergraduates. This was done using a randomly selected sample of female undergraduate students at three tertiary institutions in Enugu, Nigeria. The majority of the respondents (95%) were aware of contraception. However, 61% of the female undergraduates had heard of emergency contraception but only 31% had actually used it. The most common source of information about emergency contraceptive pills was from friends and teachers. Most respondents (19%) used Postinor® rather than other types. While using emergency contraception, 16% got pregnant, of whom 9% carried the pregnancy to term and delivered the baby while (10%) procured an illegal abortion. Increased utilization of emergency contraception is plagued with fear of infertility, anovulation, ill health and sexually transmitted infection. Though 40% of the female undergraduates accepted it when informed and would recommend it to other female students, more information dissemination is required to further create awareness and enhance wider acceptance. Awareness programmes should address the barriers to effective use of ECP preferably using peer educators and the media.
Costs and cognitive disability: modelling the underlying associations

Background The high support needs of elderly people with cognitive disability raise questions about the cost-effectiveness of different treatments. Associations between costs and cognitive disability could be influenced by other factors, particularly comorbidities. Aims To examine the links between costs and cognitive disability in the context of covariates. Method Secondary analyses of data from the UK Office of Population Censuses and Surveys disability surveys for over 4500 elderly people living in households were used to examine associations between cost and cognitive disability. Results Costs varied considerably, and were associated with severity of disability along a number of dimensions. The cost-raising effects of cognitive disability were smaller when the analyses controlled for levels of disability in other domains. Conclusions Cognitive disability is significantly associated with higher costs, but these analyses highlight the need to examine a range of disabilities.
Conventional B2 B Cell Depletion Ameliorates whereas Its Adoptive Transfer Aggravates Atherosclerosis

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory arterial disease characterized by focal accumulation of lipid and inflammatory cells. It is the number one cause of deaths in the Western world because of its complications of heart attacks and strokes. Statins are effective in only approximately one third of patients, underscoring the urgent need for additional therapies. B cells that accumulate in atherosclerotic lesions and the aortic adventitia of humans and mice are considered to protect against atherosclerosis development. Unexpectedly, we found that selective B cell depletion in apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice using a well-characterized mAb to mouse CD20 reduced atherosclerosis development and progression without affecting the hyperlipidemia imposed by a high-fat diet. Adoptive transfer of 5 × 106 or 5 × 107 conventional B2 B cells but not 5 × 106 B1 B cells to a lymphocyte-deficient ApoE−/− Rag-2−/− common cytokine receptor γ-chain–deficient mouse that was fed a high-fat diet augmented atherosclerosis by 72%. Transfer of 5 × 106 B2 B cells to an ApoE−/− mouse deficient only in B cells aggravated atherosclerosis by >300%. Our findings provide compelling evidence for the hitherto unrecognized proatherogenic role of conventional B2 cells. The data indicate that B2 cells can potently promote atherosclerosis development entirely on their own in the total absence of all other lymphocyte populations. Additionally, these B2 cells can also significantly augment atherosclerosis development in the presence of T cells and all other lymphocyte populations. Our findings raise the prospect of B cell depletion as a therapeutic approach to inhibit atherosclerosis development and progression in humans.
Adaptive Conjoint Analysis: A New Approach to Defining Corporate Governance

Manuscript Type Empirical Research Question/Issue The method introduced to the corporate governance literature by this paper captures the construct of corporate governance in a small number of attributes, using responses made by directors and shareholders to an adaptive conjoint analysis questionnaire. Research Findings/Insights We demonstrate how to identify the key attributes of corporate governance from directors' and shareholders' relative preferences among a set of corporate governance attributes. The dominance of CEO duality as a relatively more important attribute is a key finding. Theoretical/Academic Implications Adaptive conjoint analysis is a useful technique for research into governance issues characterized by constrained choice. For future researchers seeking to capture governance in a limited number of measures, we have identified four attributes considered by directors and shareholders to comprise effective corporate governance, with the single measure of CEO duality being the most important. Practitioner/Policy Implications This parsimonious set of attributes can guide the design of future corporate governance regulations, to avoid costly over-regulation. We do not suggest that restrictions on multiple directorships or an appropriate board size should be added to current requirements, and the surprisingly low perceptions of audit partner tenure and audit committee size as important to good corporate governance suggest that these attributes could be excluded from future regulations.
A novel depth image enhancement method based on the linear surface model

In three-dimensional (3D) video applications, structured-light RGB-D cameras are commonly used to capture depth images that convey the per-pixel depth information in a scene. However, these cameras often produce regions with missing pixels (MPs). These regions, referred to as holes, will not contain no any depth information for the captured depth image. In this paper, a novel depth image enhancement method that accurately estimates depth values of MPs is presented. In the proposed method, the neighboring region outside the hole is first segmented into superpixels using simple linear iterative clustering. Subsequently, the depth value trend of each superpixel is modeled as a linear surface. Finally, one of the linear surfaces is selected using a proposed metric, to estimate the depth value of a particular MP in the hole. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method provides superior performance, especially around the object boundary, compared with other state-of-theart depth image enhancement methods.
Financial fragility and securitisation: the discussions with Australian regulators and bank risk managers

Among divergent approaches to understand the global financial crisis, Minsky's Financial Instability Hypothesis has gained increased attention. In part, the chapter draws upon Minsky's notion that the seeds of instability are sown when banks, households, and firms move from hedge to speculative and then into Ponzi financial positions. Financial innovations such as securitisation contribute to this transformation. In addition, the paper will discuss the findings arising from an analysis of interviews that focus on securitisation related issues after the sub-prime crisis with practitioners who were closely involved in regulation and risk-management. The paper highlights the need for fundamental reform in the financial sector with a more consistent regulatory platform and enhanced supervision, to facilitate rapid healing from the damage arising from the financial crisis in Australia.
[Prediction of sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-fu) by metabolic and target enzyme activities in colon cancer].

BACKGROUND 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) and its derivatives are widely known as some of the most commonly prescribed anticancer drugs, especially for gastrointestinal cancer. Orotate phosphoribosyl transferase (OPRT), dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) and thymidylate synthase (TS) are initial key enzymes in the 5-FU metabolic pathway. The activities of these enzymes may have the potential to affect the chemosensitivity of 5-FU. PURPOSE This study was designed to investigate the effect of OPRT, DPD and TS in sensitivity to 5-FU. METHOD We measured OPRT, DPD and TS activities in 11 colonic cancer tissues. The Collagen Gel Droplet Embedded Culture Drug Sensitivity Test (CD-DST) was used in an in vitro chemosensitivity assay. In these samples, the correlation between sensitivity to 5-FU and enzyme activities was investigated. RESULTS There were no correlations among OPRT, TS activities and sensitivity to 5-FU. In contrast, there was a significant inverse correlation (r=-0.738) between DPD activity and 5-FU sensitivity. With regression analysis, the coefficient of determination of the activity of the three enzymes versus the sensitivity to 5-FU was 0.61. CONCLUSION Though measuring OPRT, DPD, TS activities is valuable for prediction of sensitivity to 5-FU, DPD is considered to be the most important predictive factor of 5-FU sensitivity. To improve its accuracy, the finding of a fourth factor such as P-glycoprotein and multidrug resistance-associated proteins (MRP), to be added to OPRT, DPD and TS, is desired.
Inducible NO Synthase–Dependent S-Nitrosylation and Activation of Arginase1 Contribute to Age-Related Endothelial Dysfunction

Endothelial function is impaired in aging because of a decrease in NO bioavailability. This may be, in part, attributable to increased arginase activity, which reciprocally regulates NO synthase (NOS) by competing for the common substrate, l-arginine. However, the high Km of arginase (>1 mmol/L) compared with NOS (2 to 20 &mgr;mol/L) seemingly makes direct competition for substrate unlikely. One of the mechanisms by which NO exerts its effects is by posttranslational modification through S-nitrosylation of protein cysteines. We tested the hypothesis that arginase1 activity is modulated by this mechanism, which serves to alter its substrate affinity, allowing competition with NOS for l-arginine. We demonstrate that arginase1 activity is altered by S-nitrosylation, both in vitro and ex vivo. Furthermore, using site-directed mutagenesis we demonstrate that 2 cysteine residues (C168 and C303) are able to undergo nitrosylation. S-Nitrosylation of C303 stabilizes the arginase1 trimer and reduces its Km value 6-fold. Finally, arginase1 nitrosylation is increased (and thus its Km decreased) in blood vessels from aging rats, likely contributing to impaired NO bioavailability and endothelial dysfunction. This is mediated by inducible NOS, which is expressed in the aging endothelium. These findings suggest that S-nitrosylated arginase1 can compete with NOS for l-arginine and contribute to endothelial dysfunction in the aging cardiovascular system.
High linearity and wide-bandwith LFMCW generator for THz radar system

Bandwith and linearity directly determine range resolution of FMCW radar. In this paper, one way is proposed to generate high linearity and wide-bandwith LFMCW signal based on high speed DA convertor and FPGA, as a chirp generator for THz radar system. Because DDS can not acquire high output frequency, a modified module is presented called parallel DDS to produce high output frequency. Features of Linear Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave (LFMCW) signal and THz radar system are briefly illustrated. How to get amplitude data from parallel DDS quickly to send to high speed DAC is described. The block diagram, schematic of the chirp generator and parallel DDS structure are illustrated in detail. 400MHz spanning bandwith with central frequency in 1.5 GHz is acquired and sweeping time can be shorten to several us. Through THz radar Tx chain, 400 MHz bandwidth is 12 times multipled. The final transmitted bandwidth from THz radar is 4.8GHz, so the range resolution of 3.125cm can be achieved. Actually, the bandwidth of this LFMCW generator can be achieved to 800MHz At last, circuit board output signal is tested and signal purity, phase noise, linearity of this generator are showed and analyzed. At last the experiment of distance detection is also showed to prove this generator can be used in practical case.
Pseudo relevance feedback based on majority voting mechanism

The pseudo relevance feedback mechanism has come to improve the performance of the CBIR systems before visualising the final results and without any user assistance. In this paper, we show the superiority of our proposed a pseudo relevance feedback scheme 'majority voting algorithm'. The algorithm is compared to other approaches of the literature of that clustering materialised on two well known clustering algorithms namely: hierarchical agglomerative clustering method (HACM) and K-means and pseudo query reformulation materialised on pseudo query point movement, pseudo standard Rocchio formula and pseudo adaptive shifting query. Experiments are conducted on the heterogeneous Wang (COREL-1K) database and Google image engine using the colour moments as a signature. This work enables us to compare some pseudo relevance feedback techniques of the literature while the obtained results show the clear superiority of our proposed algorithm.
Cancer survivorship and aging

Given the high incidence and prevalence of cancer in older adults and the anticipated growth of this population over the next few decades, oncologists, geriatricians, and primary care providers will be challenged to provide timely and appropriate post‐treatment care to a diverse population of older cancer survivors. To the authors' knowledge to date, few post‐treatment epidemiologic or clinical trial studies have investigated the mental, social, and physical health issues among older cancer survivors. For this article, the authors reviewed the behavioral oncology, gerontology, geriatric, and psychology literature on cancer survivorship and aging. This report highlights several methodologic challenges that investigators face when conducting epidemiologic and cancer clinical trial research with older cancer survivors after treatment. These challenges must be considered and overcome to develop an informative body of scientific knowledge to address the post‐treatment healthcare needs of this growing population. Future research directions, new models of care, and the need for transdisciplinary approaches are discussed. Cancer 2008;113 (12 suppl):3530–39. Published 2008 American Cancer Society
Biochemical identification and characterisation of changes associated with capacitation of mannosylated glycoproteins in murine sperm

The development of a sperm normally ends in the female reproductive track through an extra‐testicular maturation process termed capacitation. Previous studies in several mammalian species have revealed the presence of glycoconjugates and their capacitation‐correlated changes in localisation. In this study, we used Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA) to characterise mannosylated glycoconjugates in mouse sperm and their changes in distribution associated with capacitation. In freshly isolated sperm, three biochemically distinct sperm populations (type I, II and III) with specific LCA labelling were noted. Prior to capacitation, glycosylated materials were detected in the head region and approximately 26%, 65% and 9% of sperm displayed each distribution pattern. Following capacitation, the distribution pattern of these mannosylated constituents was not altered; however, re‐localisation of these components was observed because the percentage of sperm exhibiting type I and III pattern was significantly changed. Finally, thirteen mannosylated glycoproteins were detected in murine sperm and our lectin blot data confirm that their redistribution instead of proteolytic degradation is mainly responsible for cellular dynamics we observed in murine sperm head associated with capacitation. In conclusion, this study is the first to describe the biochemical identification of LCA‐binding glycoproteins present in mammalian sperm, which undergo redistribution as they mature to acquire their full fertilising ability.
Iodine-induced thyroid dysfunction

Purpose of reviewTo summarize the mechanisms of iodine-induced hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism, identify the risk factors for thyroid dysfunction following an iodine load, and summarize the major sources of excess iodine exposure. Recent findingsExcess iodine is generally well tolerated, but individuals with underlying thyroid disease or other risk factors may be susceptible to iodine-induced thyroid dysfunction following acute or chronic exposure. Sources of increased iodine exposure include the global public health efforts of iodine supplementation, the escalating use of iodinated contrast radiologic studies, amiodarone administration in vulnerable patients, excess seaweed consumption, and various miscellaneous sources. SummaryIodine-induced thyroid dysfunction may be subclinical or overt. Recognition of the association between iodine excess and iodine-induced hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism is important in the differential diagnosis of patients who present without a known cause of thyroid dysfunction.
Reconfigurable frequency selective surfaces with silicon switches

A new design concept was presented for reconfigurable FSS that uses silicon as switches. Signals at frequencies around/above 100 GHz (D-band) are of interest for several applications including atmospheric sensing, wideband communications, automotive radar and test instrumentation. This paper presented two RFSS examples, one design with metallic patches and one with all dielectric materials at a target frequency of 100 GHz. The designs proposed in this paper are readily fabricated and can be easily scaled to lower or higher frequencies
Adzuki resistant starch lowered serum cholesterol and hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA mRNA levels and increased hepatic LDL-receptor and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase mRNA levels in rats fed a cholesterol diet

We examined the effects of adzuki bean resistant starch on serum cholesterol and hepatic mRNA in rats fed a cholesterol diet. The mRNA coded for key regulatory proteins of cholesterol metabolism. The control rats were fed 15 % cornstarch (basal diet, BD). The experimental rats were fed BD plus a 0·5 % cholesterol diet (CD), or a 15 % adzuki resistant starch plus 0·5 % cholesterol diet (ACD) for 4 weeks. The serum total cholesterol and VLDL + intermediate density lipoprotein + LDL-cholesterol levels in the ACD group were significantly lower than those in the CD group throughout the feeding period. The total hepatic cholesterol concentrations in the CD and ACD groups were not significantly different. The faecal total bile acid concentration in the ACD group was significantly higher than that in the BD and CD groups. Total SCFA and acetic acid concentrations in the ACD group were significantly higher than those in the CD group but there were no significant differences in the concentrations between the ACD and BD groups. The hepatic LDL-receptor mRNA and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase mRNA levels in the ACD group were significantly higher than those in the CD group and the hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl (HMG)-CoA reductase mRNA level in the ACD group was significantly lower than in the CD group. The results suggest that adzuki resistant starch has a serum cholesterol-lowering function via enhancement of the hepatic LDL-receptor mRNA and cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase mRNA levels and faecal bile acid excretion, and a decrease in the hepatic HMG-CoA reductase mRNA level, when it is added to a cholesterol diet.
Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas sp. Strain Ant30-3, a Psychrotolerant Bacterium with Biodegradative Attribute Isolated from Antarctica

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas sp. strain Ant30-3, isolated from fuel-contaminated Antarctic soil, exhibited distinctive psychrotolerant attributes and the potential for degrading aromatic hydrocarbon compounds at cold temperatures. We report here the 6.14-Mb draft genome of Ant30-3, which will provide insights into the genomic basis for the psychrotolerant and biodegradative properties of this bacterium.
TYPE OF FALL AND RISK OF HIP AND WRIST FRACTURES: THE STUDY OF OSTEOPOROTIC FRACTURES

OBJECTIVE To determine the causes of hip or wrist fractures. DESIGN Case-control analysis nested in a prospective cohort study. SETTING Four clinical centers in Baltimore, Maryland, Minneapolis, Minnesota, Portland, Oregon, and Monessen, Pennsylvania. PARTICIPANTS Non-black women age 65 and older living in the community. MEASUREMENTS We measured bone density, arm strength, and anthropometric characteristics at a baseline examination. Those who subsequently suffered hip (n = 130) or wrist (n = 294) fractures as a result of a fall and a consecutive sample of those who fell without a fracture (n = 467) were interviewed about their falls. RESULTS In multivariate analyses, those who suffered hip fractures were more likely to have fallen sideways or straight down (odds ratio 3.3; 95% confidence interval 2.0 to 5.6) and to have landed on or near the hip (32.5; 9.9, 107.1) than women who fell without a fracture. Among women who fell on the hip, those with hip fractures were taller (1.5; 1.2, 2.2 per SD increase), less likely to have landed on a hand (0.3; 0.1 to 0.6) or to break the fall by grabbing or hitting an object (0.4; 0.2, 0.9), had weaker triceps (1.7; 1.2, 2.5 per SD decrease), and were more likely to land on a hard surface (2.8; 1.4, 5.5) than those without fractures. Women with wrist fractures were more likely to have fallen backward (2.2; 1.3, 3.8) and to have landed on a hand (20.4; 11.5, 36.0) than those who fell without a fracture. Among women who fell on the hand, those with wrist fractures were taller (1.4; 1.1, 1.8 per SD increase) and less likely to break the fall by grabbing or hitting an object (0.4; 0.2, 0.7). Among women who fell on their hip or hand, the risk of fracturing that site more than doubled for each standard deviation decrease in bone density at the site of fracture. CONCLUSIONS The nature of the fall determines the type of fracture, while bone density and factors that increase or attenuate the force of impact of the fall determine whether a fracture will occur when a faller lands on a particular bone. These findings have important implications for prevention of fractures in older women.