Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local Delivery of the KCa3.1 Blocker, TRAM-34, Prevents Acute Angioplasty-Induced Coronary Smooth Muscle Phenotypic Modulation and Limits Stenosis

Objective—We previously demonstrated that upregulation of intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa3.1) is necessary for mitogen-induced phenotypic modulation in isolated porcine coronary smooth muscle cells (SMCs). The objective of the present study was to determine the role of KCa3.1 in the regulation of coronary SMC phenotypic modulation in vivo using a swine model of postangioplasty restenosis. Methods and Results—Balloon angioplasty was performed on coronary arteries of swine using either noncoated or balloons coated with the specific KCa3.1 blocker TRAM-34. Expression of KCa3.1, c-jun, c-fos, repressor element-1 silencing transcription factor (REST), smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC), and myocardin was measured using qRT-PCR in isolated medial cells 2 hours and 2 days postangioplasty. KCa3.1, c-jun, and c-fos mRNA levels were increased 2 hours postangioplasty, whereas REST expression decreased. SMMHC expression was unchanged at 2 hours, but decreased 2 days postangioplasty. Use of TRAM-34 coated balloons prevented KCa3.1 upregulation and REST downregulation at 2 hours, SMMHC and myocardin downregulation at 2 days, and attenuated subsequent restenosis 14 and 28 days postangioplasty. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated corresponding changes at the protein level. Conclusion—Blockade of KCa3.1 by delivery of TRAM-34 via balloon catheter prevented smooth muscle phenotypic modulation and limited subsequent restenosis.
Economic Optimized Medium for Tensio-Active Agent Production by Candida sphaerica UCP0995 and Application in the Removal of Hydrophobic Contaminant from Sand

Statistical experimental designs and response surface methodology were employed to optimize the concentrations of agroindustrial residues as soybean oil (SORR) from refinery, and corn steep liquor (CSL) from corn industry, for tensio-active agent produced by Candida sphaerica UCP 0995. Three 22 full factorial design were applied sequentially to investigate the effects of the concentrations and interactions of soybean oil refinery residue and corn steep liquor on the surface tension of free-cell culture broth for 144 h. Two 22 central composite designs and response surface methodology were adopted to derive a statistical model to measure the effect of SORR and CSL on the surface tension of the free-cell culture broth for 144 h. The regression equation obtained from the experimental data using a central composite design was solved, and by analyzing the response surface contour plots, the optimal concentrations of the constituents of the medium were determined: 8.63% v/v (≅9% v/v) of SORR and 8.80% v/v (≅9% v/v) CSL. The minimum surface tension predicted and experimentally confirmed was 25.25 mN/m. The new biosurfactant, denominated Lunasan, recovered 95% of motor oil adsorbed in a sand sample, thus showing great potential for use in bioremediation processes, especially in the petroleum industry.
The Right Tool for the Job? Comparing an Evidence Accumulation and a Naive Strategy Selection Model of Decision Making

Analyses of multi-attribute decision problems are dominated by accounts which assume people select from a repertoire of cognitive strategies to make decisions. This paper explores an alternative account based on sequential sampling and evidence accumulation. Two experiments varied aspects of a decision environment to examine competing models of decision behavior. The results highlighted the intra-participant consistency but inter-participant differences in the amount of evidence considered in decisions. This pattern was best captured by a sequential evidence accumulation model (SEQ) which treated pure Take-The-Best (TTB) and pure ‘‘rational’’ (RAT) models as special cases of a single model. The SEQ model was also preferred by the minimum description length (MDL) criterion to a naive strategy-selection model (NSS) which assumed that TTB or RAT could be selected with some probability for each decision. Copyright # 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Clustering with probabilistic topic models on arabic texts: a comparative study of LDA and K-means

Recently, probabilistic topic models such as Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) have been widely used for applications in many text mining tasks such as retrieval, summarization and clustering on different languages. In this paper, we present a first comparative study between LDA and K$means, two well$known methods respectively in topics identification and clustering applied on arabic texts. Our aim is to compare the influence of morpho$syntactic characteristics of Arabic language on performance of first method compared to the second one. In order to, study different aspects of those methods the study is conducted on four benchmark document collections in which the quality of clustering was measured by the use of four well$known evaluation measures, Rand index, Jaccard index, F$measure and Entropy. The results consistently show that LDA perform best results more than K$means in most cases.
Prevalence and risk factors for stunting among children under 5 years: a community based study from Jhangara town, Dadu Sindh.

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence and the associated risk factors for stunting in Jhangara Town, Dadu Sindh. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Jhangara Town, located in district Dadu, rural Sindh. A total of 800 children less than 5 years of age were enrolled. A questionnaire was used to elicit required information and anthropometric measurements were made. RESULTS The overall prevalence for stunting was 61% in the study population, which was higher than the prevalence reported by Pakistan Demographic Health Survey (PDHS) 1990/91. In multivariate analysis various risk factors for stunting were ethnicity (OR = 2.1, 95% CI 1.27- 3.57) and birth interval < two years (OR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.09 - 1.99). CONCLUSION A large number of children below 5 years of age were stunted. Ethnicity and birth interval less than 2 years were the important risk factors.
Cerebellar granule cells contain a membrane mitogen for cultured Schwann cells

Proliferation of Schwann cells is one of the first events that occurs after contact with a growing axon. To further define the distribution and properties of this axonal mitogen, we have (a) cocultured cerebellar granule cells, which lack glial ensheathment in vivo with Schwann cells; and (b) exposed Schwann cell cultures to isolated granule cell membranes. Schwann cells cocultured with granule cells had a 30-fold increase in the labeling index over Schwann cells cultured alone, suggesting that the mitogen is located on the granule cell surface. Inhibition of granule cell proteoglycan synthesis caused a decrease in the granule cells' ability to stimulate Schwann cell proliferation. Membranes isolated from cerebellar granule cells when added to Schwann cell cultures caused a 45-fold stimulation in [3H]thymidine incorporation. The granule cell mitogenic signal was heat and trypsin sensitive and did not require lysosomal processing by Schwann cells to elicit its proliferative effect. The ability of granule cells and their isolated membranes to stimulate Schwann cell proliferation suggests that the mitogenic signal for Schwann cells is a ubiquitous factor present on all axons regardless of their ultimate state of glial ensheathment.
Investors' Heterogeneity and Implied Volatility Smiles

Heterogeneity in beliefs and time preferences among investors make stock volatility stochastic, even though the volatility of the underlying dividend is constant. Prices of the European options written on this stock admit closed-form solutions, hence their hedging deltas. The Black--Scholes implied volatility surface, which depends on wealth distribution, investors' beliefs, and time preferences, exhibits observed patterns that are widely documented in various options markets. Along with benchmark models, the model is calibrated weekly to the S&P 500 index options from January 1996 to April 2006. It shows comparable performance to the stochastic volatility and jump model and outperforms the traders' rules and two no-arbitrage models (stochastic volatility, and stochastic volatility and stochastic interest rate) in terms of out-of-sample pricing errors. This paper was accepted by Wei Xiong, finance.
Connectivity of pacemaker neurons in the neonatal rat superficial dorsal horn

Pacemaker neurons with an intrinsic ability to generate rhythmic burst‐firing have been characterized in lamina I of the neonatal spinal cord, where they are innervated by high‐threshold sensory afferents. However, little is known about the output of these pacemakers, as the neuronal populations that are targeted by pacemaker axons have yet to be identified. The present study combines patch‐clamp recordings in the intact neonatal rat spinal cord with tract‐tracing to demonstrate that lamina I pacemaker neurons contact multiple spinal motor pathways during early life. Retrograde labeling of premotor interneurons with the trans‐synaptic pseudorabies virus PRV‐152 revealed the presence of burst‐firing in PRV‐infected lamina I neurons, thereby confirming that pacemakers are synaptically coupled to motor networks in the spinal ventral horn. Notably, two classes of pacemakers could be distinguished in lamina I based on cell size and the pattern of their axonal projections. Whereas small pacemaker neurons possessed ramified axons that contacted ipsilateral motor circuits, large pacemaker neurons had unbranched axons that crossed the midline and ascended rostrally in the contralateral white matter. Recordings from identified spino‐parabrachial and spino‐periaqueductal gray neurons indicated the presence of pacemaker activity within neonatal lamina I projection neurons. Overall, these results show that lamina I pacemakers are positioned to regulate both the level of activity in developing motor circuits and the ascending flow of nociceptive information to the brain, thus highlighting a potential role for pacemaker activity in the maturation of pain and sensorimotor networks in the central nervous system. J. Comp. Neurol. 523:1038–1053, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Chandra grating spectroscopy of three hot white dwarfs

Context. High-resolution soft X-ray spectroscopic observations of single hot white dwarfs are scarce. With the Chandra Low-Energy Transmission Grating, we have observed two white dwarfs, one is of spectral type DA (LB 1919) and the other is a non-DA of spectral type PG 1159 (PG 1520+525). The spectra of both stars are analyzed, together with an archival Chandra spectrum of another DA white dwarf (GD 246). Aims. The soft X-ray spectra of the two DA white dwarfs are investigated in order to study the effect of gravitational settling and radiative levitation of metals in their photospheres. LB 1919 is of interest because it has a significantly lower metallicity than DAs with otherwise similar atmospheric parameters. GD 246 is the only white dwarf known that shows identifiable individual iron lines in the soft X-ray range. For the PG 1159 star, a precise effective temperature determination is performed in order to confine the position of the blue edge of the GW Vir instability region in the HRD. Methods. The Chandra spectra are analyzed with chemically homogeneous as well as stratified NLTE model atmospheres that assume equilibrium between gravitational settling and radiative acceleration of chemical elements. Archival EUV and UV spectra obtained with EUVE, FUSE, and HST are utilized to support the analysis. Results. No metals could be identified in LB 1919. All observations are compatible with a pure hydrogen atmosphere. This is in stark contrast to the vast majority of hot DA white dwarfs that exhibit light and heavy metals and to the stratified models that predict significant metal abundances in the atmosphere. For GD 246 we find that neither stratified nor homogeneous models can fit the Chandra spectrum. The Chandra spectrum of PG 1520+525 constrains the effective temperature to Teff = 150 000 ± 10 000 K. Therefore, this nonpulsating star together with the pulsating prototype of the GW Vir class (PG 1159−035) defines the location of the blue edge of the GW Vir instability region. The result is in accordance with predictions from nonadiabatic stellar pulsation models. Such models are therefore reliable tools to investigate the interior structure of GW Vir variables. Conclusions. Our soft X-ray study reveals that the understanding of metal abundances in hot DA white dwarf atmospheres is still incomplete. On the other hand, model atmospheres of hydrogen-deficient PG 1159-type stars are reliable and reproduce well the observed spectra from soft X-ray to optical wavelengths.
Dietary Patterns in Pregnancy and Effects on Nutrient Intake in the Mid-South: The Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) Study

Dietary patterns are sensitive to differences across socio-economic strata or cultural habits and may impact programing of diseases in later life. The purpose of this study was to identify distinct dietary patterns during pregnancy in the Mid-South using factor analysis. Furthermore, we aimed to analyze the differences in the food groups and in macro- and micronutrients among the different food patterns. The study was a cross-sectional analysis of 1155 pregnant women (mean age 26.5 ± 5.4 years; 62% African American, 35% Caucasian, 3% Other; and pre-pregnancy BMI 27.6 ± 7.5 kg/m2). Using food frequency questionnaire data collected from participants in the Conditions Affecting Neurocognitive Development and Learning in Early Childhood (CANDLE) study between 16 and 28 weeks of gestation, dietary patterns were identified using factor analysis. Three major dietary patterns, namely, Healthy, Processed, and US Southern were identified among pregnant women from the Mid-South. Further analysis of the three main patterns revealed four mixed dietary patterns, i.e., Healthy-Processed, Healthy-US Southern, Processed-US Southern, and overall Mixed. These dietary patterns were different (p < 0.001) from each other in almost all the food items, macro- and micro nutrients and aligned across socioeconomic and racial groups. Our study describes unique dietary patterns in the Mid-South, consumed by a cohort of women enrolled in a prospective study examining the association of maternal nutritional factors during pregnancy that are known to affect brain and cognitive development by age 3.
A deep XMM-Newton serendipitous survey of a middle-latitude area - II. New deeper X-ray and optical observations

Context. The radio-quiet neutron star 1E1207.4−5209 has been the target of several XMM-Newton observations, with a total exposure of ∼350 ks. The source is located at intermediate galactic latitude (b ∼ 10 ◦ ), i.e. in a sky region with an extremely interesting mix of both galactic and extra-galactic X-ray sources. Aims. The aim of our work is to investigate the properties of both the intermediate-latitude galactic and extra-galactic X-ray source populations in the 1E1207.4−5209 field. Methods. We performed a coherent analysis of the whole XMM-Newton observation data set to build a catalogue of serendipitous X-ray sources detected with high confidence and to derive information on the source flux, spectra, and time variability. In addition, we performed a complete multi-band (UBVRI) optical coverage of the field with the Wide Field Imager (WFI )o f the ESO/MPG 2.2 m telescope (La Silla) to search for candidate optical counterparts to the X-ray sources, down to a V-band limiting magnitude of ∼24.5. Results. From the combined observation data set we detected a total of 144 serendipitous X-ray sources. We find evidence that the source log N− log S distribution may be different from those computed either in the Galactic plane or at high galactic latitudes. Thanks to the refined X-ray positions and to the WFI observations, we found candidate optical counterparts for most of the X-ray sources in our compilation. For most of the brightest ones we proposed a likely classification based on both the X-ray spectra and the optical colours. Conclusions. Our results indicate that at intermediate galactic latitude the X-ray source population is dominated by the extra-galactic component, but with a significant contribution from the galactic component in the soft energy band, below 2 keV.
Degradation kinetics and pathway of phenol by Pseudomonas and Bacillus species

This article elucidates that strain Pseudomonas aeruginosa (IES-Ps-1) is a versatile toxic organic compound degrader. With the degradation of malathion and cypermethrin (studied by other researchers previously), this strain was able to degrade phenol. Two other indigenous soil flora (i.e., Pseudomonas sp. (IES-S) and Bacillus subtilis (IES-B)) were also found to be potential phenol degraders. Phenol was degraded with Monod kinetics during growth in nutrient broth and mineral salts medium. Before entering into the growth inhibition phase, strains IES-Ps-1, IES-S and IES-B could tolerate up to 400, 700 and 500 mg/L phenol, respectively, when contained in nutrient broth. However, according to the Luong–Levenspiel model, the growth of strains IES-Ps-1, IES-S and IES-B would cease at 2000, 2174 and 2190 mg/L phenol, respectively. Strain IES-Ps-1 degraded 700, 900 and 1050 mg/L phenol contained in mineral salts medium with the specific rates of 0.034, 0.075 and 0.021 h−1, respectively. All these strains grew by making clusters when exposed to phenol in order to prevent damages due to high substrate concentration. These strains transformed phenol into catechol, which was then degraded via ortho-cleavage pathway.
Big five traits and intrinsic success in the new career era: a 15 year longitudinal study on employability and work-family conflict

The present investigation contributes to research on the dispositional source of intrinsic (subjective) career success in three general ways. First, two indicators of career success were considered, i.e. perceived employability and workfamily conflict, which closely align with the characteristics of contemporary boundaryless careers. Second, facet-level associations were examined, providing a more fine-grained description of personalitysuccess relations. Third, besides concurrent associations, we also examined the prospective effects of traits on career success assessed 15 years later. Overall, our results further substantiated an individual difference perspective on career success, with both outcomes being significantly and substantially predicted by Big Five traits, even when controlling for a number of demographic and career-related characteristics. Further, results indicated that facet-level analyses can contribute significantly to our theoretical understanding of traitsuccess associations. Finally, a comparison of concurrent and longitudinal analyses indicated temporal stability of personalitysuccess relations, although the predictive validity of separate traits was also found to vary across time.
SURFACE TREATMENTS BY LASER TECHNOLOGY

Industrial applications require parts of components with specific surface properties such are good corrosion resistance, wear resistance and hardness. Alloys with those properties are usually very expensive and there is a great interest in reducing the cost of components for fulfilling these requirements. In this sense, laser surface processing has been used as a cost-effective technique to improve the surface properties of materials, by use of the laser beam heat for modification of its structure and physical characteristics. Laser surface treatments can be divided into direct processes, which only need the generated heat, such are hardening and melting, and processes which need filler material as alloying and cladding. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to summarize the results of several works based on laser surface treatments, in particular, hardening and melting of hot and cold work steels, and laser cladding of forming tools with nanoparticles. The microstructural characterization and mechanical properties (microhardness, wear resistance) will be described in each case.
Safety of Early Carotid Artery Stenting after Systemic Thrombolysis: A Single Center Experience

Background. Patients with acute ischemic stroke due to internal carotid artery (ICA) disease are at high risk of early stroke recurrence. A combination of IV thrombolysis and early carotid artery stenting (CAS) may result in more effective secondary stroke prevention. Objective. We tested safety and durability of early CAS following IV thrombolysis in stroke patients with residual stenosis in the symptomatic ICA. Methods. Of consecutive patients treated with IV rtPA, those with residual ICA stenosis ≥70% or <70% with an ulcerated plaque underwent early CAS (>24 hours). The protocol included pre-rtPA MRI and MR angiography, and post-rtPA carotid ultrasound and CT angiography. Stroke severity was assessed by the NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Three- and twelve-month stent patency was assessed by ultrasound. Twelve-month functional outcome was assessed by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Results. Of 145 consecutive IV rtPA-treated patients, 6 (4%) underwent early CAS. Median age was 76 (range 67–78) years, median NIHSS at stroke onset was 12 (range 9–16) and 7 (range 7-8) before CAS. Median onset-to-CAS time was 48 (range 30–94) hours. A single self-expandable stent was implanted to cover the entire lesion in all patients. The procedure was uneventful in all patients. After 12 months, all patients had stent patency, and the functional outcome was favourable (mRS ≤ 2) in all but 1 patient experiencing a recurrent stroke for new-onset atrial fibrillation. Conclusion. This small case series of a single centre suggests that early CAS may be considered a safe alternative to CEA after IV rtPA administration in selected patients at high risk of stroke recurrence.
Effects of surgery on the acute phase response in clinically normal and diseased horses

The serum concentrations of serum amyloid A, haptoglobin and fibrinogen were measured in a group of horses before and at intervals after elective and non-elective surgery, and in a control group of normal horses. There was a significant, rapid and repeatable increase in the concentration of serum amyloid A in response to both elective and non-elective surgery. In the control horses its serum concentration was within the normal range, from 0 to 0·2 µg/ml. Twenty-four hours after elective surgery its mean peak concentration was 16·4 µg/ml, and after non-elective surgery it was 27·3 µg/ml. In contrast, the serum concentrations of haptoglobin and fibrinogen increased more slowly after surgery and had not decreased by 72 hours after surgery.
Microcomputers versus Resource Rooms for LD Students: A Preliminary Investigation of the Effects on Math Skills

The SPARK-80 Computerized Mathematics System1 was evaluated using children with learning disabilities. The computerized instruction group (n = 12) received 40 minutes per day of SPARK-80 instruction at Radio Shack terminals, whereas the resource instruction group (n = 9) received traditional resource room mathematics instruction from experienced teachers for 40 minutes per day. Mid-year assessment produced significantly greater results for the computerized instruction group compared to the resource instruction group in terms of number of math skills mastered and fluency of problem solving. Moreover, compared to the resource instruction group, the computerized instruction sample produced over twice the yearly gains in achievement and in number of math skills learned. Results were statistically significant at the . 05 level.