Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Classic and Current Social Comparison Research : Expanding the Perspective

This article assumes that social comparisons (a) constitute comparative judgments governed by the general process that applies to all judgments, (b) possess a common comparative structure including simple judgments of comparison stimuli and their juxtaposition, and (c) possess unique contents that determine the subjective meanings of comparison outcomes and their psychological implications. Examined in these terms, classical social comparison theory is found wanting in two respects: (a) It conveys a relatively fixed notion of social comparison in which people are generally driven to compare and do so mostly with respect to similar others and predominantly for the sake of evaluative accuracy. (b) Its narrow scope excludes numerous significant issues of interest to social comparison research today. It is proposed that the present, multilevel approach is useful for ordering past social comparison research and provides a heuristically rich paradigm for future work.
Should All Papillary Thyroid Microcarcinomas Be Aggressively Treated?: An Analysis of 18,445 Cases

Objective:The purpose of this study was to identify the risk factors that predict papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC)-related death in a large patient population to determine which patients need aggressive treatment. Background:The management of PTMC is controversial and ranges from observation to total thyroidectomy. The lack of consensus is predominantly due to the general excellent overall prognosis, thereby requiring a large cohort to delineate differences in outcome. Methods:All papillary thyroid cancer patients with tumor size of 1 cm or less in the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Cancer Database from 1988 to 2007 were identified. Outcomes, including overall and disease-specific survival, were compared, and different risk groups were evaluated by multivariate analysis. Results:A total of 18,445 cases of PTMC with surgery were identified. The 10-year and 15-year overall survivals were 94.6% and 90.7%, respectively, while disease-specific survivals were 99.5% and 99.3%. Age greater than 45 years, male sex, African American or minority race, node metastases, extrathyroidal invasion, and distant metastases were stratified to be significant risk factors for overall survival. There were 49 thyroid cancer-related deaths. Forty-five (92%) of the 49 patients had at least 2 risk factors, and 51% of these 49 patients had 3 or more risk factors (vs 5.7% in the rest of the cohort, P < 0.001). Conclusions:Although PTMC is generally associated with an excellent prognosis, 0.5% patients may die of PTMC. The presence of 2 or more risk factors is strongly associated with cancer-related mortality and can help to identify patients who should be considered for more aggressive management.
Sperm defects in mice lacking a functional Niemann–Pick C1 protein

The Niemann–Pick C1 (NPC1) gene encodes for a multiple membrane spanning protein, which regulates the trafficking of low‐density lipoprotein‐mediated endocytosed cholesterol. Mutation of the human NPC1 gene causes Niemann–Pick type C (NPC) disease. The Npc1NIH mice, a model of human NPC disease, bear a spontaneous mutation of the Npc1 gene, and are infertile. In this study, we have performed sperm analysis to search for the cause of male infertility in the Npc1NIH mouse. The number of cauda sperms in Npc1−/− mice was decreased roughly three‐and‐half‐fold of that in wild‐type mice. The decreased sperm number in Npc1−/− mice is due, at least in part, to partial arrest of spermatogenesis in the testes, as revealed by histological analysis. Compared to wild‐type sperm, Npc1−/− sperm displayed a high frequency of morphological abnormalities, including tailless heads and aberrant heads. In the in vitro fertilization (IVF) assay using cumulus‐intact eggs, Npc1−/− sperm failed to produce two‐cell embryos. In the IVF assay where zona‐free eggs were used, Npc1−/− sperm bound normally but could not fuse with the egg. Further analysis indicated that Npc1−/− sperms are drastically impaired in the binding to the egg zona pellucida, only 14% of the level of wild‐type sperm. Moreover, on Npc1−/− cauda sperm, one‐third of the total cyritestin protein was not proteolytically processed, while fertilin β was processed normally. Taken together, these results demonstrate that there are multiple defects in sperms from mice lacking a functional NPC1 protein, and these observed sperm defects may result in sterility. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Resistance to Ralstonia solanacearum in Arabidopsis thaliana is conferred by the recessive RRS1-R gene, a member of a novel family of resistance genes

The identification of two Arabidopsis thaliana genes involved in determining recessive resistance to several strains of the causal agent of bacterial wilt, Ralstonia solanacearum, is reported. Dominant (RRS1-S) and recessive (RRS1-R) alleles from susceptible and resistant accessions encode highly similar predicted proteins differing in length and which present a novel structure combining domains found in plant Toll-IL-1 receptor–nucleotide binding site–leucin-rich repeat resistance proteins and a WRKY motif characteristic of some plant transcriptional factors. Although genetically defined as a recessive allele, RRS1-R behaves as a dominant resistance gene in transgenic plants. Sequence analysis of the RRS1 genes present in two homozygous intragenic recombinant lines indicates that several domains of RRS1-R are essential for its resistance function. Additionally, RRS1-R-mediated resistance is partially salicylic acid- and NDR1-dependent, suggesting the existence of similar signaling pathways to those controlled by resistance genes in specific resistance.
An evolutionary basis for conservation strategies.

C ONSERVATION STRATEGIES HAVE BEEN REMARKABLY anthropocentric from their inception in the Middle Ages to the present (1, 2). During dynastic and feudal times, parts of kingdoms were set aside as hunting grounds for the aristocracy, thus preserving everything that dwelled therein. This, plus severe natural and cultural control of human populations, resulted in environmental protection for centuries. Today, with a burgeoning and expanding human population of 5.3 billion, no more than 4500 areas arc protected globally (1); that is equivalent to a mere 3.2% of our planet's landmass. National parks, wildlife refuges, biosphere reserves, military reserves, Indian reservations, and other forms of legally protected areas have been established for aesthetic, political, or practical purposes in the last 150 years. Many reserves in less-developed nations are paper parks only; many in the more developed are lamentably endangered by touristic herds, and certain wilderness parks are threatened by short-sighted national energy policies.
Genetic variation in European suicide rates

The fact that Hungary and Finland had among the highest reported suicide rates in Europe has led to speculations about the possible involvement of a common genetic factor in this phenomenon ([Marusic & Farmer, 2001][1]). Both Finns and Hungarians, as some linguists believe, belong to the Finno-
Identification and Characterization of a Novel Transcriptional Activation Domain in the CREB-binding Protein*

The CREB-binding protein (CBP) plays a central role in the regulation of gene expression by several different second messenger pathways including serum growth factors, cAMP and phorbol esters. CBP specifically binds to the phosphorylated forms of CREB and c-Jun and is thought to activate transcription through a C-terminal activation domain. In this report, we demonstrate that the C terminus of CBP is dispensable for its ability to stimulate phospho-CREB activity, and, further, that the deletion of this domain produces highly active, mutant forms of CBP. The novel N-terminal activation identified by this deletional analysis consists of the first 714 amino acids of CBP and is sufficient for high levels of transcriptional activity. This domain is also capable of stimulating the activity of a second cAMP-regulated factor, ATF-1. Surprisingly, ATF-1 activity is not significantly stimulated by full-length CBP suggesting that the C-terminal domain of CBP may also serve to regulate ATF-1/CBP activity. Additionally, the demonstration that one of our hyperactive CBP mutants is able to activate a nonphosphorylatable mutant of CREB (M1 CREB) provides the first evidence that CBP may play a role in regulating the basal transcriptional activity of CREB.
Specific Inhibition of Human Cytomegalovirus Glycoprotein B-Mediated Fusion by a Novel Thiourea Small Molecule

ABSTRACT A novel small molecule inhibitor of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) was identified as the result of screening a chemical library by using a whole-virus infected-cell assay. Synthetic chemistry efforts yielded the analog designated CFI02, a compound whose potency had been increased about 100-fold over an initial inhibitor. The inhibitory concentration of CFI02 in various assays is in the low nanomolar range. CFI02 is a selective and potent inhibitor of HCMV; it has no activity against other CMVs, alphaherpesviruses, or unrelated viruses. Mechanism-of-action studies indicate that CFI02 acts very early in the replication cycle, inhibiting virion envelope fusion with the cell plasma membrane. Mutants resistant to CFI02 have mutations in the abundant virion envelope glycoprotein B that are sufficient to confer resistance. Taken together, the data suggest that CFI02 inhibits glycoprotein B-mediated HCMV virion fusion. Furthermore, CFI02 inhibits the cell-cell spread of HCMV. This is the first study of a potent and selective small molecule inhibitor of CMV fusion and cell-cell spread.
Semiparametric Bayesian models for evaluating time‐variant driving risk factors using naturalistic driving data and case‐crossover approach

Driver behavior is a major contributing factor for traffic crashes, a leading cause of death and injury in the United States. The naturalistic driving study (NDS) revolutionizes driver behavior research by using sophisticated nonintrusive in‐vehicle instrumentation to continuously record driving data. This paper uses a case‐crossover approach to evaluate driver‐behavior risk. To properly model the unbalanced and clustered binary outcomes, we propose a semiparametric hierarchical mixed‐effect model to accommodate both among‐strata and within‐stratum variations. This approach overcomes several major limitations of the standard models, eg, constant stratum effect assumption for conditional logistic model. We develop 2 methods to calculate the marginal conditional probability. We show the consistency of parameter estimation and asymptotic equivalence of alternative estimation methods. A simulation study indicates that the proposed model is more efficient and robust than alternatives. We applied the model to the 100‐Car NDS data, a large‐scale NDS with 102 participants and 12‐month data collection. The results indicate that cell phone dialing increased the crash/near‐crash risk by 2.37 times (odds ratio: 2.37, 95% CI, 1.30‐4.30) and drowsiness increased the risk 33.56 times (odds ratio: 33.56, 95% CI, 21.82‐52.19). This paper provides new insight into driver behavior risk and novel analysis strategies for NDS studies.
Efficient calculation of CBFs for the modeling of scattering by complex-shaped snow aggregates

The Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury formula-based algorithm is applied to enhance the computational performance of the characteristic basis function method (CBFM) when applied in a context of 3D full-wave model to the scattering by complex-geometry precipitation particles. The improvement brought by this algorithm, particularly to the compression rate achieved by the CBFM, enables us to simulate electrically larger particles while maintaining a satisfactory level of accuracy and a reasonable computational cost.
The Prevalence of Hepatitis C Virus Core Amino Acid 70 Substitution and Genotypes of Polymorphisms Near the IFNL 3 Gene in Iranian Patients With Chronic Hepatitis

Background: Molecular studies have demonstrated that the hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype and host genetics play predictive roles in the management of patients infected with HCV. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the HCV genotype, core amino acid (aa) 70 substitution, and polymorphisms near the IFNL3 gene (including rs12979860 and rs8099917) among Iranian patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC). Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, the molecular profiles of the HCV genotype, core aa 70 substitution, and rs12979860 and rs8099917 polymorphisms and plasma HCV RNA levels were determined in 429 CHC patients including 141 hemophilic, 84 thalassemic, and 204 non-hemophilic, non-thalassemic patients. Results: The hepatitis C virus subtype 1a was the most common subtype in the study population. Core aa substitution Arg70Gln was strongly associated with cirrhosis (OR = 2.49; 95% CI = 1.13 5.50; P = 0.020). Core aa 70 substitutions were more frequently observed in patients with the HCV subtype 1b than in patients with any other HCV subtypes (P < 0.001). Core aa 70 substitutions were also more common in patients with the rs12979860 TT genotype than in patients with non-TT genotypes (17.3% vs. 8.5%, P = 0.022) and also in rs8099917 non-TT genotypes than in the TT genotype (14.0% vs. 7.0%, P = 0.026). The HCV genotypes and rs8099917 polymorphisms were correlated in which HCV subtype 1b was in favor of rs8099917 GG and HCV subtype 3a favored rs8099917 TT (P = 0.021). Furthermore, the rs12979860 TT and rs8099917 GG genotypes showed significantly lower HCV RNA levels than the other genotypes (P < 0.001). Conclusions: There is an as yet unexplained association between HCV and host parameters with unknown mechanisms in patients with chronic HCV infection. The assessments of core aa 70 substitution and polymorphisms near the IFNL3 gene could offer promising steps to improve the management of patients with HCV.
Validity and Reliability of the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale in Turkish Cancer Patients

The Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) is simple and easy to use with cancer patients. This study was planned for the purpose of adapting and determining the validity and reliability of the ESAS for Turkish culture. The study was conducted in outpatient and inpatient chemotherapy units at a university hospital between December 2004 and February 2005. A total of 113 cancer patients participated in the research. Written permission to conduct the research was obtained from the facility and verbal and written consent was obtained from the patients. Research data were collected using a questionnaire, the ESAS and the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSC). In the ESAS validity study, language validity, content validity and criterion-related validity were tested. In the reliability study Cronbach’s alpha and item-total score correlation were calculated. The patients’ mean age was 48.86±13.18. The Pearson product moment correlation coefficient between the ESAS and RSC scores was calculated to be r=0.75, p < 0.05. A Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.77 was determined for the ESAS. The lowest item-total correlation on the ESAS (r=0.30, p <0.05) was for item 10 (other, constipation) and the highest (r=0.62, p <0.05) was for item 1 (pain). The Turkish version of the ESAS was determined to be a valid and reliable tool for use in Turkish individuals with cancer. [Turk J Cancer 2008;38(2):62-67]
The EBP50-moesin interaction involves a binding site regulated by direct masking on the FERM domain

Members of the ezrin-radixin-moesin (ERM) protein family serve as regulated microfilament-membrane crosslinking proteins that, upon activation, bind the scaffolding protein ERM-phosphoprotein of 50 kDa (EBP50). Here we report a 3.5 Å resolution diffraction analysis of a complex between the active moesin N-terminal FERM domain and a 38 residue peptide from the C terminus of EBP50. This crystallographic result, combined with sequence and structural comparisons, suggests that the C-terminal 11 residues of EBP50 binds as an α-helix at the same site occupied in the dormant monomer by the last 11 residues of the inhibitory moesin C-terminal tail. Biochemical support for this interpretation derives from in vitro studies showing that appropriate mutations in both the EBP50 tail peptide and the FERM domain reduce binding, and that a peptide representing just the C-terminal 14 residues of EBP50 also binds to moesin. Combined with the recent identification of the I-CAM-2 binding site on the ERM FERM domain (Hamada, K., Shimizu, T., Yonemura, S., Tsukita, S., and Hakoshima, T. (2003) EMBO J. 22, 502-514), this study reveals that the FERM domain contains two distinct binding sites for membrane-associated proteins. The contribution of each ligand to ERM function can now be dissected by making structure-based mutations that specifically affect the binding of each ligand.
Locomotor Training Restores Walking in a Nonambulatory Child With Chronic, Severe, Incomplete Cervical Spinal Cord Injury

Background and Purpose: Locomotor training (LT) enhances walking in adult experimental animals and humans with mild-to-moderate spinal cord injuries (SCIs). The animal literature suggests that the effects of LT may be greater on an immature nervous system than on a mature nervous system. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of LT in a child with chronic, incomplete SCI. Subject: The subject was a nonambulatory 4½-year-old boy with an American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) C Lower Extremity Motor Score (LEMS) of 4/50 who was deemed permanently wheelchair-dependent and was enrolled in an LT program 16 months after a severe cervical SCI. Methods: A pretest-posttest design was used in the study. Over 16 weeks, the child received 76 LT sessions using both treadmill and over-ground settings in which graded sensory cues were provided. The outcome measures were ASIA Impairment Scale score, gait speed, walking independence, and number of steps. Result: One month into LT, voluntary stepping began, and the child progressed from having no ability to use his legs to community ambulation with a rolling walker. By the end of LT, his walking independence score had increased from 0 to 13/20, despite no change in LEMS. The child's final self-selected gait speed was 0.29 m/s, with an average of 2,488 community-based steps per day and a maximum speed of 0.48 m/s. He then attended kindergarten using a walker full-time. Discussion and Conclusion: A simple, context-dependent stepping pattern sufficient for community ambulation was recovered in the absence of substantial voluntary isolated lower-extremity movement in a child with chronic, severe SCI. These novel data suggest that some children with severe, incomplete SCI may recover community ambulation after undergoing LT and that the LEMS cannot identify this subpopulation.
Treatment of Carotid Siphon Aneurysms with a Microcell Stent

The treatment of giant, large, multiple or wide-necked carotid siphon aneurysms has always represented a challenge for neurosurgeons and neuroradiologists. Very recently the use of stents with tiny holes has been proposed by two companies: Balt Silk Stent in Europe and Pipeline in America. We have used the Silk stent on a few patients and describe our first case who now has an eleven month follow-up. The carotid siphon presented three converging aneurysms sharing a very large common neck. The Silk stent (Balt Extrusion, Montmorency, France) was deployed through a 4F Balt introducer. The procedure was uneventful and very quick. As soon as the stent was positioned contrast medium stagnation was displayed within the aneurysm. The patient's post-operative course was normal and she was discharged three days later in good health.
Contribution of glacier runoff to freshwater discharge into the Gulf of Alaska

Watersheds along the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) are undergoing climate warming, glacier volume loss, and shifts in the timing and volume of freshwater delivered to the eastern North Pacific Ocean. We estimate recent mean annual freshwater discharge to the GOA at 870 km3 yr−1. Small distributed coastal drainages contribute 78% of the freshwater discharge with the remainder delivered by larger rivers penetrating coastal ranges. Discharge from glaciers and icefields accounts for 47% of total freshwater discharge, with 10% coming from glacier volume loss associated with rapid thinning and retreat of glaciers along the GOA. Our results indicate the region of the GOA from Prince William Sound to the east, where glacier runoff contributes 371 km3 yr−1, is vulnerable to future changes in freshwater discharge as a result of glacier thinning and recession. Changes in timing and magnitude of freshwater delivery to the GOA could impact coastal circulation as well as biogeochemical fluxes to near‐shore marine ecosystems and the eastern North Pacific Ocean.
LEAKY PREZYGOTIC ISOLATION AND POROUS GENOMES: RAPID INTROGRESSION OF MATERNALLY INHERITED DNA

Abstract Accurate phylogenies are crucial for understanding evolutionary processes, especially species diversification. It is commonly assumed that “good” species are sufficiently isolated genetically that gene genealogies represent accurate phylogenies. However, it is increasingly clear that good species may continue to exchange genetic material through hybridization (introgression). Many studies of closely related species reveal introgression of some genes without others, often with more rapid introgression of maternally inherited chloroplast or mitochondrial DNA (cpDNA, mtDNA). We seek a general explanation for this biased introgression using simple models of common reproductive isolating barriers (RIBs). We compare empirically informed models of prezygotic isolation (for pre- and postinsemination mechanisms of both female choice and male competition) with postzygotic isolation and demonstrate that rate of introgression depends critically upon type of RIB and mode of genetic inheritance (maternal versus biparental versus paternal). Our frequency-dependent prezygotic RIBs allow much more rapid introgression of biparentally and maternally inherited genes than do commonly modeled postzygotic RIBs (especially maternally inherited DNA). After considering the specific predictions in the context of empirical observations, we conclude that our model of prezygotic RIBs is a general explanation for biased introgression of maternally inherited genomic components. These findings suggest that we should use extreme caution when interpreting single gene genealogies as species phylogenies, especially for cpDNA and mtDNA.
Hybrid genome evolution by transposition

Species hybridization is reviewed focusing on its role as a source of evolutionary novelties. Contrary to the view that hybrids are lineages devoid of evolutionary value, a number of case studies are given that show how hybrids are responsible for reticulate evolution that may lead to the origin of new species. Hybrid evolution is mediated by extensive genome repatterning followed by rapid stabilization and fixation of highly adapted genotypes. Some well-documented cases demonstrate that bursts of transposition follow hybridization and may contribute to the genetic instability observed after hybridization. The mechanism that triggers transposition in hybrids is largely unknown, but coupling of hybrid transposition and demethylation has been observed in mammals and plants. A natural scenario is proposed in which marginal small hybrid populations undergo transposition mediated genome reorganizations accompanied by exogenous and endogenous selection that, in concert with drift, lead to rapid fixation of high fitness hybrid genotypes. These genotypes may represent parental introgressed species or be entirely new species.