Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal High-Fat Diet-Induced Loss of Fetal Oocytes Is Associated with Compromised Follicle Growth in Adult Rat Offspring

ABSTRACT Maternal obesity predisposes offspring to metabolic and reproductive dysfunction. We have shown previously that female rat offspring born to mothers fed a high-fat (HF) diet throughout pregnancy and lactation enter puberty early and display aberrant reproductive cyclicity. The mechanisms driving this reproductive phenotype are currently unknown thus we investigated whether changes in ovarian function were involved. Wistar rats were mated and randomized to: dams fed a control diet (CON) or dams fed a HF diet from conception until the end of lactation (HF). Ovaries were collected from fetuses at Embryonic Day (E) 20, and neonatal ovaries at Day 4 (P4), prepubertal ovaries at P27 and adult ovaries at P120. In a subset of offspring, the effects of a HF diet fed postweaning were evaluated. The present study shows that fetuses of mothers fed a HF diet had significantly fewer oocytes at E20, and in neonates, have reduced AMH signaling that may facilitate an increased number of assembled primordial follicles. Both prepubertally and in adulthood, ovaries show increased follicular atresia. As adults, offspring have reduced FSH responsiveness, low expression levels of estrogen receptor alpha (Eralpha), the oocyte-secreted factor, Gdf9, oocyte-specific RNA binding protein, Dazl, and high expression levels of the granulosa-cell derived factor, AMH, in antral follicles. Together, these data suggest that ovarian compromise in offspring born to HF-fed mothers may arise from changes already observable in the fetus and neonate and in the long term, associated with increased follicular atresia through adulthood.
Identification of Clostridium tyrobutyricum as the causative agent of late blowing in cheese by species-specific PCR amplification

Butyric acid fermentation, the late-blowing defect in cheese, caused by the outgrowth of clostridial spores present in raw milk, can create considerable loss of product, especially in the production of semihard cheeses like Gouda cheese, but also in grana and Gruyère cheeses. To demonstrate the causative relationship between Clostridium tyrobutyricum and late blowing in cheese, many cheesemaking experiments were performed to provoke this defect by using spores from several strains of the major dairy-related clostridia. A method of PCR amplification of a part of the 16S rRNA gene in combination with hybridization with species-specific DNA probes was developed to allow the specific detection of clostridial sequences in DNAs extracted from cheeses. The sensitivity was increased by using nested PCR. Late blowing was provoked in experimental cheeses with 28 of the 32 C. tyrobutyricum strains tested, whereas experimental cheeses made with spores from C. beijerinckii, C. butyricum, and C. sporogenes showed no signs of butyric acid fermentation. In all experimental and commercial cheeses with obvious signs of late blowing, DNA from C. tyrobutyricum was detected; in some cheeses, signals for C. beijerinckii were also found. It was concluded that only C. tyrobutyricum strains are able to cause butyric acid fermentation in cheese.
Low Complexity Model Predictive Control—Single Vector-Based Approach

Finite control set model predictive control (FCS-MPC) is emerging as a powerful control scheme in the control of power converters, because it takes the discrete nature of power converters into account and offers a flexible way to consider various constraints. However, conventional FCS-MPC requires to evaluate a cost function for each discrete switching states, which poses high computational burden. This paper proposes a low-complexity MPC (LC-MPC), which only requires one prediction to find the best voltage vector. The principle of LC-MPC is inherited from prior direct current control (DCC), but has been generalized by identifying its advantages, limitations, and potential application areas. Furthermore, the relationship between LC-MPC and FCS-MPC is studied and it is found that in some cases, the LC-MPC is completely equivalent to FCS-MPC. This paper presents the application example of LC-MPC in power control of three-phase ac/dc converter. To make it a success, the negative conjugate of complex power in synchronous frame is selected as the control variable. Detailed principle of vector selection is introduced and the reason for requiring only one prediction in the proposed LC-MPC is strictly proven using mathematical tools. The proposed LC-MPC is compared with conventional FCS-MPC and its effectiveness is verified by both simulation and experimental results from a two-level ac/dc converter.
An experimental study on the perineurial window

Abstract Neurological symptoms of herniated nerve fibers resulting from limited perineurial injury from sharp materials such as needles have become a recent topic in clinical practice. However, the mechanism of this disorder, which is known as a perineurial window, has not been clarified. To investigate the mechanism of nerve damage in the perineurial window, we designed small (1‐mm length) and large (5‐mm length) perineurial windows using tibial nerves of Wistar rats. In the 1‐mm group, a marked hernia of the endoneurial contents developed soon and decreased in size with time, but protrusion of nerve fibers was still observed after 12 weeks. Nerve fibers in both the herniated portion and under the edge of the window were damaged. Even after 12 weeks, regeneration of the nerve fibers and the perineurium was incomplete. In contrast, in the 5‐mm group, the initial endoneurial edema was remarkable, but herniated nerve fibers were not seen after 12 weeks. Neurological impairment in the 5‐mm group was marked in the early stage but rapidly recovered. The repair of the perineurium and nerve fibers in the 1‐mm group was slower than in the 5‐mm group. Persistent neurological symptoms in the perineurial window appeared to be more closely associated with entrapment of nerve fibers at the window edge rather than with disruption of endoneurial homeostasis.
Music Listening Modulates Functional Connectivity and Information Flow in the Human Brain

Listening to familiar music has recently been reported to be beneficial during recovery from stroke. A better understanding of changes in functional connectivity and information flow is warranted in order to further optimize and target this approach through music therapy. Twelve healthy volunteers listened to seven different auditory samples during an fMRI scanning session: a musical piece chosen by the volunteer that evokes a strong emotional response (referred to as: "self-selected emotional"), two unfamiliar music pieces (Invention #1 by J. S. Bach* and Gagaku - Japanese classical opera, referred to as "unfamiliar"), the Bach piece repeated with visual guidance (DML: Directed Music Listening) and three spoken language pieces (unfamiliar African click language, an excerpt of emotionally charged language, and an unemotional reading of a news bulletin). Functional connectivity and betweenness (BTW) maps, a measure for information flow, were created with a graph-theoretical approach. Distinct variation in functional connectivity was found for different music pieces consistently for all subjects. Largest brain areas were recruited for processing self-selected music with emotional attachment or culturally unfamiliar music. Maps of information flow correlated significantly with fMRI BOLD activation maps (p<0.05). Observed differences in BOLD activation and functional connectivity may help explain previously observed beneficial effects in stroke recovery, as increased blood flow to damaged brain areas stimulated by active engagement through music listening may have supported a state more conducive to therapy.
The use of benchmark dose methodology with acute inhalation lethality data.

Benchmark dose methodology has been proposed as a refinement to the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) methods currently used for health risk assessments. We compared log-normal probit and quantal Weibull benchmark concentration (BMC) estimates using 1, 5, and 10% response incidences with inhalation toxicity NOAELs and LOAELs from 120 acute lethality data sets. These studies yielded relatively steep dose-response slopes, which in turn influenced the suitability of selecting response incidences. The mean magnitude of difference between the 95% lower confidence limits (LCLs) for 1, 5, or 10% BMCs and corresponding NOAELs was less than twofold using the probit model and less than fourfold using the Weibull model. BMC estimates at the 10% response exceeded the observed LOAEL in some cases. Maximum likelihood estimates for doses with 1, 5, or 10% responses frequently exceeded LOAELs. The probit model repeatedly gave a better fit for the data compared with the Weibull model, resulting in improved goodness of fit tests and reduced 95% confidence intervals. The 95% LCL appears to be necessary at the 1, 5, or 10% response levels in order to safely estimate a concentration below that resulting in a LOAEL.
DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION II Deep Brain Stimulation for the Treatment of Parkinson’s Disease

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is increasingly accepted as an adjunct therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD). It is considered a surgical treatment alternative for patients with intractable tremor or for those patients who are affected by long-term complications of levodopa therapy such as motor fluctuations and severe dyskinesias. Thalamic stimulation in the ventral intermediate nucleus (Vim) leads to a marked reduction of contralateral tremor but has no beneficial effect on other symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. The subthalamic nucleus (STN) and the internal segment of the globus pallidus (GPi) are targeted for the treatment of advanced Parkinson’s disease. Several studies have proven the efficacy of STN-DBS and GPi-DBS in alleviating off motor symptoms and dyskinesias. Subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation is currently considered superior to GPi-DBS because the antiakinetic effect seems to be more pronounced, allows a more marked reduction of antiparkinsonian medication, and requires less stimulation energy. More recently, however, a number of reports on possible psychiatric and behavioral side effects of STN-DBS have been a matter of concern. Given the chronic nature of PD and the noncurative approach of DBS, both targets will need to be reevaluated on the basis of their long-term efficacy and their impact on quality of life. Despite the rapidly increasing numbers of DBS procedures, surprisingly few controlled clinical trials are available that address important clinical issues such as: When should DBS be applied during the course of disease? Which patients should be selected? Which target should be considered? Which guidelines should be followed during postoperative care? Here is summarized the available evidence on DBS as a therapeutic tool for the treatment of Parkinson’s disease and the current state of debate on open issues.
Psychiatric Nurses' Descriptions Of Women With Postpartum Psychosis And Nurses' Responses—An Exploratory Study In Sweden

Postpartum psychosis is the most serious type of psychiatric illness related to childbirth. This interview study with nine psychiatric nurses in Sweden explored psychiatric nurses' descriptions of women with psychosis occurring in the postpartum period and nurses' responses when providing care to these women. Content analysis was used to analyze the data. The nurses described delusions, disconnection, aggression, changed personality, self-absorption, insomnia, chaos, quietness, suicidal ideation, and ‘strange eyes. ’ The description of strange eyes noted by the nurses has not been found in the literature, warranting further investigation. When providing care, the nurses responded with sadness, sympathy, empathy and compassion, discomfort, anger, anxiety, and happiness. These findings underscore the importance of nurses recognizing their negatively charged emotions which could interfere with providing compassionate and effective nursing care to this population.
The Effect of Audit Activity on Tax Declaration

This article provides an empirical contribution to deterrence analysis by evaluating the effect of tax audits on compliance taxpayer behaviors over the 2004 to 2009 period. We use two unique databases: the Tax Return Register (Anagrafe Tributaria) and Italian Revenue Agency (IRA) audits data, with a focus on self-employment and sole proprietorships. The difference-in-differences approach has been applied as estimation strategy to evaluate the effect of three IRA audit policies: on-site audit (i.e., soft audit), desk audit (i.e., deep audit), and a combination of on-site and desk audit activities. Our results show an overall positive effect of tax audits in terms of deterrence. In particular, the contemporaneous presence of soft and deep audits has the greatest effect on compliance reporting behaviors. Moreover, on-site audits show greater effects compared to desk audit activities. Reasons can be found in different purposes for which various policies are designed.
Does equity sensitivity moderate the relationship between effort–reward imbalance and burnout

The model of effort–reward imbalance (ERI) received considerable research attention in the job stress literature. However, very scarce research investigated individual differences as moderators between ERI and stress. The present study is aimed at examining the combined effects of ERI, overcommitment (OVC), and the interaction between ERI and overcommitment on burnout (i.e., emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficacy) and the moderating role of equity sensitivity. A questionnaire measuring ERI, burnout, and equity sensitivity was administered to 159 employees. Regression analyses were conducted to test the proposed relations and moderating hypotheses. ERI was negatively related to inefficacy and overcommitment was positively related to emotional exhaustion and cynicism. In addition, equity sensitivity was found to moderate the effect of overcommitment on emotional exhaustion and inefficacy. The findings emphasize the detrimental effect overcommitment may have on employee's mental health and suggest that the ERI model components may be closely related to perceptions of organizational justice.
Outcome of lithium prophylaxis: a prospective follow‐up of affective disorder patients assigned to high and low serum lithium levels

The purpose of the study was to examine the outcome of long‐term lithium treatment in consecutively admitted affective disorder patients assigned to high and low serum lithium levels. A total of 91 patients were diagnosed according to DSM‐III criteria and randomly allocated to two open treatment groups in which prophylactic lithium was administered in high (serum lithium 0.8‐1.0 mmol L‐1) and low (serum lithium 0.5‐0.8 mmol L‐1) doses, respectively. The patients were followed for 2 years or until discontinuation of lithium treatment or readmission to hospital for recurrence of affective illness. The main outcome of the treatment groups was compared with Kaplan‐Meier survival curves and by Cox regression analysis. A total of 31 patients (34%) completed 24 months of prophylactic lithium treatment without recurrence and readmission to hospital. In total, 18 patients (20%) suffered a recurrence on lithium, and 42 patients (46%) discontinued lithium or were lost to follow‐up. No effect of treatment group was seen, either for the total patient group or for the large subgroup of bipolar patients when analysed separately. A number of patients did not maintain their original assignment to the high serum lithium levels group. The results were analysed both according to assignment and according to actual serum lithium levels. Abuse of alcohol or medication was associated with a poor outcome. Only one third of the patients completed 2 years of lithium prophylaxis successfully. No difference in the protection against recurrences was observed between patients maintained on high and low serum lithium levels.
Chlamydial conjunctivitis in neonates and adults History, clinical findings and follow‐up

Abstract. This study presents data from 73 neonatal and 60 adult patients with chlamydial conjunctivitis who were studied by culture, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence (IF) tests. All patients had visited three or more doctors before the diagnosis was established. Fourteen of the adults had consulted an ophthalmological emergency unit complaining of a foreign body sensation in the eye. The symptoms started monocularly in all 133 cases, however, the fellow eye was affected after 2–7 days in 54 of the neonates and in 5–30 days in 20 of the adult patients. The duration of symptoms before the etiological diagnosis was established was 5–198 days (mean 24 and median 15 days) in the neonates and 7–120 (mean 29 and median 22 days) in the adults. The conjunctivitis was mild, moderate and severe in 7, 72 and 48 of the neonatal eyes, when the etiological diagnosis was established. The corresponding figures for severity of conjunctivitis in the adult group were 9, 57 and 14. Nasopharyngeal colonization occurred in 56 (77%) of the children and in 35 (58%) of the adults. In the adults, only two males complained of symptoms of genital infection. In 46 (77%) adults one or more of the chlamydial diagnostic tests performed on genital samples was positive for Chlamydia trachomatis. Forty‐five of the neonates were treated with erythromycin 40–50 mg per kg body weight divided in four daily doses for 14 days, while 35 of the adults were given 250 mg × 4 times 14 of erythromycin. At follow‐up, approximately two weeks later, one neonate and one adult still had culture‐positive nasopharyngeal samples. After a further course of treatment with the same drug, samples had become negative. Check‐up of 29 neonates and 23 adults after one year did not reveal any ocular sequelae.
Attitudes about prescriptive grammar in ESL and EFL teachers and students

ATTITUDES ABOUT PRESCRIPTIVE GRAMMAR IN ESL AND EFL TEACHERS AND STUDENTS By Laura Eickhoff There is often a disparity between what is deemed prescriptively correct under the rules of standard English grammar and native-speaker norms within different varieties, which results in multiple options for classroom grammar instruction for second language learners. This study presents findings on L2 learners’ attitudes towards different prescriptive and descriptive forms of grammar in cases where learning formal textbook grammar may not match many native speakers’ speech patterns. Additionally, it explores how ESL and EFL students’ attitudes about grammar coincide with or differ from those of their teachers. One hundred eight English language learners and instructors in the United States and China were surveyed to measure awareness of and attitudes towards standard and non-standard grammar in spoken English and how varying perceptions may affect the learning environment. Results indicated that many teachers’ prioritization of prescriptive norms for their students is often in contrast to the nativespeaker norms that students report to prefer. Additionally, native speakers often report a stigmatized perception of some prescriptively correct forms. All groups reported a higher preference of prescriptive grammar in writing than in speaking, citing formality and permanence as determining differences between the two modes of communication.
Strategic agility explanations for managing franchising expansion during economic cycles

Purpose This paper aims to demonstrate how franchising firms can manage system expansion by weathering the economic effects of a location (i.e. country-level economic cycles) by shifting their resources. Design/methodology/approach The authors use a comprehensive database of 151 US hybrid franchising organizations, including observations for the years between 2001 and 2008. Data analysis is conducted with count model panel data with a Poisson distribution. Findings The model reveals a curvilinear U-shaped relationship between location (i.e. economic cycles) and franchising expansion. Originality/value This study contributes to competitiveness literature by showing how franchising firms respond to changing local conditions.
Methylation pattern of human T‐cell leukemia virus in vivo and in vitro: pX and LTR regions are hypomethylated in vivo

The methylation patterns of the gag, pol, env, pX and LTR regions of proviral DNA of human T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma virus type I (HTLV) in fresh leukemic cells and established cell lines were examined using Hpall/Mspl endonuclease. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) isolated from patients with adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) did not express viral antigens of HTLV, but PBL that had been cultured for 2 days did express these viral antigens. Most parts of the gag, pol and env regions of the HTLV provirus in PBL isolated from 12 ATL patients and PBL cultured for 2 days were hypermethylated as reported by others. In contrast, in 10 established cell lines that harbored HTLV genomes and expressed viral antigens, HTLV proviruses were hypomethylated. In one cell line, ATL‐IK, which harbored an HTLV genome but did not produce viral antigens, the gag, pol and env regions were hypermethylated. However, two Hpall sites, one in the middle of the gag region and the other in the middle of the pol region, were not methylated even in PBL from most ATL patients. Furthermore, the pX and LTR regions were hypomethylated not only in established cell lines but also in PBL of ATL patients. The hypomethylation of the pX and LTR regions detected in fresh leukemic cells of ATL patients may have some etiological significance in cell transformation by controlling the level of transcription of these regions, or modulating the binding of some factors to these regions.
Comparison of Sinemet CR4 and standard Sinemet: Double blind and long‐term open trial in parkinsonian patients with fluctuations

“Wearing‐off” effect, the most common form of levodopa‐induced fluctuations, seems to be related to the short plasma half‐life of the drug. More sustained plasma levodopa levels may be achieved with a new controlledrelease formulation of carbidopa/levodopa, Sinemet CR4. We studied 20 patients, 12 men and 8 women, with Parkinson's disease complicated by “wearing‐off” phenomenon. Mean age was 61.1 ± 8.1 years, duration of symptoms 8.3 ± 2.4 years, and the Hoehn‐Yahr stage 3.0 ± 0.9. In a 12‐week double‐blind study, the average number of tablets administered per day decreased from 5.7 ± 1.2 to 3.8 ± 0.7 when Sinemet CR4 (50/200) was substituted for the standard Sinemet (25/100) (p < 0.001). However, this was at the expense of reducing the “on” time (without dyskinesia) from 9.3 ± 4.6 to 7.5 ± 4.3 (p < 0.05), although the total “on” time did not significantly change. In a long‐term follow‐up of 18 patients, the “on” time with dyskinesia and morning dystonia significantly increased (p < 0.05). There was no significant change in the total daily dosage of levodopa, but the daily number of doses and tablets significantly decreased (p < 0.001). Despite increased dyskinesia, most patients preferred taking fewer tablets and have elected to continue taking Sinemet CR4 instead of standard Sinemet. Sinemet CR4 seems to offer a new and effective strategy for the management of levodopa‐related fluctuations.