Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Smooth Muscle Specific Overexpression of p22phox Potentiates Carotid Artery Wall Thickening in Response to Injury

We hypothesized that transgenic mice overexpressing the p22phox subunit of the NADPH oxidase selectively in smooth muscle (Tgp22smc) would exhibit an exacerbated response to transluminal carotid injury compared to wild-type mice. To examine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a mediator of vascular injury, the injury response was quantified by measuring wall thickness (WT) and cross-sectional wall area (CSWA) of the injured and noninjured arteries in both Tgp22smc and wild-type animals at days 3, 7, and 14 after injury. Akt, p38 MAPK, and Src activation were evaluated at the same time points using Western blotting. WT and CSWA following injury were significantly greater in Tgp22smc mice at both 7 and 14 days after injury while noninjured contralateral carotids were similar between groups. Apocynin treatment attenuated the injury response in both groups and rendered the response similar between Tgp22smc mice and wild-type mice. Following injury, carotid arteries from Tgp22smc mice demonstrated elevated activation of Akt at day 3, while p38 MAPK and Src activation was elevated at day 7 compared to wild-type mice. Both increased activation and temporal regulation of these signaling pathways may contribute to enhanced vascular growth in response to injury in this transgenic model of elevated vascular ROS.
Multiple Intracranial Meningiomas: A Review of the Literature and a Case Report

Multiple intracranial meningiomas are a condition where there is more than one meningioma in several intracranial locations in the same patient without signs of neurofibromatosis. Incidence varies from 1 to 10%. The prognosis of multiple intracranial meningioma does not differ from benign solitary meningiomas despite the multiplicity. However, the simultaneous occurrence of different grades of malignancy is observed in one-third of multiple meningiomas. Surgery remains the best option for treatment of symptomatic lesions. Our case review aims to present and discuss a 75-year-old female patient diagnosed with multiple intracranial meningiomas, describing their clinical, radiological, histological characteristics. It also highlights the fact that the patient had two tumours, underwent surgery, and so far has a good quality of life.
The Emotional Reactions of School Bullies and their Victims

Abstract A substantial body of international research supports the concern with the problem of bullying in schools. However, one important aspect of the problem which seems to have received very little, if any, attention is how bullies and their victims feel after the bullying incident. The major aim was to investigate the emotional reactions associated with the bullying incident as reported by self‐declared bullies and victims; the behavioural reactions of victims were also investigated. The study looked also into the role of pupil sex and school level differences in emotional and behavioural reactions. A total of 6282 pupils from six grades in 50 state primary and secondary schools participated in a nationwide survey employing a group‐administered questionnaire. Victims experienced mostly feelings of vengefulness, anger and self‐pity; bullies were mainly sorry or indifferent. Significantly more girl than boy victims expressed feelings of self‐pity, and more secondary than primary school victims felt ang.
Fast probabilistic collision checking for sampling-based motion planning using locality-sensitive hashing

We present a novel approach to perform fast probabilistic collision checking in high-dimensional configuration spaces to accelerate the performance of sampling-based motion planning. Our formulation stores the results of prior collision queries, and then uses such information to predict the collision probability for a new configuration sample. In particular, we perform an approximate k-NN (k-nearest neighbor) search to find prior query samples that are closest to the new query configuration. The new query sample’s collision status is then estimated according to the collision checking results of these prior query samples, based on the fact that nearby configurations are likely to have the same collision status. We use locality-sensitive hashing techniques with sub-linear time complexity for approximate k-NN queries. We evaluate the benefit of our probabilistic collision checking approach by integrating it with a wide variety of sampling-based motion planners, including PRM (Probabilistic roadmaps), lazyPRM, RRT Rapidly exploring random trees, and RRT*. Our method can improve these planners in various manners, such as accelerating the local path validation, or computing an efficient order for the graph search on the roadmap. Experiments on a set of benchmarks demonstrate the performance of our method, and we observe up to 2x speedup in the performance of planners on rigid and articulated robots.
Postoperative analgesia using bupivacaine wound infiltration with intravenous tramadol or dexamethasone following obstetric spinal anaesthesia

Context: Effective management of postcesarean section (CS) pain is important for the well-being of mother and child; even in limited-resource areas, there are drug options which can be explored to achieve this. Aim: This study aimed to compare the analgesic effects of a combination of bupivacaine wound infiltration with either intravenous (IV) dexamethasone or tramadol after CS. Setting and Design: This study was a randomized, double-blind, comparative study in a tertiary hospital. Clearance obtained from the Institution's Ethics and Research Committee. Methods: One hundred and twenty American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II pregnant women scheduled for CS under spinal anesthesia were recruited after giving consent. At the end of skin closure, all the patients received 20 ml of 0.1% plain bupivacaine for wound infiltration and IV dexamethasone 8 mg (Group BD) or tramadol 100 mg (Group BT). Outcome measures were time to first analgesic request, visual analog scale (VAS) scores, side effects, and patients' satisfaction. Results: Time to first analgesic request was 3.2 ± 1.87 and 3.3 ± 2.01 h for BD and BT groups, respectively (P = 0.778). VAS scores for the first 2 h were lower in the bupivacaine/tramadol group compared to bupivacaine/dexamethasone group; the differences were statistically significant at 30 and 60 min (P = 0.027 and 0.008), respectively. Ninety percent versus 93% of the patients in BD and BT groups, respectively, expressed good to excellent satisfaction with pain relief. Conclusion: Combination of bupivacaine wound infiltration and IV tramadol provided better quality pain relief.
Sequence-Decoupled Resonant Controller for Three-phase Grid-connected Inverters

This paper proposes a set of sequence-decoupled resonant controllers constructed with an easy-to-implement structure. It shows that either positive-sequence or negative-sequence components of three-phase unbalanced AC signals can be regulated individually in the stationary frame, while conventional and widely used resonant controllers cannot separately cope with these two sequences. Consequently, the extraction of the corresponding sequence component is not necessary for an individual sequence's control. Moreover, controllers designed for positive and negative sequences can be assigned with different gains to meet practical applications. The principle of new sequence-decoupled resonant controllers is described based on a multi-state-variable structure. In addition, the relation with conventional resonant controllers is investigated. The controllers are found to be equivalent when dealing with both sequences together. Furthermore, two examples are presented to show the application of the proposed controller. The effectiveness of the proposed new controller and its performance in the two system applications are verified by experiments.
A New Acoustic Portal into the Odontocete Ear and Vibrational Analysis of the Tympanoperiotic Complex

Global concern over the possible deleterious effects of noise on marine organisms was catalyzed when toothed whales stranded and died in the presence of high intensity sound. The lack of knowledge about mechanisms of hearing in toothed whales prompted our group to study the anatomy and build a finite element model to simulate sound reception in odontocetes. The primary auditory pathway in toothed whales is an evolutionary novelty, compensating for the impedance mismatch experienced by whale ancestors as they moved from hearing in air to hearing in water. The mechanism by which high-frequency vibrations pass from the low density fats of the lower jaw into the dense bones of the auditory apparatus is a key to understanding odontocete hearing. Here we identify a new acoustic portal into the ear complex, the tympanoperiotic complex (TPC) and a plausible mechanism by which sound is transduced into the bony components. We reveal the intact anatomic geometry using CT scanning, and test functional preconceptions using finite element modeling and vibrational analysis. We show that the mandibular fat bodies bifurcate posteriorly, attaching to the TPC in two distinct locations. The smaller branch is an inconspicuous, previously undescribed channel, a cone-shaped fat body that fits into a thin-walled bony funnel just anterior to the sigmoid process of the TPC. The TPC also contains regions of thin translucent bone that define zones of differential flexibility, enabling the TPC to bend in response to sound pressure, thus providing a mechanism for vibrations to pass through the ossicular chain. The techniques used to discover the new acoustic portal in toothed whales, provide a means to decipher auditory filtering, beam formation, impedance matching, and transduction. These tools can also be used to address concerns about the potential deleterious effects of high-intensity sound in a broad spectrum of marine organisms, from whales to fish.
Biodegradation of Variable-Chain-Length Alkanes at Low Temperatures by a Psychrotrophic Rhodococcussp

ABSTRACT The psychrotroph Rhodococcus sp. strain Q15 was examined for its ability to degrade individual n-alkanes and diesel fuel at low temperatures, and its alkane catabolic pathway was investigated by biochemical and genetic techniques. At 0 and 5°C, Q15 mineralized the short-chain alkanes dodecane and hexadecane to a greater extent than that observed for the long-chain alkanes octacosane and dotriacontane. Q15 utilized a broad range of aliphatics (C10 to C21 alkanes, branched alkanes, and a substituted cyclohexane) present in diesel fuel at 5°C. Mineralization of hexadecane at 5°C was significantly greater in both hydrocarbon-contaminated and pristine soil microcosms seeded with Q15 cells than in uninoculated control soil microcosms. The detection of hexadecane and dodecane metabolic intermediates (1-hexadecanol and 2-hexadecanol and 1-dodecanol and 2-dodecanone, respectively) by solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and the utilization of potential metabolic intermediates indicated that Q15 oxidizes alkanes by both the terminal oxidation pathway and the subterminal oxidation pathway. Genetic characterization by PCR and nucleotide sequence analysis indicated that Q15 possesses an aliphatic aldehyde dehydrogenase gene highly homologous to the Rhodococcus erythropolis thcA gene. Rhodococcus sp. strain Q15 possessed two large plasmids of approximately 90 and 115 kb (shown to mediate Cd resistance) which were not required for alkane mineralization, although the 90-kb plasmid enhanced mineralization of some alkanes and growth on diesel oil at both 5 and 25°C.
Psicologia e Educação no Brasil: Uma Visão da História e Possibilidades nessa Relação

The present article discusses some historical elements of the relation between Psychology and Education in Brazil, emphasizing its practical and theoretical dimension. That is, it presents School Psychology and the foundations that support this practice as well as the resulting intellectual production. At the same time, it discusses the limits and difficulties present in this process over the past 20 years, indicating the importance of the area in the Brazilian social-political conjuncture and its future directions.
BAX Translocation Is a Critical Event in Neuronal Apoptosis: Regulation by Neuroprotectants, BCL-2, and Caspases

Members of the BCL-2 family of proteins either promote or repress programmed cell death. Here we report that neonatal sympathetic neurons undergoing apoptosis after nerve growth factor (NGF) deprivation exhibited a protein synthesis-dependent, caspase-independent subcellular redistribution of BAX from cytosol to mitochondria, followed by a loss of mitochondrial cytochrome c and cell death. Treatment with elevated concentrations of the neuroprotectants KCl or cAMP at the time of deprivation prevented BAX translocation and cytochrome c release. However, administration of KCl or cAMP 12 hr after NGF withdrawal acutely prevented loss of mitochondrial cytochrome c, but not redistribution of BAX; rescue with NGF acutely prevented both events. Overexpression of Bcl-2 neither altered the normal subcellular localization of BAX nor prevented its redistribution with deprivation but did inhibit the subsequent release of cytochromec, caspase activation, and cell death.Bcl-2 overexpression did not prevent cell death induced by cytoplasmic microinjection of cytochrome c into NGF-deprived competent-to-die neurons. These observations suggest that the subcellular redistribution of BAX is a critical event in neuronal apoptosis induced by trophic factor deprivation. BCL-2 acts primarily, if not exclusively, at the level of mitochondria to prevent BAX-mediated cytochrome c release, whereas NGF, KCl, or cAMP may abort the apoptotic program at multiple checkpoints.
Coping with pre- and in-event fluctuations in competitive state anxiety: A longitudinal approach

The direction of anxiety - the positive or negative nature of competition-related cognitions - is an important distinguishing variable that accounts for significant individual differences. However, very little is known about the pre- and in-event patterning of the construct, specifically how it changes over time. The aims of this study were to establish the extent to which the direction of anxiety is a dynamic or stable longitudinal response to stress and whether this patterning appears to be related to coping. Pre-event, state anxiety intensity and direction data were obtained from 22 youth sport participants in two training and two competition environments within the same season, with the in-event anxiety and coping data being obtained from the 'high-stress' competition condition. The predispositional coping strategies of the participants were assessed by use of the trait version of the 'COPE' scale. The findings revealed significant differences in the patterning of anxiety direction between and within the facilitative and debilitative groups. This was accompanied by distinct qualitatively and quantitatively reported differences in the strategies of coping adopted by each group. Facilitators appeared to use problem- and emotion-focused coping characteristics in response to stress, whereas debilitators appeared limited in their use of coping constructs. Conceptually, the direction of anxiety would appear to be a mechanism that may, in itself, exist as a strong indicator that effective coping is taking place.
A Comparison of Face Lift Techniques in Eight Consecutive Sets of Identical Twins

Background: Selecting the “correct” face lift technique has always been a difficult decision for the plastic surgeon. A technique that provides optimal aesthetics for one patient may not provide the same result for another. The complexity of comparing these different results on patients with different facial features further confounds one’s ability to decide on a given technique. Even identical twins are often treated more appropriately with a different technique from one twin to the other because the character and severity of facial aging may differ between them. By comparing different superficial musculoaponeurotic system techniques on “less different” people (identical twins), perhaps the ideal technique may be determined. Methods: Between November of 1997 and April of 1999, eight sets of twins underwent face lift surgery by the senior author (D.E.A.), using one of four techniques. The charts and photographs of the eight consecutive pairs of twins (16 patients) were reviewed retrospectively. Results: No one face lift technique performed in this study produced a superior result as compared with another when performed on the appropriate patient. Conclusion: There exists no face lift technique suitable for every patient. As the current literature suggests, there is no one “best” face lift technique of those studied.
The influence of planning, support and self-concordance on goal progress and job satisfaction

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the combined influence of working towards self-concordant goals with goal planning and supervisory support on goal progress and job satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected among prison guards. The analysis takes into account a multilevel perspective on goals by differentiating between within- and between-person variance. Findings – The results showed that there was no direct effect of self-concordance on goal progress. Goal progress depended on combining self-concordant goals with conscious planning and receiving supervisory support. Furthermore, it was found that job satisfaction and goal progress influenced each other over time. Research limitations/implications – The findings confirm that to understand the influence of self-concordant goals within organizations, planning and supervisory support are essential elements for achieving goal progress. This research is the first to confirm the interrelatedness of goal progress and job-.
Phenotypic plasticity trade-offs in an age-structured model of bacterial growth under stress

Under low concentrations of antibiotics causing DNA damage, \textit{Escherichia coli} bacteria can trigger stochastically a stress response known as the SOS response. While the expression of this stress response can make individual cells transiently able to overcome antibiotic treatment, it can also delay cell division, thus impacting the whole population's ability to grow and survive. In order to study the trade-offs that emerge from this phenomenon, we propose a bi-type age-structured population model that captures the phenotypic plasticity observed in the stress response. Individuals can belong to two types: either a fast-dividing but prone to death ``vulnerable'' type, or a slow-dividing but ``tolerant'' type. We study the survival probability of the population issued from a single cell as well as the population growth rate in constant and periodic environments. We show that the sensitivity of these two different notions of fitness with respect to the parameters describing the phenotypic plasticity differs between the stochastic approach (survival probability) and the deterministic approach (population growth rate). Moreover, under a more realistic configuration of periodic stress, our results indicate that optimal population growth can only be achieved through fine-tuning simultaneously both the induction of the stress response and the repair efficiency of the damage caused by the antibiotic.
Efficacy of LGD 1069 ( Targretin ) , a Retinoid X Receptor-Selective Ligand , for Treatment of Uterine Leiomyoma 1

The conventional treatment of uterine leiomyomas, or fibroids, with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists is often associated with serious side effects, necessitating short-term, palliative use of this therapy. Therefore, we examined a retinoid X receptor (RXR)-selective ligand, LGD1069, as a possible treatment for leiomyoma. LGD1069 has demonstrated efficacy as a chemopreventive agent in the N-nitroso-N-methylurea (NMU)-induced rat mammary carcinoma model and is a therapeutic agent in several epithelial tumor models. Previous studies have shown that it has both antitumor effects and antiestrogenic activity in the rat uterus, suggesting the potential utility of this agent for treatment of hormonally dependent uterine fibroids. The expression of retinoid receptors in tumors and cell lines derived from leiomyomas arising in the Eker rat was confirmed by Northern analysis. After treatment for 4 months with LGD1069, the number of grossly observable tumors was substantially reduced although the total incidence of tumors, including microscopic lesions, remained unaffected, suggesting an effect of the compound on tumor growth kinetics rather than on tumor initiation. Analysis of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining and determination of 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation indicated that the reduction in grossly observable tumors that occurred in treated animals was mediated by a significant increase in the level of apoptosis rather than a decrease in cell proliferation. These results suggest that LGD1069 may be an effective therapeutic agent for uterine leiomyoma that may inhibit tumor growth and, consequently, alleviate the symptoms associated with this disease. Leiomyomas, or fibroids, are the most common gynecological neoplasm in women, with a reported incidence of 50 to 70% (Cramer and Patel, 1990). Although generally considered benign, this tumor has been associated with spontaneous abortion, infertility, and menorrhagia, and is the leading cause for premenopausal hysterectomy in the United States (Buttram and Reiter, 1981). Nonsurgical treatment of leiomyomas with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonists that inhibit ovarian steroid production has proven successful in inducing tumor regression (Verkauf, 1993). However, prolonged use can lead to bone loss, increased blood lipid levels, and other side effects typical of estrogen abrogation, necessitating GnRH therapy to be temporary (Johansen et al., 1988; Dawood et al., 1989). Cessation of treatment often results in a rapid regrowth of the tumor (Friedman et al., 1989). Therefore, novel approaches that inhibit leiomyoma progression would have therapeutic value as an alternative to surgery and to palliative agents with adverse side
Gatekeeping and the Network News Mix

While television networks promote the uniqueness of their news programs, some evidence suggests agreement among network gatekeepers in choice of both overall “mix” of topics (i.e., viewers of dgfeerenr networks’ newscasts nonetheless see the same proportions of available time devoted to domestic economics, international conflict, etc.) and specific stories (i.e., particular events covered by ABC are covered by CBS and/or NBC). I Does similarity of topic mix among these “rivals in conformity”2 (or among