Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Urinary Excretion Contributes to Long-Lasting Blockade of Bladder Muscarinic Receptors by Imidafenacin: Effect of Bilateral Ureteral Ligation

Imidafenacin is a potent and selective antagonist of M1 and M3 muscarinic receptors that is safe, efficacious, and well tolerated for controlling the symptoms of overactive bladder (OAB). However, the precise mechanisms responsible for the bladder-selective pharmacological effects of this agent remain unclear. The in vivo pharmacologic effects of imidafenacin result from receptor occupancy. Therefore, the present study was performed to characterize in vivo muscarinic receptor binding by tritium-labeled imidafenacin with high specific activity ([3H]imidafenacin) in the bladder and other tissues of mice, and to clarify the mechanisms underlying selective binding of imidafenacin to bladder muscarinic receptors. After intravenous injection of [3H]imidafenacin, its binding to muscarinic receptors in the bladder and other tissues of mice was assessed by a radioligand binding assay. [3H]Imidafenacin showed a significantly longer duration of binding to muscarinic receptors in the bladder than in other tissues, and muscarinic receptor binding of [3H]imidafenacin was markedly suppressed in the bladder alone after bilateral ligation of the ureters. After intravenous injection, the [3H]imidafenacin concentration was markedly higher in the urine than in the plasma, suggesting that urinary excretion may contribute significantly to the selective and long-lasting binding of imidafenacin to bladder muscarinic receptors. These findings suggest that the intravesicular concentration of an antimuscarinic agent and its active metabolites may have a substantial influence on its pharmacological effect and duration of action in patients with OAB. In addition, factors that modulate urine production may influence the efficacy and safety of antimuscarinic agents.
Compliance with recommendations for pandemic influenza H1N1 2009: the role of trust and personal beliefs.

BACKGROUND To investigate the relationship between risk perception, worry, control, trust, exposure to an educational campaign, media exaggeration with recommendations for pandemic influenza H1N1 2009. METHODS Cross sectional telephone survey using random digit dialing. A total of 1010 adult Italians were interviewed by telephone between 16 and 19 February 2010. The survey instrument included demographic data, measures on risk perception, worry, trust and compliance with recommendations for pandemic influenza H1N1 2009. RESULTS Controlling for socio-demographic variables, compliance with all the recommended behaviors was associated with media trust, trust in the Ministry of Health, worry and perceived severity of illness. Perceptions that the risk of catching pandemic influenza H1N1 2009 is high, that the authorities are acting in the public's best interest in dealing with it, that the media had exaggerated the risks of catching it and that people can control their risk of catching it were associated with compliance with some recommended behaviors even after considering effects of socio-demographic characteristics. CONCLUSION The results underscore the importance of building public trust and to consider the influence of risk perception and affective response in promoting compliance with recommended behaviors.
Why Birds with Deferred Sexual Maturity Are Sedentary on Islands: A Systematic Review

Background Island faunas have played central roles in the development of evolutionary biology and ecology. Birds are among the most studied organisms on islands, in part because of their dispersal powers linked to migration. Even so, we lack of information about differences in the movement ecology of island versus mainland populations of birds. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we present a new general pattern indicating that large birds with deferred sexual maturity are sedentary on islands, and that they become so even when they are migratory on the mainland. Density-dependent variation in the age at first breeding affects the survivorship of insular populations and this, in turn, affects the movement ecology of large birds. Because density-dependent variation in the age of first breeding is critical to the long-term survival of small isolated populations of long-lived species, migratory forms can successfully colonize islands only if they become sedentary once there. Analyses of the movement ecology of continental and insular populations of 314 species of raptors, 113 species of Ciconiiformes and 136 species of passerines, along with individual-based population simulations confirm this prediction. Conclusions This finding has several consequences for speciation, colonization and survival of small isolated population of species with deferred sexual maturity.
Classical Cepheid Pulsation Models. III. The Predictable Scenario

Within the current uncertainties in the treatment of the coupling between pulsation and convection, the limiting amplitude, nonlinear, convective models appear the only viable approach for providing theoretical predictions about the intrinsic properties of radial pulsators. In this paper we present the results of a comprehensive set of Cepheid models computed within such theoretical framework for selected assumptions on their original chemical composition. We first discuss the location of the instability strip in the HR diagram, showing that nonlinear predictions on the effective temperature of the instability boundaries substantially differ from similar predictions available in the literature. This discrepancy is mainly due to the nonlinear effects introduced by the interaction between radial and convective motions and to the different physical assumptions adopted for constructing pulsation models. We found that both the blue (hot) and the red (cool) boundaries of fundamental pulsators appear, for each given metallicity, fairly independent of the adopted mass-luminosity relation. As a consequence, it turns out that they can be approximated over a wide luminosity range by a logarithmic relation between stellar luminosity and effective temperature. We discuss the occurrence of first overtone pulsators and provide an analytical relation for the effective temperature of the predicted blue boundary in metal-poor structures. We also found that predicted fundamental periods based on different assumptions about the mass-luminosity relation can be all nicely fitted, for each given metallicity, by a logarithmic relation which connects the period of the pulsator to mass, luminosity, and effective temperature. Theoretical predictions concerning pulsation amplitudes in luminosity, radius, velocity, gravity, and effective temperature are discussed and then compared with data available in the current literature. Even though these observables are affected by non-negligible observational uncertainties, the agreement between theory and observations is rather satisfactory. Finally, we found that the predicted ratio of the amplitudes in the I and in the V bands appears in very good agreement with the empirical value (AI/AV = 0.6), with a mild dependence on metallicity.
Characteristic genome rearrangements in experimental evolution of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Genome rearrangements, especially amplifications and deletions, have regularly been observed as responses to sustained application of the same strong selective pressure in microbial populations growing in continuous culture. We studied eight strains of budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) isolated after 100–500 generations of growth in glucose-limited chemostats. Changes in DNA copy number were assessed at single-gene resolution by using DNA microarray-based comparative genomic hybridization. Six of these evolved strains were aneuploid as the result of gross chromosomal rearrangements. Most of the aneuploid regions were the result of translocations, including three instances of a shared breakpoint on chromosome 14 immediately adjacent to CIT1, which encodes the citrate synthase that performs a key regulated step in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Three strains had amplifications in a region of chromosome 4 that includes the high-affinity hexose transporters; one of these also had the aforementioned chromosome 14 break. Three strains had extensive overlapping deletions of the right arm of chromosome 15. Further analysis showed that each of these genome rearrangements was bounded by transposon-related sequences at the breakpoints. The observation of repeated, independent, but nevertheless very similar, chromosomal rearrangements in response to persistent selection of growing cells parallels the genome rearrangements that characteristically accompany tumor progression.
What psychodynamic supervisors say about supervision: Freedom within limits

Supervision is considered an important part of training in psychodynamic psychotherapy. In this study, we investigated psychodynamic supervisors' experiences of the supervisory relationship. We interviewed 15 experienced psychodynamic supervisors and analyzed the data following the constant comparison method. Findings indicated that supervisors facilitated the development of supervisees' own styles, but also provided them with negative feedback when they did not conform to proper psychodynamic theory. This often resulted in emotional reactions in supervisees that supervisors could only understand by using clinical conceptualizations. Findings suggested supervisors used different approaches depending on whether or not they felt they could trust supervisees' judgment.
Accelerometer based Gait Recognition using Adapted Gaussian Mixture Models

Gait authentication using a cell phone based accelerometer sensor offers an unobtrusive, user-friendly, and a periodic way of authenticating individuals to their smartphones. In this paper, we present a GMM-UBM based gait recognition approach for a realistic scenario (when the phone is placed inside the trouser pocket and the user is walking) by using the magnitude data of a smartphone-based tri-axes accelerometer sensor. To evaluate our approach we use a gait data set of 35 participants collected at their respective normal walking pace in two different sessions with an average gap of 25 days between the sessions. We obtained EERs of 3.031%, 11.531%, and 14.393% for the same-day, mix-days, and cross-days, respectively.
The IFN-λ Genetic Polymorphism Association With the Viral Clearance Induced by Hepatitis C Virus Treatment in Pakistani Patients

Background Polymorphisms in the interferon λ (INF λ) genes on chromosome 19 have been associated with clearance of hepatitis C virus (HCV) induced by interferon and ribavirin therapy however there is no such data available for Pakistani patients with HCV infection. Objectives In this study, the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been investigated in response to treatment with interferon-α and ribavirin in a cohort of 75 HCV genotype 3a patients. Patients and Methods A total number of 50 SNPs from the Interferon λ region on chromosome 19 were genotyped to investigate allelic associations with the treatment response in HCV type 3a patients. Thirteen SNPs were associated with HCV clearance, with the most significant alleles being RS8109886 (Fisher’s P = 0.0001), RS8113007 (Fisher’s P = 0.0001) and RS12979860 (Fisher’s P = 0.0002). Results These SNPs were found to be the most suitable SNPs for predicting treatment response in the present study. These findings support those reported previously. This could be used to improve HCV treatment strategies and suggest that Pakistani patients should be genotyped for the relevant SNPs to identify the patients who are more likely to respond to interferon and ribavirin therapy. Conclusions This therapy is costly and can be accompanied by several adverse side-effects, hence pre-treatment prediction of patients who are most likely to benefit would have both economic and patient benefits in the long term.
Manipulating attentional load in sequence learning through random number generation

Implicit learning is often assumed to be an effortless process. However, some artificial grammar learning and sequence learning studies using dual tasks seem to suggest that attention is essential for implicit learning to occur. This discrepancy probably results from the specific type of secondary task that is used. Different secondary tasks may engage attentional resources differently and therefore may bias performance on the primary task in different ways. Here, we used a random number generation (RNG) task, which may allow for a closer monitoring of a participant’s engagement in a secondary task than the popular secondary task in sequence learning studies: tone counting (TC). In the first two experiments, we investigated the interference associated with performing RNG concurrently with a serial reaction time (SRT) task. In a third experiment, we compared the effects of RNG and TC. In all three experiments, we directly evaluated participants’ knowledge of the sequence with a subsequent sequence generation task. Sequence learning was consistently observed in all experiments, but was impaired under dual-task conditions. Most importantly, our data suggest that RNG is more demanding and impairs learning to a greater extent than TC. Nevertheless, we failed to observe effects of the secondary task in subsequent sequence generation. Our studies indicate that RNG is a promising task to explore the involvement of attention in the SRT task.
ON THE NECESSITY OF AN INTERDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO LANGUAGE UNIVERSALS

There is considerable variation across the languages of the world, nonetheless it is possible to discern common patterns in how languages are structured and used. The underlying source of this variation as well as the nature of crosslinguistic universals is the focus of much debate across different areas of linguistics. Some linguists suggest that language universals derive from the inner workings of Universal Grammar (UG)—a set of innate constraints on language acquisition (e.g., see Bever, Chapter 6; Hornstein & Boeckx, Chapter 5; and Pinker & Jackendoff, Chapter 7). Others see universals as emerging from patterns of language use, primarily because of processes taking place over diachronic rather than synchronic timescales (Bybee, Chapter 2; Hawkins, Chapter 4). Yet, other linguists propose that universals may derive from some combination of language acquisition and use (Hurford, Chapter 3). Even within the same theoretical linguistic framework, there is often little agreement about what the exact universals are. For example, when surveying specific universals proposed by different proponents of UG, Tomasello (2004) found little overlap between proposed universals. We believe that a resolution to this debate is unlikely to be forthcoming from within linguistics itself; instead, it must be sought by adopting an interdisciplinary approach to language universals, integrating linguistic insights with those of other relevant disciplines. Thus, we need to understand the possible biological bases for language universals (see Clark & Misyak, Chapter 12; Finlay, Chapter 13; and Muller, Chapter 11, for discussion), their potential psychological underpinnings (Bever, Chapter 6), and how they may relate to semantics, computation, and learnability
RECOGNITION OF STRESSORS & MANIFESTATION OF STRESS AMONG UNIVERSITY TEACHERS Author names and affiliations

Teachers stress has been widely recognized in the academic literature. The central intention of this investigation is to see the sights of basic stress and stressors among the university teachers and the degree of stress that they feel with reference to professional, motivational, time and work levels further more this research try to identify manifestations of stress among university teachers related with gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, fatigues, emotional and behavior levels.Convenient and random sampling was used to collect data through Teacher‟s Stress Inventory (TSI) Fimian (1984) instrument from 185 participants who were drawn from three campuses of University of Education. Findings of research show that the main stressors of stress among university teacher are rerated with time management. Tension, experience pain in the neck or shoulders and/or suffer from migraine, and emotional expression are the main signs of stress among teachers. This research will help Higher Education Commission, Ministry of Education and administrators of universities and institutions to launch the stress management programs and training sessions to handle the stress among teachers and help them to build and manage an intellectual youth.
Sputum Induction in Children and Adolescents with Problematic Severe Asthma: Success Rate, Safety and Tolerability

Background: In problematic severe asthma (PSA), inflammatory phenotypes can by identified by assessing cel- lularity in induced sputum (IS) samples. However, there have been few studies employing sputum induction (SI) in pedi- atric patients. Objective: To assess the success rate, safety and tolerability of SI, as well as IS sample cellularity, in pediatric PSA pa- tients. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 44 pediatric PSA patients. We collected IS samples using inha- lations of nebulized saline solution. On the basis of the post-bronchodilator forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1, % of predicted), we administered nebulization with 4.5% hypertonic saline (for patients with an FEV1 � 60%) or 0.9% isotonic saline (for those with an FEV1 50%. Results: The observed success rate was 75% (95% CI: 60-86). Most of the patients provided satisfactory samples, al- though multiple SI sessions were required in some cases (27%). In comparison with the IS samples containing > 20% squamous cells, those containing � 20% showed significantly more neutrophils (P = 0.02) and eosinophils (P = 0.03). The most common adverse events were mild wheezing (in 14%) and salty taste (in 9%). In 8% of the sessions, there was a � 20% decrease in FEV1. Conclusion: In our sample of pediatric patients with PSA, sputum induction was safe and generally well tolerated, sug- gesting that it could be useful in the assessment of inflammatory processes in such patients.
Asymmetrical Effects of Adaptation to Left- and Right-Shifting Prisms Depends on Pre-existing Attentional Biases

Abstract Proposals that adaptation with left-shifting prisms induces neglect-like symptoms in normal individuals rely on a dissociation between the postadaptation performance of individuals trained with left- versus right-shifting prisms (e.g., Colent, Pisella, & Rossetti, 2000). A potential problem with this evidence is that normal young adults have an a priori leftward bias (e.g., Jewell & McCourt, 2000). In Experiment 1, we compared the line bisection performance of young adults to that of aged adults, who as a group may lack a leftward bias in line bisection. Participants trained with both left- and right-shifting prisms. Consistent with our hypothesis, while young adults demonstrated aftereffects for left, but not right prisms, aged adults demonstrated reliable aftereffects for both prisms. In Experiment 2, we recruited a larger sample of young adults, some of whom were right-biased at baseline. We observed an interaction between baseline bias and prism-shift, consistent with the results of Experiment 1: Left-biased individuals showed a reduced aftereffect when training with right-shifting prisms and right-biased individuals showed a reduced aftereffect when training with left-shifting prisms. These results suggest that previous failures to find generalizable aftereffects with right-shifting prisms may be driven by participants’ baseline biases rather than specific effects of the prism itself. (JINS, 2010, 16, 795–804.)
Comparing Two Forms of Feedback to Increase Parents' Treatment Integrity of a Reading Intervention.

JOYCE, LAUREN BREEDING. Comparing Two Forms of Feedback to Increase Parents’ Treatment Integrity of a Reading Intervention. (Under the direction of Jeffery Braden and John Begeny). Performance feedback is an effective procedure for increasing teachers’ treatment integrity of academic and behavioral interventions. Self-evaluation is also a promising strategy for increasing teachers’ treatment integrity of school-based interventions. There is little research, however, examining the effect of performance feedback or self-evaluation on parents’ implementation integrity of home-based interventions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of performance feedback and self-evaluation on parents’ implementation of a reading intervention to determine if one feedback strategy improved integrity levels more than the other. I used a multiple baseline counterbalanced acrossparticipants design, where parents received weekly performance feedback in one condition and performed weekly self-evaluative feedback in another condition. The results of this comparison were inconclusive, as the majority of the data were either insufficiently stable to compare, or lacked a clear difference between phases. I also predicted that feedback conditions would have higher treatment integrity levels than baseline. Results from four comparisons revealed one reliable difference, showing performance feedback improved integrity over baseline levels. In instances where parents had declining treatment integrity during baseline, treatment integrity improved with the introduction of either feedback method. In general, parents demonstrated improved treatment integrity over time, suggesting that continued feedback supported treatment integrity regardless of feedback type. The results of my study further inform consultation practices for school psychologists working with parents to enhance accurate implementation of home-based reading interventions. © Copyright 2015 Lauren B. Joyce All Rights Reserved Comparing Two Forms of Feedback to Increase Parents’ Treatment Integrity of a Reading Intervention by Lauren Breeding Joyce A dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Carolina State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
Quantitative Genetics of Locomotor Speed and Endurance in the Lizard Lacerta vivipara

We used quantitative genetic analyses to test the hypothesis of a trade-of between locomotor speed and endurance in a population of the European lizard Lacerta vivipara, which is the subject of long-term demographic studies. We estimated the heritability of maximal sprint speed, treadmill endurance, and tail length, a morphometric trait that may afect locomotor performance, as well asphenotypic, genetic, and environmental correlations between these traits. Gravid females were captured in the field and held in the laboratory under standardized conditions until giving birth; traits were then measured on their ofspring. Prior to genetic analyses, we used multiple regressions to remove the efects of such covariates as body size (mass and snout-vent length), dam age, and length of time dams were held in captivity prior toparturition. When we examined the residual characters, heritability was low and statistically nonsignficant for speed but relatively high for both endurance (0.46) and tail length (0.51). None of the phenotypic, genetic, or environmental correlations between traits was statistically significant. Thus, we found no evidence for a trade-off between speed and endurance; these results are consistent with those reported in two previous studies of squamate reptiles (the garter snake Thamnophis sirtalis and the fence lizard Sceloporus occidentalis). The lack of a negative genetic correlation between speed and endurance suggests that these aspects of locomotor abilities are relatively free to evolve independently, such that natural selection could increase both speed and endurance. However, the species studied to date have low to moderate capacities for speed and endurance, as compared with other squamates. Physiologically based trade-offs-for example, those caused by the composition ofmuscle fiber types-should be more likely to exist in species that have high capacities for speed and/or endurance.