Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contribution of Rho kinase to the early phase of the calcium–contraction coupling in airway smooth muscle

We investigated theoretically and experimentally the role of Rho kinase (RhoK) in Ca2+–contraction coupling in rat airways. Isometric contraction was measured on tracheal, extrapulmonary and intrapulmonary bronchial rings. Intracellular [Ca2+] was recorded in freshly isolated tracheal myocytes. Stimulation by carbachol (0.3 and 10 μm) and 50 mm external KCl induced a short‐time, Hill‐shaped contraction obtained within 90 s, followed by a sustained or an additional delayed contraction. Responses of [Ca2+]i to acetylcholine consisted in a fast peak followed by a plateau and, in 42% of the cells, superimposed Ca2+ oscillations. The RhoK inhibitor Y27632 (10 μm) did not alter the [Ca2+]i response. Whatever the agonist, Y27632 did not modify the basal tension but decreased the amplitude of the short‐duration response, without altering the additional delayed contraction. The Myosin Light Chain Phosphatase (MLCP) inhibitor calyculin A increased the basal tension and abolished the effect of RhoK. KN93 (Ca2+–calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II inhibitor) and DIDS (inhibitor of Ca2+‐activated Cl− channels) had no influence on the RhoK effect. We built a theoretical model of Ca2+‐dependent active/inactive RhoK ratio and subsequent RhoK‐dependent MLCP inactivation, which was further coupled with a four‐state model of the contractile apparatus and Ca2+‐dependent MLCK activation. The model explains the time course of the short‐duration contraction and the role of RhoK by Ca2+‐dependent activation of MLCK and RhoK, which inactivates MLCP. Oscillatory and non‐oscillatory [Ca2+]i responses result in a non‐oscillatory contraction, the amplitude of which is encoded by the plateau value and oscillation frequency. In conclusion, Ca2+‐dependent but CaMK II‐independent RhoK activation contributes to the early phase of the contractile response via MLCP inhibition.
Therapy for recurrent malignant glioma in adults

Malignant gliomas are the most common form of primary brain tumors in adults. Although the prognosis remains poor, there has been recent progress in the treatment of these tumors. Standard therapy for patients with this disease will be reviewed, together with more novel approaches such as targeted molecular therapies, angiogenesis inhibitors, immunotherapies, gene therapiesand intratumoral therapies.
THE EFFECTS OF AGE AND GENDER ON BALANCE SKILLS IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of age and gender on balance skills in preschool children. For that purpose, the balance subtest of the Bruininks-Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency (Bruininks, 1978) was administered to 283 children, 4½ - 6 years old (M=61.77 months, SD= 5.43). For the data analysis, both an ANOVA and a MANOVA were applied on the total subtest score and the eight item scores, respectively. Age was found to have a significant effect on both the subtest (F2,277 = 32.77, p< .001, η2= .19) and item scores (min. F2,277= 17.78, p< .001, min. η2= .11). Significant gender differences were found in the subtest score (F1,277= 14.70, p< .001, η2= .05) and on six of the items (min. F2,277= 4.35, p<.038, min. η2= .01). However, the low values of the η2 associated with gender indicated that those differences were not of great significance.
Variation in outcomes in Veterans Affairs intensive care units with a computerized severity measure*

Objective:To quantify the variability in risk-adjusted mortality and length of stay of Veterans Affairs intensive care units using a computer-based severity of illness measure. Design:Retrospective cohort study. Setting:A stratified random sample of 34 intensive care units in 17 Veterans Affairs hospitals. Participants:A consecutive sample of 29,377 first intensive care unit admissions from February 1996 through July 1997. Interventions:Standardized mortality ratio (observed/expected deaths) and observed minus expected length of stay (OMELOS) with 95% confidence intervals were estimated for each unit using a hierarchical logistic (standardized mortality ratio) or linear (OMELOS) regression model with Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation. We adjusted for patient characteristics including age, admission diagnosis, comorbid disease, physiology at admission (from laboratory data), and transfer status. Measurements and Main Results:Mortality across the intensive care units for the 12,088 surgical and 17,289 medical cases averaged 11% (range, 2–30%). Length of stay in the intensive care units averaged 4.0 days (range, mean unit length of stay 3.0–5.9). Standardized mortality ratio of the intensive care units varied from 0.62 to 1.27; the standardized mortality ratio and 95% confidence interval were <1 for four intensive care units and >1.0 for seven intensive care units. OMELOS of the intensive care units ranged from −0.89 to 1.34 days. In a random slope hierarchical model, variation in standardized mortality ratio among intensive care units was similar across the range of severity, whereas variation in length of stay increased with severity. Standardized mortality ratio was not associated with OMELOS (Pearson’s r = .13). Conclusions:We identified intensive care units whose indicators for mortality and length of stay differ substantially using a conservative statistical approach with a severity adjustment model based on data available in computerized clinical databases. Computerized risk adjustment employing routinely available data may facilitate research on the utility of intensive care unit profiling and analysis of natural experiments to understand process and outcome links and quality efforts.
Pronominal Reference in Thai, Burmese, and Vietnamese

Pronominal Reference in Thai, Burmese, and Vietnamese By Joseph Robinson Cooke B.Th. (Biola College, Los Angeles) 19^9 A.B. (Biola College, Los Angeles) 1952 A.B. (University of California) 1961 DISSERTATION Submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Linguistics in the GRADUATE DIVISION of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Approved: Committee in Charge Degree conferred Date Reproduced with permission o f the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
Oral budesonide in the treatment of primary sclerosing cholangitis

OBJECTIVE:This study was designed to evaluate the safety and estimate the efficacy of oral budesonide in patients with primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC). METHODS:Twenty-one patients with PSC were treated with 9 mg daily of oral budesonide for 1 yr.RESULTS:Significant, but marginally important, improvement in serum alkaline phosphatase (1235 ± 190 vs 951 ± 206 U/L, p = 0.003) and AST levels (119 ± 14 vs 103 ± 19 U/L, p = 0.02) was noted at the end of the treatment period. Serum bilirubin levels increased significantly in the 18 patients who completed 1 yr of treatment (1.1 ± 0.1 vs 1.4 ± 0.3, p = 0.01) and no significant changes in liver tests were noted 3 months after budesonide was discontinued. The Mayo risk score did not change significantly, and although a significant improvement in the degree of portal inflammation was noted at the end of the treatment period, the degree of fibrosis and stage of disease were not significantly affected. There was a marked loss of bone mass of the femoral neck (0.851 ± 0.02 vs 0.826 ± 0.02 g/cm2, p = 0.002) and lumbar spine (1.042 ± 0.02 vs 1.029 ± 0.02 g/cm2, p = 0.09) at 1 yr of treatment with budesonide. Two patients required evaluation for liver transplantation during treatment, and two patients developed cosmetic side effects.CONCLUSIONS:Oral budesonide appears to be of minimal, if any, benefit and it is associated with a significant worsening of osteoporosis in patients with PSC.
Unaccustomed high-mileage vs intensity training-related changes in performance and serum amino acid levels.

To test the overtraining-related "imbalanced amino acid hypothesis" (19), the influence of an unaccustomed average 103 %. 4 wk-1 increase in training mileage (ITV) on performance and on serum levels of individual amino acids (AAs) was examined in distance runners and controlled by an unaccustomed average 152%. 4 wk-1 increase in tempo-pace and interval runs (ITI). Two mmol.l-1 lactate performance (2 LP) increased, 4 LP stagnated and total running distance (TD) decreased in the incremental test during ITV--which may indicate an ITV-dependent overtraining--in contrast to an ITI-related increase in 2 LP, 4 LP and TD. The summed serum AAs decreased in ITV (2744 +/- 534 vs 2933 +/- 663 umol.l-1; p < 0.05) in contrast to an ITI-related increase (3541 +/- 657 vs 3252 +/- 885 umol.l-1; p < 0.05) with an average 29% higher final summed AAs concentration during ITI (p < 0.05). During ITV 12 individual AAs decreased by 6-17%, 8 remained constant and 3 increased (Cys, Met, fTrp) by 6-19%, as opposed to an ITI-related increase in 16 AA by 6-55%. The observed ITV-related changes in serum AAs profile were smaller than after completing contests as a marathon, a 100 km-run or an ultra-triathlon. It may be concluded that the observed small changes in AAs profile or AAA/BCAA and AA/LNAA ratios only represent an epiphenomenon without recognizable influence on incremental test performance, since increases in fTrp/LNAA ratios (+28% in ITV vs +45% in ITI) were found to be related both to performance impairment (ITV) and improvement (ITI).
Identification of an Active Site-bound Nitrile Hydratase Intermediate through Single Turnover Stopped-flow Spectroscopy*

Background: No direct evidence exists for the direct coordination of nitrile to the Fe3+ active site in nitrile hydratases. Results: The first Fe3+-nitrile intermediate species is reported using stopped-flow spectroscopy. Conclusion: These data establish that the direct ligation of the nitrile substrate occurs during catalytic turnover. Significance: Understanding the catalytic mechanism of nitrile hydratases is critical to harness their bioremediation and industrial potential. Stopped-flow kinetic data were obtained for the iron-type nitrile hydratase from Rhodococcus equi TG328-2 (ReNHase) using methacrylonitrile as the substrate. Multiple turnover experiments suggest a three-step kinetic model that allows for the reversible binding of substrate, the presence of an intermediate, and the formation of product. Microscopic rate constants determined from these data are in good agreement with steady state data confirming that the stopped-flow method used was appropriate for the reaction. Single turnover stopped-flow experiments were used to identify catalytic intermediates. These data were globally fit confirming a three-step kinetic model. Independent absorption spectra acquired between 0.005 and 0.5 s of the reaction reveal a significant increase in absorbance at 375, 460, and 550 nm along with the hypsochromic shift of an Fe3+←S ligand-to-metal charge transfer band from 700 to 650 nm. The observed UV-visible absorption bands for the Fe3+-nitrile intermediate species are similar to low spin Fe3+-enzyme and model complexes bound by NO or N3−. These data provide spectroscopic evidence for the direct coordination of the nitrile substrate to the nitrile hydratase active site low spin Fe3+ center.
TheV-Go insulin delivery device used in clinical practice: patient perception and retrospective analysis of glycemic control.

OBJECTIVE To describe patient perceptions regarding their experience and to report findings in a retrospective analysis of glycemic control in a cohort of patients who used the V-Go, a mechanical, 24-hour disposable, subcutaneous continuous insulin delivery device that delivers a preset basal infusion rate and on-demand insulin. METHODS Patients used the V-Go and answered telephone surveys about their perception of device use. Corresponding clinical data were retrospectively collected before V-Go initiation, after 12 weeks of use, at the end of treatment, and 12 weeks after discontinuation. Analyses were performed with nonparametric statistical tests. RESULTS Twenty-three patients participated. Mean values of the following characteristics were documented: patient age, 61 years; body mass index, 30 kg/m2; diabetes duration, 16 years; duration of insulin therapy, 7 years; average duration of V-Go use, 194 days; and mean total daily insulin dose, 50 U at baseline, 46 U while on V-Go, and 51 U after stopping V-Go treatment. Mean patient rating of the overall experience was 9.1 at 12 weeks on a scale from 1 to 10 (10 being most positive). Mean hemoglobin A1c value decreased from baseline (8.8% to 7.6%; [P = .005]) while using the V-Go, and it increased to 8.2% after treatment. Fasting plasma glucose trended from 205 mg/dL at baseline to 135 mg/dL while using V-Go and increased to 164 mg/dL after V-Go was stopped. Weight was essentially unchanged. No differences in hypoglycemic events were found; site reactions were minor. CONCLUSION Glycemic control improved when patients were switched to the V-Go for insulin delivery, and it deteriorated when the V-Go was discontinued.
Vortex induced vibration energy extraction modeling via forced versus free vibration

Vortex induced vibrations (VIV) for energy extraction have been revisited in last years by both marine power and wind power communities. Even though vortex induced vibrations have been focus of research for many years, energy extraction from vortex induced vibrations is relevantly new field which needs more detailed investigation and modeling. To this end, there has been recent experimental and modeling parametric studies where VIV was modeled by solution of one-degree-of-freedom ordinary differential equation spring system where engineering modeling of vortex induced vibration for energy extraction has been investigated based on a spring system with the forces defined from forced oscillation experiments where full coupling of free oscillations were not taken into account. Herein a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) modeling of a circular cylinder will be studied to compare forced and free vibrations in the context of vortex-induced energy extraction. The model is essentially solved by partial differential isothermal incompressible Navier-Stokes equations to model fully mathematical model of the fluid-structure interaction of vortex induced vibration. The comparison between forced and free oscillation response studies of this paper will serve to improve the scientific knowledge where vortex induced vibration modeling are comparatively more limited. The preliminary results are presented herein for forced and free oscillations for the Reynolds number regimes Re = 100 and Re = 3800 in two dimensions for combinations of amplitudes and frequency of oscillations in the context of energy extraction modeling.
Lateral cognitive processing and belief updating

LATERAL COGNITIVE PROCESSING AND BELIEF UPDATING. by ERIN HOLCOMB August 2010 Advisor: Dr. R. Douglas Whitman Major: Psychology (Clinical) Degree: Master of Arts Bias in mental representations and belief systems has been linked to asymmetries in information processing by the two hemispheres in research that uses wide variety of methodologies and participant samples. Also, associations have been drawn between such biases in belief systems and sociopolitical orientation leading to the hypothesis that links can be drawn from lateral processing through cognitive style to social and political orientation. This study sought to examine individual differences in laterality – as assessed via a lateralized semantic priming methodology – and manifestations of rigidity and flexibility in belief updating within a sociopolitical context. Analyses revealed that a theoretical inference of hemispheric communication based on accuracy data from the lexical decision making task was significantly related to self-reported charectorlogical rigidity and sociopolitical orientation. Specifically, greater communication between the hemispheres was significantly correlated with a lower degree of characterological rigidity and sociopolitical liberalism. This study proposes a dual hemispheric model
Modelling Volatilities and Conditional Correlations in Futures Markets with a Multivariate T Distribution

This paper considers a multivariate t version of the Gaussian dynamic conditional correlation (DCC) model proposed by Engle (2002), and suggests the use of devolatized returns computed as returns standardized by realized volatilities rather than by GARCH type volatility estimates. The t-DCC estimation procedure is applied to a portfolio of daily returns on currency futures, government bonds and equity index futures. The results strongly reject the normal-DCC model in favour of a t-DCC specification. The t-DCC model also passes a number of VaR diagnostic tests over an evaluation sample. The estimation results suggest a general trend towards a lower level of return volatility, accompanied by a rising trend in conditional cross correlations in most markets; possibly reflecting the advent of euro in 1999 and increased interdependence of financial markets.
Coherent flash of light emitted by a cold atomic cloud

When a resonant laser sent on an optically thick cold atomic cloud is abruptly switched off, a coherent flash of light is emitted in the forward direction. This transient phenomenon is observed due to the highly resonant character of the atomic scatterers. We analyze quantitatively its temporal properties and show very good agreement with theoretical predictions. Based on complementary experiments, the phase of the coherent field is reconstructed without interferometric tools.
The Loss of Long Consonants and the Rise of Voiced Fricatives in Middle English

1. In OE,' long consonants are fully established in one and only one position: between a fully stressed or a half-stressed SHORT vowel (or diphthong) and a following unstressed vowel, as in clyppan, settan, reccan, ebba, middel, hycgan, frogga, fremman, spinnan, spillan, steorra, sifban, missan, hliehhan (hlxhhan), and (after a half-stressed short vowel) in bliccettan 'glitter', oretta 'challenger', faranne (inf.), westenne 'wilderness'. 2 In MSS of the 10th century, double letters are written with great consistency in such words, whereas in other words single letters appear with equal consistency in the same position, e.g. in witan 'know', sunu 'son', stelan 'steal'. The consistent writing of double letters in some of these words and of single letters in others makes it clear that between a short stressed or half-stressed vowel and a following unstressed vowel long and short consonants are in phonemic contrast in OE. To support this inference from the spelling, one may cite such minimally differentiated pairs as sittan 'sit' : witan 'know', sellan 'sell' : stelan 'steal'.
Hyperthermia and its modern use in cancer treatment

In the current issue, Jones et al. report the results of a pilot study of cisplatin, radiotherapy, and hyperthermia for treatment of patients with locally advanced primary or recurrent cervical carcinoma. The justification for the study was correctly based on the results of several multicenter random assignment trials and on the results of a random assignment trial performed by the Dutch Hyperthermia Group. The multicenter trials demonstrated significant benefits in local and regional control and overall survival for patients receiving a combination of chemotherapy and radiotherapy compared with those receiving radiotherapy alone for locally advanced cervical carcinoma, while the Dutch Hyperthermia Group trial showed a significantly better response rate and overall survival for patients with locally advanced pelvic tumors who were treated with a combination of radiotherapy and hyperthermia compared with those who were treated with radiotherapy alone. In the current study, Jones et al. have demonstrated that the addition of hyperthermia to chemotherapy and radiotherapy is well tolerated and associated with significant efficacy. They suggest that the benefit of hyperthermia in this clinical setting be evaluated critically in a large-scale, international, multicenter random assignment trial. The authors are to be commended for their careful thermometry calculations in delivering regional deep hyperthermia to the pelvis using externally applied radiofrequency energy. Patients received 40 mg/m of cisplatin weekly, presumably before administration of radiotherapy and hyperthermia. Hyperthermia also was administered weekly for approximately 30 minutes following external beam radiation for 5 consecutive weeks. The goals of therapy were to administer hyperthermia for 60 minutes after the temperature of the cervical os reached 40 °C and to continue treatment for a total duration of 90 minutes. It is noteworthy that the T90, defined as the temperature equaled or exceeded by 90% of the measured points, was less than 38.5 °C for 5 of the 11 patients for whom thermometry data were available, and it also is noteworthy that the CEM 43° T90, the cumulative equivalent minutes at 43 °C for T90, was less than 5 minutes for all but 1 patient. Taken together, these data highlight the extraordinary difficulty, also observed in experimental animal models, in administering uniform and sustained target levels of hyperthermia in the clinical setting. The authors appropriately speculate on the role of hyperthermia in the clinical setting. It has been well established that hyperthermia 219
The Influence of Pressure on Coordinative Whole-Body Movement

The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of whole-body movement under pressure. The study participants, who were right-handed male university students (N=16), performed "tomeken ," which is a bilboquet technique, for 300 acquisition trials followed by 15 test trials. In the test, a small audience observed participants who had been informed that they could receive a performance-contingent money reward. The results showed that, in this study, a modest level of psychological stress was induced, as the average of the state anxiety scores increased (p tomeken " improved during acquisition (p p
Understanding Black-box Predictions via Influence Functions

How can we explain the predictions of a black-box model? In this paper, we use influence functions — a classic technique from robust statistics — to trace a model's prediction through the learning algorithm and back to its training data, thereby identifying training points most responsible for a given prediction. To scale up influence functions to modern machine learning settings, we develop a simple, efficient implementation that requires only oracle access to gradients and Hessian-vector products. We show that even on non-convex and non-differentiable models where the theory breaks down, approximations to influence functions can still provide valuable information. On linear models and convolutional neural networks, we demonstrate that influence functions are useful for multiple purposes: understanding model behavior, debugging models, detecting dataset errors, and even creating visually-indistinguishable training-set attacks.