Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Phantom Approach to Interscanner Comparability of Computed Tomographic Brain Perfusion Parameters

Objective This study aimed to create a phantom, which allows reproducible computed tomography perfusion experiments, and to identify the influence of contrast bolus configuration, scan parameters, and scanner hardware on the calculation of perfusion parameters. Methods A discoid perfusion phantom with centrifugally directed flow was constructed. Brain parenchyma was simulated by inert polyoxymethylene spheres. Repeated measurements were performed with variations of the above-mentioned factors, and their effects on perfusion results were analyzed. Results Calculated flow values measured during experiments were reproducible and showed good correlation with the true flow (R = 0.995, P < 0.01). Tube voltage, injection rate of the contrast agent, the mathematical perfusion algorithm, and the hardware of the scanner hardware had a reproducible influence on calculated perfusion results. Conclusions In the long term, perfusion phantoms might be helpful in identifying hardware-specific and protocol-related factors of different computed tomography scanners to improve comparability of different scanners and scanning protocols.
Assimilation and the maintenance of ethnic identity : a study of Iranian children in ethnic schools in Australia

The present study investigates the effects of two dimensions of migrant social identification ( i.e., with the ethnic and host cultures ) on children's evaluations of their ethnic identity. More specifically, the study investigates the degree to which ethnic identification and levels of assimilation influence Iranian children's evaluations of their ethnic identity. Relatively little research has examined this relationship. The study is based upon a questionnaire survey of 131 Iranian children in ethnic schools in Sydney and Wollongong. The questionnaire included items relating to social background, attitudes toward the ethnic school, ethnic knowledge, and scales to measure communication ability, integration into the public school, assimilation, ethnic identification, and ethnic evaluation. The analysis uses correlational and regression procedures, and incorporates structural equation modelling using the LISREL program. Direct and indirect effects of the independent variables on the dependent variable are included in the interpretation of results. The results of this study are generally supportive of the notion that assimilation and ethnic identification exercise varying effects on ethnic evaluation. It was found that the individual may experience a high degree of assimilation and also have a positive ethnic group image. However, the results also indicate that ethnic identification is one of the most important variables in explaining children's evaluations of ethnic identity. In addition, the degree to which assimilation has occurred did not appear to be the most powerful determinant of the level of ethnic identification. An important contextual factor which emerged in the course of this study was ethnic schooling. The findings suggest that children's sense of their ethnic identity is largely influenced by the ethnic environment and support provided by the ethnic school. It was concluded that Iranian ethnic education programs had the following positive effects: ( 1) mastery of basic Iranian civics knowledge; (2) preservation of the Iranian cultural heritage; (3) strengthening of friendship networks within the ethnic group; ( 4) realization of self-identification with the ethnic group; (5) development of ethnic attachment; and (6) development of positive attitudes and perceptions about Iranian identity. ~
High-density lipoprotein heterogeneity and function in reverse cholesterol transport

Purpose of review HDL is a cardioprotective lipoprotein, at least in part, because of its ability to mediate reverse cholesterol transport (RCT). It is becoming increasingly clear that the antiatherogenic effects of HDL are not only dependent on its concentration in circulating blood but also on its biological ‘quality’. This review summarizes our current understanding of how the biological activities of individual subclasses of HDL particles contribute to overall HDL performance in RCT. Recent findings Recent work indicates that apolipoprotein A-I-containing nascent HDL particles are heterogeneous and that such particles exert different effects on the RCT pathway. RCT from macrophages has been examined in detail in mice and the roles of plasma factors (lecithin-cholesterol acyltransferase, cholesterol ester transfer protein, phospholipid transfer protein) and cell factors (ATP-binding cassette transporter A1, ATP-binding cassette transporter G1, scavenger receptor class B type 1) have been evaluated. Manipulation of such factors has consistent effects on RCT and atherosclerosis, but the level of plasma HDL does not reliably predict the degree of RCT. Furthermore, HDL cholesterol or apolipoprotein A-I levels do not necessarily correlate with the magnitude of cholesterol efflux from macrophages; more understanding of the contributions of specific HDL subspecies is required. Summary The antiatherogenic quality of HDL is defined by the functionality of HDL subspecies. In the case of RCT, the rate of cholesterol movement through the pathway is critical and the contributions of particular types of HDL particles to this process are becoming better defined.
Methods for Evaluating Recent Trend Inflation

We construct inflation forecasts using use three different measures of trend inflation to assess what each says about whether trend inflation may have declined in recent years and what each implies for the inflation outlook. The three measures stand out for forecasting relatively well, yet they are quite different. One measure implies trend inflation has changed very little, another that it has fallen by a little, and the third that it has declined by relatively a lot. Since they all have been similarly successful in predicting future inflation in the past, it is not easy to say which will give the most accurate forecast going forward. They do imply slightly different outlooks for inflation over the next few years, though all suggest it is likely to remain low in coming quarters.
Securities Lending Strategies: Exclusive Valuations and Auction Bids

We derive valuations of a portfolio of financial instruments from a securities lending perspective, under different assumptions, and show a weighting scheme that converges to the true valuation. We illustrate conditions under which our alternative weighting scheme converges faster to the true valuation when compared to the minimum variance weighting. This weighting scheme is applicable in any situation where multiple forecasts are made and we need a methodology to combine them. Our valuations can be useful either to derive a bidding strategy for an exclusive auction or to design an appropriate auction mechanism, depending on which side of the fence a participant sits (whether the interest is to procure the rights to use a portfolio for making stock loans such as for a lending desk, or, to obtain additional revenue from a portfolio such as from the point of view of a long only asset management firm). Lastly, we run simulations to establish numerical examples for the set of valuations and for various bidding strategies corresponding to different auction settings.
Primary care: is there enough time for prevention?

OBJECTIVES We sought to determine the amount of time required for a primary care physician to provide recommended preventive services to an average patient panel. METHODS We used published and estimated times per service to determine the physician time required to provide all services recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), at the recommended frequency, to a patient panel of 2500 with an age and sex distribution similar to that of the US population. RESULTS To fully satisfy the USPSTF recommendations, 1773 hours of a physician's annual time, or 7.4 hours per working day, is needed for the provision of preventive services. CONCLUSIONS Time constraints limit the ability of physicians to comply with preventive services recommendations.
Structural and genetic analyses of HLA class I molecules using monoclonal xenoantibodies.

The monoclonal antibodies B1.23. 2 and B9.12 were developed to characterize human class I major histocompatibility gene products. They detect two different epitopes and define on a given lymphoblastoid B cell line two subsets of beta 2 microglobulin-complexed HLA class I molecules. One subset reacts with B9.12 and B1.23. 2 and the other one expresses only the B9.12 epitope. Binding assays were performed on C3H mouse L cells which had been transformed with various single HLA-class I genes and the two detected molecular subsets were shown to be encoded by different genetic loci. Unlike B1.23. 2, B9.12 detects all the beta 2m-complexed molecules expressed in human B cell lines and recognizes an epitope different from the one defined by W6/32. In contrast to the vast majority of the other reported anti-class I monoclonal antibodies (including B9.12), B1.23. 2 recognizes an epitope expressed on both beta 2m-associated and -free HLA class I heavy chains.
Child maltreatment: risk of adjustment problems and dating violence in adolescence.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between child maltreatment, clinically relevant adjustment problems, and dating violence in a community sample of adolescents. METHOD Adolescents from 10 high schools (N= 1,419; response rate = 62%) in southwestern Ontario completed questionnaires that assessed past maltreatment, current adjustment, and dating violence. Logistic regression was used to compare maltreated and nonmaltreated youths across outcome domains. RESULTS One third (n = 462) of the school sample reported levels of maltreatment above the cutoff score on the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Girls with a history of maltreatment had a higher risk of emotional distress compared with girls without such histories (e.g., odds ratios [OR] for anger, depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress-related problems were 7.1, 7.2, 9.3, and 9.8, respectively). They were also at greater risk of violent and nonviolent delinquency (OR = 2.7) and carrying concealed weapons (OR = 7.1). Boys with histories of maltreatment were 2.5 to 3.5 times as likely to report clinical levels of depression, posttraumatic stress, and overt dissociation as were boys without a maltreatment history. They also had a significantly greater risk of using threatening behaviors (OR = 2.8) or physical abuse (OR = 3.4) against their dating partners. CONCLUSIONS Maltreatment is a significant risk factor for adolescent maladjustment and shows a differential pattern for male and female adolescents.
The two‐hydrophobic domain tertiary structure of reticulon proteins is critical for modulation of β‐secretase BACE1

β‐Site amyloid precursor protein (APP) cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) is a membrane‐bound protease that is essential for the production of β‐amyloid protein (Aβ). Given the crucial role of Aβ accumulation in Alzheimer's disease (AD), inhibition of BACE1 activity may represent a feasible therapeutic strategy in the treatment of AD. Recently, we and others identified reticulon 3 (RTN3) and reticulon 4‐B/C (RTN4‐B/C or Nogo‐B/C) as membrane proteins that interact with BACE1 and inhibit its ability to produce Aβ. In this study, we employed various mutants of RTN3 and RTN4‐C and C. elegans RTN to investigate the molecular mechanisms by which RTNs regulate BACE1. We found that RTN3 mutants lacking the N‐terminal or C‐terminal or loop domain as well as a RTN4‐C mutant lacking the C‐terminal domain bound to BACE1 comparably to wild‐type RTN3 and RTN4‐C. Furthermore, overexpression of wild‐type RTN3, RTN4‐C, and these RTN mutants similarly reduced Aβ40 and Aβ42 secretion by cells expressing Swedish mutant APP. C. elegans RTN, which has low homology to human RTNs, also interacted with BACE1 and inhibited Aβ secretion. In contrast, two RTN3 mutants containing deletions of the first or second potential transmembrane domains and an RTN3 swap mutant of the second transmembrane domain bound BACE1 but failed to inhibit Aβ secretion. Collectively, these results suggest that the two‐transmembrane‐domain tertiary structure of RTN proteins is critical for the ability of RTNs to modulate BACE1 activity, whereas N‐terminal, C‐terminal and loop regions are not essential for this function. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Frequency Spectrum of the Generated Voltage of Claw Pole Automotive Alternators on No Load

The harmonic spectrum of generated voltage in claw pole automotive alternators has to be examined since the load components in future automobiles have to be rated for over-voltages and transients. The present work gives a new 3D finite element modeling and simulation along with a conventional analysis supplemented by experimental work on a 12 pole claw pole alternator. Further work is indicated for a shape search to optimize the claw pole profile.
Effect of a One-Semester Conditioning Class on Physiological Characteristics of College Students

Abstract Danoff, JV and Raupers, EG. Effect of a one-semester conditioning class on physiological characteristics of college students. J Strength Cond Res 28(11): 3120–3125, 2014—Long-term exercise is known to have positive effects on the health of adults. Some college “activity” courses are designed to give participants exposure to, and practice with, safe exercise techniques. Whether these 1-semester courses, usually 12–14 weeks, are sufficient to alter physiological characteristics, such as blood pressure or strength, has not been established. Therefore, the purpose of our investigation was to evaluate physiological and performance measures in college students to determine whether changes would result after 14 weeks of a general conditioning activity course. This study involved 79 students from several sections of exercise and conditioning classes at our university. Classes included a variety of fitness- and strength-oriented exercises. Physiological and performance measurements were collected in weeks 2 (pretest) and 14 (posttest), and compared pre with post using paired t-tests subject to Bonferroni correction (significant p < 0.0055). There were significant improvements in resting heart rate (HR) (73 vs. 70 b·min−1, p < 0.002), hand grip strength (250 vs. 272 N, p < 0.001), push-ups (29 vs 37, p < 0.001), sit-ups (32 vs. 35, p < 0.001), and step test HR recovery (122 vs. 110 b·min−1, p < 0.001). Systolic and diastolic blood pressures, body weight, and percent body fat did not change. These results suggest that 14 weeks of regular exercise in an organized college-based activity class can result in significant improvements in some measures of fitness and strength in college-aged participants.
Bounds and normalization of the composite linkage disequilibrium coefficient

The composite linkage disequilibrium (LD) measure is often calculated for two‐locus genotypic data, especially when coupling and repulsion double heterozygotes cannot be distinguished. This measure was reported to have good statistical properties and was suggested for routine testing of LD, regardless of Hardy‐Weinberg equilibrium at either of two loci (Weir [1979] Biometrics 35:235–254; Schaid [2004] Genetics 166:505–512). However, the bounds for this measure have not been yet reported. These bounds are derived here as functions of one‐locus genotype or allele frequencies. They provide standardized measures of composite linkage disequilibrium, defined as the proportion of its maximum attainable value, given observed allele or genotype frequencies. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cation—π and Amino-Acceptor Interactions Between Hydrated Metal Cations and DNA Bases. A Quantum-Chemical View

Abstract Cation—π interactions between cytosine and hexahydrated cations have been characterized using ab initio method with inclusion of electron correlation effects, assuming idealized and crystal geometries of the interacting species. Hydrated metal cations can interact with nucleobases in a cation—π manner. The stabilization energy of such complexes would be large and comparable to the one for cation—π complex with benzene. Further, polarized water molecules belonging to the hydration shell of the cation are capable to form a strong hydrogen bond interaction with the nitrogen lone electron pair of the amino groups of bases and enforce a pronounced sp3 pyramidalization of the nucleobase amino groups. However, in contrast to the benzene—cation complexes, the cation—π configurations are highly unstable for a nucleobase since the conventional in plane binding of hydrated cations to the acceptor sites on the nucleobase is strongly preferred. Thus, a cation—π interaction with a nucle-obase can occur only if the position of the cation is locked above the nucleobase plane by another strong interaction. This indeed can occur in biopolymers and may have an effect on the local DNA architecture. Nevertheless, nucleobases have no intrinsic propensity to form cation—π interactions.
Vegetable and fruit intake and factors influencing their intake.

PURPOSE A food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and an attitude/behaviour questionnaire (ABQ) were developed, and their validity and reliability were tested to determine adolescents' vegetable and fruit (VF) intakes and factors influencing their food choices. METHODS High school students living in the lower mainland of British Columbia participated. The FFQ was adapted from the National Cancer Institute VF By-Meal screener, which was designed to be used with adults. After several focus groups with adolescents, the FFQ was revised to make it more user-friendly. The ABQ was developed after a literature review of factors influencing youth VF intake, and was based on the constructs within the Health Belief Model. RESULTS The FFQ was validated against a written 24-hour dietary record (correlation coefficient = 0.52). The test-retest reliability coefficient for the FFQ was 0.46. A panel of experts tested the ABQ construct validity, and changes were made as a result of the recommendations. Internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability of the ABQ were 0.71 and 0.59, respectively. Both questionnaires were tested for face validity with students and revised accordingly. CONCLUSIONS Further validation of these two questionnaires against other standardized tools is required. Future studies with adolescents using these tools can guide program and resource development.
Obesity Screening in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Objectives The purposes of this study were (1) to examine parental perception of childhood obesity and race with measured body mass index (BMI), (2) to determine if parents are receptive to obesity screening in the pediatric emergency department and if receptivity varies by race or weight status, and (3) to determine eating habits that are predictors of obesity. Methods This study is a cross-sectional study, with a convenience sample of 213 patients (aged 4–16 years accompanied by a parent/legal guardian to a pediatric emergency department). Weight and height were obtained, and parents were asked to complete a survey about perception of their child’s weight, nutrition, and exercise habits. Results The current study found that parent perception of weight status was fairly accurate, and perception was predictive of BMI. Race, however, was not predictive of BMI. Parents were generally receptive of weight screening in the pediatric emergency department, and this did not vary as a function of weight status; however, receptivity did vary based on ethnicity, with African American parents being more receptive than white parents. Large portion sizes and the number of times a child eats fast food per week were found to be predictive of obesity. Conclusions Greater than half of the children presenting to our pediatric emergency department were overweight or obese. Parents were generally accurate in their perception of their child’s weight but were still receptive to obesity prevention and screening in the pediatric emergency department.
Self-recognition of and provider response to maternal depressive symptoms in low-income Hispanic women.

BACKGROUND One quarter of mothers of young children experience high levels of depressive symptoms, and only half are identified by themselves or their providers. Little is known about what factors influence maternal and provider recognition of depression. We use data from the San Mateo County, California, Prenatal to Three project to explore self-recognition, provider response, and referral among low-income Hispanic mothers of infants and toddlers. The goals are (1) to describe the patterns of self-recognition of maternal depression, maternal reporting of health professional response, and referrals for mental health services as related to depression severity and (2) to identify determinants of self-recognition, provider response, and mental health referrals. METHODS Our sample consists of 218 nonpregnant Hispanic mothers in San Mateo County. Self-recognition was defined as an affirmative answer to the question, "Have you thought that you needed help with sadness or depression since your child was born? " High depressive symptoms were defined as a score of > or =10 on the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). We performed chi-square and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS Twenty-eight percent responded that they needed help with depression since the birth of their baby. Less than half discussed depressive feelings with their provider. Depression recognition factors differed between mothers and health professionals. CONCLUSIONS Maternal depression is prevalent among Hispanic women on Medicaid but is not readily detected by women or providers. Women and providers use different cues to identify depression, possibly leading to communication discrepancies. Further research on the factors that influence self-recognition and provider recognition of maternal depression is needed.
DIAGNÓSTICO DEL VOLUNTARIADO CORPORATIVO EN LA EMPRESA ESPAÑOLA

Tras detectar el incipiente grado de desarrollo del voluntariado corporativo en los paises de nuestro entorno, este trabajo refleja el creciente interes que esta practica comienza a despertar tambien en nuestro pais. Una vez presentada la nocion y los fundamentos del voluntariado corporativo, hacemos especial hincapie en su capacidad para vincular a la empresa con sus agentes de interes asi como en su condicion fundamentalmente estrategica. La encuesta de diagnostico realizada nos permite perfilar las percepciones de los directivos espanoles en cuanto a los beneficios potenciales del voluntariado corporativo y sus costes. El articulo concluye con recomendaciones para su implantacion y gestion. ABSTRACT After detecting the incipient stage of development of corporate volunteering in the countries of our environment, this work reflects the growing interest that this practice is beginning to offer also in our country. Once the notion and the basics of corporate volunteering are presented, we make a special emphasis on its ability to bind the company with its agents of interest, mainly in its strategic capacity and not philanthropic. The diagnostic survey carried out allows us to shape the perceptions of Spanish managers regarding the potential benefits and costs of corporate volunteering. The paper concludes with recommendations for its implementation and management.