Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Quaternary Lidocaine Derivative, QX-314, Exerts Biphasic Effects on Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid Subtype 1 Channels In Vitro

Background:Transient receptor potential vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1) channels are important integrators of noxious stimuli with pronounced expression in nociceptive neurons. The experimental local anesthetic, QX-314, a quaternary (i.e., permanently charged) lidocaine derivative, recently has been shown to interact with and permeate these channels to produce nociceptive and sensory blockade in animals in vivo. However, little is known about the specific interactions between QX-314 and TRPV1 channels. Thus, the authors examined the mechanistic basis by which QX-314 acts on TRPV1 channels. Methods:The authors conducted an in vitro laboratory study in which they expressed TRPV1 and TRPV4 channels in Xenopus laevis oocytes and recorded cation currents with the two-electrode voltage clamp method. They used confocal microscopy for Ca2+ imaging in TRPV1 transient transfected tsA201 cells. Drugs were bath-applied by gravity perfusion. Statistical analyses were performed using Student t test, ANOVA, and post tests as appropriate (P < 0.05). Results:QX-314 activated TRPV1 channels at 10, 30, and 60 mM (0.4 ± 0.1%, 3.5 ± 1.3%, and 21.5 ± 6.9% of normalized peak activation, respectively; mean ± SEM; n = 12) but not TRPV4 channels (P < 0.001). Activation by QX-314 was blocked by the TRPV1 antagonist, capsazepine (100 &mgr;M). QX-314 (60 mM) activation and blockade by capsazepine was also demonstrated in Ca2+ imaging studies on TRPV1-expressing tsA201 cells. At subactivating concentrations (less than 1 mM), QX-314 potently inhibited capsaicin-evoked TRPV1 currents with an IC50 of 8.0 ± 0.6 &mgr;M. Conclusions:The results of this study show that the quaternary lidocaine derivative QX-314 exerts biphasic effects on TRPV1 channels, inhibiting capsaicin-evoked TRPV1 currents at lower (micromolar) concentrations and activating TRPV1 channels at higher (millimolar) concentrations. These findings provide novel insights into the interactions between QX-314 and TRPV1 and may provide an explanation for the irritant properties of intrathecal QX-314 in mice in vivo.
Language Teaching and Technology Forum: The Integration of a Student Response System in Flipped Classrooms.

The present study incorporates a student response system (SRS) as a means to engage students in a flipped classroom and promote active learning. While the effectiveness of such systems with regard to student learning has been well documented in disciplines that are dominated by lecture-based instruction, no studies have compared the effectiveness of SRSintegrated flipped classrooms in English language teaching contexts, as supported by the two different techniques of just-in-time teaching (JiTT) and peer instruction (PI). This study thus aims to fill this gap in the literature by examining the effects of SRS-integrated flipped classrooms on English language learners’ speaking skills, willingness to communicate, and satisfaction with the flipped learning experiences. Using a quasi-experimental design, the overall results indicate that SRS-integrated flipped classrooms are capable of providing interactive learning opportunities that enhance learners’ willingness to communicate, aiding their development of speaking skills and increasing their satisfaction with such learning experiences. The findings further suggest that the proposed approach has an additional advantage for motivating learners with low willingness to communicate to interact with the teacher and their peers in class activities, especially when facilitated by the PI technique.
A Preliminary Model of Particularistic Ties in Chinese political Alliances: Kan-ch'ing and Kuan-hsi in a Rural Taiwanese Township

When one becomes an official, the entire family prospers … they host banquets and send presents (ch'ing-k'o sung-li). … One can see no organization. Personal acquaintances (ssu-jen) are employed, factions are active, and there are feudal relationships (kuan-hsi) … Why were the big and small “fleets” [of Lin Piao's anti-party group] openly able to carry out the schemes of forming cliques, engaging in factionalism, and carrying out conspiracies by such acts as hosting banquets (ch'ing-k'o), sending gifts (sung-li), offering official positions and making promises? In addition to providing himself with extravagant pleasures, Wang Hungwen used the illegally obtained money and goods to host banquets (ch'ing-k'o), and send presents (sung-li) in order to recruit corrupt cadres and conduct anti-party factional activities. So many filthy political exchanges are just so happily arranged in an atmosphere of wine and women. Eat, Eat, Drink, Drink had already become a gauge by which Wang Hung-wen and his “little brothers” measured political relationships (kuan-hsi).
JAK2 activation in myeloproliferative neoplasms: A potential role for heterodimeric receptors

The various roles and importance of JAK2 in cell signaling have been appreciated for some time. In 2005, a point mutation in JAK2 (JAK2-V617F) was identified in a number of neoplastic myeloproliferative disorders, ushering in a new era of JAK2 research. This discovery uncovered a new therapeutic target to treat these neoplasms and in turn possibly prevent their progression into cancer. A thorough understanding of the mechanism of JAK2-V617F-mediated activation will enhance our knowledge of how JAK2 contributes to these diseases. While mutationally activated, JAK2-V617F still requires homodimeric cytokine receptors to provide a scaffold upon which the JAK2 molecules trans-activate each other via phosphorylation. We have recently shown that in addition to homodimeric receptors, single components of heterodimeric cytokine receptors may substitute for homodimeric receptors in activation of this mutant JAK2. While mutations in homodimeric cytokine receptors have been found in JAK2-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms, it is possible that components of heterodimeric receptors also contribute to these disorders through aberrant expression or mutational activation.
Ultimate Controllers, Ownership and the Probability of Insolvency in Financially Distressed Firms

This paper investigates the impact of corporate ownership and control on the outcome of financial distress. It is argued that the likelihood of financial distress resulting in insolvency depends on whether firms have controllers, the type of controllers and their cash flow ownership. Using a sample of 484 UK firms, 81 of which filed for insolvency, we show that financially distressed firms with controllers are more likely to be insolvent than widely held firms, where the probability of insolvency is greater when controllers are family or financial institutions. However, the probability of insolvency reduces significantly as the controllers' cash flow ownership increases beyond 10%. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Role of Experts in Local Government in Transitional Countries

Th is paper addresses the role of experts in decision-making in local government. Departing from theories about professionals and technocrats in decision-making processes, the question arises as to how much infl uence these experts have in policymaking processes. Th e paper addresses this question and discusses the role of western experts in adapting the social security system to EU requirements in a Polish community under the PHARE program. Th is is a critical case, because comparative figures show that local policy-makers in East European countries have a relatively large trust in experts and because of the money involved, Polish policy-makers are heavily dependent on the experts. Th ese facts result in the expectation that the experts’ advice would be humbly accepted. The case study shows, however, that many recommendations do not get a follow-up. The degree to which that is the case seems to depend on the contents of the recommendations, the arrogance of the experts and the degree to which the recommendations are suited to the specific characteristics of the recipient’s situation.
The Muscle Race After Bariatric Surgery: Ribosomal Proteins Come First

Obesity and its associated cardiometabolic comorbidities, which include type 2 diabetes, have emerged as a global pandemic condition. The global age-standardized prevalence of obesity was 12.0% in 2008, indicating that roughly 500 million adults were obese (1). More recent estimates indicate that, worldwide, the proportion of adults who were overweight or obese in 2013 was 36.9% for men and 38.0% for women (2) and that the number of overweight and obese individuals was 2.1 billion in 2013. As for obesity in children, global estimates also indicate that levels have been rising in recent decades (2,3). If nothing is done to reverse the epidemic, more than 1 billion adults are projected to be obese by 2030 (4). The use of bariatric surgery to treat obesity has rapidly gained widespread acceptance owing, in part, to greater weight loss and effective treatment of diabetes and other cardiometabolic risk factors. Different types of bariatric surgery such as laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), and biliopancreatic diversion are linked to distinct rates of hyperglycemia remission in patients with type 2 diabetes (5,6). RYGB has emerged as an efficient tool for treating obesity, and it leads to remission in 75% of patients with type 2 diabetes (5,7). The RYGB procedure involves the creation of a stomach pouch out of a small portion of the stomach and attaching it directly to the small intestine, bypassing a large part of the stomach and duodenum. Not only is the stomach pouch …
Social media data analysis for revealing collective behaviors

Along with the development of Web 2.0 applications, social media services has attracted many users and become their hands-on toolkits for recording life, sharing ideas, and social networking. Though social media services are essentially web or mobile applications and services, they combine user-generated content and social networks together, so that information can be created, transmitted, transformed, and consumed in the cyberspace. Thus, social media somehow could be regarded as a kind of sensor to the real life of its users. In general, the data from social media is of low quality. Pieces of information in social media are usually short, with informal presentation, and in some specific context that is highly related to the physical world. Therefore, it is challenging to extract semantics from social media data. However, we argue that given sufficient social media data, users' collective behaviors could be sensed, studied, and even predicted in a certain circumstance. Our study is conducted on data from two services, i.e. Twitter, and Sina Weibo, the most popular microblogging services all over the world and in China, respectively. Collective behaviors are actions of a large amount of various people, which are neither conforming nor deviant. Various collective behaviors are studied in the context of social media. Our studies show that there are various information flow patterns in social media, some of which are similar to traditional media such as newspapers, while others are embedded deep in the social network structure. The evolution of hotspots is highly affected by external stimulation, the social network structure, and individual user's activities. Furthermore, social media tends to be immune to some repeated similar external stimulations. Last but not the least, there is considerable difference in users' behavior between Twitter and Sina Weibo.
Genetic heterogeneity in lung and colorectal carcinoma as revealed by microsatellite analysis in plasma or tumor tissue DNA

Determination of tumor clonality has implications for molecular characterization and the optimal treatment of cancer. Allelotyping allows detection of the two alleles, maternal and paternal, and provides additional information regarding clonal genetic defects. The presence of allelic imbalances (AI) in tumors is a general event, but is not necessary at the same allele (alternative AI). The authors' goal was to determine whether the presence of alternative AI (AA) was a marker of heterogeneity and prognosis.
Climate change governance in Australian tourism: collaboration for low-carbon tourism

The Australian tourism industry is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change on natural areas and the destination choices of long-haul travellers concerned about carbon emissions. Human impacts on biodiversity, natural resources and the atmosphere are also increasing, along with research interest in environmental, climate, and sustainability governance. Governance involves the development of new relationships between the state (i.e. politicians, bureaucracy), civil society and corporate interests, where citizens and diverse interest groups actively engage with government and business on key policy and planning issues (Marsh, 2002). Governance structures and processes are expressed in policy networks based on ‘strategic development of partnerships and alliances between public and private spheres’ (Dredge & Jenkins, 2007, pp. 54-55). Beaumont and Dredge (2010) examined the structure and operation of three different local tourism governance networks for their effectiveness and impact on sustainable tourism management. Collaborative governance for planning and policy-making ‘refers to cooperation, support and mutual assistance between actors and agencies in the pursuit of common interests’ (Dredge & Jenkins, 2007, p. 461). For example, collaboration between tourism organisations and land trusts in the USA is based on mutual conservation goals and preservation of scenic natural areas (Chancellor, Norman, Farmer & Coe, 2010). This paper assesses the collaborative governance of climate change in Australian tourism, focusing on the carbon reduction initiatives promoted by government tourism agencies.
A history of divorce and remarriage in the United States

Purpose – This paper aims to review major historical trends in US divorce rates and the origin of divorce law in the USA, as well as several of the leading explanations for the increased rates of divorce in the 20th century and the impact of these trends on remarriage rates. Design/methodology/approach – Using a historical review, the paper discusses the origins of regional differences, the factors contributing to trends in divorce and remarriage, and the transition in persons pursuing divorce and remarriage throughout the history of the USA. Findings – The paper notes how the advent of industrialization transformed the family and contributed to rising divorce rates and examines common explanations for the dramatic increase in divorce throughout the 20th century. In particular, this review highlights how the feminist movement along with numerous legislative and demographic changes brought about the increased labor force participation of women and female economic independence, which allowed both men and women greater freedom to divorce. As divorce has become a more common event, the number of people eligible for remarriage has increased and the majority of those entering second marriages have shifted from widows and widowers to divorcees. Originality/value – Once scholars better understand the historical background for trends in divorce and remarriage, they can more readily recognize and address the implications for marriage in the present day.
Design and implementation of an 11-bit 50-MS/s split SAR ADC in 65 nm CMOS

This paper presents the design and implementation of an 11-bit 50-MS/s split successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) that features a comparator with input-referred offset cancellation, an improved split capacitor digital-to-analog converter (CDAC), and a CDAC mismatch calibrator. In order to reduce the input loading capacitance of the split CDAC, an extra unit capacitor is added to the most significant bit (MSB) array and the input is only sampled onto the bottom plates of the MSB array. Capacitance mismatch between the lowest-bit capacitor of the MSB array and the capacitors of the least significant bit (LSB) array is digitally calibrated. In the design of the comparator, kickback noise is suppressed by an intermediate stage. A switch is inserted between the regeneration nodes in order to rapidly equate their voltages before regeneration phase kicks start. An input-referred offset cancellation circuit, which adjusts the body voltages of the input triple-well transistors, was also developed. The ADC was designed and fabricated in a 65 nm complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. The chip consumes 2.48 mW and achieves a 58.95-dB signal to noise and distortion ratio (SNDR) at 50-MS/s sampling rate. Its figure of merit (FOM) is 95 fJ/conversion-step.
A Tourist's Multi-Destination Choice Model with Future Dependency

This study is concerned with the interrelated choices underlying a tourist's multi-destination behavior. A new destination choice model is developed based on the concept of future dependence, which argues that choice of a destination during a tour is influenced by choices of other destinations that will be visited later. The model is built within the universal (or mother) logit model framework and it is especially suitable to represent the choice behavior with many destinations, which are difficult to represent using a traditional nested logit model. The results of analysis empirically confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed modeling approach, using questionnaire survey data collected in Tottori Prefecture, Japan in 2007. It was also revealed that travel time, diversity of destination, and variety-seeking remarkably affect the multi-destination choice behavior.
Disease chronicity and activity predict subclinical left ventricular systolic dysfunction in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective: This study investigates parameters that could predict subclinical cardiac dysfunction in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in the absence of valvular, clinical coronary artery and pericardial disease. Design: A case-control trial. Setting: Rheumatology clinic, a university teaching hospital. Patients: Eighty-two female SLE patients (49 (SD 9) years) and 82 female normal subjects (49 (13) years) matched for age, body mass index, blood pressure and heart rate. Interventions: All underwent standard echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging. Main outcome measures: Twenty-two (27%) patients had evidence of impaired left ventricular (LV) long-axis function with mean myocardial peak systolic velocity (Sm) of basal six segments <4.4 cm/s and also subnormal stress-corrected midwall fractional shortening. Thirty-four (42%) patients demonstrated impaired right ventricular (RV) long-axis function. These occurred in the presence of comparable normal LV ejection fraction, cardiac index, and RV fractional area change to the control group. Patients with subnormal mean Sm were older (49 (8) vs 44 (9); p = 0.043) and had a higher prevalence of hypertension (46% vs 22%; p = 0.034), longer disease duration >10 years (82% vs 50%, p = 0.01), higher disease activity score (73% vs 48% for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI)⩾1, p = 0.049) and end-organ damage index (64% vs 47% with Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index (SLICC)⩾1, p = 0.049) than those with normal values. Disease duration >10 years, disease activity index and increased arterial stiffness provided additional incremental predictive value of LV long-axis function. Conclusion: SLE patients have subclinical long and short-axis dysfunctions. Regular monitoring of cardiac function by tissue Doppler echocardiography may be indicated for patients who had SLE for >10 years, frequent flare or when arterial stiffening is demonstrated.
CD8+ CTL from Lungs of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-Infected Mice Express Perforin In Vivo and Lyse Infected Macrophages1

CD8+ T lymphocytes have been implicated in the protective immune response against human and murine tuberculosis. However, the functional role that this cell subset plays during the resolution of infection remains controversial. In this study, we demonstrate the presence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific CD8+ CTL in the lungs and lung-draining lymph nodes of mice infected with M. tuberculosis via the aerosol or i.v. route. These cells expressed perforin in vivo and specifically recognized and lysed M. tuberculosis-infected macrophages in a perforin-dependent manner after a short period of in vitro restimulation. The efficiency of lysis of infected macrophages was dependent upon the time allowed for interaction between macrophage and M. tuberculosis bacilli. Recognition of infected targets by CD8+ CTL was β2-microglobulin and MHC class I dependent and was not CD1d restricted. The presented data indicate that CD8+ T cells contribute to the protective immune response during M. tuberculosis infection by exerting cytotoxic function and lysing infected macrophages.
Explaining Point Cloud Segments in Terms of Object Models

Segmenting the signal of a 3D-sensor represents a core problem in computer vision. Describing segments at the object level is a common requirement for higher-level tasks like action recognition. Non-parametric techniques can provide segmentation without prior model information. However, they are also prone to over-and under-segmentation, especially in case of high occluded scenes. In this paper we propose an approach to segmenting a 3D scene based on a set of known object models. Six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) model poses result from recognition and pose estimation by exploiting distinct object shapes acquired from a non-parametric segmentation stream. The aligned object models are used in order to resolve over-and under-segmentation by following a bottom-up strategy. Segmentation reﬁnement results from contracting and subdividing input segments in accordance to aligned object models. The proposed algorithm is compared to a trivial model-based segmentation approach that neglects the segmentation stream. Both approaches are evaluated on a set of 24 scenes which are divided into four different complexity categories. The complexity of the scenes ranges from simple to advanced, objects are placed in sparse conﬁgurations as well as highly occluded compositions.
Requirement for Phosphoglucomutase in Exopolysaccharide Biosynthesis in Glucose- and Lactose-Utilizing Streptococcus thermophilus

ABSTRACT To study the influence of phosphoglucomutase (PGM) activity on exopolysaccharide (EPS) synthesis in glucose- and lactose-growingStreptococcus thermophilus, a knockout PGM mutant and a strain with elevated PGM activity were constructed. ThepgmA gene, encoding PGM in S. thermophilusLY03, was identified and cloned. The gene was functional inEscherichia coli and was shown to be expressed from its own promoter. The pgmA-deficient mutant was unable to grow on glucose, while the mutation did not affect growth on lactose. Overexpression of pgmA had no significant effect on EPS production in glucose-growing cells. Neither deletion nor overexpression of pgmA changed the growth or EPS production on lactose. Thus, the EPS precursors in lactose-utilizing S. thermophilus are most probably formed from the galactose moiety of lactose via the Leloir pathway, which circumvents the need for a functional PGM.
The effect on intraocular pressure of endotracheal intubation or laryngeal mask use during TIVA withoutthe use of muscle relaxants

Background: Depolarizing and non‐depolarizing muscle relaxants possess many untoward side effects. In most patients endotracheal intubation may be performed with a propofol and alfentanil combination. The purpose of this study was to compare the effect on intraocular pressure (IOP) and haemodynamics of endotracheal (ET) intubation or laryngeal mask (LMA) insertion during total intravenous anaesthesia (TIVA) without the use of muscle relaxants.