Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fasting ameliorates metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress in carbon tetrachloride-intoxicated rats

Background: Fasting has been recently discovered to improve overall health, but its beneficial effects in the presence of hepatic insufficiency have not been proven. Aim: The influence of fasting on the metabolism, immunological aspects, and oxidative stress of 40 male carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-intoxicated Wistar rats was investigated in the present study. Methods: The rats were divided into four groups, including a placebo group, CCl4-intoxicated rats, which were injected subcutaneously with 1.0 ml/kg of CCl4 solution, a fasting group, which was fasted 12 h/day for 30 days, and a fourth group, which was injected with CCl4 and fasted. Results: The metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress improved in CCl4-intoxicated rats fasted for 12 h/day for 30 days, as evidenced in significant increase (p < 0.05) in total protein, globulin, immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG levels, and total antioxidant capacity. In contrast, significant decrease (p < 0.05) in blood glucose, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, C-reactive protein, and malondialdehyde levels were observed. Compared with CCl4-intoxicated rats, significant differences in the albumin, triacylglycerol, high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, cardiovascular risk factor, calcium and magnesium levels were not detected. Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that fasting improved metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress in CCl4-intoxicated rats. Thus, fasting during Ramadan is safe for patients with hepatic disorders, as the prophet Mohammed (S) said “Keep the fast, keep your health”.
Bounds for cooperative locality using generalized hamming weights

The Cadambe-Mazumdar bound gives a necessary condition for a code to have a certain locality in case of a single erasure in terms of length, dimension, and Hamming distance of the code and of certain shortened codes. The bound has been generalized by Rawat, Mazumdar, and Vishwanath to recover multiple erasures in a cooperative repair scenario. In this paper, the generalized Hamming weights of the code and its shortened codes, which include the Hamming distance as one component, are incorporated to obtain bounds on locality to recover a single erasure or multiple erasures cooperatively. The new bounds give sharper necessary conditions than existing bounds.
Role of sentinel lymphadenectomy in thin cutaneous melanomas with positive deep margins on initial biopsy

Breslow thickness (BRES) on initial melanoma biopsy determines need for sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy. In presence of positive deep margins, BRES is indeterminate. We hypothesized that thin (BRES <0.76 mm) melanomas with positive deep margins and thicker melanomas (BRES 0.76–2.0 mm) have statistically similar risk of SLN metastasis.
THROMBOSIS AND HEMOSTASIS Plant-based oral tolerance to hemophilia therapy employs a complex immune regulatory response including LAP 1 CD 4 1 T cells

• Coadministering FIX orally and systemically induces tolerance via complex immune regulation, involving tolerogenic dendritic and T-cell subsets. • Induced CD4CD25LAP regulatory T cells with increased IL-10 and TGF-b expression and CD4CD25 regulatory T cells suppress antibody formation against FIX. Coagulation factor replacement therapy for the X-linked bleeding disorder hemophilia is severely complicated by antibody (“inhibitor”) formation. We previously found that oral delivery to hemophilic mice of cholera toxin B subunit-coagulation factor fusion proteins expressed in chloroplasts of transgenic plants suppressed inhibitor formation directed against factors VIII and IX and anaphylaxis against factor IX (FIX). This observation and the relatively high concentration of antigen in the chloroplasts prompted us to evaluate the underlying tolerance mechanisms. The combination of oral delivery of bioencapsulated FIX and intravenous replacement therapy induced a complex, interleukin-10 (IL-10)–dependent, antigen-specific systemic immune suppression of pathogenic antibody formation (immunoglobulin [Ig] 1/inhibitors, IgE) in hemophilia B mice. Tolerance induction was also successful in preimmune mice but required prolonged oral delivery once replacement therapy was resumed. Orally delivered antigen, initially targeted to epithelial cells, was taken up by dendritic cells throughout the small intestine and additionally by F4/80 cells in the duodenum. Consistent with the immunomodulatory responses, frequencies of tolerogenic CD103 and plasmacytoid dendritic cells were increased. Ultimately, latency-associated peptide expressing CD4 regulatory T cells (CD4CD25LAP cells with upregulated IL-10 and transforming growth factor-b (TGF-b) expression) aswell asconventionalCD4CD25 regulatoryTcells systemicallysuppressedanti-FIX responses. (Blood. 2015;125(15):2418-2427)
Slow light and dark adaptation of horizontal cells in the Xenopus retina: A role for endogenous dopamine

Abstract A role for endogenous dopamine in the control of rod and contributions to a second-order retinal neuron, the horizontal cell (HC) was studied in the Xenopus retina. Relative rod and cone contributions were estimated from HC responses to scotopically balanced 491- and 650-nm flashes. In eyecups prepared in light then placed in darkness, cone input to the HC slowed and diminished on a time scale of hours. The decline in cone input was balanced by a slow growth of rod input to the HC. Administration of D-amphetamine, a dopamine releasing agent, restored the light-adapted waveform. The kinetics of slow light adaptation were examined by recording HC responses from eyecups that had been dark-adapted previously for 11–14 h. When test flashes fell on a dark field, cone input to the HC grew for 2–4 h, reached a plateau, and later declined. If, however, flashes were superimposed on a weak background field, cone input to the HC continued to increase monotonically at about 10%/h. This increase was abolished by superfusion with a nonspecific dopamine receptor blocker, cis-flupenthixol (50 μM), resulting in the complete suppression of cone-to-horizontal cell synaptic transfer and the enhancement of rod-to-horizontal cell communication. Subcutaneous injection of reserpine, a drug that depletes dopamine stores (2 mg/kg on 1–4 successive days), or intraocular injection of the dopamine neurotoxin, 6-hydroxydopamine (10–30 μg) slowed and reduced the amplitude of cone input to the HC, even in completely light-adapted eyes. Subsequent treatment with D-amphetamine (5–50 μM) or dopamine (10 μM) partially restored the normal response. Our experimental findings are consistent with the following hypothesis. Weak light is sufficient to stimulate dopamine release; dopamine augments cone-to-horizontal cell synaptic transfer and reduces rod-to-horizontal cell communication. The rapid kinetics of the fully light-adapted response depend on the presence of dopamine. Thus, dopamine appears to be an intraretinal signal for slow light adaptation.
Student Acceptance of Web-based Learning Environment: an Empirical Investigation of an Undergraduate IS Course

An increasing number of courses are being delivered via the web. Some of the materials are developed by faculty and some by other entities such as textbook publishers. The students’ acceptance of web-based learning environment is important because of its increasing use. A variety of factors from the students, technology and instructor sides have been studied in previous research efforts to enhance the understanding of the course efficacy, learning effectiveness, and student acceptance of this new teaching and training regime. In this study, a non-voluntary web-based IS course will be investigated using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) so as to understand factors contributing to students’ acceptance of web-based learning environment.
Representations of disability in the Canadian news media: a decade of change?

Abstract Purpose: To assess stability and change in representations of disability and persons with disability in the Canadian news media between 1998 and 2008. Method: The study replicated research conducted in 1998 that assessed the representation of disability in the Canadian news media. Following the earlier study, three newspapers were selected (Globe and Mail, Toronto Star and Toronto Sun) and all articles from a three-month period in 1998 and 2008 were assessed for disability content. In total, 362 articles were found in the two time periods. These were coded for structure and content using a schema developed in the earlier research. Results: Between 1998 and 2008, there was a significant increase in the proportion of stories using “person first” language, and a significant increase in the proportion of “progressively” themed articles (e.g. dealing with barriers to participation, or disability awareness and inclusion). At the same time, there were significant differences between newspapers, with the Toronto Sun (a tabloid) maintaining a strong focus on “traditional” themes (e.g. special education, charitable provision). Conclusions: The differences in news media representations between 1998 and 2008 suggest a positive change in the way people with disabilities are represented, with greater attention to the complexity of their identity and their multiple social roles. Implications for Rehabilitation The participation of persons with disabilities in society continues to be limited by negative attitudes. Media reporting has a significant influence on public attitudes toward disability. In a content analysis of three Canadian newspapers, this study found several significant changes in the language and content of disability-related articles. Together, these changes provide some evidence of more favorable media representations of disability. Further research in rehabilitation is needed to understand how such changes may both reflect and facilitate ongoing efforts to enhance people with disabilties’ participation in social life.
Automatic Generation of 3D Statistical Shape Models with Optimal Landmark Distributions

Summary Objectives: To point out the problem of non-uniform landmark placement in statistical shape modeling, to present an improved method for generating landmarks in the 3D case and to propose an unbiased evaluation metric to determine model quality. Methods: Our approach minimizes a cost function based on the minimum description length (MDL) of the shape model to optimize landmark correspondences over the training set. In addition to the standard technique, we employ an extended remeshing method to change the landmark distribution without losing correspondences, thus ensuring a uniform distribution over all training samples. To breakthe dependency of the established evaluation measures generalization and specificity from the landmark distribution, we change the internal metric from landmark distance to volumetric overlap. Results: Redistributing landmarks to an equally spaced distribution during the model construction phase improves the quality of the resulting models significantly if the shapes feature prominent bulges or other complex geometry. Conclusions: The distribution of landmarks on the training shapes is – beyond the correspondence issue – a crucial point in model construction.
Level of Insight and Clinical Features of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder with and Without Body Dysmorphic Disorder

ABSTRACT Introduction: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have several similarities and are included among the obsessive-compulsive spectrum of disorders. However, the content of preoccupations and level of insight of BDD patients differ from OCD patients. Objective: To compare the level of insight regarding obsessive-compulsive symptoms (OCS) and other clinical features in OCD patients with and without comorbid BDD. Methods: We evaluated 103 OCD patients (n=25, comorbid BDD), according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV, the Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, the University of São Paulo Sensory Phenomena Scale, the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, and the Brown Assessment of Beliefs Scale. Results: The study groups differed significantly on several clinical features, including level of insight. A worse level of insight regarding OCS was independently associated with the presence of comorbid BDD. Lower educational level, more psychiatric comorbidities, presence of somatic and hoarding obsessions, and presence of intrusive images were associated with BDD comorbidity, even after adjusting for possible confounders. Conclusion: The presence of BDD in OCD patients is associated with poorer insight into obsessional beliefs and higher morbidity, reflected by lower educational levels and higher number of psychiatric comorbid disorders in general.
An Efficient Motion Estimation and Compensation Method for Ultrasound Synthetic Aperture Imaging

This paper describes a method for overcoming motion artifacts in synthetic aperture imaging. The method is based on a computer simulation study on the influence of target motion on synthetic aperture techniques. A region-based motion compensation approach is used in which only the axial motion is estimated and compensated for a given region of interest under the assumption that the whole ROI moves uniformly. The estimated axial motion is calculated with a crosscorrelation method at the point where the focused signal has the maximum energy within the ROI. We also present a method for estimating axial motion using the autocorrelation method that is widely used to estimate average Doppler frequency. Both computer simulations and in vivo experiments show that the proposed crosscorrelation-based method can greatly improve the spatial resolution and SNR of ultrasound imaging by implementing SA techniques for two-way dynamic focusing without motion artifacts. In addition, the autocorrelation-based motion compensation method provides almost the same results as the crosscorrelation-based method, but with a dramatically reduced computational complexity.
A Dirofilaria immitis Polyprotein Up-Regulates Nitric Oxide Production

ABSTRACT We investigated the effect of recombinant Dirofilaria immitis polyprotein (rDiAg) on nitric oxide (NO) production by peritoneal macrophages. rDiAg induced NO production by macrophages from wild-type and lipopolysaccharide-hyporesponsive C3H/HeJ, but not CD40−/−, mice. These results suggest that CD40 is involved in rDiAg-driven NO production by murine macrophages.
Title: Abnormal mitochondrial transport and morphology as early pathological changes in human models of spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), characterized by specific degeneration of spinal motor neurons, is caused by mutations in the survival motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene and subsequent decreased levels of functional SMN. How the deficiency of SMN, a ubiquitously expressed protein, leads to spinal motor neuron-specific degeneration in SMA patients remains unknown. In this study, we examined the role of SMN on mitochondrial axonal transport and morphology in human motor neurons by generating SMA type 1 patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and then differentiating these cells into spinal motor neurons. The initial specification of spinal motor neurons was not affected, but these SMA spinal motor neurons specifically degenerated following long-term culture. Moreover, at an early stage in SMA spinal motor neurons, but not in SMA forebrain neurons, mitochondrial number, area, and transport were significantly reduced in axons. Knocking down of SMN expression led to similar mitochondrial defects in spinal motor neurons derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs), confirming that SMN deficiency results in impaired mitochondrial dynamics. Finally, the application of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) mitigated the impaired mitochondrial transport and morphology, and then rescued motor neuron degeneration in SMA long-term cultures. Furthermore, NAC ameliorated the reduced mitochondrial membrane potential in SMA spinal motor neurons, suggesting that NAC may rescue apoptosis and motor neuron degeneration by improving mitochondrial health. Together, our data demonstrate that SMN deficiency results in abnormal mitochondrial transport and morphology and subsequent reduced mitochondrial health, which are implicated in the specific degeneration of spinal motor neurons in SMA. D is ea se M o de ls & M ec ha ni sm s • D M M • A dv an ce a rt ic le
PENGARUH KARAKTERISTIK REPRESENTASI SUBMIKROSKOPIK TERHADAP KETERAMPILAN ARGUMENTASI SISWA PADA TOPIK ELEKTROKIMIA

Abstrak : Elektrokimia merupakan konsep aplikatif. Siswa perlu diarahkan mencapai pemahaman agar dapat menjelaskan fenomena korosi dan penyepuhan logam. Karakteristik penyajian representasi submikroskopik yang berbeda antara visualisasi statis (Vis) dan analogi (Log), dapat memberikan pencapaian pemahaman berbeda. Rerata pemahaman siswa Vis lebih tinggi daripada Log, sedangkan rerata terendah pada siswa yang tidak disajikan representasi. Hasil whitney u test dengan menujukkan bahwa keterampilan argumentasi berbeda secara signifikan. Rerata keterampilan argumentasi siswa Log 33,47 lebih tinggi daripada Vis 27,53, tanpa representasi 33,3 lebih tinggi daripada Log 27,7, dan Vis 39,15 lebih tinggi daripada tanpa representasi 21,85. Faktor-faktor selain pemahaman juga mempengaruhi keterampilan argumentasi siswa seperti interaksi antarsiswa, keaktivan dalam kegiatan diskusi, ketertariakan terhadap fenomena elektrokimia, kemampuan menjelaskan fenomena, dan pemahaman terhadap komponen-komponen argumentasi. Kata kunci: visualisasi statis, analogi, keterampilan argumentasi, elektrokimia
Partial discharge characteristics in oil-paper insulation under combined AC-DC voltage

Heretofore, unlike HVAC transformers, there is not much experience in both insulation design guides and test methods for ultra HV converter transformers. This special insulation phenomenon is very prominent due to the complication of voltage applied on valve-side windings of converter transformers. There is a severe lack of empirical research on partial discharge in oil-paper insulation under the combined ACDC voltage. The study in this paper provides a timely research into the issues. Nine possible configurations, which intent to simulate different defects in the transformer, have been investigated. The PD inception voltages varied ratios of combined AC-DC voltages were conducted. The discharge magnitude and its relation with the applied voltage for selected four common configurations were obtained during voltage increasing and decreasing respectively, which presented the PD initiating process and also reflected the insulation behavior of dielectrics. Besides, the Finite Element Analysis Soft was used to propose the effect of morphology of electrode surface (3 dimensional roughness is approximately 0.03 mm) on PD characteristics, which is very lacking in the previous references. The roles of DC and AC component in PD characteristics were discussed in the context of the relevant work in literatures.
Propofol Clearance and Volume of Distribution Are Increased in Patients With Major Burns

Propofol pharmacokinetics were examined in 17 adults with major burns during the hyperdynamic convalescent phase. Eighteen nonburned surgical patients served as controls. After a 2‐mg/kg intravenous dose of propofol, blood samples were collected at multiple time points. Noncompartmental methods were used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters. The following indices were higher in burns than controls: propofol clearance (64 ± 17 vs 29 ± 4 mL/kg/min, P < .001) and volume of distribution (8 ± 3 vs 4 ± 1 L/kg, P < .001). The area under the curve was smaller in burns (556 ± 152 vs 1193 ± 183 μg/mL h, P < .001). The higher clearance of propofol in burned patients may imply that these patients require higher doses or infusion rates of propofol to attain a target plasma concentration or pharmacodynamic effect.
Surgical Outcome following Resection of Contrast-Enhanced Pediatric Brainstem Gliomas

Background: The role of surgery in the management of gadolinium-enhancing pediatric brainstem lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been a matter of open debate. This clinical series correlates radiological and pathological findings to assess the role of contrast enhancement as an indication for surgery with respect to clinical outcome. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of all pediatric patients admitted to the Johns Hopkins Hospital with a diagnosis of a brainstem tumor between January 1985 and December 2000. Results: There were a total of 89 patients who met the inclusion criteria. Fifty-seven patients (64.0%) underwent surgical resection while 32 (36%) were treated with radiation and/or chemotherapy. Of the surgical candidates, 57 (100%) had an accompanying MRI scan significant for an enhancing lesion in the midbrain, pons or the medulla. The pathology was consistent with juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma in 30 patients (52.6%) and glioblastoma multiforme in 12 patients (21.1%). The remaining cases consisted of 10 patients (17.5%) with fibrillary astrocytomas, 3 (5.3%) with gangliogliomas, 1 (1.8%) with an oligodendroglioma and 1 (1.8%) with a primitive neuroectodermal tumor. A total of 29 patients had a total surgical resection, 8 a near total resection (>90%), 15 a subtotal resection (50–90%) and 5 a partial resection (<50%). The progression-free survival of all patients was 71.9% at 3 years and 45.6% at 5 years. Conclusions: This case series illustrates that contrast-enhanced MRI has positive prognostic value in the management of pediatric brainstem gliomas. In our study, the majority of enhancing tumors were low grade and amenable to surgical intervention. Consequently, we recommend surgical resection and pathological diagnosis of all enhancing brainstem tumors with adjuvant therapy reserved for recurrent or unresectable cases.
URINARY BETA-GLUCURONIDASE ACTIVITY IN PATIENTS WITH URINARY-TRACT INFECTION.

A NUMBER of studies have established the presence of lysosomes in the tubular and interstitial cells of the rat kidney.1 2 3 4 5 6 Because they contain several proteolytic enzymes lysosomes are thought to function in normal intracellular digestion.7 However, some experimental evidence suggests that disruption of their surrounding membrane in vivo may result in tissue damage or destruction.7 Because of the possibility that lysosomes are present in the human kidney and may be involved in certain kinds of renal disease, it was thought to be of interest to measure urinary beta-glucuronidase (an enzyme concentrated in rat-kidney lysosomes2) in normal subjects and patients .
The Effects of Partisanship and Candidate Emotionality on Voter Preference

In an experiment, Republican and Democratic participants viewed a video clip of an ostensible congressional candidate labeled as Republican, Democratic, or not given a party label delivering the same speech in an emotionally expressive or unexpressive manner. When the candidate was labeled a Democrat, he was rated more positively by Democratic participants; when labeled a Republican, he was preferred by Republicans. When party label was not provided, the emotionally expressive candidate was preferred; however, when either party label was provided, the unemotional candidate was preferred. These findings underscore the importance of partisanship cues and suggest that in the absence of such influential cues as partisanship, less prominent factors such as emotional expressiveness carry greater influence.