Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pharmacologic Protein Kinase Cα Inhibition Uncouples Human Platelet-Stimulated Angiogenesis from Collagen-Induced Aggregation

Platelets promote angiogenesis by releasing angiogenesis-regulating factors from their α-granules upon aggregation. This effect has both physiologic and pathologic significance as it may contribute to carcinogenesis. Platelet α-granule release and aggregation are regulated, in part, via protein kinase C (PKC) α and β signaling. Our study investigated the effects of PKC inhibition on aggregation, angiogenesis-regulator secretion from α-granules, and platelet-stimulated angiogenesis. We hypothesized that selective PKCα inhibition may preferentially suppress angiogenesis-regulator secretion from α-granules but not aggregation, limiting platelet-stimulated angiogenesis. Human platelets were aggregated in the presence of conventional PKC inhibitors myr-FARKGALRQ and Ro 32-0432 (2-{8-[(dimethylamino)methyl]-6,7,8,9-tetrahydropyridol[1,2-α]indol-3-yl}-3-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl)maleimide). Immunofluorescence microscopy of PKC translocation was used to determine the specificity of PKC-inhibitor targeting. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) release from platelets. Platelet effects on angiogenesis were tested using a capillary-formation assay. Ro 32-0432, but not the peptide inhibitor myr-FARKGALRQ (myristoylated-pseudosubstrate peptide inhibitor), inhibited aggregation in a concentration-dependent manner, while both Ro 32-0432 and myr-FARKGALRQ preferentially suppressed VEGF over TSP-1 secretion. Suppression of angiogenesis-regulator release occurred at inhibitor concentrations that did not significantly affect aggregation. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that PKCα targeting to α-granules is inhibited when angiogenesis-regulator secretion is uncoupled from aggregation. At concentrations that uncoupled α-granule release from aggregation, Ro 32-0432 and myr-FARKGALRQ inhibited platelet-stimulated angiogenesis. Hence, selective PKCα inhibition suppresses angiogenesis-regulator release from platelet α-granules with minimal effects on aggregation. Thus, selective PKCα inhibitors may have pharmacologic significance to regulate platelet-promoted angiogenesis.
Active Play Opportunities at Child Care

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Physical activity (PA) is important for children’s health and development, yet preschoolers are not meeting PA recommendations. The objective of this study was to examine different PA opportunities at child care and how variation in indoor versus outdoor and free versus teacher-led opportunities relate to children’s PA. METHODS: An observational study of 98 children (mean age 4.5 years, 49% girls) from 10 child care centers. Classrooms were observed for at least 4 full days per center (total 50 days) to categorize time into (1) not an active play opportunity (APO); (2) naptime; (3) APO, outdoor free play; (4) APO, outdoor teacher-led; (5) APO, indoor free play; and (6) APO, indoor teacher-led. Children wore accelerometers during observations. Linear regression models examined the influence of APO categories on moderate-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time. RESULTS: Children’s activity was 73% sedentary, 13% light, and 14% MVPA. For 88% of time children did not have APOs, including 26% time as naptime. On average, 48 minutes per day were APOs (41% sedentary, 18% light, and 41% MVPA), 33 minutes per day were outdoors. The most frequent APO was outdoor free play (8% of time); outdoor teacher-led time was <1%. Children were more active and less sedentary outdoors versus indoors and during the child-initiated APOs (indoors and outdoors) versus teacher-led APOs. CONCLUSIONS: Preschoolers were presented with significantly fewer than recommended opportunities for PA at child care. More APOs are needed for children to meet recommendations, particularly those that encourage more outdoor time, more teacher-led and child-initiated active play, and flexibility in naptime for preschoolers.
Neuroligand-evoked calcium-dependent release of excitatory amino acids from Schwann cells

Bradykinin caused a receptor-mediated increase in release of the excitatory amino acids (EAAs) glutamate and aspartate from Schwann cell cultures obtained from dorsal root ganglia (DRG) together with an increase in the cytoplasmic level of free calcium. Perturbations which inhibited brady-kinin-induced calcium mobilization prevented the release of EAAs from glia. The addition of ionomycin caused a calcium- dependent release of EAAs. Therefore, bradykinin causes calcium dependent-release of EAAs from DRG Schwann cells. Bradykinin did not cause cell swelling and p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonic acid, an inhibitor of the electrogenic glutamate transporter, did not reduce bradykinin-induced EAA release. Therefore, bradykinin stimulates EAA release from Schwann cells through a mechanism that is neither the previously described volume regulated release mechanism nor due to the reversal of the glutamate transporter.
Survival and regeneration of rubrospinal neurons 1 year after spinal cord injury

Scientific interest to find a treatment for spinal cord injuries has led to the development of numerous experimental strategies to promote axonal regeneration across the spinal cord injury site. Although these strategies have been developed in acute injury paradigms and hold promise for individuals with spinal cord injuries in the future, little is known about their applicability for the vast majority of paralyzed individuals whose injury occurred long ago and who are considered to have a chronic injury. Some studies have shown that the effectiveness of these approaches diminishes dramatically within weeks after injury. Here we investigated the regenerative capacity of rat rubrospinal neurons whose axons were cut in the cervical spinal cord 1 year before. Contrary to earlier reports, we found that rubrospinal neurons do not die after axotomy but, rather, they undergo massive atrophy that can be reversed by applying brain-derived neurotrophic factor to the cell bodies in the midbrain. This administration of neurotrophic factor to the cell body resulted in increased expression of growth-associated protein-43 and Tα1 tubulin, genes thought to be related to axonal regeneration. This treatment promoted the regeneration of these chronically injured rubrospinal axons into peripheral nerve transplants engrafted at the spinal cord injury site. This outcome is a demonstration of the regenerative capacity of spinal cord projection neurons a full year after axotomy.
Effect of trends on detrended fluctuation analysis.

Detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) is a scaling analysis method used to estimate long-range power-law correlation exponents in noisy signals. Many noisy signals in real systems display trends, so that the scaling results obtained from the DFA method become difficult to analyze. We systematically study the effects of three types of trends--linear, periodic, and power-law trends, and offer examples where these trends are likely to occur in real data. We compare the difference between the scaling results for artificially generated correlated noise and correlated noise with a trend, and study how trends lead to the appearance of crossovers in the scaling behavior. We find that crossovers result from the competition between the scaling of the noise and the "apparent" scaling of the trend. We study how the characteristics of these crossovers depend on (i) the slope of the linear trend; (ii) the amplitude and period of the periodic trend; (iii) the amplitude and power of the power-law trend, and (iv) the length as well as the correlation properties of the noise. Surprisingly, we find that the crossovers in the scaling of noisy signals with trends also follow scaling laws--i.e., long-range power-law dependence of the position of the crossover on the parameters of the trends. We show that the DFA result of noise with a trend can be exactly determined by the superposition of the separate results of the DFA on the noise and on the trend, assuming that the noise and the trend are not correlated. If this superposition rule is not followed, this is an indication that the noise and the superposed trend are not independent, so that removing the trend could lead to changes in the correlation properties of the noise. In addition, we show how to use DFA appropriately to minimize the effects of trends, how to recognize if a crossover indicates indeed a transition from one type to a different type of underlying correlation, or if the crossover is due to a trend without any transition in the dynamical properties of the noise.
How Are Different Properties of a Scene Encoded in Visual Memory?

Recent studies in scene perception suggest that much of what observers believe they see is not retained in visual memory. Depending on the roles they play in organizing the perception of a scene, different visual properties may require different amounts of attention to be incorporated into a mental representation of the scene. The goal of this study was to compare how three visual properties of scenes, colour, object position, and object presence, are encoded in visual memory. We used a variation on the change detection “flicker” task and measured the time to detect scene changes when: (1) a cue was provided regarding the type of change; and, (2) no cue was provided. We hypothesized that cueing would enhance the processing of visual properties that require more attention to be encoded into scene representations, whereas cueing would not have an effect for properties that are readily or automatically encoded in visual memory. In Experiment 1, we found that there was a cueing advantage for colour changes, but not for position or presence changes. In Experiment 2, we found the same cueing effect regardless of whether the colour change altered the configuration of the scene or not. These results are consistent with the idea that properties that typically help determine the configuration of the scene, for example, position and presence, are better encoded in scene representations than are surface properties such as colour.
CONTRIBUTION OF AMBIENT INTELLIGENCE TO THE SUBJECTIVE WELLBEING : AN OVERVIEW OF THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

There is and has been a great deal of research in the field of Ambient Intelligence. However, not many have been conducted in which Ambient Intelligence is described from the viewpoint of construction; thus little is known about the contribution of Ambient Intelligence in regards to the influence on the resident’s subjective well-being through the design of the living environment. Based upon a literature review, this paper gives an overview of the advantages and disadvantages of the applications of Ambient Intelligence in the built environment in relation to the occupant’s subjective well-being, viewed from the health point of being built into the environment. Through this research, the contributions of Ambient Intelligence to the subjective well-being of the residents are determined; thus contributing to the debate about the validity of its applications in Intelligent Homes.
Hippocampal gene expression in a rat model of depression after electroacupuncture at the Baihui and Yintang acupoints

Preliminary basic research and clinical findings have demonstrated that electroacupuncture therapy exhibits positive effects in ameliorating depression. However, most studies of the underlying mechanism are at the single gene level; there are few reports regarding the mechanism at the whole-genome level. Using a rat genomic gene-chip, we profiled hippocampal gene expression changes in rats after electroacupuncture therapy. Electroacupuncture therapy alleviated depression-related manifestations in the model rats. Using gene-chip analysis, we demonstrated that electroacupuncture at Baihui (DU20) and Yintang (EX-HN3) regulates the expression of 21 genes. Real-time PCR showed that the genes Vgf, Igf2, Tmp32, Loc500373, Hif1a, Folr1, Nmb, and Rtn were upregulated or downregulated in depression and that their expression tended to normalize after electroacupuncture therapy. These results indicate that electroacupuncture at Baihui and Yintang modulates depression by regulating the expression of particular genes.
MULTIRESOLUTION ANALYSES AND WAVELETS FOR DENSITY ESTIMATION

Abstract. We use the concept of multiresolution analysis and orthonormal basisof wavelet functions to construct an estimator for an unknown density in a givenSobolev’s space. We show consistency with the rate of convergence equal to theoptimal minimax rate of convergence. We also discuss some of the features of thisnew method of estimation on a numerical example. 1. IntroductionLet X 1 ,X 2 ,··· ,X n be independent identically distributed random variables, thecommon distribution having the density f with respect to the Lebesque measure ofIR d . Many methods for the estimation of the unknown density f have been proposedand used over the years. They include the kernel methods (Rozenblatt [14], Parzen[13]. Watson and Leabetter [22], the orthogonal series estimators used by Cencov [3],Kronmal and Tarter [10], Schwartz [16], Walter ([19],[20]), Walter and Blum [21], theinterpolation methods considered by Wahba ([17], [18]). We refer the reader to theextensive bibliographies of the textbooks [5] and [15] on density estimation.The kernel method of density estimation is presumably the most popular of all ofthem. Its local character is certainly its main attraction. The method of orthogonal
A semantic classification approach for online product reviews

With the fast growth of e-commerce, product reviews on the Web have become an important information source for customers' decision making when they plan to buy products online. As the reviews are often too many for customers to go through, how to automatically classify them into different semantic orientations (i.e. recommend/not recommend) has become a research problem. Different from traditional approaches that treat a review as a whole, our approach performs semantic classifications at the sentence level by realizing reviews often contain mixed feelings or opinions. In this approach, a typical feature selection method based on sentence tagging is employed and a naive Bayes classifier is used to create a base classification model, which is then combined with certain heuristic rules for review sentence classification. Experiments show that this approach achieves better results than using general naive Bayes classifiers.
Micropuncture Measurement of Lung Microvascular Pressure Profile during Hypoxia in Cats

To determine the lung microvascular pressure profile during hypoxia, we micro-punctured the subpleural microtirculation of isolated perfused cat lungs. Our procedures involvedexsanguinating a cat, then cannulating its pulmonary artery, left atrium, and trachea. Using thecat's own blood, we perfused the lungs at pulmonary artery and left atrial pressures of 18 and 9cm water, respectively, to obtain lung blood flow of 81 ± 29 ml/(kg body weight ± min), whichwe held constant throughout the experiment. We stabilized the lung surface with a vacuum ringand micropunctured 30- to 50-μm arterioles and venules to measure microvascular pressure bythe servo-null method. During micropuncture, we held the lungs at constant inflation usingairway pressure of 8 cm water. We varied the oxygen concentration of the inflation gas from 30%during baseline to 2% during hypoxia. We studied groups with high (±7.5) or normal pH. Duringnormoxia, 27, 44, and 29% of the pressure drop occurred in the arterial, capillary and venoussegments, respectively. During hypoxia, the increase in pulmonary vascular resistance, which wasmarked in both groups, was significantly greater in the normal pH group. All segmental pressuredrops increased significantly during hypoxia. However, the predominant increase occurred in thearteries where segmental pressure drop increased by 148% and 210%, respectively, in the highand normal pH groups. We conclude that the major site of hypoxic vasoconstriction is in thepulmonary arteries.
Bounded Labeling Function for Global Segmentation of Multi-part Objects with Geometric Constraints

The inclusion of shape and appearance priors have proven useful for obtaining more accurate and plausible segmentations, especially for complex objects with multiple parts. In this paper, we augment the popular Mum ford-Shah model to incorporate two important geometrical constraints, termed containment and detachment, between different regions with a specified minimum distance between their boundaries. Our method is able to handle multiple instances of multi-part objects defined by these geometrical constraints using a single labeling function while maintaining global optimality. We demonstrate the utility and advantages of these two constraints and show that the proposed convex continuous method is superior to other state-of-the-art methods, including its discrete counterpart, in terms of memory usage, and metrication errors.
Role of multifunctional autonomously replicating sequence binding factor 1 in the initiation of DNA replication and transcriptional control in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Autonomously replicating sequence (ARS) binding factor 1 (ABF1) is an abundant DNA-binding protein that specifically recognizes the motif RTCRYN5ACG at many sites in the yeast genome, including promoter elements, mating-type silencers, and ARSs. Mutational analysis of these sites suggests that ABF1 is involved in constitutive and carbon source-regulated transcriptional activation, transcriptional silencing, and ARS activity. To better assess the role of ABF1 in DNA replication and transcriptional control, temperature-sensitive lethal mutations in the ABF1 gene were isolated. Several of the abf1(Ts) strains show rapid growth arrest at the nonpermissive temperature. At the semipermissive temperature, these strains show an ARS-specific defect in the mitotic stability of ARS-CEN plasmids, such that the abf1 mutants show defects in ARS function identical to those of mutants bearing the mutations in the cis-acting ABF1 binding sites analyzed previously by numerous investigators. Flow cytometric analysis and in vivo DNA labeling experiments on an alpha-factor synchronized abf1(Ts) strain showed that at the nonpermissive temperature, these cells fail to progress efficiently from G1 through S phase and synthesize DNA at 25% of the level seen in the isogenic ABF1 strain. RNA synthesis is also reduced in the abf1(Ts) strains. In addition, transcriptional activation by an ABF1 binding site upstream activation sequence is completely defective in an abf1(Ts) strain at the semipermissive temperature. These phenotypes provide evidence that the same protein, ABF1, functions in the initiation of DNA replication and transcriptional activation.
Hierarchies in Action and Motor Control

In analyses of the motor system, two hierarchies are often posited: The first—the action hierarchy—is a decomposition of an action into subactions and sub-subactions. The second—the control hierarchy—is a postulated hierarchy in the neural control processes that are supposed to bring about the action. A general assumption in cognitive neuroscience is that these two hierarchies are internally consistent and provide complementary descriptions of neuronal control processes. In this article, we suggest that neither offers a complete explanation and that they cannot be reconciled in a logical or conceptually coherent way. Furthermore, neither pays proper attention to the dynamics and temporal aspects of neural control processes. We will explore an alternative hierarchical organization in which causality is inherent in the dynamics over time. Specifically, high levels of the hierarchy encode more stable (goal-related) representations, whereas lower levels represent more transient (actions and motor acts) kinematics. If employed properly, a hierarchy based on this latter principle of temporal extension is not subject to the problems that plague the traditional accounts.
General practitioners’ adherence to guidelines on management of dyslipidaemia: ADDITION-Denmark

Abstract Objective. To describe the management of dyslipidaemia in patients with high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and patients with a history of CVD identified by screening for diabetes in general practice in Denmark, concentrating on prescription of lipid-lowering drugs. Moreover, to analyse predicting factors for starting lipid-lowering drugs related to patient and general practice characteristics. Design. Population-based cross-sectional study with follow-up. Setting. A total of 139 general practices from three of five Danish regions, totalling 216 GPs. Subjects. The study population comprised 4986 patients with a high risk of CVD and dyslipidaemia and 764 patients with a history of CVD and dyslipidaemia out of a population of 16 572 patients who completed screening for diabetes but were cleared for diabetes in the ADDITION study. Results. Of patients with a high risk of CVD and dyslipidaemia not receiving lipid-lowering drugs at the time of screening (n = 4823), 20% started lipid-lowering therapy within the follow-up period (median 2.1 years). This percentage was 45% (n = 536) for patients with CVD and dyslipidaemia (median follow-up period 1.6 years). Age over 50, high cholesterol, impaired fasting glucose and/or impaired glucose tolerance, minor polypharmacy, use of heart/circulation drugs, and cholesterol measurements after screening predicted the prescription of lipid-lowering drugs for patients at high risk of CVD. For patients with CVD, male gender, high cholesterol and use of heart/circulation drugs predicted the prescription of lipid-lowering drugs. No general practice characteristics were associated with different prescription habits. Conclusion. There is a gap between the recommended lipid-lowering drug therapy and current practice, with a substantial under-treatment and a considerable delay in the first prescription of lipid-lowering drugs.
Symphony: Distributed Hashing in a Small World

We present Symphony, a novel protocol for maintaining distributed hash tables in a wide area network. The key idea is to arrange all participants along a ring and equip them with long distance contacts drawn from a family of harmonic distributions. Through simulation, we demonstrate that our construction is scalable, flexible, stable in the presence of frequent updates and offers small average latency with only a handful of long distance links per node. The cost of updates when hosts join and leave is small.
Alveolar Ridge Preservation Using Xenogeneic Collagen Matrix and Bone Allograft

Alveolar ridge preservation (ARP) has been shown to prevent postextraction bone loss. The aim of this report is to highlight the clinical, radiographic, and histological outcomes following use of a bilayer xenogeneic collagen matrix (XCM) in combination with freeze-dried bone allograft (FDBA) for ARP. Nine patients were treated after extraction of 18 teeth. Following minimal flap elevation and atraumatic extraction, sockets were filled with FDBA. The XCM was adapted to cover the defect and 2-3 mm of adjacent bone and flaps were repositioned. Healing was uneventful in all cases, the XCM remained in place, and any matrix exposure was devoid of further complications. Exposed matrix portions were slowly vascularized and replaced by mature keratinized tissue within 2-3 months. Radiographic and clinical assessment indicated adequate volume of bone for implant placement, with all planned implants placed in acceptable positions. When fixed partial dentures were placed, restorations fulfilled aesthetic demands without requiring further augmentation procedures. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis from 9 sites (4 patients) indicated normal mucosa with complete incorporation of the matrix and absence of inflammatory response. The XCM + FDBA combination resulted in minimal complications and desirable soft and hard tissue therapeutic outcomes, suggesting the feasibility of this approach for ARP.