Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Cytosolic Phospholipase A2 by Annexin V in Differentiated Permeabilized HL-60 Cells

Annexin V belongs to a family of proteins that interact with phospholipids in a Ca2+-dependent manner. This protein has been demonstrated to have anti-phospholipase A2 activity. However, this effect has never yet been reported with the 85-kDa cytosolic PLA2 (cPLA2). We studied, in a model of differentiated and streptolysin O-permeabilized HL-60 cells, the effect of annexin V on cPLA2 activity after stimulation by calcium, GTPγS (guanosine 5′-O-(3-thiotriphosphate)), formyl-Met-Leu-Phe, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. Both recombinant and human placental purified annexin V inhibit cPLA2 activity whatever the stimulus used. The decrease of arachidonic acid release is of 40 and 50%, respectively, at [Ca2+] of 3 and 10 μm. The mechanism of inhibition was also analyzed. cPLA2 requires calcium and protein kinase C (PKC) or mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation for its activation. As annexin V was shown to be an endogenous inhibitor of PKC, PKC-stimulated cPLA2 activity was analyzed. Using GF109203x, a specific PKC inhibitor, we demonstrated that this pathway is of minor importance in our model. cPLA2 inhibition by annexin V is not linked to PKC inhibition. To test the hypothesis of phospholipid depletion, mutants of annexin V were constructed using mutagenesis directed to Ca2+ site. We demonstrate that the Ca2+ site located in domain I is necessary for the inhibitory effect of annexin V on cPLA2 activity. The site in domain IV is also involved but with less efficiency. In contrast, mutations in site II and III do not modify this effect. Moreover, annexin V mutated on all sites does not inhibit cPLA2. Thus, we propose a predominant role of module (I/IV) in the biological action of annexin V, which, in physiological conditions, may control cPLA2 activity by depletion of the phospholipid substrate.
Tropical Cyclogenesis within an Equatorial Rossby Wave Packet

Abstract A packet of equatorial Rossby (ER) waves that lasted 2.5 months is identified in the lower troposphere of the northwest Pacific. Waves within the packet had a period of 22 days, a wavelength of 3600 km, a westward phase speed of 1.9 m s−1, and a near-zero group speed. The wave properties followed the ER wave dispersion relation with an equivalent depth near 25 m. The packet was associated with the development of at least 8 of the 13 tropical cyclones that formed during the period. A composite was constructed around the genesis locations. Tropical cyclones formed east of the center of the composite ER wave low in a region of strong convection and a separate 850-hPa vorticity maximum. The background flow during the life of the packet was characterized by 850-hPa zonal wind convergence and easterly vertical wind shear. Wave amplitude peaked at the west end of the convergent region, suggesting that wave accumulation played a significant role in the growth of the packet. The presence of easterly verti.
IP Bandwidth on Demand and Traffic Engineering via Multi-Layer Transport Networks

This paper investigates the advantages of multi-layer methods of supplying moderate to high IP bandwidth either on demand for end users or for traffic engineering purposes over a shared, heterogeneous, wide area network infrastructure. In particular we show how emerging data plane and control plane mechanisms can be combined to deliver such services in an efficient and cost effective manner.
Epigenetic age predictions based on buccal swabs are more precise in combination with cell type-specific DNA methylation signatures

Aging is reflected by highly reproducible DNA methylation (DNAm) changes that open new perspectives for estimation of chronological age in legal medicine. DNA can be harvested non-invasively from cells at the inside of a person's cheek using buccal swabs – but these specimens resemble heterogeneous mixtures of buccal epithelial cells and leukocytes with different epigenetic makeup. In this study, we have trained an age predictor based on three age-associated CpG sites (associated with the genes PDE4C, ASPA, and ITGA2B) for swab samples to reach a mean absolute deviation (MAD) between predicted and chronological age of 4.3 years in a training set and of 7.03 years in a validation set. Subsequently, the composition of buccal epithelial cells versus leukocytes was estimated by two additional CpGs (associated with the genes CD6 and SERPINB5). Results of this “Buccal-Cell-Signature” correlated with cell counts in cytological stains (R2 = 0.94). Combination of cell type-specific and age-associated CpGs into one multivariate model enabled age predictions with MADs of 5.09 years and 5.12 years in two independent validation sets. Our results demonstrate that the cellular composition in buccal swab samples can be determined by DNAm at two cell type-specific CpGs to improve epigenetic age predictions.
The use of retinoids in the treatment of photoaging

ABSTRACT: Photoaging describes the clinical and histologic consequences of chronic sun exposure, the key features of which – wrinkles and mottled hyperpigmentation – are frequently and erroneously attributed to the aging process. Although a number of surgical procedures can improve the clinical appearance of photoaged skin, the only medical therapy with proved benefit derived from randomized clinical trial evidence is the use of topical retinoids, particularly tretinoin, isotretinoin, and tazarotene. Retinoids are capable not only of repairing photoaged skin at both the clinical and biochemical levels but their use may prevent photoaging. There is in addition emerging evidence that topical retinoids could be beneficial in the treatment of intrinsically aged skin.
5–6 Year Old Children’s Empathy and Its Relation with Attention and Parenting Style

The article presents a 5–6 year old children empathy research. The aim of the study is to analyze 5–6 year old children’s (N = 96) empathy and its relation with attention as factor of internal context and parenting styles as factor of external context of child. It also compares the empathy level of girls and boys. A total of 96 children (42 girls and 54 boys) took part in the research. The unfinished tales method to assess children’s empathy and four tasks battery to assess children’s attention were used. Both mother and father completed questionnaire to indicate parenting styles. The results showed that girls and boys do not differ in the level of empathy, and the child’s attention and empathy are related. It was also found that children whose parents apply the same parenting style, empathy is higher compared to those children whose parents apply the different parenting styles. The results are discussed in the context of previous studies, also are presented recommendations for educational and parenting practice. Keywords : children’s empathy, children’s attention, parenting styles. How to cite: Movsesjan, A. , Puzaitė, D. , & Lazdauskas, T. (2014). 5–6 metų vaikų empatija ir jos rysys su dėmesiu bei tėvų taikomu auklėjimo stiliumi [5–6-year-old children’s empathy and its relation with attention and parenting style]. Ugdymo psichologija, 25 , 5–17. http://dx.doi. org/10.15823/up.2014. 01
A model academic ethics and integrity policy for computer science departments

For decades, US universities and colleges have had policies pertaining to the conduct of their students at the institutional level. These policies are referred to as Academic Integrity Policies or Codes of Conduct. The Code of Ethics, instituted by Association of Computing Machinery (ACM) has been the standard for the computing sciences profession for over 15 years. However, the traditional institution-wide academic integrity policies have not adapted to the complexities that arose from rapid progress in information technology (IT) and thus either fail to address or are in conflict with the nature of problems in computer science education. In this paper, we propose a model for development and implementation of an academic ethics policy (ethics is a broader concept that includes integrity) that addresses the challenges imposed by information technology vis-á-vis the best modern teaching practices in computer sciences and engineering. Implementing policies that are more in line with the methods of industry and compatible with newer educational pedagogies should make the whole educational environment more engaging to students.
Atomically Monodisperse Gold Nanoclusters Catalysts with Precise Core-Shell Structure

The emphasis of this review is atomically monodisperse Aun nanoclusters catalysts (n = number of metal atom in cluster) that are ideally composed of an exact number of metal atoms. Aun which range in size from a dozen to a few hundred atoms are particularly promising for nanocatalysis due to their unique core-shell structure and non-metallic electronic properties. Aun nanoclusters catalysts have been demonstrated to exhibit excellent catalytic activity in hydrogenation and oxidation processes. Such unique properties of Aun significantly promote molecule activation by enhancing adsorption energy of reactant molecules on catalyst surface. The structural determination of Aun nanoclusters allows for a precise correlation of particle structure with catalytic properties and also permits the identification of catalytically active sites on the gold particle at an atomic level. By learning these fundamental principles, one would ultimately be able to design new types of highly active and highly selective gold nanocluster catalysts for a variety of catalytic processes.
Evolution of sex‐biased maternal effects in birds: III. Adjustment of ovulation order can enable sex‐specific allocation of hormones, carotenoids, and vitamins

Overlap in growth of offspring should constrain the opportunity for sex‐biased maternal effects, yet sex‐specific allocation of maternal resources among simultaneously growing ova is often observed in vertebrates. In birds, such allocation can be accomplished either by temporal clustering of ova that become the same sex, resulting in sex‐biased egg‐laying order, or by follicle‐specific delivery of maternal resources. Two house finch populations at the northern and southern boundaries of the species range have opposite ovulation sequences of male and female eggs, and thus, in the absence of sex differences in ova growth or sex‐specific maternal strategies, would be expected to have opposite sex‐specific accumulation of maternal products. We found that the populations had strong and similar gradients of steroid distribution in relation to ovulation order, whereas distribution of carotenoids and vitamins correlated with each follicle's accumulation of steroids. In both populations, temporal bias in production of sons and daughters within a clutch enabled strongly sex‐specific acquisition of maternal products, and oocytes of the same sex were highly interdependent in their accumulation of steroids. Moreover, in nests where the sex‐bias in relation to ovulation order deviated from population‐specific patterns, eggs had highly distinct concentrations of steroids, carotenoids and vitamins. These results and previous findings of sex‐specific yolk partitioning among oocytes suggest that oocytes that become males and females are temporally or spatially clustered during their ovarian growth. We discuss the implication of these findings for the evolution of sex‐specific maternal resource allocation.
Ex Vivo Imaging of Postnatal Cerebellar Granule Cell Migration Using Confocal Macroscopy

During postnatal development, immature granule cells (excitatory interneurons) exhibit tangential migration in the external granular layer, and then radial migration in the molecular layer and the Purkinje cell layer to reach the internal granular layer of the cerebellar cortex. Default in migratory processes induces either cell death or misplacement of the neurons, leading to deficits in diverse cerebellar functions. Centripetal granule cell migration involves several mechanisms, such as chemotaxis and extracellular matrix degradation, to guide the cells towards their final position, but the factors that regulate cell migration in each cortical layer are only partially known. In our method, acute cerebellar slices are prepared from P10 rats, granule cells are labeled with a fluorescent cytoplasmic marker and tissues are cultured on membrane inserts from 4 to 10 hr before starting real-time monitoring of cell migration by confocal macroscopy at 37 °C in the presence of CO2. During their migration in the different cortical layers of the cerebellum, granule cells can be exposed to neuropeptide agonists or antagonists, protease inhibitors, blockers of intracellular effectors or even toxic substances such as alcohol or methylmercury to investigate their possible role in the regulation of neuronal migration.
Differential gene expression graphs: A data structure for classification in DNA microarrays

This paper proposes an innovative data structure to be used as a backbone in designing microarray phenotype sample classifiers. The data structure is based on graphs and it is built from a differential analysis of the expression levels of healthy and diseased tissue samples in a microarray dataset. The proposed data structure is built in such a way that, by construction, it shows a number of properties that are perfectly suited to address several problems like feature extraction, clustering, and classification.
Tracking the Neurodevelopmental Correlates of Mental State Inference in Early Childhood

Between ages 4 and 6, children become better at inferring what others are thinking and feeling. However, the neural correlates of these advances are understudied. The current study investigated the relation between performance on a face-based mental state inference task and white matter characteristics. Two tracts of interest, the uncinate fasciculus (UF) and inferior longitudinal fasciculus, were analyzed due to their involvement in social–emotional and face processing, respectively. Findings demonstrate a significant relation between fractional anisotropy in the UF and task performance in 4- but not 6-year-old children. Findings have implications for typical and atypical populations.
Individual Differences in Complex Task Performance: Interaction Effects of Risk-Taking Behavior and Cognitive Variables

While individual differences and their influence on training and performance have been widely examined in fields such as industrial or educational psychology, they have not been a strong focus of human factors research. The present study aims to investigate the relationship between individual characteristics and complex task performance with special consideration of interaction effects. Fifty engineering students participated in a four-hour training session on a simulated process control task and a testing session one week later. Before the training session, the following individual characteristics were assessed: risk-taking behavior, general mental ability (GMA), and need for cognition (NFC). Interaction effects of risk-taking behavior and GMA, as well as of risk-taking behavior and NFC, on performance were found. Twenty to 30% of the variance in system control performance was accounted for by the individual characteristics and their interaction effects. Findings suggest that interaction effects should be systematically investigated in future research concerning individual differences in the context of human—system interaction.
Emergency department overcrowding in the United States: an emerging threat to patient safety and public health

Numerous reports have questioned the ability of United States emergency departments to handle the increasing demand for emergency services. Emergency department (ED) overcrowding is widespread in US cities and has reportedly reached crisis proportions. The purpose of this review is to describe how ED overcrowding threatens patient safety and public health, and to explore the complex causes and potential solutions for the overcrowding crisis. A review of the literature from 1990 to 2002 identified by a search of the Medline database was performed. Additional sources were selected from the references of the articles identified. There were four key findings. (1) The ED is a vital component of America’s health care “safety net”. (2) Overcrowding in ED treatment areas threatens public health by compromising patient safety and jeopardising the reliability of the entire US emergency care system. (3) Although the causes of ED overcrowding are complex, the main cause is inadequate inpatient capacity for a patient population with an increasing severity of illness. (4) Potential solutions for ED overcrowding will require multidisciplinary system-wide support.
Contextualizing Care: Alternatives to the Individualization of Struggles and Support

The ultimate aim of this inquiry is to expand understandings of what it can mean to engage meaningfully with children, youth, and families and the systems designed to support them, in context. By widening our gaze to include the discursive, political, and other dimensions of lived experiences, practitioners and policy makers may be able to engage in practices that prioritize the wellbeing of all community members, recognizing social justice as central to this development. Methodologically, the challenge has been to work emergently, in line with social constructionist and postmodern understandings of social reality in which conditions are always in flux. Since there has been a call from qualitative researchers to make visible more ‘messy texts’ through which decision making processes can be made transparent, this document tracks the course of the study from beginning to end. By making explicit the methodological decisions as they are made, and contextualizing these decisions within not only the academic literature and data but also within personal and political realities, the author aims to demonstrate an ontological
Utility of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) as a screen for left ventricular dysfunction in patients with diabetes.

OBJECTIVE Routine screening of diabetic patients with echocardiography is not feasible due to its limited availability and high cost. B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted from the left ventricle in response to pressure overload and is elevated in both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS BNP levels were compared to echocardiographic findings in 263 patients. Patients were divided into two groups: clinical indication for echocardiography (CIE) (n = 172) and those without clinical indication for echocardiography (no-CIE) (n = 91). Cardiologists making the assessment of left ventricular function were blinded when measuring plasma levels of BNP. RESULTS The 91 patients with no-CIE with echoes had similar BNP levels (83 +/- 16 pg/ml) to the 215 patients with no-CIE without echoes (63 +/- 10, P = 0.10). Patients with CIE and subsequent abnormal left ventricular function (n = 112) had a mean BNP concentration of 435 +/- 41 pg/ml, compared with those with no-CIE, but had abnormal left ventricular function on echo (n = 32) (161 +/- 40 pg/ml). Twenty-one of 32 patients with no-CIE but with abnormal left ventricular function had diastolic dysfunction (BNP 190 +/- 60 pg/ml). A receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve revealed that the area under the curve was 0.91 for CIE patients and 0.81 for no-CIE patients (P < 0.001). For those with no congestive heart failure (CHF) symptoms, BNP levels showed a high negative predictive value (91% for BNP values <39 pg/ml), while in those patients who had a CIE, BNP levels showed a high positive predictive value for the detection of left ventricular dysfunction (96% with BNP levels >90 pg/ml). CONCLUSIONS BNP can reliably screen diabetic patients for the presence or absence of left ventricular dysfunction.
From Copycat to Metacat: Developing a Self-Watching Framework for Analogy-Making

This paper describes Metacat, an extension of the Copycat computer model of (cid:13)uid concepts, high-level perception, and analogy-making. Copycat models the complex interplay between concepts and perception that gives rise to the (cid:13)exible human ability to see apparently-dissimilar situations as being \the same". A key feature of the architecture is the emergence of statistically robust high-level behavior from the interactions of many small, low-level, nondeterministic processing agents. Metacat focuses on extending the architecture in a way that permits it to create rich representations of the analogies it makes. This involves incorporating a long-term memory into the architecture, along with a \self-watching" ability, so that the program can recognize, remember, and recall patterns that occur in its own processing as it solves analogy problems. Using this higher-order \meta-level" information, analogies can be compared and contrasted in an insightful way, allowing Metacat to understand and explain its answers in a way that Copycat cannot.
Robust Optimization on Across-Chain Inventory Control of Cluster Supply Chains

On basis of cluster supply chain with two four-echelon single supply chains, cross-chain inventory coordination between two retailers is taken into account on condition of the two supply chains co-petition. The time-varying robust control system model is built, the method of quantizing bullwhip effect is put forward, and optimal orders are explored through utilizing H∞ control arithmetic. The simulation example proves that cross-chain inventory cooperation in cluster supply chains and robust control method can effectively weaken bullwhip effect, reduce stock, dwindle fluctuation of order and improve response to cluster market.
Miro-1 Links Mitochondria and Microtubule Dynein Motors To Control Lymphocyte Migration and Polarity

ABSTRACT The recruitment of leukocytes to sites of inflammation is crucial for a functional immune response. In the present work, we explored the role of mitochondria in lymphocyte adhesion, polarity, and migration. We show that during adhesion to the activated endothelium under physiological flow conditions, lymphocyte mitochondria redistribute to the adhesion zone together with the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC) in an integrin-dependent manner. Mitochondrial redistribution and efficient lymphocyte adhesion to the endothelium require the function of Miro-1, an adaptor molecule that couples mitochondria to microtubules. Our data demonstrate that Miro-1 associates with the dynein complex. Moreover, mitochondria accumulate around the MTOC in response to the chemokine CXCL12/SDF-1α; this redistribution is regulated by Miro-1. CXCL12-dependent cell polarization and migration are reduced in Miro-1-silenced cells, due to impaired myosin II activation at the cell uropod and diminished actin polymerization. These data point to a key role of Miro-1 in the control of lymphocyte adhesion and migration through the regulation of mitochondrial redistribution.