Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Isoflurane depresses motoneuron excitability by a direct spinal action: an F-wave study.

UNLABELLED Isoflurane decreases motoneuron excitability as measured by the F wave. It is unknown how much of this effect is direct and how much occurs as the result of an indirect, supraspinal effect. Seven goats were anesthetized with isoflurane, and the carotid arteries and jugular veins were isolated to permit cranial bypass. Isoflurane was delivered to the head via a bypass-oxygenator unit and to the torso via the lungs. Evoked gastrocnemius muscle potentials were measured after supramaximal electrical stimulation of the ischiatic nerve. F- and M-wave amplitudes and F-wave latencies were determined from 20 evoked responses obtained at each of the following head/torso isoflurane concentrations: 0.8%/0.3%, 1.3%/0.3%, 3%/0.3%, 0.3/0.8%, and 1.3%/0.8%. When the torso isoflurane was 0.3%, increasing the cranial isoflurane concentration from 0.8% to 1.3% did not significantly affect the F/M amplitude ratio (from 0.188 +/- 0.166 to 0.194 +/- 0.124; P > 0.05), but the ratio decreased approximately 50% when the cranial isoflurane was 3% (to 0.088 +/- 0.078; P < 0.05). F-wave latency was not affected by changing the cranial isoflurane concentration. The F/M amplitude ratio decreased 80%-85% when isoflurane 0.8% was administered to the torso and was not measurable in five animals; at this torso concentration, changing the cranial concentration from 0.3% to 1.3% had no effect on the F/M ratio (from 0.042 +/- 0.065 to 0.030 +/- 0.041; P > 0.05). In goats, motoneuron excitability is very sensitive to the direct action of isoflurane, and supraspinal effects occur between cranial isoflurane concentrations of 1.3% and 3%. IMPLICATIONS We studied the effect of isoflurane action in the brain on motoneuron excitability, using the F wave. We found that the F wave is very sensitive to the direct action of isoflurane and that cranial isoflurane has indirect effects between concentrations of 1.3% and 3%.
Numerical Option Pricing under Levy Process with Minimal Martingale Measure

The classic Black Scholes option pricing model assumes that the returns follows Brownian Motions, but return processes may have discontinuous definitely or infi nitely many positive or negative jumps, leading to non-normal distributions.In such scenario, we can consider the Levy process as one of the suitable process for pricing contingent claims of a stock. But because jumps of random sizes, the market is incomplete and there is not an unique martingale measure. In such case its difficult to compute the option values both analytically and numerically because the price process distribution is unknown.Here, we study numerical approach for pricing options with an equivalent martingale measure as per Follmer Schweizer minimal measure which has minimum risk.We calculate the call price with sensitivities numerically by Inverse Laplace Transform techniques like Gaver Stehfest.
The Trade Unions: From Partnership to Crisis

The Irish model of social partnership was once hailed as a success story for other countries to emulate. According to its supporters, the unions avoided marginalisation and devised a strategy to balance competitiveness and equity. Through partnership, Ireland was able to combine the benefits of an Anglo-Saxon notion of free markets with a ‘solidaristic’ ethos and so forge a ‘developmental welfare model’ (NESC 2005). Social partnership replaced class conflict with a new era of understanding between employers and unions. Paul Sweeney of the ICTU claimed that, ‘for unions and employers the biggest accomplishment has been getting into the heads of each other, to understand unambiguously what the deep concerns of the other side are’ (Sweeney 2008: 125). This paper examines the journey of the Irish trade union movement from main players in social partnership through to the current crisis.
Electromagnetic analysis of superconducting cables and joints in transient regime

The paper deals with the electromagnetic analysis of the superconducting multistrand cables used to manufacture magnets for fusion research. An analysis method is described, in which the cable is represented as an equivalent lumped network, whose parameters are automatically computed starting from the cable geometrical data. The network is then solved in transient regime.
NOTCH1 and NOTCH3 coordinate esophageal squamous differentiation through a CSL-dependent transcriptional network.

BACKGROUND & AIMS The Notch receptor family regulates cell fate through cell-cell communication. CSL (CBF-1/RBP-jκ, Su(H), Lag-1) drives canonical Notch-mediated gene transcription during cell lineage specification, differentiation, and proliferation in the hematopoietic system, the intestine, the pancreas, and the skin. However, the functional roles of Notch in esophageal squamous epithelial biology are unknown. METHODS Normal esophageal keratinocytes were stimulated with calcium chloride to induce terminal differentiation. The squamous epithelia were reconstituted in organotypic 3-dimensional culture, a form of human tissue engineering. Notch was inhibited in culture with a γ-secretase inhibitor or dominant negative mastermind-like 1 (DNMAML1). The roles of Notch receptors were evaluated by in vitro gain-of-function and loss-of-function experiments. Additionally, DNMAML1 was targeted to the mouse esophagus by cytokeratin K14 promoter-driven Cre (K14Cre) recombination of Lox-STOP-Lox-DNMAML1. Notch-regulated gene expression was determined by reporter transfection, chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS NOTCH1 (N1) was activated at the onset of squamous differentiation in the esophagus. Intracellular domain of N1 (ICN1) directly activated NOTCH3 (N3) transcription, inducing HES5 and early differentiation markers such as involucrin (IVL) and cytokeratin CK13 in a CSL-dependent fashion. N3 enhanced ICN1 activity and was required for squamous differentiation. Loss of Notch signaling in K14Cre;DNMAML1 mice perturbed esophageal squamous differentiation and resulted in N3 loss and basal cell hyperplasia. CONCLUSIONS Notch signaling is important for esophageal epithelial homeostasis. In particular, the cross talk of N3 with N1 during differentiation provides novel, mechanistic insights into Notch signaling and squamous epithelial biology.
Inference for single-index quantile regression models with profile optimization

Single index models offer greater flexibility in data analysis than linear models but retain some of the desirable properties such as the interpretability of the coefficients. We consider a pseudo-profile likelihood approach to estimation and testing for single-index quantile regression models. We establish the asymptotic normality of the index coefficient estimator as well as the optimal convergence rate of the nonparametric function estimation. Moreover, we propose a score test for the index coefficient based on the gradient of the pseudo-profile likelihood, and employ a penalized procedure to perform consistent model selection and model estimation simultaneously. We also use Monte Carlo studies to support our asymptotic results, and use an empirical example to illustrate the proposed method.
Parental Involvement in Minnesota Online Schools

The purpose of this study was to determine the existence of parental involvement practices and successes or difficulties experienced with those practices–as reported by directors–in selected Minnesota online schools. The study was undertaken because, in a review of the research and related literature, it was clear that the resources and knowledge to implement quality parental involvement practices existed, but this may not have meant they were being implemented. Student achievement in Minnesota Online Schools appeared lower than traditional schools. However, no studies existed that documented the parental involvement practices that were in place or the successes and difficulties experienced with parental involvement in Minnesota’s Online Schools. The study utilized Epstein’s (1995; Epstein et al., 2008) framework of six types of involvement to classify and examine collected data. The study was designed as a comparative case study, which examined a total of seven online school sites in Minnesota that served students in grades K-12. Data was collected through the use of case study and interview protocols, and included document collection and examination. The study was designed and conducted with a joint researcher to form a case study team. Some of the study findings included; the prevalence of Communication and Learning at Home parental involvement types–taken from Epstein’s (1995; Epstein et al., 2008) framework, numerous newly documented practices and also common shared practices–such as required numbers of teacherparent contacts and conferences, and reported successful involvement practices for online schools– such as in person meetings or orientation sessions, as well as reported difficulties. Notably, a major difficulty across the study’s school sites was revealed in the area of county truancy support. Recommendations for future research and current practice are made in the final chapter of the study.
Geological history and within‐island diversity: a debris avalanche and the Tenerife lizard Gallotia galloti

Several processes have been described that could explain geographical variation and speciation within small islands, including fragmentation of populations through volcanic eruptions. Massive landslides, or debris avalanches, could cause similar effects. Here we analyse the potential impact of the 0.8 million‐year‐ago (Ma) Güimar valley debris avalanche on the phylogeography of the lizard Gallotia galloti on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Distributions of mitochondrial DNA lineages (based on cytochrome b sequences) were analysed on a 60‐km southeastern coast transect centred on this area. Three main clades were detected, which can be divided into northern (one clade) and southern (two clades) groups that introgress across the valley. Maximum‐likelihood estimates of migration rates (scaled for mutation rate) revealed highly asymmetric patterns, indicating that long‐term gene flow into this region from both the northern and the southern populations greatly exceeded that in the opposite directions, consistent with recolonization of the area. The ancestral Tenerife node on the G. galloti tree is estimated at 0.80 Ma, matching closely with the geological estimate for the debris avalanche. Morphological variation (body dimensions and scalation) was also analysed and indicated a stepped cline in female scalation across the valley, although the patterns for male scalation and male and female body dimensions were not as clear. Together these findings provide support for the hypothesis that the debris avalanche has shaped the phylogeography of G. galloti and may even have been a primary cause of the within‐island cladogenesis through population fragmentation and isolation. Current estimates of timing of island unification mean that the original hypothesis that within‐island diversity is explained by the secondary contact of populations from the two ancient precursor islands of Teno and Anaga is less plausible for this and some other Tenerife species. Large‐scale landslides have occurred on many volcanic islands, and so may have been instrumental in shaping within‐island diversities.
The effects of South Korea's conditional loan system in promoting foreign oil and gas exploration projects

Since 1983, the South Korean government has implemented a conditional loan system to push private firms to participate in foreign oil and gas exploration projects, ultimately to secure the country's energy supply. In this study, we empirically investigate whether South Korea's conditional loan system successfully contributed to the promotion of foreign oil and gas exploration projects. First, we analyze how the amount of conditional loans has affected the number of exploration projects. Our empirical results show that a 1% increase in loans yielded both a 0.8% increase in the number of total exploration projects and a 0.5% increase in the number of newly launched exploration projects. The economic conditions of the exploration and production business have been insignificantly effective. Second, we analyze how the contribution of conditional loans to total investment has affected the number of exploration projects that have taken place. The empirical results show that the lower the contribution of conditional loans is, the greater the number of newly launched exploration projects. However, the contribution of conditional loans has significantly affected neither the number of total exploration projects nor the number of exploration projects that feature operational responsibility.
The Impact of Market Orientation on Patient Safety Climate Among Hospital Nurses

Improving market orientation and patient safety have become the key concerns of nursing management. For nurses, establishing a patient safety climate is the key to enhancing nursing quality. This study explores how market orientation affects the climate of patient safety among hospital nurses. We proposed adopting a cross-sectional research design and using questionnaires to collect responses from nurses working in two Taiwanese hospitals. Three-hundred and forty-three valid samples were obtained. Multiple regression and path analyses were conducted to test the study. Market orientation was defined as the combination of customer orientation, competitor orientation, and interfunctional coordination. Customer orientation directly affects the climate of patient safety. Although the findings only supported Hypothesis 1, competitor orientation and interfunctional coordination positively affected the patient safety climate through the mediating effects of hospital support for staff. Health care managers could encourage nurses to adopt customer-oriented perspectives to enhance their nursing care. In addition, to enhance competitor orientation, interfunctional coordination, and the patient safety climate, hospital managers could strengthen their support for staff members.
Increased risk of immune thrombocytopenic purpura among inpatients with coeliac disease

Objective. Case reports have indicated a link between coeliac disease (CD) and immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Two national, register-based studies were carried out to investigate a possible association between CD and ITP and vice versa. Material and methods. In a cohort study of 14,347 individuals with inpatient diagnoses of CD and 69,967 reference individuals matched for age, gender, calendar year and county, the Cox regression was used to estimate the risk of subsequent inpatient diagnoses of ITP (of any type or chronic). In a case control design, conditional logistic regression was used to assess the risk of exposure (diagnosis of ITP prior to CD) in 15,382 cases (individuals with diagnoses of CD) and 76,824 matched controls. Diagnoses of CD and ITP were identified through the Swedish National Inpatient Register. Results. Individuals with CD were at increased risk of both subsequent ITP of any type (hazard ratio (HR)=1.91; 95% CI=1.19–3.11; p=0.008) and subsequent chronic ITP (HR 2.77; 95% CI=1.09–7.04; p=0.033). Risk estimates were similar when reference individuals were restricted to inpatients. There was also a positive association between CD and prior ITP of any type (odds ratio (OR)=2.96; 95% CI=1.60–5.50; p=0.001) or with prior chronic ITP (OR=6.00; 95% CI=1.83–19.66; p=0.003). Conclusions. We found a positive association between CD and both ITP of any type and chronic ITP, irrespective of which disease came first, and suggest there should be increased awareness of CD in patients with ITP.
Structural analyses of key features in the KANK1·KIF21A complex yield mechanistic insights into the cross-talk between microtubules and the cell cortex

The cross-talk between dynamic microtubules and the cell cortex plays important roles in cell division, polarity, and migration. A critical adaptor that links the plus ends of microtubules with the cell cortex is the KANK N-terminal motif and ankyrin repeat domains 1 (KANK1)/kinesin family member 21A (KIF21A) complex. Genetic defects in these two proteins are associated with various cancers and developmental diseases, such as congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles type 1. However, the molecular mechanism governing the KANK1/KIF21A interaction and the role of the conserved ankyrin (ANK) repeats in this interaction are still unclear. In this study, we present the crystal structure of the KANK1·KIF21A complex at 2.1 Å resolution. The structure, together with biochemical studies, revealed that a five-helix-bundle–capping domain immediately preceding the ANK repeats of KANK1 forms a structural and functional supramodule with its ANK repeats in binding to an evolutionarily conserved peptide located in the middle of KIF21A. We also show that several missense mutations present in cancer patients are located at the interface of the KANK1·KIF21A complex and destabilize its formation. In conclusion, our study elucidates the molecular basis underlying the KANK1/KIF21A interaction and also provides possible mechanistic explanations for the diseases caused by mutations in KANK1 and KIF21A.
Renal hemodynamic response to maximal vasodilating stimulus in healthy older subjects.

BACKGROUND It is still unclear whether age per se is associated with preservation of renal functional reserve, that is, of the increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) induced by appropriate vasodilating stimulus. METHODS To gain insights into this issue, we evaluated the renal response to a maximal vasodilating stimulus, represented by the combined infusion of mixed amino acid solution (AA) and dopamine at renal dose (D), in 10 young subjects (median age of 30 years, range of 19 to 32) and in 11 subjects of older age (median age of 67 years, range of 65 to 76). Two further age-matched groups of young (N = 15) and older (N = 11) living kidney donors underwent renal needle biopsy immediately before nephrectomy to perform semiquantitative scoring (0 to 3) of arteriosclerosis in intrarenal arteries. All of the study subjects were nonsmokers with healthy status proven by extensive diagnostic evaluation excluding any risk factor of renal dysfunction. RESULTS Basal renal plasma flow (RPF) and GFR were proportionally lower in older subjects (RPF, 361 +/- 29 vs. 618 +/- 34 mL/min/1.73 m(2), P < 0.001; GFR, 79 +/- 4 vs. 127 +/- 5.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2), P < 0.001). After AA + D, a significant increase of RPF and GFR was observed in both groups, but the older subjects exhibited a smaller percentage increment (RPF, 25.5 +/- 4.8 vs. 42.4 +/- 5.8, P < 0.05; GFR, 19.6 +/- 5.7 vs. + 33.8 +/- 6.4, P < 0.05). Furthermore, the maximal vasodilating stimulus was not able to restore renal hemodynamics in older subjects to the level measured in young controls at baseline. Renal vascular resistances were higher (P < 0.05) in the older subjects both at baseline (0.19 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.09 +/- 0.004 mm Hg/mL/min) and after AA + D (0.14 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.06 +/- 0.004). Light microscopy examination detected the presence of a greater degree of arteriosclerosis at the level of interlobular and arcuate arteries (0.89 +/- 0.15 vs. 0.45 +/- 0.08) and interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (1.18 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.53 +/- 0.13) in older than in young subjects. CONCLUSIONS Therefore, aging has adverse effects on renal function despite the absence of any risk factor for renal disease, including chronic smoking: (1) GFR and RPF are lower, and (2) the renal response to maximal vasodilating stimulus is impaired. These aging-related alterations of renal hemodynamics are possibly due to organic lesions in renal vasculature.
Capsicum Pain Plaster in Chronic Non-specific Low Back Pain

Summary Topically applied capsaicin (CAS 404-86-4) induces the release of substance P, a neurotransmitter, from sensory C-fibres. In addition, there is a specific blockade of transport and de-novo synthesis of substance P. As a result, repeated applications of capsaicin bring about a long lasting desensitisation to pain (increase of pain threshold). The desensitising effect is fully reversible. The confirmed pharmacodynamic actions and a number of double-blind clinical studies indicate that local capsicum preparations are very suitable for the treatment of neuropathic pain or musculoskeletal disorders, with or without inflammatory components. In a double-blind, randomised parallelgroup study a capsicum plaster was compared with a placebo for 3 weeks in 154 patients with non-specific back pain. Inclusion criteria were a history of back pain for a minimum period of 3 months and a degree of pain of 5 or more on an eleven grade visual analogue scale. The principal target variable consisted of the score of 3 combined pain scales. Secondary efficacy measures were tests of mobility, a disability index (in the context of Arhus low back rating scale) and global assessments by physicians and patients. For patients to be rated as responders their total pain score at the final examination after 3 weeks of treatment had to show a reduction by at least 30 % of the baseline value. The study unequivocally achieved the target criterion with a rate of responders in the capsicum group of 60.8 % against 42.1 % in the placebo group (p = 0.0219). The sum of the 3 separate pain scales decreased more markedly in the capsicum group than in the placebo group (38.5 % compared to 28.0 %; p = 0.002). Relatively slight improvements of the impaired mobility and the functional status are explained by the characteristics of the disorder treated. The efficacy ratings by observers and patients was definitely in favour of capsicum. Adverse effects - mostly harmless and resolving spontaneously - were reported by 15 patients in the capsicum group and by 9 in the placebo group. The tolerance ratings by investigators and patients were superior to the placebo product. This, however, partly is due to the local pharmacological actions of the drug. As in comparably positive randomised studies with capsaicin cream in patients with osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia it was shown that a capsicum plaster preparation can also be used to advantage in chronic non-specific back pain.
A Pivotal Role for the Multifunctional Calcium/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II in T Cells: From Activation to Unresponsiveness1

Stimulation of the TCR leads to an oscillatory release of free calcium that activates members of the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) family. The CaMKII molecules have profound and lasting effects on cellular signaling in several cell types, yet the role of CaMKII in T cells is still poorly characterized. In this report we describe a splice variant of CaMKIIβ, CaMKIIβ′e, in mouse T cells. We have determined its function, along with that of CaMKIIγ, by introducing the active and kinase-dead mutants into activated P14 TCR transgenic T cells using retroviral transduction. Active CaMKII enhanced the proliferation and cytotoxic activity of T cells while reducing their IL-2 production. Furthermore, it induced a profound state of unresponsiveness that could be overcome only by prolonged culture in IL-2. These results indicate that members of the CaMKII family play an important role in regulation of CD8 T cell proliferation, cytotoxic effector function, and the response to restimulation.
QSRlib: a software library for online acquisition of qualitative spatial relations from video

There is increasing interest in using Qualitative Spatial Relations as a formalism to abstract from noisy and large amounts of video data in order to form high level conceptualisations, e.g. of activities present in video. We present a library to support such work. It is compatible with the Robot Operating System (ROS) but can also be used stand alone. A number of QSRs are built in; others can be easily added.