Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calcitonin gene-related peptide promotes Schwann cell proliferation

Schwann cells in culture divide in response to defined mitogens such as PDGF and glial growth factor (GGF), but proliferation is greatly enhanced if agents such as forskolin, which increases Schwann cell intracellular cAMP, are added at the same time as PDGF or GGF (Davis, J. B., and P. Stroobant. 1990. J. Cell Biol. 110:1353-1360). The effect of forskolin is probably due to an increase in numbers of PDGF receptors (Weinmaster, G., and G. Lemke. 1990. EMBO (Eur. Mol. Biol. Organ.) J. 9:915-920. Neuropeptides and beta-adrenergic agonists have been reported to have no effect on potentiating the mitogenic response of either PDGF or GGF. We show that the neuropeptide calcitonin gene- related peptide (CGRP) increases Schwann cell cAMP levels, but the cells rapidly desensitize. We therefore stimulated the cells in pulsatile fashion to partly overcome the effects of desensitization and show that CGRP can synergize with PDGF to stimulate Schwann cell proliferation, and that CGRP is as effective as forskolin in the pulsatile regime. CGRP is a good substrate for the neutral endopeptidase 24.11. Schwann cells in vivo have this protease on their surface, so the action of CGRP could be terminated by this enzyme and desensitization prevented. We therefore suggest that CGRP may play an important role in stimulating Schwann cell proliferation by regulating the response of mitogenic factors such as PDGF.
Creativity, Intelligence, and Personality: A Critical Review of the Scattered Literature

The authors examined the relations among intelligence, personality, and creativity. They consider the concept and definition of creativity in conjunction with the qualifications that researchers in the field have suggested. The present authors briefly refer to historiometric studies but focus on psychometric intelligence and its relations to tests of divergent thinking (DT) and ratings of creativity. The authors consider the relation between personality and creativity in the context of Eysenckian 3-factor and 5-factor models of personality and with reference to DT tests and ratings of creativity. The authors also present recommendations for the future study of creativity.
Customer satisfaction in a retail setting

Purpose – To examine the relative roles played by cognition and emotion in the development of customer satisfaction in a retail setting.Design/methodology/approach – An experimental design was employed. Study participants were exposed one of two expectation scenarios depicting past experience with an unnamed retail store, with one developed to build high expectations and one developed to create low expectations. Study participants were then exposed to one of two performance scenarios depicting a new experience with the unnamed retail store, with one depicting a successful pleasurable experience and one depicting a performance failure. Participants were also asked to complete scales measuring their cognitive evaluation of the perceived performance and their emotional reaction to the perceived performance.Findings – Both cognitive evaluation and emotional reaction were found to explain the level of satisfaction experienced in a retail setting. As opposed to a service setting, however, cognitive evaluation w.
Serving the Needs of Transgender College Students

Abstract Transgender youth have become more visible in the last decade but remain one of the most underserved populations on college campuses and have largely been ignored in the higher education literature. To provide a context for understanding the experiences of gender variant students, this article provides a brief history of transgenderism before discussing the handful of published narratives by transgender youth. It concludes with recommendations for educators seeking to improve the campus climate for people of all genders.
Spatial competition and the dynamics of rarity in a temporally varying environment

Given an endogenous timescale set by invasion in a constant environment, we introduced periodic temporal variation in competitive superiority by alternating the species' propagation rates. By manipulating habitat size and introduction rate, we simulated environments where successful invasion proceeds through growth of many spatial clusters, and where invasion can occur only as a single-cluster process. In the multi-cluster invasion regime, rapid environmental variation produced spatial mixing of the species and non-equilibrium coexistence. The dynamics' dominant response effectively averaged environmental fluctuation, so that each species could avoid competitive exclusion. Increasing the environment's half-period to match the population-dynamic timescale let the (initially) more abundant resident repeatedly repel the invader. Periodic transition in propagation-rate advantage rarely interrupted the exclusion process when the more abundant species had competitive advantage. However, at infrequent and randomly occurring times, the rare species could invade and reverse the density pattern by rapidly eroding the resident's preemption of space. In the single-cluster invasion regime, environmental variation occurring faster than the population-dynamic timescale prohibited successful invasion; the first species to reach its stationary density (calculated for a constant environment) continued to repel the other during long simulations. When the endogenous and exogenous timescales matched, the species randomly reversed roles of resident and invader; the waiting times for reversal of abundances indicate stochastic resonance. For both invasion regimes, environmental fluctuation occurring much slower than the endogenous dynamics produced symmetric limit cycles, alternations of the constant-environment pattern.
Testing avian compass calibration: comparative experiments with diurnal and nocturnal passerine migrants in South Sweden

ABSTRACT Cue-conflict experiments were performed to study the compass calibration of one predominantly diurnal migrant, the dunnock (Prunella modularis), and two species of nocturnal passerine migrants, the sedge warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus), and the European robin (Erithacus rubecula) during autumn migration in South Sweden. The birds' orientation was recorded in circular cages under natural clear and simulated overcast skies in the local geomagnetic field, and thereafter the birds were exposed to a cue-conflict situation where the horizontal component of the magnetic field (mN) was shifted +90° or −90° at two occasions, one session starting shortly after sunrise and the other ca. 90 min before sunset and lasting for 60 min. The patterns of the degree and angle of skylight polarization were measured by full-sky imaging polarimetry during the cue-conflict exposures and orientation tests. All species showed orientation both under clear and overcast skies that correlated with the expected migratory orientation towards southwest to south. For the European robin the orientation under clear skies was significantly different from that recorded under overcast skies, showing a tendency that the orientation under clear skies was influenced by the position of the Sun at sunset resulting in more westerly orientation. This sun attraction was not observed for the sedge warbler and the dunnock, both orientating south. All species showed similar orientation after the cue-conflict as compared to the preferred orientation recorded before the cue-conflict, with the clearest results in the European robin and thus, the results did not support recalibration of the celestial nor the magnetic compasses as a result of the cue-conflict exposure.
Hepcidin and ferritin blood level as noninvasive tools for predicting breast cancer.

BACKGROUND Currently used CA15-3 and CEA have found their clinical application particularly in the follow-up of patients with advanced disease. Novel biomarkers are urgent, especially for improving early diagnosis as well as for discriminating between benign and malignant disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS In the present study, we used a proteomic approach based on surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry screening with the aim of identifying differentially expressed 2-30 kDa proteins in plasma of patients with malignant (65 cases) and benign (88 cases) breast lesions with respect to 121 healthy controls. RESULTS We found that the most promising SELDI peaks were those corresponding to hepcidin-25 and ferritin light chain. We evaluated the capability of these peaks in predicting malignant and benign breast lesions using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The results showed a good capacity to predict malignant breast lesions for hepcidin-25 [AUC: 0.82; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.75-0.90] and ferritin light chain (AUC: 0.86; 95% CI 0.79-0.92). Conversely, a weak and satisfactory capability to predict benign breast lesion was observed for hepcidin-25 (AUC: 0.63; 95% CI 0.41-0.85) and ferritin light chain (AUC: 0.73; 95% CI 0.49-0.97). A significant association between HER2 status and hepcidin-25 was observed and the distribution of transferrin and ferritin were found significantly different in patients with breast cancer when compared with that of controls. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that hepcidin and ferritin light chain level in plasma may be of clinical usefulness to predict malignant and benign disease with respect to healthy controls.
The effects of insomnia and internet addiction on depression in Hong Kong Chinese adolescents: an exploratory cross‐sectional analysis

The negative association of insomnia and internet addiction with mental health is widely documented in the literature, yet little is known about their inter‐relationships. The primary aim of this study was to examine the inter‐relationships between insomnia, internet addiction and depression. A total of 719 Chinese adolescents in Hong Kong participated in this school‐based cross‐sectional study. Participants completed the Chinese version of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Chinese Internet Addiction Scale (CIAS), the 12‐item version of General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐12) and questions assessing internet use pattern and sociodemographic characteristics. The classification of internet addiction and insomnia was based on the CIAS cutoff global score >63 and PSQI cutoff global score >5, respectively. Multiple regression analyses tested the effects of insomnia and internet addiction on depression. Among students with internet addiction (17.2%), 51.7% were also identified as insomniacs. Internet addicts scored significantly poorer on all PSQI components, except sleep duration, than their non‐addicted counterparts. After adjustment for gender and internet use time, both internet addiction (β = 0.05; Sobel test Z = 6.50, P < 0.001) and insomnia (β = 0.59; Sobel test Z = 4.49, P < 0.001) demonstrated a significant association with depression. Overall, there is high comorbidity between internet addiction and insomnia. Both insomnia and internet addiction emerged as significant explanatory factors, but they exerted differential effects on depression. Future research should be directed at determining the causal relationship between internet addiction and insomnia, and its underlying mechanism with depression.
E 2-computability of e , π and other famous constants

We show that e, π and other remarkable real numbers are limits of E-computable sequences of rational numbers having a polynomial rate of convergence (as usual, E denotes the second Grzegorczyk class). However, only the rational numbers are limits of E-computable sequences of rational numbers with an exponential rate of convergence
Signature of increasing total column water vapour and surface temperature at Maitri, Antarctica

Measurement of total column water vapour has been carried out at Maitri (70°45'S, 11°44'E), Antarctica using Microtop sun-photometer during the 16th, 21st, 22nd and 23rd Indian Antarctic Scientific Expedition. The annual mean water vapour was found out to be 0.24 cm in 1997, while it was 0.42 cm in 2002 and 0.45 cm in 2003. Monthly mean water vapour was maximum during January in all years studied and increased by 48.8% in 2002, 57.7% in 2003 and 66.6% in 2004, compared to 1997. Total column water vapour corresponding to surface temperature has also been studied. Years 2002 and 2003 were found to be warmer by 11.72 and 4.1% respectively compared to the year 1997. The observation showed signature of increasing total column water vapour at Maitri. Measurement also showed increase in surface temperature and was especially pronounced in the month of January at Maitri. In the present communication, a comparative study of water vapour and surface temperature is discussed in detail.
Measurement of In-Plane Thermal Conductivity of Ultrathin Films Using Micro-Raman Spectroscopy

We report a micro-Raman-based optical method to measure in-plane thermal conductivity of ultrathin films. With the use of 20-nm-thick SiO2 substrates that assure in-plane heat transfer, sub-100-nm Bi films and Al2O3 films as thin as 5 nm were successfully measured. The results of Bi films reveal that phonon boundary scattering, both at the surface/interface and at the grain boundaries, reduces in-plane lattice thermal conductivity. The measurements of amorphous Al2O3 films were accomplished using thin Bi film as a Raman temperature sensor, and the results agree with the minimum thermal conductivity models for dielectrics. Our work demonstrates that the micro-Raman method is promising for characterization of in-plane thermal conductivity and phonon behaviors of thin-film structures if the Raman temperature sensor material and substrate material are carefully selected.
Mindfulness and Mindfulness Based Psychotherapy

Recent studies have highlighted the promising benefits of mindfulness-based interventions for a range of clinical issues. The growing interest among practitioners in using mindfulness as an intervention raises issues of therapeutic potential, practical application and potential adverse effects. Mindfulness meditation is defined as paying attention to ongoing sensory experiences and mental contents, deliberately and intentionally, and in a non-elaborative and non-judgmental way. The history and psychological mechanisms of mindfulness meditation is discussed as well as the ways it differs from traditional cognitive therapies. Empirical evidence for mindfulness meditation as a therapeutic technique is considered in addition to costs and benefits, potential adverse effects and practitioner issues such as skills and training. Finally, we examine the proposition that interest in mindfulness meditation has spawned a number of new therapies that appear to have high efficacy and represent a new conceptualisation of potentially active ingredients in psychotherapy and psychological change. (author abstract)
Smooth muscle of the dorsal aorta shares a common clonal origin with skeletal muscle of the myotome

We show that cells of the dorsal aorta, an early blood vessel, and of the myotome, the first skeletal muscle to form within the somite, derive from a common progenitor in the mouse embryo. This conclusion is based on a retrospective clonal analysis, using a nlaacZ reporter targeted to the α-cardiac actin gene. A rare intragenic recombination event results in a functional nlacZ sequence, giving rise to clones ofβ -galactosidase-positive cells. Periendothelial and vascular smooth muscle cells of the dorsal aorta are the main cell types labelled, demonstrating that these are clonally related to the paraxial mesoderm-derived cells of skeletal muscle. Rare endothelial cells are also seen in some clones. In younger clones, arising from a recent recombination event, myotomal labelling is predominantly in the hypaxial somite, adjacent to labelled smooth muscle cells in the aorta. Analysis of Pax3GFP/+ embryos shows that these cells are Pax3 negative but GFP positive, with fluorescent cells in the intervening region between the aorta and the somite. This is consistent with the direct migration of smooth muscle precursor cells that had expressed Pax3. These results are discussed in terms of the paraxial mesoderm contribution to the aorta and of the mesoangioblast stem cells that derive from it.
Active targeted nanoparticles: Preparation, physicochemical characterization and in vitro cytotoxicity effect

In this study, the folate decorated biodegradable poly (lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles were developed for tumor targeting of anticancer agents. Due to the overexpression of the folate receptor on tumor surface, the folate has been efficiently employed as a targeting moiety for various anticancer agents to avoid their non-specific attacks on normal tissues and also to increase their cellular uptake within target cells. Folate conjugate PLGA was synthesized successfully and its chemical structure was evaluated by FTIR, DSC and 1HNMR spectroscopy. PLGA-folate nanoparticles (PLGA-Fol NPs) were prepared by nanoprecipitation method, adopting PLGA as a drug carrier, folic acid as a targeting ligand and 9-nitrocampthotecin as a model anticancer drug. The average size and encapsulation efficiency of the prepared PLGA-Fol NPs were found to be around 115 ± 12 nm and 57%, respectively. In vitro release profile indicated that nearly 85% of the drug was released in 50 h. The in vitro intracellular uptakes of PLGA-Fol NPs showed greater cytotoxicity on cancer cell lines compared to non-folate mediated carriers.
Teaching Environmental Awareness in Mathematics

L'objectif de cet article est d'indiquer les methodes pouvant mener a l'integration de l'education a l'environnement dans le cadre de l'enseignement des mathematiques, dans cette optique, l'auteur souligne l'importance de developper la conscience ecologique des enseignants.
Determination of chloroplast DNA in a cultured soybean line using a QCM biosensor

The percent of chloroplast DNA (chl-DNA) in total soybean DNA from the glycine max [L. ] Merr. v Corsoy cell line was redetermined using DNA-hybridization biosensors made from the quartz crystal microbalance. The percent of chl-DNA was found to be 30.6% /spl plusmn/ 2.0%, consistent with the value found earlier for cells grown either photoautotrophically or photomixotrophically. The method avoids radio or other types of molecular labels and is simple and relatively rapid when compared to conventional hybridization assays.
White matter integrity and late-life depression in community-dwelling individuals: diffusion tensor imaging study using tract-based spatial statistics

Background Late-life depression has been associated with white matter changes in studies using the regions of interest approach. Aims To investigate the cross-sectional and longitudinal relationship between white matter integrity and depression in community-dwelling individuals using diffusion tensor imaging with tract-based spatial statistics. Method The sample comprised 381 participants aged between 72 and 92 years who were assessed twice within 2 years. Depressive symptoms were measured with the Geriatric Depression Scale. Tract-based spatial statistics were applied to investigate white matter integrity in currently depressed v. non-depressed elderly people and in those with a history of depression v. no history of depression. The relationship between white matter integrity and development of depressive symptoms after 2 years were analysed with logistic regression. Results Individuals with current depression had widespread white matter integrity reduction compared with non-depressed elderly people. Significant fractional anisotropy reductions were found in 45 brain areas with the most notable findings in the frontal lobe, association and projection fibres. A history of depression was not associated with reduced fractional anisotropy. White matter changes in the superior frontal gyrus, posterior thalamic radiation, superior longitudinal fasciculus and in the body of corpus callosum predicted depression at follow-up. Conclusions Reduced white matter integrity is associated with late-life depression and predicts future depressive symptoms whereas a history of depression is not related to white matter changes. Disruption to white matter integrity may be a biomarker to predict late-life depression.
Altered brain metabolism in vestibular migraine: Comparison of interictal and ictal findings

Background Vestibular symptoms/signs frequently coexist with migraine, but the mechanisms of migraine-related vestibular dysfunction remain to be elucidated. This study aimed to determine altered brain metabolism in vestibular migraine. Methods Two patients with vestibular migraine underwent 18F-fluorodeoxy glucose (FDG) positron-emission tomography (PET) during and between attacks of vestibular migraine in addition to detailed neurotological evaluation. We analyzed the regional brain metabolism of the patients in comparison with that of age-matched healthy controls in each patient. We also compared ictal with interictal FDG PET using a subtraction method. Results During the attacks, both patients showed an activation of the bilateral cerebellum and frontal cortices, and deactivation of the bilateral posterior parietal and occipitotemporal areas. One patient also showed hypermetabolism in the dorsal pons and midbrain, right posterior insula, and right temporal cortex while the other patient had an additional activation of the left temporal cortex. Compared with interictal images, ictal PET showed increased metabolism in the bilateral cerebellum, frontal cortices, temporal cortex, posterior insula, and thalami. Conclusion During the attacks of vestibular migraine, the increased metabolism in the temporo-parieto-insular areas and bilateral thalami indicates activation of the vestibulo-thalamo-cortical pathway, and decreased metabolism in the occipital cortex may represent reciprocal inhibition between the visual and vestibular systems.
Components of a modern mental health service: a pragmatic balance of community and hospital care

Background There is controversy about whether mental health services should be provided in community or hospital settings. There is no worldwide consensus on which mental health service models are appropriate in low-, medium- and high-resource areas. Aims To provide an evidence base for this debate, and present a stepped care model. Method Cochrane systematic reviews and other reviews were summarised. Results The evidence supports a balanced approach, including both community and hospital services. Areas with low levels of resources may focus on improving primary care, with specialist back-up. Areas with medium resources may additionally provide out-patient clinics, community mental health teams (CMHTs), acute in-patient care, community residential care and forms of employment and occupation. High-resource areas may provide all the above, together with more specialised services such as specialised out-patient clinics and CMHTs, assertive community treatment teams, early intervention teams, alternatives to acute in-patient care, alternative types of community residential care and alternative occupation and rehabilitation. Conclusions Both community and hospital services are necessary in all areas regardless of their level of resources, according to the additive and sequential stepped care model described here.