Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Citizens’ Decision-Making Frameworks on Climate Change Policy Preferences

In this study, we examine the effects of two decision styles – one based on knowledge and one based on emotions/affect– on public climate change policy preferences. We argue that the framework itself affects one’s policy preferences, even when controlling for risk. We examine this relationship using data from a National Public Climate Change Survey. From this survey of U.S. adults, we determined individuals’ levels of perceived knowledge, dread of climate change events, and climate change policy preferences. We find that those scoring high on our assessed knowledge scale are less supportive of mitigation policies, while those scoring high on the perceived knowledge scale prefer mitigation policies. Those scoring high on the emotion/affect-based scale, measured as one’s dread of climate change events, are more supportive of mitigation policies. We conclude that including decision-making frameworks in models of climate change policy preferences may help us better predict and understand citizens’ preferences.
Alteration of p53 pathway in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: impact on treatment outcome in patients treated with larynx preservation intent.

PURPOSE To identify the role of p53 pathway alteration(s) as predictors of treatment outcome in patients with advanced, resectable, squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the larynx and pharynx treated with larynx preservation (LP) intent. PATIENTS AND METHODS Seventy-one patients treated on two consecutive LP protocols were studied based on availability of representative tissues. We analyzed the expression pattern of p53, its upstream regulator mdm2, and downstream transcriptional target p21/WAF1 by immunohistochemistry. Positive phenotype was defined as >or= 20% of tumor cells showing nuclear immunoreactivity. Results were correlated with treatment outcomes. RESULTS Positive phenotype was observed in 35 (49%) of 71 cases for p53, in 52 (74%) of 70 for mdm2, and in 37 (54%) of 68 for p21. There was no correlation between p53 phenotype and p21 nuclear accumulation. The mdm2-negative phenotype was most predictive of major response at the primary tumor site (P =.088). p53-positive phenotype was associated with worse local control with LP (LCLP; 49% v 23%, P =.053) and inferior overall survival (OS; 51% v 29%, P =.017) at 5 years. On Cox regression analysis, p53-positive phenotype predicted inferior OS (P =.033) and showed a trend for worse LCLP (P =.102). When analyzed in a multivariate model as continuous variables, p53 showed a stronger correlation with inferior OS (P <.01), and mdm2 was associated with worse OS (P <.01). CONCLUSION Among the three markers studied, our data support p53 phenotype as the most informative predictor of unfavorable outcomes in the LP setting, and suggest a role for mdm2 phenotype that requires further exploration. Our analysis does not support a p53-dependent mechanism for p21 expression. Prospective and larger studies are necessary before integration of these molecular markers as part of molecular staging and predictors for organ preservation or other outcomes.
Risk-benefit considerations when prescribing phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors in children

Introduction: Sildenafil (Revatio®) and tadalafil (Adcirca®) are specific inhibitors of the phosphodiesterase-5 enzyme and produce pulmonary vasodilation by inhibiting the breakdown of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) in the walls of pulmonary arterioles. Areas covered: We focus on the efficacy and safety of sildenafil and tadalafil in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in children through a PubMed literature search. Expert opinion: Although used since 1999 in the treatment of PH in children, it is only in the past few years that robust evidence for the use of sildenafil has emerged principally in the pivotal STARTS-1 study. The open-label extension of this study, STARTS-2, has revealed safety concerns substantiated by FDA post marketing surveillance leading to recommendations to use lower doses. More recently, tadalafil has been introduced allowing once daily dosing with apparently similar efficacy to sildenafil in children. Recently there have been suggestions that sildenafil and tadalafil may have a place in treating muscular dystrophy.
Deficiency of Suppressor Enhancer Lin12 1 Like (SEL1L) in Mice Leads to Systemic Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Embryonic Lethality*

Stress in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) plays an important causal role in the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases such as Alzheimer, Parkinson, and diabetes mellitus. Insight into the genetic determinants responsible for ER homeostasis will greatly facilitate the development of therapeutic strategies for the treatment of these debilitating diseases. Suppressor enhancer Lin12 1 like (SEL1L) is an ER membrane protein and was thought to be involved in the quality control of secreted proteins. Here we show that the mice homozygous mutant for SEL1L were embryonic lethal. Electron microscopy studies revealed a severely dilated ER in the fetal liver of mutant embryos, indicative of alteration in ER homeostasis. Consistent with this, several ER stress responsive genes were significantly up-regulated in the mutant embryos. Mouse embryonic fibroblast cells deficient in SEL1L exhibited activated unfolded protein response at the basal state, impaired ER-associated protein degradation, and reduced protein secretion. Furthermore, markedly increased apoptosis was observed in the forebrain and dorsal root ganglions of mutant embryos. Taken together, our results demonstrate an essential role for SEL1L in protein quality control during mouse embryonic development.
Percepção dos Gestores sobre os Mecanismos do Sistema de Controle Gerencial: Um Estudo com Gestores da BRF FOODS S.A

Este estudo teve o objetivo identificar a percepção dos gestores, que atuam em uma mesma organização, sobre o uso e a extensão de mecanismos do sistema de controle gerencial. A pesquisa caracteriza-se como um estudo descritivo, de levantamento do tipo survey e com abordagem quantitativa dos dados. A empresa estudada é a BRF FOODS S.A. , considerada de grande porte e com estrutura formalizada. A amostra da pesquisa compreendeu 31 gestores de alto escalão, contemplando diretores, supervisores e gerentes. Conclui-se que a organização em estudo possui estrutura administrativa e de produção formalizada, contudo, mesmo com tais características, nem todos os mecanismos do sistema de controle gerencial são disseminados e percebidos com uma mesma intensidade pelos gestores de diferentes unidades, como pode ser citado o relatório orçamentário, análise de variações, auditoria externa para qualidade dos padrões e procedimentos, comunicação horizontal, compartilhamento de recursos, sistema de monitoramento das tarefas e autonomia dos gestores.
Menopausal symptoms in breast cancer survivors.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To examine the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms among breast cancer survivors and the relationship between menopausal symptoms and quality of life (QOL). DESIGN Cross-sectional, descriptive. SETTING Outpatient breast care center servicing a southeastern city and regional rural areas. SAMPLE 114 postmenopausal breast cancer survivors with a mean age of 59 years (SD = 10; range = 36-83 years) who were a mean of 34.9 months postcompletion of surgery, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy (SD = 22; range = 4-116 months). METHODS Telephone interviews were used to assess demographic variables, menopausal status (questions adapted from the Massachusetts Women's Health Study), menopausal symptoms (adapted from the Blatt Menopausal Index), and QOL (SF-12 Health Survey). Disease and treatment information was extracted from medical records and the state cancer registry. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Menopausal status, menopausal symptoms, and QOL. FINDINGS The most commonly reported menopausal symptoms (joint pain (77%), feeling tired (75%), trouble sleeping (68%), and hot flashes (66%)) were also the most severe. More than 40% of breast cancer survivors who reported these symptoms rated them as "quite a bit" to "extremely" severe. The total number and severity of symptoms reported was significantly related to the number of years postmenopause but not to time postdiagnosis. Higher prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms were related to lower physical and emotional QOL. CONCLUSIONS Menopausal symptoms appear to be a significant problem for breast cancer survivors. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Nurses can inform women that menopausal symptoms may be experienced following breast cancer treatment and that these symptoms may be more severe than those experienced by healthy women without cancer.
Decomposing Hashtags to Improve Tweet Polarity Classification (Décomposition des « hash tags » pour l’amélioration de la classification en polarité des « tweets ») [in French]

Résumé. Les « mots dièses» ou « hash tags » sont le moyen naturel de lier entre eux différents tweets. Certains « hash tags » sont en fait de petites phrases dont la décomposition peut se révéler particulièrement utile lors d’une analyse d’opinion des tweets. Nous allons montrer dans cet article comment l’on peut automatiser cette décomposition et cette analyse de façon à améliorer la détection de la polarité des tweets. Abstract. Hash tags are the natural way through which tweets are linked to each other. Some of these hash tags are actually little sentences, whose decompositions can prove quite useful when mining opinions from tweets. We will show in this article how we can automatically detect the inner polarity of these hash tags, through their decomposition and analysis.
Identifying climate information services users and their needs in Sub-Saharan Africa: a review and learning agenda

ABSTRACT Climate information services (CIS) involve the production, translation, transfer, and use of climate information for individual and societal decision-making. After years of focus on building CIS around available information, today the CIS community recognizes that effective CIS are aimed at specific users of the service and their particular needs. In this review, we describe practical experiences identifying CIS users and their needs, showing different approaches, assumptions, and levels of empirical support. Our uneven and limited understanding of users and their needs presents four key challenges for climate services: (1) designing effective assessments of users and their needs, (2) identifying and overcoming barriers to CIS use, (3) scaling up a CIS and (4) the cross-cutting challenge of dealing with changing conditions and changing user knowledge. Reviewing project and academic literature on CIS in sub-Saharan Africa, we assess what is known and not known relating to these challenges. We prioritize identified gaps in knowledge into a learning agenda to organize learning from practice and research such that both serve a range of needs for knowledge about users and their needs, speak to current ‘good practices’ in CIS design, management, and evaluation, and point the way to better practices in the future.
Non-suicidal self-injury among psychiatric outpatient adolescent offspring of Croatian posttraumatic stress disorder male war veterans: Prevalence and psychosocial correlates

Background: The children of male veterans with combat-related posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at particularly high risk of emotional and behavioral problems. However, no studies have examined non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in this population of youth. Aims: To determine the prevalence and psychosocial correlates of lifetime NSSI in a sample of psychiatric outpatient adolescent offspring of Croatian PTSD male veterans. Method: Consecutive outpatient adolescent offspring of Croatian male PTSD veterans, aged 12 to 18 years, were assessed on the Deliberate Self Harm Inventory, the Youth Self-Report, the Family Assessment Device, the Parental Bonding Instrument and the Demographics Questionnaire. Results: Of the whole sample, 52.7% of adolescents reported NSSI at least once during their lifetime. Lifetime NSSI was significantly associated with internalizing symptoms (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 2.14; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.04–4.42, p = . 040), poor family functioning (adjusted OR = 6.54; 95% CI: 2.02–21.22, p = .002), lower maternal and paternal care (adjusted OR = 0.47; 95% CI: 0.40–0.56, p = .000 and adjusted OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.73–0.91, p = .000, respectively) and higher paternal control (adjusted OR = 1.84; 95% CI: 1.59–2.14, p = .000) in multivariate analysis. No association was found between lifetime NSSI and any of the socio-demographic variables. Conclusion: NSSI is a significant clinical problem in outpatient adolescent offspring of PTSD male veterans, which may be influenced by clinical and family factors. Interventions aimed at reducing internalizing symptoms and improving family functioning and parental behaviors are needed in the treatment of adolescent offspring of male PTSD veterans engaging in NSSI.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Data on Olanzapine and Its N-Demethyl Metabolite in the Naturalistic Clinical Setting

Olanzapine (Zyprexa®) was approved for general prescription in Sweden in November 1996, and an HPLC-based therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) routine for serum olanzapine (OLA) and its major metabolite, N-demethylolanzapine (DMO) was established in February 1997. During 1997 to 1999, a total of 753 TDM requests for a total of 545 Swedish patients was analyzed. Additional patient information on certain clinical variables was collected on specifically designed TDM request forms. After the exclusion process, samples from 194 patients were found to be eligible for further scrutiny. The concentration-to-dose (C/D) ratio for OLA varied 25-fold and that of DMO 22-fold. Women had a higher (P < 0.01) median C/D ratio for OLA than men (median, 7.2 nmol/L/mg vs 5.2 nmol/L/mg). Nonsmokers had a higher (P < 0.001) C/D ratio for OLA than smokers (median, 9.2 nmol/L/mg vs 4.0 nmol/L/mg). Smokers got higher prescribed (P < 0.05) doses of OLA than nonsmokers did. In the group with reported side effects, the median serum OLA concentration was 22% higher (P < 0.05) than in the group without side effects. Patients co-medicated with carbamazepine had a 71% lower median C/D ratio for OLA than patients on OLA monotherapy. The present TDM-based follow-up suggests that the influence of gender, smoking habits, and certain drug interactions may need to be considered for optimal dosage of OLA. TDM may be used for this purpose more readily in the future.
ION CHANNELS , RECEPTORS AND TRANSPORTERS Kidney amino acid transport

Near complete reabsorption of filtered amino acids is a main specialized transport function of the kidney proximal tubule. This evolutionary conserved task is carried out by a subset of luminal and basolateral transporters that together form the transcellular amino acid transport machinery similar to that of small intestine. A number of other amino acid transporters expressed in the basolateral membrane of proximal kidney tubule cells subserve either specialized metabolic functions, such as the production of ammonium, or are part of the cellular housekeeping equipment. A new finding is that the luminal Nadependent neutral amino acid transporters of the SLC6 family require an associated protein for their surface expression as shown for the Hartnup transporter BAT1 (SLC6A19) and suggested for the L-proline transporter SIT1 (IMINO, SLC6A20) and for BAT3 (XT2, SLC6A18). This accessory subunit called collectrin (TMEM27) is homologous to the transmembrane anchor region of the renin–angiotensin system enzyme ACE2 that we have shown to function in small intestine as associated subunit of the luminal SLC6 transporters BAT1 and SIT1. Some mutations of BAT1 differentially interact with these accessory subunits, providing an explanation for differential intestinal phenotypes among Hartnup patients. The basolateral efflux of numerous amino acids from kidney tubular cells is mediated by heteromeric amino acid transporters that function as obligatory exchangers. Thus, other transporters within the same membrane need to mediate the net efflux of exchange substrates, controlling thereby the net basolateral amino transport and thus the intracellular amino acid concentration.
HER2 testing in breast cancer: an overview of current techniques and recent developments

Summary Testing for HER2 positivity in breast cancer carries implications for prognosis and therapeutic response in patients. In recent times there have been numerous developments and refinements in the available technologies for HER2 testing. In addition to this, guidelines have been developed and modified in an attempt to improve reliability and accuracy of testing. Immunohistochemistry and FISH testing have been the most widely used methodology, and the technique which has the largest knowledge base. Some of the inherent disadvantages have prompted the development of newer brightfield techniques which overcome some of these issues. There is gathering experience with these emerging technologies. Despite efforts to optimise and standardise procedures there remains a small percentage of cases that continue to be unresolved, whether this be due to issues of polysomy of chromosome 17, other complex genetic changes or analytical/interpretative issues. An ideal method for the resolution of these equivocal results should be considered in a specialised testing/referral centre, and this may include karyotyping studies of chromosome 17 or multiple probes for chromosome 17 using fluorescence in situ hybridisation or multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. It is timely to review of some of the newer techniques available for routine testing and approaches for cases which prove difficult to resolve using conventional testing methodology.
Childhood Encephalitis in Crete, Greece

This study included all 18 cases of children hospitalized for encephalitis in the referral university hospital of Heraklion, Crete, Greece, during the 5-year period from 2000 to 2004. Encephalitis was attributed to viral infection (echovirus, herpes simplex virus 1, varicella-zoster virus, cytomegalovirus, and influenza A) in eight children and to bacteria (Mycoplasma pneumoniae, group A β-hemolytic streptococcus, and Rickettsia typhi) in a further five cases. Multiple hyperintense brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were associated with a severe clinical presentation but not with a guarded long-term outcome. Five children still presented with mild to moderate sequelae after 1.5 to 5.3 (median 4.0) years. Our findings confirm the elimination of measles, mumps, and rubella—associated encephalitis in the postvaccine era. MRI appeared to be of great diagnostic value. Although no fatalities were observed, deficits did persist in several patients. (J Child Neurol 2006;21:910—912; DOI 10.2310/7010.2006.00217).
Main-Duct Intraductal Papillary Mucinous Neoplasms of the Pancreas: Clinical Predictors of Malignancy and Long-term Survival Following Resection

Objective:To describe clinical characteristics and outcomes of a large cohort of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas affecting the main pancreatic duct. Summary Background Data:IPMNs are being diagnosed with increasing frequency. Preoperative determination of malignancy remains problematic, and reported results of long-term survival following resection are conflicting. Methods:The combined databases from the Massachusetts General Hospital and the Pancreatic Unit of the University of Verona were analyzed. To avoid confusing overlap with mucinous cystic neoplasms, only patients with tumors of the main pancreatic duct (with or without side branch involvement) were included. A total of 140 tumors consecutively resected between 1990 and 2002 were classified as either benign (adenoma and borderline tumors) or malignant (carcinoma in situ or invasive cancer) to compare their characteristics and survival. Results:Men and women were equally affected (mean age 65 years). Seven patients (12%) had adenomas, 40 (28%) borderline tumors, 25 (18%) carcinoma in situ, and 58 (42%) invasive carcinoma. The median age of patients with benign IPMN was 6.4 years younger than those with malignant tumors (P = 0.04). The principal symptoms were abdominal pain (65%), weight loss (44%), acute pancreatitis (23%), jaundice (17%), and onset or worsening of diabetes (12%); 27% of patients were asymptomatic. Jaundice and diabetes were significantly associated with malignant tumors. Five- and 10-year cancer-specific survival for patients with noninvasive tumors was 100%, and comparable survival of the 58 patients with invasive carcinoma was 60% and 50%. Conclusions:Cancer is found in 60% of patients with main-duct IPMNs. Patients with malignant tumors are 6 years older than their benign counterparts and have a higher likelihood of presenting with jaundice or new onset diabetes. No patients with benign tumors or carcinoma in situ died of their disease following resection, and those with invasive cancer had a markedly better survival (60% at 5 years) than pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. These findings support both the concept of progression of benign IPMNs to invasive cancer and an aggressive policy of resection at diagnosis.
Effect of Hypoxia-regulated Polo-like Kinase 3 (Plk3) on Human Limbal Stem Cell Differentiation*

Hypoxic conditions in the cornea affect epithelial function by activating Polo-like kinase 3 (Plk3) signaling and the c-Jun·AP-1 transcription complex, resulting in apoptosis of corneal epithelial cells. Hypoxic stress in the culture conditions also regulates limbal stem cell growth and fate. In this study, we demonstrate that there is a differential response of Plk3 in hypoxic stress-induced primary human limbal stem (HLS) and corneal epithelial (HCE) cells, resulting in different pathways of cell fate. We found that hypoxic stress induced HLS cell differentiation by down-regulating Plk3 activity at the transcription level, which was opposite to the effect of hypoxic stress on Plk3 activation to elicit HCE cell apoptosis, detected by DNA fragmentation and TUNEL assays. Hypoxic stress-induced increases in c-Jun phosphorylation/activation were not observed in HLS cells because Plk3 expression and activity were suppressed in hypoxia-induced HLS cells. Instead, hypoxic stress-induced HLS cell differentiation was monitored by cell cycle analysis and measured by the decrease and increase in p63 and keratin 12 expression, respectively. Hypoxic stress-induced Plk3 signaling to regulate c-Jun activity, resulting in limbal stem cell differentiation and center epithelial apoptosis, was also found in the corneas of wild-type and Plk3−/−-deficient mice. Our results, for the first time, reveal the differential effects of hypoxic stress on Plk3 activity in HLS and HCE cells. Instead of apoptosis, hypoxic stress suppresses Plk3 activity to protect limbal stem cells from death and to allow the process of HLS cell differentiation.