Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
DIDS Prevents Ischemic Membrane Degradation in Cultured Hippocampal Neurons by Inhibiting Matrix Metalloproteinase Release

During stroke, cells in the infarct core exhibit rapid failure of their permeability barriers, which releases ions and inflammatory molecules that are deleterious to nearby tissue (the penumbra). Plasma membrane degradation is key to penumbral spread and is mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which are released via vesicular exocytosis into the extracellular fluid in response to stress. DIDS (4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid) preserves membrane integrity in neurons challenged with an in vitro ischemic penumbral mimic (ischemic solution: IS) and we asked whether this action was mediated via inhibition of MMP activity. In cultured murine hippocampal neurons challenged with IS, intracellular proMMP-2 and -9 expression increased 4–10 fold and extracellular latent and active MMP isoform expression increased 2–22 fold. MMP-mediated extracellular gelatinolytic activity increased ∼20–50 fold, causing detachment of 32.1±4.5% of cells from the matrix and extensive plasma membrane degradation (>60% of cells took up vital dyes and >60% of plasma membranes were fragmented or blebbed). DIDS abolished cellular detachment and membrane degradation in neurons and the pathology-induced extracellular expression of latent and active MMPs. DIDS similarly inhibited extracellular MMP expression and cellular detachment induced by the pro-apoptotic agent staurosporine or the general proteinase agonist 4-aminophenylmercuric acetate (APMA). Conversely, DIDS-treatment did not impair stress-induced intracellular proMMP production, nor the intracellular cleavage of proMMP-2 to the active form, suggesting DIDS interferes with the vesicular extrusion of MMPs rather than directly inhibiting proteinase expression or activation. In support of this hypothesis, an antagonist of the V-type vesicular ATPase also inhibited extracellular MMP expression to a similar degree as DIDS. In addition, in a proteinase-independent model of vesicular exocytosis, DIDS prevented stimulus-evoked release of von Willebrand Factor from human umbilical vein endothelial cells. We conclude that DIDS inhibits MMP exocytosis and through this mechanism preserves neuronal membrane integrity during pathological stress.
Factor structure of character strengths in youth: Consistency across ages and measures

Abstract The VIA Classification of Strengths and Virtues attempts to provide a comprehensive model of character based on 24 character strengths. The present study is the largest study to date exploring the structure of the 24 strengths in youth. One sample (N = 23,850) completed the VIA-Youth, a teen measure of the VIA Classification. Based on a random subsample, it was determined the data were best modeled using four factors. The remainder of the sample was used to demonstrate measurement invariance for the four-factor model across ages 10–17 and country. Comparison with 471 English academy school students who completed two alternate measures of the VIA Classification also demonstrated measurement invariance. The results suggest a four-factor model that includes two primarily interpersonal factors, one reflecting general engagement, the second other-directedness. Other factors involved intellectual and self-control strengths. Implications for the understanding of character strengths in youth versus adults are discussed.
The Pass-Along Effect: Investigating Word-of-Mouth Effects on Online Survey Procedures

Email petitions to complete online surveys may be forwarded beyond the intended sample. We term this phenomenon the pass-along effect and investigate it as a factor that can influence the nature and size of survey samples in an online context. We establish the pass-along effect as a form of word-of-mouth communication and draw from the literature in this area to present and test a model of factors that influence the occurrence of this effect. The results of two studies provide empirical support for the existence and impact of the pass-along effect. Among the factors that lead to this effect are involvement and relationship with the survey topic, size of a participant’s social network, and tie strength. The appropriateness of employing pass-along respondents as well as other implications for online sampling and survey research are discussed.
β2-Adrenergic receptor agonist ameliorates phenotypes and corrects microRNA-mediated IGF1 deficits in a mouse model of Rett syndrome

Significance Rett syndrome is a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder with diverse symptoms and no available treatment. Previous work from our laboratory has identified deficits in insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) levels in Mecp2 mutant mice, and demonstrated correction of symptoms and molecular-signaling alterations with IGF1 treatment. Here, we show that treatment with the adrenergic receptor agonist clenbuterol rescues a microRNA pathway that underlies IGF1 expression, improves survival, and ameliorates diverse phenotypes in Mecp2 mutant mice. Life span measurements suggest that cotreatment with clenbuterol and IGF1 may further enhance their therapeutic effects in the mouse model of the disease. We would like to strongly caution, however, against any use of clenbuterol before clinical trials establish its safety and efficacy in Rett syndrome. Rett syndrome is a severe childhood onset neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in methyl-CpG–binding protein 2 (MECP2), with known disturbances in catecholamine synthesis. Here, we show that treatment with the β2-adrenergic receptor agonist clenbuterol increases survival, rescues abnormalities in respiratory function and social recognition, and improves motor coordination in young male Mecp2-null (Mecp2−/y) mice. Importantly, we demonstrate that short-term treatment with clenbuterol in older symptomatic female heterozygous (Mecp2−/+) mice rescues respiratory, cognitive, and motor coordination deficits, and induces an anxiolytic effect. In addition, we reveal abnormalities in a microRNA-mediated pathway, downstream of brain-derived neurotrophic factor that affects insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) expression in Mecp2−/y mice, and show that treatment with clenbuterol restores the observed molecular alterations. Finally, cotreatment with clenbuterol and recombinant human IGF1 results in additional increases in survival in male null mice. Collectively, our data support a role for IGF1 and other growth factor deficits as an underlying mechanism of Rett syndrome and introduce β2-adrenergic receptor agonists as potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of the disorder.
The influence of spousal support on Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officers' pursuit of a bachelor's degree: A hermeneutic phenomenological study

The purpose of this hermeneutic phenomenological study was to explore perceptions of spousal support among active-duty Air Force Senior Noncommissioned Officers (Senior NCOs) in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. Senior NCOs are comprised of enlisted Airmen in the ranks of E7 through E-9. Fourteen active-duty Air Force Senior NCOs, who have completed, or are enrolled in a bachelor’s degree program completed an online survey and a personal interview regarding their perceptions of spousal support in their pursuit of a bachelor’s degree. In addition, participants completed a written timeline, which helped provide context to college degree enrollment decisions and spousal influence. Pattern, theme, and content analysis provided structure in classifying data results in recurring themes through coding and categorical assessment. The findings from this hermeneutic phenomenological study add an important dimension in understanding military student degree persistence and help fills a gap in existing literature concerning the role of spousal support and the military student. Air Force education leaders and counselors will be able to use the results of this study to better advise and support military students in their educational goals, while staff at Airmen and Family Readiness Centers (A&FRC) will be able to better counsel and support Air Force spouses and families. Key terms: attrition, nontraditional students, persistence, senior noncommissioned officers
Competition-function tradeoffs in ectomycorrhizal fungi

Background. The extent to which ectomycorrhizal fungi mediate primary production, carbon storage, and nutrient remineralization in terrestrial ecosystems depends upon fungal community composition. However, the factors that govern community composition at the root system scale are not well understood. Here, we explore a potential tradeoff between ectomycorrhizal fungal competitive ability and enzymatic function. Methods. We grew Pinus muricata (Bishop Pine) seedlings in association with ectomycorrhizal fungi from three different genera in a fully factorial experimental design. We measured seedling growth responses, ectomycorrhizal abundance, and the root tip activity of five different extracellular enzymes involved in the mobilization of carbon and phosphorus. Results. We found an inverse relationship between competitiveness, quantified based on relative colonization levels, and enzymatic activity. Specifically, Thelephora terrestris, the dominant fungus, had the lowest enzyme activity levels, while Suillus pungens, the least dominant fungus, had the highest. Discussion. Our results identify a tradeoff between competition and function in ectomycorrhizal fungi, perhaps mediated by the competing energetic demands associated with competitive interactions and enzymatic production. These data suggest that mechanisms such as active partner maintenance by host trees may be important to maintaining “high-quality” ectomycorrhizal fungal partners in natural systems.
Adaptación Española de la Escala de Pasión al Ámbito Deportivo

espanolLa pasion experimentada hacia una actividad constituye uno de los principales factores explicativos del bienestar fisico y emocional. El tipo de pasion desarrollada hacia el deporte, obsesiva o armoniosa, presenta diferentes consecuencias en terminos emocionales y de adherencia. El presente trabajo plantea la adaptacion al castellano de la Escala de Pasion en el contexto deportivo. En el primer estudio, la escala se aplico a 146 deportistas (M edad =15. 94; DT edad =1. 99). Una vez calibrada la escala, se valido sobre 396 deportistas de diferentes categorias competitivas (M edad =18 . 74; DT edad =6 . 35) pertenecientes a distintas Comunidades Autonomas y disciplinas deportivas. Diversos an alisis cuantitativos han permitido confirmar la bidimensionalidad de la escala (χ 2 =183. 41, gl=67; CFI= . 95; TLI= .93; RMSEA=0. 056 - 0 . 079; WRMR=. 94), asi como su adecuada fiabilidad ( α=. 81 en ambas dimensiones). Se aportan evidencias de validez en relacion con otras variables como el afecto, la motivacion y el apoyo a la autonomia por parte del entrenador. EnglishPassion towards an activity constitutes one of the main features when explaining both physical and emotional well - being. The type of passion experienced toward sport, obsessive or harmonious, has different effects on emotions and exercise adherence. A Spanish adaption of the Passion Scale in sport context is proposed in this paper. In the first study, the scale has been applied to 146 athletes (M age = 15.94; SD age =1.99). Once the scale was calibrated, 396 athletes from different competitive categories (M age =18.74; SD age = 6.35), Autonomous Communities and sports were assessed. Qu antitative analyses confirmed the bidimensionality of the scale (χ 2 /df = 2.74, CF I=95; TLI=93; RMSEA= 0.056 - 0.079; WRMR=.94), showing and adequate reliability (α= .81 in both dimensions). Evidence of validity in relation to other variables such as affect, moti vation and coach autonomy support are provided.
Cohesion as a principle for perceiving objecthood: Does it apply to animate agents?

Abstract. Previous research found that cohesion manipulations (e.g., splitting an object into two parts) may have deleterious effects on infants’ object representation. The present study investigated whether the cohesion principle is relevant only when assessing the continuity of inanimate objects, or whether it is equally fundamental for the perception and representation of animate agents. In two experiments, we assessed 8-month-old infants’ tracking behavior in events in which an agent (an animated snail) was either split in half, fused together, or simply changed its shape. Infants managed to individuate fused snails and snails that had changed their shape, but failed to track split snails, even in a perception-based paradigm. This suggests that the effects of cohesion manipulation apply to animate agents as well as inanimate objects. Moreover, these results suggest that infants’ inability to track split snails is not a consequence of a violation of core principles, but rather a consequence of the incr.
Ontology module extraction for ontology reuse: an ontology engineering perspective

Problems resulting from the management of shared, distributed knowledge has led to ontologies being employed as a solution, in order to effectively integrate information across applications. This is dependent on having ways to share and reuse existing ontologies; with the increased availability of ontologies on the web, some of which include thousands of concepts, novel and more efficient methods for reuse are being devised. One possible way to achieve efficient ontology reuse is through the process of ontology module extraction. A novel approach to ontology module extraction is presented that aims to achieve more efficient reuse of very large ontologies; the motivation is drawn from an Ontology Engineering perspective. This paper provides a definition of ontology modules from the reuse perspective and an approach to module extraction based on such a definition. An abstract graph model for module extraction has been defined, along with a module extraction algorithm. The novel contribution of this paper is a module extraction algorithm that is independent of the language in which the ontology is expressed. This has been implemented in ModTool; a tool that produces ontology modules via extraction. Experiments were conducted to compare ModTool to other modularisation methods.
Density-matrix renormalization-group studies of the spin-1/2 Heisenberg system with dimerization and frustration.

Using the density-matrix renormalization-group technique, we study the ground-state phase diagram and other low-energy properties of an isotropic antiferromagnetic spin-1/2 chain with both dimerization and frustration, i.e., an alternation delta of the nearest-neighbor exchanges and a next-nearest-neighbor exchange J(2). For delta = 0, the system is gapless for J(2) J(2c) where J(2c) is about 0.241. For J(2) = J(2c) the gap above the ground state grows as delta to the power 0.667 +/- 0.001. In the J(2)-delta plane, there is a disorder line 2J(2) + delta = 1. To the left of this line, the peak in the static structure factor S(q) is at q(max) = pi (Neel phase), while to the right of the line, q(max) decreases from pi to pi/2 as J(2) is increased to large values (spiral phase). For delta = 1, the system is equivalent to two coupled chains as on a ladder and it is gapped for all values of the interchain coupling.
Is major pulmonary resection by video-assisted thoracic surgery an adequate procedure in clinical stage I lung cancer?

OBJECTIVE Although several studies have shown that video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) for major pulmonary resection is less invasive than open thoracotomy, VATS for lung cancer has been performed in only a limited number of institutions. We aimed to review our experience of VATS for major pulmonary resections, and to determine its safety and adequacy in stage I lung cancer. METHODS Between August 1999 and March 2003, we performed major pulmonary resection by VATS in 106 patients with lung cancer and preoperatively determined clinical stage I disease. We evaluated the number of procedures converted to open thoracotomy and the reasons for conversion, the intraoperative blood loss, interval between surgery and chest tube removal, length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative complications, mortality rate, prognoses, and patterns of recurrence. RESULTS We successfully performed VATS in 95 patients, whereas in another 11 patients (10%) conversion to open thoracotomy was required. The operative procedures were lobectomy in 86 patients, segmentectomy in 8 patients, and bilobectomy in 1 patient. In 95 patients who underwent VATS, postoperative complications developed in 9 patients (9%), and 1 patient (1%) died from pneumonia. In the 86 patients without complications, the mean postoperative hospital stay was 7.6 days (range, 4 to 15 days). In a mean follow-up period of 25 months (range, 6 to 48 months) in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including the one perioperative death, the 3-year survival rate was 93% in 82 patients with clinical stage I disease, and 97% in 68 patients with pathologic stage I disease. The 3-year disease-free survival rate was 79% in patients with clinical stage I disease, and 89% in patients with pathologic stage I disease. Local recurrence was observed in six patients (6%): recurrence in mediastinal lymph nodes in five patients, and in the bronchial stump in one patient. CONCLUSIONS Major pulmonary resection by VATS is acceptable in view of its low perioperative mortality and morbidity, and is an adequate procedure for the achievement of local control and good prognosis in patients with clinical stage I NSCLC.
Singing Motherhood: First time mothers' experiences singing to their infants

iv Acknowledgements . v Table of Contents . vii Introduction . 1 CHAPTER 1: Literature Review . 4 I. The Folk Lullaby: Sung love and quiet protest . 4 II. New Motherhood: A woman’s relationship with herself and the development of her relationship with her baby . 5 A woman’s relationship with herself as she becomes a mother . 6 A woman’s relationship with herself as a new mother in society . 8 A woman’s relationship with her baby . 9 III. Music and Singing: Communication and self-expression . 11 IV. Current Research on infant’s experience of music and singing and the quality of infantdirected singing . 12 Infant’s experience of music and singing and the quality of infant-directed singing . 12 Current research on how and why caregivers sing to their infants . 14 V. The Present Study . 16 CHAPTER 2: Methodology . 18 Phenomenological Research . 18 Participants . 18 Procedure . 20 Measures . 21 Data analysis . 24 CHAPTER 3: Results . 28 I. The act of singing’s role in the development of the mother-child relationship and affect regulation . 29 SINGING MOTHERHOOD: PIXLEY viii Singing connects mother and baby . 29 Singing calms mother and baby . 33 II. The functions of a song’s lyrical content . 38 Song lyrics function as a way for mothers to express thoughts and feelings . 39 Lyrics and melody as ways of teaching . 46 III. Finding songs: A musical journey from the present to past. 49 Finding songs in the present . 49 Finding songs from “life before baby” . 51 Finding songs from adolescence . 53 Finding songs from childhood . 55 IV. Participants’ individual differences singing to their infants . 59 V. Conclusion . 64 CHAPTER 4: Discussion . 65 I. Summary of results . 65 II. The study in context . 67 Stern’s Motherhood Constellation . 68 III. Maternal identity development . 71 Singing to mourn and celebrate . 74 IV. Clinical implications of maternal singing . 77 V. Personal observations and reflections . 80 VI. Limitations and Methodological Issues . 82 Self-selection . 82 Skype versus in person interview . 83 VII. Future Directions and Conclusions . 83 Appendix A-Flyer . 85 SINGING MOTHERHOOD: PIXLEY ix Appendix B-Recruitment Script . 86 Appendix C-Consent Form . 87 Appendix D-Demographics Questionnaire . 90 Appendix E-Caregiver Experience of Singing to Infants Interview . 91 Appendix F-Diary Entry Question . 92 Appendix GLullaby Texts . 93 Bibliography . 95 SINGING MOTHERHOOD: PIXLEY
Sonographically guided aspiration cytology of neck nodes for selection of treatment and follow-up in patients with N0 head and neck cancer.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The management of the clinically negative neck (NO) remains controversial because the incidence of occult metastases is high and the prognostic difference between elective treatment and a "wait and see" approach remains unclear. This study was undertaken to assess the role of sonographically guided aspiration cytology for the selection of the initial-management strategy for the neck and for the early detection of neck metastases during follow-up of patients with NO. METHODS Seventy-seven clinically and cytologically confirmed NO patients, who underwent a transoral tumor excision and no neck treatment, were followed up for 1 to 4 years by both palpation and sonographically guided aspiration cytology. RESULTS Fourteen patients (18%) had recurrent neck tumor; 10 (71%) of these necks were salvaged. Of the 14 neck failures, six were detected before being palpable and nine were detected within 7 months. Eleven of the 19 aspirated tumor-positive nodes had a minimal diameter smaller than 1 cm, and all four patients who eventually died had lymph node metastases larger than 14 mm. CONCLUSION With sonographically guided aspiration cytology, the risk of missing occult metastases was 18%, which is less than expected after palpation only. Sonographically guided aspiration cytology is an effective technique for following up on the status of the neck after transoral tumor excision, and should be used at frequent intervals if no elective neck treatment is performed.
IMPROVED MODELING OF THE ROSSITER–McLAUGHLIN EFFECT FOR TRANSITING EXOPLANETS

We present an improved formula for the anomalous radial velocity of the star during planetary transits due to the Rossiter–McLaughlin (RM) effect. The improvement comes from a more realistic description of the stellar absorption line profiles, taking into account stellar rotation, macroturbulence, thermal broadening, pressure broadening, and instrumental broadening. Although the formula is derived for the case in which radial velocities are measured by cross-correlation, we show through numerical simulations that the formula accurately describes the cases where the radial velocities are measured with the iodine absorption-cell technique. The formula relies on prior knowledge of the parameters describing macroturbulence, instrumental broadening, and other broadening mechanisms, but even 30% errors in those parameters do not significantly change the results in typical circumstances. We show that the new analytic formula agrees with previous ones that had been computed on a case-by-case basis via numerical simulations. Finally, as one application of the new formula, we reassess the impact of the differential rotation on the RM velocity anomaly. We show that differential rotation of a rapidly rotating star may have a significant impact on future RM observations.