Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of the Galanin Receptor Antagonist M40 on Cardiac Function and Remodeling in Rats with Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND Sympathetic activation and parasympathetic withdrawal are important characteristics of heart failure. Recent studies demonstrate that galanin reduces the discharge of acetylcholine and inhibits vagal bradycardia by acting on galanin receptor type 1 (GalR1). We speculated that blocking GalR1 is beneficial for heart failure. METHODS Rats with heart failure were induced by myocardial infarction. The rats were injected intraperitoneally with galanin receptor antagonist M40 solution (30 nmol/kg) or saline for 4 weeks. Cardiac function was assessed by echocardiography and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in plasma. The ratio of heart weight to body weight (HW/BW), hematoxylin-eosin (HE), and Masson trichrome stain was used to evaluate cardiac remodeling. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6) in plasma, and sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum Ca(2+) -ATPase (SERCA2) in heart tissue were detected to confirm the mechanism of the cardioprotection effect. RESULTS Compared with rats injected with saline, M40 effectively improved cardiac function of contraction; decreased BNP, IL-6, and HW/BW (all P < 0.05); attenuated cardiac fibrosis; and upregulated SERCA2 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION M40 improves cardiac function and attenuates remodeling, suggesting that galanin receptor antagonist may be a potential therapeutic agent for HF.
Practice‐based research on the development of activating instruction and self‐directed student learning: Dutch writing instruction

A team of secondary school language teachers and a teacher trainer developed a new method for Dutch writing instruction. The principles underlying the method were derived from insights regarding activating instruction and self‐directed student learning. The development entailed two phases. In the first phase, the exploration of actual problems in classroom practice stood central. The second phase involved the development, testing, evaluation, and adjustment of new methods. The activities and outcomes for both phases are analysed and described in detail. Data were collected from both students and teachers for development and research purposes. The new method—which is characterized by student interaction, reflection, and rewriting of texts—was found to be effective.
Temperature‐dependent costs of parasitism and maintenance of polymorphism under genotype‐by‐environment interactions

The maintenance of genetic variation for infection‐related traits is often attributed to coevolution between hosts and parasites, but it can also be maintained by environmental variation if the relative fitness of different genotypes changes with environmental variation. To gain insight into how infection‐related traits are sensitive to environmental variation, we exposed a single host genotype of the freshwater crustacean Daphnia magna to four parasite isolates (which we assume to represent different genotypes) of its naturally co‐occurring parasite Pasteuria ramosa at 15, 20 and 25 °C. We found that the cost to the host of becoming infected varied with temperature, but the magnitude of this cost did not depend on the parasite isolate. Temperature influenced parasite fitness traits; we found parasite genotype‐by‐environment (G × E) interactions for parasite transmission stage production, suggesting the potential for temperature variation to maintain genetic variation in this trait. Finally, we tested for temperature‐dependent relationships between host and parasite fitness traits that form a key component of models of virulence evolution, and we found them to be stable across temperatures.
Differentiating psychosis and faith: the role of social norms and religious fundamentalism

Although delusion is a central characteristic of psychosis, problems with the DSM definition make identification difficult, especially when religious content is involved. This study, involving 255 participants, sought to (1) determine if untrained participants’ assessment of religious beliefs would be similar to that of trained clinicians in a previous study and (2) determine whether participants’ Religious Fundamentalism (RF) influenced assessment. Three sets of religious beliefs, with varying levels of conventionality, were assessed. Results indicate that untrained participants rated religious beliefs in much the same way as did clinicians in a previous study, suggesting that social norms play an important role in the assessment of religious ideation. It was also found that High RF participants rated beliefs similar to their own as less pathological than did Low RF participants. Furthermore, High RF participants did not lower pathology ratings for beliefs from the least conventional religion, even when identified as religious.
Assisting beginning teachers and school communities to grow through extended and collaborative mentoring experiences

Mentoring as a strategy to assist and retain beginning teachers in the profession has been perceived as the panacea for reducing attrition rates. Whilst this may be true in many cases, mentoring alone has been unable to stem the flow of resignations. In this essay on scholarship and teaching, the author explores surrounding mentoring programs. New ways of professional learning are suggested that encompass mentoring within a whole school approach, with a particular focus on the school as a collaborative community of learners.
Phorbol Esters Modulate Spontaneous and Ca2+-Evoked Transmitter Release via Acting on Both Munc13 and Protein Kinase C

Diacylglycerol (DAG) and phorbol esters strongly potentiate transmitter release at synapses by activating protein kinase C (PKC) and members of the Munc13 family of presynaptic vesicle priming proteins. This PKC/Munc13 pathway has emerged as a crucial regulator of release probability during various forms of activity-dependent enhancement of release. Here, we investigated the relative roles of PKC and Munc13-1 in the phorbol ester potentiation of evoked and spontaneous transmitter release at the calyx of Held synapse. The phorbol ester phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (1 μm) potentiated the frequency of miniature EPSCs, and the amplitudes of evoked EPSCs with a similar time course. Preincubating slices with the PKC blocker Ro31-82200 reduced the potentiation, mainly by affecting a late phase of the phorbol ester potentiation. The Ro31-8220-insensitive potentiation was most likely mediated by Munc13-1, because in organotypic slices of Munc13-1H567K knock-in mice, in which DAG binding to Munc13-1 is abolished, the potentiation of spontaneous release by phorbol ester was strongly suppressed. Using direct presynaptic depolarizations in paired recordings, we show that the phorbol ester potentiation does not go along with an increase in the number of readily releasable vesicles, despite an increase in the cumulative EPSC amplitude during 100 Hz stimulation trains. Our data indicate that activation of Munc13 and PKC both contribute to an enhancement of the fusion probability of readily releasable vesicles. Thus, docked and readily releasable vesicles are a substrate for modulation via intracellular second-messenger pathways that act via Munc13 and PKC.
A fuzzy multiobjective approach for network reconfiguration of distribution systems

This paper presents an algorithm for network reconfiguration based on the heuristic rules and fuzzy multiobjective approach. Multiple objectives are considered for load balancing among the feeders and also to minimize the real power loss, deviation of nodes voltage, and branch current constraint violation, while subject to a radial network structure in which all loads must be energized. These four objectives are modeled with fuzzy sets to evaluate their imprecise nature and one can provide his or her anticipated value of each objective. Heuristic rules are also incorporated in the algorithm for minimizing the number of tie-switch operations. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through an example.
MOOD SELECTION IN RELATIVE CLAUSES

There is presently a lively debate in second language (L2) acquisition research as to whether (adult) learners can acquire linguistic phenomena located at the interface between syntax and other modules, such as semantics, pragmatics, and lexical semantics, in contrast to phenomena that are purely syntactic in nature. For some researchers, the interface is precisely the place where fossilization occurs and the source of nonconvergence in L2 speakers. In this article we focus on the acquisition of the morphosyntax-semantics interface by examining the acquisition of mood in Spanish relative clauses by native speakers (NSs) of English. In particular, we focus on the contrast illustrated by Busco unas tijeras que corten “I am looking for scissors that cut-subj” versus Busco unas tijeras que cortan “I am looking for scissors that cut-ind. ” When the indicative is used, there is a specific pair of scissors that the speaker is looking for. With the subjunctive, any pair of scissors will do, as long as it satisfies the condition expressed by the relative clause; the determiner phrase is nonspecific. In other words, we are dealing not with ungrammaticality, as both moods are possible in these contexts, but rather with differences in interpretation. General results showed that the learners could appropriately select the expected mood. We also saw that performance was not uniform across the various conditions tested. However, variability is not solely a product of L2 acquisition; we show it can be found in NSs as well.
Congestion control in interconnected LANs

The reasons why congestion control is more difficult in interconnected local area networks (LANs) than in conventional packet nets are examined. The flow and congestion control mechanisms that can be used in an interconnected LAN environment are reviewed. The focus is on congestion control (that is, prevention of internal congestion); however some of the proposed schemes require the interaction of flow and congestion control. The schemes considered are dropping packets; input buffer limit, i.e. a limit on the number of input packets (i.e. packets from local hosts) that can be buffered in the packet switch; the use of choke packets, in which, whenever a bridge or router experiences congestion, it returns to the source a choke packet containing the header of the packet traveling in the congested direction and the source, on receiving the choke packet, declares the destination congested, and slows (or stops altogether, for a period of time) traffic to that destination; backpressure, which is the regulation of flow along a virtual connection; and congestion prevention, whereby a voice or video connection is accepted only if there is enough bandwidth (in a statistical sense) in the network to support it. <<ETX>>
The Acquisition of Motor Behavior in Vertebrates

Part 1 Reflex adaptation: learning and memory in the vestibuloocular reflex, Stephen G. Lisberger the evolution of hindbrain visual and vestibular innovations responsible for oculomotor function, Robert Baker and Edwin Gilland adaptation of automatic postural responses, Fay B. Horak. Part 2 Conditioned reflexes: the brain substrates of classical eyeblink conditioning in rabbits, Joseph E. Steinmetz learning and performance - a critical review of the role of the cerebellum in instrumental and classical conditioning, John A. Harvey and John P. Welsh hippocampal neuron changes during trace eyeblink conditioning in the rabbit, John F. Disterhoft et al the multiple-pathway model of circuits subserving the classical conditioning of withdrawal reflexes, Vlastislav Bracha and James R. Bloedel control of motor behaviour acquisition by cortical activity potentiated by decreases in a potassium A-current that increase neural excitability, Charles D. Woody. Part 3 Visually guided movement: a cerebellar role in acquisition of novel static and dynamic muscle activities in holding, pointing, throwing and reaching, W. Thomas Thach the cerebellum's role in voluntary motor learning - clinical, electrophysiological and imaging studies, Timothy J. Ebner et al evolution of neuronal activity during conditional motor learning, Steven P. Wise. Part 4 Complex movements and motor sequences: adaptation and skill learning - evidence for different neural substrates, Mark Hallett et al learning of sequential procedures in monkeys, Okihide Hikosaka et al the role of the cerebellum in the acquisition of complex volitional forelimb movements, James R. Bloedel et al sequential hand and finger movements - typing and piano playing, John F. Soechting et al. Part 5 Perspectives of motor learning: substrates and mechanisms for learning in motor cortex, John P. Donoghue et al neuronal mechanisms subserving the acquisition of new skilled movements in mammals, Hiroshi Asanuma motor learning - toward understanding acquired representations, George E. Stelmach learning internal models of the motor apparatus, Mitsuo Kawato.
The Impact of Academic Accommodations on Final Grades in a Postsecondary Setting

The purpose of this study was to determine whether postsecondary students with learning disabilities (LD) and/or Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) experienced a differential increase in end-of-term grades when they used academic accommodations required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), with verbal Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) scores serving as a baseline predictor. There is little empirical evidence to confirm or refute the effectiveness of accommodations for postsecondary students with LD and/or ADD, highlighting the need for more statistical and comparative studies to clarify if these students benefit from specific ADA-related academic accommodations. In this study, students with ADD and LD plus ADD experienced a significant boost in grades after using accommodations, though there were mixed results for students with LD.
Random Access Scheme for Sporadic Users in 5G

Machine-type communication (MTC) devices usually have low-data rate, and in some applications, latency is critical. In long-term evolution, establishing a connection requires a relatively complex handshaking procedure. Such an approach is suitable for a system serving only a few high-activity users, but it becomes cumbersome for MTC traffic, where large amounts of low-activity users intermittently transmit a small number of packets. We propose a random access channel (RACH)-based scheme for the future 5G system that allows MTC users to send small packets within the random access burst. Device activity detection, channel estimation, authentication, and data decoding are performed simultaneously from the same access burst. In addition to the inherent reduction in energy consumption, the scheme eliminates the signaling overhead and creates more resources for data transmission. We have constructed an analytical framework for the detection performance of a multiple-input–multiple-output receiver in a frequency-selective channel. This has been validated with simulations, and results show that a one-shot correlate-and-cancel algorithm is sufficient for activity detection and channel estimation when the base station either employs multiple receive antennas or schedules multiple resource blocks for MTC RACH.
High Level Synthesis using Learning Automata Genetic Algorithm

Abstract—High-level synthesis consists of many interdependent tasks such as scheduling, allocation and binding. All tasks in high-level synthesis are NP-complete and the design objectives are in conflict for nature, most of the already proposed approaches are not efficient in the exploration of the design space and not effective in the identification of different trade-offs. For these reasons, genetic algorithms can be considered as good candidates to tackle such difficult explorations. A new algorithm that named Learning Automata Genetic Algorithm (LAGA) is used in this paper to perform scheduling and allocation concurrently. This algorithm is based on the Genetic Algorithm, the difference is that the Learning Process is added to the Genetic Algorithm. This strategy can complete the scheduling and the allocation effectively in the high-level synthesis under certain time and resource constraints. This algorithm is implemented in C language and is tested finally on a number of DSP benchmarks, and the test results then are compared with those obtained from four other different techniques which are commonly used in high-level synthesis. The experimental results show that the high-level synthesis using the LAGA algorithm is very effective, especially under the area constraint.
How Neighborhood Disadvantage Reduces Birth Weight

In this analysis we connect structural neighborhood conditions to birth outcomes through their intermediate effects on mothers’ perceptions of neighborhood danger and their tendency to abuse substances during pregnancy. We hypothesize that neighborhood poverty and racial/ethnic concentration combine to produce environments that mothers perceive as unsafe, thereby increasing the likelihood of negative coping behaviors (substance abuse). We expect these behaviors, in turn, to produce lower birth weights. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a survey of a cohort of children born between 1998 and 2000 and their mothers in large cities in the United States, we find little evidence to suggest that neighborhood circumstances have strong, direct effects on birth weight. Living in a neighborhood with more foreigners had a positive effect on birth weight. To the extent that neighborhood conditions influence birth weight, the effect mainly occurs through an association with perceived neighborhood danger and subsequent negative coping behaviors. Poverty and racial/ethnic concentration increase a mother’s sense that her neighborhood is unsafe. The perception of an unsafe neighborhood, in turn, associates with a greater likelihood of smoking cigarettes and using illegal drugs, and these behaviors have strong and significant effects in reducing birth weight. However, demographic characteristics, rather than perceived danger or substance abuse, mediate the influence of neighborhood characteristics on birth weight.
Racism, Parent Support, and Math-Based Career Interests, Efficacy, and Outcome Expectations Among African American Adolescents

Using an extended model of social cognitive career theory, this study investigated ways in which African American middle school adolescents perceive racism and the associations among various aspects of perceptions of racism, other background factors, and math-based career interests, efficacy, and outcome expectations. Results indicated that African American adolescents clearly delineated among various types of interpersonal and institutional racism. Results also showed that various types of perceived racism were negatively associated with math efficacy and outcome expectations but positively associated with math and science interests. Greater interests in math were negatively related to poor academic performance, which in turn was negatively related to lack of peer support. Math outcome expectations was positively related to math efficacy and parent support. Adolescents who had lower academic performance also received greater parental support. The authors suggest that perceptions of racism be included as a factor in studies that examine the development of math/science interests among African American middle school adolescents.
ACL Lifetime Achievement Award: Influences and Inferences

I am deeply honored to receive the ACL’s Lifetime Achievement Award. I’m especially honored when I look back at the list of previous winners—Chuck Fillmore, Eugene Charniak, Eva Hajicova, Fred Jelinek, Martin Kay, Aravind Joshi, and the others— they’re all my heroes. I was of course delighted to learn of this award. The most we can hope for in life is to take part in the conversation, and an award like this means that you’ve taken part in the conversation. It seems to be a tradition to begin with a few formative anecdotes from childhood. For me, it all begins before I was born. My grandfather, a crusty old country lawyer in southern Indiana, told my father not to bother trying to go to law school. “You don’t know English grammar,” he said. “You’ll flunk out. ” My dad accepted the challenge, bought a book entitled English Grammar, by Smith, Magee, and Seward (1928), and mastered it. He went on to become a very successful lawyer. Fast-forward to when I was in junior high school. My dad was distressed that my English classes looked to him more like social studies, and barely touched on grammar. So he persuaded me—actually, he probably bribed me, but I can’t remember what with—to master that same book, English Grammar by Smith, Magee, and Seward. This was a concession, because I was a math nerd, reading only textbooks on trigonometry and calculus, as my way of avoiding the humiliation of playing baseball. But I read the book, and I was amazed. English grammar was just like math! It had the same sorts of rules, the same kinds of abstractions, the same types of puzzles. It was actually fun! In my junior or senior year of high school we had to take something called the Kuder Preference Test, which would help us decide what career to choose. I scored high in math and in language. So my high school counselor told me I should write math books. In fact, she got it exactly backwards. It wasn’t that I should do language about math. It was that I should do math about language. I’ve met any number of computational linguists with a similar story. They grew up not knowing whether they wanted to be a physicist or a poet. They just knew both sounded fascinating. Then they discovered our field. My last near miss happened the week I was drafted into the Army. They gave us a battery of aptitude tests to see what specialties we’d be best for. One of the tests was to see if we should be sent to the Monterey Language School. Looking back on it, I realize now it was testing how well you could understand formal language theory. They’d give
Empirical Bernstein Inequalities for U-Statistics

We present original empirical Bernstein inequalities for U-statistics with bounded symmetric kernels q. They are expressed with respect to empirical estimates of either the variance of q or the conditional variance that appears in the Bernstein-type inequality for U-statistics derived by Arcones [2]. Our result subsumes other existing empirical Bernstein inequalities, as it reduces to them when U-statistics of order 1 are considered. In addition, it is based on a rather direct argument using two applications of the same (non-empirical) Bernstein inequality for U-statistics. We discuss potential applications of our new inequalities, especially in the realm of learning ranking/scoring functions. In the process, we exhibit an efficient procedure to compute the variance estimates for the special case of bipartite ranking that rests on a sorting argument. We also argue that our results may provide test set bounds and particularly interesting empirical racing algorithms for the problem of online learning of scoring functions.
Identifying mechanisms of change in psychotherapy: Mediators of treatment outcome

We know that psychotherapy works, but the processes and mechanisms underlying therapeutic change are still largely unknown. The study of mediators and moderators of change in psychotherapy is one way to improve our understanding of mechanisms operating in psychotherapy. Consensus is slowly building on how to define both mediators and moderators of change, while there is still a controversy on strategic issues, e.g., criteria for demonstrating causality. The rationales for mediator research are discussed, as well as some of the major obstacles inherent in this research area. Finally, we present some strategic considerations for future research. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.