Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding Cellular Signaling Pathways and Their Relationship to Genotype and Phenotype of Muscle Disease

W ith advances in genomics and proteonomics, the development of therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diseases is now being based on understanding cell signaling to identify molecular targets linked to the genetics abnormality or pathophysiology. In Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD), the absence of dystrophin has been postulated to result in the lack of a mechanical link with the dystrophin-glycoprotein complex (DGC), thus resulting in contraction-induced muscle degeneration as a consequence of a decrease in muscle plasma membrane stability and disruptions in the sarcolemma (1-2). As such, initial therapeutic approaches were targeted at providing this missing protein or reducing the extent of contraction-induced muscle degeneration. However, these approaches have shown limited success in preclinical or clinical studies in animal models or patients (3). Exploring cellular signaling pathways that may be altered as a consequence of the lack of dystrophin or DGC provides an alternative approach to identifying molecular targets. For example, the lack of dystrophin has been associated with changes in skeletal muscle gene expression
Workplace Exercise for Control of Occupational Neck/Shoulder Disorders: A Review of Prospective Studies

A review was conducted of prospective studies (1997-2014) examining the efficacy of exercise as a workplace intervention to control neck/shoulder pain, symptoms, and disability. The review identified 38 relevant studies - 20 were classified with positive effects, 13 with null effects, and 5 as inconclusive. Of the positive studies, 12 were consistent with Level I evidence, 3 with Level II evidence, and 5 with Level IV evidence. Specific resistance training (SRT) exercise appeared to be associated with more positive studies (eight Level I studies) than other exercise modalities such as general resistance training, general physical exercise, stretching, and movement awareness exercises. Studies of longer trial duration tended toward more null findings and lower program compliance. Evidence for a primary preventive effect of workplace exercise is minimal. The findings of this review suggest that workplace exercise can be effective as tertiary prevention and therapeutic relief of neck/shoulder symptoms, at least over the shorter term.
Screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus: Incidence and prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in a North American urban population

Objective: To prospectively determine the prevalence and annual incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B carriers in a heterogeneous urban North American population and to assess the diagnostic accuracy of tests used for screening for this cancer. Design: Prospective cohort study of 1,069 chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus using screening with α‐fetoprotein alone or in combination with ultrasonography every 6 months. Results: The mean age of the cohort was 39 ± 12 years (± SD), 65% were men, 71% were Asians. At the first screening visit, serum α‐fetoprotein was ⩾ 20 μg/L in 4%. In those subjects who were also screened by ultrasonography during the first visit, 9% were found to have focal lesions. Only 3 subjects were found to have hepatocellular carcinoma at the first screening, giving a prevalence of 281/100,000 chronic carriers of hepatitis B virus. The cohort was followed for 2,340 person‐years (mean, 26 months follow‐up, with a range from 6 to 60 months). During this period, 11 more subjects, 10 men and 1 woman, were diagnosed to have hepatocellular carcinoma (annual incidence, 470/100,000). In men only, the annual incidence was 657/100,000. During the study, 5 subjects died from hepatocellular carcinoma (annual mortality rate, 214/100,000). Sensitivity and specificity of serum α‐fetoprotein >20 μg/L were 64.3% and 91.4%, respectively. For ultrasonography, sensitivity was 78.8% and specificity 93.8%. Conclusions: These data suggest that the incidence and prevalence of hepatocellular carcinoma in hepatitis B carriers in our area, an urban North American setting, are as high as in countries where hepatitis B is endemic. Current screening tests have significant false‐positive and false‐negative rates, raising questions about the cost‐benefit of screening for hepatocellular carcinoma in our study population. (Hepatology 1995;22:432–438.)
Early pleistocene habitat in member 1 Olorgesailie based on paleosol stable isotopes.

Stable carbon and oxygen isotope values from soil carbonates were used to determine the vegetation context of archaeological sites and local climatic conditions represented in a approximately 0.99 Ma paleosol that is exposed laterally in the Olorgesailie basin, southern Kenya rift valley. As part of this landscape-scale project, samples of an upper Member 1 paleosol were analyzed along nearly 4 km of outcrop in three adjacent parts of the basin. Modern East African soil and plant community analogs are used to interpret the isotope ratios. The carbon isotopic composition of the paleosol carbonates indicates that the area supported a local biomass of about 75-100% C(4)plants during the period of soil formation. After averaging the data for each trench, an open C(4)grassland is represented by half of the carbon values, with wooded grassland more abundant across the paleolandscape than it is in the area now. This vegetational reconstruction is supported by the mammalian faunal assemblage, which has a high percentage of grazers. Although the relatively small sample size outside the main excavation area precludes firm characterization of vegetational diversity across the basin in upper Member 1 times, eastern and western localities in the study area may have had more woody C(3)plants than the widely sampled zone in between. Oxygen isotopes indicate that the lowland basin was slightly cooler and moister than today's semi-arid climate, with greater annual rainfall. Archaeological traces have a virtually continuous distribution across the paleolandscape, but vary in density of occurrence. With the strong evidence for C(4)grassland as the primary vegetation context across most of the study area, no habitat preference by the Acheulean toolmakers at Olorgesailie is shown in our initial comparison between carbon isotope values and stone/bone densities.
Contingency awareness in evaluative conditioning: A case for unaware affective-evaluative learning

Abstract According to Martin and Levey (1987) evaluative conditioning is different from signal learning, i.e. the acquisition of knowledge about predictive relations between environmental events. The hypothesis was tested that evaluative conditioning, unlike signal learning, does not require awareness of the CS-US contingency. In three pilot experiments it was demonstrated that pairing neutral stimuli with either liked or disliked stimuli is sufficient to change neutral stimuli into a positive or negative direction. As indicated by postconditioning recognition questionnaires, this evaluative shift did not require and was not even influenced by contingency awareness. These findings were replicated and corroborated in an experiment, using a concurrent awareness assessment procedure and more fine-grained evaluative response measurements. The relevance of this conditioning without contingency awareness is discussed in the context of recent information processing models of Pavlovian conditioning.
Edinburgh Research Explorer Learning from satisfying assignments

This paper studies the problem of learning “low-complexity” probability distributions over the Boolean hypercube {− 1 , 1 } n . As in the standard PAC learning model, a learning problem in our framework is deﬁned by a class C of Boolean functions over {− 1 , 1 } n , but in our model the learning algorithm is given uniform random satisfying assignments of an unknown f ∈ C and its goal is to output a high-accuracy approximation of the uniform distribution over f − 1 (1) . This distribution learning problem may be viewed as a demanding variant of standard Boolean function learning, where the learning algorithm only receives positive examples and — more importantly — must output a hypothesis function which has small multiplicative error (i.e. small error relative to the size of f − 1 (1) ). As our main results, we show that the two most widely studied classes of Boolean functions in computational learning theory — linear threshold functions and DNF formulas — have efﬁcient distribution learning algorithms in our model. Our algorithm for linear threshold functions runs in time poly ( n, 1 /(cid:15) ) and our algorithm for polynomial-size DNF runs in time quasipoly ( n, 1 /(cid:15) ) . We obtain both these results via a general approach that combines a broad range of technical ingredients, including the complexity-theoretic study of approximate counting and uniform generation; the Statistical Query model from learning theory; and hypothesis testing techniques from statistics. A key conceptual and technical ingredient of this approach is a new kind of algorithm which we devise called a “densiﬁer” and which we believe may be useful in other contexts. We also establish limitations on efﬁcient learnability in our model by showing that the existence of certain types of cryptographic signature schemes imply that certain learning problems in our framework are computationally hard. Via this connection we show that assuming the existence of sufﬁciently strong unique signature schemes, there are no sub-exponential time learning algorithms in our framework for intersections of two halfspaces, for degree-2 polynomial threshold functions, or for monotone 2-CNF
Functional Characterization of Dihydroflavonol-4-Reductase in Anthocyanin Biosynthesis of Purple Sweet Potato Underlies the Direct Evidence of Anthocyanins Function against Abiotic Stresses

Dihydroflavonol-4-reductase (DFR) is a key enzyme in the catalysis of the stereospecific reduction of dihydroflavonols to leucoanthocyanidins in anthocyanin biosynthesis. In the purple sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas Lam.) cv. Ayamurasaki, expression of the IbDFR gene was strongly associated with anthocyanin accumulation in leaves, stems and roots. Overexpression of the IbDFR in Arabidopsis tt3 mutants fully complemented the pigmentation phenotype of the seed coat, cotyledon and hypocotyl. Downregulation of IbDFR expression in transgenic sweet potato (DFRi) using an RNAi approach dramatically reduced anthocyanin accumulation in young leaves, stems and storage roots. In contrast, the increase of flavonols quercetin-3-O-hexose-hexoside and quercetin-3-O-glucoside in the leaves and roots of DFRi plants is significant. Therefore, the metabolic pathway channeled greater flavonol influx in the DFRi plants when their anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin accumulation were decreased. These plants also displayed reduced antioxidant capacity compared to the wild type. After 24 h of cold treatment and 2 h recovery, the wild-type plants were almost fully restored to the initial phenotype compared to the slower recovery of DFRi plants, in which the levels of electrolyte leakage and hydrogen peroxide accumulation were dramatically increased. These results provide direct evidence of anthocyanins function in the protection against oxidative stress in the sweet potato. The molecular characterization of the IbDFR gene in the sweet potato not only confirms its important roles in flavonoid metabolism but also supports the protective function of anthocyanins of enhanced scavenging of reactive oxygen radicals in plants under stressful conditions.
A Systematic Review of Randomized Trials Evaluating Regional Techniques for Postthoracotomy Analgesia

BACKGROUND:Thoracotomy induces severe postoperative pain and impairment of pulmonary function, and therefore regional analgesia has been intensively studied in this procedure. Thoracic epidural analgesia is commonly considered the “gold standard” in this setting; however, evaluation of the evidence is needed to assess the comparative benefits of alternative techniques, guide clinical practice and identify areas requiring further research. METHODS:In this systematic review of randomized trials we evaluated thoracic epidural, paravertebral, intrathecal, intercostal, and interpleural analgesic techniques, compared to each other and to systemic opioid analgesia, in adult thoracotomy. Postoperative pain, analgesic use, and complications were analyzed. RESULTS:Continuous paravertebral block was as effective as thoracic epidural analgesia with local anesthetic (LA) but was associated with a reduced incidence of hypotension. Paravertebral block reduced the incidence of pulmonary complications compared with systemic analgesia, whereas thoracic epidural analgesia did not. Thoracic epidural analgesia was superior to intrathecal and intercostal techniques, although these were superior to systemic analgesia; interpleural analgesia was inadequate. CONCLUSIONS:Either thoracic epidural analgesia with LA plus opioid or continuous paravertebral block with LA can be recommended. Where these techniques are not possible, or are contraindicated, intrathecal opioid or intercostal nerve block are recommended despite insufficient duration of analgesia, which requires the use of supplementary systemic analgesia. Quantitative meta-analyses were limited by heterogeneity in study design, and subject numbers were small. Further well designed studies are required to investigate the optimum components of the epidural solution and to rigorously evaluate the risks/benefits of continuous infusion paravertebral and intercostal techniques compared with thoracic epidural analgesia.
Edible Packaging Film Derived from Mechanically Deboned Chicken Meat Proteins: Effect of Transglutaminase on Physicochemical Properties

In this study, effect of transglutaminase (TGase) addition on physical, water barrier, optical and mechanical properties of mechanically deboned chicken meat protein (MDCM-P) films was investigated. When TGase was added to the films, the thickness increased, but the solubility decreased. Films treated with TGase exhibited higher water vapor permeability than control film (p<0.05). When TGase concentration increased, the L* values of films decreased, but a* and b* values increased. All films showed very good barrier properties against UV light. The highest tensile strength was obtained in MDCM-P films containing 3% TGase (p<0.05). The elongation at break values increased with the TGase concentration increasing from 1 to 3%, but decreased at higher enzyme concentration (p<0.05). The addition of TGase altered molecular organization and intermolecular interaction in the film matrix. TGase treated films showed smoother and ordered surface structure and homogeneous and compact microstructure. The results indicated that TGase use can be an effective approach in improving the solubility and mechanical properties of MDCM-P films.
Manufacturing and Test of a 35 kV/90 MVA Saturated Iron-Core Type Superconductive Fault Current Limiter for Live-Grid Operation

We developed a saturated iron-core type 35 kV/90 MVA superconductive fault current limiter and installed the device in a transmission network at Puji substation of China Southern Power Grid for live-grid operation. Innovative design in the iron-core configuration ensures that the device has low impedance in normal power transmission and sufficiently high impedance for a fault current limiting action. A magnetization control circuit allows the iron-core to be saturated or de-saturated depending upon the functional requirements. An energy release and voltage-surge protection unit can promptly discharge the magnetic energy accumulated in the iron-core and suppress the induced and surge voltages of the dc circuit in a current limiting event. This device has been designed to reduce the magnitude of a fault current by about 50%, which will prevent the breaking capacity of the existing circuit breakers in the transmission network from being exceeded in the predictable future. This article presents structural and functional specifications and reports up-to-date live-grid operation data of the device.
Design of Robust Distributed Control for Interconnected Microgrids

This paper proposes a distributed control scheme to regulate the power flows among multiple microgrids operating in islanded mode. Each microgrid controller gathers information from neighboring microgrids and reduces dynamic interactions. Modal analysis and time-domain simulations are used to identify critical issues that degrade the stability of microgrids under different operating conditions. A case study comprising three interconnected microgrids is considered. Each microgrid includes distributed generation and is described through a detailed dynamic model. Time-domain analyses are carried out considering different scenarios and large disturbances. Simulation results indicate that, while conventional controllers can lead to poorly damped power oscillations among the interconnected microgrids, the proposed control scheme guarantees stability in the postdisturbance operating conditions.
Phenomenal Qualities : Sense , Perception , and Consciousness

It is suggested that the relationship between visual attention and conscious visual experience can be simplified by distinguishing different aspects of both visual attention and visual experience. A set of principles is first proposed for any possible taxonomy of the processes involved in visual attention. A particular taxonomy is then put forward that describes five such processes, each with a distinct function and characteristic mode of operation. Based on these, three separate kinds—or possibly grades—of conscious visual experience can be distinguished, each associated with a particular combination of attentional processes.
GENDERING RESEARCH IN POLITICAL SCIENCE

▪ Abstract The examination of feminist research on political representation, public policy, and political institutions indicates that a shift in emphasis from the dichotomous variable of sex to the concept of gender is taking place. The shift is incomplete partly because many feminists believe both concepts are necessary to good research design. While mainstream political scientists have become more willing to use sex as a background variable in their research, they have not come to terms with notions of gender, a reluctance that may cause them to make important mistakes in their analysis of politics. Gender is a concept that suggests another major reexamination of what we think about political life. Its implications are insistent and far-reaching, offering a productive means of understanding politics.
Supporting User-defined Granularities and Indeterminacy in a Spatiotemporal Conceptual Model

Supporting User-defined Granularities and Indeterminacy in a Spatiotemporal Conceptual Model Vijay Khatri, Sudha Ram, Richard T. Snodgrass and Grady M. O'Brien 1 Department of MIS, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. Email: {vkhatri, ram}@bpa.arizona. edu 2 Department of Computer Science, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA. Email: rts@cs.arizona. edu 3 U.S. Geological Survey, 520 North Park Avenue, Suite 221, Tucson, AZ, USA. Email: gmobrien@usgs.gov
Activation Signal Induces the Expression of B Cell‐Specific CD45R Epitope (6B2) on Murine T Cells

Tlymphocytes express multiple forms of the leukocyte‐common antigen CD45, transcribed by alternative usage of leukocyte‐common antigen exon 4 6. The various isoforms of CD45R expressed differentially on T cells are involved in different stages of development and activation. The monoclonal antibody (MoAb) RA3‐6B2 is established as a B cell‐type isoform (B220)‐specific marker. However, it reacts with certain activated T cells although the relationship between 6B2 expression and T‐cell activation is unclear. We have examined the 6B2 expression on activated T cells and found that concanavalin A, anti‐CD3 antibody and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) induced 6B2 expression on T cells. The expression was found on both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells and also was induced by SEB in vivo predominantly on CD8+ T cells. The 6B2+ T cells are IL‐2R+ and blasted cells according to flow cytometry analysis. Therefore, the 6B2+ T cells are supposed to be in an activated stage. Enzymatic analysis demonstrated that trypsin treatment decreased the 6B2 expression, whereas neuraminidase increased the intensity on activated T cells. Neither endo‐D or endo‐H have any effect on the expression and there are no differences, in the results of immunoprecipitation and RT‐PCR analysis, between control T cells and activated T celts. Taken together, the 6B2 epitope is presumed to be the product of CD45R modification and is expressed on activated T cells. These results illustrate a novel classification of a T‐cell subpopuiation bearing a 6B2 epitope.
Friendship quality among children in three educational settings

This study investigates the quality of friendship as reported by adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities in different educational settings, compared with similar reports by students without disabilities. Participants included 121 students with intellectual disability in special education schools, 189 students with intellectual disability in self-contained mainstreamed schools and 265 students without disability. Results indicated significant differences between these groups in their perception of friendship. Students with intellectual disability in special schools tended to have fewer friends than students with intellectual disability within mainstreamed schools, most of them meeting friends at school only. The students in special education schools responded more passively, and felt lonelier, than students in the other groups.
Understanding the Uncanny: Both Atypical Features and Category Ambiguity Provoke Aversion toward Humanlike Robots

Robots intended for social contexts are often designed with explicit humanlike attributes in order to facilitate their reception by (and communication with) people. However, observation of an “uncanny valley”—a phenomenon in which highly humanlike entities provoke aversion in human observers—has lead some to caution against this practice. Both of these contrasting perspectives on the anthropomorphic design of social robots find some support in empirical investigations to date. Yet, owing to outstanding empirical limitations and theoretical disputes, the uncanny valley and its implications for human-robot interaction remains poorly understood. We thus explored the relationship between human similarity and people's aversion toward humanlike robots via manipulation of the agents' appearances. To that end, we employed a picture-viewing task (Nagents = 60) to conduct an experimental test (Nparticipants = 72) of the uncanny valley's existence and the visual features that cause certain humanlike robots to be unnerving. Across the levels of human similarity, we further manipulated agent appearance on two dimensions, typicality (prototypic, atypical, and ambiguous) and agent identity (robot, person), and measured participants' aversion using both subjective and behavioral indices. Our findings were as follows: (1) Further substantiating its existence, the data show a clear and consistent uncanny valley in the current design space of humanoid robots. (2) Both category ambiguity, and more so, atypicalities provoke aversive responding, thus shedding light on the visual factors that drive people's discomfort. (3) Use of the Negative Attitudes toward Robots Scale did not reveal any significant relationships between people's pre-existing attitudes toward humanlike robots and their aversive responding—suggesting positive exposure and/or additional experience with robots is unlikely to affect the occurrence of an uncanny valley effect in humanoid robotics. This work furthers our understanding of both the uncanny valley, as well as the visual factors that contribute to an agent's uncanniness.