Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An Alpha-1A Adrenergic Receptor Agonist Prevents Acute Doxorubicin Cardiomyopathy in Male Mice

Alpha-1 adrenergic receptors mediate adaptive effects in the heart and cardiac myocytes, and a myocyte survival pathway involving the alpha-1A receptor subtype and ERK activation exists in vitro. However, data in vivo are limited. Here we tested A61603 (N-[5-(4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-2-yl)-2-hydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydronaphthalen-1-yl]methanesulfonamide), a selective imidazoline agonist for the alpha-1A. A61603 was the most potent alpha-1-agonist in activating ERK in neonatal rat ventricular myocytes. A61603 activated ERK in adult mouse ventricular myocytes and protected the cells from death caused by the anthracycline doxorubicin. A low dose of A61603 (10 ng/kg/d) activated ERK in the mouse heart in vivo, but did not change blood pressure. In male mice, concurrent subcutaneous A61603 infusion at 10 ng/kg/d for 7 days after a single intraperitoneal dose of doxorubicin (25 mg/kg) increased survival, improved cardiac function, heart rate, and cardiac output by echocardiography, and reduced cardiac cell necrosis and apoptosis and myocardial fibrosis. All protective effects were lost in alpha-1A-knockout mice. In female mice, doxorubicin at doses higher than in males (35–40 mg/kg) caused less cardiac toxicity than in males. We conclude that the alpha-1A-selective agonist A61603, via the alpha-1A adrenergic receptor, prevents doxorubicin cardiomyopathy in male mice, supporting the theory that alpha-1A adrenergic receptor agonists have potential as novel heart failure therapies.
The Effects of Digital Video Quality on Learner Comprehension in an American Sign Language Assessment Environment

The effects of digital video frame rate and size on American Sign Language (ASL) learner comprehension were investigated. Fifty-one students were randomly assigned to one of three video-size treatment groups: 480×360, 320×240, and 240×180 pixels. Within each treatment, three 30-second videos of signed narratives at frame rates of 6, 12, and 18 frames per second were presented to students. Participants used ASL to retell each story, while a digital video camera captured their performances and archived them for evaluation. Three ASL experts evaluated the video performances and generated a fluency score for each student. The results indicate that frame rate and the interaction between frame rate and ASL level had significant effects on learner comprehension, but video size did not significantly affect comprehension. These results were used to generate frame rate and video-size recommendations for displaying and recording student performance and instructor feedback videos in an ASL performance assessment software environment.
Abnormal expression of PDC‐E2 on the apical surface of biliary epithelial cells in patients with antimitochondrial antibody‐negative primary biliary cirrhosis

The presence of antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) is a major criterion for the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). Although it is not clear that AMA are involved in the pathogenesis of the disease, the study of these autoantibodies has enabled much information to be accumulated about the specificity of this response. The autoantigens have been identified as components of a functionally related enzyme family, the 2‐oxo‐acid‐dehydrogenase complex. Within this complex, pyruvate dehydrogenase E2 subunit (PDC‐E2) has been determined to be the immunodominant autoantigen. Using a panel of mouse monoclonal antibodies and human combinatorial autoantibodies, it has been demonstrated that patients with PBC, but not controls, have an abnormal expression of either PDC‐E2 or a cross‐reacting molecule in the apical region of biliary epithelium. Others have shown a similar reaction using rabbit sera directed to PDC‐E2. Our previous studies have concentrated on AMA‐positive patients. In this study, the presence of PDC‐E2, class II, immunoglobulin (Ig) A, and B7/BB1 in the bile duct epithelial cells of AMA‐positive as well as AMA‐negative patients is addressed. Most patients with AMA‐negative PBC (seven of nine) react in a fashion similar to AMA‐positive patients with intense staining of the apical region of the bile duct epithelial cells for “PDC‐E2,” increased IgA expression, and little major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II staining in the early‐stage patients. Interestingly, the two AMA‐negative patients that did not express PDC‐E2 on the apical side of their biliary epithelium had anticentromere antibodies and Sjögren's syndrome. Based on these data, it can be concluded that the disease process for both AMA‐positive and AMA‐negative patients with PBC has a similar pathogenic mechanism, which is likely to involve the abnormal expression of PDC‐E2 or a molecular mimic of PDC‐E2, and does not require MHC class II expression. (Hepatology 1995; 22:1440–1446).
Critical reflection and decision making in the family courts: a case study involving siblings with competing interests

This article will explore the concepts of critical reflection and analysis in social work and discuss these ideas in relation to decision making in the public law family court system, with particular reference to cases where there are siblings with competing interests. Frequently there are situations in public law proceedings where the children involved have competing interests, especially when one of the sibling group is placed for adoption. The complexities of the issues involved in decision-making are explored in this article by drawing on case study material. The use of the law, children's rights, research literature in relation to permanent substitute care placements and contact, as well as values and power dynamics in the case will be critically examined, and a framework for decision making when there are siblings with competing interests will be discussed.
Majority, Minority, and Parity: Effects of Gender and Group Size on Perceived Group Variability

We investigated the effects of gender and group size on perceptions of group variability, using groups of students taking different majors that varied in the proportion of men and women (female-majority, parity, and male-majority). We found that both group size and gender had consistent effects on perceived out-group variability, even when potentially confounded alternative explanations were assessed. Men showed a stronger out-group homogeneity effect than women, except when women were in the majority (Studies One and Two), and women showed no in-group homogeneity effect. There was an association between out-group homogeneity and the tendency to generate more subgroups for the in-group than out-group (Study Two), but perceived variability was not associated with familiarity, distinctiveness, perceived group size, or perceived group status. These consistent effects qualify the conclusions of prior research in important ways, and cannot be explained in terms of differences in stereotype accuracy (Study Three), or a confound between the gender majority of a major and its perceived status (Study Four). We discuss our findings in terms of theoretical explanations for gender and size effects on out-group homogeneity, and methodological considerations.
The Quality of democracy in Asia-Pacific: issues and findings

In the comparative research we present here as the introduction to a set of case studies, we first assess the quality of democratic procedures, content and outcomes in eight countries in the Asia-Pacific region on the basis of quantitative and qualitative data. Second, we investigate whether, to what extent, and how democratic qualities relate to one another. These investigations are carried out by applying an analytical framework that we developed elsewhere. In contrast to our previous empirical findings demonstrating that all the qualities go hand in hand, that participation and competition are the main determinants of democratic qualities, and that the democratic qualities form a funnel of causality, the present study suggests a different set of conclusions. In the Asia-Pacific region, the democratic qualities are weakly related to one another, do not form a funnel of causality, and participation and competition are not the main drivers of democratic quality. The data presented in the empirical section of the paper claim the existence of an Asia-Pacific exceptionalism. By carefully examining the cases included in our sample, we provide a detailed explanation for why, at least as far as democratic qualities are concerned, the Asia-Pacific region may be exceptional and unique. We reach the conclusion that responsiveness could be achieved by a transition from a rule by law – often coupled with the prominence of patronage, patrimonialist practices and privileges for the elite – to a proper rule of law.
WOMEN AND THEIR HAIR

This article explores how women seek power through both resisting and accommodating mainstream norms for female hair and delineates the strengths and limitations of these strategies. The data help to illuminate the complex role the body plays in sustaining and challenging women's subordinate position, how accommodation and resistance lie buried in everyday activities, the limits of resistance based on the body, and why accommodation and resistance are best viewed as coexisting variables rather than as polar opposites. Finally, these data suggest the importance of defining resistance as actions that reject subordination by challenging the ideologies that support subordination.
Assessing Role Model Influences on Students' Academic and Vocational Decisions

This article describes four studies that addressed the development and validation of an instrument that assesses the degree and type of role model influences on students' academic and vocational decisions. Factor analyses of the Influence of Others on Academic and Career Decisions Scale (IOACDS) yielded two factors that measure Support/Guidance and Inspiration/Modeling. Test-retest reliability and internal consistency estimates across studies were high. The Support/Guidance and Inspiration/Modeling subscales correlated in expected directions with measures of general social support, occupational information, career indecision, and career certainty, and they were not significantly related to a measure of social desirability. Only the Inspiration/Modeling subscale was significantly related to a measure of vocational identity. Suggestions are made for using the IOACDS in research and practice.
Enhancing the Dyeability of Polypropylene Fibers by Melt Blending with Polyethylene Terephthalate

Attempts were made to modify polypropylene fibers by melt blending with polyethylene terephthalate in order to enhance the dyeability of the resultant fiber. Five blends of polypropylene/polyethylene terephthalate/compatibilizer were prepared and subsequently spun into fibers. Three disperse dyes were used to dye such modified fibers at boiling and 130°C. The dyeing performance of the blend fibers, as well as the morphological, chemical, thermal, and mechanical properties, of the corresponding blends was characterized by means of spectrophotometry, polarized optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and tensile testing.
The Factors Affecting on Elderly' Life Satisfaction in the Residential Environments

This research is designed to identify factors that affect life satisfaction of the Korean elderly by studying residential environments and individual personalities as independent variables, and life satisfaction of the elderly as a dependent variable. It also includes emotional and instrumental support to describe relations between variables as mediating variables. It utilizes a questionnaire survey as its research method and studies those aged 65 and over living in urban, suburban and rural areas. In addition, regression and path analysis is used to identify casual links between different variables. The results are as follows: (1) Direct factors that impact emotional support are home ownership (direct effect= -.18) and transportation services (.15). That is, those who own their home and have easy access to public transpiration show increased levels of emotional support. (2) Direct factors that affect instrumental support are economic status (direct effect= .311) and living arrangement (.17). In other words, those who are financially stable and live with their children have more instrumental support. (3) Factors linked directly to life satisfaction of the elderly are their age (direct effect= -.10), health status (.19), economic status (.25), region of living (.22) and housing type (.19). (4) Among the mediating variables, emotional support has direct effect (.45) while instrumental support has indirect effect (.16)
Facilitation of reasoning by realism: Effect or non‐effect?

A series of five experiments was performed comparing abstract and thematic materials in Wason's (1966) selection task. The first was designed to test the effect of negated rule components on the facilitated performance usually found with thematic rules. No such facilitation transpired, however, and the succeeding four experiments investigated possible variables which could account for this result. None of the experiments showed any facilitation of performance on thematic rules and the pattern of responding with both abstract and thematic rules was consistent with ‘matching bias’ (Evans, 1972a). The results are discussed with reference to previous, apparently contrary, findings.
Landscape and Sustainability

There are some tricky problems in reviewing a second edition when the first edition (2000) passed one by completely. There are further problems when the editor and many of the writers are known to you, and friends. The obvious solution to the latter is to be particularly critical thus demonstrating one’s neutrality and academic rigour. This tactic is completely undermined when one discovers the book to be quite outstanding, a really thorough and often amusing examination of the problem, cleverly using ‘Sustainability’ in the title rather than Sustainable Development as the latter looks more unattainable as each year passes. I have no doubt that John Benson (who died in 2004) would be proud of the new edition. There are criticisms of course. It is a pity that such a fine volume, and an expensive one, should not be thoroughly copy-edited, even if one accepts the two versions of English (British and American) within the same book. In Chapter 13 one important diagram is omitted while another is duplicated. This is a shame. The first four chapters give a broad view of the issues of sustainability in landscape affairs, and those affairs are also interpreted very broadly throughout the book. Roe’s editorial overview looking at both ‘landscape’ and ‘sustainability’ is followed by Thompson on the ethical aspects, Price on the economics and Roe on the social dimension of sustainability. These chapters firmly establish the belief that while ecology is fundamental, the sustainable future also includes cultural diversity and the empowerment of local communities. The structures are clear, the writing usually elegant, and I even understood some of the economics. No doubt the essays have been re-worked since the first edition was written a decade ago, but the joins are not obvious. However, it is clear how much has changed, and the European Landscape Convention, which forms a common thread, has arrived since then. Perhaps the valuation of landscape primarily for its aesthetic appeal rather than its meanings does now look rather dated. But Roe’s commentary on participation is a sharp reminder of the practical issues here, of undemocratic local committees, and the reactionary nature of some local community views. Three chapters look at scale. Phillips deals with the international scale, including the European Convention and the work of the World Heritage Convention and IUCN. Selman takes this down to the scale of the UK, and his discussion revolves around the form, function and meaning of landscape. Kidd then looks at a particular regional example of landscape planning in north-west England. There is a conceptual shift here as she, with many ecologists, regards landscape primarily as a scale, bigger than a field but smaller than a district. This conceptual disjuncture both with most of Landscape Research, Vol. 36, No. 1, 119–126, February 2011
Prevalence and stability of active play, restricted movement and television viewing in infants

This study describes engagement in and stability of physical activity and sedentary behaviours in early life, and assesses associations with sex, maternal education and developmental stage. Maternal-report data at child age 4, 9 and 20 months were collected from 542 families in the Melbourne Infant Feeding Activity and Nutrition Trial Program. Parents estimated average time per day their child spent in active pursuits or pursuits that restricted movement. With increasing age, children generally spent more time in active pursuits and watching television, and less time in situations that restrict movement. Associations were found with age of developmental milestone attainment but not sex or maternal education. Stability over time was strongest for television viewing (β = 0.34–0.38) and time spent outdoors (β = 0.27–0.33). Contrary to guidelines, television viewing increased and showed stability, suggesting a need to target this behaviour very early in life to achieve optimal longer term outcomes.
Electronic health record use and the quality of ambulatory care in the United States.

BACKGROUND Electronic health records (EHRs) have been proposed as a sustainable solution for improving the quality of medical care. We assessed the association between EHR use, as implemented, and the quality of ambulatory care in a nationally representative survey. METHODS We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of visits in the 2003 and 2004 National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey. We examined EHR use throughout the United States and the association of EHR use with 17 ambulatory quality indicators. Performance on quality indicators was defined as the percentage of applicable visits in which patients received recommended care. RESULTS Electronic health records were used in 18% (95% confidence interval [CI], 15%-22%) of the estimated 1.8 billion ambulatory visits (95% CI, 1.7-2.0 billion) in the United States in 2003 and 2004. For 14 of the 17 quality indicators, there was no significant difference in performance between visits with vs without EHR use. Categories of these indicators included medical management of common diseases, recommended antibiotic prescribing, preventive counseling, screening tests, and avoiding potentially inappropriate medication prescribing in elderly patients. For 2 quality indicators, visits to medical practices using EHRs had significantly better performance: avoiding benzodiazepine use for patients with depression (91% vs 84%; P = .01) and avoiding routine urinalysis during general medical examinations (94% vs 91%; P = .003). For 1 quality indicator, visits to practices using EHRs had significantly worse quality: statin prescribing to patients with hypercholesterolemia (33% vs 47%; P = .01). CONCLUSION As implemented, EHRs were not associated with better quality ambulatory care.
The entropy of the articulatory phonological code: recognizing gestures from tract variables

We propose an instantaneous “gestural pattern vector” to encode the instantaneous pattern of gesture activations across tract variables in the gestural score. The design of these gestural pattern vectors is the first step towards an automatic speech recognizer motivated by articulatory phonology, which is expected to be more invariant to speech coarticulation and reduction than conventional speech recognizers built with the sequenceof-phones assumption. We use a tandem model to recover the instantaneous gestural pattern vectors from tract variable time functions in local time windows, and achieve classification accuracy up to 84.5% for synthesized data from one speaker. Recognizing all gestural pattern vectors is equivalent to recognizing the ensemble of gestures. This result suggests that the proposed gestural pattern vector might be a viable unit in statistical models for speech recognition.
ORIENTATIONS IN SECOND LANGUAGE ACQUISITION: I. THE EFFECTS OF ETHNIC TY, MILIEU, AND TARGET LANGUAGE ON THEIR EMERGENCE.

Studies comparing the relative effectiveness of different orientations to second language acquisition have obtained contradictory results. In the present study, these contradictions are traced to ambiguities pertaining to the definition of orientations and to the influence of the milieu on the acquisition process. This study assessed the influence of ethnicity (French vs. English), milieu (unicultural vs. multicultural). and target second language (French or English vs. Spanish) on the emergence of orientations. The subjects were 871 grade I 1 students distributed in eight groups obtained by permutations of the above t h m factors. The ratings given to 37 reasons for learning the target language were factor analyzed separately for each sample, thus generating eight six-factor structures. The 48 factors were then correlated and factor analyzed in order to delineate clusters of orientations which would be common to all samples or to subsets of the samples. The results show that instrumental, friendship, travel, and knowledge orientations were common to all groups, while five orientations resulted from specific combinations of ethnicity and target language, on the one hand, and milieu, on the other hand. These results arediscussed with respect to the influence of the learning context on orientations and in terms of their implications for further studies.
School-Age Children's Time Alone with Fathers in Single- and Dual-Earner Families

This study examined (a) the extent to which father-child dyadic involvement varies as a function of parental earner status, father s work-related availability, and child's gender and (b) the connectionts between father-child involvement and children's assessments of their fathers and their feelings of closeness to their fathers. Total involvement and involvement in "quality time" were assessed via seven daily telephone interviews with 147 children, age 9 to 11 years. Children reported on the extent to which they had engaged in each of 32 activities during the day of each call and with whom they had engaged in each activity. In separate home interviews, fathers reported their work schedules, and children completed two measures assessing their relationship with their fathers. Results indicated that fathers in single-earner families spent significantly more time in dyadic activities with sons than with daughters; dual-earner fathers spent equal amounts of time with sons and daughters. Controlling for family size, girls with greater dyadic involvement felt closer to their fathers than did girls with less dyadic involvement; boys' feelings of closeness were not linked to levels of one-to-one involvement with their fathers.