Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic analysis of milk production traits of Tunisian Holsteins using random regression test-day model with Legendre polynomials

Objective The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters of milk, fat, and protein yields within and across lactations in Tunisian Holsteins using a random regression test-day (TD) model. Methods A random regression multiple trait multiple lactation TD model was used to estimate genetic parameters in the Tunisian dairy cattle population. Data were TD yields of milk, fat, and protein from the first three lactations. Random regressions were modeled with third-order Legendre polynomials for the additive genetic, and permanent environment effects. Heritabilities, and genetic correlations were estimated by Bayesian techniques using the Gibbs sampler. Results All variance components tended to be high in the beginning and the end of lactations. Additive genetic variances for milk, fat, and protein yields were the lowest and were the least variable compared to permanent variances. Heritability values tended to increase with parity. Estimates of heritabilities for 305-d yield-traits were low to moderate, 0.14 to 0.2, 0.12 to 0.17, and 0.13 to 0.18 for milk, fat, and protein yields, respectively. Within-parity, genetic correlations among traits were up to 0.74. Genetic correlations among lactations for the yield traits were relatively high and ranged from 0.78±0.01 to 0.82±0.03, between the first and second parities, from 0.73±0.03 to 0.8±0.04 between the first and third parities, and from 0.82±0.02 to 0.84±0.04 between the second and third parities. Conclusion These results are comparable to previously reported estimates on the same population, indicating that the adoption of a random regression TD model as the official genetic evaluation for production traits in Tunisia, as developed by most Interbull countries, is possible in the Tunisian Holsteins.
From bounds on optimal growth towards a theory of good-deal hedging

Good-deal bounds have been introduced as a way to obtain valuation bounds for deriva- tive assets which are tighter than the arbitrage bounds. This is achieved by ruling out not only those prices that violate no-arbitrage restrictions but also trading opportunities that are 'too good'. We study dynamic good-deal valuation bounds that are derived from bounds on optimal expected growth rates. This leads naturally to restrictions on the set of pricing measure which are local in time, thereby inducing good dynamic properties for the good-deal valuation bounds. We study good-deal bounds by duality arguments in a general semimartingale setting. In a Wiener space setting where asset prices evolve as Itˆ o-processes, good-deal bounds are then conveniently described by back- ward SDEs. We show how the good-deal bounds arise as the value function for an optimal control problem, where a dynamic coherent a priori risk measure is minimized by the choice of a suitable hedging strategy. This demonstrates how the theory of no-good-deal valuations can be associated to an established concept of dynamic hedging in continuous time.
What are all the things that aspirin does?

This fascinating but simple and cheap drug has an assured future Ask any medical student and he or she will tell you that aspirin reduces fever, pain, and inflammation but may cause ulcers. Students may also recollect that it prolongs bleeding, and may prevent strokes and heart attacks, but would be unlikely to know of its use in cancer or Alzheimer's disease. A defining point in the history of aspirin was the discovery that it inhibited the prostaglandin forming cyclooxygenase.1 Prostaglandins cause inflammation, fever, and pain; have gastric cytoprotective actions; and are implicated in platelet aggregation, so this discovery provided a unified explanation for the effects of aspirin (and most other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). However, events took an even more interesting turn when a further isoform of cyclo-oxygenase, cyclooxygenase-2, was discovered.2 While similar in many ways to the original enzyme (COX 1) there were important differences, including the fact that COX 2 was induced in cells by inflammatory insults. COX 2 therefore seemed to be the most relevant target in inflammation, which led …
The committee of the regions : institutionalising multi-level governance?

Traces the development of the Committee of the Regions through its first mandate (1994-98). In the text, the author analyzes the tasks, powers and output of the Committee, placing the latter in the context of the complex, evolving EU system. Contrasting the Committee's formal weakness and administrative problems with its actual output and potential, he finds that the Committee offers subnational government players an opportunity for influence which, with the aid of the European Commission, they are willing and often able to exploit, thereby adding a genuinely subnational aspect to the goverenace of the European Union.
Unilateral destructive wrist synovitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical and radiographic features of a group of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients who developed unilateral destructive wrist synovitis. METHODS All wrist radiographs performed yearly between 1986 and 2002 in JIA patients who had wrist involvement were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients who had unilateral erosive wrist synovitis, defined as a difference of at least -3 units in the Poznanski score between the affected wrist and the unaffected wrist, with the Poznanski score in the unaffected wrist being > -2 units throughout the follow-up period. Clinical and radiographic data obtained during follow-up were recorded for all patients. RESULTS Of a total of 250 patients for whom we had approximately 900 wrist radiographs, 6 patients were found to have unilateral erosive wrist synovitis. The JIA onset subtype was oligoarticular in 5 patients and polyarticular in 1 patient and the disease duration from presentation to the last follow-up visit ranged from 2 to 16 years. The arthritis course was polyarticular in all patients. Five patients had positive antinuclear antibodies (ANA) and 1 had positive rheumatoid factor (RF). At the last follow-up visit, all patients had some impairment of wrist function and 2 patients had wrist subluxation. There was a marked radiographic damage in all affected wrist, with the Poznanski ranging from -8.0 to -8.50 units in 3 patients and being -5.5, -3.1 and -2.4 units, respectively, in 3 patients. The severity of radiographic damage in the ANA-positive patients with the longest disease duration was comparable to that observed in the RF-positive patient. CONCLUSION Unilateral erosive wrist synovitis seems to be uncommon in JIA. Patients with unilateral wrist synovitis may be at risk of a destructive course irrespective of the JIA onset subtype.
Irrelevance of Open Market Operations in Some Economies with Government Currency Being Dominated in Rate of Return

This paper describes an environment in which government-issued currency is dominated in rate of return and in which there obtains a Modigliani-Miller theorem for government open market operations. Earlier Modigliani-Miller theorems for government finance have been stated for environments in which government-issued currency is not dominated in rate of return in equilibrium. Since government-issued currency is widely observed to be dominated in return, it is useful to study how Modigliani-Miller theorems hinge on absence of rate of return dominance.
Preference-Based Measurement of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQL) in Children with Chronic Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSKDs)

Background. Health-related quality of life can be measured by patients' health preferences (utilities or values). No method for measuring health state preferences has been standardized for children with arthritis or other musculoskeletal disorders (MSKDs). Such a method is needed for economic evaluations of current and new pediatric treatments. Objectives . 1) To assess the feasibility of utility measurements in children with MSKDs, 2) to test the validity of the Health Utility Index (HUI) for these children, 3) to assess whether rating scale values can be mathematically converted into meaningful standard gamble (SG) utilities, and 4) to study whether parents can act as proxies for their children with respect to health state preferences. Methods. Eighty parents of children with MSKDs were consecutively sampled. Their children, if 8 years of age or older (n = 55), were studied concurrently. Utilities of current health states were obtained by using the SG and the HUI in random order. In addition, health state preferences were assessed using categorical and analog rating scales. Traditional nonutility measures of health status (the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire [CHAQ] and the Activities Scale for Kids [ASK]) were also completed. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess concordance between the different utility measures and also between the ratings of the parents and their children. Results. Children 8 years of age or older were able to express the strength of their health state preferences using the HUI and rating scales. Children older than 10 years of age were able to use the SG method. The health state utilities of the parents were higher than those of their children. The utilities varied widely depending on the elicitation method. The expected high agreement between the SG and the HUI was not found (ICC = 0.028 for parents, ICC = 0.016 for patients). Unlike the SG, the global utilities derived from the HUI agreed better with preferences derived from rating scales (ICC = 0.23-0.25) and correlated with traditional health status measures (with CHAQ, r = -0.56; with ASK, r = 0.46) both for parents and children. It was not possible to mathematically convert rating scale preferences into SG utilities. The SG utilities were unrelated to results from the rating scales, the CHAQ, and the ASK. Especially for parents, the SG utilities were very high, even when ratings of the other measures indicated poor health. Conclusions. Although it is possible to measure health utilities for children with MSKDs, the results are highly method dependent. The properties of the HUI in this population are more like those of the traditional health status measures rather than those of the SG. Preferences derived from rating scales, although easily performed, cannot readily be converted into SG utilities. Parents' ratings for their children are impaired by risk aversion.
Production of Amylase from Bacillus thuringiensis J2 Using Apple Pomace as Substrate in Solid State Fermentation

Due to the increasing demand for enzymes in various industries, there is enormous interest in research on enzymes suitable for commercial applications and their cost effective production techniques. The microbial production of amylase is more effective than the other sources as the technique is easy, cost effective and consistent which can be modified to obtain enzymes of desired characteristics (Panneerselvam and Elavarasi, 2015). The amylases dominate about 25 per cent of enzyme trade in commercial applications especially for hydrolysis of starch in various industries. Amylases are classified into three categories based on their mode of action viz., α-amylases, β-amylases and glucoamylases. Among these amylases, α-amylase ranks first in terms of commercial exploitation as αamylases are active over a broad pH (5.0-9.0) and temperature (35-105°C) (Tiwari et al., 2014). α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1) is a wellknown calcium containing enzyme which catalyzes hydrolyses of starch and related carbohydrates by randomly cleaving internal α-D-(1,4) glycosidic linkages, yielding glucose, maltose and other oligosaccharides (Senthilkumar et al., 2012). International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 8 (2017) pp. 3465-3474 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Intraarticular ganglia of the knee: prevalence, presentation, etiology, and management.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present a comprehensive review of intraarticular ganglia of the knee. MATERIALS AND METHODS Cases of intraarticular ganglia of the knee were collected from a group of 1767 consecutive patients referred for MR imaging examinations of the knee. Medical records and radiologic, arthroscopic, and pathologic reports were reviewed. RESULTS Twenty-three patients (17 men and six women) had intraarticular ganglia of the knee. Three ganglia were found in Hoffa's fat pad, 10 were associated with the anterior cruciate ligament, eight were associated with the posterior cruciate ligament, and two had no definite association with either the anterior or the posterior cruciate ligament. Of the 23 ganglia, 14 (61%) were located in the intercondylar notch. Pain was the most common complaint: medial joint line tenderness, lateral joint line tenderness, or retropatellar pain. Two of the three patients with ganglia in Hoffa's fat pad had a palpable mass on physical examination. Of the 23 patients with intraarticular ganglia of the knee, 18 (78%) had no associated internal derangement. Five patients underwent arthroscopic surgery, confirming the diagnosis of ganglionic cyst. Of these five patients, none had a recurrence. CONCLUSION With the advent of MR imaging of the knee, intraarticular ganglia of the knee have been found to occur more commonly than once thought, with a prevalence of 1.3% in this series. Radiologists interpreting knee MR images must be aware of this entity and its management.
The immunogenicity of L1210 lymphoma clones correlates with their ability to function as antigen‐presenting cells

Major histocompatibility complex class II (MHCII) antigen expression is directly correlated with immunogenicity, and inversely correlated with tumorigenicity, in clones of the L1210 murine B lymphoma. Moreover, loss of MHCII expression on human diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma is associated with dramatic decreases in patient survival. Thus, the role that MHCII antigens play in the progression of B‐cell lymphomas is clinically important. In this study, we investigated the basis for the immunogenicity of MHCII+ L1210 clones. Immunogenic, but not tumorigenic L1210 clones stimulated the proliferation of naïve T cells and their interleukin (IL)‐2 production, which indicates that the immunogenic clones can function as antigen‐presenting cells (APCs). However, subclonal variants of the immunogenic L1210 clones, which form tumours slowly in mice, could not activate T cells. The costimulatory molecules B7‐1, B7‐2 and CD40 were expressed on the immunogenic L1210 clones, but not the tumorigenic clones. Importantly, the tumour‐forming subclonal variants expressed MHCII and B7‐1, but lacked B7‐2 and CD40. These results suggest that MHCII and B7‐1 expression on L1210 cells is insufficient to activate naïve T cells, and, furthermore, loss of B7‐2 and/or CD40 expression contributes to the decreased immunogenicity of L1210 subclones. Blocking B7‐1 or B7‐2 function on immunogenic L1210 cells reduced their capacity to activate naïve T cells. Furthermore, incubation of immunogenic L1210 cells with CD40 antibodies significantly enhanced APC function. Therefore, the immunogenicity of L1210 cells directly correlates (i) with their ability to stimulate naïve T cells, and (ii) with the concomitant expression of MHCII, B7‐1, B7‐2, and CD40.
TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 Regulates the Accumulation of Seed Storage Reserves in Arabidopsis1[OPEN]

An Arabidopsis transcription factor regulates the accumulation of seed storage reserves, including storage proteins and fatty acids. Seed storage reserves mainly consist of starch, triacylglycerols, and storage proteins. They not only provide energy for seed germination and seedling establishment, but also supply essential dietary nutrients for human beings and animals. So far, the regulatory networks that govern the accumulation of seed storage reserves in plants are still largely unknown. Here, we show that TRANSPARENT TESTA GLABRA1 (TTG1), which encodes a WD40 repeat transcription factor involved in many aspects of plant development, plays an important role in mediating the accumulation of seed storage reserves in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The dry weight of ttg1-1 embryos significantly increases compared with that of wild-type embryos, which is accompanied by an increase in the contents of starch, total protein, and fatty acids in ttg1-1 seeds. FUSCA3 (FUS3), a master regulator of seed maturation, binds directly to the TTG1 genomic region and suppresses TTG1 expression in developing seeds. TTG1 negatively regulates the accumulation of seed storage proteins partially through transcriptional repression of 2S3, a gene encoding a 2S albumin precursor. TTG1 also indirectly suppresses the expression of genes involved in either seed development or synthesis/modification of fatty acids in developing seeds. In addition, we demonstrate that the maternal allele of the TTG1 gene suppresses the accumulation of storage proteins and fatty acids in seeds. Our results suggest that TTG1 is a direct target of FUS3 in the framework of the regulatory hierarchy controlling seed filling and regulates the accumulation of seed storage proteins and fatty acids during the seed maturation process.
Common obesity risk alleles in childhood attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder

Children with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have a higher rate of obesity than children without ADHD. Obesity risk alleles may overlap with those relevant for ADHD. We examined whether risk alleles for an increased body mass index (BMI) are associated with ADHD and related quantitative traits (inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity). We screened 32 obesity risk alleles of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) for ADHD based on 495 patients and 1,300 population‐based controls and performed in silico analyses of the SNPs in an ADHD meta‐analysis comprising 2,064 trios, 896 independent cases, and 2,455 controls. In the German sample rs206936 in the NUDT3 gene (nudix; nucleoside diphosphate linked moiety X‐type motif 3) was associated with ADHD risk (OR: 1.39; P = 3.4 × 10−4; Pcorr = 0.01). In the meta‐analysis data we found rs6497416 in the intronic region of the GPRC5B gene (G protein‐coupled receptor, family C, group 5, member B; P = 7.2 × 10−4; Pcorr = 0.02) as a risk allele for ADHD. GPRC5B belongs to the metabotropic glutamate receptor family, which has been implicated in the etiology of ADHD. In the German sample rs206936 (NUDT3) and rs10938397 in the glucosamine‐6‐phosphate deaminase 2 gene (GNPDA2) were associated with inattention, whereas markers in the mitogen‐activated protein kinase 5 gene (MAP2K5) and in the cell adhesion molecule 2 gene (CADM2) were associated with hyperactivity. In the meta‐analysis data, MAP2K5 was associated with inattention, GPRC5B with hyperactivity/impulsivity and inattention and CADM2 with hyperactivity/impulsivity. Our results justify further research on the elucidation of the common genetic background of ADHD and obesity. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Toxic effects of polychlorinated biphenyls (Aroclor 1254) on human sperm motility

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are common environmental contaminants that represent a considerable risk to reproductive toxicity in exposed human populations. Although some experimental studies have suggested an association between the levels of PCBs and semen quality, the direct effects of PCBs on human sperm parameters remain largely unexplored. To this aim, a short-term in vitro incubation experiment that better imitated the putative exposure of sperm to Aroclor 1254 (a commercial PCB mixture) in male reproduction tissue was conducted. Human sperm were incubated with various concentrations (0, 1, 5, or 25 mg l−1) of Aroclor 1254 for different amounts of time (3 and 6 h) in vitro. Sperm motility parameters were analyzed with computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA). The proportion of sperm with high mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) and the levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected to explore the probable cause of sperm impairment. Human sperm exposed to continuous Aroclor 1254 exhibited: (i) reduced sperm motility and kinematic parameters, (ii) a proportion of sperm with high ΔΨm that decreased in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05), and (iii) increased levels of ROS compared with controls (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Aroclor 1254 can decrease sperm motility, which may culminate in increased ROS and general mitochondrial dysfunction, thus affecting the fertilization potential of sperm. Our findings suggest a broader understanding of the effect of Aroclor 1254 on human sperm.
Prolonged Compound Muscle Action Potential Duration in Critical Illness Myopathy: Report of Nine Cases

The objective of this study was to determine the diagnostic use of compound muscle action potential duration in patients with critical illness myopathy. Accurate diagnosis is important because the muscles recover once the offending agents are withdrawn. We retrospectively reviewed 9 cases seen at our institution between 1999 and 2003 in which critical illness myopathy was diagnosed on the basis of clinical and electrophysiological evaluations. All the patients had weakness, difficulty weaning from mechanical ventilation, sepsis, and exposure to intravenous corticosteroids in the intensive-care unit. Seventy-five percent of tested motor nerves had responses. Amplitude was decreased in 100% of ulnar and peroneal nerves, and 71% of median and tibial nerves. Duration was prolonged in 100% of responsive motor nerves. Prolonged compound muscle action potential duration was the most characteristic electrophysiological finding of critical illness myopathy. Its recognition as part of a quick and simple bedside diagnostic test makes it preferable to other tests.
Fatty acids stimulate AMP‐activated protein kinase and enhance fatty acid oxidation in L6 myotubes

We investigated the role of fatty acid availability on AMPK signalling and fatty acid oxidation in skeletal muscle. Incubating L6 skeletal muscle myotubes with palmitate (a saturated fatty acid) or linoleate (a polyunsaturated fatty acid) increased AMPK activity by 56 and 38%, respectively, compared with untreated cells. Consistent with these changes, AMPK Thr172 and acetyl‐CoA carboxylase β Ser218 phosphorylation were increased in fatty acid treated cells. Pre‐incubating cells with palmitate or linoleate increased subsequent fatty acid oxidation by 86 and 92%, respectively. The enhanced AMPK signalling occurred in the absence of detectable changes in free AMP and glycogen content. The activity of the upstream kinase LKB1 was decreased by fatty acid treatment indicating that AMPK activation was not a consequence of LKB1 activation. Instead, fatty acids enhanced LKB1 phosphorylation of AMPK. Fatty acids did not alter LKB1 activity when either synthetic peptide or AMPK α(1–312) catalytic fragment was used as substrate indicating that the βγ subunits were required for the fatty acid activation. Infection of cells with a dominant‐negative AMPK adenovirus reduced basal fatty acid oxidation and inhibited the stimulatory effects of fatty acid pretreatment on fatty acid oxidation. These results indicate that increasing fatty acid availability increases AMPK activity independent of changes in the cellular energy charge and support the view that fatty acids may modulate AMPK allosterically, making it a better substrate for LKB1.