Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Context-Sensitivity and Semantic Minimalism: New Essays on Semantics and Pragmatics

Introduction: Semantics and Pragmatics: Some Central Issues PART I: THE DEFENCE OF MODERATE CONTEXTUALISM 1. Content, Context and Composition 2. A Little Sensitivity goes a Long Way 3. Radical Minimalism, Moderate Contextualism 4. How and Why to Be a Moderate Contextualist 5. Moderately Insensitive Semantics 6. Sense and Insensitivity: Or where Minimalism meets Contextualism 7. Prudent Semantics Meets Wanton Speech Act Pluralism PART II: ON CRITIQUES OF SEMANTIC MINIMALISM 8. How Insensitive Can You Be? Meanings, Propositions, Context, and Semantical Underdeterminacy 9. Semantic Minimalism and Nonindexical Contextualism 10. Minimal (Disagreement about) Semantics 11. Minimal Propositions, Cognitive Safety Mechanisms, and Psychological Reality 12. Minimalism and Modularity 13. Minimalism, Psychological Reality, Meaning and Use PART II: BACK TO SEMANTIC MINIMALISM 14. Minimalism versus Contextualism in Semantics Index
Identification of Genes Underlying Hypoxia Tolerance in Drosophila by a P-element Screen

Hypoxia occurs in physiologic conditions (e.g. high altitude) or during pathologic states (e.g. ischemia). Our research is focused on understanding the molecular mechanisms that lead to adaptation and survival or injury to hypoxic stress using Drosophila as a model system. To identify genes involved in hypoxia tolerance, we screened the P-SUP P-element insertion lines available for all the chromosomes of Drosophila. We screened for the eclosion rates of embryos developing under 5% O2 condition and the number of adult flies surviving one week after eclosion in the same hypoxic environment. Out of 2187 lines (covering ∼1870 genes) screened, 44 P-element lines representing 44 individual genes had significantly higher eclosion rates (i.e. >70%) than those of the controls (i.e. ∼7–8%) under hypoxia. The molecular function of these candidate genes ranged from cell cycle regulation, DNA or protein binding, GTP binding activity, and transcriptional regulators. In addition, based on pathway analysis, we found these genes are involved in multiple pathways, such as Notch, Wnt, Jnk, and Hedgehog. Particularly, we found that 20 out of the 44 candidate genes are linked to Notch signaling pathway, strongly suggesting that this pathway is essential for hypoxia tolerance in flies. By employing the UAS/RNAi-Gal4 system, we discovered that genes such as osa (linked to Wnt and Notch pathways) and lqf (Notch regulator) play an important role in survival and development under hypoxia in Drosophila. Based on these results and our previous studies, we conclude that hypoxia tolerance is a polygenic trait including the Notch pathway.
Are MTHFR C677T and MTRR A66G Polymorphisms Associated with Overweight/Obesity Risk? From a Case-Control to a Meta-Analysis of 30,327 Subjects

Several studies have examined the associations of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and methionine synthase reductase (MTRR) A66G polymorphisms with being overweight/obesity. However, the results are still controversial. We therefore conducted a case-control study (517 cases and 741 controls) in a Chinese Han population and then performed a meta-analysis by combining previous studies (5431 cases and 24,896 controls). In our case-control study, the MTHFR C677T polymorphism was not significantly associated with being overweight/obesity when examining homozygous codominant, heterozygous codominant, dominant, recessive and allelic genetic models. The following meta-analysis confirmed our case-control results. Heterogeneity was minimal in the overall analysis, and sensitivity analyses and publication bias tests indicated that the meta-analytic results were reliable. Similarly, both the case-control study and meta-analysis found no significant association between the MTRR A66G polymorphism and being overweight/obesity. However, sensitivity analyses showed that the associations between the MTRR A66G polymorphism and being overweight/obesity became significant in the dominant, heterozygous codominant and allelic models after excluding our case-control study. The results from our case-control study and meta-analysis suggest that both of the two polymorphisms are not associated with being overweight/obesity. Further large-scale population-based studies, especially for the MTRR A66G polymorphism, are still needed to confirm or refute our findings.
Nitric Reductase-Dependent Nitric Oxide Production Is Involved in Cold Acclimation and Freezing Tolerance in Arabidopsis1[W][OA]

Nitric oxide (NO) is an important signaling molecule involved in many physiological processes in plants. We evaluated the role of NO in cold acclimation and freezing tolerance using Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) wild type and mutants nia1nia2 (for nitrate reductase [NR]-defective double mutant) and Atnoa1/rif1 (for nitric oxide associated1/resistant to inhibition by fosmidomycin1) that exhibit defects in NR and reduced NO production, respectively. Cold acclimation induced an increase in endogenous NO production in wild-type and Atnoa1/rif1 leaves, while endogenous NO level in nia1nia2 leaves was lower than in wild-type ones and was little changed during cold acclimation. Cold acclimation stimulated NR activity and induced up-regulation of NIA1 gene expression. In contrast, cold acclimation reduced the quantity of NOA1/RIF1 protein and inhibited NO synthase (NOS) activity. These results indicate that up-regulation of NR-dependent NO synthesis underpins cold acclimation-induced NO production. Seedlings of nia1nia2 were less tolerant to freezing than wild-type plants. Pharmacological studies using NR inhibitor, NO scavenger, and NO donor showed that NR-dependent NO level was positively correlated with freezing tolerance. Furthermore, cold acclimation up- and down-regulated expression of P5CS1 and ProDH genes, respectively, resulting in enhanced accumulation of proline (Pro) in wild-type plants. The stimulation of Pro accumulation by cold acclimation was reduced by NR inhibitor and NO scavenger, while Pro accumulation by cold acclimation was not affected by the NOS inhibitor. In contrast to wild-type plants, cold acclimation up-regulated ProDH gene expression in nia1nia2 plants, leading to less accumulation in nia1nia2 plants than in wild-type plants. These findings demonstrate that NR-dependent NO production plays an important role in cold acclimation-induced increase in freezing tolerance by modulating Pro accumulation in Arabidopsis.
A high‐throughput FTIR spectroscopy approach to assess adaptive variation in the chemical composition of pollen

Abstract The two factors defining male reproductive success in plants are pollen quantity and quality, but our knowledge about the importance of pollen quality is limited due to methodological constraints. Pollen quality in terms of chemical composition may be either genetically fixed for high performance independent of environmental conditions, or it may be plastic to maximize reproductive output under different environmental conditions. In this study, we validated a new approach for studying the role of chemical composition of pollen in adaptation to local climate. The approach is based on high‐throughput Fourier infrared (FTIR) characterization and biochemical interpretation of pollen chemical composition in response to environmental conditions. The study covered three grass species, Poa alpina, Anthoxanthum odoratum, and Festuca ovina. For each species, plants were grown from seeds of three populations with wide geographic and climate variation. Each individual plant was divided into four genetically identical clones which were grown in different controlled environments (high and low levels of temperature and nutrients). In total, 389 samples were measured using a high‐throughput FTIR spectrometer. The biochemical fingerprints of pollen were species and population specific, and plastic in response to different environmental conditions. The response was most pronounced for temperature, influencing the levels of proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates in pollen of all species. Furthermore, there is considerable variation in plasticity of the chemical composition of pollen among species and populations. The use of high‐throughput FTIR spectroscopy provides fast, cheap, and simple assessment of the chemical composition of pollen. In combination with controlled‐condition growth experiments and multivariate analyses, FTIR spectroscopy opens up for studies of the adaptive role of pollen that until now has been difficult with available methodology. The approach can easily be extended to other species and environmental conditions and has the potential to significantly increase our understanding of plant male function.
Opus: University of Bath Online Publication Store an Ant Colony Algorithm for the Multi-compartment Vehicle Routing Problem

This version is made available in accordance with publisher policies. Please cite only the published version using the reference above. Abstract We demonstrate the use of Ant Colony System (ACS) to solve the capacitated vehicle routing problem associated with collection of recycling waste from households, treated as nodes in a spatial network. For networks where the nodes are concentrated in separate clusters, the use of k-means clustering can greatly improve the efficiency of the solution. The ACS algorithm is extended to model the use of multi-compartment vehicles with kerbside sorting of waste into separate compartments for glass, paper, etc. The algorithm produces high-quality solutions for two-compartment test problems.
Foetal programming reveals the dark side of AT(2)R.

This editorial refers to ‘Foetal hypoxia increases cardiac AT2R expression and subsequent vulnerability to adult ischaemic injury’ by Q. Xue et al. , pp. 300–308, this issue. In adults, the proportion of at-risk myocardium that is permanently injured following an ischaemic reperfusion episode can be attributed to genetic background, age, sex, patient lifestyle, sympathetic outflow, degrees of pre- and post-conditioning, variations in coronary anatomy, and differing drug therapies. However, there is growing evidence that the myocardial response to ischaemic stress may be powerfully determined by its unique construction in the womb. It is now known that stressors in prenatal life modify the developing cardiovascular system and lead to vulnerabilities for disease in later life, a process known as programming.1 It appears that the molecular processes conferring plasticity during normal development may be shaped by stressful conditions that impart long-lasting vulnerability to disease.2 Animal studies show that hypoxia,3 excess levels of maternal glucocorticoid,4 and maternal under- or overnutrition in the womb5 independently lead to cardiovascular disease in adulthood. A growing number of studies implicate the renin–angiotensin system and its G-protein-coupled, 7-transmembrane-domain receptors that bind angiotensin II (Ang II) as frequent culprits in the developmental programming of cardiovascular disease.6 The two primary receptors, AT1 and AT2 (AT …
An Examination of the Preferences for Leadership Style of Firefighters of Different Rank and Generational Cohort

An Examination of the Preferences for Leadership Style of Firefighters of Different Rank and Generational Cohort. (May 2011) Summer Rachelle Felton Odom, B.S.; M.S., Texas A&M University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Larry Dooley Though management and leadership styles have been investigated somewhat in terms of generations’ views on important leader attributes and their own leadership behaviors, little research has been reported on the perspectives of followers and their perceptions of the importance of leadership behaviors. A need exists to quantify for practitioners and other professionals in HRD whether any differences exist among generations with regard to their leadership style preference. Firefighters have recognized generational differences in their profession and the need to account for these differences in their training. There is also a concern for building and training their future leaders. This study is an examination of firefighters and differences that may exist with regard to leadership style preferences in an effort to explain further generational differences in the workplace to gain a better understanding of this phenomenon. Respondents were asked to read scenarios of different fire chiefs with characteristics of each leadership style and respond to questions regarding perceptions of each leader and finally choose the chief for whom they would most like to work. An instrument was pilot tested with 80 firefighters in leadership ranks. The instrument was
Structural Dynamics of Synapses in Vivo Correlate with Functional Changes during Experience-Dependent Plasticity in Visual Cortex

The impact of activity on neuronal circuitry is complex, involving both functional and structural changes whose interaction is largely unknown. We have used optical imaging of mouse visual cortex responses and two-photon imaging of superficial layer spines on layer 5 neurons to monitor network function and synaptic structural dynamics in the mouse visual cortex in vivo. Total lack of vision due to dark-rearing from birth dampens visual responses and shifts spine dynamics and morphologies toward an immature state. The effects of vision after dark rearing are strongly dependent on the timing of exposure: over a period of days, functional and structural changes are temporally related such that light stabilizes spines while increasing visually driven activity. The effects of long-term light exposure can be partially mimicked by experimentally enhancing inhibitory signaling in the darkness. Brief light exposure, however, results in a rapid, transient, NMDA-dependent increase of cortical responses, accompanied by increased dynamics of dendritic spines. These findings indicate that visual experience induces rapid reorganization of cortical circuitry followed by a period of stabilization, and demonstrate a close relationship between dynamic changes at single synapses and cortical network function.
Is current medical education adequately preparing future physicians to manage concussion: an initial evaluation

Abstract Objectives: In 2010, there were 2.5 million hospitalizations, emergency room visits, or deaths associated with concussions in the United States. [1] Knowledge deficits exist among physicians regarding concussion management, which can lead to severe repercussions, including poor patient outcomes, poor patient satisfaction, and potential medical-legal issues. While concussion is a prevalent condition evaluated in the medical field, medical students continue to have a knowledge deficit regarding concussion diagnosis, prognosis, medical management, and return to play guidelines. Methods: Medical students from a mid-western medical school completed a survey on concussion diagnosis, prognosis, medical management, and return to play guidelines. Results: The response rate was 40%. The data suggests that the vast majority of medical students are able to define concussion; however, most reported never having a lecture dedicated to concussion during medical school and also lacked clinical experience with acute concussion and post-concussive syndrome. There are clear areas of deficiency as noted by the inability of students to correctly identify symptoms and appropriate management of concussion. Conclusion: The current study indicates that at an individual, mid-western, top 50 medical school, current medical trainees may not be adequately educated to identify and manage concussion. Future research is warranted to determine the optimal guidelines to educate future physicians as it pertains to concussion diagnosis, management, prognosis, and return to play guidelines.
Subject Distribution and Verb Classesin Child Catalan

The null subject parameter is a well-studied phenomenon, but what is relatively unexplored is the acquisition of null subjects in the null subject languages, and their distribution with respect to different verb classes. In this paper we undertake the study of the acquisition of null subjects in child Catalan; our goals are two-fold: to establish whether there are systematic differences between child and adult Catalan regarding the occurrence of null subjects, and to find out whether verb class differences emerge in relation to subject distribution and, if they do, what they can be attributed to. The paper is organised as follows. First, we present previous related findings in the acquisition literature. Second, we describe the source of our data and the methods used to analyse it and we present the results of the analysis. Third, we consider how our results fit in with what is known so far about the acquisition of unaccusatives and draw our conclusions.
Blood or Urine Glucose-Based Insulin Therapy and Control of Glycemia: Computer-Simulation Study

Adjustment algorithms for conventional insulin therapy must be tested for safety and efficacy before clinical implementation. We did this by computer simulation. Accordingly, a computer simulator of human intermediary metabolism created 10 randomly chosen diabetic subjects for study. All were well defined with respect to compliance (i.e., medication and diet) and life-style (i.e., physical and emotional stress). Insulinadjustment algorithms that were tested calculated daily insulin dosages for these computer-simulated patients based on either blood or urine glucose concentrations self-measured 4 times/day before breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime snack. The twofold purpose of the simulation study was to determine the ability of the adjustment algorithms to improve initially poor metabolic control and to compare the outcomes when either blood or urine glucose measurements were the basis on which glycemic control was implemented. A significant improvement in metabolic control could be achieved with either blood or urine glucose measurements as input to the algorithms. Detailed comparisons between blood and urine glucose-based treatments showed no significant advantage of blood glucose-based algorithms at breakfast (122 ± 21 vs. 131 ± 16 mg/dl) and dinner (117 ± 27 vs. 130 ± 23 mg/dl), whereas mean glycemia at lunch (122 ± 24 vs. 164 ± 21 mg/dl) and bedtime (117 ± 25 vs. 150 ± 21 mg/dl) after 120 days of simulation did differ significantly (P < 0.01). Hypoglycemia was not provoked by either treatment. Total daily insulin doses evolved by blood glucose-based algorithms were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than the doses used by urine glucose-based algorithms (53 vs. 47 U). We conclude that either blood or urine glucose-based insulin-adjustment algorithms that we devised promise to achieve improved glycemic control with only minor differences between the two. Clinical studies can now safely be conducted.
In children allergic to ragweed pollen, nasal inflammation is not influenced by monosensitization or polysensitization

Background In patients polysensitized to pollen allergens, the priming effect, by which the sensitivity of the nasal mucosa to an allergen is increased by the previous exposure to another allergen, is a known phenomenon. This study was aimed at evaluating the degree of nasal inflammation, assessed by nasal cytology, in children with allergic rhinitis (AR) from ragweed pollen according to being monosensitized or polysensitized. Methods The study included 47 children. Of them, 24 suffered from AR caused by sensitization to grass pollen and ragweed pollen (group A) and 23 were sensitized only to ragweed pollen (group B). In all patients, the severity of AR was assessed according to the Allergic Rhinitis and Its Impact on Asthma guidelines, and comorbidities were also evaluated. Results In group A, 16.7% of children had a mild intermittent AR, 4.2% a moderate-to-severe intermittent, 33.3% a mild persistent, and 45.8% a moderate-to-severe persistent; in group B, 26.1% of children had a mild intermittent AR, 0% a moderate-to-severe intermittent, 52.2% a mild persistent, and 21.7% a moderate-to-severe persistent. No significant difference was detected in the number of the considered comorbidities between the two groups. The cell counts of neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes/plasma cells, and mast cells were high but not significantly different in the two groups. Conclusion These findings show that the degree of nasal inflammation found in children with ragweed-induced AR is not influenced by additional allergy to grass pollen and confirm the previously reported absence of priming effect in ragweed allergy.
Viral Marketing and the Diffusion of Trends on Social Networks

We survey the recent literature on theoretical models of diffusion in social networks and the application of these models to viral marketing. To put this work in context, we begin with a review of the most common models that have been examined in the economics and sociology literature, including local interaction games, threshold models, and cascade models, in addition to a family of models based on Markov random fields. We then discuss a series of recent algorithmic and analytical results that have emerged from the computer science community. The first set of results addresses the problem of influence maximization, in which the goal is to determine the optimal group of individuals in a social network to target with an advertising campaign in order to cause a new product or technology to spread throughout the network. We then discuss an analysis of the properties of graphs that allow or prohibit the widespread propagation of trends. Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-08-19. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn. edu/cis_reports/880 Viral Marketing and the Diffusion of Trends on Social Networks
Tryptophan scanning of the acetylcholine receptor's βM4 transmembrane domain: Decoding allosteric linkage at the lipid-protein interface with ion-channel gating

The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) is a ligand-gated ion channel protein that mediates fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the peripheral and central nervous systems. Changes in the structure and function of the AChR can lead to serious impairment of physiological processes. In this study, we combined site-directed mutagenesis, radioligand binding assays, electrophysiological recordings, and Fourier analyses to characterize the functional role and structural aspects of the βM4 transmembrane domain of the Torpedo AChR. We performed tryptophan replacements, from residues L438 through F455, along the βM4 transmembrane domain. Expression levels of mutants F439W-G450W and F452W-I454W produced peak currents similar to or lower than those in wild-type (WT). Tryptophan substitutions at positions L438 and T451 led to a deficiency in either subunit expression or receptor assembly. Mutations L440W, V442W, C447W, and S453W produced a gain-of-function response. Mutation F455W produced a loss of ion channel function. The periodicity profile of the normalized expression level (closed state) and EC50 (open state) revealed a minor conformational change of 0.4 residues/turn of the βM4 domain. These findings suggest that a minor movement of the βM4 domain occurs during channel activation.