Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altered Vascular Resistance Properties and Acute Pressure-Natriuresis Mechanism in Neonatal and Weaning Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats

Although it has been extensively scrutinized, the factor(s) involved in the initiation and development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) remains unresolved. The objective of the present study was to determine whether, early in development, the causal mechanism(s) for the development of hypertension in young SHRs involves an integration of 2 processes, specifically an upregulation of structurally based vascular resistance properties and a rightward shift in the hemodynamic component of pressure-natriuresis. Mean arterial pressure was determined in conscious 4-week–old SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto rats via previously implanted aortic catheters. Structurally based hindlimb vascular resistance properties were assessed in 2- and 4-week–old SHRs and Wistar-Kyoto rats. Renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure was measured after short-term manipulations of renal arterial pressure (RAP) in 4-week–old, anesthetized rats. Although mean arterial pressure in conscious SHRs (113±5 mm Hg) and Wistar-Kyoto rats (110±6 mm Hg) was not significantly different at 4 weeks of age, SHRs at 2 and 4 weeks of age already had increases in structurally based vascular resistance properties of ≈30% above age- and weight-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats. Furthermore, the acute RAP-renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure relationship was found to be linear in both strains, and the temporal coupling of the stimulus to response was rapid; that is, renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure responses to changes in RAP were <2 s. Although the slope of the RAP-renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure relationship was not significantly different between strains, the relationship was significantly shifted (18%) to higher RAPs in SHRs. These results suggest that alterations in both vascular structure and renal function in young SHRs occur before elevations in mean arterial pressure.
Altered Antibiotic Transport in OmpC Mutants Isolated from a Series of Clinical Strains of Multi-Drug Resistant E. coli

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, particularly Gram negative species, present significant health care challenges. The permeation of antibiotics through the outer membrane is largely effected by the porin superfamily, changes in which contribute to antibiotic resistance. A series of antibiotic resistant E. coli isolates were obtained from a patient during serial treatment with various antibiotics. The sequence of OmpC changed at three positions during treatment giving rise to a total of four OmpC variants (denoted OmpC20, OmpC26, OmpC28 and OmpC33, in which OmpC20 was derived from the first clinical isolate). We demonstrate that expression of the OmpC K12 porin in the clinical isolates lowers the MIC, consistent with modified porin function contributing to drug resistance. By a range of assays we have established that the three mutations that occur between OmpC20 and OmpC33 modify transport of both small molecules and antibiotics across the outer membrane. This results in the modulation of resistance to antibiotics, particularly cefotaxime. Small ion unitary conductance measurements of the isolated porins do not show significant differences between isolates. Thus, resistance does not appear to arise from major changes in pore size. Crystal structures of all four OmpC clinical mutants and molecular dynamics simulations also show that the pore size is essentially unchanged. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that perturbation of the transverse electrostatic field at the constriction zone reduces cefotaxime passage through the pore, consistent with laboratory and clinical data. This subtle modification of the transverse electric field is a very different source of resistance than occlusion of the pore or wholesale destruction of the transverse field and points to a new mechanism by which porins may modulate antibiotic passage through the outer membrane.
Histological Analysis of SLC38A6 (SNAT6) Expression in Mouse Brain Shows Selective Expression in Excitatory Neurons with High Expression in the Synapses

SLC38A6 is one of the newly found members of the solute carrier 38 family consisting of total 11 members, of which only 6 have been characterized so far. Being the only glutamine transporter family expressed in the brain, this family of proteins are most probably involved in the regulation of the glutamate-glutamine cycle, responsible for preventing excitotoxicity. We used immunohistochemistry to show that SLC38A6 is primarily expressed in excitatory neurons and is not expressed in the astrocytes. Using proximity ligation assay, we have quantified the interactions of this SLC38 family protein with other proteins with known localization in the cells, showing that this transporter is expressed at the synapses. Moreover, this study has enabled us to come up with a model suggesting sub-cellular localization of SLC38A6 at the synaptic membrane of the excitatory neurons.
‘Nobody comes to Baba for advice’: negotiating ageing masculinities in the Somali diaspora

ABSTRACT Based on a case-study of Somalis in Norway, this paper examines older male refugees’ seek for recognition in transnational social fields. Drawing on Honneth’s theory of intersubjective identity formation and Connell’s concept of hegemonic masculinity, it explores the ways in which they renegotiate respectable ageing masculinities within four spaces of recognition: socialisation in habitual spaces, volunteer work and associational involvement, return visits, and return migration. Habitual spaces constitute spheres where older men may gain respect for their traditional knowledge. Somali associations represent spaces allowing men to enact the prestigious role of oratorical advisors, which requires that they reinterpret this role for the new context. ‘Failed’ men negotiate social status through return visits or return migration. Older Somalis assert masculinity through ideas of class, Islam, and notions of male authority. Yet, generational-, gender-, clan-, and class divisions within the diaspora – combined with ethnic minority position- challenge the (re)construction of respectable masculinities. This article shows that a life course perspective is essential for understanding migrants’ (re-)construction of gender identities, as well as their transnational mobility and adaptation strategies. By focusing on the neglected field of ageing migrant masculinities, this article contributes to the emerging scholarships on transnational ageing and migrant masculinities.
Efficient data distribution in large-scale multicast networks

There is an increasing demand for using today's shared computer networks, such as the Internet, for group-based applications. Multicast is a developing communication technology designed to provide efficient multipoint message delivery for large-scale groups. Research directed at the data link and network layers has been very successful, and multicast service is now available in most best-effort networks. However, best-effort multicast networks do not offer quality of service guarantees such as bounded transmission delays and error rates. Therefore, group-based applications rely on multicast transport protocols for ordering, reliability, group management, and other end-to-end services. This dissertation presents MESH: a novel, distributed transport protocol designed for large-scale multicast. We show that MESH's error recovery and receiver feedback service (1) achieves high application performance (i.e., low delivery latency and high throughput), (2) efficiently utilizes network and end-system resources, (3) provides a flexible error control model suitable for reliable, unreliable, and other error control paradigms, (4) provides timely state information required by congestion, flow, group management, reliability, and other control protocols, and (5) scales to large receiver sets and wide-area heterogeneous networks. Using the MESH framework, we design and implement a reliable protocol (MESH-R) and a deadline-driven reliable protocol (MESH-M) in a high-fidelity simulation of SURAnet and vBNSnet. We show that the performance and overhead of MESH-R and MESH-M compares favorably to extant transport techniques (namely, centralized, tree-based, unstructured, and FEC-based schemes) for bulk-data distribution and continuous media applications.
Dark matter subhaloes in numerical simulations

We use cosmologicalCDM numerical simulations to model the evolution of the substructure population in sixteen dark matter haloes with resolutions of up to seven million particles within the virial radius. The combined substructure circular velocity distribution function (VDF) for hosts of 10 11 to 10 14 M⊙ at redshifts from zero to two or higher has a self-similar shape, is independent of host halo mass and redshift, and follows the relation dn/dv = (1/8)(vcmax/vcmax,host) −4 . Halo to halo variance in the VDF is a factor of roughly two to four. At high redshifts, we find preliminary evidence for fewer large substructure haloes (subhaloes). Specific angular momenta are significantly lower for subhaloes nearer the host halo centre where tidal stripping is more effective. The radial distribution of subhaloes is marginally consistent with the mass profile for r > � 0.3rvir, where the possibility of artificial numerical disruption of subhaloes can be most reliably excluded by our convergence study, although a subhalo distribution that is shallower than the mass profile is favoured. Subhalo masses but not circular velocities decrease toward the host centre. Subhalo velocity dispersions hint at a positive velocity bias at small radii. There is a weak bias toward more circular orbits at lower redshift, especially at small radii. We additionally model a cluster in several power law cosmologies of P / k n , and demonstrate that a steeper spectral index, n, results in significantly less substructure.
Gender, Child Maltreatment, and Delinquency

ABSTRACT Prior research and theorizing have suggested that the relationship between child maltreatment and delinquent outcomes is gendered. However, research to date that has sought to test this hypothesis has been incomplete due to issues such as inconsistency in findings, focusing on a single type of maltreatment or delinquent outcome within a given study, and an overreliance on nonprobability samples. The authors sought to expand on this literature by examining the effects of several different types of child maltreatment on six different delinquent behaviors during middle adolescence in a nationally representative probability sample of American adolescents. Results suggest that in the case of physical abuse and alcohol use, child maltreatment shapes delinquent behaviors differently for girls and boys, with several other types of delinquent behaviors being similarly shaped by child maltreatment among girls and boys. Implications of the findings are discussed.
Teaching the Self-Regulation of Eating

Although most psychology courses do not include the topic of eating, we believe it can be rewarding to teach because much of the conventional wisdom about eating is wrong. Teachers can use scientific evidence to clarify incorrect, but long-held, beliefs that many students have about eating, including the extent to which weight is under individual control, whether diets are effective in the long term, whether obesity is deadly, and whether comfort food is comforting. Teaching about psychological theories of self-regulation works well in the context of eating because eating is the prototypical self-control task and because most students are aware of the difficulty of controlling eating. In this article, we discuss misconceptions surrounding the psychology of eating and theories of self-control, and we provide easy classroom activities that make the topic of eating fun to teach.
Long-Term Angiographic Recurrences After Selective Endovascular Treatment of Aneurysms With Detachable Coils

Background and Purpose— Our aim in this study was to assess the incidence and determining factors of angiographic recurrences after endovascular treatment of aneurysms. Methods— A retrospective analysis of all patients with selective endosaccular coil occlusion of intracranial aneurysms prospectively collected from 1992 to 2002 was performed. There were 501 aneurysms in 466 patients (mean±SD age, 54.20±12.54 years; 74% female). Aneurysms were acutely ruptured (54.1%) or unruptured (45.9%). Mean±SD aneurysm size was 9.67±5.91 mm with a 4.31±1.97-mm neck. The most frequent sites were basilar bifurcation (27.7%) and carotid ophthalmic (18.0%) aneurysms. Recurrences were subjectively divided into minor and major (ideally necessitating re-treatment). The most significant predictors of angiographic recurrence were determined by logistic regression. These results were confirmed by &khgr;2, t tests, or ANOVAs followed, when appropriate, by Tukey’s contrasts. Results— Short-term (≤1 year) follow-up angiograms were available in 353 aneurysms (70.5%) and long-term (>1 year) follow-up angiograms, in 277 (55%), for a total of 383 (76.5%) followed up. Recurrences were found in 33.6% of treated aneurysms that were followed up and that appeared at a mean±SD time of 12.31±11.33 months after treatment. Major recurrences presented in 20.7% and appeared at a mean of 16.49±15.93 months. Three patients (0.8%) bled during a mean clinical follow-up period of 31.32±24.96 months. Variables determined to be significant predictors (P <0.05) of a recurrence included aneurysm size ≥10 mm, treatment during the acute phase of rupture, incomplete initial occlusions, and duration of follow-up. Conclusions— Long-term monitoring of patients treated by endosaccular coiling is mandatory.
Anti-innexin 2 aptamers specifically inhibit the heterologous interaction of the innexin 2 and innexin 3 carboxyl-termini in vitro

Abstract We recently demonstrated that heteromerization of innexins 2 and 3 from Drosophila melanogaster (Dm) is crucial for epithelial organization and polarity of the embryonic epidermis. Both innexins are thought to interact via their C-terminal cytoplasmic domains during the assembly of heteromeric gap junction channels. However, the mechanisms that control heteromeric versus homomeric channel formation are still largely unknown. Here we report the isolation of both non-modified and 2′-fluoro-2′-deoxy-modified RNA anti-innexin 2 aptamers by in vitro selection. The aptamers bind to a proximal epitope on the carboxyl-tail of Dm innexin 2 protein and specifically inhibit the heterologous interaction of innexin 2 and innexin 3 carboxyl-termini in vitro. These domain-specific inhibitors represent the first step towards functional studies focusing on the activity of these domains in vivo.
From the imaginary to the real: the back and forth between reality and simulation

Religion is, at the very least, a highly complex social phenomenon. The theories we use to understand religion and sociocultural systems more generally are often so complex that even experts in the field may not be able to see all their consequences. Social simulations can help us understand and communicate the consequences of a theory, provided we can describe the theory with sufficient precision and comprehensiveness in order to run it on a computer. In this article we demonstrate the benefits of simulating the predictions of a well-known theory in the Cognitive Science of Religion, the theory of Divergent Modes of Religiosity. Many of these predictions have already been tested against contemporary and longitudinal evidence, using the methods of both qualitative case study and largescale survey, and some of the mechanisms responsible for the patterns observed have been investigated by means of controlled experiments. Nevertheless, in simulating the patterns of religious transmission and transformation predicted by the modes theory we discovered numerous aspects that were underspecified, generating new hypotheses for investigation in future empirical research. This back-and-forth between simulation and theory testing has the potential to accelerate progress in the scientific study of religion.
Comprehensive Wnt‐related gene expression during cochlear duct development in chicken

The avian cochlear duct houses both a vestibular and auditory sensory organ (the lagena macula and basilar papilla, respectively), which each have a distinct structure and function. Comparative mRNA in situ hybridization mapping conducted over the time course of chicken cochlear duct development reveals that Wnt‐related gene expression is concomitant with various developmental processes such as regionalization, convergent extension of the cochlear duct, cell fate specification, synaptogenesis, and the establishment of planar cell polarity. Wnts mostly originate from nonsensory tissue domains, whereas the sensory primordia preferentially transcribe Frizzled receptors, suggesting that paracrine Wnt signaling predominates in the cochlear duct. Superimposed over this is the strong expression of two secreted Frizzled‐related Wnt inhibitors that tend to show complementary expression patterns. Frzb (SFRP3) is confined to the nonsensory cochlear duct and the lagena macula, whereas SFRP2 is maintained in the basilar papilla along with Fzd10 and Wnt7b. Flanking the basilar papilla are Wnt7a, Wnt9a, Wnt11, and SFRP2 on the neural side and Wnt5a, Wnt5b, and Wnt7a on the abneural side. The lateral nonsensory cochlear duct continuously expresses Frzb and temporarily expresses Wnt6 and SFRP1. Characteristic for the entire lagena is the expression of Frzb; in the lagena macula are Fzd1, Fzd7, and Wnt7b, and in the nonsensory tissues are Wnt4 and Wnt5a. Auditory hair cells preferentially express Fzd2 and Fzd9, whereas the main receptors expressed in vestibular hair cells are Fzd1 and Fzd7, in addition to Fzd2 and Fzd9. J. Comp. Neurol. 510:378–395, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Behavioral Characteristics of Individuals with Down Syndrome

ABSTRACT Introduction: Children and young adults with Down syndrome can demonstrate increased behavior problems compared to their typically developing peers through childhood and adolescence. Though current tools measure behavior problems in persons with intellectual disabilities, they do not capture all the behavioral problems that can occur in individuals with Down syndrome. We: (1) identify new behavioral problems observed by parents of persons with Down syndrome that are not included on standard measures of behavior, but observed by parents; (2) examine the degree to which these behaviors may be impacted by expressive language, gender, and age; and (3) suggest the need to create a new measure. Methods: This investigation examines the identified behaviors and level of parental concern of 274 children and young adults with Down syndrome receiving care at a single medical center. Results: Ninety-four percent of children with Down syndrome engaged in behavioral problems, which was significantly correlated with age and expressive language abilities. Conclusions: Early detection of problem behaviors provides an opportunity for parent resources and professional support to reduce long-term adverse effects and prevent the occurrence of additional problematic behaviors. Results from this study indicate that a measure to more effectively capture and differentiate problem behaviors in children and adolescents with Down syndrome is greatly needed.
Views of Estonian nonprofit executives on succession: lessons from the field

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceptions of five leadership succession themes by executives of Estonian nonprofit organizations. Design/methodology/approach This is a qualitative study that uses narrative inquiry and purposive sampling. Face-to-face and Skype interviews were conducted with 15 executives. Findings Succession was unplanned in most of the Estonian nonprofits; successors were coached during initial transitionary periods; insiders were preferred to outsiders; requirements of executive positions were unmet because of a talent shortfall; lack of trust, unexpected behavior, and possible ethical issues were key risk factors associated with succession; and mixed opinions were received regarding the advantages and disadvantages of succession planning. Research limitations/implications Narrow focus on Estonian nonprofit organizations and their executives, purposive sampling, and single qualitative research method. Results may not be applicable to other nonprofits. Practical implications Practitioners of Estonian nonprofits can better understand the implications of executive succession issues. Lessons learned may help other nonprofit leaders. Social implications Having a carefully crafted succession plan can enable smoother transitions between organizational leaders and create organizational stability, thereby ensuring a continuous delivery of goods and services to clients. Originality/value Seminal research – this is the first study of its kind on Estonian nonprofit organizations and executive succession issues. This paper can serve as a foundation for further research on Eastern European nonprofits.
Improving Critical Thinking Skills and Self Efficacy Through Scientific Critical Thinking Model

Research has been conducted on the feasibility of the Scientific Critical Thinking (SCT) model to improve critical thinking skills and self efficacy of PGSD students in colloidal material. The syntax of the SCT model is 1) student orientation, 2) scientific activity, 3) presentation of results of scientific activities, 4) completion of critical thinking task, and 5) evaluation. This research is development research to determine the practicality and effectiveness of the prototype SCT model in learning Colloidal material. The study subjects were PGSD students in 2017/2018 with a total of 75 people. The research instrument used was critical thinking adaptation instruments from Facione and self-efficacy adaptation instruments from Users & Fajares. The results of the study revealed that the feasibility of the SCT model show a very good category (87.02%), student activity in learning show a very active category (85.71%), there is an increase in critical thinking skills (mean N-gain = 0.86 / high) and self-efficacy of prospective teacher students is mean N-gain = 0.79/high. Thus, the SCT model has met the requirements of practicality and effectiveness as a prototype of a
Blunt Cerebrovascular Injury in Cervical Spine Fractures: Are More-Liberal Screening Criteria Warranted?

Study Design Retrospective comparative study. Objective To compare strict Biffl criteria to more-liberal criteria for computed tomography angiography (CTA) when screening for blunt cerebrovascular injury (BCVI). Methods All CTAs performed for blunt injury between 2009 and 2011 at our institution were reviewed. All patients with cervical spine fractures who were evaluated with CTA were included; patients with penetrating trauma and atraumatic reasons for imaging were excluded. We then categorized the patients’ fractures based on the indications for CTA as either within or outside Biffl criteria. For included subjects, the percentage of studies ordered for loose versus strict Biffl criteria and the resulting incidences of BCVI were determined. Results During our study period, 1,000 CTAs were performed, of which 251 met inclusion criteria. Of the injuries, 192 met Biffl criteria (76%). Forty-nine were found to have BCVIs (19.5%). Forty-one injuries were related to fractures meeting Biffl criteria (21.4%), and 8 were related to fractures not meeting those criteria (13.6%). The relative risk of a patient with a Biffl criteria cervical spine injury having a vascular injury compared with those imaged outside of Biffl criteria was 1.57 (p = 0.19). Conclusions Our data demonstrates that although cervical spine injuries identified by the Biffl criteria trend toward a higher likelihood of concomitant BCVI (21.4%), a significant incidence of 13.6% also exists within the non-Biffl fracture cohort. As a result, a more-liberal screening than proposed by Biffl may be warranted.