Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leptin Regulates Growth Hormone-Releasing Factor, Somatostatin, and α-Melanocyte-Stimulating Hormone But Not Neuropeptide Y Release in Rat Hypothalamus In Vivo: Relation with Growth Hormone Secretion

It is known that leptin, an adipocyte-derived hormone, exerts a stimulatory effect on growth hormone (GH) secretion in various animal species. However, no previous study examined in vivowhether leptin affects the secretion of GH-releasing factor (GRF), somatostatin (SRIH), and some other closely relevant neurohormones in the hypothalamus. Therefore, in this study we investigated the effects of direct leptin infusion into the hypothalamus on the in vivo release of GRF, SRIH, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), and neuropeptide Y (NPY) in freely moving adult male rats using the push–pull perfusion. Leptin was infused into the median eminence–arcuate nucleus complex at three different concentrations, i.e., 1.0 (normal feeding level), 3.0, and 10 ng/ml (mild obesity level). In normally fed rats, only 10 ng/ml leptin was able to stimulate GH secretion, whereas in 3 d fasted rats, GH release was dose-dependently stimulated by 1.0 and 3.0 ng/ml leptin, although its 10 ng/ml dose did not produce additional effects. The facilitation of GH secretion occurred as increased pulse amplitudes without significant changes in the pulse frequency. During the leptin infusion, the hypothalamic GRF increased and SRIH decreased in magnitudes that approximately paralleled those of GH changes. Leptin stimulated the release of α-MSH in the fasted but not fed rats. It is likely that the fasting-induced increase in the hypothalamic α-MSH sensitivity to leptin is relevant to ingestive behavior involving leptin. Leptin was without effect on NPY release in either the fed or fasted group. Although it is certain that NPY mediates at least part of the metabolic actions of leptin, NPY is unlikely to be involved in the acute effects of leptin on GH, GRF, and SRIH secretion. These results demonstrate for the first time that leptin can alter the in vivo release of both GRF and SRIH in rat hypothalamus concurrently with the stimulation of GH secretion.
Effects of Minimum Wages on the Russian Wage Distribution

The available minimum wage literature is mostly based on evidence from developed countries or developing countries of Latin America. Little empirical work has been done on the effects of minimum wages in transition economies, where labour institutions experienced rapid changes and law enforcement differs in many important ways. This paper presents the first empirical evidence on minimum wage effects for Russia, the largest transition economy. I use regional variation in the relative level of the federal minimum wage to identify the impact of the threefold increase in the real value of the minimum wage on the Russian wage distribution between 2005 and 2009. The analysis suggests that the minimum wage can account for the bulk of the decline in the lower tail inequality, particularly for females.
An unusual case of oesophageal obstruction in a female buffalo.

A nine-year-old female graded Murrah buffalo weighing about 420 kg was presented to the clinic with a history of not taking feed and water and sudden development of bloat since the morning. It had calved three months before and had been sent out for grazing daily. The bloat was relieved using 16 G needle at a local hospital but the condition recurred. Clinical examination revealed distended left fl ank. Pulse, temperature and respiration were within normal physiological limits. On passage of a stomach tube, an obstruction was felt at the thoracic region anterior to the diaphragm. It was tentatively diagnosed as oesophageal obstruction, and it was decided to relieve the obstruction through rumenotomy, as thoracotomy in ruminants requires special equipment, and the procedure is a diffi cult one.
An Adaptive Congestion Control Mechanism for Streaming Multimedia in Mobile Ad-hoc Networks

In mobile ad hoc networks, most of the present routing protocols are designed to have congestion aware, but not congestion adaptive. The way in which the congestion is handled results in longer delay and more packets to be lost for streaming multimedia. When a new route is needed, the routing protocols require a significant overhead in finding it. Mobile Ad hoc Networks shows unexpected behavior with multiple data streams under heavy traffic load such as multimedia data when it is sent to common destination. The main reason for more delay and packet loss in mobile ad hoc networks is due to congestion. The system adapts adaptive congestion control aware to existing routing protocols in mobile ad hoc networks. In this paper we propose an adaptive congestion control method, in which perform well even during constrained situation. We have considered four popular routing protocols such as AODV, DSR, DSDV and TORA to analyzing the performance of the system. The proposed congestion control routing protocol will perform well for all the other routing protocols during heavy traffic loads. We can suggest here that routing protocols should not have only be aware of but also be adaptive to network congestion.
Origin and progeny of reactive gliosis: A source of multipotent cells in the injured brain

Reactive gliosis is the universal reaction to brain injury, but the precise origin and subsequent fate of the glial cells reacting to injury are unknown. Astrocytes react to injury by hypertrophy and up-regulation of the glial-fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Whereas mature astrocytes do not normally divide, a subpopulation of the reactive GFAP+ cells does so, prompting the question of whether the proliferating GFAP+ cells arise from endogenous glial progenitors or from mature astrocytes that start to proliferate in response to brain injury. Here we show by genetic fate mapping and cell type-specific viral targeting that quiescent astrocytes start to proliferate after stab wound injury and contribute to the reactive gliosis and proliferating GFAP+ cells. These proliferating astrocytes remain within their lineage in vivo, while a more favorable environment in vitro revealed their multipotency and capacity for self-renewal. Conversely, progenitors present in the adult mouse cerebral cortex labeled by NG2 or the receptor for the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGFRα) did not form neurospheres after (or before) brain injury. Taken together, the first fate-mapping analysis of astrocytes in the adult mouse cerebral cortex shows that some astrocytes acquire stem cell properties after injury and hence may provide a promising cell type to initiate repair after brain injury.
Constraint Satisfaction as Global Optimization

We present a optimization formulation for discrete binary CSP, based on the construction of a continuous function A(P) whose global maximum represents the best possible solution for that problem. By the best possible solution we mean either (i) a solution of the problem, if it is solvable, or (ii) a partial solution violating a minimal number of constraints, if the problem is unsolvable. This approach is based on relaxation labeling techniques used to enforce consistency in image interpretation. We have used a projected gradient ascent algorithm to maximize A(P) on the n-queens problem obtaining good results but with a high computational cost. To elude this problem, we have developed a heuristic for variable and value selection inspired in the direction in which A(P) is maximized. We have tested this heuristic with forward checking on several classes of CSP.
Resonant Electrical Coupling: Circuit Model and First Experimental Results

In this paper, the feasibility of resonant electrical coupling as a wireless power transfer technique is studied. A detailed comparison between this technique and the more popular resonant magnetic coupling based on circuit theory is provided. In this comparison, the strong duality that exists between the two techniques is demonstrated. The analytical results obtained are compared with the results measured with a proof-of-concept prototype.
Units in the analysis of signs

The assumption that there is a common set of linguistic principles underlying both spoken language and sign language phonology, which forms part of the human language capacity, is shared by most phonologists working on sign language. See Sandler (1993a) for an extensive discussion of these issues. But even though this assumption is reasonable, since both spoken and signed languages are products of the same human brain and fulfil the same function, it is not clear that theories of representation which have been proposed for spoken languages can be directly applied to the structure of sign languages. Such representations have been developed on the basis of the spoken language modality only. They are often so close to the phonetics of spoken languages that we cannot rule out the possibility that non-trivial aspects of them are modality-specific. Therefore, rather than, for example, attempting to test various competing (spoken language-based) theories of syllable structure, we must first investigate the structure of sign language in its own right. This strategy need not be pushed too far, however. In developing a model of signs we can benefit from general principles which have proved successful in the study of spoken languages, especially if these principles do not seem to be directly based on ‘spoken phonetics’.
Low-Cost Dielectric-Resonator Filters With Improved Spurious Performance

A dielectric-resonator filter configuration implemented as a single piece of a high-K ceramic substrate is presented in this paper. The proposed filter configuration considerably reduces the cost of the assembly and the integration associated with conventional dielectric-resonator filters. A two- and four-pole filter of this type operating in the TEH01 fundamental mode have been developed, manufactured, and tested. Theoretical designs of the filters are confirmed and supported by measurement results. The wideband spurious performances of the filters are investigated and the improvement of the spurious response is demonstrated theoretically and experimentally for both two- and four-pole filters. Furthermore, a novel triplet structure based on the proposed concept is presented, which provides a new approach to implement nonadjacent couplings for the realizations of asymmetric filtering characteristics. The proposed dielectric-resonator filter configurations can be potentially used to implement dual-mode dielectric-resonator filters. The concept is very attractive for use in low-cost high-Q mass production of wireless filter applications.
The four shifts: Family, work, online learning and social participation for female in-service teachers at the University of Botswana

The use of technology in distance education has been lauded as one the greatest changes to teaching and learning. This change has been credited with making it possible for working adults to pursue higher education from the comfort of their own homes. In this study, I explored the impact of integrating technology to a distance education program for female in-service teachers at the University of Botswana. It is argued in this research that the experiences of women with juggling family, work, distance learning and social commitments (four shifts) have largely been ignored in the zeal for technology. I also argued that gender is an important factor in technology integration because of its historical bias against women. The sociocultural issues associated with the transfer of Western technologies to less-developed countries were also discussed. The study was framed by four research questions; 1) How does learning at a distance affect full-time work and family responsibilities? 2) How does studying at a distance impact the women’s participation in their communities? 3) What are the issues associated with the use of Western instructional technologies for women in less-developed contexts? 4) Can participants benefit from online communities of practice? The qualitative research involved ten female teachers and used unstructured interviews, observations and document analysis as data collection methods.
Aberrant cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in recurrent pregnancy loss?

BACKGROUND Successful pregnancy may depend on a Th2-type cytokine response, whilst, conversely, a poor pregnancy outcome may be associated with an increase in Th1 cytokines and a concomitant decrease in Th2 cytokines. This prospective study was designed to elucidate whether a failure of the cytokine shift pre-dated miscarriage and was therefore likely to be an aetiological factor in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). METHODS Cytokine production by stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 46 pregnant women who had previously suffered idiopathic RPL during early pregnancy was compared with 25 gestationally age-matched pregnant controls and 11 non-pregnant women. RESULTS Production of IFN-gamma was lower in pregnant than in non-pregnant women and even lower in RPL pregnant women (P = 0.0191). IL-10 was increased in pregnant women compared with non-pregnant controls, and further increased in RPL patients (P = 0.026). IL-4 was also increased in women with RPL (P = 0.0001). No differences in IFN-gamma, IL-10 or IL-4 secretion were observed in RPL patients who subsequently miscarried compared with those who successfully completed the pregnancy. RPL women with a successful reproductive outcome had similar concentrations of TNF-alpha to pregnant women, RPL women who subsequently miscarried had significantly lower levels than either pregnant women (P = 0.02) or non-pregnant controls (P = 0.0004). CONCLUSIONS Contrary to our hypothesis, the cytokine shift, which appears to characterize normal pregnancy, was accentuated rather than diminished in RPL pregnant women.
Selection, Recombination and Demographic History in Drosophila miranda

Selection, recombination, and the demographic history of a species can all have profound effects on genomewide patterns of variability. To assess the impact of these forces in the genome of Drosophila miranda, we examine polymorphism and divergence patterns at 62 loci scattered across the genome. In accordance with recent findings in D. melanogaster, we find that noncoding DNA generally evolves more slowly than synonymous sites, that the distribution of polymorphism frequencies in noncoding DNA is significantly skewed toward rare variants relative to synonymous sites, and that long introns evolve significantly slower than short introns or synonymous sites. These observations suggest that most noncoding DNA is functionally constrained and evolving under purifying selection. However, in contrast to findings in the D. melanogaster species group, we find little evidence of adaptive evolution acting on either coding or noncoding sequences in D. miranda. Levels of linkage disequilibrium (LD) in D. miranda are comparable to those observed in D. melanogaster, but vary considerably among chromosomes. These patterns suggest a significantly lower rate of recombination on autosomes, possibly due to the presence of polymorphic autosomal inversions and/or differences in chromosome sizes. All chromosomes show significant departures from the standard neutral model, including too much heterogeneity in synonymous site polymorphism relative to divergence among loci and a general excess of rare synonymous polymorphisms. These departures from neutral equilibrium expectations are discussed in the context of nonequilibrium models of demography and selection.
Discovering data quality rules

Dirty data is a serious problem for businesses leading to incorrect decision making, inefficient daily operations, and ultimately wasting both time and money. Dirty data often arises when domain constraints and business rules, meant to preserve data consistency and accuracy, are enforced incompletely or not at all in application code. In this work, we propose a new data-driven tool that can be used within an organization's data quality management process to suggest possible rules, and to identify conformant and non-conformant records. Data quality rules are known to be contextual, so we focus on the discovery of context-dependent rules. Specifically, we search for conditional functional dependencies (CFDs), that is, functional dependencies that hold only over a portion of the data. The output of our tool is a set of functional dependencies together with the context in which they hold (for example, a rule that states for CS graduate courses, the course number and term functionally determines the room and instructor). Since the input to our tool will likely be a dirty database, we also search for CFDs that almost hold. We return these rules together with the non-conformant records (as these are potentially dirty records). We present effective algorithms for discovering CFDs and dirty values in a data instance. Our discovery algorithm searches for minimal CFDs among the data values and prunes redundant candidates. No universal objective measures of data quality or data quality rules are known. Hence, to avoid returning an unnecessarily large number of CFDs and only those that are most interesting, we evaluate a set of interest metrics and present comparative results using real datasets. We also present an experimental study showing the scalability of our techniques.
State of the Art Occupational Asthma

Substantial epidemiologic and clinical evidence indicates that agents inhaled at work can induce asthma. In industrialized countries, occupational factors have been implicated in 9 to 15% of all cases of adult asthma. Work-related asthma includes (1 ) immunologic occupational asthma (OA), characterized by a latency period before the onset of symptoms; (2 ) nonimmunologic OA, which occurs after single or multiple exposures to high concentrations of irritant materials; (3 ) work-aggravated asthma, which is preexisting or concurrent asthma exacerbated by workplace exposures; and (4 ) variant syndromes. Assessment of the work environment has improved, making it possible to measure concentrations of several highand low-molecular-weight agents in the workplace. The identification of host factors, polymorphisms, and candidate genes associated with OA is in progress and may improve our understanding of mechanisms involved in OA. A reliable diagnosis of OA should be confirmed by objective testing early after its onset. Removal of the worker from exposure to the causal agent and treatment with inhaled glucocorticoids lead to a better outcome. Finally, strategies for preventing OA should be implemented and their cost-effectiveness examined.
The activeness, critical, and creative thinking skills of students in the Lesson Study-based inquiry and cooperative learning

The application of innovative learning and lesson study (LS) have a potency to improve student thinking skills and activeness differently and mostly implemented separately. This study aimed to explore and compare the student critical and creative thinking skills as well as student activeness in the inquiry and cooperative models combined with lesson study-based learning practice. This was a descriptive quantitative study that was conducted at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 1 of Bengkulu. The sample was two classes consisted of 33 and 32 students each that conducted LS-based inquiry and LS-based cooperative learnings. The essay test delivered to measure students' critical and creative thinking skills and an observation sheet to measure student activeness. The data were analyzed by t-test to compare the student critical and creative thinking skills as well as the student activeness between the LS-inquiry and LS-cooperative classes. The result showed that LS-based inquiry learning improved the student critical and creative thinking skills that significantly higher than LS-based cooperative learning. The student activeness improved gradually as LS cycles during learning processes in either inquiry or cooperative learning, but no significant difference between these two learning models. It showed that inquiry learning plays a dominant influence in critical and creative thinking skills improvement, whereas LS in student activeness improvement otherwise.
T lymphocytes and fractalkine contribute to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in patients.

BACKGROUND Lymphocytes contribute to ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in several organ systems, but their relevance in ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is unknown. Our goal was to characterize lymphocyte dynamics in individuals after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI), assess the prognostic relevance of these cells, and explore mechanisms of lymphocyte-associated injury. METHODS Lymphocyte counts were retrospectively analyzed in 1,377 STEMI patients, and the prognostic relevance of post-PPCI lymphopenia was assessed by Cox proportional hazards regression. Blood from 59 prospectively recruited STEMI patients undergoing PPCI was sampled, and leukocyte subpopulations were quantified. Microvascular obstruction (MVO), a component of I/R injury, was assessed using MRI. RESULTS In the retrospective cohort, lymphopenia was associated with a lower rate of survival at 3 years (82.8% vs. 96.3%, lowest vs. highest tertile; hazard ratio 2.42). In the prospective cohort, lymphocyte counts fell 90 minutes after reperfusion, primarily due to loss of T cells. CD8+ T cells decreased more than CD4+ T cells, and effector subsets exhibited the largest decline. The early decrease in effector T cell levels was greater in individuals that developed substantial MVO. The drop in T cell subsets correlated with expression of the fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 (r2 = 0.99, P = 0.006). Serum fractalkine concentration peaked at 90 minutes after reperfusion, coinciding with the T cell count nadir. CONCLUSIONS Lymphopenia following PPCI is associated with poor prognosis. Our data suggest that fractalkine contributes to lymphocyte shifts, which may influence development of MVO through the action of effector T cells. TRIAL REGISTRATION Not applicable. FUNDING British Heart Foundation (FS/12/31/29533) and National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre.
What influences BSW students’ attitudes towards cross-border marriage immigrants? The Taiwanese case of female marriage immigrants from China

ABSTRACT This study enriches the literature on social work education and attitudes towards immigrants by showing that students in bachelor’s social work programmes generally have friendly attitudes towards Chinese female marriage immigrants in Taiwan. College-level multicultural education does not always improve students’ attitudes; improvement depends on students’ performance in the courses. Direct contact is the most effective form of intergroup contact in terms of improving students’ attitudes. Ethnicity matters in shaping students’ attitudes: Minnanren students have significantly less friendly attitudes towards these immigrants. The findings have implications for social work educators in terms of curriculum design and marriage migration policy advocacy.
Evidence for the Onset of Deconfinement from Longitudinal Momentum Distributions? Observation of the Softest Point of the Equation of State

We analyze longitudinal pion spectra from E_lab= 2AGeV to \sqrt s_NN=200GeV within Landau's hydrodynamical model. From the measured data on the widths of the pion rapidity spectra, we extract the sound velocity c_s in the early stage of the reactions. It is found that the sound velocity has a local minimum (indicating a softest point in the equation of state, EoS) at E_beam=30AGeV. This softening of the EoS is compatible with the assumption of the formation of a mixed phase at the onset of deconfinement.