Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Colocalization of NGF binding sites, trk mRNA, and low-affinity NGF receptor mRNA in primary sensory neurons: responses to injury and infusion of NGF

The distributions of mRNAs for the protooncogene trk and the low- affinity NGF receptor (LNGFR) were studied by hybridization with oligonucleotide probes on sections of adult rat primary sensory and sympathetic ganglia. For comparison with high-affinity binding sites, adjacent sections were processed for NGF receptor radioautography. Among neurons in lumbar dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia, trk mRNA and NGF-binding sites were closely colocalized; this finding together with previous direct evidence in other cell types is taken to indicate that trk protein is an essential component of the high- affinity NGF receptor in adult sensory neurons. In lumbar dorsal root ganglia and trigeminal ganglia, abundant LNGFR mRNA was found in all neurons with strong 125I-NGF labeling and on additional neurons lacking high-affinity NGF-binding sites. The presence of abundant LNGFR in neurons with high-affinity receptors could be the cause and/or consequence of their ability to respond to NGF. Neurons with abundant LNGFR mRNA but few high-affinity NGF-binding sites may have receptors for other members of the neurotrophin family. In nodose ganglia, neurons with high concentrations of LNGFR mRNA greatly outnumbered the small percentage with abundant trk mRNA. Following intrathecal infusion of NGF to otherwise normal dorsal root ganglia, the concentrations of LNGFR mRNA but not those of trk mRNA and NGF-binding sites were increased in NGF-responsive neurons. The usual single normal pattern of frequency histograms of LNGFR labeling indices became bimodal in response to NGF. Concentrations of NGF-binding sites, LNGFR mRNA, and trk mRNA were all decreased by peripheral nerve transection and restored by exogenous NGF, the restoration being complete for LNGFR mRNA and partial for trk mRNA and NGF-binding sites. The data indicate that NGF can regulate both LNGFR and trk mRNAs but do not clarify the possible contribution of the LNGFR protein to high-affinity binding sites.
Compound 19e, a Novel Glucokinase Activator, Protects against Cytokine-Induced Beta-Cell Apoptosis in INS-1 Cells

Previously, compound 19e, a novel heteroaryl-containing benzamide derivative, was identified as a potent glucokinase activator (GKA) and showed a glucose-lowering effect in diabetic mice. In this study, the anti-apoptotic actions of 19e were evaluated in INS-1 pancreatic beta-cells co-treated with TNF-α and IL-1β to induce cell death. Compound 19e protected INS-1 cells from cytokine-induced cell death, and the effect was similar to treatment with another GKA or exendin-4. Compound 19e reduced annexin-V stained cells and the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase protein, as well as upregulated the expression of B-cell lymphoma-2 protein. Compound 19e inhibited apoptotic signaling via induction of the ATP content, and the effect was correlated with the downregulation of nuclear factor-κB p65 and inducible nitric oxide synthase. Further, 19e increased NAD-dependent protein deacetylase sirtuin-1 (SIRT1) deacetylase activity, and the anti-apoptotic effect of 19e was attenuated by SIRT1 inhibitor or SIRT1 siRNA treatment. Our results demonstrate that the novel GKA, 19e, prevents cytokine-induced beta-cell apoptosis via SIRT1 activation and has potential as a therapeutic drug for the preservation of pancreatic beta-cells.
Application of Bacteriophages To Control Intestinal Escherichia coli O157:H7 Levels in Ruminants

ABSTRACT A previously characterized O157-specific lytic bacteriophage KH1 and a newly isolated phage designated SH1 were tested, alone or in combination, for reducing intestinal Escherichia coli O157:H7 in animals. Oral treatment with phage KH1 did not reduce the intestinal E. coli O157:H7 in sheep. Phage SH1 formed clear and relatively larger plaques on lawns of all 12 E. coli O157:H7 isolates tested and had a broader host range than phage KH1, lysing O55:H6 and 18 of 120 non-O157 E. coli isolates tested. In vitro, mucin or bovine mucus did not inhibit bacterial lysis by phage SH1 or KH1. A phage treatment protocol was optimized using a mouse model of E. coli O157:H7 intestinal carriage. Oral treatment with SH1 or a mixture of SH1 and KH1 at phage/bacterium ratios ≥102 terminated the presence of fecal E. coli O157:H7 within 2 to 6 days after phage treatment. Untreated control mice remained culture positive for >10 days. To optimize bacterial carriage and phage delivery in cattle, E. coli O157:H7 was applied rectally to Holstein steers 7 days before the administration of 1010 PFU SH1 and KH1. Phages were applied directly to the rectoanal junction mucosa at phage/bacterium ratios calculated to be ≥102. In addition, phages were maintained at 106 PFU/ml in the drinking water of the phage treatment group. This phage therapy reduced the average number of E. coli O157:H7 CFU among phage-treated steers compared to control steers (P < 0.05); however, it did not eliminate the bacteria from the majority of steers.
The Implications of the New Z = 0 Stellar Models and Yields on the Early Metal Pollution of the Intergalactic Medium

Motivated by the recent detection of metals in different components of the high-redshift universe and by the abundance ratios measured in the extremely metal-poor stars of our Galaxy, we study the nucleosynthesis constraints that this imposes on an early generation of stars (Population III). To do so we take into account the chemical yields obtained from homogeneous evolutionary calculations of zero-metal stars in the mass range 3 ≲ m/M☉ ≲ 40 (Limongi et al.; Chieffi et al.). We also consider the role played by metal-free very massive objects (m > 100 M☉). Using both analytical and numerical chemical evolution models, we confront model predictions from the different choices of the mass function proposed for Population III with the observational constraints. We show that low values of star formation efficiency (<1%) are required so as not to exceed the minimum metallicity ([C/H] ≈ -2.4) measured in the high-redshift systems for any of the initial mass functions (IMFs) proposed. We also show that the observational constraints require Ωsr < 3 × 10-3Ωb, confirming previous claims that the possible contribution of the stellar remnants from Population III to the baryonic dark matter is insignificant. At present, however, the scarcity of abundance measurements for high-redshift systems does not permit us to put severe limitations on the nature of the initial mass function for Population III. In fact, overabundances of α-elements with respect to iron of the order of those measured in damped Lyα systems are obtained for any of the IMFs tested. Nevertheless, to account for the very large [C, N/Fe] ratios found in a considerable number of extremely metal-poor stars of our Galaxy, an IMF peaking at the intermediate stellar mass range (4-8 M☉) is needed.
Carbapenem Non-Susceptible Enterobacteriaceae in Quebec, Canada: Results of a Laboratory Surveillance Program (2010–2012)

The emergence and spread of carbapenemase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (CPE) represent a major public health concern because these bacteria are usually extensively resistant to most antibiotics. In order to evaluate their dissemination in Quebec, a surveillance program was introduced in 2010. We report the molecular and epidemiological profiles of CPE isolates collected. Between August 2010 and December 2012, a total of 742 non-duplicate isolates non-susceptible to carbapenems were analysed. AmpC β-lactamase and metallo-β-lactamase production were detected by Etest and carbapenemase production by the modified Hodge test (MHT). Antibiotic susceptibility profiles were determined using broth microdilution or Etest. Clonality of Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC) strains was analyzed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The presence of genes encoding carbapenemases as well as other β-lactamases was detected using PCR. Of the 742 isolates tested, 169 (22.8%) were CPE. Of these 169 isolates, 151 (89.3%) harboured a bla KPC gene while the remaining isolates carried bla SME (n = 9), bla OXA-48 (n = 5), bla NDM (n = 3), and bla NMC (n = 1) genes. Among the 93 KPC strains presenting with a unique pattern (unique PFGE pattern and/or unique antibiotics susceptibility profile), 99% were resistant to ertapenem, 95% to imipenem, 87% to meropenem, 97% to aztreonam, 31% to colistin and 2% to tigecycline. In 19 patients, 2 to 5 KPC strains from different species or with a different PFGE pattern were isolated. CPE strains were present in the province of Quebec with the majority of strains harbouring KPC. Alternately, SME, OXA-48 and NMC containing strains were rarely found.
Disgust and the insula: fMRI responses to pictures of mutilation and contamination

Although previous functional brain imaging studies have found that the insula responds selectively to facial expressions of disgust, it remains unclear whether the insula responds selectively to disgust-inducing pictures. In this fMRI study, healthy volunteers viewed pictures of contamination, human mutilation, attacks and neutral scenes during scanning, and then rated pictures for the ‘basic’ emotions. The anterior insula responded to contamination and mutilation but not attacks, while the ventral visual areas responded to attacks and mutilations more strongly than contamination. The above activations were predicted by disgust and arousal ratings respectively. Additionally, mutilations uniquely activated the right superior parietal cortex. These results support selective disgust processing at the insula, and suggest distinct neural responses to contamination and mutilation.
What we know about primary dysmenorrhea today: a critical review.

BACKGROUND Primary dysmenorrhea, or painful menstruation in the absence of pelvic pathology, is a common, and often debilitating, gynecological condition that affects between 45 and 95% of menstruating women. Despite the high prevalence, dysmenorrhea is often poorly treated, and even disregarded, by health professionals, pain researchers, and the women themselves, who may accept it as a normal part of the menstrual cycle. This review reports on current knowledge, particularly with regards to the impact and consequences of recurrent menstrual pain on pain sensitivity, mood, quality of life and sleep in women with primary dysmenorrhea. METHODS Comprehensive literature searches on primary dysmenorrhea were performed using the electronic databases PubMed, Google Scholar and the Cochrane Library. Full-text manuscripts published between the years 1944 and 2015 were reviewed for relevancy and reference lists were cross-checked for additional relevant studies. In combination with the word 'dysmenorrhea' one or more of the following search terms were used to obtain articles published in peer-reviewed journals only: pain, risk factors, etiology, experimental pain, clinical pain, adenomyosis, chronic pain, women, menstrual cycle, hyperalgesia, pain threshold, pain tolerance, pain sensitivity, pain reactivity, pain perception, central sensitization, quality of life, sleep, treatment, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. RESULTS Women with dysmenorrhea, compared with women without dysmenorrhea, have greater sensitivity to experimental pain both within and outside areas of referred menstrual pain. Importantly, the enhanced pain sensitivity is evident even in phases of the menstrual cycle when women are not experiencing menstrual pain, illustrating that long-term differences in pain perception extend outside of the painful menstruation phase. This enhanced pain sensitivity may increase susceptibility to other chronic pain conditions in later life; dysmenorrhea is a risk factor for fibromyalgia. Further, dysmenorrheic pain has an immediate negative impact on quality of life, for up to a few days every month. Women with primary dysmenorrhea have a significantly reduced quality of life, poorer mood and poorer sleep quality during menstruation compared with their pain-free follicular phase, and compared with the menstruation phase of pain-free control women. The prescribed first-line therapy for menstrual pain remains non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are effective in relieving daytime and night-time pain. CONCLUSION Further study is needed to determine whether effectively blocking dysmenorrheic pain ameliorates risk for the development of chronic pain disorders and to explore whether it is possible to prevent the development-and not just treat-severe dysmenorrheic pain in adolescent girls. In conclusion, we demonstrate the extensive multi-factorial impact of dysmenorrhea and we encourage and direct researchers to necessary future studies.
High-frequency digital controller for dc-dc converters based on multi-bit /spl Sigma/-/spl Delta/ pulse-width modulation

This paper introduces a novel digital controller for low-power dc-dc switching converters that allows operation at very high constant switching frequencies and can be implemented with a simple hardware. The key components of the controller are new digital pulse-width modulator (DPWM), which is based on multi-bit sigma-delta (Sigma-Delta) concept, and a dual-sampling mode PID compensator. Depending on the conditions in the converter circuit, the output voltage is either sampled at a frequency lower than the switching frequency or at the switching rate. The undersampling, which is used in steady-state, minimizes power consumption of the controller. During transients, to achieve fast dynamic response, the controller samples at the switching rate. Operation of the controller is verified with an experimental FPGA system and an integrated circuit (IC), which utilizes the Sigma-Delta DPWM architecture, is designed. Pulse-with modulated signals produced by the new IC at frequency of 115 MHz are obtained and closed loop operation with a 2 W buck dc-dc that switches at 2 MHz is demonstrated
A class of min-cut placement algorithms

In this paper we present a class of min-cut placement algorithms for solving some assignment problems related to the physical implementation of electrical circuits. We discuss the need for abandoning classical objective functions based upon distance, and introduce new objective functions based upon "signals cut. " The number of signals cut by a line c is a lower bound on the number of routing tracks which must cross c in routing the circuit. Three specific objective functions are introduced and the relationship between one of these and a classical distance measure based upon half-perimeter is presented. Two min-cut placement algorithms are presented. They are referred to as Ouadrature and Slice/Bisection. The concepts of a block and cut line are introduced. These two entities are the major constructs in developing any new min-cut placement algorithm. Most of the concepts presented have been implemented, and some experimental results are given.
Automated tile design for self-assembly conformations

Self-assembly is a powerful autopoietic mechanism ubiquitous throughout the natural world. It may be found at the molecular scale and also at astronomical scales. Self-assembly power lays in the fact that it is a distributed, not necessarily synchronous, control mechanism for the bottom-up manufacture of complex systems. Control of the assembly process is shared across a myriad of elemental components, none of which has either the storage or the computation capabilities to know and follow a master plan for the assembly of the intended system. In this paper we present an evolutionary algorithm which is capable of programming the so called "Wang tiles" for the self-assembly of two-dimensional squares.
Evaluation of Genetic Diversity and Genetic Distance Between Twelve Chinese Indigenous Chicken Breeds Based on Microsatellite Markers

A total of 720 individuals of 12 indigenous chicken populations, geographically localized in Southern China were genotyped for 30 microsatellite markers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to evaluate the genetic variation and genetic distance between populations. All microsatellites were found to be polymorphic. Heterozygosity was calculated to determine the genetic variation. Of the 30 microsatellite loci, number of alleles per locus (Na) and effective number of alleles per locus (Ne) ranged from 4 to 11 and 2.157 to 8.019, respectively. The average expected heterozygosity (H ) was 0.669, while the average E observed heterozygosity (H ) was 0.764. The polymorphism information content (PIC) has values between O 0.560 and 0.641. Using Nei`s standard distance, genetic distance (D ) calculated ranged between 0.088 A (Guanxi Sanhuang vs. Nandan Yao) and 0.495 (Huiyang Beard vs. Zhangzhou Game). The topology of phylogenetic trees constructed showed general patterns of relationship and genetic differentiation among the indigenous populations studied, however, both trees from Neighbor-Joining method and Unweighted Pair Group method showed a similar topology. The results provided evidence of the applicability of microsatellite to determining the genetic relatedness among different Chinese indigenous chicken populations and evaluating of genetic variations.
Peer Victimization, Student Engagement, and School Attendance: Structural Equation Models.

Survey data from a study of 6th grade students in Colorado (n=860) were used to estimate structural equation models in which peer victimization types were hypothesized to have significant relationships with both student engagement and attendance. Then, student engagement and attendance variables were hypothesized to have significant effects on achievement (measured as grade point average). Student engagement was viewed as a multi-faceted construct, composed of behavioral, cognitive, and emotional aspects. Four different types of peer victimization variables (verbal, physical, exclusion, and intensity) were combined to form a latent measure for peer victimization that was expected to predict absenteeism and student engagement. In addition, student engagement was expected to act as a mediating variable between the peer victimization latent variable and absenteeism. A model treating peer victimization and student engagement as latent variables fit the data well. However, the peer victimization latent variable was not statistically significantly predictive of absenteeism as was hypothesized. Other paths between endogenous and exogenous variables, although statistically significant, had relatively weak path coefficients suggesting that victimization does not largely impact attendance for the 6th grade students. In fact, the path coefficients between student engagement and attendance were also weak. In conclusion, the relationships
Analysis of Forensic SNPs in the Canine mtDNA HV1 Mutational Hotspot Region *

Abstract: A 60 bp sequence variation hotspot in the canine mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region 1 was evaluated for its use in forensic investigations. Nineteen haplotypes containing 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms were observed among laboratory‐generated and GenBank‐derived domestic dog sequences representing five regional localities in the U.S. Samples from the different localities were highly variable with the levels of intra‐population variability being similar among the populations studied. AMOVA further confirmed that there was no significant genetic structuring of the populations. Assays using these haplotypes were robust, canid specific and portend a rapid method for correctly excluding individual dogs as noncontributors of forensic evidence. Species‐specificity of the primers was confirmed by means of in‐tube polymerase chain reaction of human and cat DNA and in‐silico assessment of the genomes of several animal species. Breed‐specific fragments were not detected among the common haplotypes but there is evidence that this assay may be capable of differentiating domestic dog, wolf, and coyote sequences.
Hypocretin (orexin) is critical in sustaining theta/gamma-rich waking behaviors that drive sleep need

Significance As in narcolepsy patients, overall time spent awake and asleep is normal in mice lacking the wake-enhancing neuromodulator hypocretin/orexin. We discovered, however, that these mice, in baseline conditions, are impaired in maintaining theta-dominated wakefulness (TDW), a waking substate characteristic of goal-driven, explorative behaviors and associated with heightened θ/fast-γ activity. We demonstrate that TDW instability causes profound blunting of EEG δ activity in subsequent slow-wave sleep, a measure gauging homeostatic sleep need. In contrast, manually enforced waking induced unimpaired TDW expression and normal δ activity in recovery sleep. This suggests that TDW, not overall waking, drives sleep need, a hypothesis we verified by modeling the homeostatic process. We propose that Hcrt is critical for spontaneous waking but that enforced waking relies on other neuromodulators, such as norepinephrine. Hcrt gene inactivation in mice leads to behavioral state instability, abnormal transitions to paradoxical sleep, and cataplexy, hallmarks of narcolepsy. Sleep homeostasis is, however, considered unimpaired in patients and narcoleptic mice. We find that whereas Hcrtko/ko mice respond to 6-h sleep deprivation (SD) with a slow-wave sleep (SWS) EEG δ (1.0 to 4.0 Hz) power rebound like WT littermates, spontaneous waking fails to induce a δ power reflecting prior waking duration. This correlates with impaired θ (6.0 to 9.5 Hz) and fast-γ (55 to 80 Hz) activity in prior waking. We algorithmically identify a theta-dominated wakefulness (TDW) substate underlying motivated behaviors and typically preceding cataplexy in Hcrtko/ko mice. Hcrtko/ko mice fully implement TDW when waking is enforced, but spontaneous TDW episode duration is greatly reduced. A reformulation of the classic sleep homeostasis model, where homeostatic pressure rises exclusively in TDW rather than all waking, predicts δ power dynamics both in Hcrtko/ko and WT mouse baseline and recovery SWS. The low homeostatic impact of Hcrtko/ko mouse spontaneous waking correlates with decreased cortical expression of neuronal activity-related genes (notably Bdnf, Egr1/Zif268, and Per2). Thus, spontaneous TDW stability relies on Hcrt to sustain θ/fast-γ network activity and associated plasticity, whereas other arousal circuits sustain TDW during SD. We propose that TDW identifies a discrete global brain activity mode that is regulated by context-dependent neuromodulators and acts as a major driver of sleep homeostasis. Hcrt loss in Hcrtko/ko mice causes impaired TDW maintenance in baseline wake and blunted δ power in SWS, reproducing, respectively, narcolepsy excessive daytime sleepiness and poor sleep quality.
Superheated steam treatment of rubberwood to enhance its mechanical, physiochemical, and biological properties

ABSTRACT This research was aimed to investigate mechanical properties, color and cell-wall components changes, and durability of pre-dried rubberwood (Hevea brasiliensis) after superheated steam (SS) treatment. Wood samples were treated at different SS temperatures (140–180°C) for 1–3 h. The highest compression strength parallel-to-grain, hardness and impact strength were found for samples treated at 160°C for 3 h (30.7% higher than untreated), at 150°C for 1 h (26.6% higher than untreated) and at 150°C for 2 h (52.6% higher than untreated), respectively. The surface color became darker after each treatment in comparison with the untreated wood. The number of accessible hydroxyl groups decreased and the relative cellulose crystallinity increased with SS temperature, indicating decreased hygroscopicity of the treated wood. Also, SEM micrographs of wood surface showed consistent decrease in starch particles with treatment temperature. Both decay and termite resistances of treated rubberwood improved with treatment temperature. All the analyzes showed that dried rubberwood treated with SS had some improvements in the mechanical properties, decreased hygroscopicity, and increase resistance to decay.