Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Uncoupling protein 3 as a mitochondrial fatty acid anion exporter

In contrast to UCP1, the primary function of UCP3 is not the dissipation of energy. Rather, several lines of evidence suggest that UCP3 is related to cellular long‐chain fatty acid homeostasis. If long‐chain fatty acids enter the mitochondrial matrix in their non‐esterified form, they cannot be metabolized and may exert deleterious effects. To test the feasibility that UCP3 exports fatty acid anions, we systematically interfered at distinct steps in the fatty acid metabolism pathway, thereby creating conditions in which the entry of (non‐esterified) fatty acids into the mitochondrial matrix is enhanced. First, reducing the cellular fatty acid binding capacity, known to increase cytosolic concentrations of non‐esterified fatty acids, up‐regulated UCP3 5.3‐fold. Second, inhibition of mitochondrial entry of esterified long‐chain fatty acids up‐ regulated UCP3 by 1.9‐fold. Third, high‐fat diets, to increase mitochondrial supply of non‐ esterified long‐chain fatty acids exceeding oxidative capacity, up‐regulated UCP3 twofold. However, feeding a similar amount of medium‐chain fatty acids, which can be oxidized inside the mitochondrial matrix and therefore do not need to be exported from the matrix, did not affect UCP3 protein levels. These data are compatible with a physiological function of UCP3 in facilitating outward transport of long‐chain fatty acid anions, which cannot be oxidized, from the mitochondrial matrix.
Ubiquitous testing using tablets: its impact on medical student perceptions of and engagement in learning

Purpose: Ubiquitous testing has the potential to affect medical education by enhancing the authenticity of the assessment using multimedia items. This study explored medical students’ experience with ubiquitous testing and its impact on student learning. Methods: A cohort (n=48) of third-year students at a medical school in South Korea participated in this study. The students were divided into two groups and were given different versions of 10 content-matched items: one in text version (the text group) and the other in multimedia version (the multimedia group). Multimedia items were delivered using tablets. Item response analyses were performed to compare item characteristics between the two versions. Additionally, focus group interviews were held to investigate the students’ experiences of ubiquitous testing. Results: The mean test score was significantly higher in the text group. Item difficulty and discrimination did not differ between text and multimedia items. The participants generally showed positive responses on ubiquitous testing. Still, they felt that the lectures that they had taken in preclinical years did not prepare them enough for this type of assessment and clinical encounters during clerkships were more helpful. To be better prepared, the participants felt that they needed to engage more actively in learning in clinical clerkships and have more access to multimedia learning resources. Conclusion: Ubiquitous testing can positively affect student learning by reinforcing the importance of being able to understand and apply knowledge in clinical contexts, which drives students to engage more actively in learning in clinical settings.
Cesium atoms bouncing in a stable gravitational cavity.

A curved mirror for atoms was made from an evanescent wave, formed by internal reflection of a quasiresonant laser beam at a curved glass surface. A cold cloud of cesium atoms was dropped onto the mirror and observed to rebound more than 8 times. The mirror size and reflectivity were studied, and reasonable agreement with a simple theory obtained. With 800 mW of laser power and a mirror of 1 mm diameter, we observed up to 73% of the atoms returning after each bounce, the losses being mostly during the free flight between bounces
Sprouting and degeneration of mammalian motor axons in normal and de-afferentated skeletal muscle

The occurrence of collateral and ultraterminal sprouting by skeletomotor and fusimotor axons is described in teased, silver preparations of normal and de-afferentated hindlimb skeletal muscles. In twelve cat and ten rabbit muscle spindles the proportions of plate-ending fusimotor axons showing sprouting were 30.4 and 34.0 % , respectively. If small end-plates, previously described in the literature as ‘accessory endings’, are regarded as young plates newly formed by collateral sprouts, the degree of sprouting in the two spindle samples is increased to 33.9 and 38.3 % , respectively. Sprouting by skeletomotor axons was observed in a variety of cat, rabbit, and rat muscles taken from normal muscles. In a sample of 567 terminal branches examined in muscles from the three animals, 8.1% bore sprouts, or 19.4% if the collaterals forming accessory endings are included as sprouts. Some evidence of retrograde degeneration among the terminal branches of skeletomotor axons innervating normal muscle is described. It is suggested that sprouting effects the replacement of old end-plates which degenerate after a limited life-span; and that it is a general property of the vertebrate motoneuron for its peripheral terminals to undergo cyclic renewal in this way. The greater degree of sprouting shown by fusimotor plate-ending axons as compared with skeletomotor ones is attributed to the fact that the innervation supplied to spindles by such axons is both multiple and polyneuronal. In conclusion, some of the implications of the replacement hypothesis, e.g. with regard to neuromuscular pathology, are discussed.
Patterns in the management of superficial vein thrombosis

Objective To highlight current practice patterns in management of superficial vein thrombosis. Methods An electronic survey was conducted using the mailing lists of the Mediterranean League of Angiology and Vascular Surgery and European Venous Forum regarding superficial vein thrombosis diagnosis, investigation, and treatment. Results The response rate was 41% (175/430) and the majority of the participants were vascular surgeons practicing in a hospital. More experienced physicians considered superficial vein thrombosis as a medical issue of moderate seriousness and performed duplex ultrasound for confirmation of diagnosis. Elastic stockings were recommended by 87% of the physicians, while 57% prescribed nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Eighty six percent advised anticoagulation, although a large disparity was shown regarding regime, dose, and duration. Thrombophilia test was regularly suggested by 19% of the physicians. Ligation of the saphenofemoral junction was the treatment of choice by those who suggested intervention in the acute phase of superficial vein thrombosis. Conclusions A great disparity exists in the management of superficial vein thrombosis. Current guidelines have not been adopted by physicians; more focused training is needed for those involved in the management of venous diseases.
Strategies for Surviving High Concentrations of Environmental Ammonia in the Swamp Eel Monopterus albus

The swamp eel Monopterus albus lives in muddy ponds, swamps, canals, and rice fields in the tropics. It encounters high concentrations of environmental ammonia (HEA) during dry seasons or during agricultural fertilization in rice fields. This study aimed at determining the tolerance of M. albus to environmental ammonia and at elucidating the strategies that it adopts to defend against ammonia toxicity in HEA. In the laboratory, M. albus exhibited very high environmental ammonia tolerance; the 48‐, 72‐, and 96‐h median lethal concentrations of total ammonia at pH 7.0 and 28°C were 209.9, 198.7, and 193.2 mM, respectively. It was apparently incapable of actively excreting ammonia against a concentration gradient. In addition, it did not detoxify ammonia to urea, the excretion of which would lead to a loss of nitrogen and carbon, during ammonia loading. The high tolerance of M. albus to HEA was attributable partially to its exceptionally high tolerance to ammonia at the cellular and subcellular levels. During the 144 h of exposure to 75 mM NH4Cl at pH 7.0, the ammonia contents in the muscle, liver, brain, and gut of M. albus reached 11.49, 15.18, 6.48, and 7.51 μmol g−1, respectively. Such a capability allowed the accumulation of high concentrations of ammonia in the plasma (3.54 μmol mL−1) of M. albus exposed to HEA, which would reduce the net influx of exogenous ammonia. Subsequent to the buildup of internal ammonia levels, M. albus detoxified ammonia produced endogenously to glutamine. The glutamine contents in the muscle and liver reached 10.84 and 17.06 μmol g−1, respectively, after 144 h of exposure to HEA, which happened to be the highest known for fish. Unlike urea, the storage of glutamine in the muscle during ammonia loading allowed its usage for anabolic purposes when the adverse environmental condition subsides. Glutamine synthetase activity increased significantly in the liver and gut (2.8‐ and 1.5‐fold, respectively) of specimens exposed to HEA for 144 h. These results suggest that the liver was the main site of ammonia detoxification and the gut was more than a digestive/absorptive organ in M. albus. Monopterus albus did not undergo a reduction in amino acid catabolism during the first 24 h of ammonia exposure. However, assuming a total inhibition of excretion of endogenous ammonia, there was a deficit of −312 μmol N between the reduction in nitrogenous excretion (3,360 μmol N) and the retention of nitrogen (3,048 μmol N) after 72 h of aerial exposure. The deficit became much greater after 144 h, reaching a value of −3,243 μmol N. These results suggest that endogenous ammonia production in M. albus was suppressed in order to prevent the newly established internal steady state concentration of ammonia from rising to an intolerable level after an extended period of exposure to HEA.
Families of transmembrane sugar transport proteins

We describe here 20 families of secondary (pmf‐driven) carriers which, in addition to nine families within the ATP‐dependent ABC superfamily, and seven families of Gram‐negative bacterial outer membrane porins, largely account for the stereospecific transport of sugars and their derivatives into and out of all living cells on earth. Family characteristics as well as struc‐tural and functional properties of the family constituents are described. By reference to our website (http://www‐biology.ucsd.edu/~msaier/transport/), phylogenetic relationships, detailed substrate specificity information and both primary and secondary references are also available. This review provides a comprehensive guide to the diversity of carriers that mediate the transport of sugar‐containing molecules across cell and organellar membranes.
Developing personal attachment to a physically active charity event

Given the commonplace of physically active charity events, it is increasingly important for charitable organizations to understand how participants form personal attachments to their events so that marketers can maximize the amount of funds raised and achieve an attractive return on marketing expenditures. This exploratory study examines the ways in which participants at a walk/run for multiple sclerosis form personal attachments to the event. The limited work that has been conducted in this area has focused on cycling events, which may not include all types of participants (e.g., people with physical restrictions tied to the cause) and their experiences. Data were collected through an online questionnaire that employed open-ended qualitative questions. The findings suggest three ways in which participants form attachments to the event, including being known as a fundraiser, aligning self and cause, and developing social bonds. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lift-and-drop: crossing boundaries in a multi-display environment by Airlift

Many of the interactive environments surrounding us today consist of multiple mobile and/or stationary visual displays. However, interaction with such multi-display environments is still dominated by the personal computer paradigm - one user interacts with one single display at a time. In this paper first we present a new video-based input device called Airlift, which captures hands and fingertips independent from any display and therefore allows for consistent interaction across display boundaries. Second, we propose a system architecture for interaction spanning multiple displays. Third, we start to explore this new design space by proposing and evaluating a new interaction technique Lift-and-Drop for copying data from one display to another. According to the results of our study for the task considered the new technique is superior to other techniques based on traditional direct input devices which are limited to the surface of single displays like pen or touch.
Fangchinoline Induces G1 Arrest in Breast Cancer Cells Through Cell‐Cycle Regulation

Fangchinoline, an alkaloid derived from the dry roots of Stephaniae tetrandrine S. Moore (Menispermaceae), has been shown to possess cytotoxic, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In this study, we used Fangchinoline to inhibit breast cancer cell proliferation and to investigate its underlying molecular mechanisms. Human breast cancer cell lines, MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231, were both used in this study. We found that Fangchinoline significantly decreased cell proliferation in a dose‐dependent manner and induced G1‐phase arrest in both cell lines. In addition, upon analysis of expression of cell cycle‐related proteins, we found that Fangchinoline reduced expression of cyclin D1, cyclin D3, and cyclin E, and increased expression of the cyclin‐dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors, p21/WAF1, and p27/KIP1. Moreover, Fangchinoline also inhibited the kinase activities of CDK2, CDK4, and CDK6. These results suggest that Fangchinoline can inhibit human breast cancer cell proliferation and thus may have potential applications in cancer therapy. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
IFRS lease accounting impact on corporate real estate management

With new Lease Accounting regulation ahead and expected to come into full force in 2017, firms will have to become more transparent about their lease obligations. Companies will be forced to have all real estate data up-to-date to meet the reporting requirements. Companies collecting detailed data will benefit from automatically being catapulted in the direction of strategizing their corporate real estate management. Changing regulatory issues are not just compliance issues but can be a catalyst for corporates to change their CRE decision-making processes.
Communication with emblematic gestures: Shared and distinct neural correlates of expression and reception

Emblematic (or symbolic) gestures allow individuals to convey a variety of thoughts and emotions ranging from approval to hostility. The use of such gestures involves the execution of a codified motor act by the addresser and its perception and decoding by the addressee. To examine underlying common and distinct neural correlates, we used fMRI tasks in which subjects viewed video clips of emblematic one‐hand gestures. They were asked to (1) take the perspective of the addresser and imagine executing the gestures (“expression” condition), and to (2) take the perspective of the addressee and imagine being confronted with the gestures (“reception” condition). Common areas of activation were found in inferior frontal, medial frontal, and posterior temporal cortices with left‐hemispheric predominance as well as in the cerebellum. The distinction between regions specifically involved in the expression or reception condition partly resembled the dorsal and ventral stream dichotomy of visual processing with junctions in inferior frontal and medial prefrontal cortices. Imagery of gesture expression involved the dorsal visual stream as well as higher‐order motor areas. In contrast, gesture reception encompassed regions related to semantic processing, and medial prefrontal areas known to be involved in the process of understanding the intentions of others. In conclusion, our results provide evidence for a dissociation in representations of emblematic gesture processing between addresser and addressee in addition to shared components in language‐related areas. Hum Brain Mapp, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Attitude to Non-Violence Scale: Validity and Practical Use

This study used recent advances in attitude and self-perception research to develop an Attitude to Non-Violence Scale (ANVS). Participants were students from six high schools in Australia (N = 727). Confirmatory factor analysis using within-construct and between-construct validation approaches found two positive attitude sub-scales: Cognitive (proactive understanding) and Affective (do not endorse violence), both showing convergent and discriminant validity. Scale equivalence tests found that the sub-scales were applicable to boys and girls and to junior and senior grades. Structural equation modeling found that boys had less supportive attitudes to non-violence cognitively, whereas female students in senior secondary classes had less positive attitudes to non-violence affectively. The ANVS can be easily administered to assess youth’s non-violence attitudes, which may direct interventions focusing on boys’ cognitive aspects while maintaining girls’ positive affective attitudes toward non-violence as they mature. The positively framed instrument is suitable for education settings especially in high-risk locations where violence is prevalent.
Audit Committees and Corporate Governance: A Study of Select Companies Listed in the Indian Bourses

Audit committees act as an important link in corporate governance mechanisms. As such, SOX Act, 2002, Blue Ribbon Committee’s report and Narayana Murthy Committee’s report have placed greater emphasis on their role in order to strengthen the functioning of these committees. The rationale behind this is that greater independence of audit committees is necessary for effective functioning and for alleviating weaknesses in corporate governance which, in turn, reduces the agency costs. Research evidence reaffirms this aspect. The objective of this paper is to examine the relationship between the independence of the audit committee, board independence and firm performance of listed firms segmented1 between BSE 100 and BSE 200 indices, for the years 2007 and 2008. The results are in consonance with other research studies indicating that performance of firms which have independent audit committees and greater board independence is higher resulting in premium valuations as measured by Tobin’s Q, a proxy for firm performance.
Central Role of Rho Kinase in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Platelet Capture on Venous Endothelium

Background Platelet-endothelial cell interactions play a key role in hemostasis and pathological coagulation and are dependent on different surface molecules that are expressed upon activation (eg, mediated by lipopolysaccharide [LPS]). Recently, we have shown that Rho kinase plays a central role in LPS-mediated leukocyte-endothelial cell interactions. We investigated the role of Rho-kinase in inflammatory interactions between platelets and the endothelium in femoral veins in vivo. Methods Mice were injected intravenously with LPS (0.5 mg/kg)/D-galactosamine (900 mg/kg), and Rho kinase was blocked with fasudil 15 minutes before LPS application. Four hours after LPS administration, intravital fluorescence microscopy of the femoral vein was performed, and primary and secondary platelet-endothelial cell interactions were visualized after in vivo platelet staining with rhodamine 6G. Results Intravital microscopy showed a significant increase in platelet tethering, rolling, and firm adhesion as well as platelet secondary capture in LPS-treated mice. Rho-kinase inhibition by fasudil significantly reduced platelet tethering, rolling, and firm adhesion. Interestingly, functional blockade of Rho kinase was also able to diminish secondary platelet capture by 79%. Conclusions From our data, we conclude that Rho-kinase signaling plays a central role in the regulation of LPS-induced platelet-endothelial cell interactions in large veins in vivo. Thus, Rho-kinase inhibition might be useful in prevention or treatment of pathological inflammation and endotoxin-mediated hypercoagulation.
Strategies and spacing requirements for lane changing and merging in automated highway systems

In automated highway systems (AHS) vehicles are expected to operate using their own sensing and control systems by interacting with other vehicles and the infrastructure in a way that guarantees safety, stability, and high capacity. We examine various alternative scenaria for merging and lane changing and we present an algorithm for calculating the minimum safety spacing for lane changing (MSSLC); that is, we calculate the intervehicle spacing that the vehicles should maintain during a merging or lane changing maneuver so that in the case where one of the vehicles executes an emergency braking manuever, the rest of the vehicles have enough time and space to stop without any collision taking place. The calculation of the MSSLCs for merging or lane changing maneuvers is more complicated than the calculation of the minimum safety spacing for a longitudinal vehicle following since, in the former case we have to take into account the particular lane-changing policy of the merging vehicle as well as the effect of combined lateral/longitudinal motion during the lane changing maneuver. The braking profiles of the vehicles involved in an emergency scenario during a lane changing maneuver depends on the particular AHS operational concept, i.e., on the degree of communication between the vehicles and between the vehicles and the infrastructure. We consider six different AHS operational concepts; for each concept we consider possible emergency braking profiles and we investigate the effect of the particular operational concept on the MSSLC.
The Matrix of Change

Business process reengineering efforts can run into serious difficulties when they fail to recognize the complex interrelationships among technology, practice, and strategy. Brynjolfsson et al. introduce a framework ? the matrix of change ? that allows managers to coordinate change in processes. After determining which business practices are most important, managers can highlight the interactions among the practices on the matrix to see where they will have the most difficulty in making a transition from one practice to another. The matrix uses stakeholders' opinions about proposed changes to emphasize areas of difficulty. It can also guide the pace, sequence, feasibility, and location of change. The authors show how a large medical products company, MacroMed, used the matrix successfully. Senior managers first identified decreased costs and increased flexibility as their goals. They established a team to list specific aspects of the existing production techniques. The team identified complementary and competing practices on a matrix. Next the team built another matrix showing the degree of difficulty in moving from existing to target practices. Finally, the team determined how various employees felt about the proposed changes using a five-point Likert scale. By combining all three matrices, the company could answer its questions about the feasibility of proposed changes, when, where, and how quickly changes should occur, and employees' reactions. MacroMed discovered conflicts in machine set-up procedures and reorganized process change-overs. It cut waste, reduced the number of line and staff employees, stopped its decline in market share, and improved flexibility and response time. The matrix of change offers managers a chance to revisit a process to gauge progress and anticipate unexpected barriers due to current environmental factors. It also helps companies reshape and shift their workers' mental models to develop more coherent systems. Its true value, say the authors, is in optimizing steps not in isolation but as parts of an integrated system.