Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Leptin in Pregnancy

Abstract Leptin is a polypeptide hormone that aids in the regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis and is linked to a variety of reproductive processes in both animals and humans. Thus, leptin may help regulate ovarian development and steroidogenesis and serve as either a primary signal initiating puberty or as a permissive regulator of sexual maturation. Perhaps significantly, peripheral leptin concentrations, adjusted for adiposity, are dramatically higher in females than in males throughout life. During primate pregnancy, maternal levels that arise from adipose stores and perhaps the placenta increase with advancing gestational age. Proposed physiological roles for leptin in pregnancy include the regulation of conceptus growth and development, fetal/placental angiogenesis, embryonic hematopoiesis, and hormone biosynthesis within the maternal-fetoplacental unit. The specific localization of both leptin and its receptor in the syncytiotrophoblast implies autocrine and/or paracrine relationships in this endocrinologically active tissue. Interactions of leptin with mechanisms regulating pre-eclampsia and maternal diabetes have also been suggested. Collectively, therefore, reports suggest that a better understanding of the regulation of leptin and its role(s) throughout gestation may eventually impact those causes of human perinatal morbidity and mortality that are exacerbated by intrauterine growth retardation, macrosomia, placental insufficiency, or prematurity.
Age Differences and Changes of Coping Behavior in Three Age Groups: Findings from the Georgia Centenarian Study

With increasing age, older adults are more likely to be challenged by an increasing number of physical, functional and social losses. As a result, coping with losses becomes a central theme in very late life. This study investigated age differences and age changes in active behavioral, active cognitive and avoidance coping and related coping to adaptational outcomes, such as physical and mental health. Sixty-one sexagenarians, 46 octogenarians, and 47 centenarians from the Georgia Centenarian Study participated in this longitudinal study to assess coping with health and family events. The results indicated age group differences in active behavioral coping, suggesting that centenarians were less likely to use this mode of coping. Centenarians and octogenarians were also more likely to experience decreases in active behavioral coping over time, while sexagenarians were more likely to experience increases in this coping mode. No significant differences in coping with health versus family events were obtained suggesting that coping is consistent across life domains. Moderate levels of stability were obtained for coping in all age groups. Active behavioral and active cognitive coping predicted functional health, active behavioral coping predicted social relations, and avoidance coping predicted negative affect.
Dissociation of Locomotor Activation and Suppression of Food Intake Induced by CRF in CRFR1-Deficient Mice.

ABSTRACT Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems are involved in locomotor and feeding behaviors. Two distinct CRF receptor subtypes, CRFR1 and CRFR2, are thought to mediate CRF actions in the central nervous system. However, the role for each receptor in locomotor activity and feeding remains to be determined. Using CRFR1 null mutant mice, the present study examined the functional significance of this receptor in ambulation and feeding. CRF treatment of wild-type mice resulted in increased levels of locomotion whereas no change was observed in CRFR1-deficient mice as compared to vehicle-treated mutant mice. In contrast, CRF decreased food-water intake in both wild type and CRFR1-deficient mice equally. These results support an important role for CRFR1 in mediating CRF-induced locomotor activation, whereas other receptor subtypes, likely CRFR2, may mediate the appetite-suppressing effects of CRF-like peptides.
A new fast approach for islanding detection in the distribution networks with high penetration of distributed generation

This paper presents a new method for islanding detection in Microgrids with multiple distributed generations. The proposed method is based on feature extraction from power system current that is measured after distribution system circuit breaker. Comparing with traditional methods, because of changing in measuring point of current signal and using its transient data, this new method detects the islanding conditions faster. The method is simulated by PSCAD/EMTDC software and the utility current signal is processed by discrete wavelet transform by MATLAB TOOLBOX. The results have been compared with another method to show the speed and accuracy of the proposed method in islanding detection. Ability of this method for islanding detection in the network with multiple DGs is indicated by the results.
Internal coordinate modeling of DNA: Force field comparisons

The Jumna internal coordinate program for modeling nucleic acids was extended to include the force field developed for the Amber program. This forms a bridge between internal and Cartesian coordinate modeling approaches. Using the extensive conformational mapping and substate search facilities available within Jumna, we rigorously compared the behavior of the different force fields and also of different continuum solvent models. The results, which help to explain trends seen in earlier minimization and molecular dynamics simulations, point to the superiority of the latest Amber parameterization (Parm94) and to a surprising degree of agreement with the Flex force field originally developed for Jumna. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Comput Chem 18:1043–1055, 1997
Alterations in the striatal dopamine system during intravenous methamphetamine exposure: Effects of contingent and noncontingent administration

The continuing spread of methamphetamine (METH) abuse has stimulated research aimed at understanding consequences of its prolonged exposure. Alterations in nigrostriatal dopamine (DA) system parameters have been characterized in experimental studies after discontinuation of long‐term METH but fewer studies have included similar assessments during METH exposure. Here, we report METH plasma pharmacokinetics and striatal DA system alterations in rat after noncontingent and contingent METH administration for 7.5 weeks. Escalating METH exposure was delivered by dynamic infusion (DI) that incorporated a “humanized” plasma METH half life or by intravenous self‐administration (IVSA) that included binge intakes. Kinetic modeling of DI and IVSA for 24 h periods during the final week of METH exposure showed that plasma METH levels remained between 0.7 and 1.5 µM. Animals were sacrificed during their last METH administration for autoradiography assessment using [3H]ligands and D2 agonist‐induced [35S]GTPγS binding. DA transporter binding was decreased (DI, 34%; IVSA, 15%) while vesicular monoamine transporter binding and substantia nigra DA cell numbers were unchanged. Decreases were measured for D2 receptor (DI and IVSA, 15–20%) and [35S]GTPγS binding (DI, 35%; IVSA, 18%). These similar patterns of DI and IVSA associated decreases in striatal DA markers reflect consequences of cumulative METH exposure and not the drug delivery method. For METH IVSA, individual differences were observed, yet each animal's total intake was similar within and across three 24‐h binges. IVSA rodent models may be useful for identifying molecular mechanisms that are associated with METH binges in humans. Synapse 67:476–488, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scaled and Squared Subdiagonal Padé Approximation for the Matrix Exponential

The scaling and squaring method is the most widely used algorithm for computing the exponential of a square matrix $A$. We introduce an efficient variant that uses a much smaller squaring factor when $\|A\| \gg 1$ and a subdiagonal Pade approximant of low degree, thereby significantly reducing the overall cost and avoiding the potential instability caused by overscaling, while giving forward error of the same magnitude as that of the standard algorithm. The new algorithm performs well if a rough estimate of the rightmost eigenvalue of $A$ is available and the rightmost eigenvalues do not have widely varying imaginary parts, and it achieves significant speedup over the conventional algorithm especially when $A$ is of large norm. Our algorithm uses the partial fraction form to evaluate the Pade approximant, which makes it suitable for parallelization and directly applicable to computing the action of the matrix exponential $\exp(A)\boldsymbol{b}$, where $\boldsymbol{b}$ is a vector or a tall skinny matrix.
Discriminant analysis of morphometric differentiation in the West African Dwarf and Red Sokoto goats

This study evaluated the usefulness of morphological characteristics to distinguish two important indigenous goat breeds in Nigeria. Fifteen morphometric traits were measured on West African Dwarf – WAD (n = 160) and Red Sokoto – RS (n = 142) goats that ranged in age of up to 19 months and were reared extensively in villages in southern and northern Nigeria. Univariate analysis revealed that the body measures of RS goats were significantly higher than those of WAD goats. Canonical discriminant analysis gave better resolution, as only seven external morphological characteristics of strong discriminating power were extracted. The most discriminant variable between the two goat populations was rump height, followed in order by body length, horn length, face length, chest girth, neck circumference and head width. The discriminant function obtained correctly classified 100% of individuals from the sample of known goat populations. The classification accuracy of the function was cross-validated using the split-sample method, and indicated a 99.7% success rate (99.4% of WAD goats and 100% of RS goats were correctly assigned to their source genetic group). This study indicates that a discriminant tool may be used successfully in the field to separate WAD and RS goats. The present results could be complemented by molecular characterization using DNA markers for better management and conservation strategies of genetic resources for indigenous goats.
Expression of trkA cDNA in neuroblastomas mediates differentiation in vitro and in vivo

The human trkA cDNA was transfected into a malignant human neuroblastoma (NB) cell line (HTLA230) to investigate its role in NB growth and differentiation. This cell line lacks expression of both endogenous trkA and gp75NGFR genes. Transfectants expressing the trkA mRNA and surface-bound receptors transcriptionally activate immediate-early genes (c-fos, c-jun, and jun-B) following nerve growth factor (NGF) stimulation. NGF treatment induces growth arrest as well as down-regulation of the amplified N-myc oncogene. Genes selectively expressed in mature neurons (SCG-10, ret proto-oncogene, GAP-43, etc.) are transcriptionally activated, and neurite outgrowth further demonstrates differentiation of transfectants following NGF stimulation. trkA-expressing NB cells remain tumorigenic in nude mice; however, subcutaneous treatment of tumor-bearing mice with NGF induces Schwannian and neuronal cell differentiation similar to the induction seen in human ganglioneuroblastomas. Thus, trkA expression in HTLA230 cells is sufficient to generate a functional NGF receptor complex that leads to growth-arrested and differentiated NB cells in vitro and in vivo in the presence of NGF. Hence, NGF may play a crucial role in NB cell differentiation and regression in vivo.
Analysis of remotely sensed and surface data of aerosols and meteorology for the Mexico Megalopolis Area between 2003 and 2015

This paper presents an aerosol characterization study from 2003 to 2015 for the Mexico City Metropolitan Area using remotely sensed aerosol data, ground‐based measurements, air mass trajectory modeling, aerosol chemical composition modeling, and reanalysis data for the broader Megalopolis of Central Mexico region. The most extensive biomass burning emissions occur between March and May concurrent with the highest aerosol optical depth, ultraviolet aerosol index, and surface particulate matter (PM) mass concentration values. A notable enhancement in coarse PM levels is observed during vehicular rush hour periods on weekdays versus weekends owing to nonengine‐related emissions such as resuspended dust. Among wet deposition species measured, PM2.5, PM10, and PMcoarse (PM10‐PM2.5) were best correlated with NH4+, SO42−, and Ca2+, suggesting that the latter three constituents are important components of the aerosol seeding raindrops that eventually deposit to the surface in the study region. Reductions in surface PM mass concentrations were observed in 2014–2015 owing to reduced regional biomass burning as compared to 2003–2013.
Y chromosome microdeletions in Turkish infertile men

AIMS: To detect the frequency and types of both chromosomal abnormalities and Y chromosome microdeletions in infertile men attending to our university intracytoplasmic sperm injection ICSI/IVF centre and fertile control subjects in our patient population. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: A total of 50 infertile men who were referred to IVF center of Meram medical faculty were selected for the molecular azospermia factor (AZF) screening program. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Karyotype analysis and polymerase chain reaction amplification using 15 Y-specific sequence-tagged sites of AZF region were done. RESULTS: The total prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities was found to be 10% (5/50), including 4 patients with numerical and 1 patient with structural abnormalities. Overall, 4 of the 50 patients tested (8%) exhibited deletions of the Y chromosome, 3 of them being azospermic and 1 of them oligospermic men. The frequency of the microdeletions in subgroups with azospermia and oligozoospermia was found to be 10.7% (3/29) and 4.7% (1/21) respectively. Microdeletions of AZFb and AZFc regions were detected in all of the 4 patients. Neither AZFa nor AZFd microdeletions were indicated. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that one must know whether there is a genetic cause for male infertility before patients can be subjected to ISCI or testicular sperm extraction (TESE)/ISCI treatment.
Some Personality Correlates of Business White-Collar Crime

On presente dans cet article les resultats de la premiere etude transversale europeenne portant sur les dimensions de la personnalite en relation avec les delits financiers commis par les cols blancs. Ce travail est un prolongement de la recherche de Collin & Schmidt (1992) sur les delits des cols blancs aux Etats-Unis. Les donnees ont ete recoltees aupres de 150 cadres en poste dans des societes commerciales allemandes et de 76 delinquants en col blanc anciennement cadres. Les repondants ont rempli des echelles papier crayon mesurant l’hedonisme (l’Echelle de Valeurs de Schwartz), le sens des responsabilites (NEO-FFI), le narcissisme (DSM-III-R), la desirabilite sociale (Crowne & Marlowe), et le self-control comportemental. L’analyse de regression logistique montra que 69% de la variance etait commune aux deux groupes. Le delit financier commis par un col blanc depend du sexe (les hommes sont surrepresentes), d’un faible self-control comportemental, d’un hedonisme eleve, d’un fort narcissisme et d’un sens des responsabilites affirme quand la desirabilite sociale est statistiquement controlee. Ce resultat concernant le sens des responsabilites est toutefois en contradiction avec l’interpretation que Collins et Schmidt donnent de leurs travaux (1993). On peut supposer que les delinquants en col blanc haut places combinent malhonnetete et sens des responsabilites eleve. In this paper the results of the first cross-sectional study in Europe examining personality correlates of white-collar crime in business are presented. This study is an extension of Collins and Schmidt's (1993) research on white-collar crime in the United States. The data were obtained from 150 managers currently active in German corporations and 76 white-collar criminals who formerly held such positions. Participants filled out paper and pencil scales measuring hedonism (Schwartz Value Scale), conscientiousness (NEO-FFI), narcissism (DSM-III-R), social desirability (Crowne & Marlowe, 1960), and behavioral self-control. The logistic regression analysis accounted for 69 per cent of the variance between the two groups. Business white-collar crime is predicted by gender (males higher rates than females), low behavioral self-control, high hedonism, high narcissism, and high conscientiousness after statistically controlling for social desirability. The results concerning conscientiousness, however, contradict the interpretation of findings reported by Collins and Schmidt (1993). It is argued here that high-ranking white-collar criminals in business combine low integrity with high conscientiousness.
Predictors of functional status in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE To find disease parameters that can predict the functional capacity of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) at the first visit to the rheumatologist and one year after entry. METHODS Patients referred to the outpatients clinic between 1995 and 1996, with a symptom duration of less than three years and fulfilling the American Rheumatism Association 1987 revised criteria for RA within one year after entry were included. Assessments of the duration of morning stiffness, the Disease Activity Score (DAS: a composite score based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), number of painful and swollen joints and patient global assessment), pain (Visual Analogue Scale), the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) were performed every three months. Possible predictors of the HAQ at entry and after one year were analysed by logistic regression. RESULTS 133 patients were included in the study. The median duration of complaints was three months (range 0–35) and the median HAQ score at entry was 1.12 (range 0–3). There was no correlation between duration of complaints and the HAQ at entry (r = 0.01). An HAQ score under the 50th percentile at entry could be predicted correctly for 74% of the patients by entry DAS and C reactive protein concentration, and at one year could be predicted correctly for 73% of the patients by entry HAQ and pain score. CONCLUSION Disease activity is strongly correlated with a lower functional capacity at entry, whereas disease duration is not. The functional status at entry is a good predictor for functional status at one year. Severity rather than duration of arthritis prompts referral in this cohort.
Factors associated with current and severe physical side‐effects after prostate cancer treatment: What men report

We identified patient and disease characteristics associated with (1) "current" physical side-effects of any severity; and (2) "severe" physical side-effects "ever" experienced by 3,348 (54%) prostate cancer (PCa) survivors in Ireland diagnosed 2-18 years previously. Postal questionnaires collected symptoms at diagnosis, post-biopsy complications, comorbidities, primary treatments and physical side-effects post-treatment (urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, libido loss, bowel problems, breast changes, hot flushes, and fatigue, "ever" and "current" at time of questionnaire completion). Men were grouped by "early" (localised) and "late" (locally advanced/advanced) disease at diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified patient and disease-related factors associated with post-treatment side-effects. Complications post-biopsy were associated with higher risk of "current" libido loss and impotence. Radical prostatectomy was associated with higher risk of "current" and "severe" incontinence, libido loss and impotence in both early and late disease. In early disease, brachytherapy was associated with lower risk of "current" fatigue and "severe" impotence. Comorbidities were associated with higher risk of "current" experience of four side-effects (incontinence, libido loss, bowel problems, fatigue). Men on active surveillance/watchful-waiting reported lower risk of sexual dysfunction. These findings could inform development of tailored information on side-effects, which, in turn, could inform treatment decision-making and post-treatment monitoring.
Association of monoamine oxidase A alleles with alcoholism among male Chinese in Taiwan.

OBJECTIVE The role of monoamine oxidase (MAO) in alcoholism was assessed by genetic association studies separately in five ethnic groups in Taiwan. METHOD Restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and dinucleotide repeat polymorphisms (DNRP) were used to determine MAOA and MAOB alleles in male alcoholic patients and nonalcoholic comparison subjects among Han Chinese and four aboriginal groups. RESULTS Significant associations of alcohol dependence with MAOA alleles (RFLP and DNRP) were found among the Han Chinese, but not among the aboriginal groups. No significant association with MAOB DNRP alleles was found in any group. CONCLUSIONS Genetic heterogeneity may underlie alcoholism among different ethnic groups in Taiwan, and MAOA mutations may play a role in susceptibility to alcoholism among Han Chinese.
Life cycle design of amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules

The primary objective of this project was to develop and apply design metrics for assessing and guiding the improvement of PV product systems. The total PV life cycle, encompassing material production, manufacturing and assembly, use, and end of life management was investigated. Energy payback time, electricity production efficiency, life cycle conversion efficiency, and life cycle cost metrics were evaluated for modules located in Detroit, Boulder, and Phoenix, three sites with different insolation. The study also explored the energy savings associated with several strategies for design improvement, including frameless modules, frame reuse, and an alternative procedure for module encapsulation. Life cycle air emissions, waterborne effluents, and solid waste were not investigated due to a lack of available data.
Performance And Nutrients Intake Of Fattening Kano Brown Buck Goats Fed Diets Containing Sugarcane Peels Meal *

This study was conducted to evaluate the performance and nutrients intake of fattening Kano brown buck goats fed diets containing sugarcane peels meal. Sixteen (16) Kano brown buck goats aged between 12 – 18 months, with an average initial weight of 17.55 – 17.83kg fed four different diets containing sugarcane peels meal to replace wheat offal at 0, 25, 50, and 75 % replacement levels. The bucks were randomly allocated to the four different experimental diets in a complete randomized design (CRD) for a period of 90 days. The data generated were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS (2007) software. Results of this experiment indicate that, average daily gain of the experimental animals did not differ significantly (P>0.05) between treatments while the average daily feed intake differ significantly (P<0.05). However, no significant differences (P>0.05) were recorded in feed conversion ratio between treatments which shows the indication that the diets were better utilized by animals. Moreover, nutrients intake of all the treatments are significantly affected (P<0.05) except ash which is not significantly (P>0.05) affected. The result of fattening performance and nutrients intake of Kano brown goats bucks fed sugarcane peels meal containing diets indicated that incorporation of sugarcane peels meal up to 75% as replacement of wheat offal is an indication of its potential as an alternative feed ingredient for goats. Therefore, inclusion of sugarcane peels in the diets of ruminants will reduce the urban solid waste and improve livestock production. Also the result of the experiment could be used to improve sugarcane production and additional job creation in Nigeria.