Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The LIM Homeodomain Factor Lhx2 Is Required for Hypothalamic Tanycyte Specification and Differentiation

Hypothalamic tanycytes, a radial glial-like ependymal cell population that expresses numerous genes selectively enriched in embryonic hypothalamic progenitors and adult neural stem cells, have recently been observed to serve as a source of adult-born neurons in the mammalian brain. The genetic mechanisms that regulate the specification and maintenance of tanycyte identity are unknown, but are critical for understanding how these cells can act as adult neural progenitor cells. We observe that LIM (Lin-11, Isl-1, Mec-3)-homeodomain gene Lhx2 is selectively expressed in hypothalamic progenitor cells and tanycytes. To test the function of Lhx2 in tanycyte development, we used an intersectional genetic strategy to conditionally delete Lhx2 in posteroventral hypothalamic neuroepithelium, both embryonically and postnatally. We observed that tanycyte development was severely disrupted when Lhx2 function was ablated during embryonic development. Lhx2-deficient tanycytes lost expression of tanycyte-specific genes, such as Rax, while also displaying ectopic expression of genes specific to cuboid ependymal cells, such as Rarres2. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that mutant tanycytes exhibited a hybrid identity, retaining radial morphology while becoming multiciliated. In contrast, postnatal loss of function of Lhx2 resulted only in loss of expression of tanycyte-specific genes. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we further showed that Lhx2 directly regulated expression of Rax, an essential homeodomain factor for tanycyte development. This study identifies Lhx2 as a key intrinsic regulator of tanycyte differentiation, sustaining Rax-dependent activation of tanycyte-specific genes while also inhibiting expression of ependymal cell-specific genes. These findings provide key insights into the transcriptional regulatory network specifying this still poorly characterized cell type.
The moderating role of creative personality in the relation of the feedback environment to creative performance

This study explores the causal relationship between supervisor feedback environment and employee's creative performance, and the moderation of creative personality. Hierarchical regression analysis of a sample of 203 supervisor-employee dyads demonstrated that significant causal relationship exists between the supervisor feedback environment and creative performance, and the relationship between the supervisor feedback environment and the employees' creative performance is moderated by creative personality significantly. The implication of improving employees' creative performance is further discussed.
Molecular and cell-based therapies for muscle degenerations: a road under construction

Despite the advances achieved in understanding the molecular biology of muscle cells in the past decades, there is still need for effective treatments of muscular degeneration caused by muscular dystrophies and for counteracting the muscle wasting caused by cachexia or sarcopenia. The corticosteroid medications currently in use for dystrophic patients merely help to control the inflammatory state and only slightly delay the progression of the disease. Unfortunately, walkers and wheel chairs are the only options for such patients to maintain independence and walking capabilities until the respiratory muscles become weak and the mechanical ventilation is needed. On the other hand, myostatin inhibition, IL-6 antagonism and synthetic ghrelin administration are examples of promising treatments in cachexia animal models. In both dystrophies and cachectic syndrome the muscular degeneration is extremely relevant and the translational therapeutic attempts to find a possible cure are well defined. In particular, molecular-based therapies are common options to be explored in order to exploit beneficial treatments for cachexia, while gene/cell therapies are mostly used in the attempt to induce a substantial improvement of the dystrophic muscular phenotype. This review focuses on the description of the use of molecular administrations and gene/stem cell therapy to treat muscular degenerations. It reviews previous trials using cell delivery protocols in mice and patients starting with the use of donor myoblasts, outlining the likely causes for their poor results and briefly focusing on satellite cell studies that raise new hope. Then it proceeds to describe recently identified stem/progenitor cells, including pluripotent stem cells and in relationship to their ability to home within a dystrophic muscle and to differentiate into skeletal muscle cells. Different known features of various stem cells are compared in this perspective, and the few available examples of their use in animal models of muscular degeneration are reported. Since non coding RNAs, including microRNAs (miRNAs), are emerging as prominent players in the regulation of stem cell fates we also provides an outline of the role of microRNAs in the control of myogenic commitment. Finally, based on our current knowledge and the rapid advance in stem cell biology, a prediction of clinical translation for cell therapy protocols combined with molecular treatments is discussed.
The role of self-reported impulsivity and reward sensitivity versus neurocognitive measures of disinhibition and decision-making in the prediction of relapse in pathological gamblers

Background Disinhibition and decision-making skills play an important role in theories on the cause and outcome of addictive behaviors such as substance use disorders and pathological gambling. In recent studies, both disinhibition and disadvantageous decision-making strategies, as measured by neurocognitive tests, have been found to influence the course of substance use disorders. Research on factors affecting relapse in pathological gambling is scarce. Method This study investigated the effect of both self-reported impulsivity and reward sensitivity, and neurocognitively assessed disinhibition and decision-making under conflicting contingencies, on relapse in a group of 46 pathological gamblers. Results Logistic regression analysis indicated that longer duration of the disorder and neurocognitive indicators of disinhibition (Stop Signal Reaction Time) and decision-making (Card Playing Task) were significant predictors of relapse (explaining 53% of the variance in relapse), whereas self-reported impulsivity and reward sensitivity did not significantly predict relapse. Overall classification accuracy was 76%, with a positive classification accuracy of 76% and a negative classification accuracy of 75%. Conclusions Duration of the disorder and neurocognitive measures of disinhibition and decision-making are powerful predictors of relapse in pathological gambling. The results suggest that endophenotypical neurocognitive characteristics are more promising in the prediction of relapse in pathological gambling than phenotypical personality characteristics. Neurocognitive predictors may be useful to guide treatment planning of follow-up contacts and booster sessions.
Corruption in Latin America

Latin America has experienced a series of recent corruption scandals, resulting in an unprecedented uncertainty in political leadership across the whole region. Within this context, we have conducted a survey study comprising nine countries in Latin America (n = 1,250) examining the stereotype content of politicians. We tested a dual effects model in which the stereotypes of politicians were predicted to shape perceptions of justice directly and indirectly through the activation of affect. Our findings revealed that politicians tended to be stereotyped with negative morality traits and with a certain degree of negativity across other stereotype dimensions. Results supported a positive direct effect of morality on perceived justice and a positive indirect effect through the activation of affect. We discuss the implications of these findings for the current political context in Latin America and also for our understanding of perceptions about politicians and their relationship with leader and power legitimacy.
Why people are reluctant to tempt fate.

The present research explored the belief that it is bad luck to "tempt fate. " Studies 1 and 2 demonstrated that people do indeed have the intuition that actions that tempt fate increase the likelihood of negative outcomes. Studies 3-6 examined our claim that the intuition is due, in large part, to the combination of the automatic tendencies to attend to negative prospects and to use accessibility as a cue when judging likelihood. Study 3 demonstrated that negative outcomes are more accessible following actions that tempt fate than following actions that do not tempt fate. Studies 4 and 5 demonstrated that the heightened accessibility of negative outcomes mediates the elevated perceptions of likelihood. Finally, Study 6 examined the automatic nature of the underlying processes. The types of actions that are thought to tempt fate as well as the role of society and culture in shaping this magical belief are discussed.
Genetic correlations between brain volumes and the WAIS-III dimensions of verbal comprehension, working memory, perceptual organization, and processing speed.

We recently showed that the correlation of gray and white matter volume with full scale IQ and the Working Memory dimension are completely mediated by common genetic factors (Posthuma et al., 2002). Here we examine whether the other WAIS III dimensions (Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Processing Speed) are also related to gray and white matter volume, and whether any of the dimensions are related to cerebellar volume. Two overlapping samples provided 135 subjects from 60 extended twin families for whom both MRI scans and WAIS III data were available. All three brain volumes are related to Working Memory capacity (r = 0.27). This phenotypic correlation is completely due to a common underlying genetic factor. Processing Speed was genetically related to white matter volume (r(g) = 0.39). Perceptual Organization was both genetically (r(g) = 0.39) and environmentally (r(e) = -0.71) related to cerebellar volume. Verbal Comprehension was not related to any of the three brain volumes. It is concluded that brain volumes are genetically related to intelligence which suggests that genes that influence brain volume may also be important for intelligence. It is also noted however, that the direction of causation (i.e., do genes influence brain volume which in turn influences intelligence, or alternatively, do genes influence intelligence which in turn influences brain volume), or the presence or absence of pleiotropy has not been resolved yet.
Effect of nitric oxide synthase inhibition on hypercapnia-induced hypothermia and hyperventilation.

Hypercapnia elicits hypothermia in a number of vertebrates, but the mechanisms involved are not well understood. In the present study, we assessed the participation of the nitric oxide (NO) pathway in hypercapnia-induced hypothermia and hyperventilation by means of NO synthase inhibition by using Nomega-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA). Measurements of ventilation, body temperature, and oxygen consumption were performed in awake unrestrained rats before and after L-NNA injection (intraperitoneally) and L-NNA injection followed by hypercapnia (5% CO2). Control animals received saline injections. L-NNA altered the breathing pattern during the control situation but not during hypercapnia. A significant (P < 0.05) drop in body temperature was measured after both L-NNA (40 mg/kg) and 5% inspired CO2, with a drop in oxygen consumption in the first situation but not in the second. Hypercapnia had no effect on L-NNA-induced hypothermia. The ventilatory response to hypercapnia was not changed by L-NNA, even though L-NNA caused a drop in body temperature. The present data indicate that the two responses elicited by hypercapnia, i.e., hyperventilation and hypothermia, do not share NO as a common mediator. However, the L-arginine-NO pathway participates, although in an unrelated way, in respiratory function and thermoregulation.
Prolactin Receptor in Primary Hyperparathyroidism – Expression, Functionality and Clinical Correlations

Background Primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) is an endocrine disorder most commonly affecting women, suggesting a role for female hormones and/or their receptors in parathyroid adenomas. We here investigated the prolactin receptor (PRLr) which is associated with tumours of the breast and other organs. Methodology/Principal Findings PRLr expression was investigated in a panel of 37 patients with sporadic parathyroid tumours and its functionality in cultured parathyroid tumour cells. In comparison with other tissues and breast cancer cells, high levels of prolactin receptor gene (PRLR) transcripts were demonstrated in parathyroid tissues. PRLr products of 60/70 kDa were highly expressed in all parathyroid tumours. In addition varying levels of the 80 kDa PRLr isoform, with known proliferative activity, were demonstrated. In parathyroid tumours, PRLr immunoreactivity was observed in the cytoplasm (in all cases, n = 36), cytoplasmic granulae (n = 16), the plasma membrane (n = 12) or enlarged lysosomes (n = 4). In normal parathyroid rim (n = 28), PRLr was uniformly expressed in the cytoplasm and granulae. In in vitro studies of short-term cultured human parathyroid tumour cells, prolactin stimulation was associated with significant transcriptional changes in JAK/STAT, RIG-I like receptor and type II interferon signalling pathways as documented by gene expression profiling. Moreover, PRLR gene expression in parathyroid tumours was inversely correlated with the patients’ plasma calcium levels. Conclusions We demonstrate that the prolactin receptor is highly abundant in human parathyroid tissues and that PRLr isoforms expression and PRLr subcellular localisation are altered in parathyroid tumours. Responsiveness of PRLr to physiological levels of prolactin was observed in the form of increased PTH secretion and altered gene transcription with significant increase of RIG-I like receptor, JAK-STAT and Type II interferon signalling pathways. These data suggest a role of the prolactin receptor in parathyroid adenomas.
Towards automated surgical skill evaluation of endovascular catheterization tasks based on force and motion signatures

Despite the increased use of robotic catheter navigation systems, and the growing interest in surgical skill evaluation in the field of endovascular intervention, there is a lack of objective and quantitative metrics for performance evaluation. So far very little research has studied operator behavioral patterns using catheter kinematics, operator forces and motions, and catheter-tissue interactions. This paper proposes a framework for automated and objective assessment of performance by measuring catheter-tissue contact forces and operator motion patterns across different skill levels, and using language models to learn the underlying force and motion patterns that are characteristic of skill. Discrete HMMs are utilized to model operator behavior for varying skill levels performing different catheterization tasks, resulting in cross-validation classification accuracies of 94% (expert) and 98% (novice) using the force-based skill models, as well as 83% (expert) and 94% (novice) using the motion-based models. The results motivate the design of improved metrics for endovascular skill assessment with further applications towards performance evaluation of robot-assisted endovascular catheterization.
The direct and indirect effect of attachment insecurity and negative parental behavior on anxiety in clinically anxious children: it's down to dad

BACKGROUND Theoretically, insecure attachment and negative parental behaviors are risk factors for childhood anxiety. However, few empirical studies have examined their relative contribution including differences between mothers and fathers. To date, only one study has examined a mediational model including these factors, albeit in a nonclinical sample. METHOD This study ameliorates this limitation by investigating direct and indirect relations between maternal and paternal attachment and behaviors, and clinical anxiety in children (mean age 9.6 years). The study recruited 54 families. Anxiety symptoms were measured by the Spielberger State-trait Inventory for Children, attachment relationships by the Security Scale, and parental behaviors using the Rearing Behavior Questionnaire. RESULTS Neither insecure attachment relationship with mother nor maternal negative behavior was a significant predictor of anxiety in children. However, insecure attachment to father accounted for a significant proportion of variance in anxiety, and also fully mediated the relationship between paternal rejection and anxiety. CONCLUSIONS Our findings highlight the importance of assessing the relative contribution of risk factors and the importance of including fathers when investigating the development and maintenance of childhood anxiety.
Adapting The Survey Of Perceived Organizational Support

Abstract The subject of the present study was the Polish adaptation of the Survey of Perceived Organizational Support. The adapted scale demonstrates good psychometric properties, indicating high internal consistency. Construct validity was assessed using measures of job and life satisfaction, and a Work-Family Fit Questionnaire. The results have shown that the adapted scale is strongly positively correlated with felt satisfaction with work, and also demonstrates a positive, although weaker correlation with satisfaction with life. Correlations with the Work-Family Fit demonstrate that perceived organizational support is important for the relationship between professional and family roles when work is the source of influence. The results of the study indicate that the adapted SPOS can be successfully used in Poland.
Strain localization in open-cell polyurethane foams: Experiments and theoretical model

Confined compression tests performed by the authors on open-cell polyurethane foams reveal the presence of strain localization. After a brief description of the experiments, a theoretical model is proposed. In the model, the foam is represented as a chain of elastic springs with a two-phase strain energy density, and the strain localization is due to a progressive collapse of the springs. The collapse is a sort of continuum instability, which can be attributed to phase transition. An appropriate choice of the material constants leads to a close reproduction of the experimental force-elongation response curves.
Generalized Concatenated Encoded Gaussian Filtered CPM

Abstract | In [1] it was described how generalized concatenated codes can be constructed on the basis of modulation with memory. In this paper we apply this idea to construct encoded (non-binary) Gaussian filtered CPM systems (GCPM). One possible application is EDGE (Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution), a project of the ETSI (European Telecommunications Standards Institute), where higher data rates will be obtained by replacing the GMSK modulation (and coding) of the GSM system by some Higher Level Modulation (and appropriate coding). A GCPM construction has some obvious advantages compared to other proposed encoded modulation schemes such as encoded 8-PSK.
On Using the Elastic Mode in Nonlinear Programming Approaches to Mathematical Programs with Complementarity Constraints

We investigate the possibility of solving mathematical programs with complementarity constraints (MPCCs) using algorithms and procedures of smooth nonlinear programming. Although MPCCs do not satisfy a constraint qualification, we establish sufficient conditions for their Lagrange multiplier set to be nonempty. MPCCs that have nonempty Lagrange multiplier sets and satisfy the quadratic growth condition can be approached by the elastic mode with a bounded penalty parameter. In this context, the elastic mode transforms MPCC into a nonlinear program with additional variables that has an isolated stationary point and local minimum at the solution of the original problem, which in turn makes it approachable by sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithms. One such algorithm is shown to achieve local linear convergence once the problem is relaxed. Under stronger conditions, we also prove superlinear convergence to the solution of an MPCC using an adaptive elastic mode approach for an SQP algorithm recently analyzed in an MPCC context in [R. Fletcher, S. Leyffer, S. Sholtes, and D. Ralph, Local Convergence of SQP Methods for Mathematical Programs with Equilibrium Constraints, Tech. report NA 210, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK, 2002]. Our assumptions are more general since we do not use a critical assumption from that reference. In addition, we show that the elastic parameter update rule will not interfere locally with the superlinear convergence once the penalty parameter is appropriately chosen.
Deformation quantization of algebraic varieties

The paper is devoted to peculiarities of the deformation quantization in the algebro-geometric context. A direct application of the formality theorem to an algebraic Poisson manifold gives a canonical sheaf of categories deforming coherent sheaves. The global category is very degenerate in general. Thus, we introduce a new notion of a semiformal deformation, a replacement in algebraic geometry of an actual deformation (versus a formal one). Deformed algebras obtained by semi-formal deformations are Noetherian and have polynomial growth. We propose constructions of semi-formal quantizations of projective and affine algebraic Poisson manifolds satisfying certain natural geometric conditions. Projective symplectic manifolds (e.g. K3 surfaces and abelian varieties) do not satisfy our conditions, but projective spaces with quadratic Poisson brackets and Poisson-Lie groups can be semi-formally quantized.
The Effect of Continues Aerobic Training with Green Tea Supplementation on Lipid Profiles of Inactive Obese Females

Background. Obesity, through creating disorder in blood lipids and also, increase insulin resistance, has a main role in appearance high risk disease such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and various kind of cancer. Objectives. The aim of this study was to survey effect of eight weeks continuous aerobic training accompanied with green tea consumption on lipid profile of inactive obese female. Methods. In this quasi-experimental research, 40 inactive obese female with body mass index equal or greater than 30 kg/m2 selected as subjects. After receiving written consent, the subjects divided randomly into four equal groups; 1) continuous aerobic training, 2) green tea consumption, 3) continuous aerobic training accompanied with green tea consumption and 4) control. Continuous aerobic training was done for eight weeks, three sessions per week and intensity of 65-75 percent of MHR. Green tea supplement consume three bags (2 gram) in three meals per day. For combination group, both of intervention did. Before and after eight weeks intervention of training and green tea consumption, blood sampling done at 12h fasting state. Results. It showed that continuous aerobic training with consumption of green tea supplement lead to significant reduction in body weight and fat percentage (p<0.05) and no significant effect on lipid profile (p>0.05). Conclusion. In general, inactive obese female may benefit of positive effects of continuous aerobic training accompanied with green tea consumption on body weight and fat percentage. However, to determine effects of continuous aerobic training on lipid profile of inactive obese women more research is needed.
Infrared Catastrophe for Nelson's Model

We mathematically study the infrared catastrophe for the Hamiltonian of Nelson's model when it has the external potential in a general class. For the model, we prove the pull-through formula on ground states in operator theory first. Based on this formula, we show both non-existence of any ground state and divergence of the total number of soft bosons.