Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of prebiotics and antioxidants in bread on the immune system, antioxidative status and antioxidative capacity in male smokers and non-smokers

Interest in functional foods is increasing. The aim of the present study was to investigate breads supplemented with functional components. One was bread supplemented with inulin, linseed and soya fibre (prebiotic bread). The other was a prebiotic antioxidant bread (pre-aox-bread), which additionally contained green tea powder, herbs and tomato paste. The effects of these two breads on immunological and antioxidative parameters were compared with control bread (placebo). Twenty smokers and eighteen non-smokers were enrolled in the randomised parallel study, which consisted of a control period and an intervention period, each lasting for 5 weeks. Daily intake of bread and nutrients did not differ between the intervention and the control period. Most of the twenty-three investigated immunological parameters measured in peripheral blood were unaffected. However, the percentage of CD19 increased after intervention with prebiotic bread, whereas intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and CD3+NK+ (P < 0·05) decreased in both intervention arms. The ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) was increased after consumption of the pre-aox-bread for non-smokers (1256 v. 1147 μmol/l; P = 0·019) and remained unchanged for smokers consuming the pre-aox-bread. All analysed carotenoids (P ≤ 0·001) in plasma were increased after the consumption of pre-aox-bread. The concentrations of uric acid and α-tocopherol rose after intervention with both breads. ICAM-1 as a marker of stress decreased after consuming the prebiotic bread. In conclusion, increased plasma concentrations of carotenoids and the responses observed with the FRAP assay after intervention with the pre-aox-bread indicate a unique response in terms of antioxidative potentials for this type of functional food.
Evaluation of the peer helping component of a group treatment program for antisocial youth

The present study provided an evaluation o f the EQUIP Program, a multicomponent group treatment program for antisocial youth. The primary aim of the study was to evaluate the structured peer-helping component o f the program, in which group members report self-serving cognitive distortions and apply learned skills to help one another correct those distortions and associated problem behaviors. The secondary goals of the study include: investigating the role o f mediating variables in the EQUIP program, investigating the relations between mediating variables and treatment outcome, and investigating the factors that influence subject attrition. The subjects in the program were 58 male felony offenders ages 16-26 residing at a Midwestern treatment facility for youth involved in the criminal justice system. The experimental group received the comprehensive EQUIP program, which included the structured peer helping component. Subjects in the comparison group learned the helping skills but were not given the opportunity to apply them; they engaged instead in unstructured peer helping during those group meeting times. EQUIP subjects relative to control subjects evidenced significant improvements in institutional conduct. Differences based on self-report measures, however, were not significant. Moral judgment the only mediating factor that was a significant predictor o f favorable treatment outcome. Factors that were related to
Mitochondrial DNA Variation Among Populations of Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) From Pakistan

The Red Palm Weevil (RPW) Rhynchophorus ferrugineus (Olivier) is a voracious pest of palm species. In recent decades its range has expanded greatly, particularly impacting the date palm industry in the Middle East. This has led to conjecture regarding the origins of invasive RPW populations. For example, in parts of the Middle East, RPW is commonly referred to as the “Pakistani weevil” in the belief that it originated there. We sought evidence to support or refute this belief. First reports of RPW in Pakistan were from the Punjab region in 1918, but it is unknown whether it is native or invasive there. We estimated genetic variation across five populations of RPW from two provinces of Pakistan, using sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I gene. Four haplotypes were detected; two (H1 and H5) were abundant, accounting for 88% of specimens across the sampled populations, and were previously known from the Middle East. The remaining haplotypes (H51 and H52) were newly detected (in global terms) and there was no geographic overlap in their distribution within Pakistan. Levels of haplotype diversity were much lower than those previously recorded in accepted parts of the native range of RPW, suggesting that the weevil may be invasive in Pakistan. The affinity of Pakistani haplotypes to those reported from India (and the geographical proximity of the two countries), make the latter a likely “native” source. With regards the validity of the name “Pakistani weevil”, we found little genetic evidence to justify it.
Chapter 1 The Relationship between Attention and Working Memory

The ability to selectively process information (attention) and to retain information in an accessible state (working memory) are critical aspects of our cognitive capacities. While there has been much work devoted to understanding attention and working memory, the nature of the relationship between these constructs is not well understood. Indeed, while neither attention nor working memory represent a uniform set of processes, theories of their relationship tend to focus on only some aspects. This review of the literature examines the role of perceptual and central attention in the encoding, maintenance, and manipulation of information in working memory. While attention and working memory were found to interact closely during encoding and manipulation, the evidence suggests a limited role of attention in the maintenance of information. Additionally, only central attention was found to be necessary for manipulating information in working memory. This suggests that theories should consider the multifaceted nature of attention and working memory. The review concludes with a model describing how attention and working memory interact.
On the influence of X-ray galaxy clusters in the fluctuations of the cosmic microwave background

The negative evolution found in X–ray clusters of galaxies limits the amount of available hot gas for the inverse Compton scattering of the Cosmic Microwave Background (the Sunyaev–Zel’dovich effect). Using a parametrisation of the X-ray luminosity function and its evolution in terms of a coalescence model (as presented in the analysis of a flux limited X-ray cluster sample by Edge et al. 1990), as well as a simple virialised structure for the clusters (which requires a gas to total mass fraction � 0.1 in order to reproduce observed properties of nearby clusters) we show that the Compton distortion y parameter is about two orders of magnitude below the current FIRAS upper limits. Concerning the anisotropies imprinted on arcmin scales they are dominated by the hottest undetected objects. We show that they are negligible ( �T T � 10 −7 ) at wavelengths λ � 1 mm. At shorter wavelengths they become more important ( �T T � 10
A characterization of cytostatic factor activity from Xenopus eggs and c-mos-transformed cells

In Xenopus oocytes, the mos proto-oncogene product is required during meiosis I for the activation of maturation promoting factor (MPF) and the subsequent breakdown of the germinal vesicle (GVBD). In addition, the mos product has been shown to be a candidate "initiator" of meiotic maturation and is an active component of cytostatic factor (CSF), an activity responsible for metaphase II arrest. Here we demonstrate that pp39mos is required throughout oocyte maturation. We found that in progesterone stimulated oocytes, depletion of mos RNA immediately before GVBD terminally decreased MPF. Likewise, oocytes depleted of mos RNA and induced to mature with crude MPF proceeded through GVBD but lacked the MPF activity required to arrest mature oocytes at metaphase II. Thus, during maturation the mos product is required, directly or indirectly, to sustain MPF activity. On the other hand, mouse NIH/3T3 cells transformed by the constitutive expression of pp39mosxc possessed CSF activity but lacked constitutive levels of MPF or its associated histone H1 kinase activity. Moreover, cytosols prepared from transformed NIH/3T3 cells or Xenopus eggs had similar levels of CSF activity, but pp39mos levels were greater than 40-fold higher in the transformed cell extract. These analyses show that maintenance of CSF during interphase does not result in the maintenance of MPF.
Joint ABS power and resource allocations for eICIC in heterogeneous networks

Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) are expected to be one of the major performance enhancement enablers of LTE-Advanced. In order to protect pico-UEs from the strong macro interference, the macro eNBs need to reduce the transmission power during protected subframes instead of suspending data transmission introduced in 3GPP Release 10, scheduling strictly users in the vicinity of the macro eNBs. In this paper, based on low power (LP) almost blank subframes (ABS), we study a joint optimization of power allocation of ABS (called dynamic LP-ABS) and resource allocation to maximize the total throughput. The proposed algorithm takes into account the power allocation of ABSs in the marco eNB, the ABS partition and the UE association in all cells. Simulation results show that dynamic LP-ABS can effectively increase system throughput compared to the fixed LP-ABS and zero-ABS.
Laboratory investigation of hemoglobinopathies and thalassemias: review and update.

Structural hemoglobin (Hb) variants typically are based on a point mutation in a globin gene that produce a single amino acid substitution in a globin chain. Although most are of limited clinical significance, a few important subtypes have been identified with some frequency. Homozygous Hb C and Hb S (sickle cell disease) produce significant clinical manifestations, whereas Hb E and Hb D homozygotes may be mildly symptomatic. Although heterozygotes for these variants are typically asymptomatic, diagnosis may be important for genetic counseling. Thalassemia, in contrast, results from quantitative reductions in globin chain synthesis. Those with diminished beta-globin chains are termed beta-thalassemias, whereas those with decreased alpha-chain production are called alpha-thalassemias. Severity of clinical manifestations in these disorders relates to the amount of globin chain produced and the stability of residual chains present in excess. The thalassemia minor syndromes are characterized clinically by mild anemia with persistent microcytosis. Thalassemia intermedia (i.e., Hb H disease) is typified by a moderate, variably compensated hemolytic anemia that may present with clinical symptoms during a period of physiologic stress such as infection, pregnancy, or surgery. The thalassemia major syndromes produce severe, life-threatening anemia. alpha-Thalassemia major usually is incompatible with extrauterine life; beta-thalassemia major presents in infancy and requires life-long transfusion therapy and/or bone marrow transplantation for successful control of the disease. Double heterozygosity for certain structural variants and/or thalassemia syndromes may also lead to severe clinical disease. Several guidelines have been published that outline the required steps for hemoglobinopathy and thalassemia investigation. The availability of HPLC has streamlined many of these requirements, allowing an efficient stepwise diagnostic strategy for these complex disorders.
University of Birmingham Pharmacological inhibition of caspase-2 protects axotomised retinal ganglion cells from apoptosis in adult rats

Severing the axons of retinal ganglion cells (RGC) by crushing the optic nerve (ONC) causes the majority of RGC to degenerate and die, primarily by apoptosis. We showed recently that after ONC in adult rats, caspase-2 activation occurred specifically in RGC while no localisation of caspase-3 was observed in ganglion cells but in cells of the inner nuclear layer. We further showed that inhibition of caspase-2 using a single injection of stably modified siRNA to caspase-2 protected almost all RGC from death at 7 days, offering significant protection for up to 1 month after ONC. In the present study, we confirmed that cleaved caspase-2 was localised and activated in RGC (and occasional neurons in the inner nuclear layer), while TUNEL + RGC were also observed after ONC. We then investigated if suppression of caspase-2 using serial intravitreal injections of the pharmacological inhibitor z-VDVAD-fmk (z-VDVAD) protected RGC from death for 15 days after ONC. Treatment of eyes with z-VDVAD suppressed cleaved caspase-2 activation by . 85% at 3–4 days after ONC. Increasing concentrations of z-VDVAD protected greater numbers of RGC from death at 15 days after ONC, up to a maximum of 60% using 4000 ng/ml of z-VDVAD, compared to PBS treated controls. The 15-day treatment with 4000 ng/ml of z-VDVAD after ONC suppressed levels of cleaved caspase-2 but no significant changes in levels of cleaved caspase-3, -6, -7 or -8 were detected. Although suppression of caspase-2 protected 60% of RGC from death, RGC axon regeneration was not promoted. These results suggest that caspase-2 specifically mediates death of RGC after ONC and that suppression of caspase-2 may be a useful therapeutic strategy to enhance RGC survival not only after axotomy but also in diseases where RGC death occurs such as glaucoma and optic neuritis.
Active-Matrix Amorphous-Silicon TFTs Arrays at 180$^circhboxC$on Clear Plastic and Glass Substrates for Organic Light-Emitting Displays

An amorphous-silicon thin-film transistor (TFT) process with a 180 degC maximum temperature using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition has been developed on both novel clear polymer and glass substrates. The gate leakage current, threshold voltage, mobility, and on/off ratio of the TFTs are comparable with those of standard TFTs on glass with deposition temperature of 300 degC-350 degC. Active-matrix pixel circuits for organic light-emitting displays (LEDs) on both glass and clear plastic substrates were fabricated with these TFTs. Leakage current in the switching TFT is low enough to allow data storage for video graphics array timings. The pixels provide suitable drive current for bright displays at a modest drive voltage. Test active matrices with integrated polymer LEDs on glass showed good pixel uniformity, behaved electrically as expected for the TFT characteristics, and were as bright as 1500 cd/m2
Expression profile of serotonin4 (5-HT4) receptors in adrenocortical aldosterone-producing adenomas.

OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the expression profile of serotonin4 (5-HT4) receptors in adrenocortical aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) tissues in comparison with normal adrenal cortex. DESIGN AND METHODS Total 5-HT4 receptor mRNAs were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay, and the mRNAs encoding the 5-HT4 receptor isoforms were characterized by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR in seven normal adrenal cortices and 11 APA tissues. The distribution of 5-HT4 receptor mRNAs was investigated by in situ hybridization in both normal adrenal and APA tissues, and the presence of 5-HT in APA tissues was studied by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Real-time PCR analysis revealed that 5-HT4 receptor mRNA expression was 4.7-47 times higher in APA tissues than in normal glands. In situ hybridization studies showed that 5-HT4 receptor mRNAs were expressed in both zona glomerulosa and zona fasciculata/reticularis of the normal cortex and in groups of APA steroidogenic cells disseminated in the tumor tissues. Characterization of 5-HT4 receptor splice variants by RT-PCR revealed different profiles of expression in APAs versus normal adrenals. Isoforms (a) and (b) were not expressed in any APA but were present in the majority of normal adrenocortical tissues. Conversely, isoform (d) was expressed in 5/11 APAs but only in 1/7 adrenals. Immunohistochemical studies revealed the presence of 5-HT-immunoreactivity in both mast cells and clusters of steroidogenic cells in APA tissues. CONCLUSION Our results show overexpression and different splicing of the 5-HT4 receptor in APA tissues in comparison with normal adrenocortical tissue. They also demonstrate the presence of 5-HT in both mast cells and tumor steroidogenic cells, providing evidence for a possible autocrine/paracrine activation of aldosterone secretion within adenoma tissues.
Charged Rotating Black Hole in Three Spacetime Dimensions

The generalization of the black hole in three-dimensional spacetime to include an electric charge Q in addition to the mass M and the angular momentum J is given. The field equations are first solved explicitly when Q is small and the general form of the field at large distances is established. The total ``hairs'' M, J and Q are exhibited as boundary terms at infinity. It is found that the inner horizon of the rotating uncharged black hole is unstable under the addition of a small electric charge. Next it is shown that when $Q=0$ the spinning black hole may be obtained from the one with $J=0$ by a Lorentz boost in the $\ensuremath{\varphi}\ensuremath{-}t$ plane. This boost is an ``illegitimate coordinate transformation'' because it changes the physical parameters of the solution. The extreme black hole appears as the analog of a particle moving with the speed of light. The same boost may be used when $Q\ensuremath{\ne}0$ to generate a solution with angular momentum from that with $J=0,$ although the geometrical meaning of the transformation is much less transparent since in the charged case the black holes are not obtained by identifying points in anti\char21{}de Sitter space. The metric is given explicitly in terms of three parameters, $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{M},$ $\stackrel{\ifmmode \tilde{}\else \~{}\fi{}}{Q}$ and $\ensuremath{\omega}$ which are the ``rest mass'' and ``rest charge'' and the angular velocity of the boost. These parameters are related to M, J and Q through the solution of an algebraic cubic equation. Altogether, even without angular momentum, the electrically charged 2+1 black hole is somewhat pathological since (i) it exists for arbitrarily negative values of the mass, and (ii) there is no upper bound on the electric charge.
Impaired Response Inhibition in Veterans with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can show impairments in executive control and increases in impulsivity. The current study examined the effects of PTSD on motor response inhibition, a key cognitive control function. A Go/NoGo task was administered to veterans with a diagnosis of PTSD based on semi-structured clinical interview using DSM-IV criteria (n = 40) and age-matched control veterans (n = 33). Participants also completed questionnaires to assess self-reported levels of PTSD and depressive symptoms. Performance measures from the patients (error rates and reaction times) were compared to those from controls. PTSD patients showed a significant deficit in response inhibition, committing more errors on NoGo trials than controls. Higher levels of PTSD and depressive symptoms were associated with higher error rates. Of the three symptom clusters, re-experiencing was the strongest predictor of performance. Because the co-morbidity of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and PTSD was high in this population, secondary analyses compared veterans with PTSD+mTBI (n = 30) to veterans with PTSD only (n = 10). Although preliminary, results indicated the two patient groups did not differ on any measure (p > .88). Since cognitive impairments could hinder the effectiveness of standard PTSD therapies, incorporating treatments that strengthen executive functions might be considered in the future. (JINS, 2012, 18, 1–10)
Vehicle lane keeping of adaptive PID control with BP neural network self-tuning

According to the nonlinear and parameter time-varying characteristics of vehicle lateral dynamics, a novel algorithm of vehicle lateral adaptive PID control with BP neural network was proposed, using the approximate ability to any nonlinear function of the neural network. The results of the simulation in different velocities and lane curvature conditions show that the algorithm can effectively control vehicle to keep and track the pre-given trajectory and the good robustness and adaptability for the changing of velocity and path curvature is also shown.
Genome Rearrangements Can Make and Break Small RNA Genes

Small RNAs (sRNAs) are short, transcribed regulatory elements that are typically encoded in the intergenic regions (IGRs) of bacterial genomes. Several sRNAs, first recognized in Escherichia coli, are conserved among enteric bacteria, but because of the regulatory roles of sRNAs, differences in sRNA repertoires might be responsible for features that differentiate closely related species. We scanned the E. coli MG1655 and Salmonella enterica Typhimurium genomes for nonsyntenic IGRs as a potential source of uncharacterized, species-specific sRNAs and found that genome rearrangements have reconfigured several IGRs causing the disruption and formation of sRNAs. Within an IGR that is present in E. coli but was disrupted in Salmonella by a translocation event is an sRNA that is associated with the FNR/CRP global regulators and influences E. coli biofilm formation. A Salmonella-specific sRNA evolved de novo through point mutations that generated a σ70 promoter sequence in an IGR that arose through genome rearrangement events. The differences in the sRNA pools among bacterial species have previously been ascribed to duplication, deletion, or horizontal acquisition. Here, we show that genomic rearrangements also contribute to this process by either disrupting sRNA-containing IGRs or creating IGRs in which novel sRNAs may evolve.
Searching for the analyst’s reveries

ABSTRACT Over the last 20 years the post-Bionians have begun nothing less than to spell out the beginning of the metabolizing process (reverie) in the analyst’s mind that takes place with under-represented mental states. This bold attempt leading to new discoveries, and its many possibilities for understanding patients, seems to have obscured differences amongst leading post-Bionians with regard to how they see the forms of reverie, and how they might best be worked with. With Bion’s perspective as a background, this paper explores three approaches, and how they differ with regard to whether one follows the views of early or late Bion. Technical issues associated with these views are raised. A clinical example is offered as one way to use reverie.
Excluding exclusively the exclusive: Suppletion patterns in clusivity

In this paper, I investigate the suppletion patterns that are found in languages that make a clusivity distinction. I will show that in the triple 1SG-1EXCL-1INCL, ABA patterns do not arise, consonant with other work on suppletion patterns (Bobaljik 2012, Smith et al. 2016). That is, it is not possible for the exclusive pronoun to supplete on its own whilst the singular and inclusive share a common base. All other patterns are attested. I will argue that the lack of ABA patterns supports the view that the inclusive is the most marked category in this set (Noyer 1992, Siewierska 2004, Cysouw 2003, a.o.), and propose that there is a containment relation such that the feature set that makes up the inclusive properly contains the features that form the exclusive, following the reasoning laid out in Bobaljik (2012). I further consider the makeup of person features, and argue that the lack of ABA patterns in clusivity suggest that clusivity features are privative, rather than binary (cf. Harbour 2016).