Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of acamprosate on neuronal receptors and ion channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

BACKGROUND Acamprosate (calcium acetylhomotaurinate) has proven to be a moderately effective pharmacological adjunct for the treatment of alcoholism. However, the central nervous system mechanism by which acamprosate reduces alcohol relapse remains unclear. Here we survey a number of metabotropic receptors, ligand-gated ion channels, and voltage-gated ion channels, to determine if acamprosate has actions at these sites in the central nervous system. METHODS Xenopus oocytes were injected with cDNAs or cRNAs encoding metabotropic glutamate receptors 1 and 5, M1 muscarinic receptors, glycine alpha1 homomeric and alpha1beta1 heteromeric receptors, gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABA(A)alpha4beta3delta, alpha4beta3gamma2s, and alpha1beta2gamma2s) receptors, vanilloid receptor 1, and various combinations of alpha and beta subunits of voltage-gated Na+ channels. Electrophysiological responses were measured using two-electrode voltage clamp parameters after activation with agonists or voltage steps (for the voltage-gated channels). Acamprosate (0.1 to 100 microM) was pre-applied for 1 minute, followed by co-application with agonist. Acamprosate was also applied with ethanol to determine if it altered ethanol responses at some of these receptors and channels. RESULTS None of the receptors or ion channels responded to acamprosate alone. Acamprosate also failed to alter the activation of receptors or channels by agonists or after activation of voltage-gated channels. There was no effect of acamprosate on ethanol responses at GABA(A)alpha1beta2gamma2s receptors or Na+ channels. CONCLUSIONS Acamprosate does not significantly modulate the function of these receptors and ion channels at clinically relevant concentrations. Thus, the clinical effectiveness of acamprosate in the treatment of alcoholism is not likely due to direct effects on these receptors or ion channels.
An iterative finite difference scheme for buckling of graphene beam subject to axial compressive load

In this paper buckling loads and modes of an Euler beam made of graphene are considered. An eigenvalue problem is formulated with an additional parameter representing material's elastoplasticity. Analytical approximate solution using the perturbation method is presented. This approximate solution is used as a basis for an iterative finite difference scheme to develop a more accurate solution. Deflection at points along the beam are calculated using this iterative finite difference scheme. Convergence with good accuracy is achieved.
The Role of Additionality in the EU Cohesion Policies: An Example of Firm-Level Investment Support

Additionality is one of the key principles driving the functioning of the EU cohesion policies (ECP). The present paper studies how additionality affects the impact of firm-level investment support on firm investment behaviour in differently competitive markets. We find that the investment additionality and the level of competition importantly affect the firm investment behaviour. Imposing additionality on the ECP investments in perfectly competitive markets causes distortions in the capital market and leads to lower welfare levels. In contrast, without the enforcement of additionality, the distortions are zero and the investment support fully benefits the firms. In an imperfectly competitive environment, the firm-level investment support may increase investment and may be welfare increasing with and without the enforcement of the investment additionality.
INFLUENCE OF DIETARY PROTEIN ON DRY MATTER INTAKE , RUMEN FERMENTATION AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN CROSSBRED COWS

A study was conducted in crossbred cows in early lactation to assess whether inclusion of a readily degradable protein source like urea in the concentrate mixture at two levels of CP and UDP will influence the dry matter intake, rumen fermentation and haematological parameters. Eight crossbred cows within 20 days of lactation as uniform as possible with regard to their age, parity, body weight and milk yield were selected and were fed with four isocaloric concentrate mixtures with 17 per cent and 20 per cent CP containing 28, 39.15, 26.46 and 40 per cent of CP as UDP, respectively, on DM basis. The CP content of the four experimental rations formulated with concentrate mixture and paddy straw in the ratio of 70:30 was 13.41, 13.71, 15.50 and 15.50 per cent, respectively. All the four dietary treatments contained one per cent urea as source of RDP. There was no significant difference (P>0.05) between the animals given the four dietary treatments in dry matter intake, rumen NH3-N, total volatile fatty acid levels or any haematological parameters studied in the present study. The results obtained in the study indicate that neither the level of CP (17 and 20) nor UDP (28, 39.15, 26.46 and 40 per cent of CP) has any significant effect on the dry matter intake, rumen fermentation and haematological parameters in crossbred cows in early lactation.
A novel dual-polarized transceiver in layered SFBC-OFDM broadcasting systems

In this paper, a novel dual-polarized (DP) transceiver is proposed for multi-antenna broadcasting systems. In general, dual-polarized antenna systems provide a much better separation between channels than uni-polarized (UP) systems. However, the performance of these systems might be deteriorated by the crosstalk interference between the horizontal polarization(HP) and vertical polarization(VP). To resolve this problem, the proposed transceiver employs both layered space frequency block code (SFBC) and successive interference cancellation (SIC) technique for achieving transmit diversity and multiplexing gains simultaneously. Simulation result shows that the DP scheme has much better error performance than the UP scheme. In addition, the DP scheme improves the channel capacity more than 1.5 times comparing with the legacy system in highly correlated channels.
Exchanges Competition in Listing Services: Evidence for Italian Companies

type="main"> Competition among stock exchanges is growing fast on trading services. Differently, competition for listing securities has so far been minimal, if not absent, especially in Europe. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the monopolistic position that many important and well-renowned exchanges around the world still maintain on offering and pricing of listing services. We first enlighten the content of listing services. We then quantify fees applied by different exchanges to companies according to their size. We consider both initial and annual fees. Our results show that US exchanges are more expensive for medium-sized firms whilst EU markets apply higher fees to the largest companies. Up to now, demutualisation of stock exchanges did not lead to the expected reduction of listing fees. Many exchanges, particularly in the EU, are still taking advantage of their exclusive control position by applying premium price policies to the largest companies in order to cross-subsidise smaller companies.
Mass Communication, Personal Communication and Vote Choice: The Filter Hypothesis of Media Influence in Comparative Perspective

In recent years, both mass communication and personal communication have attracted increased interest as sources of persuasive information which influence individual voting decisions. However, few efforts have so far been made to investigate how mass communication and personal communication interact with regard to electoral decision making. Katz and Lazarsfeld's ‘filter hypothesis’ maintains that personal communication mediates the influence of mass communication on individual voters, reinforcing or blocking the impact of media information, depending on the evaluative implications of that information and on the political composition of voters' discussant networks. This hypothesis is examined and corroborated here, using comparable national election studies from Britain, Spain, the United States and West Germany.
MPA Graduates and the Dilemma of Job Satisfaction: Does Crossing the Sector Line Make a Difference

This study examines levels of job satisfaction for MPA graduates employed in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Findings are based on a survey and indicate that MPA graduates derive greater satisfaction with pay and promotion opportunities in the private sector than in the public or non-profit sectors. No significant differences were noted between the sectors with regard to work satisfaction or satisfaction with supervisor or co-workers. Further, no differences in levels of satisfaction were noted between four categories of public sector employment; federal, state, regional, or local.
Finite-element analysis of platinum-based cone microelectrodes for implantable neural recording

There have been significant advances in fabrication of high-density microelectrode arrays using silicon micromachining technology in neural signal recording systems. The interface between microelectrodes and chemical environment brings great interest to researchers working on extracellular stimulation. This interface is quite complex and must be modeled carefully to match experimental results. Computer simulation is a method to increase the knowledge about these arrays and to this end the finite element method provides a strong environment for investigation of relative changes of the electrical field extension surrounding an electrode positioned in chemical environment. In this paper FEM simulation environment is used for modeling the metal-chemical interface, which is helpful for circuit designers to design front-end electronics more efficiently and reliable.
The Early Retirement Decision: New Empirical Evidence on the Influence of Health

Many studies have examined the influence of health on retirement, but there may be problems with the various health measures used. A major criticism of the most frequently used variables is that they may reflect ex post rationalizations of retirement. In this paper I examine a variety of health variables, focusing directly on the health measurement issue as it relates to retirement research. New measures of health are developed with individual self-evaluations of health status. Unlike most previous findings, the empirical results suggest that economic variables play a more important role than health in retirement decisions.
The Role of Communication in Achieving Shared Vision Under New Organizational Leadership

In this article, we report the results of a longitudinal survey research project of an organization undergoing leadership change. The study determined the relationships between members' "shared vision" of the organization's goals and a number of communication-related activities. We found significant relationships between shared vision and communication from the leader and the public relations staff. We concluded that the leader who "flattens" the communication hierarchy is more likely to achieve shared vision. The findings should be of value to public relations practitioners in their role as consultants to new leaders and as they determine the most effective channels for communicating organizational changes.
Using involvement for segmenting the adoption of e-commerce in travel

While the adoption of e-commerce in the purchasing of leisure travel is gaining momentum, higher levels of adoption can be achieved if greater knowledge of the market for e-commerce is obtained. This research uses two variables, involvement with computers for leisure purposes and purchasing leisure travel over the Internet, as a means of segmenting the market with regard to the adoption of e-commerce in the purchasing of leisure travel. A sample of residents of a suburban borough of Lisbon (Portugal) was surveyed and hierarchical clustering was performed on 225 usable questionnaires. The four resulting clusters of residents that emerged were quite different from one another in relation to the adoption of e-commerce in the purchasing of leisure travel and in supporting the internal and external validity of the clustering procedure. One segment that has not been reported in the literature before was identified, comprising those who have moderate involvement with both innovations (the moderate enthusiasts). Moreover, the results suggest that individuals in this cluster may be stronger candidates for the adoption of e-commerce in the purchasing of leisure travel that computer fanatics.
From a family‐owned to a family‐controlled business

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a meaningful, integrated, and re‐interpreted framework of Chandler's ideas regarding corporation's growth, offering an understandable conceptualization of how these insights are applicable to explain family firm's transitional stages – even when, in 1977, Chandler was not aware of it.Design/methodology/approach – Grounding ideas on Chandler's insights regarding corporate firm's growth, and drawing on Gersick et al. family ownership evolutionary model, this paper develops an integrated framework of family‐controlled corporation's growth which allows family business researchers to reconcile with Chandler's perspectives, recognizing that his ideas contributed a lot to the family business literature.Findings – Chandler's ideas regarding family firm's management are based on a narrow definition (and perspective) of family firm ownership. When allowing not only family‐owned firms, but also family‐controlled ones in his capitalism classification, his developmenta.
Career and Technical Education Teacher Shortage: A Successful Model for Recruitment and Retention

The role of Career and Technical Education (CTE) as a major source of skilled workers for the American economy and a vital component of American education is well established. Several recent studies show that when CTE programs combine rigorous academic standards and industry-based technical content, the result is higher academic achievement and better economic outcomes for an increasing number of high school students. In spite of the documented successes and achievements of CTE high schools, studies show that many high school programs are faced with serious challenges, not the least of which is the difficulty in attracting qualified CTE subject teachers. This article examined one highly successful CTE teacher recruitment effort in New York that involves the Thomas Wilkin is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Career and Technology Teacher Education at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York. He can be reached at Twilkin@citytech.cuny. edu. Godfrey Nwoke is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Career and Technology Teacher Education at New York City College of Technology of the City University of New York. He can be reached at Gnwoke@citytech.cuny. edu. Career and Technical Education Teacher Shortage 23 city department of education, the teachers union, and a public university. The article focuses on the key elements of the teacher training program as a model for effective CTE teacher recruitment and retention.
Determinants of primary medical care quality measured under the new UK contract: cross sectional study

Abstract Objective To identify factors associated with the quality of primary medical care incentivised under the new UK general medical services contract. Design Cross sectional study. Setting NHS Ayrshire and Arran area, Scotland. Participants 60 general practices. Main outcome measures Quality scores reflecting the total points achieved on the 10 clinical domains and holistic care. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were used to relate quality scores to measures of population characteristics, urban-rural location, general practitioner characteristics, clinical team size and composition, practice characteristics, and income from other sources. Results Deprivation was associated with higher scores. Quality scores increased with the size of the clinical team. Practices with higher income from other sources had lower quality scores. Practices that were accredited, had training status, or contained younger general practitioners had higher quality scores, but these effects were explained by other associated factors. 53% of the variation in quality scores was explained by a multivariate model, which included measures of deprivation, clinical team size and composition, and financial incentives. Conclusions Population characteristics showed little association with the quality of primary medical care incentivised under the UK general medical services contract. Larger clinical teams delivered higher quality clinical care, but the nurse-doctor composition of the clinical team did not influence quality. Practices that were more likely to respond to financial incentives because of previous behaviour or lower income from other sources recorded higher quality. If generalisable, the results suggest that initiatives to improve primary medical care quality should focus on the structure and resourcing of providers.
Human Serum Paraoxonase 1 Decreases Macrophage Cholesterol Biosynthesis: Possible Role for Its Phospholipase-A2-Like Activity and Lysophosphatidylcholine Formation

Objective—Human serum paraoxonase 1 (PON1) activity is inversely related to the risk of developing an atherosclerotic lesion, which contains cholesterol-loaded macrophage foam cells. To assess a possible mechanism for this relationship, we analyzed the effect of PON1 on cellular cholesterol biosynthesis. Methods and Results—Mouse peritoneal macrophages (MPMs) were harvested from PON1-deficient mice (PON1° and PON1°/E° mice on the genetic background of C57BL/6J and E° mice, respectively). PON1°/E° mice exhibited a significantly 51% increased atherosclerotic lesion area and 35% increased macrophage cholesterol content compared with control E° mice. In parallel, macrophage cholesterol biosynthesis rates were increased in PON1-deficient mice MPMs by 50% compared with their controls. Incubation of macrophages with human PON1 revealed a dose-dependent inhibitory effect (up to 84%) on macrophage cholesterol biosynthesis. We demonstrated a PON1 phospholipase-A2–like activity on MPMs, evidenced by release of polyunsaturated fatty acids and formation of lysophosphatidylcholine. On incubation of macrophages with lysophosphatidylcholine, a dose-dependent inhibition (up to 40%) of cellular cholesterol biosynthesis was noted. The inhibitory effect of PON1 on macrophage cholesterol biosynthesis was shown to be downstream to mevalonate, probably at the lanosterol metabolic point. Conclusions—PON1 inhibits macrophage cholesterol biosynthesis and atherogenesis probably through its phospholipase-A2–like activity.
Increased Angiogenesis and Lymphangiogenesis in Metastatic Sentinel Lymph Nodes Is Associated With Nonsentinel Lymph Node Involvement and Distant Metastasis in Patients With Melanoma

Abstract:Lymph node angio- and lymphangio-genesis have been shown to play an important role in the premetastatic niche of sentinel lymph nodes. In the current study we have investigated the association of angio- and lympangio-genesis related parameters in metastatic sentinel lymph nodes of patients with melanoma with the presence of nonsentinel and distant organ metastasis. Peritumoral and intratumoral relative blood and lymphatic vessel areas (evaluated by Chalkley method), blood and lymphatic microvessel densities, and the rates of blood and lymphatic vessel proliferation were assessed in primary tumors and sentinel lymph node metastasis of 44 patients with melanoma using CD34/Ki-67 and D240/Ki-67 immunohistochemical double staining. Primary melanoma exhibited significantly higher rate of lymphatic proliferation compared with its lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05), while lymph node metastasis showed significantly higher rate of blood vessel proliferation (P < 0.05). Using multivariate logistic regression model, the rate of peritumoral lymphatic proliferation was inversely associated with positive nonsentinel lymph node status (P < 0.05), whereas the rate of intratumoral blood vessel proliferation was associated with distant organ metastasis (P < 0.05). Using multivariate Cox regression analysis, the rate of intratumoral blood vessel proliferation was also inversely associated with overall survival of patients with melanoma (P < 0.05).
The ASB's Exposure Draft Statement of Principles: A Comment

This paper is based on a shorter comment sent to the Accounting Standards Board in response to the request for comments on the exposure draft, Statement of Principles for Financial Reporting. It is intended to be a comprehensive dissent from that ED, and also to suggest an alternative course of action for the ASB. In the first place, the ASB's position, according to which the provision of more fair value accounting (FVA)-based information is a central plank among its principles, is contested on the grounds of both (a) market incompleteness (entailing limited availability of reliable FVA-based information) and (b) lack of evidence of demand on the part of financial statement users for FVA-based information. In the second place, the ASB's approach to issues of recognition is subjected to critical analysis and found to be inadequate. Finally, the ASB's decision that the essential function of its Statement of Principles should be to advocate a set of recognition rules and measurement bases (including some that are controversial) is contested. Instead, it is proposed that the Statement of Principles should incorporate a larger framework, including a set of procedural principles , according to which the Board would reach conclusions on the various issues with which it has to deal, so that its conclusions would be seen to be authoritative because they had been reached by a process of rigorous enquiry in accordance with appropriate procedures. These principles would incorporate Rawls' (1971) notions of reflective equilibrium and procedural justice.
ROLE of inter-related population-level host traits in determining pathogen richness and zoonotic risk

Zoonotic diseases are an increasingly important source of human infectious diseases, and host pathogen richness of reservoir host species is a critical driver of spill-over risk. Population-level traits of hosts such as population size, host density and geographic range size have all been shown to be important determinants of host pathogen richness. However, empirically identifying the independent influences of these traits has proven difficult as many of these traits directly depend on each other. Here we develop a mechanistic, metapopulation, susceptible-infected-recovered model to identify the independent influences of these population-level traits on the ability of a newly evolved pathogen to invade and persist in host populations in the presence of an endemic pathogen. We use bats as a case study as they are highly social and an important source of zoonotic disease. We show that larger populations and group sizes had a greater influence on the chances of pathogen invasion and persistence than increased host density or the number of groups. As anthropogenic change affects these traits to different extents, this increased understanding of how traits independently determine pathogen richness will aid in predicting future zoonotic spill-over risk.