Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphine Activates Opioid Receptors without Causing Their Rapid Internalization*

We have examined the endocytic trafficking of epitope-tagged δ and μ opioid receptors expressed in human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells. These receptors are activated by peptide agonists (enkephalins) as well as by the alkaloid agonist drugs etorphine and morphine. Enkephalins and etorphine cause opioid receptors to internalize rapidly (t1/2 ~ 6 min) by a mechanism similar to that utilized by a number of other classes of receptor, as indicated by localization of internalized opioid receptors in transferrin-containing endosomes and inhibition of opioid receptor internalization by hypertonic media. Remarkably, morphine does not stimulate the rapid internalization of either δ or μ opioid receptors, even at high concentrations that strongly inhibit adenylyl cyclase. These data indicate that agonist ligands, which have similar effects on receptor-mediated signaling, can have dramatically different effects on the intracellular trafficking of a G protein-coupled receptor.
Maori social workers' experiences of care and protection: A selection of findings

This article explores the challenges faced by seven Maori social workers who are also members of Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers (ANZASW) working within the child protection system in Aotearoa. Their views on what has improved for Maori whanau around recent legislation changes to family group conferencing (FGC) and newer policy initiatives such as Whanau Ora are examined. The study used a Maori-centred research approach and a thematic analysis of participants' accounts was undertaken. From this analysis it was found that: (a) the participants walked creatively between two world views in order to best meet the needs of their own people; (b) these Maori practitioners felt over-worked and under-valued; and (c) the participants viewed the practices within FGCs as biased, demonstrating a lack of bicultural ability and contributing to significant barriers that whanau Maori experience in care and protection.
Anti-spastic effects of the direct application of vibratory stimuli to the spastic muscles of hemiplegic limbs in post-stroke patients

Objective: To investigate whether the direct application of vibratory stimuli inhibits spasticity and improves motor function in the hemiplegic upper limbs of post-stroke patients. Design: Prospective pilot study. Setting: University hospital rehabilitation centre. Subjects: Fourteen post-stroke patients (mean age = 57.3 years; SD = 19.1 years). Interventions: A hand and forearm stimulation device and an upper-arm stimulation device, consisting of vibrators, a wooden frame and a cloth strap, applied to the upper limbs of subjects. Main measures: The modified Ashworth scale (MAS) score, F-wave parameters and motor-function parameters (finger tapping, active range of motion and the simple test for evaluating hand function). Results: Subjects showed significant and potentially durable improvements in MAS score (p < 0.01), F-wave parameters (p < 0.01) and motor-function parameters (p < 0.05). The MAS score, F-wave parameters and motor-function parameters dropped below the baseline values after vibratory stimulation. The MAS score and F-wave parameters remained significantly below the baseline 30 minutes after stimulation. Conclusions: The direct application of vibratory stimuli is an effective non-pharmacological anti-spastic treatment that could facilitate stroke rehabilitation. These results provide good evidence of potential short-term benefits of anti-spastic vibratory therapy in post-stroke patients in terms of decreased muscle tonus and improved motor function.
Predictive modeling of the severity/progression of alzheimer's diseases

Alzheimer's disease (AD) cannot be cured or slowed down with today's medication. Scientific studies have found that 1) the progression of AD is highly correlated to a cognition decline, 2) cognition drop is a precursor of Alzheimer's disease, and 3) making lifestyle changes and training the brain can slow down AD progression. This project aims to develop a predictive model to know the progression of an AD patient. Factors that influence the disease's severity and progression are determined, which would help facilitate developing a set of personalized care instructions to guide individuals in making the necessary lifestyle choices to retain or rejuvenate their brain's cognitive ability. Ultimately, the developed model can be potentially incorporated into a convenient self-diagnostic tool for the public to use at home.
Trends in the Use of Postoperative Radiation Therapy in Patients With Localized Resectable Pancreatic Cancer

Objectives:Results from European Study Group for Pancreatic Cancer (ESPAC)-1, first published in 2001, suggested that postoperative radiation therapy (PORT) was detrimental in pancreatic patients. The potential association between the publication of ESPAC-1 and the use of PORT in the United States is examined in this study. Methods:Data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program were used to identify pancreatic patients treated with surgical resection followed by PORT. The use of PORT was examined in the 5-year time period preceding and after the publication of ESPAC-1. Results:Univariable analysis of the use of PORT found significantly less use of PORT in the postpublication period [odds ratio (OR) for the use of PORT in prepublication period=1.19, 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04-1.35]. A multivariable analysis, performed to account for imbalances in clinical and demographic variables between the 2 time periods, found similar results (OR=1.18, 95% CI, 1.03-1.35). When other types of radiation, such as preoperative radiation were included, no significant difference between time periods was found (OR=0.99, 95% CI, 0.76-1.30). Conclusions:Although there continues to be frequent use of PORT in the United States, the publication of ESPAC-1 seems to be associated with a small but significant change in its use. However, it is important to note that further analyses suggest that a small shift toward more preoperative radiation may also account for the decrease in PORT.
The C-terminal Domains of Apoptotic BH3-only Proteins Mediate Their Insertion into Distinct Biological Membranes*

Changes in the equilibrium of pro- and anti-apoptotic members of the B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) protein family in the mitochondrial outer membrane (MOM) induce structural changes that commit cells to apoptosis. Bcl-2 homology-3 (BH3)-only proteins participate in this process by either activating pro-apoptotic effectors or inhibiting anti-apoptotic components and by promoting MOM permeabilization. The association of BH3-only proteins with MOMs is necessary for the activation and amplification of death signals; however, the nature of this association remains controversial, as these proteins lack a canonical transmembrane sequence. Here we used an in vitro expression system to study the insertion capacity of hydrophobic C-terminal regions of the BH3-only proteins Bik, Bim, Noxa, Bmf, and Puma into microsomal membranes. An Escherichia coli complementation assay was used to validate the results in a cellular context, and peptide insertions were modeled using molecular dynamics simulations. We also found that some of the C-terminal domains were sufficient to direct green fluorescent protein fusion proteins to specific membranes in human cells, but the domains did not activate apoptosis. Thus, the hydrophobic regions in the C termini of BH3-only members associated in distinct ways with various biological membranes, suggesting that a detailed investigation of the entire process of apoptosis should include studying the membranes as a setting for protein-protein and protein-membrane interactions.
3-D–2-D Dynamic Magnetic Modeling of an Axial Flux Permanent Magnet Motor With Soft Magnetic Composites for Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Axial flux permanent magnet (AFPM) motors might be an efficient traction solution for hybrid and full electric vehicles. This technology makes the use of soft magnetic composites (SMC) attractive for both manufacturing and performance reasons. Eddy currents in the iron can provide a natural transient damper and/or flux weakener and the iron losses might be compensated by the high torque density of axial structures. The main problematics of magnetic modeling in AFPM motors made with bulk SMC teeth and poles are leakage at the ends, slots effects and finally damping and losses. This paper deals with the material and geometry-dependent magnetic modeling of such a 3-D machine for design purpose considering a maximum a priori effect. Section I begins with the context, state-of-the-art and the geometrical modeling compatible with axial structures. In Section II, the magnetic equivalent circuit (MEC) of the machine is built, then the quasi-static electromagnetic behavior is computed, with time and space harmonics in a steady state. Section III is dedicated to an investigation of magnetic damping and losses, inside lumped parameters, either in a steady state or in a transient state. In Section IV, provided calculations are compared with each other, to the finite element method and to measurements.
A Comparison of a Left-Sided Broncho-Cath® with the Torque Control Blocker Univent and the Wire-Guided Blocker

Lung isolation can be accomplished in two ways: the first, a double-lumen endotracheal tube (DLT) and the second, a bronchial blocker (Univent® or Arndt® blocker). Previous studies have found that the DLT and the Univent® are comparable when providing lung isolation. A new bronchial blocker, the wire-guided endobronchial blocker (Arndt® blocker), has been introduced. However, there is no study to report its effectiveness with lung isolation during elective thoracic surgical cases. Therefore, we designed a prospective, randomized trial to compare the effectiveness of lung isolation among the 3 endotracheal tubes: the left-sided DLT Broncho-Cath® Group A (n = 16 patients), the torque control blocker Univent® Group B (n = 16 patients), and the wire-guided Arndt® blocker Group C (n = 32 patients). The following variables were recorded: 1) time to initially position the assigned tube, 2) frequency of malpositions, 3) frequency of use of fiberoptic bronchoscope, 4) overall surgical exposure, and 5) tube acquisition cost. The Arndt® blocker took longer to place (3:34 min/s) compared with the other 2 groups: the DLT group (2:08 min/s) or the Univent® group (2:38 min/s) (P < 0.0004). There was no statistical difference in tube malpositions among the three groups: two for the DLT group, four for the Univent® group, and nine in the Arndt® group. Excluding the time for tube placement, the Arndt® group also took longer for the lung to collapse (26:02 min/s), compared with the DLT group (17:54 min/s) or Univent® group (19:28 min/s) (P < 0.0060). Furthermore, unlike the other two groups, the majority of the Arndt® patients required suction to achieve lung collapse. Once lung isolation was achieved, overall surgical exposure was rated excellent for the three groups. Acquisition cost for the DLT group was $1663.20 (21 tubes opened), $2329.00 for the Univent® group (17 tubes opened), and $3567.00 for the Arndt® group (33 wire-guided blockers opened). This study demonstrates that the Arndt® blocker takes longer to position and longer to deflate the isolated lung. For elective thoracic surgical cases, once the lung was isolated, the management seemed to be similar for all three tube groups.
How Do Firms Set Prices? Narrative Evidence From Corporate Filings

Abstract We quantify narrative evidence from archived corporate filings to construct a novel dataset on the price-setting behavior of public companies. Our approach is closely related to that of survey-based studies on price setting, but we collect data from twenty-five years instead of one specific point in time. This allows us to investigate variation over time and to establish that qualitative information provided directly by firms is informative about the aggregate variables macroeconomists are fundamentally interested in. Our findings suggest that (i) price setting is asymmetric and has a strong state-dependent component, (ii) real rigidities in the form of strategic pricing complementarities are very common, and (iii) an increase in the number of price changes does not necessarily reflect a decrease in price rigidity. We discuss to what extent our results can be explained by strategic reporting behavior and consider their implications in the context of widely-used price-setting models.
Essays on global financial inclusion

This thesis consists of three main essays on the global dimension of financial inclusion. These empirical analyses are different, yet related to each other. The main focus of the thesis is on constructing a broader multidimensional measure of financial inclusion as a composite index that can be used to assess the ease of and use of the access to financial markets. Additionally, as one of the main contributions of this study, access to other financial institutions such as microfinance institutions, post offices and cooperatives, has been added to the analysis to explore its impact on poverty and Islamic finance. The International Monetary Fund’s International Financial Statistics and Financial Access Survey databases, the World Bank’s Global Financial Development and Global Findex databases, and the survey data by Beck et al. (2006a) are used to collect the indicators of the indices. Using the broader multidimensional financial inclusion indices as a proxy of financial access, the study aims to assess the impact of financial inclusion on poverty reduction in the third chapter. In the next chapter, using the constructed financial inclusion indices as a proxy of financial exclusion, it aims to explore the impact of Islamic finance on financial exclusion to examine why our constructed financial inclusion indices are better measurements of financial access. Using the constructed indices in two different analyses, this thesis tests the arguments in studies that have made original contributions in the literature, to explore the predictability and comparability of these indices as the proxy of financial inclusion.
Coordinate post-transcriptional repression of Dpp-dependent transcription factors attenuates signal range during development

Precise control of the range of signalling molecule action is crucial for correct cell fate patterning during development. For example, Drosophila ovarian germline stem cells (GSCs) are maintained by exquisitely short-range BMP signalling from the niche. In the absence of BMP signalling, one GSC daughter differentiates into a cystoblast (CB) and this fate is stabilised by Brain tumour (Brat) and Pumilio (Pum)-mediated post-transcriptional repression of mRNAs, including that encoding the Dpp transducer, Mad. However, the identity of other repressed mRNAs and the mechanism of post-transcriptional repression are currently unknown. Here, we identify the Medea and schnurri mRNAs, which encode transcriptional regulators required for activation and/or repression of Dpp target genes, as additional Pum-Brat targets, suggesting that tripartite repression of the transducers is deployed to desensitise the CB to Dpp. In addition, we show that repression by Pum-Brat requires recruitment of the CCR4 and Pop2 deadenylases, with knockdown of deadenylases in vivo giving rise to ectopic GSCs. Consistent with this, Pum-Brat repression leads to poly(A) tail shortening and mRNA degradation in tissue culture cells, and we detect a reduced number of Mad and shn transcripts in the CB relative to the GSC based on single molecule mRNA quantitation. Finally, we show generality of the mechanism by demonstrating that Brat also attenuates pMad and Dpp signalling range in the early embryo. Together our data serve as a platform for understanding how post-transcriptional repression restricts interpretation of BMPs and other cell signals in order to allow robust cell fate patterning during development. Summary: The translational repressors Brat and Pumilio attenuate Dpp signalling range in the Drosophila female germline and early embryo to ensure precise cell fate patterning.
Measurement techniques in animal locomotion analysis.

Animal performance can be determined by subjective observations or objective measurements. Numerical data are only then superior to results of subjective observations when they are the result of measurements carried out to test a well-defined hypothesis or to give the answer to a clear, precisely formulated question. In the analysis of kinematics a careful evaluation of the set-up of the measurement equipment and the resulting accuracy in the data is required. Measurements in three dimensions (3D) are theoretically better than those in 2D. Practically, however, collection, analysis, interpretation and presentation of 3D data are so much more complicated that frequently 2D analysis appears to be more useful. The minimal size of markers necessary to obtain a certain accuracy in kinematic data is usually too big for practical use. Smaller markers impair accuracy. Reduction of measurement noise is obligatory when time derivatives are to be calculated. Skin movement artefacts cannot be removed by data smoothing. Forces occurring between the digits and the ground can be determined using a force plate or an instrumented shoe. A force plate is accurate, but repeated trials are necessary. Using a force shoe each ground contact results in useful data. However, the shoe itself may affect locomotion. Surface strains on long bones can be recorded relatively easily. Determination of loading forces from surface strains is complicated but can be carried out using multiple strain gauges and a post-mortem calibration test. Strain in tendons is difficult to measure due to problems in defining a'zero' or reference length. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Microbial manufacture of chalcogenide-based nanoparticles via the reduction of selenite using Veillonella atypica: an in situ EXAFS study

The ability of metal-reducing bacteria to produce nanoparticles, and their precursors, can be harnessed for the biological manufacture of fluorescent, semiconducting nanomaterials. The anaerobic bacterium Veillonella atypica can reduce selenium oxyanions to form nanospheres of elemental selenium. These selenium nanospheres are then further reduced by the bacterium to form reactive selenide which could be precipitated with a suitable metal cation to produce nanoscale chalcogenide precipitates, such as zinc selenide, with optical and semiconducting properties. The whole cells used hydrogen as the electron donor for selenite reduction and an enhancement of the reduction rate was observed with the addition of a redox mediator (anthraquinone disulfonic acid). A novel synchrotron-based in situ time-resolved x-ray absorption spectroscopy technique was used, in conjunction with ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectroscopy, to study the mechanisms and kinetics of the microbial reduction of selenite to selenide. The products of this biotransformation were also assessed using electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and fluorescence spectroscopy. This process offers the potential to prepare chalcogenide-based nanocrystals, for application in optoelectronic devices and biological labelling, from more environmentally benign precursors than those used in conventional organometallic synthesis.
The Diagnostic Accuracy of Tests for Latent Tuberculosis Infection in Hemodialysis Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background Reactivation of latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection is an important health concern for patients on hemodialysis because of their immunosuppressed state and in kidney transplant patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy to prevent organ rejection. There are several tests available to determine the presence of latent tuberculosis infection: the tuberculin skin test (TST), QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G), and T-SPOT.TB. The objective of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these tests in determining latent tuberculosis infection in the hemodialysis population. Methods The study design was a systematic review. We selected studies with adequate information to ascertain test sensitivity or specificity of the TST, QFT-G, and TSPOT.TB with regards to determining latent tuberculosis infection in the hemodialysis population. Results One hundred two articles were selected for full review, and 17 were included in the meta-analysis. The TST had a pooled sensitivity of 31% (26%–36%, 95% confidence interval) and specificity of 63% (60%–65%) across eight studies. The QFT-G test had a pooled sensitivity of 53% (46%–59%) and specificity of 69% (65%–72%) across nine studies. The T-SPOT.TB test had a pooled sensitivity of 50% (42%–59%) and specificity of 67% (61%–73%) across three studies. Conclusion The QFT-G and the T-SPOT.TB tests were more sensitive than the TST for diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection in patients on hemodialysis while offering a comparable level of specificity. This systematic review calls into question the practice of using the TST to screen in this population, especially in patients considered for kidney transplantation.
GROWTH AND REJECTION PATTERNS OF MURINE LYMPHOMA CELLS ANTIGENICALLY ALTERED FOLLOWING DRUG TREATMENT IN VIVO

SUMMARY Murine leukemia cells transformed by in vivo treatment with 5 - (3, 3 - dimethyl −1 - triazeno)imidazole - 4 - carboxamide (DTIC) are rejected by histocompatible recipients following inocula of 107 cells i.p. Progressive tumor growth or tumor growth and regression was monitored measuring the extent of DNA synthesis in the peritoneal cavity of mice using the [125I]5-iodo-2‘-deoxyuridine uptake method. In addition, the results were confirmed by cell count and mortality data. Comparable growth rate was found initially in both DTIC and parental lines in histocompatible hosts. Later, mice challenged with parental lines died, whereas hosts inoculated with DTIC-treated sublines rejected the tumor. On the other hand, lethal growth occurred in mice inoculated with DTIC-treated sublines when immunodepressed by cyclophosphamide given before tumor challenge, or by methotrexate given after challenge of a methotrexate-resistant DTIC-treated subline. The similarity between the growth rate of the parental and DTIC-treated lines in histocompatible hosts does not support the hypothesis of impaired “oncogenic potential” of such DTIC-treated lines. Furthermore, the growth and rejection pattern of a parental line in H-2-incompatible hosts was similar to that observed for DTIC-treated lines in histocompatible hosts, suggesting that comparable immune mechanisms were involved in both cases.