Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Selective COX-2 Inhibition Improves Endothelial Function in Coronary Artery Disease

Background—There is an ongoing debate as to whether the gastrointestinal safety of COX-2 inhibition compared with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may come at the cost of increased cardiovascular events. In view of the large number of patients at cardiovascular risk requiring chronic analgesic therapy with COX-2 inhibitors for arthritic and other inflammatory conditions, the effects of selective COX-2 inhibition on clinically useful surrogates for cardiovascular disease, particularly endothelial function, need to be determined. Methods and Results—Fourteen male patients (mean age, 66±3 years) with severe coronary artery disease (average of 2.6 vessels with stenosis >75%) undergoing stable background therapy with aspirin and statins were included. The patients received celecoxib (200 mg BID) or placebo for a duration of 2 weeks in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover fashion. After each treatment period, flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, oxidized LDL, and prostaglandins were measured. Celecoxib significantly improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation compared with placebo (3.3±0.4% versus 2.0±0.5%, P =0.026), whereas endothelium-independent vasodilation, as assessed by nitroglycerin, remained unchanged (9.0±1.6% versus 9.5±1.3%, P =0.75). High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was significantly lower after celecoxib (1.3±0.4 mg/L) than after placebo (1.8±0.5 mg/L, P =0.019), as was oxidized LDL (43.6±2.4 versus 47.6±2.6 U/L, P =0.028), whereas prostaglandins did not change. Conclusions—This is the first study to demonstrate that selective COX-2 inhibition improves endothelium-dependent vasodilation and reduces low-grade chronic inflammation and oxidative stress in coronary artery disease. Thus, selective COX-2 inhibition holds the potential to beneficially impact outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease.
Conserved Hydration Sites in Pin1 Reveal a Distinctive Water Recognition Motif in Proteins

Structurally conserved water molecules are important for biomolecular stability, flexibility, and function. X-ray crystallographic studies of Pin1 have resolved a number of water molecules around the enzyme, including two highly conserved water molecules within the protein. The functional role of these localized water molecules remains unknown and unexplored. Pin1 catalyzes cis/trans isomerizations of peptidyl prolyl bonds that are preceded by a phosphorylated serine or threonine residue. Pin1 is involved in many subcellular signaling processes and is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of several life threatening diseases. Here, we investigate the significance of these structurally conserved water molecules in the catalytic domain of Pin1 using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, free energy calculations, analysis of X-ray crystal structures, and circular dichroism (CD) experiments. MD simulations and free energy calculations suggest the tighter binding water molecule plays a crucial role in maintaining the integrity and stability of a critical hydrogen-bonding network in the active site. The second water molecule is exchangeable with bulk solvent and is found in a distinctive helix-turn-coil motif. Structural bioinformatics analysis of nonredundant X-ray crystallographic protein structures in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) suggest this motif is present in several other proteins and can act as a water site, akin to the calcium EF hand. CD experiments suggest the isolated motif is in a distorted PII conformation and requires the protein environment to fully form the α-helix-turn-coil motif. This study provides valuable insights into the role of hydration in the structural integrity of Pin1 that can be exploited in protein engineering and drug design.
15-Lipoxygenase-1 Is Involved in the Effects of Atorvastatin on Endothelial Dysfunction

Statins exert pleiotropic effects on endothelial cells in addition to lowering cholesterol. 15-Lipoxygenase-1 (ALOX15) has been implicated in vascular inflammation and disease. The relationship between atorvastatin and ALOX15 was investigated using a rat carotid artery balloon-injury model. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining showed that ALOX15 overexpression increased the thickness of the intima-media (IMT). Immunohistochemistry and western blotting showed that atorvastatin increased the expression of cellular adhesion molecules (CAMs) but decreased the expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS); these effects of atorvastatin were blocked by ALOX15 overexpression. In human umbilical venous endothelial cells (HUVECs), silencing of ALOX15 enhanced the effects of atorvastatin on endothelial function. Expression levels of CAMs and Akt/eNOS/NO under oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) stimulation were modulated by ALOX15 inhibitor and ALOX15 small interfering RNA (siRNA). Atorvastatin abolished the activation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) induced by ox-LDL. Exposure to ox-LDL induced upregulation of ALOX15 in HUVECs, but this effect was partially abolished by atorvastatin or the NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC). These results demonstrate that regulation of ALOX15 expression might be involved in the effects of atorvastatin on endothelial dysfunction.
Protrusio Acetabuli in Marfan Syndrome: Indication for Surgery in Skeletally Immature Marfan Patients

The authors reviewed all patients in Shriners Hospital for Children, Honolulu, diagnosed with hyperlaxity of the joints (131 in total) for Marfan syndrome. The revised diagnostic criteria for Marfan syndrome were used for inclusion in this study. In the patients diagnosed with Marfan syndrome (n = 13), the incidence (n = 9) and indication for surgical intervention (n = 4) of protrusio acetabuli were evaluated by retrospective radiographic review, clinical findings, and family history. For the identification of protrusio acetabuli, the presence of an abnormal acetabular line position (>1 mm medial to the ilioischial line in boys, >3 mm in girls), a center-edge angle of Wiberg of 40 degrees or more, or crossing of the teardrop by the ilioischial line was used. The authors conclude that serial radiographic investigations, reinforced with a well-documented family history of symptomatic protrusio acetabuli, are needed to rule out progression of the deformity. When progression of the deformity is suggested in a skeletally immature Marfan patient, surgical intervention by closure of the triradiate cartilage is indicated, regardless of the absence of hip complaints or limitation of range of motion.
Human papillomavirus type 16 DNA cooperates with activated ras in transforming primary cells.

The close association of human papillomavirus type 16 DNA with a majority of cervical carcinomas implies some role for the virus in this type of cancer. To define the transforming properties of HPV‐16 DNA in vitro we have now performed transfection experiments on baby rat kidney cells using HPV‐16 DNA in conjunction with an activated ras gene. We have demonstrated that a 6.6‐kb DNA fragment, containing the early genes of HPV‐16 under the control of Moloney murine leukaemia virus long terminal repeats (MoMuLV‐LTRs), cooperates with EJ‐ras in transforming these cells. Both DNAs are required and neither alone is effective. The cooperating activity appears to reside in a protein or proteins derived from the E6/E7 region of the HPV‐16 genome.
The relationship between humorous television advertisement and viewer persuasion

The use of humour in television advertising is common in Ghana and all over the world. Researchers and advertisers alike are divided on the effectiveness of humour in advertising as some see the use of humour as risky because it may affect recall of product attributes and comprehension. This study sought to explore the role of humorous television advertising in viewer persuasion and why humour is used. Questionnaires were administered to a sample of 100 and 350 respondents from advertisers and television viewers respectively. Two hundred (200) television viewers responded representing 57% responds rate. Self-selection and convenience sampling methods were used for advertisers and viewers respectively.The study revealed that advertising practitioners use humorous television advertisements because they believed it was better at achieving communication goals. Situational factors like product features, media placement as well as audience factors were very important considerations for effective humorous television advertisements. There was also a positive relation between humorous television advertisements and persuasion. However, certain conditions must be met. These include ensuring product features, audience factors and media through which advertisements are placed are appropriate for humorous advertisements. Practitioners must know their target audience very well to be sure if particular humour treatment will be effective or not. Objectives for any particular advertisement should be clear so as to use humorous television advertisements appropriately.
Comparative kinematic and dynamic performance analysis of planar parallel manipulators

This paper addresses a comparative analysis of a three degree of freedom (DOF) planar parallel manipulators (x, y and ϕ) namely 3RRR, 3PRP, 3PRR, 3PPR Δ base, 3PPR U base and 2PRP-PPR in terms of optimal kinematic design performance and dynamic performance. Kinematic and dynamic performance analyses of these six different configurations have been done using MATLAB and Adams/View software. From the simulation results, it is observed that the 2PRP-PPR planar parallel manipulator is associated with a few favorable optimum design aspects namely singularity free workspace, isotropy and better dynamic performance in terms of energy requirement as compare to other planar parallel manipulators discussed here.
Activation properties of Kv4.3 channels: time, voltage and [K+]o dependence

Rapidly inactivating, voltage‐dependent K+ currents play important roles in both neurones and cardiac myocytes. Kv4 channels form the basis of these currents in many neurones and cardiac myocytes and their mechanism of inactivation appears to differ significantly from that reported for Shaker and Kv1.4 channels. In most channel gating models, inactivation is coupled to the kinetics of activation. Hence, there is a need for a rigorous model based on comprehensive experimental data on Kv4.3 channel activation. To develop a gating model of Kv4.3 channel activation, we studied the properties of Kv4.3 channels in Xenopus oocytes, without endogenous KChIP2 ancillary subunits, using the perforated cut‐open oocyte voltage clamp and two‐electrode voltage clamp techniques. We obtained high‐frequency resolution measurements of the activation and deactivation properties of Kv4.3 channels. Activation was sigmoid and well described by a fourth power exponential function. The voltage dependence of the activation time constants was best described by a biexponential function corresponding to at least two different equivalent charges for activation. Deactivation kinetics are voltage dependent and monoexponential. In contrast to other voltage‐sensitive K+ channels such as HERG and Shaker, we found that elevated extracellular [K+] modulated the activation process by slowing deactivation and stabilizing the open state. Using these data we developed a model with five closed states and voltage‐dependent transitions between the first four closed states coupled to a voltage‐insensitive transition between the final closed (partially activated) state and the open state. Our model closely simulates steady‐state and kinetic activation and deactivation data.
The moderating effects of personal and situational characteristics on the image, satisfaction and future behavioral intention with ports of calls

The aim of this study is to examine the moderating effects of cruise passengers’ gender, age, education, and prior experiences on a Mediterranean port of call. We analyze the process of image formation and the influence that image and passenger satisfaction has on future behavioral intentions. The partial least squares technique (PLS) is applied to test the hypotheses developed with a sample of 492 cruise passengers. Our findings show that: (1) gender, age, education, and experience have a moderating influence on the image of ports of call, on cruise passengers’ satisfaction, and on future behavioral intentions derived from cruise passengers’ satisfaction; (2) prior experience has a moderating influence on the image formation of ports of call.
Code churn: a measure for estimating the impact of code change

This study presents a methodology that will produce a viable fault surrogate. The focus of the effort is on the precise measurement of software development process and product outcomes. Tools and processes for the static measurement of the source code have been installed and made operational in a large embedded software system. Source code measurements have been gathered unobtrusively for each build in the software evolution process. The measurements are synthesized to obtain the fault surrogate. The complexity of sequential builds is compared and a new measure, code churn, is calculated. This paper demonstrates the effectiveness of code complexity churn by validating it against the testing problem reports.
The Schizophrenia of Contemporary Education and the Moral Work of Teaching

Stocker’s classic and provocatively titled essay “The Schizophrenia of Modern Ethical Theory” (1976/1997) takes to task a certain type of philosophical work. Modern ethical theories, as Stocker puts it, “deal only with reasons . with what justifies. They fail to examine motives and the motivational structures and constraints of ethical life” (p. 453). Because of this, he claims, leading a life guided by a modern ethical theory is either impoverished, due to its narrow and self-defeating pursuit of the theories’ prescribed end, or worse, in a schizophrenic malady of the spirit:
Long-term survival following a single treatment of kidney tumors with multiwalled carbon nanotubes and near-infrared radiation

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) exhibit physical properties that render them ideal candidates for application as noninvasive mediators of photothermal cancer ablation. Here, we demonstrate that use of MWCNTs to generate heat in response to near-infrared radiation (NIR) results in thermal destruction of kidney cancer in vitro and in vivo. We document the thermal effects of the therapy through magnetic resonance temperature-mapping and heat shock protein-reactive immunohistochemistry. Our results demonstrate that use of MWCNTs enables ablation of tumors with low laser powers (3 W/cm2) and very short treatment times (a single 30-sec treatment) with minimal local toxicity and no evident systemic toxicity. These treatment parameters resulted in complete ablation of tumors and a >3.5-month durable remission in 80% of mice treated with 100 μg of MWCNT. Use of MWCNTs with NIR may be effective in anticancer therapy.
Catheter Drainage Followed by the Instillation of Bleomycin to Manage Malignant Pericardial Effusion in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer: A Multi-Institutional Phase II Trial

Introduction: Malignant pericardial effusion (MPE) causes cardiac tamponade and an extremely poor outcome unless it is well controlled. The effect of pericardial drainage and the intra-pericardial instillation of bleomycin on the control of MPE was examined in this prospective multi-institutional phase II trial. Methods: In eligible patients with cytologically defined MPE resulting from non-small cell lung cancer, the pericardial effusion of such cases was continuously drained. After complete drainage, 10 mg of bleomycin was then locally instilled via a catheter. The catheter was then removed if the total amount of drainage was less than 30 ml/day. If the catheter could not be removed within 5 days after treatment, bleomycin was administered one more time. Results: Among the 22 patients who entered this trial, the tube drainage catheter was successfully removed from 17 patients with one instillation, whereas four required such instillation twice and one required such instillation three times. No severe adverse events were observed, except for constrictive pericarditis, which resulted in the treatment-related death of one patient. The control rate of pericardial effusion was 95% ± 0.09 (95% confidence interval). No restoration of pericardial effusion was observed during the follow-up period or until death from any cause. Median survival time from the beginning of the protocol was 17.9 weeks. Conclusions: Pericardial drainage followed by the instillation of bleomycin was found to be a safe and effective method for the management of MPE associated with non-small cell lung cancer.
A general chaos synchronization method based on unidirectionally or bidirectionally coupled system

This paper discusses chaos synchronization of general chaotic system. Based on Lyapunov stability theory, two sufficient conditions are given respectively for unidirectionally coupled synchronization and bidirectionally coupled synchronization. Synchronization of Lü chaotic systems is taken as illustrative examples to show the effectiveness of the proposed method. Theoretical analysis and numerical simulations are shown to verify the results.
Textile Integrated Contactless EMG Sensing for Stress Analysis

Stress has become an important issue in today's society. Forty to fifty percent of the work related illnesses are directly or indirectly related to stress. In the ConText project, a biofeedback shirt for daily use is being developed to register muscle activity. The user receives feedback about muscle fatigue and/or the level of stress in order to lower the risk on musculoskeletal disorders. Comfort is an important factor to lower the acceptance threshold to wear the shirt. To achieve optimal comfort, the project aims for unobtrusive measurements with contactless sensors which are textile integrated. Working with contactless sensors induces new challenges for instance the displacement of the sensor in the shirt relative to the anatomical position of the muscles. This could affect the recorded signal and lead to errors in the signal. In this paper, we present the results of the quantification of this misalignment. Secondly, we present the first tests with the embroidered sensor.
The Maonze corpus: Transcribing and Analysing Maori speech

The MAONZE project investigates change over time in the pronunciation of the Maori language by comparing archival recordings of older Maori speakers born in the late 19th century with present-day recordings of both older and younger speakers. The background to the project and details on how the corpus of recordings was compiled are described in an earlier companion piece. This article describes the transcription and analysis protocols that have been employed in the project and gives an overview of some of the results of the analysis of vowels and consonants and the perception of prosodic cues.
The Impact of Dance on Stress and Life Satisfaction Among Corporate Professionals

This research aimed to determine the impact of dance on stress and life satisfaction among corporate professionals in Bangalore. A comparative study was conducted on 60 participants from the corporate sector divided into dancers (n=30) and non-dancers (n=30), within the age group of 20-40 years. The study was assessed using two scales namely Occupational Stress Index by Dr. A.K. Srivastav and Dr. A.P. Singh and Life Satisfaction Scale by Dr. Promila Singh and George Joseph which was analyzed using independent sample test and Pearson Correlation using SPSS 20.Results showed no significant impact of dance on stress and life satisfaction which implied that social factors like gender differences, nature of work, family dynamics, coping strategies, etc influences dance. This study provides scope for future studies to be conducted to find the impact of dance on specific domains of mental health in general which could provide healthy growth among corporate professionals.
Faster Scala Collections with Compile-Time Reflection

We describe the implementation of specific Scala collections operations (currently the map and foreach methods) using the Scala 2.10 compile-time reflection facilities. The primary motivation for this work is to create faster collections by inlining operations at the call site. The functionality is available at the standard Scala library level, so that our optimized operations can be used on all plain Scala collection types (e.g., List, Array, etc.) without the need of creating new specialized types. Our mechanism is implemented directly inside the Scala standard library and by modifying the default compiler. The results are encouraging since benchmarks show a 40% speedup. SUBJECT AREA: Compile-Time Metaprogramming
The Evolution of Generosity: How Natural Selection Builds Devices for Benefit Delivery

Darwin’s great scientific contribution was to reveal how a blind, mindless, purely physical process can cause the complex functional design we see all around us in the biological world. By introducing the concept of natural selection, Darwin explained how evolution builds devices. Here, we explain how natural selection can build devices whose function is to cause organisms to take actions that boost the welfare of other organisms, which we might call benefit-delivery devices. Benefit-delivery devices come in two broad types: (a) Those that evolve because the genes that assemble them during ontogeny increase the direct reproductive success of the organism in whom those genes reside, and (b) those that evolve because the genes that assemble them during ontogeny increase the reproductive success of exact replicas of those genes that reside in other organisms (most recognizably, in the organism’s genetic relatives). In this paper, we catalogue some of the benefit-delivery devices with which natural selection might have outfitted human beings and illustrate how they seem to work.
Appraisal of anti-smoking advertising by youth at risk for regular smoking: a comparative study in the United States, Australia, and Britain

Objective: To compare the similarity in how youth in the United States, Australia, and Britain appraise anti-smoking advertisements with different characteristics. Design: Each participant viewed and evaluated a set of 10 anti-smoking adverts (from an overall total of 50 adverts) in a controlled experimental context using an audience response methodology. A structured telephone interview was completed one week after viewing the adverts, in which recall and engagement with the adverts by participants was evaluated. Subjects: 615 youths who were experimenting with smoking or were susceptible nonsmokers. Main outcome measures: Measures of advert appraisal and engagement. Results: Youth in the United States, Australia, and Britain responded in very similar ways to the same anti-smoking advertisements. In full multivariate models, the target audience of the advert and the advert theme were not related to the main outcome measures employed in this study. However, adverts with visceral negative or personal testimonial executional characteristics were appraised more positively by youths and were more likely to be recalled, thought about, and discussed at follow up one week later. Conclusions: Youths in three different countries responded to anti-smoking advertisements in very similar ways, suggesting that such adverts might be more actively shared among nations. The appraisal of, and engagement with, the anti-smoking adverts, however, varied substantially depending on executional characteristics. In the design of effective anti-smoking adverts, due attention needs to be paid to those characteristics that appear to most engage youth across different social and cultural environments.