Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Suppression of Endogenous Glucose Production by Isoleucine and Valine and Impact of Diet Composition

Leucine has been shown to acutely inhibit hepatic glucose production in rodents by a mechanism requiring its metabolism to acetyl-CoA in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH). In the early stages, all branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) are metabolized by a shared set of enzymes to produce a ketoacid, which is later metabolized to acetyl-CoA. Consequently, isoleucine and valine may also modulate glucose metabolism. To examine this possibility we performed intrahypothalamic infusions of isoleucine or valine in rats and assessed whole body glucose kinetics under basal conditions and during euglycemic pancreatic clamps. Furthermore, because high fat diet (HFD) consumption is known to interfere with central glucoregulation, we also asked whether the action of BCAAs was affected by HFD. We fed rats a lard-rich diet for a short interval and examined their response to central leucine. The results showed that both isoleucine and valine individually lowered blood glucose by decreasing liver glucose production. Furthermore, the action of the BCAA leucine was markedly attenuated by HFD feeding. We conclude that all three BCAAs centrally modulate glucose metabolism in the liver and that their action is disrupted by HFD-induced insulin resistance.
A Dual process model of impression formation

This volume presents different perspectives on a dual model of impression formation -- a theory about how people form impressions about other people by combining information about a person with prior knowledge found in long-term memory. This information is of real importance to graduate students and advanced undergraduates in cognitive and social psychology, experimental psychology, social cognition and perception. Each volume in the series will contain a target article on a recent theoretical development pertinent to current study followed by critical commentaries offering varying theoretical viewpoints. This productive dialogue concludes with a reply by the target article author. The first volume of the series presents an evaluation of theoretical advances in social cognition and information processing from new and different perspectives. Volume 2 presents a new conceptualization of personality and social cognition by Cantor and Kihlstrom which addresses both new and old issues. The volumes in this series will interest and enlighten graduate and advanced undergraduates in cognitive and social psychology, experimental psychology, social cognition and perception. The first volume of the series presents an evaluation of theoretical advances in social cognition and information processing from new and different perspectives. Each volume in the series will contain a target article on a recent theoretical development pertinent to current study followed by critical commentaries offering varying theoretical viewpoints. This productive dialog concludes with a reply by the target article author. The information provided in Volume 1 promises to enrich graduate and advanced undergraduates in cognitive and social psychology, experimental psychology, social cognition and perception. This first volume of the series evaluates the theoretical advances made in social cognition and information processing from new and different perspectives. This unique and lively interchange between the target article author and the critics will enrich and enlighten psychologists from many disciplines. Each volume in the series will contain a target article on a recent theoretical development pertinent to current study followed by critical commentaries offering varying theoretical viewpoints. This productive dialog concludes with a reply by the target article author. The first volume of the series presents an evaluation of theoretical advances in social cognition and information processing from new and different perspectives. Volume 2 presents a new conceptualization of personality and social cognition by Cantor and Kihlstrom which addresses both new and old issues. All volumes in this series will interest and enlighten graduate and advanced undergraduates in cognitive and social psychology, experimental psychology, social cognition and perception.
Increase in Serum Total IGF-I and Maintenance of Free IGF-I Following Intentional Weight Loss in Pre-menopausal Women at Increased Risk of Breast Cancer

Intentional weight loss may reduce breast cancer risk through lowering levels of circulating free IGF-I but few studies have measured this longitudinally. We determined the effect of weight loss (=5% body weight) over 12 months, using an energy restriction and exercise programme, on an expanded panel of IGF-related peptides amongst 23 weight losing and 46 weight stable or gaining pre-menopausal women at increased risk of breast cancer, BMI (mean ± SD) 29.2 ± 6.2 kg/m2. Fasting measures of total and free IGF-I (ultra-filtration), and IGFBP-1, -2 and -3, body weight, body fat (DXA), intra-abdominal fat (MRI) were assessed at 6 and 12 months. After 12 months, women who lost ≥ 5% of body weight had a significant increase in serum total IGF-I; mean (95% CI difference) 17 (2.3 to 34.0) μg/l, P < 0.05, and IGFBP-2; mean (95% CI ratio) 1.24 (1.06 to 1.46) P < 0.001, compared to weight stable/gaining women. Serum IGFBP-1 tended to increase in weight losers compared to the weight stable/gaining women; mean (95% CI ratio) 1.19 (0.97 to 1.45) P=0.09, whereas IGFBP-3 remained unchanged; mean (95% CI ratio) 1.02 (0.94 to 1.20] P=0.99. Weight loss did not significantly alter serum levels of free IGF-I; mean difference 0.1 (-0.1 to 3.4) μg/l, P=0.21. Increased serum total IGF-I levels, and maintenance of free IGF-I despite increased concentrations of serum IGFBP-1 and -2 with weight loss, does not suggest intentional weight loss with diet and exercise mediates reduced risk through the circulating IGF-axis.
Millipede Taxonomy after 250 Years: Classification and Taxonomic Practices in a Mega-Diverse yet Understudied Arthropod Group

Background The arthropod class Diplopoda is a mega-diverse group comprising >12,000 described millipede species. The history of taxonomic research within the group is tumultuous and, consequently, has yielded a questionable higher-level classification. Few higher-taxa are defined using synapomorphies, and the practice of single taxon descriptions lacking a revisionary framework has produced many monotypic taxa. Additionally, taxonomic and geographic biases render global species diversity estimations unreliable. We test whether the ordinal taxa of the Diplopoda are consistent with regards to underlying taxonomic diversity, attempt to provide estimates for global species diversity, and examine millipede taxonomic effort at a global geographic scale. Methodology/Principal Findings A taxonomic distinctness metric was employed to assess uniformity of millipede ordinal taxa. We found that ordinal-level taxa are not uniform and are likely overinflated with higher-taxa when compared to related groups. Several methods of estimating global species richness were employed (Bayesian, variation in taxonomic productivity, extrapolation from nearly fully described taxa). Two of the three methods provided estimates ranging from 13,413–16,760 species. Variations in geographic diversity show biases to North America and Europe and a paucity of works on tropical taxa. Conclusions/Significance Before taxa can be used in an extensible way, they must be definable with respect to the diversity they contain and the diagnostic characters used to delineate them. The higher classification for millipedes is shown to be problematic from a number of perspectives. Namely, the ordinal taxa are not uniform in their underlying diversity, and millipedes appear to have a disproportionate number of higher-taxa. Species diversity estimates are unreliable due to inconsistent taxonomic effort at temporal, geographic, and phylogenetic scales. Lack of knowledge concerning many millipede groups compounds these issues. Diplopods are likely not unique in this regard as these issues may persist in many other diverse yet poorly studied groups.
Does the Internet matter for strong ties? Bonding social capital, Internet use, and age-based inequality

As the Internet becomes pervasive in western societies, social capital emerges as a valuable sociological tool to analyze the social effects of Internet use. Thus, a growing body of research has been looking into the relationship between social capital and Internet usage. This research has been showing a positive relationship between them; however, results are not as conclusive when we consider one of the main dimensions of social capital: bonding. Bonding relates to resources that are embedded in one’s strong ties (i.e., family members and close friends). The study of bonding is of particular sociological interest, since the discussion around the social effects of the Internet still suggests that it takes time away from strong ties and that is more useful to connect with weak ties (i.e., acquaintances). This study examines the relationship between bonding and the Internet, using representative survey data and semi-structured interviews from Portugal. Findings show that bonding is predicted positively by Internet use but negatively by age. On one hand, the Internet seems to compensate for the negative age effect because older adults who use it are more likely to have a high level of bonding. On the other hand, the Internet reinforces accumulated social advantage.
Protein Expression Profiles in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma Compared with Normal Pancreatic Tissue and Tissue Affected by Pancreatitis as Detected by Two-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis and Mass Spectrometry

Pancreatic cancer is a rapidly fatal disease, and there is an urgent need for early detection markers and novel therapeutic targets. The current study has used a proteomic approach of two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MS) to identify differentially expressed proteins in six cases of pancreatic adenocarcinoma, two normal adjacent tissues, seven cases of pancreatitis, and six normal pancreatic tissues. Protein extracts of individual sample and pooled samples of each type of tissues were separated on 2D gels using two different pH ranges. Differentially expressed protein spots were in-gel digested and identified by MS. Forty proteins were identified, of which five [i.e., α-amylase; copper zinc superoxide dismutase; protein disulfide isomerase, pancreatic; tropomyosin 2 (TM2); and galectin-1] had been associated previously with pancreatic disease in gene expression studies. The identified proteins include antioxidant enzymes, chaperones and/or chaperone-like proteins, calcium-binding proteins, proteases, signal transduction proteins, and extracellular matrix proteins. Among these proteins, annexin A4, cyclophilin A, cathepsin D, galectin-1, 14–3-3ζ, α-enolase, peroxiredoxin I, TM2, and S100A8 were specifically overexpressed in tumors compared with normal and pancreatitis tissues. Differential expression of some of the identified proteins was further confirmed by Western blot analyses and/or immunohistochemical analysis. These results show the value of a proteomic approach in identifying potential markers for early diagnosis and therapeutic manipulation. The newly identified proteins in pancreatic tumors may eventually serve as diagnostic markers or therapeutic targets.
Evaluating the Relationship Between Neuropsychological Function and Cognitive Performance

The last 2 decades have produced a vast literature describing relationships between cognitive performance and neuropsychological data. This literature has provided the foundation for countless theories about the neural correlates of cognitive processing and specific theories regarding the role of different cortical areas in human cognition. In this paper, we examine a particular theory – the error likelihood model (Brown & Braver, 2005) – that attempts to account for the function of a particular brain area (the anterior cingulate cortex). A careful evaluation of behavioral data from humans raises questions about the error likelihood model and the implications of neuropsychological data for understanding cognitive performance.
From registry data collection to international comparisons: examples of haemodialysis duration and frequency.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to investigate haemodialysis (HD) dose practice patterns in different European countries in the light of the European Best Practice Guidelines (EBPG) and to study the associations of patient characteristics and country with weekly dialysis duration. METHODS Renal registries in Europe were asked to contribute to the study with individual patient data on weekly HD duration, number of HD sessions a week and last measured Kt/V. Additional items were age, sex, date of first renal replacement therapy (RRT), dry weight, height, HD modality, HD technique, diabetes status and vascular access type. Multivariate logistic regression was used to study the probability of receiving HD for <12 h per week. RESULTS Seven registries contributed data on 26 136 patients on HD on 31 December 2005. Eighty-three percent of the patients received HD for at least 12 h per week as recommended by the EBPG (range 49.0-97.3% across countries). Multivariate analysis showed significant differences across countries concerning the risk of receiving <12 h. Other risk factors included age (older), sex (female), BMI (low) and duration of RRT (shorter). Diabetes was associated with longer total HD duration. CONCLUSION This study shows a great international variability in weekly HD duration and some discrepancies between current practices and the EBPG. It also points out the difficulty of obtaining and comparing Kt/V values under current registry practices.
Recent self-harm and psychological measures in the emergency department

The assessment of self-harm risk is a common, difficult, and perplexing task for many physicians, especially those working in emergency departments (ED). Attempts have been made to determine objective methods for assessing patients with suicidal ideation or self-harm though there is still a lack of knowledge about objective assessments of these patients. A study was conducted where 181 suicidal patients were enrolled in two EDs within the city of Edmonton, Canada. Initial interviews were conducted in the ED which collected basic demographics and medical history as well as psychometric measures including the Beck Hopelessness Scale, Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, Drug Abuse Screening Test 10, and CAGE questionnaire. The results of these measures were compared between those who presented to the ED with self-harm and those who presented only with ideation. Those with recent self-harm scored lower on many of the scales and subscales of distress and impulsivity measured compared to those with no recent self-harm. Possible explanations for this difference include differences in psychological traits between the two groups and possible cathartic effects of self-harm. The lower scores obtained by those that present with self-harm may complicate attempts to use psychometric tools to determine future self-harm risk.
Comparing State Spaces in Automatic Security Protocol Analysis Cas

There are several automatic tools available for the symbolic analysis of security protocols. The models underlying these tools differ in many aspects. Some of the differences have already been formally related to each other in the literature, such as difference in protocol execution models or definitions of security properties. However, there is an important difference between analysis tools that has not been investigated in depth before: the explored state space. Some tools explore all possible behaviors, whereas others explore strict subsets, often by using so-called scenarios. We identify several types of state space explored by protocol analysis tools, and relate them to each other. We find previously unreported differences between the various approaches. Using combinatorial results, we determine the requirements for emulating one type of state space by combinations of another type. We apply our study of state space relations in a performance comparison of several well-known automatic tools for security protocol analysis. We model a set of protocols and their properties as homogeneously as possible for each tool. We analyze the performance of the tools over comparable state spaces. This work enables us to effectively compare these automatic tools, i. e. , using the same protocol description and exploring the same state space. We also propose some explanations for our experimental results, leading to a better understanding of the tools.
Ovarian Follicular Atresia of Ewes during Spring Puerperium

The distribution of healthy and atretic follicles on the ovarian surface of improved Valachian ewes 17, 24, and 32 days postpartum is reported in this study. The number of healthy follicles was higher on day 24 postpartum and their mean diameter tended to increase to day 32 (P < 0.05) with the greatest diameter of 5 mm. 78–81% of atretic follicles ≥3 mm in diameter was observed where apoptosis began in the follicular cells situated at the follicular cavity. The early atretic follicles are characterized by the presence of mitotic pictures. In one ewe 24 days postpartum, small regressive follicular cysts were observed. Contracting atresia is characterized by thickening of the theca interna even to 190 μm. Progesterone and oestradiol-17β concentrations were maintained at relatively low levels, but with no significant difference between the days postpartum.
An Investigation into Alternative Methods for the Defuzzification of an Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Set

The number of applications of interval type-2 fuzzy logic to real world problems is growing. To date such systems have used type-reduction or an approximation of type-reduction to arrive at a final crisp output from the system. This paper describes the novel direct defuzzifier for interval type-2 fuzzy sets. A number of fuzzy systems are compared with the direct defuzzifier. We compare each defuzzifiers output surface in a simple rule-based system. The direct defuzzifier compares favourably with the type-reduction method under the minimum t-norm. We found that the non-stationary approach provided interesting results.
Mechanisms of Side Branching and Tip Splitting in a Model of Branching Morphogenesis

Recent experimental work in lung morphogenesis has described an elegant pattern of branching phenomena. Two primary forms of branching have been identified: side branching and tip splitting. In our previous study of lung branching morphogenesis, we used a 4 variable partial differential equation (PDE), due to Meinhardt, as our mathematical model to describe the reaction and diffusion of morphogens creating those branched patterns. By altering key parameters in the model, we were able to reproduce all the branching styles and the switch between branching modes. Here, we attempt to explain the branching phenomena described above, as growing out of two fundamental instabilities, one in the longitudinal (growth) direction and the other in the transverse direction. We begin by decoupling the original branching process into two semi-independent sub-processes, 1) a classic activator/inhibitor system along the growing stalk, and 2) the spatial growth of the stalk. We then reduced the full branching model into an activator/inhibitor model that embeds growth of the stalk as a controllable parameter, to explore the mechanisms that determine different branching patterns. We found that, in this model, 1) side branching results from a pattern-formation instability of the activator/inhibitor subsystem in the longitudinal direction. This instability is far from equilibrium, requiring a large inhomogeneity in the initial conditions. It successively creates periodic activator peaks along the growing stalk, each of which later on migrates out and forms a side branch; 2) tip splitting is due to a Turing-style instability along the transversal direction, that creates the spatial splitting of the activator peak into 2 simultaneously-formed peaks at the growing tip, the occurrence of which requires the widening of the growing stalk. Tip splitting is abolished when transversal stalk widening is prevented; 3) when both instabilities are satisfied, tip bifurcation occurs together with side branching.
Control of Cognitive Processes

One of the most challenging problems facing cognitive psychology and cognitive neuroscience is to explain how mental processes are voluntarily controlled, allowing the computational resources of the brain to be selected flexibly and deployed to achieve changing goals. The eighteenth of the celebrated international symposia on Attention and Performance focused on this problem, seeking to banish or at least deconstruct the "homunculus": that conveniently intelligent, but opaque, agent still lurking within many theories, under the guise of a central executive or supervisory attentional system assumed to direct processes that are not "automatic. " The thirty-two contributions discuss evidence from psychological experiments with healthy and brain-damaged subjects, functional imaging, electrophysiology, and computational modeling. Four sections focus on specific forms of control: of visual attention, of perception-action coupling, of task-switching and dual-task performance, and of multistep tasks. The other three sections extend the interdisciplinary approach, with chapters on the neural substrate of control, studies of control disorders, and computational simulations. The progress achieved in fractionating, localizing, and modeling control functions, and in understanding the interaction between stimulus-driven and voluntary control, takes research on control in the mind/brain to a new level of sophistication.
Biological effect of hydrolyzed collagen on bone metabolism

ABSTRACT Osteoporosis is a chronic and asymptomatic disease characterized by low bone mass and skeletal microarchitectural deterioration, increased risk of fracture, and associated comorbidities most prevalent in the elderly. Due to an increasingly aging population, osteoporosis has become a major health issue requiring innovative disease management. Proteins are important for bone by providing building blocks and by exerting specific regulatory function. This is why adequate protein intake plays a considerable role in both bone development and bone maintenance. More specifically, since an increase in the overall metabolism of collagen can lead to severe dysfunctions and a more fragile bone matrix and because orally administered collagen can be digested in the gut, cross the intestinal barrier, enter the circulation, and become available for metabolic processes in the target tissues, one may speculate that a collagen-enriched diet provides benefits for the skeleton. Collagen-derived products such as gelatin or hydrolyzed collagen (HC) are well acknowledged for their safety from a nutritional point of view; however, what is their impact on bone biology? In this manuscript, we critically review the evidence from literature for an effect of HC on bone tissues in order to determine whether HC may represent a relevant alternative in the design of future nutritional approaches to manage osteoporosis prevention.
A Nonlinear Conjugate Gradient Method with a Strong Global Convergence Property

Conjugate gradient methods are widely used for unconstrained optimization, especially large scale problems. The strong Wolfe conditions are usually used in the analyses and implementations of conjugate gradient methods. This paper presents a new version of the conjugate gradient method, which converges globally, provided the line search satisfies the standard Wolfe conditions. The conditions on the objective function are also weak, being similar to those required by the Zoutendijk condition.