Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) mediates the anticontractile capacity of perivascular adipose tissue.

AIM The aim of this study was to investigate the role of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) in mediating the anticontractile function of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) and whether its activation can rescue PVAT activity which is lost in an experimental model of inflammation. METHODS AND RESULTS Contractile responses to norepinephrine were assessed using wire myography from small arterial segments obtained from PKG(-/-), PKG(+/+), adipo(-/-), and C57Bl6/J mice with and without PVAT during normal oxygenation and hypoxia. An anticontractile effect of PVAT was observed in control blood vessels. This was not present in arteries from PKG(-/-) or PKG(+/+) with inhibition of PKG signalling using DT-2/ODQ. Hypoxia-induced loss of PVAT function was rescued by ANP activation of PKG as there was no effect in blood vessels from PKG(-/-) mice or in the presence of DT-2. Solution transfer studies demonstrated that PKG was necessary for the normal paracrine effects of PVAT on smooth muscle and endothelium. PKG activation by atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) did not restore the absent PVAT anticontractile capacity in arteries from adiponectin(-/-) mice; however, inhibition of PKG did not further abrogate this effect suggesting dysregulation of PKG signalling pathways in this model. The absence of PKG was associated with reduced adipocyte adiponectin expression. CONCLUSION PKG plays a key role in regulating normal PVAT function both in modulating anticontractile factor release from adipocytes as well as being essential for its downstream dilator function in arterial smooth muscle.
Using Lexico-Semantic Information for Query Expansion in Passage Retrieval for Question Answering

In this paper we investigate the use of several types of lexico-semantic information for query expansion in the passage retrieval component of our QA system. We have used four corpus-based methods to acquire semantically related words, and we have used one hand-built resource. We evaluate our techniques on the Dutch CLEF QA track. In our experiments expansions that try to bridge the terminological gap between question and document collection do not result in any improvements. However, expansions bridging the knowledge gap show modest improvements.
An exploration of substitutes for leadership: Problems and prospects

Despite the conceptual premise of Kerr and Jermier’s (1978) substitutes for leadership model, there has been little evidence of empirical support when substitutes for leadership are modeled as interactions with leader behaviors. In this study we attempted to show that one reason that significant interaction effects have not been found in prior research is the restricted range of the sample. We therefore investigated the interaction between substitutes for leadership and leader behaviors using a broad-based sampling design based on Mintzberg’s (1993) model. We found support for interactions between the substitutes for leadership and leader behaviors. The conclusion we reached is not that the original model of Kerr and Jermier is wrong, but rather that the methods used to test leadership interactions have not been appropriate. In addition, we found evidence in this research that supports aspects of Mintzberg’s (1993) Structure in Fives model.
Amalgam og psykosomatiske tilstander

This article addresses various diagnostic problems of somatization disorders. It discusses whether there could be a connection between symptoms and mercury leaking from amalgam fillings in the teeth. This is done by discussing the case of a middle-aged woman. She had for 15 years had a large number of afflictions perceived by her physicians to be a psychosomatic disorder. The patient's complaints are discussed descriptively and dynamically with reference to her personality and life situation. The discussion also considers recent views that amalgam may interfere with health and give symptoms often similar to well-known psychosomatic symptoms. No unequivocal conclusion is drawn, but the possibility is suggested that her symptoms may be psychobiologically explained with reference to both psychologic and toxicologic causes.
Endoscopist-Directed Propofol: Pros and Cons

Concerns about the safety of endoscopist-directed propofol (EDP) have been voiced that propofol should be given only by healthcare professionals trained in the administration of general anesthesia. Here we discuss the safety and drawbacks of EDP for routine endoscopic procedures. Currently, both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopy are well tolerated and accepted by both patients and endoscopists due to the application of sedation in most clinics worldwide. Accordingly, propofol use is increasing in many countries. It is crucial for endoscopists to be very familiar with the use of propofol or a combination of drugs. However, the controversy regarding the administration of sedation by an endoscopist or an anesthesiologist continues. Until now, there have been no randomized control trials comparing sedation induced by propofol administered by an endoscopist or by an anesthesiologist. It might be difficult to perform this kind of study. For the convenience and safety of sedative endoscopy, it would be important that EDP be generally applied to endoscopic procedures, and for more safety, an anesthesiologist may automatically take care of particular patients at high risk of suffering from propofol side effects.
Human gene MAGE-3 codes for an antigen recognized on a melanoma by autologous cytolytic T lymphocytes

Human melanoma cell line MZ2-MEL expresses several antigens recognized by autologous cytolytic T lymphocyte (CTL) clones. We reported previously the identification of a gene, named MAGE-1, that codes for one of these antigens named MZ2-E. We show here that antigen MZ2-D, which is present on the same tumor, is encoded by another member of the MAGE gene family named MAGE-3. Like MAGE-1, MAGE-3 is composed of three exons and the large open reading frame is entirely located in the third exon. Its sequence shows 73% identity with MAGE-1. Like MZ2-E, antigen MZ2-D is presented by HLA-A1. The antigenic peptide of MZ2-D is a nonapeptide that is encoded by the sequence of MAGE-3 that is homologous to the MAGE-1 sequence coding for the MZ2-E peptide. Competition experiments using single Ala-substituted peptides indicated that amino acid residues Asp in position 3 and Tyr in position 9 were essential for binding of the MAGE-1 peptide to HLA-A1. Gene MAGE-3 is expressed in many tumors of several types, such as melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, lung carcinoma and breast carcinoma, but not in normal tissues except for testes. It is expressed in a larger proportion of melanoma samples than MAGE-1. MAGE-3 encoded antigens may therefore have a wide applicability for specific immunotherapy of melanoma patients.
Strategies in developing promising histone deacetylase inhibitors

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are a family of enzymes that have been of interest in drug discovery for more than 30 years. Inhibitors of HDACs are potential therapeutics for various diseases, such as neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, viral infection, and especially cancer. Most HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) are designed for cancer therapy. In 2006, suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for once‐daily oral treatment of advanced cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma. In the meantime, there have been aggressive efforts to bring HDACi to the market for every major tumor type, either as a single therapy or in combination, and a number of compounds are currently undergoing clinical trials. Multiple strategies have been applied to the rational design of drugs targeting HDACs by taking advantage of the new developments in proteomics, chemogenomics, cheminformatics, and computational chemistry/biology. Herein, we review the current methods successfully used in developing novel HDACi. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Med Res Rev, 30, No. 4, 585–602, 2010
Young's double-slit experiment with single photons and quantum eraser

An apparatus for a double-slit interference experiment in the single-photon regime is described. The apparatus includes a which-path marker that destroys the interference as well as a quantum eraser that restores it. We present data taken with several light sources, coherent and incoherent and discuss the efficacy of these as sources of single photons.
Targeting MDM4 Splicing in Cancers

MDM4, an essential negative regulator of the P53 tumor suppressor, is frequently overexpressed in cancer cells that harbor a wild-type P53. By a mechanism based on alternative splicing, the MDM4 gene generates two mutually exclusive isoforms: MDM4-FL, which encodes the full-length MDM4 protein, and a shorter splice variant called MDM4-S. Previous results suggested that the MDM4-S isoform could be an important driver of tumor development. In this short review, we discuss a recent set of data indicating that MDM4-S is more likely a passenger isoform during tumorigenesis and that targeting MDM4 splicing to prevent MDM4-FL protein expression appears as a promising strategy to reactivate p53 in cancer cells. The benefits and risks associated with this strategy are also discussed.
Bottom and concave surface rendering in image-based visual hull

Bottom and concave shapes on object surface are difficult to reconstruct in image-based visual hull method. In this paper, we propose a simple but efficient method to solve these problems in regular image-based visual hull framework. With the help of a simple image acquiring platform which involves a glass and a mirror, we can capture images of the object from both upper and lower side at the same time. Using these images, silhouette cones necessary for reconstructing the bottom and the concave surfaces could be generated. Therefore the final rendering result of the object could be significantly improved in accuracy and reality, especially in the parts of bottom and concaves.
Information and communication technology supported total quality management

Creating value for the customer through quality is accepted as an important component of the competitive strategy of firms throughout the world. Its relevance and significance is well reflected by the importance attached to the “quality imperative” not only by firms but also by governments, international agencies, and business associations. The breakthrough gains that can be made through a wellimplemented TQM program have prompted the development of award systems such as the Deming Prize, the Baldrige Award, the European Quality Award the Japanese Quality Award, and the Australian Quality Award, which also serve as frameworks for self assessment and improvement. The objectives of this paper are two fold. Firstly, based on a study of popular quality frameworks an integrated approach for assessing quality management practices at the firm level is proposed. Explicit attention is then paid to the role that information and communication technologies (ICT) can play in upgrading quality management practices. ICT is seen as an enabler that, through its influence on the elements of the proposed framework, can accelerate the movement of a firm towards ICT supported quality management and strengthen a firm’s operative technological capability.
Clinical Effects of a Topically Applied Toll-like Receptor 9 Agonist in Active Moderate-to-Severe Ulcerative Colitis

Background and Aims: Toll-like receptors [TLRs] are potential drug targets for immunomodulation. We determined the safety and efficacy of the TLR-9 agonist DNA-based immunomodulatory sequence 0150 [DIMS0150] in ulcerative colitis [UC] patients refractory to standard therapy. Methods: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 131 patients with moderate-to-severe active UC were randomized to receive two single doses of the oligonucleotide DIMS0150 [30 mg] or placebo administered topically during lower GI endoscopy at baseline and Week 4. The primary endpoint was clinical remission, defined as Clinical Activity Index [CAI] ≤4, at Week 12. Secondary endpoints included mucosal healing and symptomatic remission of key patient-reported outcomes [absence of blood in stool and weekly stool frequency <35]. Results: There was no statistical significant difference between the groups in the induction of clinical remission at Week 12, with 44.4% in the DIMS0150 group vs. 46.5% in the placebo group. However, the proportion of patients who achieved symptomatic remission was 32.1% in the DIMS0150 group vs. 14.0% in the placebo group at Week 4 [p = 0.020], and 44.4% vs. 27.9% at Week 8 [p = 0.061]. More patients on DIMS0150 compared with those on placebo had mucosal healing [34.6% vs. 18.6%; p = 0.09] and histological improvement regarding the Geboes score [30.9% vs. 9.3%; p = 0.0073] at Week 4. Significantly more patients on DIMS0150 were in clinical remission with mucosal healing at Week 4: 21% vs. 4.7% in the placebo group [p = 0.02]. DIMS0150 was well tolerated, and no safety signals compared with placebo were evident. Conclusions: Therapy with the topically applied TLR-9 agonist DIMS0150 is a promising and well-tolerated novel therapeutic option for treatment-refractory, chronic active UC patients, warranting further clinical trials.
Neural and nonneural mechanisms for sex differences in elderly hypertension: can exercise training help?

Blood pressure (BP) increases with advancing age in humans in most industrialized societies. The relationship between systolic and diastolic pressures to cardiovascular events is generally more pronounced in people aged ≥65 years.1 The Framingham Heart Study and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey uniformly demonstrated a higher prevalence of hypertension and a lower BP control rate in elderly women than in men.2,3 Specifically, only 23% to 28% of hypertensive women over the age of 60 years achieved BP goals on treatment, whereas 36% to 38% of hypertensive men of the same age reached the target BP.2 Precise mechanisms for this observation are unknown but may be related to sex differences in the pathophysiology of hypertension or responses to antihypertensive therapy. It has been recognized that the pathophysiology of hypertension in the elderly is largely attributed to an age-related decline in aortic distensibility resulting in progressive increases in systolic pressure and pulse pressure and a decrease in diastolic pressure.4,5 However, large epidemiological studies have shown that not only systolic but also diastolic pressure is higher in elderly women than in men, suggesting that other mechanism(s) may contribute to sex differences in BP regulation. For example, one recent study demonstrated that aging was accompanied by a greater increase in sympathetic traffic in healthy women than in men.6 It is well known that elevated sympathetic activity plays an important role in the development of hypertension in the young and middle-aged population.7–10 Whether a sympathetic neural mechanism is responsible for the high prevalence of hypertension and the poor BP control rate in elderly women remains unclear. In addition, whether ventricular-arterial function and some hormonal markers are nonneural differences that may also contribute to the influence of aging on BP control in elderly women needs to be verified. …
HIGH-PERFORMANCE COMPUTING AND HUMAN VISION I Chaired by Albert Yonas , University of Minnesota How the eye measures reality and virtual reality

tures throughout our history. The paintings at Niaux, Altamira, and Lascaux (Clottes, 1995; Ruspoli, 1986), for example, are known to be about 14,000 years old, but with the recently discovered paintings in the Grotte Chauvet, the origin of representational art appears to have been pushed back even further (Chauvet, Brunel Deschamps, & Hillaire, 1995; Clottes, 1996), to 20,000 years ago if not longer.1 Thus, these paintings date from about the time at which homo sapiens sapiens first appeared in Europe (Nougier, 1969). We should remember these paintings in the context of virtual reality; our fascination with pictures is by no means recent. My intent is threefold: first, to discuss our perception of the cluttered layout, or space, that we normally find around us; second, to discuss the development of representational art up to our current appreciation of it; and third, to apply this knowledge to virtual reality systems. The first discussion focuses on the use of multiple sources of information specifying ordinal depth relations, within the theoretical framework that I have called directed perception (Cutting, 1986, 1991). The second discussion is embedded within the first, but it is steeped in neither history nor art history; instead, it is offered through the peculiar eyes of optics and psychology, particularly psychophysics. The third is addressed to one of the pressing problems of graphics and of virtual reality—how we perceive the layout of the environments that we simulate.
DIFFERENT PHRASAL PROMINENCE REALIZATIONS IN VO AND OV LANGUAGES

How do infants start learning the syntax of the language they are exposed to? In this paper, we examine a plausible mechanism for the acquisi- tion of the relative order of heads and complements. We hypothesize that the iambic-trochaic law determines the physical realization of main prominence within phonological phrases that contain more than one word: if it is realized mainly through pitch and intensity, it is in a phonological phrase that is stress- initial and has a complement-head structure, otherwise it is in a phonological phrase that is stress-final and has a head-complement structure. We show this to be the case both across languages (French and Turkish), and within a lan- guage (German, where both orders of head and complement are found). Our finding allows us to consider a psychologically plausible mechanism for the acquisition of the relative order of heads and complements, one of the basic properties of syntax. Because the mechanism is based on auditory percep- tion, it can be utilized before any knowledge of words, thus accounting for the flawlessness in infants' first words combinations.
On Ambiguities in the Interpretation of Game Trees

Piccione and Rubinstein have pointed out ambiguities in the interpretation of games of imperfect recall. They focus on the notion of time consistency, and argue that a player in a game of imperfect recall may be time inconsistent, changing his strategy despite no new information and no change in his preferences. In this paper it is argued that the apparent time inconsistency arises, in part, from an inappropriate definition of the notion. That is only part of the problem though. It is shown that in some cases the apparent time inconsistency, and, more generally, ambiguity in interpreting games of imperfect recall, stems from the fact that information sets in such games do not in general capture all the relevant features of an agent's knowledge. A model is proposed, based on earlier work in the computer science literature, that does capture all these features.
Differential Regulation of TRPV1, TRPV3, and TRPV4 Sensitivity through a Conserved Binding Site on the Ankyrin Repeat Domain*

Transient receptor potential vanilloid (TRPV) channels, which include the thermosensitive TRPV1–V4, have large cytoplasmic regions flanking the transmembrane domain, including an N-terminal ankyrin repeat domain. We show that a multiligand binding site for ATP and calmodulin previously identified in the TRPV1 ankyrin repeat domain is conserved in TRPV3 and TRPV4, but not TRPV2. Accordingly, TRPV2 is insensitive to intracellular ATP, while, as previously observed with TRPV1, a sensitizing effect of ATP on TRPV4 required an intact binding site. In contrast, ATP reduced TRPV3 sensitivity and potentiation by repeated agonist stimulations. Thus, ATP and calmodulin, acting through this conserved binding site, are key players in generating the different sensitivity and adaptation profiles of TRPV1, TRPV3, and TRPV4. Our results suggest that competing interactions of ATP and calmodulin influence channel sensitivity to fluctuations in calcium concentration and perhaps even metabolic state. Different feedback mechanisms likely arose because of the different physiological stimuli or temperature thresholds of these channels.
Discovering Frequent Sets from Data Streams with CPU Constraint

Data streams are usually generated in an online fashion characterized by huge volume, rapid unpredictable rates, and fast changing data characteristics. It has been hence recognized that mining over streaming data requires the problem of limited computational resources to be adequately addressed. Since the arrival rate of data streams can significantly increase and exceed the CPU capacity, the machinery must adapt to this change to guarantee the timeliness of the results. We present an online algorithm to approximate a set of frequent patterns from a sliding window over the underlying data stream -- given apriori CPU capacity. The algorithm automatically detects overload situations and can adaptively shed unprocessed data to guarantee the timely results. We theoretically prove, using probabilistic and deterministic techniques, that the error on the output results is bounded within a pre-specified threshold. The empirical results on various datasets also confirmed the feasiblity of our proposal.
Parent characteristics in abusing and nonabusing families

Fifty‐five parents representing 37 families in which physical child abuse occurred were compared to the same number of non‐abusing families matched on SES and other demographic variables. Additional comparisons were made of mothers and fathers, and perpetrators and their spouses, with their respective controls. Mothers from abusing families experienced lower self‐esteem and less family cohesion and expression, expected slower development of their children, and reported more anxiety and family conflict; fathers from abusing families reported less family cohesion and moral/religious emphasis, expected slower development of their children, and reported more family conflict; perpetrators of abuse experienced more anxiety, impact of life stress, and family conflict while reporting less family cohesion and expression, and expected slower development of their children; and non‐perpetrating spouses reported more family conflict, and expected slower development of their children, than controls. Covariate analyses .
Der Beitrag der Neuropsychologie zum Problem der Differentialdiagnose Depression versus Demenz

Zusammenfassung: Die Differentialdiagnose Depression versus Demenz ist fur den Kliniker eine schwierige und fur Betroffene und Angehorige folgenreiche Entscheidung. Viele altere depressive Patientinnen und Patienten haben kognitive Defizite, die auf den ersten Blick den Symptomen einer beginnenden Demenz ahneln, beispielsweise Beeintrachtigungen mnestischer und exekutiver Funktionen. Diese Beeintrachtigungen sind keineswegs immer reversibel, wie der haufig verwendete, jedoch problematische Begriff “Pseudodemenz” suggeriert. Fur die Differentialdiagnose ist ein multidisziplinarer Ansatz erforderlich, der psychopathologische, neurologische, neuroradiologische, labormedizinische und neuropsychologische Befunde integriert. In unserer Ubersicht referieren wir Ergebnisse von Metaanalysen, ausgewahlte neuere Untersuchungsbefunde und eigene klinischen Erfahrungen im Hinblick auf die Frage, welche kognitiven Funktionen in der neuropsychologischen Diagnostik berucksichtigt werden sollten, um die Validitat different.