Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wood smoke particles generate free radicals and cause lipid peroxidation, DNA damage, NFkappaB activation and TNF-alpha release in macrophages.

The present study investigated the generation of free radicals by wood smoke and cellular injuries caused by these radicals. Wood smoke was collected after thermolysis of western bark. Electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques were used to measure both carbon-centered radicals and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by wood smoke. Wood smoke, in the presence of H(2)O(2), was found to be able to generate hydroxyl radical (.OH). DNA strand breakage was measured by exposing wood smoke to lambda Hind III fragments using gel electrophoresis. Wood smoke combined with H(2)O(2) caused DNA damage. Sodium formate, an . OH radical scavenger, or deferoxamine, a metal chelator, inhibited the DNA damage. Cellular DNA damage was also measured in cultured RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cells by the single cell gel (SCG) electrophoresis assay. Cells were exposed to wood smoke samples for various times and significant DNA damage was observed. Elemental analysis was performed on the filter samples and the presence of Fe was noteworthy. Wood smoke is also able to cause lipid peroxidation, activate nuclear transcription factor, NFkappaB, and enhance the release of TNF-alpha from RAW 264. 7 cells. The results indicate that the free radicals generated by wood smoke through the reaction of Fe with H(2)O(2) are able to cause DNA and cellular damage and may act as a fibrogenic agent.
Clinical trials of resveratrol

An expanding body of preclinical evidence suggests resveratrol has the potential to impact a variety of human diseases. To translate encouraging experimental findings into human benefits, information is first needed on the safety, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and, ultimately, clinical efficacy of resveratrol. Published clinical trials have largely focused on characterizing the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of resveratrol. Recent studies have also evaluated safety and potential mechanisms of activity following multiple dosing, and have found resveratrol to be safe and reasonably well‐tolerated at doses of up to 5 g/day. However, the occurrence of mild to moderate side effects is likely to limit the doses employed in future trials to significantly less than this amount. This review describes the available clinical data, outlines how it supports the continuing development of resveratrol, and suggests what additional information is needed to increase the chances of success in future clinical trials.
Chromosomes move poleward in anaphase along stationary microtubules that coordinately disassemble from their kinetochore ends

During the movement of chromosomes in anaphase, microtubules that extend between the kinetochores and the poles shorten. We sought to determine where subunits are lost from these microtubules during their shortening. Prophase or prometaphase cells on coverslips were injected with fluoresceinated tubulin and allowed to progress through mitosis. Immediately after the onset of anaphase, a bar-shaped beam of laser light was used to mark a domain on the kinetochore fibers by photobleaching a band, approximately 1.0 micron wide, across the spindle. In different cells, spindles were photobleached at varying distances from the chromosomes. Cells were allowed to continue in anaphase until the chromosomes had further separated. They were then lysed, fixed, and prepared for double-label immunofluorescence with an antibody to fluorescein that does not bind appreciably to bleached fluorescein, and with an antibody to tubulin. Photobleached domains of microtubules appeared as bands of reduced fluorescence in the anti- fluorescein image. However, the anti-tubulin labeling revealed that microtubules were present and continuous through the photobleached domains. In all cases, the chromosomes approached and invaded the bleached domain while the bleached domain itself remained stationary with respect to the near pole. These results demonstrate that the chromosomes move along stationary kinetochore microtubules and that depolymerization of these microtubules during anaphase takes place at the kinetochore. In contrast to the generally accepted older view that chromosomes are passive objects pulled by "traction fibers," we suggest that the kinetochore is an active participant in generating the motive force that propels the chromosome to the pole.
Researching children's 'self' constructs and their success at solving word problems: a pilot study

Few studies have investigated self-constructs on primary school age children’s achievement in mathematics. However, studies on secondary and tertiary levels suggest that academic achievement is influenced by a person’s self-efficacy/self-confidence, (a belief in their own ability), social comparison, (comparing own performance with others), selfconcept, (perceived ability in a particular area) and attitude towards mathematics. In preparation for a research study in the following academic year, twenty-one year 5 pupils took part in a pilot study in which they completed a psychometric inventory which measured social comparison, self-concept and attitude. Additionally pupils rated their confidence in solving a range of mathematical word problems prior to solving them. Analysis suggests that these self-constructs influence primary age pupils’ academic performance.
Hepatocyte Growth Factor Ameliorates the Progression of Experimental Autoimmune Myocarditis: A Potential Role for Induction of T Helper 2 Cytokines

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays a role in cell protection, antiapoptosis, antifibrosis, and angiogenesis. However, the role of HGF in the immune system is not well defined. We examined the influence of HGF on T cells and the effects of HGF therapy in acute myocarditis. Lewis rats were immunized on day 0 with cardiac myosin to establish experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). Human HGF gene with hemagglutinating virus of the Japan-envelope vector was injected directly into the myocardium on day 0 or on day 14 (two groups of treated rats). Rats were killed on day 21. Expression of c-Met/HGF receptor in splenocytes and myocardial infiltrating cells was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining or FACS analysis. Myocarditis-affected areas were smaller in the treated rats than in control rats. Cardiac function in the treated rats was markedly improved. An antigen-specific T cell proliferation assay was done with CD4-positive T cells isolated from control rats stimulated with cardiac myosin. HGF suppressed T cell proliferation and production of IFN-γ and increased production of IL-4 and IL-10 secreted from CD4-positive T cells in vitro. Additionally, TUNEL assay revealed that HGF reduced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes. HGF reduced the severity of EAM by inducing T helper 2 cytokines and suppressing apoptosis of cardiomyocytes. HGF has potential as a new therapy for myocarditis.
Critical practice leadership in post-compulsory education

This article questions why leaders in post-compulsory education tend not to view leadership research positively or utilise it in improving their practice. Drawing on the theoretical literature of educational management and leadership, and the current political and economic context of post-compulsory education, it proposes a new direction of critical practice leadership informed by advanced practitioner research. Challenging assumptions about leadership practice and leadership research creates an opportunity for an ethical and practical perspective for leadership practitioners and a distinctive contribution to the field of leadership theory and research by resisting the false dualism between theory and practice.
The Intrinsically Disordered Domain of the Antitoxin Phd Chaperones the Toxin Doc against Irreversible Inactivation and Misfolding*

Background: The doc/phd family is a paradigm for toxin-antitoxin modules in particular and protein-protein regulation in general. Results: Without Phd and because of its incomplete Fic fold, Doc is heterogeneous and aggregation-prone and could dimerize in solution at high concentration. Conclusion: Phd acts as an antiaggregation chaperone, protecting the toxin Doc from misfolding. Significance: The intrinsically disordered domain of antitoxins can expand protein functionality. The toxin Doc from the phd/doc toxin-antitoxin module targets the cellular translation machinery and is inhibited by its antitoxin partner Phd. Here we show that Phd also functions as a chaperone, keeping Doc in an active, correctly folded conformation. In the absence of Phd, Doc exists in a relatively expanded state that is prone to dimerization through domain swapping with its active site loop acting as hinge region. The domain-swapped dimer is not capable of arresting protein synthesis in vitro, whereas the Doc monomer is. Upon binding to Phd, Doc becomes more compact and is secured in its monomeric state with a neutralized active site.
The Occasional Evil of Angels: Learning from the Experiences of Aboriginal Peoples and Social Work

This paper explores how the propensity of social workers to make a direct and unmitigated connection between good intentions, rationale thought and good outcomes forms a white noise barrier that substantially interferes with our ability to see negative outcomes resulting directly or indirectly from our works. The paper begins with outlining the harm experienced by Aboriginal children before moving to explore how two fundamental philosophies that pervade social service practice impact Aboriginal children: 1) an assumption of pious motivation and effect and 2) a desire to improve others. Finally, the paper explores why binding reconciliation and child welfare is a necessary ﬁrst step toward developing social work services that better support Aboriginal children and families.
Impact of the ABCB1 Gene Polymorphism on Plasma 9-Hydroxyrisperidone and Active Moiety Levels in Japanese Patients With Schizophrenia

Abstract9-Hydroxyrisperidone (9-OH-RIS) is an active metabolite of the antipsychotic drug risperidone (RIS). The total active moiety level, in other words the sum of the RIS and 9-OH-RIS serum levels, may be important for estimating the clinical effects of RIS treatment. However, there have been no consistent results reported regarding the relationship between cytochrome P450 (CYP) 2D6 or adenosine triphosphate–binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1) variant alleles and 9-OH-RIS or total active moiety plasma levels. Seventy-four Japanese patients treated with RIS were examined in the present study. Steady-state plasma RIS and 9-OH-RIS were measured. The CYP2D6*5, CYP2D6*10, ABCB1 3435C>T, and ABCB1 2677G>T/A genotypes were detected. Multiple regression analysis showed that the dose-corrected plasma RIS levels were significantly correlated with the number of CYP2D6 variant alleles and ABCB1 3435C>T genotypes, whereas the 9-OH-RIS and total active moiety levels were significantly correlated with the ABCB1 3435C>T genotypes and with age. On the other hand, the ABCB1 2677G>T/A genotypes did not affect plasma RIS, 9-OH-RIS, or total active moiety levels. The ABCB1 3435C>T genetic polymorphism may predict plasma 9-OH-RIS and total active moiety levels.
Proposal distribution for particle filtering applied to terrain navigation

This article provides a methodology for designing a proposal distribution in the context of particle filtering for terrain navigation. The suggested method is based on the use of an importance distribution centered around an estimate of the maximum a posteriori (MAP). By assuming a Gaussian prior, we show that the computation of the MAP can be reduced to an optimization problem in a space of lower state dimension. Furthermore, we introduce a new method for choosing the covariance of the proposal. In this case, numerical experiments show that the method can improve upon classical sampling methods.
Repressor activity of the RpoS/σS-dependent RNA polymerase requires DNA binding

The RpoS/σS sigma subunit of RNA polymerase (RNAP) activates transcription of stationary phase genes in many Gram-negative bacteria and controls adaptive functions, including stress resistance, biofilm formation and virulence. In this study, we address an important but poorly understood aspect of σS-dependent control, that of a repressor. Negative regulation by σS has been proposed to result largely from competition between σS and other σ factors for binding to a limited amount of core RNAP (E). To assess whether σS binding to E alone results in significant downregulation of gene expression by other σ factors, we characterized an rpoS mutant of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium producing a σS protein proficient for EσS complex formation but deficient in promoter DNA binding. Genome expression profiling and physiological assays revealed that this mutant was defective for negative regulation, indicating that gene repression by σS requires its binding to DNA. Although the mechanisms of repression by σS are likely specific to individual genes and environmental conditions, the study of transcription downregulation of the succinate dehydrogenase operon suggests that σ competition at the promoter DNA level plays an important role in gene repression by EσS.
Parenting Infants

This study was aimed at contributing to the understanding of cultural parenting strategies in a context of immigration. Socialization goals (SGs) and parenting behaviors during interaction with 3-month-old infants of first-generation West African immigrant mothers in Italy and autochthonous Italian mothers were compared. The relation between SGs and maternal behaviors within the two groups was also examined. As expected, results showed that West African immigrant mothers placed more emphasis on SGs related to hierarchical relatedness and a proximal parenting style than Italian mothers, who emphasized SGs related to psychological autonomy and a distal parenting style. Although there were no significant differences in the amount of overall vocal/verbal behaviors between the two samples, West African immigrant mothers showed longer durations of rhythmic vocalizing and singing than Italian mothers, who showed more affectionate talking. Compared with the literature on West African parenting strategies, this result suggests a possible increased amount of talking of immigrant mothers in the new language-driven environment, but maintenance of a protosong structure typical of their culture of origin. Furthermore, a significant association between socialization goals and parenting behaviors was found in the Italian group of mothers but not in the sample of immigrant mothers, suggesting that the weaker links between goals and behaviors in the immigrant sample may express a reorganization in the composition of parenting beliefs and practices.
THIS IS YOUR BRAIN ON MINDFULNESS: DISPOSITIONAL MINDFULNESS AND NEURAL ACTIVITY IN ATTENTIONAL NETWORKS

Mindfulness is the basis of behavioral therapies treating mental illness. Evidence suggests mindfulness is attentional skill-set composed of two skills, concentrative and receptive attention. It was hypothesized concentrative attention scores would correlate with activity in the dorsal network and receptive attention scores would correlate with activity in the dorsal and ventral networks. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to test this relationship. Participants took a mindfulness inventory and completed an attentional task in the fMRI scanner. Receptive attention correlated with activity in both networks as hypothesized. Concentrative attention did not correlate with activity in the dorsal network. These results support an attentional conceptualization of mindfulness, although the hypothesis about mindfulness skills and specific attentional networks was only partially supported. Dr. Gordon B. Bauer Division of Social Sciences .
Does intergenerational mobility shape psychological distress

Drawing from Sorokin’s hypothesis that socially mobile individuals are at greater risk of experiencing psychological distress than their non-mobile counterparts, we investigate whether intergenerational occupational mobility influences psychological distress, as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) scale. Using data for men from the Wisconsin Longitudinal Study (WLS) and Sobel’s Diagonal Mobility Models, we find little evidence for Sorokin’s hypothesis; mobile individuals are no more likely to be psychologically distressed than their non-mobile counterparts. In fact, one group of mobile men ‐ those who left their farming origins ‐ are actually less distressed than the sons who remain as farmers and non-mobile men in higher-ranked social classes. We speculate that this reflects the fact that farming became very arduous during the late 20th century and these mobile sons of farmers appreciate their improved life chances. Our findings suggest that the association between mobility and psychological distress varies across specific class backgrounds and is contingent upon the broader social and economic context. © 2010 International Sociological Association Research Committee 28 on Social Stratification and Mobility. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Modulation of p-Glycoprotein Transport Function at the Blood-Brain Barrier

The central nervous system (CNS) effects of many therapeutic drugs are blunted because of restricted entry into the brain. The basis for this poor permeability is the brain capillary endothelium, which comprises the blood-brain barrier. This tissue exhibits very low paracellular (tight-junctional) permeability and expresses potent, multispecific, drug export pumps. Together, these combine to limit use of pharmacotherapy to treat CNS disorders such as brain cancer and bacterial or viral infections. Of all the xenobiotic efflux pumps highly expressed in brain capillary endothelial cells, p-glycoprotein handles the largest fraction of commonly prescribed drugs and thus is an obvious target for manipulation. Here we review recent studies focused on understanding the mechanisms by which p-glycoprotein activity in the blood-brain barrier can be modulated. These include (i) direct inhibition by specific competitors, (ii) functional modulation, and (iii) transcriptional modulation. Each has the potential to specifically reduce p-glycoprotein function and thus selectively increase brain permeability of p-glycoprotein substrates.
Nonparametric Analysis of Recurrent Events and Death

Summary. This article is concerned with the analysis of recurrent events in the presence of a terminal event such as death. We consider the mean frequency function, defined as the marginal mean of the cumulative number of recurrent events over time. A simple nonparametric estimator for this quantity is presented. It is shown that the estimator, properly normalized, converges weakly to a zero‐mean Gaussian process with an easily estimable covariance function. Nonparametric statistics for comparing two mean frequency functions and for combining data on recurrent events and death are also developed. The asymptotic null distributions of these statistics, together with consistent variance estimators, are derived. The small‐sample properties of the proposed estimators and test statistics are examined through simulation studies. An application to a cancer clinical trial is provided.
THE EFFECTS OF FIRM SPECIFIC FACTORS AND MACROECONOMICS ON PROFITABILITY OF PROPERTY-LIABILITY INSURANCE INDUSTRY IN TAIWAN

This article investigates the relationship between firm specific factors and macroeconomics on profitability in Taiwanese property-liability insurance industry using the panel data over the1999 through 2009 time period. Using operating ratio and return on assets (ROA) for the two kinds of profitability indicators to measure insurers’ profitability. The results show that underwriting risk, reinsurance usage, input cost, return on investment (ROI) and financial holding group have significant influence on profitability in both operating ratio and ROA models. The insurance subsidiaries of financial holding group compared with other insurance companies, showing lower profitability. In addition, economic growth rate has significant influence on profitability in operating ratio model but insignificant influence on profitability in ROA model. The findings contribute to insurance operation in the property-liability insurance industry and should be of interest to regulators, investors and policyholders.
Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy and Career Commitment: Gender and Ethnic Differences Among College Students

This study evaluated the Career Decision-Making Self-Efficacy Scale—Short Form (CDMSE-SF; Betz, Klein, & Taylor, 1996) using the Career Commitment Scale (CCS; Farmer, 1985) as a criterion measure. Responses from 165 undergraduates in a Southern university revealed high internal consistency for the CDMSE-SF, and moderate correlation between the CDMSE-SF and CCS. However, no gender or ethnic differences were found in this correlation. Females scored higher than males on the CCS. Blacks scored higher than Whites on both measures. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
The impact of the fall 1997 debate about global warming on American public opinion

Although global warming has been the subject of some public discussion since the turn of the 20th Century, it was pushed into the national spotlight during the fall of 1997, when President Bill Clinton's administration instigated a campaign to build public support for the Kyoto treaty. To examine the effect of this campaign and the debate it sparked, we conducted two national surveys, one immediately before and the other immediately after the campaign. We addressed three questions: (1) What were Americans' beliefs and attitudes about global warming before the debate? (2) Did the debate catch the public's attention? and (3) Did the debate change people's beliefs and attitudes about global warming? We found that a majority of the American general public and of the global warming “issue public” endorsed the views advocated by President Clinton before the media campaign began. The debate did attract people's attention and strengthened the public's beliefs and attitudes. The debate produced almost no changes in public opinion when the nation's population is lumped together. But beneath this apparently calm surface, strong Democrats came to endorse the positions advocated by the Clinton administration, while strong Republicans were less inclined to endorse the administration's views.
The automatic construction of pure recurrence relations

A method is presented for the construction of pure recurrence relations for functions related to generalized hyper-geometric functions. It is an improvement of a technique by Fasenmeyer, and is suitable for automatic computer programming. Our method has an easy geometrical interpretation and also gives a constructive proof for the existence of a pure recurrence relation.
Welfare, Home Market Effects, and Horizontal Foreign Direct Investment

A shock absorbing grip for the handle of a tennis racquet or golf club having a polyurethane layer bonded to a felt layer. The bonded-together layers are configured as a strip which is wrapped about the handle with the side edges being formed with recessed reinforcement side edges which are tightly butted together. The reinforcement edges may be heat bonded together, if desired.