Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcriptome Atlases of Mouse Brain Reveals Differential Expression Across Brain Regions and Genetic Backgrounds

Mouse models play a crucial role in the study of human behavioral traits and diseases. Variation of gene expression in brain may play a critical role in behavioral phenotypes, and thus it is of great importance to understand regulation of transcription in mouse brain. In this study, we analyzed the role of two important factors influencing steady-state transcriptional variation in mouse brain. First we considered the effect of assessing whole brain vs. discrete regions of the brain. Second, we investigated the genetic basis of strain effects on gene expression. We examined the transcriptome of three brain regions using Affymetrix expression arrays: whole brain, forebrain, and hindbrain in adult mice from two common inbred strains (C57BL/6J vs. NOD/ShiLtJ) with eight replicates for each brain region and strain combination. We observed significant differences between the transcriptomes of forebrain and hindbrain. In contrast, the transcriptomes of whole brain and forebrain were very similar. Using 4.3 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified through whole-genome sequencing of C57BL/6J and NOD/ShiLtJ strains, we investigated the relationship between strain effect in gene expression and DNA sequence similarity. We found that cis-regulatory effects play an important role in gene expression differences between strains and that the cis-regulatory elements are more often located in 5′ and/or 3′ transcript boundaries, with no apparent preference on either 5′ or 3′ ends.
Biomolecular events involved in anticryptococcal resistance in the brain

We have recently shown that intracerebral (i.c.) administration of heat-killed Cryptococcus neoformans (HCN) enhances mouse resistance to a subsequent local challenge with lethal doses of viable yeast cells. Here we show that i.c. administration of HCN is also effective in significantly delaying brain colonization of mice intravenously infected with viable C. neoformans. PCR analysis revealed that interleukin 6 (IL-6) and IL-1 beta gene expression occurs in brain of HCN-treated mice but not in brains of saline-treated controls. In contrast, no differences are observed in terms of tumor necrosis factor alpha and IL-1 alpha gene transcripts, which are slightly and highly detectable, respectively, in saline-treated mice and which remain such also following HCN treatment. Furthermore, i.c. administration of exogenous IL-6 or IL-1 beta, but not tumor necrosis factor alpha, before local challenge with viable C. neoformans results in significantly reduced microbial counts in the brain and blood and in increased mouse survival. Taken together, these observations provide initial evidence that brain anticryptococcal resistance involves elicitation of a local cytokine response, involving primarily IL-6 and IL-1 beta.
Thoughts on practical core elements of an ethical anatomical education

While questions of ethics in body procurement have become a focus of attention in many medical schools around the world, the recent report by a medical student regarding disturbing incidences in an anatomical dissection course (Terry, ) underlines the importance of a discussion of ethical practices in anatomical education. Here thoughts on core elements of instruction are proposed which are based on the premise that both, ethical body procurement and ethical anatomical education, are the foundation for a humanism‐based professional training of students in medicine. As the anatomical dissection course presents an exceptional situation for students, practical guidelines for a curriculum founded on ethical considerations are essential. They include a preparatory phase before the start of the course in which students are asked about their expectations and fears concerning anatomical dissection; an introduction to the history and ethics of anatomy; a time for reflection in the dissection room before the start of dissection; a regular opportunity for reflections on dissection in parallel to the course with students and faculty; and a memorial service for the donors organized by students for faculty, students and donor families. Finally, anatomical faculty should undergo training in ethical educational practices. Many anatomy programs have incorporated various of these ideas, while others have not done so. Guidelines for ethical anatomical practices can strengthen the foundation of a humanistic approach to medicine in future physicians and health care workers. Clin. Anat. 29:37–45, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Undergraduate education in social and environmental accounting in Australian universities

Abstract Historically, the discipline of accounting has focussed on an organization's financial aspects. Incorporating information about organizations' social and environmental interactions into the accounting function has become a contemporary feature of 21st Century business. Consequently, there have been numerous calls from academics and practitioners alike for the education of accountants to encompass instruction in social and environmental accounting (SEA). In this paper the results of an exploratory study into the extent of SEA education in Australian universities are presented. The survey employed in this study elicited information on the extent of, content of, and influences on SEA education in Australian universities. Results of the study, although predominantly descriptive in nature, reveal substantial similarities with other (western) countries, although the existence of a time-lag is apparent.
Rethinking (post)Modernism, Postcolonialism, and Posttraditionalism: South—North Perspectives

Many social scientists and development experts working in the South have dismissed postmodernism and related perspectives as irrelevant in the context of continued poverty and struggles for modernisation. Conversely, Northern authors on postmodernism frequently imply the global salience of the paradigm in a universalising manner redolent of modernist discourse, whereas critics of conventional development(alism) tend to base their arguments on caricatures in which the diversity of real-world experiences and some important improvements in the quality of life over the last 30 years are ignored, Neither approach is tenable, and in this paper the author explores the scope and basis for more fruitful engagements with postmodernism, postcolonialism, and related perspectives, including Southern notions of posttraditionalism, in the context of current developments and popular aspirations in the South. A critical reading of the literature is combined with examples drawn from different regions. In the analysis a pathway is offered through these often confusing fields and the relationships between globalisation, modernisation, and postmodernism, the changing roles and abilities of state and nonstate actors, and the complex ways in which local communities engage with such dynamics in pursuit of a better life, are encompassed.
Melanogenesis-Promoting Effects of Rhynchosia nulubilis and Rhynchosia volubilis Ethanol Extracts in Melan-a Cells

We evaluated the antioxidant activity and melanogenic effects of black soybean ethanol extracts, including Rhynchosia nulubilis bean ethanol extract (RNBEE), R. nulubilis leaf ethanol extract (RNLEE), R. volubilis bean ethanol extract (RVBEE), and R. volubilis leaf ethanol extract (RVLEE). The total polyphenol contents of RNBEE, RNLEE, RVBEE, and RVLEE were 16.0, 57.7, 365.9, and 260.1 mg/g, respectively. The total flavonoid contents of RNBEE, RNLEE, RVBEE, and RVLEE were 40.4, 91.7, 84.7, and 216.5 mg/g, respectively. The electron-donating abilities of RNBEE, RNLEE, RVBEE, and RVLEE at 1,000 µg/ mL were 32.4%, 12.7%, 83.5%, and 84.5%, respectively. RNBEE, RNLEE, RVBEE, and RVLEE at 50 µg/ mL significantly increased ( p < 0.01) melanin contents by 30.4%, 32.1%, 35.5%, and 37.4%, respectively, compared to that of the control. RNBEE, RNLEE, RVBEE, and RVLEE at 50 µg/mL significantly increased ( p < 0.01) intracellular tyrosinase activity by 18.4%, 21.8%, 21.5%, and 21.1%, respectively, compared to that of the control. These results demonstrated that black soybean ethanol extracts promote melanogenesis in melan-a cells. Among the black soybean ethanol extracts, R. volubilis was found to be more effective than R. nulubilis , and leaf extract was found to be more effective than bean extract. The potential mechanism underlying the hyperpigmentation effects of black soybeans is the promotion of tyrosinase activity.
Clinical implications of HIV-1 drug resistance in the neurological compartment

The tropism of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) for the central nervous system (CNS) develops early during the course of the infection. Potent antiretroviral therapy has been demonstrated to be effective in controlling the replication of HIV-1 in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), even though a variable response in this compartment compared with that in plasma has been observed. Different concentrations of antiretroviral drugs are found in CSF and the use of antiretroviral drugs penetrating across the blood–brain barrier is considered to be required for controlling CNS infection in advanced patients, particularly in those with neurological disorders. The compartmentalization of HIV-1 infection in the CNS may affect the treatment response, which may cause a different evolution of viral drug resistance in the 2 compartments. Although HIV-1 resistance testing in CSF is not recommended for the routine management of patients with virological failure, treatment decisions in patients with neurological disorders may require knowledge of the resistance profile of the virus in the CSF.
Molecular and functional analysis of hyperpolarization‐activated pacemaker channels in the hippocampus after entorhinal cortex lesion

Differential display of hippocampal tissue after entorhinal cortex lesion (ECL) revealed decreases in mRNA encoding the neuronal hyperpolariza‐tion‐activated, cyclic nucleotide‐gated channel HCN 1. In situ hybridization confirmed that hippocampal transcripts of HCN1, but not HCN2/3/4, are down‐regulated after ECL. Expression recovered at ~21 days after lesion (dal). Immunohistochemistry demonstrated a corresponding regulation of HCN1 protein expression in CA1‐CA3 dendrites, hilar mossy cells and interneurons, and granule cells. Patch‐clamp recordings in the early phase after lesion from mossy cells and hilar interneurons revealed an increase in the fast time constant of current activation and a profound negative shift in voltage activation of Ih. Whereas current activation recovered at 30 dal, the voltage activation remained hyperpolarized in mossy cells and hilar inter‐neurons. Granule cells, however, were devoid of any detectable somatic Ih currents. Hence, denervation of the hippocampus decreases HCN1 and concomitantly the Ih activity in hilar neurons, and the recovery of h‐current activation kinetics occurs parallel to postlesion sprouting. —Bräuer, A. U. , Savaskan, N. E. , Kole, M. H. P., Plaschke, M. , Monteggia, L. M. , Nestler, E. J., Simbürger, E. , Deisz, R. A. , Ninnemann, O. , Nitsch, R. Molecular and functional analysis of hyperpolarization‐activated pacemaker channels in the hippocampus after entorhinal cortex lesion. FASEB J. 15, 2689–2701 (2001)
Keeping At-Risk Students in School

The wage premium for college graduates is substantial. Far fewer of these benefits accrue to students who complete some college (i.e., those who do not persist to graduation), and, partly for this reason, colleges often adopt programs aimed at helping to keep at-risk students in school. This article reports on a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of such retention programs. The studies suggest small but potentially important effects on short-term retention rates and grades earned by program participants. Studies of more comprehensive interventions using relatively more appropriate comparison groups suggested more effective results than did studies that used weaker interventions, relatively less appropriate comparison groups, or both. Even the best studies included in this review are methodologically suspect and as such do not provide a very strong basis for making policy recommendations. From a public policy perspective, this review points to the need for more investment in rigorous studies that investigate, at a finer level of detail, the specific aspects of programs that are associated with program success. Rigorous studies are also needed that investigate the interaction between programs and student characteristics to determine what types of programs are most effective for which students.
Exploiting Structure in Weighted Model Counting Approaches to Probabilistic Inference

Previous studies have demonstrated that encoding a Bayesian network into a SAT formula and then performing weighted model counting using a backtracking search algorithm can be an effective method for exact inference. In this paper, we present techniques for improving this approach for Bayesian networks with noisy-OR and noisy-MAX relations-- two relations that are widely used in practice as they can dramatically reduce the number of probabilities one needs to specify. In particular, we present two SAT encodings for noisy-OR and two encodings for noisy-MAX that exploit the structure or semantics of the relations to improve both time and space efficiency, and we prove the correctness of the encodings. We experimentally evaluated our techniques on large-scale real and randomly generated Bayesian networks. On these benchmarks, our techniques gave speedups of up to two orders of magnitude over the best previous approaches for networks with noisy-OR/MAX relations and scaled up to larger networks. As well, our techniques extend the weighted model counting approach for exact inference to networks that were previously intractable for the approach.
STUDIES ON REMOVAL OF CHROMIUM FROM WASTE WATER BY ADSORPTION USING LOW COST AGRICULTURAL BIOMASS AS ADSORBENTS

The study was aimed at efficiency evaluation of non-conventional low cost adsorbents such as Fly ash powder, Bagasse, W.Straw Dust, SD, and Coconut coir as compared to the powder activated carbon for the removal of chromium from aqueous solution. The efficiency of the adsorbents for the removal of chromium was investigated. The efficiency of adsorbent used is found in the order of PAC>Bagasse>FA>SD>WSD>Coconut coir. The effect of chromium solution PH, contact time ,adsorbent dosage, initial chromium concentration and adsorbent meshsize on adsorption were studied in a batch experiment. Fly ash, Bagasse, W.S.D, SD, &Coconut coir were the most active at pH-6 , which is closer to pH of chromium bearing industrial waste as compared to the pH 2.0 of PAC. The equilibrium data for the adsorption of chromium were analysed in the light of Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models. The ultimate adsorption capacity for the adsorbents PAC, Bagasse,FA, S.D. , W.S.D & Coconut coir found out are 4.97 mg/gm, 4.91mg/gm, 4.90mg/gm, 4.89 mg/gm, 4.77mg/gm and 4.56 mg/gm respectively by column studies.
Small, dense low-density lipoprotein particles and coronary heart disease risk: A clear association with uncertain implications.

Two articles in this issue of The Journal1,2examine prospectively whether smaller low-density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size predicts coronary heart disease (CHD) incidence. The heterogeneity of LDL particles with respect to size, density, and composition is well recognized. A predominance of small LDL particles in the plasma is often accompanied by hepatic overproduction of very low-density lipoproteins (VLDLs) and hypertriglyceridemia. Exchange of triglycerides from the VLDL core with cholesteryl esters from the LDL core and subsequent hydrolysis of the triglycerides result in smaller LDL particles. These smaller LDL particles are denser since they still contain the same amount of protein (apolipoprotein B [apo B]) as other LDL particles but a smaller amount of lipids, which are more buoyant. Thus, the LDL apo B level measures the number of LDL particles, while LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) is a measure which combines the number of particles and their cholesterol content. See also
The influence of professional athlete philanthropy on donation intentions

Athlete-supported charities and foundations have become increasingly popular forms of philanthropy in the professional sport landscape. However, a paucity of research has examined whether the high-profile status of a professional athlete can influence third-party donations to the charitable cause the athlete supports. Based on theory and prior literature, the image of, and identification with, a professional National Basketball Association athlete were hypothesized to influence donation intentions from potential donors in the Orlando, Florida area. In addition, the intervening effects of personal involvement with the athlete's cause and trust toward the athlete were examined. The results suggest that athlete identification, image of the athlete, trust toward the athlete, and cause involvement significantly influenced donation intentions. The results also indicate that athlete trust mediated the relationship between identification, image, and donation intentions. Finally, cause involvement moderated the relationship between identification with, and trust toward, the professional athlete.
Impact of White-Coat Hypertension on Microvascular Complications in Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE—The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of white-coat hypertension (WCH) on microvascular complications in type 2 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A cross-sectional study was conducted in normotensive patients and patients with WCH selected from a cohort of 319 type 2 diabetic patients. Normotension was defined by office blood pressure <140/90 mmHg and daytime blood pressure <135/85 mmHg on ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). WCH was defined as office blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg and daytime blood pressure <135/85 mmHg on ABPM. Subjects were evaluated for diabetic nephropathy (24-h urinary albumin excretion rate) and diabetic retinopathy (classified according to the Global Diabetic Retinopathy Group). RESULTS—Forty-six type 2 diabetic patients had WCH (14.4%; mean age 56.6 years; 45.3% men) and 117 had normotension (36.6%; mean age 55.8 years; 37.5% men). These groups did not differ in clinical and main laboratory characteristics. Systolic ABPM (24-h: 124.7 ± 6.7 vs. 121.0 ± 8.5 mmHg, P = 0.01 and daytime: 126.6 ± 7.2 vs. 123.2 ± 8.2 mmHg, P = 0.01) and blood pressure loads were higher in subjects with WCH than in the normotensive subjects. WCH was associated with an increased risk for macroalbuminuria (odds ratio 4.9 [95% CI 1.3–18.7], P = 0.01). On multivariate analysis models, WCH was associated with macroalbuminuria (2.0 [1.3–3.2], P = 0.02) and increased the risk for both nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (2.7 [1.2–6.6], P = 0.02 for any degree of diabetic retinopathy) after adjustments for confounding factors. CONCLUSIONS—Type 2 diabetic patients with WCH have an increased risk for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic nephropathy. Therefore, WCH should not be considered a harmless condition, and treatment should be considered.
New Lower Bounds for the Rank of Matrix Multiplication

The rank of the matrix multiplication operator for nxn matrices is one of the most studied quantities in algebraic complexity theory. I prove that the rank is at least n^2-o(n^2). More precisely, for any integer p\leq n -1, the rank is at least (3- 1/(p+1))n^2-(1+2p\binom{2p}{p-1})n. The previous lower bound, due to Blaser, was 5n^2/2-3n (the case p=1). The new bounds improve Blaser's bound for all n>84. I also prove lower bounds for rectangular matrices significantly better than the the previous bound.
Diet Quality Affects the Playground Activities of Kenyan Children

The present study examined the effects of a school breakfast program on the activity level, emotional state, and social interactions of a group of Kenyan schoolchildren on the playground. Five hundred forty children in rural Kenya participated in the study. The first standard (grade) classes were randomly assigned to groups provided for 21 months with school breakfasts of equivalent caloric value while families with children in the control group were given a goat at the end of the study. The study aimed to determine whether enhanced caloric intake or diet quality influenced the children's behavior on the school playground. The results indicate that supplemented children were more active and showed more leadership behavior and initiative than did non-supplemented children. In addition, children given meat showed fewer periods of low activity and more leadership behaviors and initiative than did children provided entirely with vegetable source foods. These results support our previous findings from naturalistic studies in the same community that both diet quantity and quality are important for children's development.
Low Molecular Weight Fucoidan Alleviates Cardiac Dysfunction in Diabetic Goto-Kakizaki Rats by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Cardiomyocyte Apoptosis

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is characterized by cardiac dysfunction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis. Oxidative stress is suggested to be the major contributor to the development of DCM. This study was intended to evaluate the protective effect of low molecular weight fucoidan (LMWF) against cardiac dysfunction in diabetic rats. Type 2 diabetic goto-kakizaki rats were untreated or treated with LMWF (50 and 100 mg/kg/day) for three months. The establishment of DCM model and the effects of LMWF on cardiac function were evaluated by echocardiography and isolated heart perfusion. Ventricle staining with H-E or Sirius Red was performed to investigate the structural changes in myocardium. Functional evaluation demonstrated that LMWF has a beneficial effect on DCM by enhancing myocardial contractility and mitigating cardiac fibrosis. Additionally, LMWF exerted significant inhibitory effects on the reactive oxygen species production and myocyte apoptosis in diabetic hearts. The depressed activity of superoxide dismutase in diabetic heart was also improved by intervention with LMWF. Moreover, LMWF robustly inhibited the enhanced expression of protein kinase C β, an important contributor to oxidative stress, in diabetic heart and high glucose-treated cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, LMWF possesses a protective effect against DCM through ameliorations of PKCβ-mediated oxidative stress and subsequent cardiomyocyte apoptosis in diabetes.
Comparing CSP Algorithms Without Considering Variable Ordering Heuristics can be Misleading

Many new algorithms for solving constraint satisfaction problems have been proposed in recent years. Their performance is usually compared with some other algorithms by measuring the number of compatibility checks or the cpu time that the algorithms need for solving a predetermined set of problems. There are some studies which compare algorithms without using any variable ordering heuristics. We argue that evaluating algorithms without considering their combinations with variable ordering heuristic could produce misleading results. We advocate that algorithm-heuristic combinations should be compared instead of algorithms alone.
Young people, social change and the negotiation of moral authority

This paper presents some of the main findings of the study ‘Youth values: identity, diversity and social change’, focussing on the ways in which young people aged between 11 and 16 negotiate moral authority. It begins by discussing young people’s perceptions of social change, identifying narratives of both progress and decline. The structure of young people’s values are then briefly described, including differences relating to gender, location, social class and age. The factors that contribute to the legitimacy of moral authority in young people’s eyes are explored through young people’s accounts of school discipline, bullying, parenting and media violence. The paper draws on a range of data sources including questionnaires, focus group discussions, individual interviews and research assignments in which young people undertook their own interviews with adults.