Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The stepwise specification of embryonic stem cells to hematopoietic fate is driven by sequential exposure to Bmp4, activin A, bFGF and VEGF

The differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells offers a powerful approach to study mechanisms implicated in cell fate decision. A major hurdle, however, is to promote the directed and efficient differentiation of ES cells toward a specific lineage. Here, we define in serum-free media the minimal factor requirement controlling each step of the differentiation process, resulting in the production of highly enriched hematopoietic progenitors. Four factors - Bmp4, activin A, bFGF (Fgf2) and VEGF (VegfA) - are sufficient to drive the selective and efficient differentiation of mouse ES cells to hematopoiesis. Each of these factors appears to regulate a step of the process: Bmp4 promotes the very efficient formation of mesoderm; bFGF and activin A induce the differentiation of these mesodermal precursors to the hemangioblast fate; and VEGF is required for the production of fully committed hematopoietic progenitors. The stimulation of mesodermal precursors by bFGF and activin A switches on very rapidly the hematopoietic program, allowing us to dissect the molecular events leading to the formation of the hemangioblast. Runx1, Scl (Tal1) and Hhex expression is upregulated within 3 hours of stimulation, whereas upregulation of Lmo2 and Fli1 is observed later. Interestingly, increased expression levels of genes such as cMyb, Pu.1 (Sfpi1), Gata1 and Gata2 are not observed at the onset of hemangioblast commitment. This stepwise control of differentiation is extremely efficient, giving rise to a very high frequency of hematopoietic precursors, and provides an optimal system for understanding the molecular machineries involved in blood progenitor commitment.
Effect of Celluclast 1.5L on the Physicochemical Characterization of Gold Kiwifruit Pectin

The effects of Celluclast 1.5L concentration on the physicochemical characterization of gold kiwifruit pectin was evaluated. Varying the enzyme concentration affected the pectin yield and pectin physicochemical properties. The viscosity of extracted pectin was largely dependent on the enzyme concentration. Celluclast 1.5L with medium concentration exhibited the highest viscosity. Varying the enzyme concentration also influenced the molecular weight distribution. High molecular weight (Mw) pectin (1.65 × 106 g/mol) was obtained when the medium concentration was used. Overall, the study clearly reflects the importance of taking into consideration the amount of cellulytic enzyme added in order to determine the final quality of pectin.
Response–Effect Compatibility Defines the Natural Scrolling Direction

Objective: We evaluated alternative scrolling methods on non–touch screen computer operating systems by comparing human performance in different scrolling conditions. Background: The scrolling directions on current operating systems are discrepant. Few researchers have investigated how scrolling method influences users’ performance. The response–effect (R-E) compatibility principle can be used as a theoretical guide. Method: Experiments 1 and 2 involved two successive tasks (scrolling and target content judgment) to simulate how people scroll to acquire and use off-screen information. Performance in R-E compatible and incompatible conditions was compared. Experiment 3 involved a location judgment task to test the influence of target location. Experiments 4 and 5 included a scrolling effect following the location judgment task to test the sufficient role of the scrolling effect. Results: Overall, responses were facilitated when the response direction was compatible with the forthcoming display-content movement direction (an R-E compatibility effect), when the scrolling effect was task relevant or task irrelevant. A spatial stimulus–response (S-R) compatibility effect attributable to target location was also found. When the scrolling effect was present, there were both R-E and S-R components; the R-E effect was the larger of the two. Conclusion: Scrolling in the direction of content movement yielded the best performance, and the scrolling effect was the main source of the R-E compatibility effect. Application: These findings suggest that (a) the R-E compatibility principle may be used as a general design guideline for scrolling and (b) a consistent scrolling method should be available on various operating systems.
DC to 6.5 GHz highly linear low-noise AlGaN/GaN traveling wave amplifier with diode predistortion

A five-stage linear low-noise uniform traveling wave amplifier (L2NTWA) design fabricated in an AlGaN/GaN 0. 25μm monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) process is presented. The amplifier exhibits a bandwidth of 10 MHz - 6.5 GHz at a constant gain of 15 dB and a minimum NF of 1.5 dB. For small-signal operation only, an on-chip active cold load (ACL) can be optionally connected by a bond-wire to replace the gate-line termination resistor and thus to improve the TWA's low frequency noise performance. To the author's best knowledge, for the first time a tunable diode predistortion concept is applied in a TWA to improve linearity by cancellation of the CGS dependent nonlinearity. Large-signal measurements show a SFDR of larger than 38 dBc at 25 dBm output power and a P1dB and PSAT at moderate bias of larger than 29 dBm and 33.5 dBm, respectively. The measured OIP3 is larger than 42 dBm over the full bandwidth. All measurements of the MMIC have been conducted in a custom-made PCB mountable package, including off-chip SMD low frequency extensions, to guarantee optimum electrical and thermal performance of the amplifier.
Postnatal Cadmium Exposure, Neurodevelopment, and Blood Pressure in Children at 2, 5, and 7 Years of Age

Background Adverse health effects of cadmium in adults are well documented, but little is known about the neuropsychological effects of cadmium in children, and no studies of cadmium and blood pressure in children have been conducted. Objective We examined the potential effects of low-level cadmium exposure on intelligence quotient, neuropsychological functions, behavior, and blood pressure among children, using blood cadmium as a measure of exposure. Methods We used the data from a multicenter randomized clinical trial of lead-exposed children and analyzed blood cadmium concentrations using the whole blood samples collected when children were 2 years of age. We compared neuropsychological and behavioral scores at 2, 5, and 7 years of age by cadmium level and analyzed the relationship between blood cadmium levels at 2 years of age and systolic and diastolic blood pressure at 2, 5, and 7 years of age. Results The average cadmium concentration of these children was 0.21 μg/L, lower than for adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), but comparable to concentrations in children < 3 years of age in NHANES. Except for the California Verbal Learning Test for Children, there were no differences in test scores among children in different cadmium categories. For children with detectable pretreatment blood cadmium, after adjusting for a variety of covariates, general linear model analyses showed that at none of the three age points was the coefficient of cadmium on Mental Development Index or IQ statistically significant. Spline regression analysis suggested that behavioral problem scores at 5 and 7 years of age tended to increase with increasing blood cadmium, but the trend was not significant. We found no significant associations between blood cadmium levels and blood pressure. Conclusion We found no significant associations between background blood cadmium levels at 2 years of age and neurodevelopmental end points and blood pressure at 2, 5, and 7 years of age. The neuropsychological or hypertensive effects from longer background exposures to cadmium need further study.
Age-Dependence of Femoral Strength in White Women and Men

Although age‐related variations in areal bone mineral density (aBMD) and the prevalence of osteoporosis have been well characterized, there is a paucity of data on femoral strength in the population. Addressing this issue, we used finite‐element analysis of quantitative computed tomographic scans to assess femoral strength in an age‐stratified cohort of 362 women and 317 men, aged 21 to 89 years, randomly sampled from the population of Rochester, MN, and compared femoral strength with femoral neck aBMD. Percent reductions over adulthood were much greater for femoral strength (55% in women, 39% in men) than for femoral neck aBMD (26% in women, 21% in men), an effect that was accentuated in women. Notable declines in strength started in the mid‐40s for women and one decade later for men. At advanced age, most of the strength deficit for women compared with men was a result of this decade‐earlier onset of strength loss for women, this factor being more important than sex‐related differences in peak bone strength and annual rates of bone loss. For both sexes, the prevalence of “low femoral strength” (<3000 N) was much higher than the prevalence of osteoporosis (femoral neck aBMD T‐score of −2.5 or less). We conclude that age‐related declines in femoral strength are much greater than suggested by age‐related declines in femoral neck aBMD. Further, far more of the elderly may be at high risk of hip fracture because of low femoral strength than previously assumed based on the traditional classification of osteoporosis. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
The Influence of Low Intensities of Light Pollution on Bat Communities in a Semi-Natural Context

Anthropogenic light pollution is an increasingly significant issue worldwide. Over the past century, the use of artificial lighting has increased in association with human activity. Artificial lights are suspected to have substantial effects on the ecology of many species, e.g., by producing discontinuities in the territories of nocturnal animals. We analyzed the potential influence of the intensity and type of artificial light on bat activity in a semi-natural landscape in France. We used a species approach, followed by a trait-based approach, to light sensitivity. We also investigated whether the effect of light could be related to foraging traits. We performed acoustic surveys at sites located along a gradient of light intensities to assess the activity of 15 species of bats. We identified 2 functional response groups of species: one group that was light-tolerant and one group that was light-intolerant. Among the species in the latter group that appear to be disadvantaged by lighting conditions, many are rare and threatened in Europe, whereas the species from the former group are better able to thrive in disturbed habitats such as lighted areas and may actually benefit from artificial lighting. Finally, several methods of controlling light pollution are suggested for the conservation of bat communities. Recommendations for light management and the creation of dim-light corridors are proposed; these strategies may play an important role in protecting against the impact of light pollution on nocturnal animals.
Iron and grazing constraints on primary production in the central equatorial Pacific: An EqPac synthesis

Recent studies in the central equatorial Pacific allow a comprehensive assessment of phytoplankton regulation in a high‐nutrient, low‐chlorophyll (HNLC) ecosystem. Elemental iron enters the euphotic zone principally via upwelling and is present at concentrations (≤30 pM) well below the estimated half‐saturation constant (120 pM) for the large cells that bloom with iron enrichment. In addition, the meridional trend in quantum yield of photosynthesis suggests that even the dominant small phytoplankton are held below their physiological potential by iron deficiency. Grazing by microzooplankton dominates phytoplankton losses, accounting for virtually all of the measured phytoplankton production during El Niño conditions and ∼66% during normal upwelling conditions, with mesozooplankton grazing and lateral advection closing the balance. Nitrate uptake is strongly correlated with the pigment biomass of diatoms, which increase in relative abundance during normal upwelling conditions. Nonetheless, the f‐ratio remains low (0.07–0.12) under all conditions. Iron budgets are consistent with the notions that new production is determined by the rate of new iron input to the system while total production depends on efficient iron recycling by grazers. Although the limiting substrates differ, the interactions of resource limitation and grazing in HNLC regions are conceptually similar to the generally accepted view for oligotrophic subtropical regions. In both systems, small dominant phytoplankton grow at rapid, but usually less than physiologically maximal, rates; they are cropped to low stable abundances by microzooplankton; and their sustained high rates of growth depend on the remineralized by‐products of grazing.
Tracking Signals of Change in Mediterranean Fish Diversity Based on Local Ecological Knowledge

One of the expected effects of global change is increased variability in the abundance and distribution of living organisms, but information at the appropriate temporal and geographical scales is often lacking to observe these patterns. Here we use local knowledge as an alternative information source to study some emerging changes in Mediterranean fish diversity. A pilot study of thirty-two fishermen was conducted in 2009 from four Mediterranean locations along a south-north gradient. Semi-quantitative survey information on changes in species abundance was recorded by year and suggests that 59 fish species belonging to 35 families have experienced changes in their abundance. We distinguished species that increased from species that decreased or fluctuated. Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences between these three groups of species, as well as significant variation between the study locations. A trend for thermophilic taxa to increase was recorded at all the study locations. The Carangidae and the Sphyraenidae families typically were found to increase over time, while Scombridae and Clupeidae were generally identified as decreasing and Fistularidae and Scaridae appeared to fluctuate in abundance. Our initial findings strongly suggest the northward expansion of termophilic species whose occurrence in the northern Mediterranean has only been noted previously by occasional records in the scientific literature.
Tracheal telocytes

Recently, a novel type of stromal cell – the telocytes (TC) – was identified in mouse trachea. These cells are known to possess the ultrastructural characteristics, which support their role in intercellular signaling. We found TC in all stromal compartments of the tracheal wall. TC with long prolongations (telopodes, Tp) were lining longitudinally the collagen bundles, and were serially arranged (end‐to‐end connections of Tp were found). Noteworthy, Tp frequently establish stromal synapses with mast cells (MC). Primary cilia were also identified in TC. In conclusion, tracheal TC could be involved in the tracheal regulation (e.g. secretion, contractility). The tandem TC‐MC deserves further investigations.
Rett syndrome: A study of the face

Rett syndrome is a unique disorder of neurodevelopment that is characterized by an evolving behavioral and developmental phenotype, which emerges after an apparently normal early infantile period. It almost exclusively affects females. The face of Rett syndrome is said to resemble that of Angelman syndrome, although there seems little objective support for this impression and it is not a concept with universal support. This observational and anthropometric study was carried out to define the key facial characteristics of females with Rett syndrome and to evaluate whether any changes of significance occur with age. Thirty‐seven affected Caucasian females, from 2 to 20 years of age, were evaluated. Thirty‐five of them had a documented mutation in MECP2 while the remaining two fulfilled the clinical criteria for Rett syndrome and had been diagnosed by an experienced clinician. Few unusual facial features were noted. Almost all facial measurements were within the normal range although head circumference tended to fall below the normal range with increasing age. The pattern of measurements was constant over time, with the exception of increased facial width in the under 3‐year‐old girls. The face of Rett syndrome does not demonstrate marked prognathism, wide mouth, spaced teeth or striking microcephaly, all features of Angelman syndrome. Thus, while Rett and Angelman syndromes have similar clinical, neurological, and behavioral phenotypes, they do not appear to share similar facial features. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Potential roles of Alzheimer precursor protein A4 and β‐amyloid in survival and function of aged spinal motor neurons after axonal injury

To study the potential role of Alzheimer precursor protein A4 (APP) and β‐amyloid (A/β) on aging motor neuron survival, expression of APP, A/β, and choline acetyltransferase (ChaT) were investigated in aged rats after either distal axotomy or root avulsion injury. Approximately 45% in number of total aged spinal motor neuron were normally APP‐positive. A/β‐positive neurites were observed normally in the spinal ventral horn of aged rats. After distal axotomy, without apparent neurodegeneration such as cell loss and decreased ChaT‐immunoreactivity, increased levels of APP expression were observed in the spinal cords of aged rats post‐injury. In contrast, after avulsion, expression of APP and A/β were downregulated in the spinal ventral horn of aged rats, and marked loss of spinal motor neurons and downregulated ChaT expression were observed. Our data indicate that APP and A/β might play beneficial roles in neuronal survival of aged spinal motor neurons after axonal injury. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Probing the Coevolution of Supermassive Black Holes and Galaxies Using Gravitationally Lensed Quasar Hosts

In the present-day universe, supermassive black hole masses (ℳBH) appear to be strongly correlated with their galaxy's bulge luminosity, among other properties. In this study we explore the analogous relationship between ℳBH, derived using the virial method, and the stellar R-band bulge luminosity (LR) or stellar bulge mass (ℳ*) at epochs of 1 ≲ z ≲ 4.5, using a sample of 31 gravitationally lensed AGNs and 20 nonlensed AGNs. At redshifts z > 1.7 (10-12 Gyr ago), we find that the observed ℳBH-LR relation is nearly the same (to within ~0.3 mag) as it is today. When the observed LR are corrected for luminosity evolution, this means that the black holes grew in mass faster than their hosts, with the ℳBH/ℳ* mass ratio being a factor of ≳4 times larger at z > 1.7 than it is today. By the redshift range 1 ≲ z ≲ 1.7 (8-10 Gyr ago), the ℳBH/ℳ* ratio is at most 2 times higher than today, but it may be consistent with no evolution. Combining the results, we conclude that the ratio ℳBH/ℳ* rises with look-back time, although it may saturate at ≈6 times the local value. Scenarios in which moderately luminous quasar hosts at z ≳ 1.7 were fully formed bulges that passively faded to the present epoch are ruled out.
Population Structure and Genetic Diversity in a Rice Core Collection (Oryza sativa L.) Investigated with SSR Markers

The assessment of genetic diversity and population structure of a core collection would benefit to make use of these germplasm as well as applying them in association mapping. The objective of this study were to (1) examine the population structure of a rice core collection; (2) investigate the genetic diversity within and among subgroups of the rice core collection; (3) identify the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD) of the rice core collection. A rice core collection consisting of 150 varieties which was established from 2260 varieties of Ting's collection of rice germplasm were genotyped with 274 SSR markers and used in this study. Two distinct subgroups (i.e. SG 1 and SG 2) were detected within the entire population by different statistical methods, which is in accordance with the differentiation of indica and japonica rice. MCLUST analysis might be an alternative method to STRUCTURE for population structure analysis. A percentage of 26% of the total markers could detect the population structure as the whole SSR marker set did with similar precision. Gene diversity and MRD between the two subspecies varied considerably across the genome, which might be used to identify candidate genes for the traits under domestication and artificial selection of indica and japonica rice. The percentage of SSR loci pairs in significant (P<0.05) LD is 46.8% in the entire population and the ratio of linked to unlinked loci pairs in LD is 1.06. Across the entire population as well as the subgroups and sub-subgroups, LD decays with genetic distance, indicating that linkage is one main cause of LD. The results of this study would provide valuable information for association mapping using the rice core collection in future.
Comparison of ultracentrifugation and density gradient separation methods for isolating Tca8113 human tongue cancer cell line-derived exosomes

The aim of the present study was to compare the method of ultracentrifugation and density gradient separation for isolating Tca8113 human tongue squamous cell carcinoma cell line-derived exosomes. The exosomes were obtained from the culture supernatant of cultured Tca8113 cells, respectively, followed by identification with transmission electron microscopy observation and western blot analysis. The two different methods were then compared by the morphology, the distribution range of the particle size and the concentration of proteins of the extracted exosomes. In vitro, Tca8113 cells can secrete a large amount of vesicle-like structures, which are identified as exosomes by the presence of the surface markers, Hsp-70 and Alix. The protein profile of the two products are almost the same, however the particle size distribution of the exosomes extracted with density gradient centrifugation are more limited, between 40–120 nm, and these have a higher protein concentration. The results indicate that Tca8113 cells can secrete exosomes in vitro, and the density gradient separation methods for purifying exosomes is improved, which is helpful for future research and application of exosomes.
Associations between sleep-wake consolidation and language development in early childhood: a longitudinal twin study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The objectives were (1) to assess associations between sleep consolidation at 6, 18 and 30 months and language skills at 18, 30, and 60 months; and (2) to investigate the genetic/environmental etiology of these associations. DESIGN Longitudinal study of a population-based twin cohort. PARTICIPANTS 1029 twins from the Quebec Newborn Twin Study. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Sleep consolidation was derived from parental reports of day/night consecutive sleeping durations. Language skills were assessed with the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory at 18 and 30 months and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test at 60 months. The day/night sleep ratio decreased significantly from 6 to 30 months. The 6- and 18-month ratios were negatively correlated with subsequent language skills. Children with language delays at 60 months had less mature sleep consolidation at both 6 and 18 months than children without delays and those with transient early delays. Genetic and regression analyses revealed that the sleep ratio at 6 months was highly heritable (64%) and predicted 18-month (B = -0.06) and 30-month language (B = -0.11) mainly through additive genetic influences (R(Gs) = 0.32 and 0.33, respectively). By contrast, the sleep ratio at 18 months was mainly due to shared environment influences (58%) and predicted 60-month language (B = -0.08) through shared environment influences (R(Cs) = 0.24). CONCLUSIONS Poor sleep consolidation during the first 2 years of life may be a risk factor for language learning, whereas good sleep consolidation may foster language learning through successive genetic and environmental influences.