Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The trace amine-associated receptor 1 modulates methamphetamine's neurochemical and behavioral effects

The newly discovered trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) has the ability to regulate both dopamine function and psychostimulant action. Here, we tested in rats the ability of RO5203648, a selective TAAR1 partial agonist, to modulate the physiological and behavioral effects of methamphetamine (METH). In experiment 1, RO5203468 dose- and time-dependently altered METH-induced locomotor activity, manifested as an early attenuation followed by a late potentiation of METH's stimulating effects. In experiment 2, rats received a 14-day treatment regimen during which RO5203648 was co-administered with METH. RO5203648 dose-dependently attenuated METH-stimulated hyperactivity, with the effects becoming more apparent as the treatments progressed. After chronic exposure and 3-day withdrawal, rats were tested for locomotor sensitization. RO5203648 administration during the sensitizing phase prevented the development of METH sensitization. However, RO5203648, at the high dose, cross-sensitized with METH. In experiment 3, RO5203648 dose-dependently blocked METH self-administration without affecting operant responding maintained by sucrose, and exhibited lack of reinforcing efficacy when tested as a METH's substitute. Neurochemical data showed that RO5203648 did not affect METH-mediated DA efflux and uptake inhibition in striatal synaptosomes. In vivo, however, RO5203648 was able to transiently inhibit METH-induced accumulation of extracellular DA levels in the nucleus accumbens. Taken together, these data highlight the significant potential of TAAR1 to modulate METH's neurochemical and behavioral effects.
Rosiglitazone Enhances Apolipoprotein M (Apom) Expression in Rat's Liver

Apolipoprotein M (APOM) has been suggested as a vasculoprotective constituent of high density lipoprotein (HDL), which plays a crucial role behind the mechanism of HDL-mediated anti-atherosclerosis. Previous studies demonstrated that insulin resistance could associate with decreased APOM expressions. In agreement with our previous reports, here, we further confirmed that the insulin sensitivity was also reduced in rats treated with high concentrations of glucose; such effect could be reversed by administration of rosiglitazone, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPARγ). The present study shows that Apom expression is significantly affected by either rosiglitazone or hyperglycemia alone without cross interaction with each other, which indicates that the pathway of Apom expression regulating by hyperglycemia might be differed from that by rosiglitazone. Further study indicated that hyperglycemia could significantly inhibit mRNA levels of Lxrb (P=0.0002), small heterodimer partner 1 (Shp1) (P<0.0001), liver receptor homologue-1 (Lrh1) (P=0.0012), ATP-binding cassette transporter 1 (Abca1) (P=0.0012) and Pparb/d (P=0.0043). Two-way ANOVA analysis demonstrated that the interactions between rosiglitazone and infusion of 25% glucose solution on Shp1 (P=0.0054) and Abca1 (4E, P=0.0004) mRNA expression was statistically significant. It is concluded that rosiglitazone could increase Apom expression, of which the detailed mechanism needs to be further investigated. The downregulation of Apom by hyperglycemia might be mainly through decreasing expression of Pparg and followed by inhibiting Lxrb in rats.
Effect of soy isoflavones on the growth of human breast tumors: findings from preclinical studies

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women worldwide, and many women with breast cancer live more than 5 years after their diagnosis. Breast cancer patients and survivors have a greater interest in taking soy foods and isoflavone supplements. However, the effect of isoflavones on breast cancer remains controversial. Thus, it is critical to determine if and when isoflavones are beneficial or detrimental to breast cancer patients. According to the available preclinical data, high concentrations of isoflavones inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells, regardless of their estrogen receptor (ER) status. In comparison, genistein, a major isoflavone, has stimulated tumor growth at low concentrations and mitigated tamoxifen efficacy in ER-positive breast cancer. Studies have indicated that the relative levels of genistein and estrogen at the target site are important to determine the genistein effect on the ER-positive tumor growth. However, studies using ovariectomized mice and subcutaneous xenograft models might not truly reflect estrogen concentrations in human breast tumors. Moreover, it may be an oversimplification that isoflavones stimulate hormone-dependent tumor growth due to their potential estrogenic effect since studies also suggest nonestrogenic anticancer effects of isoflavones and ER-independent anticancer activity of tamoxifen. Therefore, the concentrations of isoflavones and estrogen in human breast tumors should be considered better in future preclinical studies and the parameters that can estimate those levels in breast tumors are required in human clinical/epidemiological investigation. In addition, it will be important to identify the molecular mechanisms that either inhibit or promote the growth of breast cancer cells by soy isoflavones, and use those molecules to evaluate the relevance of the preclinical findings to the human disease and to predict the health effects of isoflavones in human breast tumors.
FIVE-YEAR WILKINSON MICROWAVE ANISOTROPY PROBE OBSERVATIONS: GALACTIC FOREGROUND EMISSION

We present a new estimate of foreground emission in the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) data, using a Markov chain Monte Carlo method. The new technique delivers maps of each foreground component for a variety of foreground models with estimates of the uncertainty of each foreground component, and it provides an overall goodness-of-fit estimate. The resulting foreground maps are in broad agreement with those from previous techniques used both within the collaboration and by other authors. We find that for WMAP data, a simple model with power-law synchrotron, free–free, and thermal dust components fits 90% of the sky with a reduced χ2ν of 1.14. However, the model does not work well inside the Galactic plane. The addition of either synchrotron steepening or a modified spinning dust model improves the fit. This component may account for up to 14% of the total flux at the Ka band (33 GHz). We find no evidence for foreground contamination of the cosmic microwave background temperature map in the 85% of the sky used for cosmological analysis.
Percutaneous Transhepatic Biliary Drainage in Malignant Obstructive Jaundice

Results obtained in 70 patients with neoplastic (primary or metastatic) biliary obstruction and submitted to percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage indicate the effectiveness of the technique in relieving jaundice, improving general conditions and restoring liver function. In 25.4% of cases, the drainage allowed the patients to undergo surgical treatment of the neoplasm. In 74.6%, the drainage was left in place as definitive palliation. The complication rate was very low and similar to that described in the literature. At this time it is difficult to identify prognostic factors and foresee the results of percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage, but the procedure is always indicated in patients at high operative risk or inoperable.
Long‐term health outcomes in pediatric inflammatory bowel disease: A population‐based study

Background: The long‐term sequelae of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may differ between children and adults. We evaluated the health status of patients with pediatric onset of IBD and controls in early adulthood. Methods: A questionnaire on the current health status and disease history was mailed to patients with childhood onset IBD diagnosed during 1987–2003 in 2 university hospitals in Finland. Matched controls were randomly selected from the Population Register Centre. Results: A total of 368 (67%) of the 550 patients and 646 (37%) controls responded (median age 20 years). Ulcerative colitis (UC) was the most common primary diagnosis (58%) reclassified as Crohn's disease (CD) in 8.5%. Of the patients, 80% had been on glucocorticoids at some point (median duration of the disease 8.3 years). One‐third of CD patients had undergone intestinal resection. In UC, total colectomy was common (24%). The frequency of joint diseases (5.4% versus 0.2%) and biliary duct diseases (2.7% versus 0.3%) was higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.001). Overall quality of life was decreased in the patients (mean score 5.7 versus 6.0 in controls, P < 0.001). Further, some impediment on adult height and weight was observed among male patients. Conclusions: IBD in children may have a more aggressive disease course than in adults, since most pediatric patients need glucocorticoids, and abdominal surgery is frequent. At 8 years from diagnosis, most patients have active disease and quality of life is slightly lower than in the rest of the population.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation for treating depression in elderly patients

Purpose The aim of the study reported here was to examine the safety and effectiveness of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in elderly patients with depression. Patients and methods Sixty-five depressed elderly patients received rTMS over their left prefrontal cortex for 6 days per week, from Monday to Saturday, for 3 weeks. The rTMS intensity was set at 100% of the motor threshold and 25 Hz stimulation with a duration of 2 seconds and was delivered 20 times at 30-second intervals. A full course comprised an average of 1000 magnetic pulses. Depression was rated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) before and after treatment. Response was defined as a 50% reduction in HAMD score. Patients with HAMD scores < 8 were considered to be in remission. Results The mean HAMD score for the study group decreased from 21.94 ± 5.12 before treatment to 11.28 ± 4.56 after rTMS (P < 0.001). Following the treatment period, 58.46% of the study group demonstrated significant mood improvement, as indexed by a reduction of more than 50% on the HAMD score. Nineteen of these 38 patients attained remission (HAMD score < 8), while 41.54% of all study patients achieved a partial response. None of the patients had a worsened HAMD score at the end of the treatment. Treatment was generally well tolerated and no serious adverse effects were reported. Conclusion In this study, rTMS was found to be a safe, well-tolerated treatment, and a useful adjunctive treatment to medications in elderly treatment-resistant depressed patients. This study contributes to the existing evidence on the antidepressant effect of rTMS in the treatment of depression in patients over 60 years of age.
From Socialisation to Postmodernity: a review of theoretical perspectives on the school‐to‐work transition

Abstract This article reviews critically a range of theoretical perspectives on school‐to‐work transitions. The argument is made that despite the complexity of the theoretical literature relating to youth transitions, certain strands or themes can be identified in the development of such perspectives. Theories previously based almost exclusively on socialisation and structures have been broadened to include elements of explanation based on individual choice and subjectivity. The individualisation thesis and postmodernist theory, for example, represent important developments in this respect, but more still needs to be done to incorporate dimensions of agency, choice and individual subjectivity into explanations of youth transitions.
Reading Touch Screen Storybooks with Mothers Negatively Affects 7-Year-Old Readers’ Comprehension but Enriches Emotional Engagement

Touch screen storybooks turn reading into an interactive multimedia experience, with hotspot-activated animations, sound effects, and games. Positive and negative effects of reading multimedia stories have been reported, but the underlying mechanisms which explain how children’s learning is affected remain uncertain. The present study examined the effect of storybook format (touch screen and print) on story comprehension, and considered how level of touch screen interactivity (high and low) and shared reading behaviors (cognitive and emotional scaffolding, emotional engagement) might contribute to comprehension. Seven-year-olds (n = 22) were observed reading one touch screen storybook and one print storybook with their mothers. Story comprehension was inferior for the touch screen storybooks compared to the print formats. Touch screen interactivity level had no significant effect on comprehension but did affect shared reading behaviors. The mother–child dyads spent less time talking about the story in the highly interactive touch screen condition, despite longer shared reading sessions because of touch screen interactions. Positive emotional engagement was greater for children and mothers in the highly interactive touch screen condition, due to additional positive emotions expressed during touch screen interactions. Negative emotional engagement was greater for children when reading and talking about the story in the highly interactive condition, and some mothers demonstrated negative emotional engagement with the touch screen activities. The less interactive touch screen storybook had little effect on shared reading behaviors, but mothers controlling behaviors were more frequent. Storybook format had no effect on the frequency of mothers’ cognitive scaffolding behaviors (comprehension questions, word help). Relationships between comprehension and shared reading behaviors were examined for each storybook, and although length of the shared reading session and controlling behaviors had significant effects on comprehension, the mechanisms driving comprehension were not fully explained by the data. The potential for touch screen storybooks to contribute to cognitive overload in 7-year-old developing readers is discussed, as is the complex relationship between cognitive and emotional scaffolding behaviors, emotional engagement, and comprehension. Sample characteristics and methodological limitations are also discussed to help inform future research.
MP-DASH: Adaptive Video Streaming Over Preference-Aware Multipath

Compared with using only a single wireless path such as WiFi, leveraging multipath (e.g., WiFi and cellular) can dramatically improve users' quality of experience (QoE) for mobile video streaming. However, Multipath TCP (MPTCP), the de-facto multipath solution, lacks the support to prioritize one path over another. When applied to video streaming, it may cause undesired network usage such as substantial over-utilization of the metered cellular link. In this paper, we propose MP-DASH, a multipath framework for video streaming with the awareness of network interface preferences from users. The basic idea behind MP-DASH is to strategically schedule video chunks' delivery and thus satisfy user preferences. MP-DASH can work with a wide range of off-the-shelf video rate adaptation algorithms with very small changes. Our extensive field studies at 33 locations in three U.S. states suggest that MP-DASH is very effective: it can reduce cellular usage by up to 99% and radio energy consumption by up to 85% with negligible degradation of QoE, compared with off-the-shelf MPTCP.
A study on correlation properties of shadow fading of millimeter wave frequency spectrum

Correlation properties of shadow fading are the essential part of a large-scale channel model to evaluate system-level performance. The recent interest on mmWave frequency band naturally requires the study of these correlation properties so that new cellular system based on the new spectrum on mmWave band can be identified to be feasible. To the best of our knowledge, the correlation study has been done in only legacy band, below 6 GHz, and the study of these correlation properties in mmWave channel is required. In this paper, we investigate the correlation of shadow fading in mmWave frequency band by comparing this with the results in conventional cellular frequency band, i.e., under 6 GHz. In detail, decorrelation distance and site-to-site correlation as the correlation parameters are obtained from the results of the ray-tracing simulation at 28 GHz and 2 GHz frequencies in the area of downtown of Ottawa. The simulation results show the similarity of the decorrelation distance which is statistically independent of frequency. Also, 28 GHz and 2 GHz have similar site-to-site correlation values to each other. From these results, we claim that the correlation parameters for mmWave frequency band can be adopted from the parameters of the conventional cellular frequency band.
Portfolio and Consumption Decisions under Mean-Reverting Returns: An Exact Solution for Complete Markets

Abstract This paper solves, in closed form, the optimal portfolio choice problem for an investor with utility over consumption under mean-reverting returns. Previous solutions either require approximations, numerical methods, or the assumption that the investor does not consume over his lifetime. This paper breaks the impasse by assuming that markets are complete. The solution leads to a new understanding of hedging demand and of the behavior of the approximate log-linear solution. The portfolio allocation takes the form of a weighted average and is shown to be analogous to duration for coupon bonds. Through this analogy, the notion of investment horizon is extended to that of an investor who consumes at multiple points in time.
Career Construction and Subjective Well-Being

Experienced happiness and reported life contentment represent cardinal elements of subjective well-being (SWB). Achieving happiness and contentment with work and other domains, such as love, play, and community, constitute fundamental life goals. Career construction offers a developmental theory of vocational behavior and a career assessment and counseling model counselors can use to promote client SWB. As an intervention model, career construction assists individuals with using work to foster self-completion and derive meaning, satisfaction, and happiness as they design their lives. Career construction counseling promotes SWB because its aims are consistent with increasing both immediate life satisfaction and overall life contentment. The present analysis describes the basic principles and practice of career construction and explains the career style interview as an assessment and counseling method useful for assisting individuals to identify and pursue self-selected goals and projects, endeavors that contribute to SWB.
Using low-level motion for high-level vision

The work presented within this Thesis describes a method to extract the 3D pose of a human performing a gaited action using only the motion of a sparse set of tracked features. The features used are not extracted using specific limb detectors, but are selected and tracked automatically using a standard feature tracker. These features contain noise that is not Gaussian in nature, but systematic, as a result of edge effects. Furthermore, features are indiscriminately tracked on both the subject of interest and the background. This ensures that a method designed to exploit only the structure of the features would fail, the motion of the features must be exploited to extract useful information. A method is presented that models the expected motion of a feature tracking a particular limb. Using these models the likelihood that each observed motion is caused by a specific limb can be estimated. Furthermore, this representation allows the temporal state of an action to be estimated for each feature independently. Integrating over all features, a Hidden Markov Model is shown to be able to accurately extract gait phase. Given these initial likelihood estimates, an approach is presented to create probability maps that describe the likelihood of a limb being located at each position in the image. Following this, 2D pose in the image plane can be estimated. This is achieved using a Pictorial Structures representation that uses phase dependent priors. This search is performed via Dynamic Programming and conducted in each frame independently. Extracted poses are then enforced to be temporally coherent using a high-level motion model. Finally, these methods are shown to be suitable for 3D pose estimation. Methods are presented to extract 3D motion from 2D image observations and to efficiently extract pose in R. This is achieved by placing constraints on the search space and by mapping observations from the image plane into R. To extract 3D pose 3D models are learnt directly from motion capture data no image data is used for training. Quantitative results are provided using the HumanEva data set. The approach is tested on a variety of scenes filmed from different viewpoints, with no prior expectation of the path the subject will walk through the scene. Despite this the same 3D model is used throughout. Unlike many current approaches, the presented method requires no initialisation of joint locations in the first frame, this is performed automatically. Furthermore, only a single viewpoint is ever exploited. The work in this thesis demonstrates that a set of sparse motion features contains enough information to extract the 3D pose of a person whilst performing gaited actions.
Friction drive of an SAW motor. part V: Design criteria

Design criteria for the stable and durable operation of a surface acoustic wave (SAW) motor are discussed. The low electric conductivity and pyroelectricity of the lithium niobate (LN) stator used in the motor hindered the motor's stability. We demonstrated that the use of LN whose conductivity had been enhanced by chemical reduction counteracted the instability caused by contact electrification and meniscus adhesion. The severe failure of the stator surface limits the durability of the SAW motor. Owing to the chemical inertness of LN, the surface failure of the stator was caused by mechanical stresses resulting from the indentation and sliding of the projections placed at the slider surface. The as-fabricated sharp edges of the projections are the obvious cause of failure. Thus, if the projections are necessary, a procedure in which the edges are worn off before operation is the only feasible method to correct this problem. Nevertheless, the optimum geometry to prevent surface failure was deduced as flat plane. The flat plane geometry was useful if the contact pressure is sufficiently large to diminish the effect of the layer of squeezed air between the surfaces.
ON REGULARLY BRANCHED MAPS DEDICATED TO PROFESSOR S. NEDEV FOR HIS 60TH BIRTHDAY

Let f : X → Y be a perfect map between finite-dimensional metrizable spaces and p ≥ 1. It is shown that the space C∗(X,R p ) of all bounded maps from X into R p with the source limitation topology contains a dense Gδ-subset consisting of f -regularly branched maps. Here, a map g : X → R p is f -regularly branched if, for every n ≥ 1, the dimension of the set {z ∈ Y ×R p : |(f × g)(z)| ≥ n} is ≤ n · (