Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardioprotective effects of PKG activation by soluble GC activator, BAY 60-2770, in ischemia-reperfusion-injured rat hearts

Soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) has been suggested as a therapeutic target for cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury. Until now, the molecular mechanism of BAY 60–2770, a sGC activator, in cardiac IR injury has not been assessed. To identify the cardioprotective effects of BAY 60–2770 in IR-injured rat hearts, IR injury was established by occlusion of LAD for 40 min and reperfusion for 7 days, and the effects of BAY 60–2770 on myocardial protection were assessed by echocardiography and TTC staining. 5 nM and 5 μM of BAY 60–2770 were perfused into isolated rat hearts in a Langendorff system. After 10- or 30-min reperfusion with BAY 60–2770, cGMP and cAMP concentrations and PKG activation status were examined. Hearts were also perfused with 1 μM KT5823 or 100 μM 5-HD in conjunction with 5 nM Bay 60–2770 to evaluate the protective role of PKG. Mitochondrial oxidative stress was investigated under hypoxia-reoxygenation in H9c2 cells. In IR-injured rat hearts, BAY 60–2770 oral administration reduced infarct size by TTC staining and improved left ventricular function by echocardiography. Tissue samples from BAY 60-2770-perfused hearts had approximately two-fold higher cGMP levels. BAY 60–2770 increased PKG activity in the myocardium, and the reduced infarct area by BAY 60–2770 was abrogated by KT-5823 in isolated myocardium. In H9c2 cardiac myoblasts, hypoxia-reoxygenation-mediated mitochondrial ROS generation was diminished with BAY 60–2770 treatment, but was recovered by pretreatment with KT-5823. BAY 60–2770 demonstrated a protective effect against cardiac IR injury via mitoKATP opening and decreased mitoROS by PKG activation. BAY 60–2770 has a protective effect against cardiac IR injury via mitoKATP opening and decreased mitoROS by PKG activation. These results demonstrated that BAY 60–2770 may be used as a therapeutic agent for cardiac IR injury.
Dynamic Partial Coverage Based Feature Selection Method

In this paper, we propose a novel feature selection method based on spatial coverage relations of features in multidimensional data space. As a filter solution, the algorithm can evaluate the weight of each feature by calculating the spatial coverage relations of features of instances with the same and different class labels in multidimensional data space. And the approach is simple to implement. The experimental results evaluated on some public data set downloaded from the UCI machine learning repository show that the proposed method compares well with some classical feature selection methods such as Relief and SVMAttributeEval which are implemented in Weka.
New suture techniques for best esthetic skin healing.

PURPOSE To report two new suture techniques for best esthetic skin healing. METHODS Using the pig skin slices routinely employed for surgical technique training two new types of skin sutures were performed. One defined as inverted or hidden X point suture and other as totally hidden intradermal running suture. The first were performed using 4-0 polypropilene stitch and the intradermal with 4-0 poliglicolic stitch. RESULTS It was confirmed good skin layers union and contention with best esthetic result than observed with the traditional X and intradermal suture techniques. CONCLUSION Macroscopic examination of the hidden X point and totally hidden intra-dermal sutures and centrifuge skin traction confirmed good skin layers union and contention with best esthetic result than observed with the traditional X and intradermal sutures techniques.
Cells remain competent to respond to mesoderm-inducing signals present during gastrulation in Xenopus laevis.

During gastrulation, the vertebrate embryo is patterned and shaped by complex signaling pathways and morphogenetic movements. One of the first regions defined during gastrulation is the prospective notochord, which exhibits specific cell behaviors that drive the extension of the embryonic axis. To examine the signals involved in notochord formation in Xenopus laevis and the competence of cells to respond to these signals, we performed cell transplantation experiments during gastrulation. Labeled cells from the prospective notochord, somitic mesoderm, ventrolateral mesoderm, neural ectoderm, and epidermis, between stages 9 (pregastrulation) and 12 (late gastrulation), were grafted into the prospective notochord region of the early gastrula. We show that cells from each region are competent to respond to notochord-inducing signals and differentiate into notochordal tissue. Cells from the prospective neural ectoderm are the most responsive to notochord-inducing signals, whereas cells from the ventrolateral and epidermal regions are the least responsive. We show that at the end of gastrulation, while transplanted cells lose their competence to form notochord, they remain competent to form somites. These results demonstrate that at the end of gastrulation cell fates are not restricted within germ layers. To determine whether notochord-inducing signals are present throughout gastrulation, grafts were made into progressively older host embryos. We found that regardless of the age of the host, grafted cells from each region give rise to notochordal tissue. This indicates that notochord-inducing signals are present throughout gastrulation and that these signals overlap with somite-inducing signals at the end of gastrulation. We conclude that it is the change of competence that restricts cells to specific tissues rather than the regulation of the inducing signals.
c‐Cbl negatively regulates platelet activation by glycoprotein VI

Summary. Background: The adapter protein c‐Cbl has emerged as having a potential role in negative regulation of immune receptor signaling. The major platelet‐signaling receptor for collagen, glycoprotein VI (GpVI), is associated with the Fc receptor (FcR) γ‐chain, and signals through a similar pathway to immune receptors. c‐Cbl is tyrosine‐phosphorylated in response to stimulation of GpVI, whereas phosphorylation of c‐Cbl in thrombin‐activated platelets is dependent on fibrinogen binding to the integrin GpIIb/IIIa. Objective: To investigate the role of c‐Cbl in platelet signaling. Methods: Murine platelets lacking functional c‐Cbl or Src family kinases were analyzed. Results: Phosphorylation of c‐Cbl through GpVI is reduced in murine platelets deficient in the Src‐family kinases Fyn and Lyn, demonstrating that they lie upstream of c‐Cbl phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of several proteins of the GpVI‐signaling pathway, including the FcR γ‐chain, Syk and phospholipase Cγ2 (PLCγ2), is increased in the absence of c‐Cbl. In line with this, aggregation is potentiated in response to the GpVI‐specific collagen‐related peptide (CRP) after a slight delay. A delay in potentiation is also seen in response to stimulation by thrombin. Conclusions: These observations demonstrate that c‐Cbl negatively regulates platelet responses to GpVI agonists and to thrombin, with the latter effect possibly being mediated downstream of GpIIb/IIIa. c‐Cbl may play a physiological role in helping to prevent unwanted platelet activation in vivo.
Divisive Primaries And The House District Vote

The verdict on the divisive primary hypothesis has fluctuated as investigators have pursued a variety of theoretical and methodological debates. Although most recent studies find that divisive primaries harm general election outcomes, some claim that this effect is spurious, an artifact of uncontrolled electoral prospects phenomena. I argue that this claim is debatable because it rests on questionable conceptual and model constructs and evidence inconsistent with an investigation that controls for the phenomena central to the spurious effect claim. Instead, I show that null and alternative hypothesis findings turn on an unfeatured design characteristic, pooling election years. After controlling for phenomena central to the spurious effect claim and pooling election years, I extend the divisive primary hypothesis to the arena currently void of evidentiary support: elections to the House of Representatives. In addition, I find that the divisive primary penalty is asymmetric, applying in incumbent but not open-seat races.
An Integrated Choice Model Incorporating Alternative Mechanisms for Consumers' Reactions to In-Store Display and Feature Advertising

The marketing literature has suggested two prominent decision mechanisms through which in-store display and feature advertising can affect brand choice, which I call the price-cut proxy effect and the consideration set formation effect. The primary objective of this study is to propose an integrated brand choice model that incorporates these two possible behavioral mechanisms, which have been shown to work by previous research. The model allows consumers to use various combinations of the decision mechanisms with different probabilities and thus enables one to jointly assess the extent to which each effect might occur in actual purchase data and to investigate how consumers might differ in their tendencies to engage in these decision processes. By incorporating these likely behavioral mechanisms, the proposed model alleviates the problems caused by multicollinearity and produces sensible parameter estimates for the joint effects of promotion vehicles in-store display, feature ad, and price discount, which contributes to better managerial decision making.
Commercial Paper Rates and Stock Market Excess Returns

This study investigates how commercial paper rates respond to the innovations in stock market risk premiums. The unrestricted vector autoregression (VAR) analysis of monthly data from 1997:1 to 2012:M6 shows that the changes in the one-, two-, and three-month non-financial and financial commercial paper rates positively respond to the innovations in the excess returns on the CRSP value weighted index. The response is especially strong during the first few months following shocks to stock market risk premiums. The Granger-causality test results show the changes in commercial paper rates can be predicted by the excess returns on the CRSP value weighted index. The findings from this study provide evidence that there is a link between equity market and commercial paper market.
Hepatocellular carcinoma: power Doppler US with a contrast agent--preliminary results.

PURPOSE To investigate the value of contrast material-enhanced power Doppler ultrasonography (US) in the demonstration and characterization of tumor vascularity in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty patients with HCC were prospectively evaluated with power Doppler US before and after injection of the contrast agent SH U 508 A. The grade and pattern of tumor vascularity at power Doppler US were analyzed, along with the degree of tumor staining at angiography. RESULTS Intra- and peritumoral flow signals were detected in 19 HCCs (95%) at unenhanced power Doppler US. After injection of contrast agent, flow signals increased in 19 lesions (95%). At contrast-enhanced power Doppler US, two tumors demonstrated grade 1 vascularity; four, grade 2; three, grade 3; and 11, grade 4. At angiography, two tumors demonstrated grade 1 staining; four, grade 2; eight, grade 3; and six, grade 4. The correlation between vascularity grades at contrast-enhanced power Doppler US and at angiography was statistically significant (P < .0001). Seventeen HCCs (85%) showed the intratumoral or basket pattern of vascularity at unenhanced power Doppler US; after injection of contrast material, 15 HCCs (75%) showed the mixed pattern. CONCLUSION Contrast-enhanced power Doppler US is superior to unenhanced power Doppler US in the demonstration and characterization of tumor vascularity in HCC.
Building and Participating in a Simulation: Exploring a Continuing Education Intervention Designed to Foster Reflective Practice Among Experienced Clinicians

Introduction: Engaging health professionals in the processes of first building and then participating in simulations has not yet been explored. This qualitative study explored the experience of building and participating in a simulation as an educational intervention with experienced clinicians. Methods: Pediatric rehabilitation clinicians, along with a patient facilitator and standardized patients, created simulations and subsequently participated in a live simulation. The educational content of the simulation was culturally sensitive communication. We collected participants' perspectives about the process from individual journal entries and focus groups. A thematic analysis of these data sources was conducted. Results: Participants described a process of building and participating in a simulation that provided: 1) a unique opportunity for clinicians to reflect on their current practice; 2) a venue to identify different perspectives through discussion and action in a group; and 3) a safe environment for learning. Discussion: The combined process of building and participating in a simulation stimulated reflection about the clinicians' own abilities in culturally sensitive communication through discussion, practice, and feedback. It provided a safe environment for participants to share their multiple perspectives and to develop new ways of communicating. This type of educational intervention may contribute to the continuing education of experienced clinicians in both academic and community settings.
Experience: The Day Reconstruction Method A Survey Method for Characterizing Daily Life

www.sciencemag. org (this information is current as of January 15, 2009 ): The following resources related to this article are available online at http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1776 version of this article at: including high-resolution figures, can be found in the online Updated information and services, http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1776/DC1 can be found at: Supporting Online Material 73 article(s) on the ISI Web of Science. cited by This article has been http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/content/full/306/5702/1776#otherarticles 10 articles hosted by HighWire Press; see: cited by This article has been http://www.sciencemag. org/cgi/collection/economics Economics : subject collections This article appears in the following http://www.sciencemag. org/about/permissions.dtl in whole or in part can be found at: this article permission to reproduce of this article or about obtaining reprints Information about obtaining
Bifurcation Results for Traveling Waves in Nonlinear Magnetic Metamaterials

In this work, we study a model of a one-dimensional magnetic metamaterial formed by a discrete array of nonlinear resonators. We focus on periodic and localized traveling waves of the model, in the presence of loss and an external drive. Employing a Melnikov analysis we study the existence and persistence of such traveling waves, and study their linear stability. We show that, under certain conditions, the presence of dissipation and/or driving may stabilize or destabilize the solutions. Our analytical results are found to be in good agreement with direct numerical computations.
Who Queues for a Union Job

A survey of unemployed workers was undertaken to determine these individuals' union membership preference. Standard probit specifications reveal that those unemployed workers more likely to require a union position to return to work include female, minorities, workers with greater experience, and those with higher reservation wages. However, both the duration of unemployment and the perception of widespread unemployment lower the likelihood of such a requirement. These results are consistent with the wage and tenure effects of unions and with the influence of unemployment characteristics on job search.
The Impact of Order Effects on Nonprofessional Investors' Belief Revision When Presented a Long Series of Disclosures in an Experimental Market Setting

SYNOPSIS: Because firms are likely to release both good and bad news in close proximity to each other, it is important to understand what impact a long information set of mixed directional (i.e., both good and bad news) disclosures has on nonprofessional investors' stock price valuation decisions. Previous experimental research has identified information order effects as a critical factor impacting the decisions made by nonprofessional investors. However, the efficient market hypothesis predicts that individual biases are eliminated by the presence of market incentives, an element that is missing in prior studies on the effects of long information sets disclosures. Consequently, this study seeks to understand if and how order effects prevail in a market setting that includes economic incentives. Our findings indicate that initial primacy effects revert to recency effects over time. These results offer insights regarding how nonprofessional investors process mixed information disclosures over time and sho.
Application of ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry for analysis of lignans and quality control of Fructus Schisandrae chinensis.

Lignans in the drug Fructus Schisandrae chinensis (FSC) exhibit potent biological activities such as antihepatotoxic, antiasthmatic, and antigastric ulcer. An ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry method has been developed to evaluate the quality of FSC through simultaneous qualitative and quantitative analysis of 15 lignans, including schizandrin A, B, and C; schizandrol A and B; gomisin B, C, D, E, G, H, J, and N; tigloylgomisin H; and angeloylgomisin H. The compounds were separated on a Zorbax Eclipse Plus C(18) (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.8 μm) column with a gradient elution of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid. Lignans were identified through their retention times, accurate mass data, and characteristic ions by comparison with a reference substance. All calibration curves showed perfect linear regression (r(2) > 0.99) within the test range. The limits of detection and quantitation fell in the ranges of 0.1-4 ng/mL for all the analytes with an injection of 10 μL. Good results were obtained with respect to repeatability (relative standard deviation <4.6%) and recovery (85.58-105.82%). Meanwhile, the entire sample analysis time was less than 10 min. This developed method provided a new basis for the overall assessment of the quality of FSC.
The Online Marketing of Food to Children: Is It Just Fun and Games?

The alarming increase in childhood obesity has captured the attention of a broad set of citizens and institutions, with calls for action becoming increasingly powerful. Particular questions are being raised about the impacts of food marketing on children. The Internet has become an important marketing communications tool and is being used by advertisers to target children. This has prompted calls for a review of online marketing practices from public health officials, policy makers, consumer advocates, and industry groups. The objectives of this study are to inform decision makers about the nature of online marketing to children and to identify practices that may raise policy concerns. The authors report results of the first systematic content analysis of food marketers’ Web sites that either target children directly or contain content of interest to them. The authors identify 11 online marketing practices of public policy relevance. They discuss the empirical findings in terms of these issues and outline research needs.
Functional characterization of the human RPGR proximal promoter.

PURPOSE Mutations in the retinitis pigmentosa (RP) GTPase regulator (RPGR) gene account for more than 70% of X-linked RP cases. This study aims to characterize the proximal promoter region of the human RPGR gene. METHODS The 5'-flanking region (5 kb) of human RPGR was cloned and sequenced. A potential transcription start site and transcription factor binding motifs were identified by bioinformatic analysis. Constructs containing the putative human RPGR promoter region upstream of a luciferase reporter gene were generated and analyzed by transient transfection and luciferase assays. Transgenic mouse lines carrying a 3-kb human RPGR promoter sequence fused to lacZ were generated and RPGR proximal promoter activity was analyzed by X-gal staining. RESULTS Bioinformatic analyses of the human RPGR 5'-flanking region uncovered potential transcription factor binding sites and a CpG island. Transient transfection assays with RPGR promoter/luciferase reporter constructs revealed a 980-bp fragment (-952 to +28) that produced higher levels of luciferase activity. Mutagenesis identified a putative Sp1 binding site that was critical for regulating transcriptional activity. We generated transgenic mice in which a lacZ reporter gene was controlled by the 3-kb upstream region of RPGR. β-galactosidase expression was predominantly found in mouse retina, brain, and kidney. In the retina, the photoreceptor cell layer showed the strongest β-galactosidase staining. CONCLUSIONS Our study defined the human RPGR proximal promoter region in which a 3-kb fragment contained sufficient regulatory elements to control RPGR expression in mouse retina and other tissues. Characterization of the RPGR promoter will facilitate understanding of the functional role of RPGR in the retina and gene therapy of X-linked RP.
Disruption of primary auditory cortex by synchronous auditory inputs during a critical period

In the primary auditory cortex (AI), the development of tone frequency selectivity and tonotopic organization is influenced by patterns of neural activity. Introduction of synchronous inputs into the auditory pathway achieved by exposing rat pups to pulsed white noise at a moderate intensity during P9–P28 resulted in a disrupted tonotopicity and degraded frequency-response selectivity for neurons in the adult AI. The latter was manifested by broader-than-normal tuning curves, multipeaks, and discontinuous, tone-evoked responses within AI-receptive fields. These effects correlated with the severe impairment of normal, developmental sharpening, and refinement of receptive fields and tonotopicity. In addition, paradoxically weaker than normal temporal correlations between the discharges of nearby AI neurons were recorded in exposed rats. In contrast, noise exposure of rats older than P30 did not cause significant change of auditory cortical maps. Thus, patterned auditory inputs appear to play a crucial role in shaping neuronal processing/decoding circuits in the primary auditory cortex during a critical period.
A test for the export-led growth hypothesis in possibly integrated vector autoregressions

This article re-examines the direction of causation between exports and output by testing for Granger noncausality under the framework of four-variable vector autoregression. Both the methodologies developed in Toda and Phillips (1993, 1994) and Toda and Yamamoto (1995) are applied. A country is recommended to enforce export promotion policies as its appropriate development strategy, if its manufacturing sector takes up a relatively large share.
Industry Effects on the Determinants of Unquoted SMEs' Capital Structure

This paper reports a study of 3500 unquoted, UK small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs). The objectives of the research were to test various hypotheses concerning the determinants of SME capital structure and to establish whether and how the relationship of these determinants to long- and short-term debt varied between industries. Long-term debt was found to be related positively to asset structure and company size and negatively to age; short-term debt was related negatively to profitability, asset structure, size and age and positively to growth. Significant variation across industries was found in most of the explanatory variables. The effect of growth on short-term debt, however, was consistent across industries whilst profitability had no effect on long-term borrowing in any industry.