Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Formation of Functional Heterodimers by TREK-1 and TREK-2 Two-pore Domain Potassium Channel Subunits*

Two-pore domain (K2P) potassium channels are the major molecular correlates of the background (leak) K+ current in a wide variety of cell types. They generally play a key role in setting the resting membrane potential and regulate the response of excitable cells to various stimuli. K2P channels usually function as homodimers, and only a few examples of heteromerization have been previously reported. Expression of the TREK (TWIK-related K+ channel) subfamily members of K2P channels often overlaps in neurons and in other excitable cells. Here, we demonstrate that heterologous coexpression of TREK-1 and TREK-2 subunits results in the formation of functional heterodimers. Taking advantage of a tandem construct (in which the two different subunits were linked together to enforce heterodimerization), we characterized the biophysical and pharmacological properties of the TREK-1/TREK-2 current. The heteromer was inhibited by extracellular acidification and by spadin similarly to TREK-1, and its ruthenium red sensitivity was intermediate between TREK-1 and TREK-2 homodimers. The heterodimer has also been distinguished from the homodimers by its unique single channel conductance. Assembly of the two different subunits was confirmed by coimmunoprecipitation of epitope-tagged TREK-1 and TREK-2 subunits, coexpressed in Xenopus oocytes. Formation of TREK-1/TREK-2 channels was also demonstrated in native dorsal root ganglion neurons indicating that heterodimerization may provide greater diversity of leak K+ conductances also in native tissues.
ROSPlan: Planning in the Robot Operating System

The Robot Operating System (ROS) is a set of software libraries and tools used to build robotic systems. ROS is known for a distributed and modular design. Given a model of the environment, task planning is concerned with the assembly of actions into a structure that is predicted to achieve goals. This can be done in a way that minimises costs, such as time or energy. Task planning is vital in directing the actions of a robotic agent in domains where a causal chain could lock the agent into a dead-end state. Moreover, planning can be used in less constrained domains to provide more intelligent behaviour. This paper describes the ROSP LAN framework, an architecture for embedding task planning into ROS systems. We provide a description of the architecture and a case study in autonomous robotics. Our case study involves autonomous underwater vehicles in scenarios that demonstrate the flexibility and robustness of our approach.
Clinical findings in the renal victims of a catastrophic disaster: the Marmara earthquake.

BACKGROUND The clinical course of acute renal failure (ARF) related to crush syndrome is very complex, because of co-existing surgical and/or medical complications. After the devastating Marmara earthquake that struck Turkey in August 1999, 639 patients were identified with nephrological problems, whose clinical findings have been the subject of this analysis. METHODS Specific questionnaires asking about 63 variables were sent to 35 reference hospitals that treated the victims. Clinical findings of the renal victims were analysed. RESULTS At admission, high fever was noted in 31.8% of the patients; the temperature of non-survivors was higher (P=0.027). Mean blood pressure was higher in survivors (P=0.004) and dialysed victims (P <0.001). Most (61.4%) patients were oligo-anuric; oliguria lasted for 10.8+/-7.2 days. Thoracic and abdominal traumas were associated with a higher risk of mortality. 397 fasciotomies and 121 amputations were performed in 790 traumatized extremities. Fasciotomies were associated with sepsis (P<0.001) and dialysis needs (P<0.0001), while amputations were associated with mortality (P<0.0001). Medical complications, which were associated with dialysis needs (P<0.0001) and mortality (P<0.0001), were observed in 51.5% of patients. In a multivariate analysis model of medical complications, disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) (P<0.0001, OR=5.81), and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (P=0.0001, OR=4.53) were predictors of mortality. CONCLUSIONS In the aftermath of catastrophic earthquakes, clinical findings of the renal victims can predict the final outcome. While fasciotomies indicate dialysis needs, extremity amputations, abdominal and thoracic traumas are associated with higher rates of mortality in addition to DIC and ARDS.
Venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in adult respiratory failure

AbstractDespite a potentially effective therapy for adult respiratory failure, a general agreement on venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV-ECMO) has not been reached among institutions due to its invasiveness and high resource usage. To establish consensus on the timing of intervention, large ECMO organizations have published the respiratory extracorporeal membrane oxygenation survival prediction (RESP) score and the ECMOnet score, which allow users to predict hospital mortality for candidates with their pre-ECMO presentations. This study was aimed to test the predictive powers of these published scores in a medium-sized cohort enrolling adults treated with VV-ECMO for acute respiratory failure, and develop an institutional prediction model under the framework of the 3 scores if a superior predictive power could be achieved. This retrospective study included 107 adults who received VV-ECMO for severe acute respiratory failure (a PaO2/FiO2 ratio <70 mm Hg) in a tertiary referral center from 2007 to 2015. Essential demographic and clinical data were collected to calculate the RESP score, the ECMOnet score, and the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score before VV-ECMO. The predictive power of hospital mortality of each score was presented as the area under receiver-operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The multivariate logistic regression was used to develop an institutional prediction model. The surviving to discharge rate was 55% (n = 59). All of the 3 published scores had a real but poor predictive power of hospital mortality in this study. The AUROCs of RESP score, ECMOnet score, and SOFA score were 0.662 (P = 0.004), 0.616 (P = 0.04), and 0.667 (P = 0.003), respectively. An institutional prediction model was established from these score parameters and presented as follows: hospital mortality (Y) = −3.173 + 0.208 × (pre-ECMO SOFA score) + 0.148 × (pre-ECMO mechanical ventilation day) + 1.021 × (immunocompromised status). Compared with the 3 scores, the institutional model had a significantly higher AUROC (0.779; P < 0.001). The 3 published scores provide valuable information about the poor prognostic factors for adult respiratory ECMO. Among the score parameters, duration of mechanical ventilation, immunocompromised status, and severity of organ dysfunction may be the most important prognostic factors of VV-ECMO used for adult respiratory failure.
Online Lombard adaptation in incremental speech synthesis

The ‘Lombard effect’ consists of various speech adaptation mechanisms human speakers use involuntarily to counter influences that a noisy environment has on their speech intelligibility. These adaptations are highly dependent on the characteristics of the noise and happen rapidly. Modelling the effect for the output side of speech interfaces is therefore difficult: the noise characteristics need to be evaluated continuously and speech synthesis adaptations need to take effect immediately. This paper describes and evaluates an online system consisting of a module that analyses the acoustic environment and a module that adapts the speech parameters of an incremental speech synthesis system in a timely manner. In an evaluation with human listeners the system had a similar effect on intelligibility as had human speakers in offline studies. Furthermore, during noise the Lombard-adapted speech was rated more natural than standard speech.
Phase equilibria in high MgO ferro- and silico-manganese smelting slags

Phase equilibria have been determined experimentally for pseudo-ternary sections of the form “MnO”- (CaO+MgO)-(SiO2+Al2O3) with a fixed Al2O3/SiO2 weight ratio of 0.17 and MgO/CaO weight ratios of 0.25 and 0.17 respectively for temperatures in the range 1473-1673 K. The primary phase fields present for the MgO/CaO weight ratio of 0.17 include manganosite (Mn,Mg,Ca)O; dicalcium silicate α-2(Ca,Mg,Mn)O·SiO2; merwinite 3CaO⋅(Mg,Mn)O⋅2SiO2; wollastonite [(Ca,Mg,Mn)O·SiO2]; diopside [(CaO,MgO,MnO,Al2O3)·SiO2]; tridymite (SiO2); tephroite [2(Mn,Mg)O·SiO2]; rhodonite [(Mn,Mg)O·SiO2] and melilite [2CaO·(MgO,MnO,Al2O3)·2(SiO2,Al2O3)]. For the section with MgO/CaO weight ratio of 0.25 the anorthite phase (CaO⋅Al2O3⋅2SiO2) is also present. The liquidus temperatures of ferro- and silico-manganese smelting slags have been determined. The liquidus temperatures at low MnO concentrations are shown to be principally dependent on the modified basicity weight ratio (CaO+MgO)/(SiO2+Al2O3).
High-oleic rapeseed (canola) and flaxseed oils modulate serum lipids and inflammatory biomarkers in hypercholesterolaemic subjects

Recently, novel dietary oils with modified fatty acid profiles have been manufactured to improve fatty acid intakes and reduce CVD risk. Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of novel high-oleic rapeseed (canola) oil (HOCO), alone or blended with flaxseed oil (FXCO), on circulating lipids and inflammatory biomarkers v. a typical Western diet (WD). Using a randomised, controlled, crossover trial, thirty-six hypercholesterolaemic subjects consumed three isoenergetic diets for 28 d each containing approximately 36 % energy from fat, of which 70 % was provided by HOCO, FXCO or WD. Dietary fat content of SFA, MUFA, PUFA n-6 and n-3 was 6, 23, 5, 1 % energy for HOCO; 6, 16, 5, 7·5 % energy for FXCO; 11·5, 16, 6, 0·5 % energy for WD. After 28 d, compared with WD, LDL-cholesterol was reduced 15·1 % (P < 0·001) with FXCO and 7·4 % (P < 0·001) with HOCO. Total cholesterol (TC) was reduced 11 % (P < 0·001) with FXCO and 3·5 % (P = 0·002) with HOCO compared with WD. Endpoint TC differed between FXCO and HOCO (P < 0·05). FXCO consumption reduced HDL-cholesterol by 8·5 % (P < 0·001) and LDL:HDL ratio by 7·5 % (P = 0·008) v. WD. FXCO significantly decreased E-selectin concentration compared with WD (P = 0·02). No differences were observed in inflammatory markers after the consumption of HOCO compared with WD. In conclusion, consumption of novel HOCO alone or when blended with flaxseed oil is cardioprotective through lipid-lowering effects. The incorporation of flaxseed oil may also target inflammation by reducing plasma E-selectin.
Can we speak in confidence? Community intelligence and neighbourhood policing v2.0

Informed by empirical data collected in the London Borough of Sutton (LBS) in four sweeps between 2007 and 2010, this article examines the impact of a community engagement methodology encouraging citizens to articulate their local security needs to Neighbourhood Policing teams (NPTs). By acting on this community intelligence police are able to ‘tune’ their interventions towards those problems generating most social harm. In so doing, the data suggest police are able to improve public confidence and increase overall community well-being. This case study of Sutton is used to illuminate some broader patterns and trends in how policing in England and Wales is being reconfigured in response to a set of economic and ideological pressures. It is suggested that the combination of forces are liable to induce a revised version of the principles and practices associated with the initial model of Neighbourhood Policing (NP).
Effects of early augmentation of labour with amniotomy and oxytocin in nulliparous women: a meta‐analysis

Objectives To estimate the effects among nulliparae of early augmentation with amniotomy and oxytocin on caesarean delivery, and on other indicators of maternal and neonatal morbidity including transfusion, Apgar score < 7 at 5 minutes, and admission to the special care nursery.
CtBP2 Downregulation during Neural Crest Specification Induces Expression of Mitf and REST, Resulting in Melanocyte Differentiation and Sympathoadrenal Lineage Suppression

ABSTRACT Trunk neural crest (NC) cells differentiate to neurons, melanocytes, and glia. In NC cultures, cyclic AMP (cAMP) induces melanocyte differentiation while suppressing the neuronal sympathoadrenal lineage, depending on the signal intensity. Melanocyte differentiation requires activation of CREB and cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), but the role of PKA is not understood. We have demonstrated, in NC cultures, cAMP-induced transcription of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor gene (Mitf) and the RE-1 silencing transcription factor gene (REST), both Wnt-regulated genes. In NC cultures and zebrafish, knockdown of the corepressor of Wnt-mediated transcription C-terminal binding protein 2 (CtBP2) but not CtBP1 derepressed Mitf and REST expression and enhanced melanocyte differentiation. cAMP in NC and B16 melanoma cells decreased CtBP2 protein levels, while inhibition of PKA or proteasome rescued CtBP2 degradation. Interestingly, knockdown of homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2), a CtBP stability modulator, increased CtBP2 levels, suppressed expression of Mitf, REST, and melanocyte differentiation, and increased neuronal gene expression and sympathoadrenal lineage differentiation. We conclude that cAMP/PKA via HIPK2 promotes CtBP2 degradation, leading to Mitf and REST expression. Mitf induces melanocyte specification, and REST suppresses neuron-specific gene expression and the sympathoadrenal lineage. Our studies identify a novel role for REST in NC cell differentiation and suggest cross talk between cAMP and Wnt signaling in NC lineage specification.
Asymmetry in distribution of diaphragmatic endometriotic lesions: evidence in favour of the menstrual reflux theory.

BACKGROUND If the menstrual reflux or implantation theory of endometriosis is true, refluxed endometrial cells could reach the right hypochondrium transported by the clockwise peritoneal fluid current and would implant more easily on the right diaphragmatic leaf as they are stuck there by the falciform ligament. METHODS To investigate if a lateral asymmetry exists in diaphragmatic endometriotic lesion distribution, all articles on diaphragmatic endometriosis identified by MEDLINE, EMBASE and PUBMED database searches were retrieved, and additional reports were collected by systematically reviewing all references. The number of women and the side of the lesion with respect to the falciform ligament of the liver were obtained from individual studies, and the combined frequency of right- and left-side diaphragmatic endometriosis was computed. In addition, seven personal cases were described. RESULTS There were 16 reports including 47 subjects selected. Diaphragmatic endometriosis was on the right side in 31 (66%) patients, on the left in 3 (6%) and bilateral in 13 (27%). In the personal series, lesions were on the right side in five cases, on the left in one and bilateral in one. Considering only unilateral lesions, the observed proportion of right-sided endometriotic implants (36/40) was 90% (95% CI 76-97%; chi(2)(1) 32.6, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS The observed major asymmetry in diaphragmatic endometriotic lesion distribution in favour of the right leaf supports the menstrual reflux theory.
Acetazolamide-responsive paroxysmal dyskinesia in a 12-week-old female golden retriever dog

Emilie Royaux*, Sofie Bhatti, Robert Harvey, Laurent Garosi, G. Diane Shelton and Luc Van Ham Department of Small Animal Medicine and Clinical Biology, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium; Department of Pharmacology, UCL School of Pharmacy, 29-39 Brunswick Square, London WC1N 1AX, UK; Davies Veterinary Specialists, Higham Gobion, Hertfordshire, England, UK; Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
A novel fragile X syndrome mutation reveals a conserved role for the carboxy-terminus in FMRP localization and function

Loss of function of the FMR1 gene leads to fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common form of intellectual disability. The loss of FMR1 function is usually caused by epigenetic silencing of the FMR1 promoter leading to expansion and subsequent methylation of a CGG repeat in the 5′ untranslated region. Very few coding sequence variations have been experimentally characterized and shown to be causal to the disease. Here, we describe a novel FMR1 mutation and reveal an unexpected nuclear export function for the C‐terminus of FMRP. We screened a cohort of patients with typical FXS symptoms who tested negative for CGG repeat expansion in the FMR1 locus. In one patient, we identified a guanine insertion in FMR1 exon 15. This mutation alters the open reading frame creating a short novel C‐terminal sequence, followed by a stop codon. We find that this novel peptide encodes a functional nuclear localization signal (NLS) targeting the patient FMRP to the nucleolus in human cells. We also reveal an evolutionarily conserved nuclear export function associated with the endogenous C‐terminus of FMRP. In vivo analyses in Drosophila demonstrate that a patient‐mimetic mutation alters the localization and function of Dfmrp in neurons, leading to neomorphic neuronal phenotypes.
Dynamic performance tuning of word-based software transactional memory

The current generation of software transactional memories has the advantage of being simple and efficient. Nevertheless, there are several parameters that affect the performance of a transactional memory, for example the locality of the application and the cache line size of the processor. In this paper, we investigate dynamic tuning mechanisms on a new time-based software transactional memory implementation. We study in extensive measurements the performance of our implementation and exhibit the benefits of dynamic tuning. We compare our results with TL2, which is currently one of the fastest word-based software transactional memories.
Determinants of Quality of Life After Stroke in China: The ChinaQUEST (QUality Evaluation of Stroke care and Treatment) Study

Background and Purpose— Limited information exists on the long-term consequences of stroke in China. We aimed to describe the profile and determinants of health-related quality of life among 12-month survivors of stroke. Methods— The ChinaQUEST (QUality Evaluation of Stroke care and Treatment) study was a prospective 62-hospital registry study of patients with acute stroke (ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage). Health-related quality of life was determined in 12-month survivors using a 35-item quality-of-life questionnaire (QOL-35) designed specifically for use in Chinese people. Proxy responses were used in those who were unable to personally complete the QOL-35. Results— A total of 4283 12-month stroke survivors completed assessments directly (1730 [40.4%]) or by a proxy (2553 [59.6%]). Mean (SD) health-related quality of life scores were higher in self-responders (70 [0.3] out of a best possible 100 score) than in proxy responders (60 [0.3]; P<0.001). The strongest baseline variables that predicted “low” (below median) health-related quality of life scores in self-responders were having a lower income (income <10 000 Chinese Yuan Renminbi [CNY, approximately US $1428] versus >19 000 CNY [approximately US $2714]; OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.37 to 3.10) and being disabled at discharge (OR, 3.65; 95% CI, 2.72 to 4.91). Proxy responders had similar predictive factors, including being disabled at discharge (OR, 4.99; 95% CI, 4.00 to 6.21), but income was not significant. Conclusions— In China, the strongest predictor of 12-month health-related quality of life after stroke is level of disability at hospital discharge. Level of income was another important factor. Health insurance schemes that offset the economic impact of stroke could help improve the health and well-being of Chinese people affected by stroke.
Causes and Explanations: A Structural-Model Approach. Part I: Causes

We propose a new definition of actual causes, using structural equations to model counterfactuals. We show that the definition yields a plausible and elegant account of causation that handles well examples which have caused problems for other definitions and resolves major difficulties in the traditional account. 1. Introduction2. Causal models: a review 2.1Causal models 2.2Syntax and semantics3. The definition of cause4. Examples5. A more refined definition6. Discussion AAppendix: Some Technical Issues A.1The active causal process A.2A closer look at AC2(b) A.3Causality with infinitely many variables A.4Causality in nonrecursive models Introduction Causal models: a review 2.1Causal models 2.2Syntax and semantics 2.1Causal models 2.2Syntax and semantics The definition of cause Examples A more refined definition Discussion AAppendix: Some Technical Issues A.1The active causal process A.2A closer look at AC2(b) A.3Causality with infinitely many variables A.4Causality in nonrecursive models
Development of low elastic modulus die attach material and clean cure process

Thermal stress in a large silicon die bonded to a copper lead frame was investigated using the finite-element method and a die-bonding experiment. It was found that even curing at a temperature as low as 100 degrees C is not sufficient to reduce the thermal stress and that decreasing the Young's modulus of the die-bond adhesive to less than 100 MPa is more effective than lowering the cure temperature. Based upon the calculation results, silicon elastomer with a hydrosilylation reaction curing mechanism was selected as a die-bond adhesive, considering both reliability and productivity. Volatile organic species such as cyclic siloxane were intensively removed from the adhesive to minimize contamination on the die surface. Furthermore, a clean curing process was developed to increase the process margin. The newly developed die-bond adhesive, together with the novel curing system, has enabled the bonding of a large die to a copper lead frame with good reliability and productivity. This technology has been applied to the assembly of memory device packages. <<ETX>>