Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Radiocarbon dates, II.

The dating equipment in the Palaeoecology Laboratory has remained essentially as described in Belfast I (this volume). Rewiring of the counter has increased the detection efficiency slightly. Background count corrected to 1606 mb is now 11.0 counts/min and the net count rate for 95% of the NBS oxalic acid standard is 56.0 counts/min. All charcoal samples have been pretreated in accordance with the schedule given in Belfast I. All the dates in this list are from sites in Northern Ireland. Unless specifically stated the samples have been collected by the authors and other members of the laboratory: M. G. L. Baillie, P. Q. Dresser, Adelaide Goddard, and I. Goddard. Where a sample has been collected for a specific research project the collector's (s') initials are given. We are much indebted to Mrs. Marilyn Carse for technical assistance. Continued financial support from the Natural Environment Research Council is gratefully acknowledged. SAMPLE DESCRIPTIONS
Corticotropin-releasing hormone induces skin vascular permeability through a neurotensin-dependent process

Many skin disorders are associated with increased numbers of activated mast cells and are worsened by stress; however, the mechanism underlying these processes is not understood. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is secreted under stress from the hypothalamus, but also in the skin, where it induces mast cell activation and vascular permeability. We investigated the effect of CRH in a number of animal models by using i.v. Evans blue extravasation as a marker of vascular permeability. Intradermal CRH is among the most potent peptides at 100 nM, its effect being nearly comparable to that of neurotensin (NT). Pretreatment of skin injection sites with the NT receptor antagonist SR48692 blocks CRH-induced vascular permeability, which is diminished in NT−/− mice, implying that NT is necessary for the effect of CRH. CRH and NT precursor mRNA are shown to be expressed in both dorsal root ganglia and skin, whereas the latter also expresses mRNA for prohormone convertase 5, an enzyme that cleaves pro-NT into its active form. We also show that the effect of both CRH and NT is absent in W/Wv mast cell-deficient mice; however, only a fraction of skin mast cells express CRH receptors, as shown by FACS analysis of CRH receptor (CRHR) and c-kit double-positive disaggregated mouse skin mast cells. These findings suggest that CRH induces skin vascular permeability through NT acting on mast cells and that both peptides should be considered in the pathogenesis of skin disorders exacerbated by stress.
Coping with Unfavorable Attribute Values in Choice.

This paper examines how decision makers cope when faced with trade-offs between a higher quality alternative and a lower price alternative in situations where both alternatives involve relatively unfavorable versus relatively favorable values for quality. We hypothesize that choices between alternatives defined by unfavorable quality values will generate negative emotion, resulting in emotion-focused coping behavior. Choosing the higher quality alternative (i.e., maximizing the quality attribute in choice) appears to function as a coping mechanism in these situations. These apparently coping-motivated choice effects are found even after methods are implemented to control for more cognitive factors associated with manipulations of quality-attribute value, such as the possibility that unfavorable attribute values are associated with increased attribute ranges and therefore increased relative importance for quality. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.
A Longitudinal Analysis of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Hong Kong Teaching Hospital

Abstract Objectives: To review the incidence and trends of MRSA during a 12-year (1989-2000) period at a university teaching hospital and the relationship between strain distribution by antibiogram and molecular typing. Design: Retrospective review of laboratory-based surveillance records on MRSA isolation and characterization of strains by antimicrobial susceptibility and PFGE. A patient episode was counted at the time when MRSA was first isolated. Setting: A 1,350-bed university teaching hospital in Hong Kong. Patients: Those with clinical isolates of MRSA. Results: During 1989 to 2000, the hospital recorded 1,203,175 deaths and discharges (D&D) and encountered 5,707 patient episodes of new MRSA isolation. The overall incidence of patient episodes of MRSA was 0.47/100 D&D. In 1989, the incidence was 0.81/100 D&D and fell to a low of 0.33/100 D&D in 1995, but then rose to 0.50/100 D&D in 2000. Antibiogram and DNA typing identified 5 major types. PFGE type A constituted 68% (211/312) of isolates and was present throughout the 12-year period. PFGE type B constituted 13% (40/312) of isolates and was only present from 1995 to 2000. These isolates form a distinct clone and had unique antibiotic resistance profiles. Conclusions: The study showed the establishment of a dominant MRSA clone (PFGE type A group) in the intensive care, medical, and surgical units and the appearance of a new MRSA strain in 1995 (PFGE type B), which partly explained the rise in incidence of MRSA cases and a disproportionate rise in MRSA bacteremia from 1995 to 2000.
Prognostic significance of angiogenesis and angiogenic growth factors in nonsmall cell lung cancer

Currently, nonsmall‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the leading cause of cancer‐related death in the United States. Angiogenesis, the formation of new vasculature, is a complex and tightly regulated process that promotes metastasis and disease progression in lung cancer and other malignancies. Developmental antiangiogenic agents have shown activity in NSCLC, and bevacizumab, an antiangiogenic monoclonal antibody, is approved for the treatment of patients with advanced disease. However, predictive biomarkers are needed to guide the administration of antiangiogenic agents. It is possible that angiogenic molecules could accurately predict patient response to targeted antiangiogenic therapies, which would allow individualized and perhaps more effective treatment. Angiogenic signaling molecules may also have value as prognostic indicators, which may be useful for the management of NSCLC. Here the author provides an overview of angiogenic molecules currently being investigated as prognostic biomarkers in NSCLC and discusses their potential to guide treatment choices. Cancer 2011;. © 2011 American Cancer Society.
Japanese Discourse and the Process of Centering

This paper has three aims: (1) to generalize a compulational account of the discourse process called CENTERING, (2) to apply this account to discourse processing in Japanese so that it can be used in computational systems for machine translation or language understanding, and (3) to provide some insights on the effect of syntactic factors in Japanese on discourse interpretation. We argue that while discourse interpretation is an inferential process, syntactic cues constrain this process; we demonstrate this argument with respect to the interpretation of ZEROS, unexpressed arguments of the verb, in Japanese. The syntactic cues in Japanese discourse that we investigate are the morphological markers for grammatical TOPIC, the postposition wa, as well as those for grammatical functions such as SUBJECT, ga, OBJECT, o and OBJECT2, ni. In addition, we investigate the role of speaker's EMPATHY, which is the viewpoint from which an event is described. This is syntactically indicated through the use of verbal compounding, i.e. the auxiliary use of verbs such as kureta, kita. Our results are based on a survey of native speakers of their interpretation of short discourses, consisting of minimal pairs, varied by one of the above factors. We demonstrate that these syntactic cues do indeed affect the interpretation of ZEROS, but that having previously been the TOPIC and being realized as a ZERO also contributes to the salience of a discourse entity. We propose a discourse rule of ZERO TOPIC ASSIGNMENT, and show that CENTERING provides constraints on when a ZERO can be interpreted as the ZERO TOPIC.
Three Mechanisms by which Striatal Denervation Causes Breakdown of Dopamine Signaling

Progressive loss of nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) neurons is the neuropathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD). Symptoms of the disease can often be treated by DA D2 agonists and thus seem related to disinhibition of the indirect striatal pathway. However, there is no evidence that symptoms arise by low extracellular DA concentration or are associated with reduced D2 receptor binding. Here I provide a theoretical analysis of the pathophysiology and postsynaptic adaptation resulting from striatal DA denervation. I found that progressive denervation may alter DA signaling by three independent mechanisms depending on degree of denervation and macroscopic morphology of the lesion. As long as the remaining innervation stays anatomically coherent, denervation reduces phasic variations in extracellular DA, but the DA tone is not changed. The reduction of phasic signaling can be partially compensated by upregulating postsynaptic signaling cascades. However, changes in DA dynamics evade compensation. With 80–99% denervation, a persistent aberrant signal develops in D2-regulated pathways caused by random fluctuations in tonic DA release. Permanent low DA levels occur in regions completely void of innervation. Simulation of l-dopa therapy reduced the aberrant D2 signal. With a high degree of denervation, l-dopa enhanced another aberrant signal, this time in the D1 pathway. This analysis provides a quantitative, physiologically consistent view of the early and late stages of PD, the effect of main therapeutic medications, and potential side effects. The mechanisms described here may also provide an explanation to currently inexplicable pathological phenomena such as psycho stimulant-induced contraversive rotations in animal models.
Incidence of hypoglycemia with tight glycemic control protocols: a comparative study.

BACKGROUND Comparison of hypoglycemia incidence among tight glycemic control (TGC) protocols is a crucial aspect that has not been done in previous trials. This study compared the incidence of hypoglycemia using three TGC protocols in critically ill patients. METHODOLOGY This was a prospective study of 420 patients over 18 months. Patients were divided into three groups by TGC protocol: A (modified Leuven protocol), B (Georgia Hospital Association protocol, target blood glucose [BG] 80-110 mg/dL), and C (modified Georgia Hospital Association protocol, target BG 90-140 mg/dL). End points included differences in the incidence of first-degree hypoglycemia (BG <or= 60 mg/dL), second-degree hypoglycemia (BG <or= 40 mg/dL), and hyperglycemia (BG >or= 180 mg/dL). RESULTS A total of 34,497 BG samples were analyzed: group A, 11,202 (32.47%); group B, 9,627 (27.91%); and group C, 13,668 (39.62%). First-degree hypoglycemia was more frequent in group A (348 episodes [3.11%]) compared to group B (209 episodes [2.17%] [odds ratio (OR) 1.45, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-1.172, P = 0.001]) and group C (266 episodes [1.95%] [OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.37-1.89, P = 0.001]). Second-degree hypoglycemia was more frequent in group A (131 episodes [1.17%]) compared to group B (62 episodes [0.64%] [OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.22-1.72, P = 0.001]) and group C (58 episodes [0.42%] [OR 2.77, 95% CI 2.04-3.79, P = 0.001]). No significant difference was found when groups B and C were compared (P = 0.10 and P = 0.06, respectively). Hyperglycemia was significantly more common in group A (2,175 episodes [19.42%]) compared to group B (1,333 episodes [13.83%] [OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.39-1.62, P = 0.001], but there was no significant difference compared to group C (2,560 episodes [18.73%] [P = 0.17]). CONCLUSIONS TGC protocols vary in their risk of inducing hypoglycemia. Whether this translates into differences in clinical outcomes such as mortality and adverse effects is still to be determined by future studies.
Title: Correlations of three-dimensional motion of chromosomal loci in yeast revealed by the Double-Helix Point Spread Function microscope Authors:

Single-particle tracking has been applied to study chromatin motion in live cells, revealing a wealth of dynamical behavior of the genomic material once thought to be relatively static throughout most of the cell cycle. Here, we employed the dual-color 3D Double-Helix Point Spread Function (DH-PSF) microscope to study the correlations of movement between two fluorescently labeled gene loci on either the same or different budding yeast chromosomes. We performed fast (10 Hz) 3D tracking of the two copies of the GAL locus in diploid cells in both activating and repressive conditions. As controls we tracked pairs of loci along the same chromosome at various separations, as well as transcriptionally orthogonal genes on different chromosomes. We found that under repressive conditions the GAL loci exhibited significantly higher velocity cross-correlations than they did under activating conditions. This relative increase has potentially important biological implications, as it might suggest coupling via shared silencing factors or association with decoupled machinery upon activation. We also found that on the time scale studied (~0.1-30 s), the loci moved with significantly higher subdiffusive mean square displacement exponents than previously reported, which has implications for the application of polymer theory to chromatin motion in eukaryotes.
Cooperative Problem-Based Learning (CPBL): A Practical PBL Model for a Typical Course

Problem-Based Learning (PBL) is an inductive learning approach that uses a realistic problem as the starting point of learning. Unlike in medical education, which is more easily adaptable to PBL, implementing PBL in engineering courses in the traditional semester system set-up is challenging. While PBL is normally implemented in small groups of up to ten students with a dedicated tutor during PBL sessions in medical education, this is not plausible in engineering education because of the high enrolment and large class sizes. In a typical course, implementation of PBL consisting of students in small groups in medium to large classes is more practical. However, this type of implementation is more difficult to monitor, and thus requires good support and guidance in ensuring commitment and accountability of each student towards learning in his/her group. To provide the required support, Cooperative Learning (CL) is identified to have the much needed elements to develop the small student groups to functional learning teams. Combining both CL and PBL results in a Cooperative Problem-Based Learning (CPBL) model that provides a step by step guide for students to go through the PBL cycle in their teams, according to CL principles. Suitable for implementation in medium to large classes (approximately 40-60 students for one floating facilitator), with small groups consisting of 3-5 students, the CPBL model is designed to develop the students in the whole class into a learning community. This paper provides a detailed description of the CPBL model. A sample implementation in a third year Chemical Engineering course, Process Control and Dynamics, is also described.
Effects of an Invasive Plant, Chinese Tallow (Triadica sebifera), on Development and Survival of Anuran Larvae

Abstract Amphibians are considered one of the most threatened vertebrate groups. Although numerous studies have addressed the many causes of amphibian population decline, little is known about effects of invasive plants. Chinese tallow (Triadica sebifera) is an exotic deciduous tree that has invaded the southeastern United States. Amphibian larvae in environments invaded by T. sebifera may be impacted negatively as autumn leaf litter decomposes in natal areas. We compared effects of leaf litter decomposition from T. sebifera and two native tree species on survival and development of four species of anuran larvae from eastern Texas. Larvae from Pseudacris fouquettei, Lithobates (Rana) sphenocephalus, Hyla versicolor, and Incilius (Bufo) nebulifer were introduced into mesocosms containing leaf litter from one of the three tree species. Pseudacris fouquettei and L. sphenocephalus, species that breed earlier in the year, had lower survival within the T. sebifera pools. Pseudacris fouquettei were smaller in T. sebifera mesocosms compared with native tree mesocosms, whereas L. sphenocephalus were larger in T. sebifera mesocosms. Hyla versicolor showed significant developmental and morphological differences in T. sebifera mesocosms; however, survival was not significantly different among treatments. Leaf litter treatment did not affect survival or development in I. nebulifer. Our results suggest that breeding season may determine how each species survives and develops in an environment with T. sebifera leaf litter. Triadica sebifera leaf litter breaks down faster than native species; therefore, negative effects may be short lived but pose a greater threat to species that breed soon after leaffall.
Sideways walk test: Reliability and association with lower limb motor function after stroke.

OBJECTIVES To investigate (i) the intra-rater, inter-rater and test-retest reliability of sideways walk test times and counts in individuals with stroke; (ii) their correlations with stroke-specific measures of impairment; (iii) the cut-off sideways walk test times and counts between stroke survivors and healthy controls; and (iv) the minimum detectable changes in the sideways walk test times and counts. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING University-based rehabilitation centre. SUBJECTS Twenty-nine older adults with stroke and 32 healthy controls. METHODS The sideways walk test was conducted together with Fugl-Meyer motor assessments of the lower extremities, lower limb muscle strength tests, the Five-Times-Sit-To-Stand test, Berg Balance Scale, Timed Up-and-Go test, and Activity-based Confidence and Community Integration Measure questionnaires. RESULTS The sideways walk test times and counts demonstrated good to excellent intra-rater, inter-rater, and test-retest reliabilities. The sideways walk test times and counts were significantly correlated with motor control and ankle dorsiflexor and plantarflexor strength of the affected leg, balance performance and functional mobility. The cut-off sideways walk test time and count that best discriminated between individuals with stroke and controls were 10.74 s and 8.83 steps, respectively. The minimal detectable change in the sideways walk test time in that situation was 1.85 s, and the count minimum detectable change was 1.12 steps. CONCLUSION The sideways walk test is a reliable and easy-to-administer clinical test for assessing sideways walking ability of individuals with chronic stroke.
Nonlinear Electrodynamics and the Surface Redshift of Pulsars

It is currently argued that the best method of determining neutron star (NS) fundamental properties is by measuring the gravitational redshift z of spectral lines produced in the stellar photosphere. Measurement of z at the stellar surface provides a unique insight on the NS mass-to-radius relation and thus on its equation of state, which reflects the physics of the strong interaction between the particles making up the star. Evidence for such a measurement has been provided quite recently by Cottam, Paerels, & Mendez and also by Sanwal and coworkers. Here we argue that although the quoted observations are undisputed for canonical pulsars, they could be misidentified if the NS is endowed with a superstrong magnetic field (B) as are the so-called magnetars and strange quark magnetars, e.g., the spectral line discovered by Ibrahim and coworkers. The source of this new "confusion" redshift is related to nonlinear electrodynamics (NLED) effects.
Evaluating Native American Bird Use and Bird Assemblage Variability along the Oregon Coast

ABSTRACT Native American use of birds on the Oregon coast is not well known and has never been synthesized to present a regional understanding. We rectify this by analyzing data from 26 zooarchaeological assemblages, including three previously unpublished bird assemblages: Umpqua/Eden (35DO83), Whale Cove (35LNC60), and the Dunes Site (35CLT27). We employ a series of non-parametric randomization tests to directly evaluate patterns of taxonomic diversity, correlations with nearby breeding colonies, and broader procurement strategies discussed in ethnohistorical accounts. We compare the assemblages to contemporary surveys of naturally beached birds as observed by COASST (Coastal Observation Seabird Survey Team) and evaluate whether archaeological specimens were scavenged from the beach. While 71% of the identified bird remains belong to just three families (Anatidae, Alcidae, and Procellariidae), closer analysis reveals the incredible diversity of birds used by Oregon coast Native Americans. The assemblages vary considerably in terms of taxonomic diversity and composition, leading us to conclude that people used birds opportunistically, likely incorporating multiple strategies, including hunting, collecting beached carcasses and targeting cormorant colonies. We hope that the methods and approaches employed here will inspire other archaeologists to devote more attention to bird assemblages, and how their study can inform conservation efforts.
Differential roles of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and phosphorylation in moesin activation during Drosophila development

The ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM) proteins regulate cell membrane architecture in several cellular contexts. Current models propose that ERM activation requires a PtdIns(4,5)P2-induced conformational change, followed by phosphorylation of a conserved threonine. However, how these inputs contribute in vivo to orchestrate ERM activation is poorly understood. We addressed this issue by evaluating the contribution of PtdIns(4,5)P2 and phosphorylation to the regulation of moesin during Drosophila development. Unexpectedly, we found that a form of moesin that cannot be phosphorylated displayed significant activity and could substitute for the endogenous product during wing morphogenesis. By contrast, we also show that PtdIns(4,5)P2 binding is essential for moesin recruitment to the membrane and for its subsequent phosphorylation. Our data indicate that PtdIns(4,5)P2 acts as a dosing mechanism that locally regulates ERM membrane recruitment and activation, whereas cycles of phosphorylation and dephosphorylation further control their activity once they have reached the cell cortex.
Aggregation of antigen-specific T cells at the inoculation site of mature dendritic cells.

Cellular immune responses are initiated by direct interaction of naive T cells with professional antigen-presenting cells, i.e., dendritic cells. In general, this interaction takes place in secondary lymphoid organs to which both naive T cells and mature dendritic cells preferentially home. This physiologic scenario differs substantially, however, from therapeutic dendritic-cell-based vaccinations used to treat human cancer. In fact, only a small fraction of intradermally injected dendritic cells migrate to the draining lymph node and the majority of cells remain at the site of inoculation. These sites are characterized by a distinct oligoclonal T cell infiltrate comprising both L-Selectin+/CD45RA+ and L-Selectin+/CD45RA- cells. Blood vessels expressing peripheral lymph node addressin represent possible entry channels for such naive and central memory T cells, the former probably attracted by dendritic cell-CK1 produced by the injected dendritic cells. In situ staining with multimeric peptide/major histocompatibility complex class I complexes revealed that infiltrating T cells specifically recognize peptide epitopes presented by the injected dendritic cells. Thus, the fraction of dendritic cells not migrating to secondary lymphatic tissue after therapeutic inoculation nevertheless seem to be involved in a specific immune modulation.