Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid Stimulation of Presynaptic Serotonin Transport by A3 Adenosine Receptors

The inactivation of synaptic serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is largely established through the actions of the presynaptic, antidepressant-sensitive 5-HT transporter (SERT, SLC6A4). Recent studies have demonstrated post-translational regulation of SERT mediated by multiple Ser/Thr kinases, including protein kinases C and G (PKC and PKG) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), as well as the Ser/Thr phosphatase PP2A. Less well studied are specific surface receptors that target these signaling pathways to control SERT surface expression and/or catalytic rates. Using rat basophilic leukemia 2H3 cell line (RBL-2H3), we previously established that activation of A3 adenosine receptors (A3AR) stimulates SERT activity via both PKG and p38 MAPK (Zhu et al., 2004a). Whether A3ARs regulate SERT in the central nervous system (CNS) is unknown. Here we report that the A3AR agonist N6-(3-iodobenzyl)-N-methyl-5′carbamoyladenosine (IB-MECA) rapidly (10 min) and selectively stimulates 5-HT transport in mouse midbrain, hippocampal, and cortical synaptosomes. IB-MECA-induced stimulation of 5-HT uptake is blocked by the selective A3AR antagonist 3-ethyl-5-benzyl-2-methyl-phenylethynyl-6-phenyl-1,4(±)dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylate (MRS1191) and is absent from synaptosomes prepared from A3AR knockout mice. Kinetic analyses demonstrate that IB-MECA induces an increase of 5-HT transport Vmax with no significant change in Km. As in RBL-2H3 cells, IB-MECA stimulation of synaptosomal 5-HT uptake can be blocked by preincubation with PKG antagonists N-[2-(methylamino)ethy]-5-isoquinoline-sulfonamide (H8) and DT-2 (YGRKKRRQRRRPPLRK5H), as well as by the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 [4-(4-fluorophenyl)-2-(4-methylsulfinylphenyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)-1H-imidazole]. Chronoamperometry studies in the anesthetized rat hippocampus support a role for A3ARs in SERT regulation in vivo. Together, these results identify a novel, region-specific action of CNS A3ARs in the modulation of SERT-mediated 5-HT transport that may be relevant for the etiology and/or therapy of 5-HT-linked brain disorders.
Dynamic power control with energy constraint for Multimedia Wireless Sensor Networks

In recent years, many approaches and techniques have been explored for the optimization of energy usage in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). It is well recognized that a proper energy consumption model is the foundation for developing and evaluating a power management scheme in WSN. In this paper, we propose a new complete information Markov Decision Process (MDP) model to characterize sensors energy levels. We also propose and compare several centralized power control policies to select the more efficient policy that optimizes throughput and energy consumption.
A medium-voltage transformerless AC/DC power conversion system consisting of a diode rectifier and a shunt hybrid filter

This paper proposes a 3.3-kV transformerless AC-to-DC power conversion system consisting of a three-phase six-pulse diode rectifier and a shunt hybrid filter. The hybrid filter is formed by a single tuned LC filter per phase and a small-rated three-phase active filter, which are directly connected in series without any matching transformer. The required rating of the active filter is much smaller than that of a conventional standalone active filter. In addition, no additional switching-ripple filter is required for the hybrid filter because the LC filter functions not only as a tuned filter around the 7th-harmonic frequency but also as a switching-ripple filter around 10 kHz. Experimental results obtained from a 200-V, 5-kW laboratory system and simulation results of a 3.3-kV, 300-kW system confirm the validity and effectiveness of the system.
Racial Threat and Partisan Identification

Over the past three decades, as the Democratic party in the South has come to depend more heavily on black voters for its success, it has experienced a decline among white adherents. Power theory views relationships between groups as a function of their competitive positions in political, economic, and social arenas. In contexts where the threat posed by a minority group is high, the dominant group's response is predicted to be more hostile than in contexts where that threat is low. A pooled time series analysis of voter registration data for Louisiana parishes for 1975–90 provides support for the operation of the threat mechanism. Higher black concentrations are associated with declines in the percentage of white registered voters who are Democrats and an increase in the percentage who are Republicans. Consistent with the expectations of power theory, this relationship is conditioned by the social status of the parish.
Results and conclusions of the European Intergroup EURO-LB02 trial in children and adolescents with lymphoblastic lymphoma

In the European Intergroup EURO-LB02 trial, children and adolescents with lymphoblastic lymphoma underwent the non-Hodgkin lymphoma Berlin-Frankfurt-Münster protocol without prophylactic cranial radiotherapy. The primary aims of this trial were to test whether replacing prednisone with dexamethasone during induction increases event-free survival in the subgroups with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma and whether therapy duration could be reduced from 24 to 18 months (factorial design, randomizations). These questions could not be answered due to premature closure of the trial. Here we report on the secondary aims of the trial: whether the results of the NHL-BFM90 study could be reproduced and evaluation of disease features and prognostic factors. Three hundred and nineteen patients (66 with precursor B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, 233 with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, 12 with mixed phenotype, 8 not classifiable) were enrolled. In induction, 215 patients received prednisone and 104 patients received dexamethasone. The median follow-up was 6.8 years (range, 3.0–10.3). The 5-year event-free survival was 82±2% [12 toxic deaths, 5 secondary malignancies, 43 non-response/relapse (central nervous system n=9; all received prednisone during induction)]. The event-free survival rate was 80±5% for patients with precursor B-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, 82±3% for those with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma, and 100% for patients with a mixed phenotype. During induction, significantly more grade III/IV toxicities were observed in patients receiving dexamethasone, resulting in significant treatment delays. The number of toxic deaths did not differ significantly. The only variable associated with outcome was performance status at diagnosis. The 90% event-free survival rate for patients with T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma shown in study NHL-BFM90 was not replicated, mainly due to more toxic deaths and central nervous system relapses. Dexamethasone in induction may prevent central nervous system relapse more effectively than prednisone but produces a higher burden of toxicity. (#NCT00275106).
Size matters: Early vocabulary as a predictor of language and literacy competence

This paper investigated the predictive ability of expressive vocabulary size and lexical composition at age 2 on later language and literacy skills from ages 3 through 11. Multivariate analysis of covariance was performed to compare 16 language and literacy outcomes between children with large expressive vocabulary size at 24 months (N = 1,073) and those with smaller expressive vocabulary size. Comparisons between large and small verb size groups as a measure of lexical composition were also conducted. Our findings indicate that, after controlling for gender, birth order, ethnicity and socioeconomic status, total vocabulary size at age 2 can significantly predict subsequent language and literacy achievement up to fifth grade. Moreover, vocabulary size is a better predictor of later language ability than lexical composition.
Cellulose Nanofibre Mesh for Use in Dental Materials

The aim of this study was to produce a 3D mesh of defect free electrospun cellulose acetate nanofibres and to use this to produce a prototype composite resin containing nanofibre fillers. This might find use as an aesthetic orthodontic bracket material or composite veneer for restorative dentistry. In this laboratory based study cellulose acetate was dissolved in an acetone and dimethylacetamide solvent solution and electrospun. The spinning parameters were optimised and lithium chloride added to the solution to produce a self supporting nanofibre mesh. This mesh was then silane coated and infiltrated with either epoxy resin or an unfilled Bis-GMA resin. The flexural strength of the produced samples was measured and compared to that of unfilled resin samples. Using this method cellulose acetate nanofibres were successfully electrospun in the 286 nm range. However, resin infiltration of this mesh resulted in samples with a flexural strength less than that of the unfilled control samples. Air inclusion during preparation and incomplete wetting of the nanofibre mesh was thought to cause this reduction in flexural strength. Further work is required to reduce the air inclusions before the true effect of resin reinforcement with a 3D mesh of cellulose acetate nanofibres can be determined.
Measuring the Acceptance and Adoption of E-Learning by Academic Staff

The aim of the study was to investigate Jordanian lecturers' attitudes towards the adoption of e-learning system. A number of hypotheses were formulated for this purpose. The findings of the study show that there existed positive relationship between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, computer knowledge, management support and intention to adopt. Whereas there existed negative relationship between normative pressure, computer anxiety and intention to adopt. Based on the results a number of recommendations were proposed, and suggestions for future studies were made. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel. 2011.03. 016
Confidence Estimation for Superpixel-Based Stereo Matching

In this paper we propose an approach for estimating the confidence of stereo matches for super pixel-based disparity estimation. To our knowledge, this is the first such method reported in the literature. Starting from a simple super pixel stereo algorithm, we present a representative set of features that can be extracted from the disparity map and the super pixel fitting process. A random forest classifier is then trained on these features to predict whether the disparity assigned to each pixel of a test disparity map is correct or not. We perform experiments on the KITTI stereo benchmark and show that our confidence estimator is very accurate in predicting which disparities are correct and which are not. We also present a post-processing algorithm for improving the accuracy of the disparity maps that exploits the confidence estimates to reject wrong disparity values and achieves significant error reduction.
Classification of Log-Polar-Visual Eigenfaces using Multilayer Perceptron

In this paper we present a simple novel approach to tackle the challenges of scaling and rotation of face images in face recognition. The proposed approach registers the training and testing visual face images by log-polar transformation, which is capable to handle complicacies introduced by scaling and rotation. Log-polar images are projected into eigenspace and finally classified using an improved multi-layer perceptron. In the experiments we have used ORL face database and Object Tracking and Classification Beyond Visible Spectrum (OTCBVS) database for visual face images. Experimental results show that the proposed approach significantly improves the recognition performances from visual to log-polar-visual face images. In case of ORL face database, recognition rate for visual face images is 89.5% and that is increased to 97.5% for log-polar-visual face images whereas for OTCBVS face database recognition rate for visual images is 87.84% and 96.36% for log-polar-visual face images.
Thalamocortical Connectivity Predicts Cognition in Children Born Preterm

Thalamocortical connections are: essential for brain function, established early in development, and significantly impaired following preterm birth. Impaired cognitive abilities in preterm infants may be related to disruptions in thalamocortical connectivity. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis: thalamocortical connectivity in the preterm brain at term-equivalent is correlated with cognitive performance in early childhood. We examined 57 infants who were born <35 weeks gestational age (GA) and had no evidence of focal abnormality on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Infants underwent diffusion MRI at term and cognitive performance at 2 years was assessed using the Bayley III scales of Infant and Toddler development. Cognitive scores at 2 years were correlated with structural connectivity between the thalamus and extensive cortical regions at term. Mean thalamocortical connectivity across the whole cortex explained 11% of the variance in cognitive scores at 2 years. The inclusion of GA at birth and parental socioeconomic group in the model explained 30% of the variance in subsequent cognitive performance. Identifying impairments in thalamocortical connectivity as early as term equivalent can help identify those infants at risk of subsequent cognitive delay and may be useful to assess efficacy of potential treatments at an early age.
Proanthocyanidins Produce Significant Attenuation of Doxorubicin-Induced Mutagenicity via Suppression of Oxidative Stress

This study has been initiated to determine whether proanthocyanidins can protect against doxorubicin-induced mutagenicity in mice and to elucidate the potential mechanism of this protection. Pretreatment of mice with proanthocyanidins (100 mg/kg/day, orally) for 7 days and simultaneously with doxorubicin (12 mg/kg, i.p.) for another day, significantly reduced the frequency of bone marrow DNA strand breaks and micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes compared to doxorubicin-treated mice alone. Furthermore, proanthocyanidins caused a reduction in bone marrow suppression induced by doxorubicin treatment. In male germline, orally administration of proanthocyanidins (100 mg/kg/day, orally) for 7 consecutive days before and 7 consecutive days after treatment with doxorubicin (12 mg/ kg, i.p.), significantly elevated the levels of sperm count and motility reduced by doxorubicin treatment. Furthermore, proanthocyanidins significantly decreased the elevated levels of spermatogonial and spermatocyte chromosomal aberrations and sperm head abnormality induced by doxorubicin. Prior administration of proanthocyanidins ahead of doxorubicin reduced the doxorubicin induced testicular lipid peroxidation and prevented the reduction in testicularnonprotein sulfhydryl significantly. Conclusively, this study provides for the first time that proanthocyanidins have a protective role in the abatement of doxorubicin-induced mutagenesis and cell proliferation changes in germinal cells of mice that reside, at least in part, in their radical scavengeractivity. Therefore, proanthocyanidins can be a promising chemopreventive agent to avert secondary malignancy and abnormal reproductive outcomes risks in cancer patients receiving doxorubicin-involved treatment.
Using “New” Media to Get “Old” Media Coverage

The Internet is often viewed as a replacement for “old” modes of communication, a tool used by news seekers, including public officials, to bypass traditional news media. However, the authors show that the arrival of this “new” media has not caused officials to forsake journalists and abandon traditional media. Instead, they are utilizing theWeb as a new method for seeking coverage from the old media. By conducting a content analysis of the official Web sites of every member of the U.S. Congress, the authors reveal that about three-quarters of these legislators explicitly employ their site to try to attract journalists and traditional reporting. In addition, the authors examine the types of features that are included to make congressional Web sites “media friendly” and the extent to which each of these is used by members. Finally, they discuss some of the factors that explain the variance among legislators in regard to their use of Web sites for this purpose.
Spatial Frequency and the Magno-Parvocellular Distinction—Some Remarks

Many researchers have attempted to use suprathreshold contrast stimuli of low or high spatial frequencies to selectively stimulate (or bias stimuli for) the magnocellular or parvocellular subcortical visual pathways. While this can be done at contrast threshold, the possibility of doing so at suprathreshold contrasts is less clear and is reviewed here. Research on monkeys indicates that (1) magno-and parvocellular neurons are similar when compared at the same visual field eccentricity. Also, (2) koniocellular neurons seem comparable to magno-and parvocellular cells with regard to spatial properties. In addition, (3) cortical neurons are highly selective for spatial frequencies making it possible that response differences associated with high and low spatial frequencies reflect cortical rather than subcortical factors. It is concluded, that the manipulations of spatial frequency in suprathreshold stimuli provides a poor means for separating the magnocellular and parvocellular systems.
Depression in an elderly population in Turkey

The prevalence of depression was investigated in 2 groups of elderly‐people in Turkey living in a public old people's home and in their own home. Depression was assessed according to the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression, not clinical diagnosis. The prevalence of depression was 35% (33% for men, 37% for women) for the total population, 41% (40% for men, 42% for women) for those living in an institution and 29% (24% for men, 33% for women) for those living at home. Not being able to work actively, poor religious interest, widowhood, alcohol consumption, older age and physical disability were significantly correlated with the prevalence of depression. Institutional care was also associated with depression. The prevalence of depression was not related to sex, education, occupation or economic status.
Ethnoecology as Applied Anthropology in Amazonian Development

Social and ecological devastation in Amazonia necessitates alternative strategies for sustained, ecologically sound development. The study of indigenous ecological knowledge (ethnoecology) is shown to offer the bases for these new strategies. Six categories of folk knowledge are explored: gathered products, game, aquaculture, agriculture, resource units and cosmology. A set of recommendations for systematic ethnoecological research is offered, the application of which will not only identify new categories of resources, but also offer alternative resource management strategies to bring the benefits of development to all residents of Amazonia.
Individual differences in children's risk perception and appraisals in outdoor play environments

Abstract Child characteristics including age, gender, risk-taking behaviour and sensation seeking are thought to influence children's ability to appraise risks. The present study investigated children's risk perceptions and appraisals in the context of common outdoor physical play activities. Risk perceptions and appraisal of four- and five-year olds were assessed using a pictorial risk appraisal measure and through individual semi-structured interviews examining children's decision-making. Sensation seeking and risk-taking behaviour were assessed using self- and parent-report measures. Results revealed that the children were able to identify injury risk behaviours however differentiating the severity of the potential injury was less accurate. Furthermore, the children appeared to use these judgements in their play to inform their behaviour whilst using playground equipment. Whilst they actively sought out those activities that offered challenge and excitement, they were aware of their abilities and showed caution in engaging in activities that were beyond their current capabilities. The results have implications for the provision of calculated risk-taking in outdoor play and for adult responses to the risk-taking behaviour of children.
Towards a gender inclusive information and communications technology curriculum: a perspective from graduates in the workforce

An online survey was conducted of recent information and communications technology (ICT) graduates from 21 Australian universities. A range of abilities including personal/interpersonal, cognitive, business and technical were examined in relation to importance in the workplace and university preparation of those abilities. In addition, a set of six open-ended text-response questions concerned with the curriculum and other workplace preparation were asked. Quantitative and qualitative analyses revealed a range of responses that were significantly different according to gender. Amongst the significant findings are that females are more concerned than males with interpersonal communication, the development of people-skills and the people side of ICT. Implications for the ICT curriculum are that it should have more than a narrow male-centred technological focus and include the involvement of people and the effects of ICT on society in general. This broad inclusive pedagogical approach would satisfy the needs expressed by all respondents and contribute to increasing the enrolments of both female and male students in ICT.
Reactions to crime victims : Effects of victims' emotional state and type of relationship

Two experiments investigated the impact of potential supporters' relationship to a crime victim (communal—very close friend, exchange—casual acquaintance) and the victim's emotional reactions (fear, sadness, or anger) on appraisal of the victim's needs, the costs of helping, and intentions to offer assistance. Results of the first experiment (N = 246 women), which involved a robbery victim, showed that those in a communal relationship judged the victim to be more needy, whereas those in an exchange relationship judged the costs of helping to be greater. Communal participants expressed stronger intentions to offer help. The victim's emotional reaction influenced appraisals of need (anger < fear and sad) and intentions to help (anger < sad), but not appraisals of costs. Needs and costs were significantly correlated with intentions for those in the communal and exchange conditions. These results were essentially replicated in the second study, which included modifications designed to correct for alternative .
Sectoral Shocks and Metropolitan Employment Growth

Abstract In this paper, we study the sources of industry employment growth in each of five metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs). The objective is to understand the relative importance of aggregate disturbances versus local sectoral shocks in generating observed employment fluctuations at the MSA level. The empirical evidence presented in this paper derives from structural vector autoregressions (SVARs), estimated for each of the five MSAs. Estimations use monthly employment data covering nine one-digit industrial categories for the period 1951:1–1999:8, as well as two variables that capture the influences of aggregate (i.e., national) shocks on MSAs. We find that within-MSA industry shocks explain considerably more of the forecast error variance in industry employment growth than do aggregate shocks. Sectoral shocks account for between 87 and 94% of the 36-month-ahead forecast error variance. Among individual local sectors, shocks to MSA-specific government, manufacturing, and service sector employment growth are the predominate sources of variability.