Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Desmoglein 3, via an Interaction with E-cadherin, Is Associated with Activation of Src

Background Desmoglein 3 (Dsg3), a desmosomal adhesion protein, is expressed in basal and immediate suprabasal layers of skin and across the entire stratified squamous epithelium of oral mucosa. However, increasing evidence suggests that the role of Dsg3 may involve more than just cell-cell adhesion. Methodology/Principal Findings To determine possible additional roles of Dsg3 during epithelial cell adhesion we used overexpression of full-length human Dsg3 cDNA, and RNAi-mediated knockdown of this molecule in various epithelial cell types. Overexpression of Dsg3 resulted in a reduced level of E-cadherin but a colocalisation with the E-cadherin-catenin complex of the adherens junctions. Concomitantly these transfected cells exhibited marked migratory capacity and the formation of filopodial protrusions. These latter events are consistent with Src activation and, indeed, Src-specific inhibition reversed these phenotypes. Moreover Dsg3 knockdown, which also reversed the decreased level of E-cadherin, partially blocked Src phosphorylation. Conclusions/Significance Our data are consistent with the possibility that Dsg3, as an up-stream regulator of Src activity, helps regulate adherens junction formation.
Geometric Controllability and Stabilization of Spherical Robot Dynamics

Geometric control of a spherical robot rolling on a horizontal plane with three independent inertia disc actuators is considered in this note. The dynamic model of the spherical robot in the geometric framework is used to establish the strong accessibility and small-time local controllability properties. Smooth stabilizability to an equilibrium fails for the nonholonomic spherical robot. A novel contribution of this note is a smooth, asymptotically stabilizing geometric control law for position and reduced attitude, which corresponds to an equilibrium submanifold of dimension one. From Brockett's condition, this is the best possible dimension of a smoothly stabilized equilibrium submanifold. We also present a novel smooth global tracking controller for tracking position trajectories.
Team-Based Learning to Improve Learning Outcomes in a Therapeutics Course Sequence

Objective. To compare the effectiveness of team-based learning (TBL) to that of traditional lectures on learning outcomes in a therapeutics course sequence. Design. A revised TBL curriculum was implemented in a therapeutic course sequence. Multiple choice and essay questions identical to those used to test third-year students (P3) taught using a traditional lecture format were administered to the second-year pharmacy students (P2) taught using the new TBL format. Assessment. One hundred thirty-one multiple-choice questions were evaluated; 79 tested recall of knowledge and 52 tested higher level, application of knowledge. For the recall questions, students taught through traditional lectures scored significantly higher compared to the TBL students (88%±12% vs 82%±16%, p=0.01). For the questions assessing application of knowledge, no differences were seen between teaching pedagogies (81%±16% vs 77%±20%, p=0.24). Scores on essay questions and the number of students who achieved 100% were also similar between groups. Conclusion. Transition to a TBL format from a traditional lecture-based pedagogy allowed P2 students to perform at a similar level as students with an additional year of pharmacy education on application of knowledge type questions. However, P3 students outperformed P2 students regarding recall type questions and overall. Further assessment of long-term learning outcomes is needed to determine if TBL produces more persistent learning and improved application in clinical settings.
Correlative vs. Causative Relationship between Neonatal Cranial Head Shape Anomalies and Early Developmental Delays

Deformational plagiocephaly and craniosynostosis are two of the most common neonatal cranial head shape anomalies. Traditionally, both entities were thought to cause aesthetic concerns solely. Recently, many groups have demonstrated that both conditions are strongly associated with developmental delays. The relationship between the abnormal neonatal cranial shape and early developmental delays manifested in both conditions remains poorly understood.
Assessment of Existential Meaning and its Longitudinal Relations with Depressive Symptoms

The perception of meaning in life, or existential meaning, is an individual differences variable requiring improved construct specification and longitudinal analysis. The authors conceptualize of existential meaning as consisting of personal, spiritual, and implicit sub–constructs, respectively, experiencing one's life as having purpose and coherence, experiencing a transcendent presence in which one participates, and manifesting normatively valued attitudes/behavior. Latent cross–lagged panel analysis modeling meaning's longitudinal relations with depressive symptoms in a sample of 395 undergraduates indicated that baseline levels of meaning predicted changes in depressive symptoms over a two–month duration. Additionally, women were found to score higher than men on two of three measures of meaning. Study results have ramifications for how we conceive of and measure existential meaning, as well as how we conceptualize and address psychological distress. The authors conclude with a discussion of social fa.
Evaluation of SHARP signal system for enzymatic detection of amplified hepatitis B virus DNA

The sensitivity, specificity, reproducibility, detection level, and quantification potential of the SHARP Signal System for enzymatic detection of amplified hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA in clinical samples were evaluated by testing 104 samples in parallel in a SHARP PCR, an in-house HBV PCR, and a dot blot hybridization assay for semiquantification. SHARP PCR showed a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 92.3% (resolved, 100%), a reproducibility of 92.3% (all discrepant serum samples involved very low levels of HBV DNA), and a detection level of at least 3.5 pg/ml. Clinically relevant quantification of the amplified products was not feasible.
On the definition and interpretation of voice selective activation in the temporal cortex

Regions along the superior temporal sulci and in the anterior temporal lobes have been found to be involved in voice processing. It has even been argued that parts of the temporal cortices serve as voice-selective areas. Yet, evidence for voice-selective activation in the strict sense is still missing. The current fMRI study aimed at assessing the degree of voice-specific processing in different parts of the superior and middle temporal cortices. To this end, voices of famous persons were contrasted with widely different categories, which were sounds of animals and musical instruments. The argumentation was that only brain regions with statistically proven absence of activation by the control stimuli may be considered as candidates for voice-selective areas. Neural activity was found to be stronger in response to human voices in all analyzed parts of the temporal lobes except for the middle and posterior STG. More importantly, the activation differences between voices and the other environmental sounds increased continuously from the mid-posterior STG to the anterior MTG. Here, only voices but not the control stimuli excited an increase of the BOLD response above a resting baseline level. The findings are discussed with reference to the function of the anterior temporal lobes in person recognition and the general question on how to define selectivity of brain regions for a specific class of stimuli or tasks. In addition, our results corroborate recent assumptions about the hierarchical organization of auditory processing building on a processing stream from the primary auditory cortices to anterior portions of the temporal lobes.
Uncharged S4 Residues and Cooperativity in Voltage-dependent Potassium Channel Activation

Substitution of the S4 of Shaw into Shaker alters cooperativity in channel activation by slowing a cooperative transition late in the activation pathway. To determine the amino acids responsible for the functional changes in Shaw S4, we created several mutants by substituting amino acids from Shaw S4 into Shaker. The S4 amino acid sequences of Shaker and Shaw S4 differ at 11 positions. Simultaneous substitution of just three noncharged residues from Shaw S4 into Shaker (V369I, I372L, S376T; ILT) reproduces the kinetic and voltage-dependent properties of Shaw S4 channel activation. These substitutions cause very small changes in the structural and chemical properties of the amino acid side chains. In contrast, substituting the positively charged basic residues in the S4 of Shaker with neutral or negative residues from the S4 of Shaw S4 does not reproduce the shallow voltage dependence or other properties of Shaw S4 opening. Macroscopic ionic currents for ILT could be fit by modifying a single set of transitions in a model for Shaker channel gating (Zagotta, W.N., T. Hoshi, and R.W. Aldrich. 1994. J. Gen. Physiol. 103:321–362). Changing the rate and voltage dependence of a final cooperative step in activation successfully reproduces the kinetic, steady state, and voltage-dependent properties of ILT ionic currents. Consistent with the model, ILT gating currents activate at negative voltages where the channel does not open and, at more positive voltages, they precede the ionic currents, confirming the existence of voltage-dependent transitions between closed states in the activation pathway. Of the three substitutions in ILT, the I372L substitution is primarily responsible for the changes in cooperativity and voltage dependence. These results suggest that noncharged residues in the S4 play a crucial role in Shaker potassium channel gating and that small steric changes in these residues can lead to large changes in cooperativity within the channel protein.
Reaching for the Unreachable: Identifying Factors Predicting Early School Leaving and Non-Completion in Norwegian Upper Secondary Education

This contribution asks which factors predict early school leaving, non-completion, and completion in upper secondary education in Norway? The data comprises survey and public register data for 9,749 students. The analyses identified three major groups of variables predicting early school leaving, non-completion, and completion: social background, earlier school performance, and academic and social identification, and engagement with the school and its content. The far most predictive variable was earlier school performance, as measured by grades from last year of compulsory education. On this basis the study suggests that measures to prevent early school leaving and non-completion must build upon the fact that the students enter upper secondary education with very different prerequisites to master the demands that meet them.
A Theory OF Intraunit Justice Climate and Team Effectiveness

This dissertation evaluates a model linking intraunit justice climate to outcome variables (team performance, unit-level citizenship behavior, and satisfaction with teammates) through the mediating role of teamwork quality. Intraunit justice climate (IJC) is defined as the shared perception that team members treat each other fairly. IJC includes three dimensions: distributive, procedural, and interactional justice. Distributive IJC refers to the extent to which team members receive what they deserve based on their contribution. Procedural IJC refers to the extent to which team members use fair procedures in the decision making process in the team. Interactional IJC refers to the extent to which team members treat each other fairly interpersonally. In this dissertation, I argue that a high level of IJC may influence the pattern and quality of interaction among team members (teamwork quality), which in turn may influence team outcomes. This model was tested in a longitudinal study using 164 undergraduate project teams (N = 570). Participants responded to three surveys (each separated by four weeks) which assessed IJC (Time I), teamwork quality (Time II), unit-level citizenship behavior, and satisfaction with teammates (Time III). I also obtained team project grades as an indicator of team performance. Results of the study indicate that teamwork quality mediated the relationship between two dimensions of intraunit justice climate: distributive and procedural IJC, and indicators of team effectiveness: unit-level citizenship behavior and satisfaction with teammates. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings and directions for future research are discussed.
The Global Politics of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Science: Regenerative Medicine in Transition

List of tables -- Acknowledgements -- Series editors' preface -- Introduction: stem cell research and global biopolitics -- 1. Globalization, stem cell markets and national interests -- 2. Embryos, oocytes, cell lines: HESC Science and the human tissue market -- 3. Global regulation and local policy narratives: making sense of Dolly -- 4. From Dolly to therapies? Stem cell regulations in the making I the United Kingdom and the United States -- 5. From Dolly to therapies? Stem cell regulations in the making II Germany, Italy, Japan and South Korea -- 6. Bioethics and the global moral economy of HESC science -- 7. HESC science and the cultural politics of the EU's framework programmes -- 8. Contested governance: uncertainty and standardization in research and patenting -- Conclusions: towards the global politics of stem cell research -- Notes -- References -- Index
SIMULATION AND LEARNING DYNAMICS IN BUSINESS GAMES

Purpose: This paper studies the influence of simulation dynamics in the learning of business games participants. Originality/gap/relevance/implications: Although many studies suggest the influence of factors linked simulation dynamics in the learning of participants of business games, it is unusual to investigate partial and simultaneous influence. Within lots of studies, the purpose is to evaluate the influence of one antecedent factor on learning of participants in business games. To explore possible inter-relationships between independent variables and effects of interaction expands the scope of analysis. Key methodological aspects: It was examined the statements of 90 undergraduate management students of four institutions of higher education in Brazil, by analysis through multiple linear regression model in six variables linked simulation dynamics (professor, manual, team, complexity, debriefing and duration). Summary of key results: Two variables composed the multiple linear regression model (debriefing and duration). These variables obtained a degree of association of 59% with the quantum of learning perceived by the participants of business games and explained 32% of its variation. Key considerations/conclusions: The findings of this study may contribute to elaborate lesson plans with business games describing the influence of factors linked simulation dynamics, many of them under the professor control.
Running head : GRAPHS AND CONFLICTING SCIENCE-RELATED TEXTS 1 Running Head : GRAPHS AND CONFLICTING SCIENCE-RELATED TEXTS Comprehending conflicting science-related texts

When reading conflicting science-related texts, rea ders may attend to cues which allow them to assess plausibility. One such plausibility cue is t he use of graphs in the texts, which are regarded as typical of ‘hard science’. The goal of our study was to investigate the effects of the presence of graphs on the perceived plausibility and situation model strength for conflicting science-related texts, while including the influence of readers’ do main knowledge and their knowledge about scientific visualization conventions as potential m oderators of these effects. In an experiment mimicking web-based informal learning, 77 universit y udents read texts on controversial scientific issues which were presented with either graphs or tables. Perceived plausibility and situation model strength for each text were assesse d immediately after reading; reader variables were assessed several weeks prior to the experiment proper. The results suggest that graphs can indeed serve as plausibility cues and thus boost si tuation model strength for texts which contain them. This effect was mediated by the perceived pla usibility of the information in the texts with graphs. However, whether readers use graphs as plau ibi ity cues in texts with conflicting information seems to depend also on their amount of experience with scientific texts and graphs.
Effects of lips and hands on auditory learning of second-language speech sounds.

PURPOSE Previous research has found that auditory training helps native English speakers to perceive phonemic vowel length contrasts in Japanese, but their performance did not reach native levels after training. Given that multimodal information, such as lip movement and hand gesture, influences many aspects of native language processing, the authors examined whether multimodal input helps to improve native English speakers' ability to perceive Japanese vowel length contrasts. METHOD Sixty native English speakers participated in 1 of 4 types of training: (a) audio-only; (b) audio-mouth; (c) audio-hands; and (d) audio-mouth-hands. Before and after training, participants were given phoneme perception tests that measured their ability to identify short and long vowels in Japanese (e.g., /kato/ vs. /kato/). RESULTS Although all 4 groups improved from pre- to posttest (replicating previous research), the participants in the audio-mouth condition improved more than those in the audio-only condition, whereas the 2 conditions involving hand gestures did not. CONCLUSIONS Seeing lip movements during training significantly helps learners to perceive difficult second-language phonemic contrasts, but seeing hand gestures does not. The authors discuss possible benefits and limitations of using multimodal information in second-language phoneme learning.
Surgical treatment of common entrapment neuropathies in the upper limbs

Entrapment neuropathies of the upper extremity are common, debilitating conditions. Most patients with these neuropathies are readily diagnosed on purely clinical grounds and may be effectively managed with nonoperative measures. However, the broad differential diagnosis often necessitates electrodiagnostic testing and radiographic imaging to clarify the situation. This review focuses on three of the most common entrapment neuropathies in the upper limbs: carpal tunnel syndrome (median nerve entrapment at the wrist), cubital tunnel syndrome (ulnar nerve entrapment at the elbow), and radial tunnel syndrome (posterior interosseous nerve entrapment). Anatomical considerations, patient evaluation, indications for surgical intervention, options for surgical approaches, outcomes, and complications are discussed. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Muscle Nerve 23: 1160–1174, 2000
Glucokinase as pancreatic beta cell glucose sensor and diabetes gene.

Franz Matschinsky, * Yin Liang, * Prabakaran Kesavan, * Liqun Wang, * Philippe Froguel,t Gilberto Velho,t Daniel Cohen,t M. Alan Permutt,I Yukio Tanizawa,1 Thomas L. Jetton,11 Kevin Niswender,11 and Mark A. Magnuson,, *Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and the Diabetes Research Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104; tCentre d'Etude du Polymorphisme Humain, 75010 Paris, France; Metabolism Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110; and IlDepartment of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232
Peer to Peer File Download and Streaming

Peer-to-Peer file distribution is an attractive alternative to IP multicast for efficient dissemination of large files and media streams from one source to a large number of receivers. Typically, the file being distributed is divided into a number of blocks, which the source sends to different receivers. All the receivers serve both as a sender and as a receiver, and are organized into an overlay mesh. Several P2P file distribution systems have been developed and implemented that use this overlay mesh architecture to maximize the overall data transfer bandwidth. The most influential among them is BitTorrent because it is the first and also the most popular. So far no other peer-to-peer file distribution systems are able to outperform BitTorrent in any significant way. Although empirically BitTorrent seems to be both efficient and scalable, there has been very little research on the detailed dynamics of its built-in control mechanisms, and their effectiveness across a variety of network configurations and protocol parameters. Moreover, it is not known how much room is available for further performance optimization. In this study, we first propose a centrally scheduled file distribution (CSFD) protocol, which can provably minimize the total elapsed time of a one-sender-multiple-receiver file distribution task. Then we develop a discrete-event simulator for the BitTorrent protocol to study the performance impacts of its various design decisions and to compare it with CSFD. Finally, we analyze the suitability of BitTorrent in supporting media streaming applications and suggest necessary modifications.
Cognitive Psychology and Its Implications

A fully updated, systematic introduction to the theoretical and experimental foundations of higher mental processes. Avoiding technical jargon, John R. Anderson constructs a coherent picture of human cognition, relating neural functions to mental processes, perception to abstraction, representation to meaning, knowledge to skill, language to thought, and adult cognition to child development.
Gene Expression in Chondrocytes Assessed with Use of Microarrays

Background: Despite considerable limitations such as low sensitivity and insensitivity to alternative splicing, posttranscriptional regulation, and posttranslational modification, cDNA array technology provides a powerful tool with which to obtain an overview of gene expression patterns, hardly achievable with other techniques. This has been shown to be true for the analysis of known genes as well as the discovery of new genes of interest.Methods: Samples of normal and late-stage osteoarthritic cartilage of human knee joints were analyzed with use of the Human Cancer 1.2 cDNA-array and TaqMan analysis.Results: In spite of a large variability of expression levels among different patients, significant expression patterns for many known genes of interest such as cartilage matrix proteins (e.g., collagen types II, VI, and XI; aggrecan; decorin; biglycan) and matrix-degrading proteases were detected. Of the latter, MMP-3 appeared to be strongly expressed in normal and early degenerative cartilage and downregulated in the late disease stages. This indicates that, in the late stages of cartilage degeneration, other degradation pathways might be more important, for example, those involving enzymes such as MMP-2 and MMP-13, both of which were upregulated in late-stage disease.Conclusion: Most results have to be considered to be preliminary to a certain degree, as technical tools and interpretation approaches are still emerging and need more validation. Clearly, there is a major challenge to distill information and knowledge out of the obtained mass of data. However, these data will be one basis of a new world of biological understanding. These new insights will be network-based and no longer molecule-centered. Today, molecules have a biochemical and physiological context; tomorrow, biological networks will have molecules as constituents.