Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Levetiracetam prevents kindling‐induced asymmetric accumulation of hippocampal 7S SNARE complexes

Purpose: Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying epilepsy is crucial to designing novel therapeutic regimens. This report focuses on alterations in the secretory machinery responsible for neurotransmitter (NT) release. Soluble N‐ethylmaleimide sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor (SNARE) complexes mediate the fusion of synaptic vesicle and active zone membranes, thus mediating NT secretion. SNARE regulators control where and when SNARE complexes are formed. Previous studies showed an asymmetric accumulation of 7S SNARE complexes (7SC) in the ipsilateral hippocampus of kindled animals. The present studies probe the persistence of 7SC accumulation and the effect of the anticonvulsant, levetiracetam (LEV), on 7SC and SNARE regulators.
Institutional Ownership and Long-Term Investments Across the Corporate Life Cycle

INSTITUTIONAL OWNERSHIP AND LONG-TERM INVESTMENTS ACROSS THE CORPORATE LIFE CYCLE By Bryant William Demeré Motivated by concerns about managerial myopia, I examine how the effects of institutional ownership on firms’ long-term investments vary across life cycle stages. I find that the effects of institutional ownership on long-term investments in both capital and research and development (R&D) are more positive in transitory life cycle stages relative to sustainable life cycle stages. These results indicate that life cycle patterns explain important variation in the relation between institutional ownership and long-term investments and highlight the importance of firms’ life cycles in measuring governance effects. I also find that having a large number of institutional owners with relatively small ownership stakes has a more positive effect than having a smaller number of institutional owners with relatively large ownership stakes. Using the discontinuity between the Russell 1000 and 2000 indexes as an identification strategy, I also provide evidence in support of a causal effect of institutional ownership on firms’ long-term investments. Additional tests indicate my results are not driven by firms that are more likely to over-invest.
Accidental awareness during general anaesthesia – a narrative review

Unintended accidental awareness during general anaesthesia represents failure of successful anaesthesia, and so has been the subject of numerous studies during the past decades. As return to consciousness is both difficult to describe and identify, the reported incidence rates vary widely. Similarly, a wide range of techniques have been employed to identify cases of accidental awareness. Studies which have used the isolated forearm technique to identify responsiveness to command during intended anaesthesia have shown remarkably high incidences of awareness. For example, the ConsCIOUS‐1 study showed an incidence of responsiveness around the time of laryngoscopy of 1:25. On the other hand, the 5th Royal College of Anaesthetists National Audit Project, which reported the largest ever cohort of patients who had experienced accidental awareness, used a system to identify patients who spontaneously self‐reported accidental awareness. In this latter study, the incidence of accidental awareness was 1:19,600. In the recently published SNAP‐1 observational study, in which structured postoperative interviews were performed, the incidence was 1:800. In almost all reported cases of intra‐operative responsiveness, there was no subsequent explicit recall of intra‐operative events. To date, there is no evidence that this occurrence has any psychological consequences. Among patients who experience accidental awareness and can later remember details of their experience, the consequences are better known. In particular, when awareness occurs in a patient who has been given neuromuscular blocking agents, it may result in serious sequelae such as symptoms of post‐traumatic stress disorder and a permanent aversion to surgery and anaesthesia, and is feared by patients and anaesthetists. In this article, the published literature on the incidence, consequences and management of accidental awareness under general anaesthesia with subsequent recall will be reviewed.
Diurnal and Short-Term Variation of Blood Pressure: Comparison of Preeclamptic, Chronic Hypertensive, and Normotensive Patients

It has been suggested that the decrease in blood pressure during sleep is greater in patients with chronic hypertension than in preeclamptic patients. The DINAMAP (device for indirect noninvasive automatic mean arterial pressure) monitor was used to determine the mean arterial, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure, at 15-minute intervals, for 24 hours. Three groups of 15 patients each were studied: mildly preeclamptic, chronically hypertensive, and normotensive patients in the third trimester. In addition, 2 patients with severe preeclampsia were studied. The automatic readings were compared with auscultated blood pressures. There was short-term variation in the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of 20 to 40 and 15 to 30 mmHg, respectively, with consecutive 15-minute recordings. A decrease in blood pressure during sleep was seen in all groups, except in the 2 patients with severe preeclampsia. This fall varied between 5 and 20 mmHg systolic and 5 and 18 mmHg diastolic. The auscultated blood pressure differed from the automatic blood pressure by 5 to 40 mmHg systolic and 5 to 35 mmHg diastolic. In the clinical management of patients, these findings are significant, as they demonstrate short-term variation in blood pressure and differences in the auscultated versus automatic blood pressure readings. Also, changes in blood pressure occur during sleep; this may be important with regard to the timing and dose of medication given to pregnant patients with chronic hypertension or preeclampsia.
Wearable System-on-a-Chip UWB Radar for Health Care and its Application to the Safety Improvement of Emergency Operators

A new wearable system-on-a-chip UWB radar for health care systems is presented. The idea and its applications to the safety improvement of emergency operators are discussed. The system consists of a wearable wireless interface including a fully integrated UWB radar for the detection of the heart beat and breath rates, and a IEEE 802.15. 4 ZigBee radio interface. The principle of operation of the UWB radar for the monitoring of the heart wall is explained hereinafter. The results obtained by the feasibility study regarding its implementation on a modern standard silicon technology (CMOS 90 nm) are reported, demonstrating (at simulation level) the effectiveness of such an approach and enabling the standard silicon technology for new generations of wireless sensors for heath care and safeguard wearable systems.
CYCLOOXYGENASE INHIBITION REDUCES BLOOD PRESSURE ELEVATION AND VASCULAR REACTIVITY DYSFUNCTION CAUSED BY INHIBITION OF NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE IN RATS

In the present study we investigated the role of cyclooxygenase (COX)-dependent vasoconstrictors in the hypertension and altered vascular reactivity following prolonged nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibition. Male Wistar rats (250–270g) were divided into four groups and treated for 7 days with Placebo (control), L-NAME (48 mg/kg/day), indomethacin (4 mg/kg/day) and L-NAME in combination with indomethacin. L-NAME treatment induced arterial hypertension, in vitro aortic hyperresponsiveness to phenylephrine, impaired vasodilatory response to acetylcholine and no significant change in response to sodium nitroprusside. Indomethacin co-treatment partially prevented blood pressure elevation, restored responsiveness to phenylephrine and improved sensitivity to acetylcholine. Indomethacin treatment alone did not modify blood pressure and aortic vascular reactivity. Both enhanced phenylphrine-induced contraction and impaired acetylcholine-evoked vasodilation induced by acute NO synthase inhibition with L-NAME (10−4M) in normal rat aortas were not modified by indomethacin (10−5M). These results are consistent with the hypothesis that constricting factors, which arise from the COX pathway, contribute to hypertension and altered vascular reactivity following continued inhibition of NO synthase.
Economic diversification in resource rich countries: uncovering the state of knowledge

Diversification is often presented as a desirable policy objective for petroleum rich nations. Yet very little is known about the causes and consequences of diversification in petroleum rich states. In this paper we review the recent literature on diversification in oil-exporting states. We identify gaps and shortcomings in this literature along with documenting some trends in non-oil exports and non-oil private sector employment in hydrocarbon rich countries. We conclude with an agenda for research addressing the potential gaps in the literature.
Parentage‐based pedigree reconstruction reveals female matrilineal clusters and male‐biased dispersal in nongregarious Asian great apes, the Bornean orang‐utans (Pongo pygmaeus)

Philopatry and sex‐biased dispersal have a strong influence on population genetic structure, so the study of species dispersal patterns and evolutionary mechanisms shaping them are of great interest. Particularly nongregarious mammalian species present an underexplored field of study: despite their lower levels of sociality compared to group‐living species, interactions among individuals do occur, providing opportunities for cryptic kin selection. Among the least gregarious primates are orang‐utans (genus: Pongo), in which preferential associations among females have nevertheless been observed, but for which the presence of kin structures was so far unresolved because of the equivocal results of previous genetic studies. To clarify relatedness and dispersal patterns in orang‐utans, we examined the largest longitudinal set of individuals with combined genetic, spatial and behavioural data. We found that males had significantly higher mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation and more unique haplotypes, thus underscoring their different maternal ancestries compared to females. Moreover, pedigree reconstruction based on 24 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers and mtDNA haplotypes demonstrated the presence of three matrilineal clusters of generally highly related females with substantially overlapping ranges. In orang‐utans and possibly other nongregarious species, comparing average biparental relatedness (r) of males and females to infer sex‐biased dispersal is extremely problematic. This is because the opportunistic sampling regime frequently employed in nongregarious species, combined with overlapping space use of distinct matrilineal clusters, leads to a strong downward bias when mtDNA lineage membership is ignored. Thus, in nongregarious species, correct inferences of dispersal can only be achieved by combining several genetic approaches with detailed spatial information.
Sagittal Sinus Compression Is Associated With Neonatal Cerebral Sinovenous Thrombosis

OBJECTIVE : Neonatal cerebral sinovenous thrombosis (CSVT) causes lifelong morbidity. Newborns frequently incur positional occipital bone compression of the superior sagittal sinus (SSS). We hypothesized that SSS compression is associated with neonatal CSVT. METHODS: Our retrospective case-control study recruited neonates with CSVT (SickKids Children's Stroke Program, January 1992–December 2006). Controls were neonates without CSVT undergoing magnetic resonance or computed tomography venography (institutional imaging database, 2002–2005) who were matched 2 per each case patient. Blinded neuroimaging review by 2 experts quantified SSS compression and head position. Effect of SSS compression on the primary outcome of CSVT was determined (logistic regression). Secondary analyses included the relationship of head position to SSS compression (t test) and group comparisons (cases versus controls, cases with and without compression) for demographic, clinical, and CSVT factors (χ2 and Wilcoxon Mann-Whitney tests). RESULTS: Case (n = 55) and control (n = 90) patients had similar ages and delivery modes. SSS compression was common (cases: 43%; controls: 41%). Controlling for gender and head position, SSS compression was associated with CSVT (odds ratio: 2.5 [95% confidence interval: 1.07–5.67]). Compression was associated with greater mean (SD) angle toward head flexion (101.2 [15.0] vs 111.5 [9.7]; P < .001). Among CSVT cases, neonates with and without compression had comparable gestational age, delivery mode, risk factors, anticoagulation treatment, thrombus location, propagation, infarction, recanalization, and outcome. Many idiopathic cases had SSS compression (79%). Interrater reliability of compression measurements was high (κ = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: Neonatal SSS compression is common, quantifiable, and associated with CSVT. Optimizing head position and/or developing devices to alleviate mechanical SSS compression may represent a novel means to improve outcomes.
Cooperative Relative Navigation for Space Rendezvous and Proximity Operations using Controlled Active Vision

This work aims to solve the problem of relative navigation for space rendezvous and proximity operations using a monocular camera in a numerically efficient manner. It is assumed that the target spacecraft has a special pattern to aid the task of relative pose estimation, and that the chaser spacecraft uses a monocular camera as the primary visual sensor. In this sense, the problem falls under the category of cooperative relative navigation in orbit. While existing systems for cooperative localization with fiducial markers allow full six‐degrees‐of‐freedom pose estimation, the majority of them are not suitable for in‐space cooperative navigation (especially when involving a small‐size chaser spacecraft), due to their computational cost. Moreover, most existing fiducial‐based localization methods are designed for ground‐based applications with limited range (e.g., ground robotics, augmented reality), and their performance deteriorates under large‐scale changes, such as those encountered in space applications. Using an adaptive visual algorithm, we propose an accurate and numerically efficient approach for real‐time vision‐based relative navigation, especially designed for space robotics applications. The proposed method achieves low computational cost and high accuracy and robustness via the following innovations: first, an adaptive visual pattern detection scheme based on the estimated relative pose is proposed, which improves both the efficiency of detection and the accuracy of pose estimates; second, a parametric blob detector called Box‐LoG is used, which is computationally efficient; and third, a fast and robust algorithm is introduced, which jointly solves the data association and pose estimation problems. In addition to having an accuracy comparable to state‐of‐the‐art cooperative localization algorithms, our method demonstrates a significant improvement in speed and robustness for scenarios with large range changes. A vision‐based closed‐loop experiment using the Autonomous Spacecraft Testing of Robotic Operations in Space (ASTROS) testbed demonstrates the performance benefits of the proposed approach.
Capital Structure Determinants of Small and Medium Capitalised Firms

This study investigates first, the determinants of the capital structure and second, the speed of adjustment of capital structure of small and medium capitalised firms in Europe before and during the sovereign debt crisis period. The sample includes 306 firms from 10 European countries comprising 2,142 firm-year observations for the period 2006 to 2013. After controlling the influence of macroeconomic factors, industry-level and firm-level on debt levels, we report that small and medium capitalised firms have adjusted their capital structure during the sovereign debt crisis period and the speed of adjustment was quicker in non-stressed countries compared to the firms in the stressed countries. Our results show that small and medium capitalised firms from non-stressed countries have reduced leverage ratios, whilst the leverage ratios of firms in stressed countries have increased during the crisis period. Our findings suggest that determinants of leverage for small and medium capitalised firms in Europe are; size and asset tangibility. Furthermore, industry-level determinant is industry median leverage and macroeconomic-level determinates are GDP growth rate and inflation rate. Our findings also show that the quality of countries’ institutional factors have significantly influenced the speed of adjustment of leverage of small and medium capitalised firms during the crisis period. The policy implications of the findings indicate that improving country’s institutional environment will ease small and medium capitalised firms’ financial difficulties, which in turn facilitate their economic performance.
Heavy metal scavenger metallothionein mitigates deep hypothermia induced myocardial contractile anomalies:Role of autophagy

Metallothionein is a cysteine‐rich, low molecular weight heavy metal scavenger with potent cardioprotective properties. Deep hypothermia, if sustained, increased the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality although the underlying mechanism is unclear. This study was designed to examine the impact of cardiac overexpression of metallothionein on deep hypothermia (4°C)‐induced myocardial contractile dysfunction, if any, and the underlying mechanism involved with a special focus on autophagy. Sustained deep hypothermia (4°C for 3 weeks) increased left ventricular end systolic and diastolic diameter, suppressed fractional shortening and perfused heart contractility, the effect of which was attenuated or ablated by metallothionein. Levels of autophagy marker LC3B, Atg7 and Beclin‐1, the autophagy adaptor protein p62 were increased following hypothermia. Fluorescence‐immunohistochemistry also revealed autophagy in murine hearts. Furthermore, sustained hypothermia triggered overtly reduced phosphorylation of the autophagy inhibitory signaling molecules Akt and mTOR (without affecting that of p70s6 kinase). Protein expression of pan Akt, mTOR and p70sk was unchanged. These hypothermia‐induced changes in autophagy and autophagic signaling were mitigated by metallothionein. Collectively, these data suggested that the heavy metal scavenger may protect against hypothermia‐induced cardiac anomalies through attenuation of cardiac autophagy.
Pregnancy diagnosis in Swine: a comparison of two ultrasound instruments.

This investigation was designed to assess the sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values of amplitude-depth and Doppler pregnancy detectors when utilized for pregnancy diagnosis of mated sows. Mated sows (n = 38) were tested daily from 15 to 45 days after mating for pregnancy with the ultrasound instruments. The same procedure was performed with nonmated sows (n = 10) 15 to 45 days after estrus. Both instruments were unreliable for pregnancy diagnosis between 15 and 22 days after mating. Between 23 and 45 days after mating the Doppler pregnancy detector was more specific and had greater positive predictive values. In contrast the amplitude-depth pregnancy detector was more sensitive during the same time interval.Serum estrone sulphate concentrations were determined in samples collected between 27 and 30 days after mating or estrus, as an alternate method of pregnancy diagnosis. Serum estrone sulphate concentrations were always equal to or greater than 0.5 ng/mL in the pregnant sows, while in the nonmated sows estrone sulphate concentrations were never more than 0.5 ng/mL serum.
Value-Added Effects of Disadvantaged Student Supplemental Funding on Students in the Surry County Schools

This study examined the value-added effects of tutoring funded through DSSF on the academic achievement growth of students in the Surry County Schools. Created in response to a judicially mandated attempt to provide equitable instruction to all students across North Carolina, DSSF tutoring intends to help academically disadvantaged students receive a sound basic education. To determine progress toward the goal, this study sought to determine 1) whether students who participated in DSSF tutoring had higher academic achievement growth rates in reading and mathematics than students who did not participate in tutoring, 2) whether some schools had more effective tutoring programs than others, 3) the characteristics of effective programs. To gather evidence to answer the questions, a three-level HLM composed of three years of student EOG developmental scale scores was developed. In addition, administrators at each school were interviewed regarding their DSSF tutoring programs. Results of the multi-level analysis showed a significantly increased achievement growth rate in reading, but not in mathematics. Interview data indicated similar interventions, procedures, and organizational structures in both effective and less effective schools and therefore did not assist in identifying unique characteristics of the more effective programs.
Developmental Control of Integrin Expression Regulates Th2 Effector Homing1

Integrin CD18, a component of the LFA-1 complex that also includes CD11a, is essential for Th2, but not Th1, cell homing, but the explanation for this phenomenon remains obscure. In this study, we investigate the mechanism by which Th2 effector responses require the LFA-1 complex. CD11a-deficient T cells showed normal in vitro differentiation and function. However, Th2 cell-dependent allergic lung disease was markedly reduced in CD11a null mice and wild-type mice given LFA-1 inhibitors, whereas control of infection with Leishmania major, a Th1-dependent response, was enhanced. In both disease models, recruitment of IL-4-, but not IFN-γ-secreting cells to relevant organs was impaired, as was adhesion of Th2 cells in vitro. These diverse findings were explained by the markedly reduced expression of CD29, an alternate homing integrin, on Th2, but not Th1, cells, which precludes Th2 homing in the absence of CD11a. Thus, murine Th1 and Th2 cells use distinct integrins for homing, suggesting novel opportunities for integrin-based therapeutic intervention in diverse human ailments influenced by Th2 cells.
Clinical utility of the Duncan-Ely test for rectus femoris dysfunction during the swing phase of gait.

The Ely Test (or Duncan-Ely test) has been accepted as a clinical tool to assess rectus femoris spasticity by passively flexing the knee rapidly while the patient lies prone in a relaxed state. In this retrospective review, patients' dynamic knee range of motion (ROM) during gait and an electromyogram (EMG) were compared with the results of the Ely test. Data for 70 patients (44 males, 26 females; 104 limbs) were included. Mean age of patients was 13 years, SD 9 years, range 4 years 5 months to 54 years. All patients were diagnosed with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia, n = 42; spastic quadriplegia, n = 15, and hemiplegia, n = 13). All patients were ambulatory (50 independent, 20 with assistive devices). A standard matrix was used to calculate sensitivity and specificity of the Ely test as well as its positive and negative predictive value. For the gait variables examined (decreased dynamic knee ROM, timing of peak knee flexion, and abnormal EMG in swing) the sensitivity of the Ely test ranged from 56 to 59% and the specificity ranged from 64 to 85%. For the same variables the positive predictive value ranged from 91 to 98% and the negative predictive value ranged from 4 to 19%. The Ely test was shown to have a good positive predictive value (i.e. the certainty about the presence of rectus spasticity in patients with a positive Ely test result) for rectus femoris dysfunction during gait.