Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calcium‐Activated Neutral Proteinase (Calpain) System in Aging and Alzheimer's Disease a

Calpains (CANPs) are a family of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases under complex cellular regulation. By making selective limited proteolytic cleavages, they activate or alter the regulation of certain enzymes, including key protein kinases and phosphatases, and induce specific cytoskeletal rearrangements, accounting for their suspected involvement in intracellular signaling, vesicular trafficking, and structural stabilization. Calpain activity has been implicated in various aging phenomena, including cataract formation and erythrocyte senescence. Abnormal activation of the large stores of latent calpain in neurons induces cell injury and is believed to underlie neurodegeneration in excitotoxicity, Wallerian degeneration, and certain other neuropathologic states involving abnormal calcium influx. In Alzheimer's disease, we found the ratio of activated calpain I to its latent precursor isoform in neocortex to be threefold higher than that in normal individuals and those with Huntington's or Parkinson's disease. Immunoreactivity toward calpastatin, the endogenous inhibitor of calpain, was also markedly reduced in layers II-V of the neocortex in Alzheimer's disease. The excessive calpain system activation suggested by these findings represents a potential molecular basis for synaptic loss and neuronal cell death in the brain in Alzheimer's disease given the known destructive actions of calpain I and its preferential neuronal and synaptic localization. In surviving cells, persistent calpain activation may also contribute to neurofibrillary pathology and abnormal amyloid precursor protein trafficking/processing through its known actions on protein kinases and the membrane skeleton. The degree of abnormal calpain activation in the brain in Alzheimer's disease strongly correlated with the extent of decline in levels of secreted amyloid precursor protein in brain. Cytoskeletal proteins that are normally good calpain substrates become relatively calpain resistant when they are hyperphosphorylated, which may contribute to their accumulation in neurofibrillary tangles. As a major effector of calcium signals, calpain activity may mirror disturbances in calcium homeostasis and mediate important pathologic consequences of such disturbances.
Towards understanding members' interactivity, trust, and flow in online travel community

Purpose – This study targeted members of online travel communities to explore the factors that affect the experience of flow and how flow affects the transaction intentions of these members.Design/methodology/approach – In order to test this model, data were collected via an online questionnaire, with a total of 286 survey instruments available. The data were analyzed using structural equations modeling with AMOS.Findings – The empirical findings showed that, first, as far as the online travel communities members are concerned, both interactivity and trust do affect each other. Second, interactivity is the key factor for the members to have flow experience in online travel communities. Third, the experience of flow can enhance the transaction intentions of members while they are in the online travel communities.Practical implications – Web site administrators should improve the interactivity with the members, so that they can have flow experience, and further strengthen their transaction intentions.Origin.
[Postoperative patient-controlled analgesia is more effective with epidural methadone than with intravenous methadone in thoracic surgery].

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and side effects of epidural and intravenous methadone for postoperative patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) after thoracic surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS A randomized, single-blind trial enrolling 30 patients distributed in 2 groups to receive intravenous methadone (ivPCA group) or epidural methadone (epPCA group). Patients in both groups were administered a loading dose of 0.05 mg.kg-1 followed by infusion of 0.5 mg.h-1. The patients could self-dose 0.5 mg with a lock-out interval of 10 minutes and a maximum of 4 doses per hour. Patient characteristics, type and duration of surgery and fentanyl dose were recorded. Pain was assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS). Level of sedation, respiratory rate and occurrence of nausea, vomiting and pruritus were also recorded over the first 24 hours. RESULTS The 2 groups were comparable. Pain was greater in the ivPCA group than in the epPCA group in the second hour (VAS 3.93 +/- 1.9 and 2.4 +/- 1.65, respectively; P < .05) and the third hour (VAS 3.57 +/- 1.65 and 1.5 +/- 1.16, respectively; P < .05). The total dose of methadone administered was 25.34 +/- 5.65 mg in the ivPCA group and 18.82 +/- 3.52 mg in the epPCA group (P < .002). There were no significant differences in side effects. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that epidural methadone has an intrinsic spinal effect regardless of whether or not there is extra-spinal action arising from syste mic absorption. Epidural methadone provides a more adequate analgesic effect in less time and at a lower dose. Both approaches provide good postoperative analgesia with few side effects.
Acute cardiac effects of carbon monoxide poisoning in children

Objective Carbon monoxide (CO)-induced cardiotoxicity has been investigated infrequently in children and reports of its cardiovascular effects are limited to isolated case reports. Our aims were to describe acute cardiac effects and associated factors with myocardial injury in children with CO poisoning. Methods We reviewed the medical records of children below 17 years of age who were diagnosed with CO poisoning at pediatric emergency department between July 2004 and June 2007. Patients who had carboxyhemoglobin level at least 10% were included. Myocardial injury was defined as elevated cardiac biomarkers (creatine kinase-MB or troponin-t). Carboxyhemoglobin level, electrocardiogram (ECG) findings, cardiac biomarkers, and echocardiograph results were recorded for each patient. Results Cardiac biomarkers were drawn in 107 patients, of which 16 patients (15%) had cardiac biomarkers confirmed diagnosis of myocardial injury. Sinus tachycardia was present in 32% of patients on baseline ECG. None of the patients had ischemic changes on ECG. Echocardiograph was performed in 27 patients (25% of patients with biomarkers drawn), of which nine patients had low ejection fraction and abnormal left ventricular function. Determinators of myocardial injury included a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score ≤14 and hypotension (for GCS score ≤14 and hypotension, relative risk: 90 and 95% confidence interval: 9.9–813. Conclusion Myocardial injury may exist in children with CO poisoning without abnormal ECG findings. GCS score ≤14 and hypotension were associate factors with myocardial injury.
Vasopressin V(1A) receptors mediate the increase in gastric mucosal oxygenation during hypercapnia.

Hypercapnia (HC) improves systemic oxygen delivery (DO₂) and microvascular hemoglobin oxygenation of the mucosa (μHbO₂). Simultaneously, HC increases plasma levels of vasopressin. Although vasopressin is generally regarded a potent vasoconstrictor particularly in the splanchnic region, its effects on splanchnic microcirculation during HC is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of endogenous vasopressin on gastric mucosal oxygenation and hemodynamic variables during physiological (normocapnia) and hypercapnic conditions. Five dogs were repeatedly anesthetized to study the effect of vasopressin V(1A) receptor blockade ([Pmp¹,Tyr(Me)²]-Arg⁸-Vasopressin, 35 μg/kg) on hemodynamic variables and μHbO₂ during normocapnia or HC (end-tidal CO₂ 70 mmHg). In a control group, animals were subjected to HC alone. μHbO₂ was measured by reflectance spectrophotometry, systemic DO₂ was calculated from intermittent blood gas analysis, and cardiac output was measured by transpulmonary thermodilution. Data are presented as mean±s.e. m. for n=5 animals. During HC alone, DO₂ increased from 12±1 to 16±1 ml/kg per min and μHbO₂ from 70±4 to 80±2%. By contrast, additional vasopressin V(1A) receptor blockade abolished the increase in μHbO₂ (80±2 vs. 69±2%) without altering the increase in DO₂ (16±1 vs. 19±2 ml/kg per min). Vasopressin V1A receptor blockade (VB) during normocapnia neither affected DO₂ (13±1 vs. 14±1 ml/kg per min) nor μHbO₂ (75±3 vs. 71±5%). Vasopressin V(1A) receptor blockade abolished the increase in μHbO₂ during HC independent of DO₂. Thus, in contrast to its generally vasoconstrictive properties, the vasopressin V1A receptors seem to mediate the increase in gastric microcirculatory mucosal oxygenation induced by acute HC.
Professional judgement and decision-making in adventure sports coaching: the role of interaction

ABSTRACT This qualitative study presents the view that coaching practice places demands on the coach’s adaptability and flexibility. These requirements for being adaptive and flexible are met through a careful process of professional judgement and decision-making based on context-appropriate bodies of knowledge. Adventure sports coaches were selected for study on the basis that adventure sports create a hyper-dynamic environment in which these features can be examined. Thematic analysis revealed that coaches were generally well informed and practised with respect to the technical aspects of their sporting disciplines. Less positively, however, they often relied on ad hoc contextualisation of generalised theories of coaching practice to respond to the hyper-dynamic environments encountered in adventure sports. We propose that coaching practice reflects the demands of the environment, individual learning needs of the students and the task at hand. Together, these factors outwardly resemble a constraints-led approach but, we suggest, actually reflect manipulation of these parameters from a cognitive rather than an ecological perspective. This process is facilitated by a refined judgement and decision-making process, sophisticated epistemology and an explicit interaction of coaching components.
A Purification of Soul According to Sufis: A Study of al-Ghazali's Theory

Artikel ini membincangkan secara ringkas tentang teori tadhkiyyah al-nafs (penyucian jiwa) yang diutarakan oleh ahli Sufi bermula daripada zaman awal perkembangan sehingga ke zaman Imam al-Ghazali (m. 505/1111). la bertujuan memaparkan idea-idea ahli Sufi tersebut mengenai metode penyucian jiwa serta cuba melihat persamaan dan perbezaan dalam praktikal kerohanian bagi mencapai tujuan perjalanan kesufian mereka. Walaubagaimana pun, penekanan yang lebih diberikan kepada metode penyucian jiwa yang dikemukakan oleh Imam al-Ghazali dalam karyanya Jami' al-Haqa'iq bi Tajrid al-'Ala'iq.
A focus group study on the design considerations and impressions of a socially assistive robot for long-term care

As older adults age, they are more likely to reside in long-term care facilities due to the decline in cognitive and/or physical abilities that prevent them from living independently. With a rapidly aging population there is an increasing demand on long-term care facilities to care for older adults. Such facilities need to provide medical services, assistance in activities of daily living, and scheduled leisure activities to improve health and quality of life. However, as the need for long-term care is increasing, the care workforce is faced with decreasing numbers of healthcare staff and high turnover rates. Our research focuses on the design of socially assistive robots to plan, schedule, and facilitate social and cognitive interventions for residents in long-term care facilities. In this paper, we investigate the specific design considerations and the impressions of long-term care residents, healthcare professionals, and family members on a socially assistive robot designed to autonomously facilitate cognitively and socially stimulating leisure activities. Thematic analysis of focus group sessions conducted at a long-term care facility with the aforementioned individuals revealed important design considerations for the development and integration of a socially assistive robot in long-term care facilities.
High Seroprevalence of Neutralizing Capacity against Human Metapneumovirus in All Age Groups Studied in Bonn, Germany

ABSTRACT Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) infections occur frequently despite high rates of perpetual seroprevalence for all age groups. Analyses of ∼2,000 archived, randomly selected serum samples demonstrated that neutralizing capacities remain high, with a minor decrease for individuals over 69 years of age, leading to the hypothesis that reinfections occur because humoral immune responses play minor roles in the clearance of hMPV infections.
Antidiabetic Treatment In Diabetic Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) that is about 150 million today is estimated to exceed 300 million by the year 2025 (1). When considered that about half of the patients remain undiagnosed, it can be seen how serious the dimensions of the disease are (2). In the patients with DM more than 90% of whom are consisted by non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM, Type 2 DM), the disease is a significant risk factor for the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) responsible for 75% of all deaths (3,4). In this group of the patients who generally require antidiabetic treatment inevitably, it is highly important to decide on an appropriate treatment due to the various cardiovascular (CV) effects of the anti-diabetics medications and drugs. In order to help establish this decision, in this review it was tried to investigate antidiabetic drugs after a general approach to CAD pathophysology in diabetic patients, especially in terms of their cardiovascular effects.
Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Consumer Buying Behavior in Egypt

To survive today’s competition, business organizations must not only take care of the quality of life of their employees and their families, but also take care of their community and society at large. Corporations give more attention to their social responsibility through their four dimensions, economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic. Many studies have been conducted in CSR taking into consideration corporations’ point of view, however, limited studies considered CSR from consumer's perspective. This study will enhance the literature about the theory of consumer perception of CSR and its impact on consumer buying behavior. Practically speaking, this study will apply the impact of CSR on consumer’s buying behavior in Egypt. The results showed that Egyptian consumers are adequately aware of CSR concept, but, at the same time, all CSR elements have insignificant relation to consumer behavior. This means that the Egyptian consumers do not think about any of CSR elements when they take their buying decision.
Present and future global distributions of the marine Cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus Citation

Citation Flombaum, P., J. L. Gallegos, R. A. Gordillo, J. Rincon, L. L. Zabala, N. Jiao, D. M. Karl, et al. “Present and Future Global Distributions of the Marine Cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus and Synechococcus. ” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 110, no. 24 (June 11, 2013): 9824–9829. As Published http://dx.doi. org/10.1073/pnas.1307701110 Publisher National Academy of Sciences (U.S.)
Asymmetric Signaling Powe r of Insider Trading and Its Impact on Information Environment and Market Reactions

We document that market reactions to insider purchases and sales are different in terms of price and volume. With an extensive data set that covers the period from 1991 to 2006, we systematically segregate the asymmetric effects of these two types of insider transactions. We follow the design of previous studies (e.g., Basu, 1997; Ball and Shivakumar, 2005, Leone et al. 2006) to understand the asymmetric information provided by insider purchases and sales. We pioneer the forecast approach developed by Barron, Kim, Lim, and Stevens (1998)to test the precision of the information environment. We find that market can distinguish and discriminate the signaling strength of insider purchases and sales. Insider purchases are a stronger signal than insider sales, and insider purchases create a better environment to alleviate information asymmetry; thus enhancing average investors to trade and mimic.
Modeling of nanostructured polymer-metal composite for thermal interface material applications

Previous studies have discovered a unique type of nanostructured polymer-metal composite for thermal interface material with effective thermal conductivity of 8 W/mK. It is a promising result but extensive efforts are still required to further enhance the thermal conductivity. Therefore, this paper will try to help the process with modeling and simulation. Calculations reveal the alignment of the fibers have insignificant influence. Therefore volume percentages of fiber together with mean interface temperature become the dominating parameters of effective thermal conductivities of thermal interface material. Based on this approximation, simulation was taken which showed good results in comparison with experimental data. However, the preferred volume percentage of fibers (33%) was slightly too large according to the surface image of thermal interface material.
Serum levels of acute phase proteins in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS A simple and practical method of detecting the degree of the inflammatory response during the development of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis has not been developed to date. In this study the serum levels of acute phase proteins in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and whether these levels had any relationship with histopathological findings in the liver were evaluated. METHODS The study included 18 patients with NASH diagnosed by liver biopsy (13 males and five females with a mean age of 44 years) and 16 healthy volunteers as a control group (11 males and five females, with a mean age of 40 years). The serum levels of C-reactive protein, C-reactive ceruloplasmin, ferritin, transferrin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, alpha-2-macroglobulin, alpha-1-antitripsin, albumin, haptoglobulin and lipoprotein (a) were determined by nephelometric method in both groups. In patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, liver histopathology was assessed using a modified scoring system based on the classification defined by Brunt. RESULTS Serum C-reactive, ferritin, alpha-2-macroglobulin and ceruloplasmin concentrations in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis were significantly higher than those of the control group (p=0.0001, p=0.001, p=0.007, p=0.01 respectively), but serum transferrin, albumin, haptoglobin, alpha-1-acid glycoprotein, alpha-1-antitripsin and lipoprotein (a) levels were not different. There was no difference in C-reactive protein levels regarding the degree of hepatic steatosis and inflammation and the stage of liver fibrosis. Acute phase proteins had no correlation with liver histology. CONCLUSIONS Measurement of serum C-reactive protein, ferritin, ceruloplasmin and alpha-2-macroglobulin levels may be useful in assessing patients at risk of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and those with high C-reactive protein and ferritin but normal transferrin should be considered for liver biopsy.
Neural correlates of dueling affective reactions to win–win choices

Significance Choices between multiple good prospects (e.g., job offers) are known to generate anxiety, even as the decision maker feels positivity toward their options. Here, we explored the basis for these (paradoxically) simultaneously occurring experiences. We evaluated brain activity during win–win choices relative to how positive and anxious the participant later reported having felt when encountering a set of options, and relative to subsequent choice reversals. Our participants felt increasingly positive and anxious with increasingly good options, and these two experiences were accounted for by dissociable neural circuits. Positivity-related circuits primarily tracked the value of the best item whereas anxiety-related circuits primarily tracked the level of competition between potential responses, and whether the participants would later decide to reverse their choice. Win–win choices cause anxiety, often more so than decisions lacking the opportunity for a highly desired outcome. These anxious feelings can paradoxically co-occur with positive feelings, raising important implications for individual decision styles and general well-being. Across three studies, people chose between products that varied in personal value. Participants reported feeling most positive and most anxious when choosing between similarly high-valued products. Behavioral and neural results suggested that this paradoxical experience resulted from parallel evaluations of the expected outcome (inducing positive affect) versus the cost of choosing a response (inducing anxiety). Positive feelings were reduced when there was no high-value option, and anxiety was reduced when only one option was highly valued. Dissociable regions within the striatum and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) tracked these dueling affective reactions during choice. Ventral regions, associated with stimulus valuation, tracked positive feelings and the value of the best item. Dorsal regions, associated with response valuation, tracked anxiety. In addition to tracking anxiety, the dorsal mPFC was associated with conflict during the current choice, and activity levels across individual items predicted whether that choice would later be reversed during an unexpected reevaluation phase. By revealing how win–win decisions elicit responses in dissociable brain systems, these results help resolve the paradox of win–win choices. They also provide insight into behaviors that are associated with these two forms of affect, such as why we are pulled toward good options but may still decide to delay or avoid choosing among them.
BMD and Bone Geometry in Transtibial and Transfemoral Amputees

Prolonged unloading of bone(s) in the residual limb after amputation may cause significant bone loss in the hip and distal bony end of the residual limb. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of amputation on bone geometry, volumetric BMD (vBMD), and areal BMD (aBMD) by comparing the intact and residual limbs in unilateral transfemoral and transtibial amputees. Amputees (seven above‐knee; seven below‐knee) and two groups of nonamputee control subjects gave informed consent to participate in this study. aBMD of the dual proximal femur, lumbar spine, and total body was assessed using DXA. Bone geometry and vBMD were assessed at the distal ends of the residual limb and intact limb and at a comparable cross‐sectional slice of the intact limb using pQCT (Stratec XCT 3000). There were no significant group differences in age, height, weight, physical activity, time as an amputee, hours wearing a prosthesis per day, or total body and lumbar spine BMD and BMC. There were significant side × group interactions for total hip, femoral neck, and trochanter BMD, with the amputated side having lower BMD, and differences being most severe in above‐knee amputees. Total and cortical vBMD and area were significantly lower at the end of the residual limb compared with the similar slice of the intact limb for both above‐ and below‐knee amputees. In conclusion, amputees exhibited large decrements in BMD, both at the hip and at the end of the residual limb, compared with the intact side. These lower BMD values put amputees, particularly the above‐knee amputees, at increased risk for osteoporosis and fragility fractures in the hip.