Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nesfatin-1 Induces the Phosphorylation Levels of cAMP Response Element-Binding Protein for Intracellular Signaling in a Neural Cell Line

Nesfatin-1 is a novel anorexic peptide that reduces the food intake of rodents when administered either intraventricularly or intraperitoneally. However, the molecular mechanism of intracellular signaling via Nesfatin-1 is yet to be resolved. In the current study, we investigated the ability of different neuronal cell lines to respond to Nesfatin-1 and further elucidated the signal transduction pathway of Nesfatin-1. To achieve this, we transfected several cell lines with various combinations of reporter vectors containing different kinds of response elements and performed reporter assays with Nesfatin-1, its active midsegment encoding 30 amino acid residues (M30) and M30-derived mutants. Notably, we found that both Nesfatin-1 as well as M30, significantly increased cAMP response element (CRE) reporter activity in a mouse neuroblastoma cell line, NB41A3. An antagonist of Melanocortin 3/4 receptor, SHU9119, aborted the promoter activity, and a mutant M30, which exerts no anorexic effect in vivo did not induce the CRE reporter activity in NB41A3 cells. Western blotting analyses revealed that Nesfatin-1 and M30 significantly increased the phosphorylation levels of CRE-binding protein (CREB), without altering the intracellular cAMP levels. Further, our study showed that a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase inhibitor and an L-type Calcium (Ca2+) channel blocker abolished the M30-induced CREB phosphorylation. Furthermore, the radio-receptor assay revealed that 125I-Nesfatin-1 binds in a saturable fashion to the membrane fractions of the mouse hypothalamus and NB41A3 cells, with Kd values of 0.79 nM and 0.17 nM, respectively. Collectively, our findings indicate the presence of a Nesfatin-1-specific receptor on the cell surface of NB41A3 cells and mouse hypothalamus. Our study highlights that Nesfatin-1, via its receptor, induces the phosphorylation of CREB, thus activating the intracellular signaling cascade in neurons.
A low leakage low cost-PMOS based power supply clamp with active feedback for ESD protection in 65nm CMOS technologies

A novel PMOS based power supply protection clamp is presented which is designed to operate in a state-of-the art 65 nm, low leakage CMOS process. The design is shown to be amenable to the inherent challenges posed by low cost I/O transistors. Robust ESD and electrical operation is shown as well as immunity to transient latch-up.
Suppression of &ggr;-Melanocyte–Stimulating Hormone Secretion Is Accompanied by Salt-Sensitive Hypertension in the Rat

Abstract—&ggr;-Melanocyte–stimulating hormone (&ggr;-MSH) is a natriuretic peptide derived from proopiomelanocortin (POMC) in the pituitary neurointermediate lobe (NIL); its plasma concentration in rats doubles after ingestion of a high (HSD; 8% NaCl) compared with a low sodium diet (LSD; 0.07%). Because NIL function is regulated through dopaminergic pathways, we asked whether dopaminergic stimulation with bromocriptine (5 mg/kg IP daily for 1 week) or inhibition with haloperidol (5 mg/kg IP for 1 week) alters the &ggr;-MSH response to a HSD. In vehicle-treated rats, plasma &ggr;-MSH and NIL &ggr;-MSH content on the HSD were both markedly elevated over values in rats on the LSD (P <0.001); no difference in mean arterial pressure (MAP) occurred. In haloperidol-treated rats on the LSD, both plasma &ggr;-MSH and NIL &ggr;-MSH content were greater than in vehicle-treated rats (P <0.05) and did not increase further on the HSD; MAP was also no different. In bromocriptine-treated rats, neither plasma &ggr;-MSH nor NIL &ggr;-MSH content increased on the HSD versus LSD, and MAP was markedly elevated on the HSD (132±3 versus 106±3 mm Hg, P <0.001). Intravenous infusion of &ggr;-MSH (0.4 pmol/min) to bromocriptine-treated rats on the HSD restored plasma &ggr;-MSH concentration to a level appropriate for the HSD and lowered MAP from 131±6 to 108±5 mm Hg (P <0.01). These results demonstrate that the increases in NIL content and plasma concentration of &ggr;-MSH normally occurring during ingestion of the HSD are prevented by dopaminergic suppression of NIL function. This results in deficiency of &ggr;-MSH on the HSD and is accompanied by elevated blood pressure, which is corrected by infusion of the peptide. &ggr;-MSH may be an important component in the normal response to a HSD; interruption of this response leads to salt-sensitive hypertension.
Characteristics of arterial myosin in experimental renal hypertension in the dog.

We compared myosin samples isolated from iliac-femoral arteries of control and renal (stenosis) hypertensive dogs to determine the effects of increased blood pressure on the characteristics of the myosin. The ratio of 204-kd (SM-1) to 200-kd (SM-2) myosin heavy chains was approximately 1:0.75 for myosin from the iliac-femoral artery of normotensive dogs. This was not altered significantly in response to hypertension. Both SM-1 and SM-2 myosin heavy chains cross-reacted with antibody against smooth muscle myosin on Western blot analysis. In addition to these heavy chains, purified myosin from both groups showed a very faint protein band slightly below the 200-kd myosin heavy chain on electrophoresis on a highly porous sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel. This protein band cross-reacted with antibody against nonmuscle myosin but not with smooth muscle myosin antibody. The 20- and 17-kd light chains of myosin isolated from normotensive and hypertensive dogs gave similar results on isoelectric focusing. Peptide maps of tryptic digests of heavy chains revealed both quantitative and qualitative differences. The Ca(2+)-activated myosin ATPase activity measured in high salt (0.5 mol/L KCl) was similar for myosin from both groups, whereas the potassium (ethylenedinitrilo)tetraacetic acid-stimulated ATPase of myosin from hypertensive animals was higher than that from normotensive animals. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Understanding the water balance paradox in the Athabasca River Basin, Canada

This study demonstrates the importance of the including and appropriately parameterizing peatlands and forestlands for basin‐scale integrated surface–subsurface models in the northern boreal forest, with particular emphasis on the Athabasca River Basin (ARB). With a long‐term water balance approach to the ARB, we investigate reasons why downstream mean annual stream flow rates are consistently higher than upstream, despite the subhumid water deficit conditions in the downstream regimes. A high‐resolution 3D variably saturated subsurface and surface water flow and evapotranspiration model of the ARB is constructed based on the bedrock and surficial geology and the spatial distribution of peatlands and their corresponding eco‐regions. Historical climate data were used to drive the model for calibration against 40‐year long‐term average surface flow and groundwater observations during the historic instrumental period. The simulation results demonstrate that at the basin‐scale, peatlands and forestlands can have a strong influence on the surface–subsurface hydrologic systems. In particular, peatlands in the midstream and downstream regimes of the ARB increase the water availability to the surface–subsurface water systems by reducing water loss through evapotranspiration. Based on the comparison of forestland evapotranspiration between observation and simulation, the overall spatial average evapotranspiration in downstream forestlands is larger than that in peatlands and thus the water contribution to the stream flow in downstream areas is relatively minor. Therefore, appropriate representation of peatlands and forestlands within the basin‐scale hydrologic model is critical to reproduce the water balance of the ARB.
Activation of Adenosine A1 Receptor Attenuates Cardiac Hypertrophy and Prevents Heart Failure in Murine Left Ventricular Pressure-Overload Model

Abstract— Sympathomimetic stimulation, angiotensin II, or endothelin-1 is considered to be an essential stimulus mediating ventricular hypertrophy. Adenosine is known to protect the heart from excessive catecholamine exposure, reduce production of endothelin-1, and attenuate the activation of the renin-angiotensin system. These findings suggest that adenosine may also attenuate myocardial hypertrophy. To verify this hypothesis, we examined whether activation of adenosine receptors can attenuate cardiac hypertrophy and reduce the risk of heart failure. Our in vitro study of neonatal rat cardiomyocytes showed that 2-chloroadenosine (CADO), a stable adenosine analogue, inhibits protein synthesis of cardiomyocytes induced by phenylephrine, endothelin-1, angiotensin II, or isoproterenol, which were mimicked by the stimulation of adenosine A1 receptors. For our in vivo study, cardiac hypertrophy was induced by transverse aortic constriction (TAC) in C57BL/6 male mice. Four weeks after TAC, both heart to body weight ratio (6.80±0.18 versus 8.34±0.33 mg/g, P <0.0001) as well as lung to body weight ratio (6.23±0.27 versus 10.03±0.85 mg/g, P <0.0001) became significantly lower in CADO-treated mice than in the TAC group. Left ventricular fractional shortening and left ventricular dP/dtmax were improved significantly by CADO treatment. Similar results were obtained using the selective adenosine A1 agonist N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA). A nonselective adenosine antagonist, 8-(p-sulfophenyl)-theophylline, and a selective adenosine A1 antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine, eliminated the antihypertrophic effect of CADO and CPA, respectively. The plasma norepinephrine level was decreased and myocardial expression of regulator of G protein signaling 4 was upregulated in CADO-treated mice. These results indicate that the stimulation of adenosine receptors attenuates both the cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial dysfunction via adenosine A1 receptor–mediated mechanisms.
Quaternized Chitosan as an Antimicrobial Agent: Antimicrobial Activity, Mechanism of Action and Biomedical Applications in Orthopedics

Chitosan (CS) is a linear polysaccharide with good biodegradability, biocompatibility and antimicrobial activity, which makes it potentially useful for biomedical applications, including an antimicrobial agent either alone or blended with other polymers. However, the poor solubility of CS in most solvents at neutral or high pH substantially limits its use. Quaternary ammonium CS, which was prepared by introducing a quaternary ammonium group on a dissociative hydroxyl group or amino group of the CS, exhibited improved water solubility and stronger antibacterial activity relative to CS over an entire range of pH values; thus, this quaternary modification increases the potential biomedical applications of CS in the field of anti-infection. This review discusses the current findings on the antimicrobial properties of quaternized CS synthesized using different methods and the mechanisms of its antimicrobial actions. The potential antimicrobial applications in the orthopedic field and perspectives regarding future studies in this field are also considered.
DMD free transmission line composed of TMFs with large effective area for MIMO processing

A differential modal group delay (DMD) free transmission line composed of two kinds of two-mode optical fibres (TMFs) is proposed. These have graded-index (GI) cores with and without trench and their DMDs and DMD slopes are the opposite sign each other. Fabricated TMFs have large Aeff of over 150 μm2 for LP01 mode and the DMD of the transmission line is within |3|ps/km at C+L-band.
Posttranslational modification and microtubule stability

We have probed the relationship between tubulin posttranslational modification and microtubule stability, using a variation of the antibody-blocking technique. In human retinoblastoma cells we find that acetylated and detyrosinated microtubules represent congruent subsets of the cells' total microtubules. We also find that stable microtubules defined as those that had not undergone polymerization within 1 h after injection of biotin-tubulin were all posttranslationally modified; furthermore dynamic microtubules were all unmodified. We therefore conclude that in these cells the stable, acetylated, and detyrosinated microtubules represent the same subset of the cells' total network. Posttranslational modification, however, is not a prerequisite for microtubule stability and vice versa. Potorous tridactylis kidney cells have no detectable acetylated microtubules but do have a sizable subset of stable ones, and chick embryo fibroblast cells are extensively modified but have few stable microtubules. We conclude that different cell types can create specific microtubule subsets by modulating the relative rates of posttranslational modification and microtubule turnover.
Caloric Restriction Reverses Obesity-Induced Mammary Gland Inflammation in Mice

Obesity is a risk factor for the development of hormone receptor–positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Estrogen synthesis is catalyzed by aromatase. Recently, we identified an obesity→inflammation→aromatase axis in mouse models and women. In mouse models of obesity, inflammatory foci characterized by crown-like structures (CLS) consisting of dead adipocytes encircled by macrophages were found in the mammary gland. CLS of the breast were found in most overweight and obese women. CLS were associated with adipocyte hypertrophy, activation of NF-κB, elevated levels of proinflammatory mediators and aromatase, and increased expression of the progesterone receptor (PR). Collectively, these findings provide a plausible explanation for the link between obesity, chronic inflammation, and postmenopausal breast cancer. Here, we investigated whether caloric restriction (CR) reversed the inflammatory state and related molecular changes in the mammary gland of obese mice. Obese ovariectomized C57BL/6J mice were subjected to 30% CR for 7 or 14 weeks. Findings in CR mice were compared with the results in mice fed a high-fat diet ad libitum or with control mice fed a low-fat diet. CR was associated with more than a 75% decrease in mammary CLS/cm2. Reduced histologic inflammation following CR was associated with decreased adipocyte diameter and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) levels, reduced NF-κB binding activity, and normalization of levels of proinflammatory mediators, aromatase, and PR. In summary, obesity-related inflammation of the mammary gland and elevated aromatase and PR levels were reversed with CR. Our results provide a rationale for determining whether weight loss can reverse breast inflammation associated with obesity in women. Cancer Prev Res; 6(4); 282–9. ©2013 AACR.
Throughput and Delay Tradeoffs for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks With Reference Point Group Mobility

In this paper, we explore the throughput-delay tradeoff in a mobile ad hoc network (MANET) operating under the practical reference point group mobility model and also a general setting of node moving speed. In particular, we consider a MANET with unit area and n nodes being divided evenly into Θ(n<sup>α</sup>) groups, α ∈ [0, 1], where the center of each group moves according to a random direction model with speed of no more than υ ∈ [0, 1]. We determine the regions of per-node throughput and average delay and their tradeoffs that can be achieved (in order sense) in such a network. For the regime of v = 0, we first prove that the per-node throughput capacity is Θ(n<sup>-α/2</sup>) and then develop a routing scheme to achieve this capacity, resulting in an average delay of Θ(max{n<sup>1/2</sup>, n<sup>1-α</sup>}) for any α ∈ [0, 1]. Regarding the regime of v > 0, we prove that the per-node throughput capacity can be improved to Θ(1), which is achievable by adopting a new routing scheme with an average delay of Θ(max{n<sup>1-α</sup>, n<sup>α/2</sup>/v}) for υ = o(1) and Θ(n) for v = Θ(1). The results in this paper help us to have a deep understanding on the fundamental performance scaling laws and also enable an efficient throughput-delay tradeoff to be achieved in MANETs with correlated mobility.
Penicillin Treatment Failure in Group A Streptococcal Tonsillopharyngitis: No Genetic Difference Found between Strains Isolated from Failures and Nonfailures

Despite penicillin (pcV) treatment, tonsillopharyngitis caused by group A streptococci (GAS) is associated with bacterial failure rates as high as 25%. The reason for this rate of failure is not fully understood. One explanation might be that certain DNA profiles of GAS strains are responsible for treatment failures. Using arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction (AP-PCR), we compared the DNA profiles of GAS strains from 4 patients with several treatment failures following pcV treatment of tonsillopharyngitis with the profiles of strains of the same T type from patients who were clinically and bacteriologically cured after a single course of pcV. The isolates were obtained during the same time period and from the same geographic area. Thirty-seven strains of T types 4, 12, and R28 were investigated. Eleven different DNA profiles could be detected with the AP-PCR technique. Five DNA profiles were identified as T type 12, 3 as T type 4, and 3 as T type R28. The DNA profiles of the strains from the 4 patients with several treatment failures differed, but all isolates from each one of these patients exhibited the same or a very similar profile. The DNA profiles of the failure strains were also represented in nonfailure strains. Treatment failure in these 4 patients therefore seems to be due to insufficient eradication of GAS, rather than to reinfection with a new strain. The finding that the same DNA profile can be present in both failure and nonfailure strains suggests that the treatment failure may be to some extent host-related and not only due to bacterial factors.
Lenticular Galaxy Formation: Possible Luminosity Dependence

We investigate the correlation between the bulge effective radius (re) and disk scale length (rd) in the near-infrared K band for lenticular galaxies in the field and in clusters. We find markedly different relations between the two parameters as a function of luminosity. Lenticulars with total absolute magnitude fainter than MT = -24.5 show a positive correlation, in line with predictions of secular formation processes for the pseudobulges of late-type disk galaxies. But brighter lenticulars with MT < -24.5 show an anticorrelation, indicating that they formed through a different mechanism. The available data are insufficient to reliably determine the effect of galaxy environment on these correlations.
Design and Analysis of Time-Invariant SC-LDPC Convolutional Codes With Small Constraint Length

In this paper, we deal with time-invariant spatially coupled low-density parity-check convolutional codes (SC-LDPC-CCs). Classic design approaches usually start from quasi-cyclic low-density parity-check block codes and exploit suitable unwrapping procedures to obtain SC-LDPC-CCs. We show that the direct design of the SC-LDPC-CCs syndrome former matrix or, equivalently, the symbolic parity-check matrix, leads to codes with smaller syndrome former constraint lengths with respect to the best solutions available in the literature. We provide theoretical lower bounds on the syndrome former constraint length for the most relevant families of SC-LDPC-CCs, under constraints on the minimum length of cycles in their Tanner graphs. We also propose new code design techniques that approach or achieve such theoretical limits.
Relevance theory and the semantics of non-declarative sentences

Wilson and Sperber (1988a; Sperber and Wilson 1986) have proposed semantic analyses of declaratives, imperatives and interrogatives which are based on the notion of 'a direct semantic link between linguistic form and representations of propositional attitude'. They claim, however, that the various syntactic structures encode 'procedural' rather than 'conceptual' information. Rather than encoding concepts which appear in representations of propositional attitude (or what Sperber and Wilson call 'higher-level explicatures') they convey information about how to proceed in recovering such representations. This thesis is an attempt to extend this analysis to some constructions which have not been explicitly discussed by Wilson and Sperber, to consider the differences between this approach and some alternatives, and to question the status of the notion of a 'sentence type', which has often been assumed in analysing the various syntactic structures. Some evidence is provided that certain lexical items also encode procedural information about propositional attitudes, and the role of intonation in utterance-interpretation is also discussed. This analysis is based on relevance-theoretic assumptions about semantics and pragmatics. Chapter one presents the general approach to semantics assumed by relevance theory and shows how Wilson and Sperber's proposal fits into this framework. Chapter two is concerned with the proposed semantic analysis of imperatives. This analysis is extended to some 'pseudo-imperatives': forms consisting of the conjunction or disjunction of an imperative and a declarative clause, which have often been treated as conditionals. An analysis of imperative-like constructions containing 'let' or 'let's' is also proposed. This analysis can be extended to related forms containing 'may'. Chapter three is concerned with the semantic analyses of interrogatives and exciamatives proposed by Wilson and Sperber. This approach is extended to some constructions which seem to resemble interrogatives in some ways and exciamatives in others. The relationship between grammar and intonation is also discussed. Tonal structure can also be seen as encoding procedural information. Chapter four contrasts this approach with alternatives which treat illocutionary force or mood as semantic categories. Wilson and Sperber's approach is more successful than the alternatives and suggests reasons for their inadequacy. A straightforward account of the relationship between form and force, and the interpretation of utterances which have been said to perform 'indirect speech acts', follows from Wilson and Sperber's proposal.
An Exploratory Study of Personalization and Learning Systems Continuance

Learning systems are widely adopted by institutions worldwide in the new millennium. The challenge on utilization of learning systems is switched from users’ pre-acceptance behaviours (whether they are likely to adopt learning systems) to post-acceptance behaviours (whether they will continue to use the learning systems). It is commonly expected that successfully adopted learning systems that have, at one time, been perceived as being useful and easy to use would likely achieve a high rate of user continuance. However, reality can be different as user continuance is often not as high as expected. The continuance of learning systems draws our attention because the investment in institutionalizing a learning system is huge. There is also a theoretical gap between technology acceptance and system continuance for which continuance behaviour cannot be explained by traditional technology acceptance models. This study extends a post-adoption model on habit and IS continuance to investigate the effect of personalization (which includes personal content management, personal time management and privacy control) on learning system continuance. Empirical results suggest that personalization has a positive influence on perceived usefulness and habit, but does not directly influence continuance intention.