Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Emodin attenuates systemic and liver inflammation in hyperlipidemic mice administrated with lipopolysaccharides

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major epidemics of the modern societies and has an inflammatory component in the pathogenesis. However, approved anti-inflammatory therapies are not currently available for the prevention of the transition from simple steatosis to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). We aimed to test if a Chinese herb-derived compound, emodin could halt the simple steatosis to NASH transition. LDLR−/− mice were fed a western-type diet for 10 weeks; and during the last four weeks, the mice were intra-peritoneally injected daily with LPS with or without emodin. Systemic inflammation was evaluated by measurement of serum levels of cytokines and chemokines and flow cytometric analysis of spleen leukocytes. Liver inflammation was determined by histology, immunocytochemistry and flow cytometry. Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to examine the effects of emodin on LPS-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages. Our data showed that emodin ameliorated systemic inflammation, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the liver, and attenuated liver function impairment. In vitro experiments showed emodin inhibited LPS-induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines in macrophages through suppressing Erk1/2 and p38 signaling. In conclusion, emodin inhibited the transition from simple steatosis to NASH in hyperlipidemic mice challenged with LPS through suppressing systemic and macrophage inflammation. Emodin may be developed as a therapy for NAFLD by the virtue of its anti-inflammatory effects.
Equal proportions of small and large DRG neurons express opioid receptor mRNAs

Previous studies have reported that the mRNAs encoding the cloned μ‐opioid receptor (MOR1) and the cloned δ‐opioid receptor (DOR1) are expressed in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of rats. In the present study, we determined the sizes of DRG neurons expressing DOR1 and MOR1 mRNAs and examined whether or not DRG neurons were likely to be the source of the DOR1 and MOR1 immunoreactivity previously observed in the spinal dorsal horn. DRG neurons were labeled in five male Sprague‐Dawley rats by applying Fluoro‐Gold (FG) topically to the dorsal root entry zone. Five‐micrometer cryostat sections were cut, and in situ hybridization was performed using full‐length cRNA probes labeled with 35S‐UTP. The distribution of sizes of DRG neuronal profiles (1372 neuronal profiles were evaluated) ranged from 98 to 2081 μm2 and was similar to those found in previous reports. Of 583 retrogradely labeled neuronal profiles in DRGs, 246 (40 ± 14%, mean ± SD, n = 5) expressed MOR1 mRNA. Of 789 DRG cell profiles from sections that were hybridized for DOR1 mRNA, 687 (85 ± 18%, mean ± SD, n = 5) were labeled for DOR1. The proportion of DRG cell profiles expressing DOR1 mRNA was significantly higher than that expressing MOR1 mRNA (P < 0.0001, chi‐square test). No significant differences were observed between small (≤700 μm2) and large (>700 μm2) FG‐labeled neurons in the proportions labeled for either MOR1 mRNA (202/497 vs. 44/86, P > 0.2, chi‐square test) or DOR1 mRNA (555/651 vs. 132/138, P > 0.3, chi‐square test). Most FG‐labeled neurons that expressed either MOR1 mRNA or DOR1 mRNA (82.1 and 80.8%, respectively) were smaller than 700 μm2. In addition to cells expressing a single opioid receptor, individual DRG neurons were observed that expressed both MOR1 and DOR1. In a sample of 25 DRG neurons expressing MOR1‐mRNA, 23 also expressed DOR1 mRNA. Within the spinal cord itself, DOR1 and MOR1 mRNAs had different patterns of expression. Both were expressed in the dorsal horn, but of the two, only MOR1 message was expressed in the superficial dorsal horn. We conclude that both small and large DRG neurons express DOR1 and MOR1 mRNAs, but most cells expressing these mRNAs are small. In addition, some DRG neurons express both MOR1 and DOR1 mRNAs. Finally, both DOR1 and MOR1 in the spinal dorsal horn originate, at least in part, from DRG neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 429:590–600, 2001. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Possible Association between Serotonin Transporter Promoter Region Polymorphism and Extremely Violent Crime in Chinese Males

The neurotransmitter, serotonin, has been implicated in aggressive behavior. The serotonin transporter (5-HTT), which reuptakes serotonin into the nerve terminal, plays a critical role in the regulation of serotonergic function. Previous western reports have demonstrated that the low-activity short (S) allele of the 5-HTT gene-linked polymorphic-region (5-HTTLPR) polymorphism is associated with aggressive behavior and associated personality traits. In the present study, we investigated this 5-HTTLPR genetic polymorphism in a group of Chinese males who had been convicted for extremely violent crime (n = 135) and a normal control group (n = 111). The proportion of S-allele carriers was significantly higher in the criminal group than in the controls (p = 0.006). A significant association was not demonstrated for the relationship between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and antisocial personality disorder, substance abuse or alcohol abuse in the criminal group. Our findings demonstrate that carriage of the low-activity S allele is associated with extremely violent criminal behavior in Chinese males, and suggests that the 5-HTT may be implicated in the mechanisms underlying violent behaviors.
Children in the Netherlands

Original title: Kinderen in Nederland. Young children in the Netherlands currently receive a good deal of attention in both the public debate and in government policy. Do children today play outside enough? Do they take enough exercise? And do they not spend far too much time watching television? Are children not the victims of the present double-earner society? How many young children today have emotional and behavioural problems? And how do parents feel about the upbringing of their children? This report looks at these and many other questions in relation to young children. It sets out the results of a large-scale survey of children aged up to 12 years, for which the data were collected via employees at youth health centres, via parents and from children themselves.
Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Correlates of Fatigue in Multiple Sclerosis

Although fatigue is a common and troublesome symptom of multiple sclerosis (MS), its pathogenesis is poorly understood. In this study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test whether a different pattern of movement-associated cortical and subcortical activations might contribute to the development of fatigue in patients with MS. We obtained fMRI during the execution of a simple motor task with completely normally functioning hands from 15 MS patients with fatigue (F), 14 MS patients without fatigue (NF), and 15 sex- and age-matched healthy volunteers. F and NF MS patients were also matched for major clinical and MRI variables. FMRI data were analyzed using statistical parametric mapping. In all patients, severity of fatigue was rated using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Compared to healthy subjects, MS patients showed more significant activations of the contralateral primary somatomotor cortex, the contralateral ascending limb of the Sylvian fissure, the contralateral intraparietal sulcus (IPS), the contralateral supplementary motor area, and the ipsilateral and contralateral cingulate motor area (CMA). Compared to F MS patients, NF patients showed more significant activations of the ipsilateral cerebellar hemisphere, the ipsilateral rolandic operculum, the ipsilateral precuneus, the contralateral thalamus, and the contralateral middle frontal gyrus. In contrast, F MS patients had a more significant activation of the contralateral CMA. Significant inverse correlations were found between FSS scores and relative activations of the contralateral IPS (r = -0.63), ipsilateral rolandic operculum (r = -0.61), and thalamus (r = -0.62). This study provides additional evidence that fatigue in MS is related to impaired interactions between functionally related cortical and subcortical areas. It also suggests that fMRI might be a valuable tool to monitor the efficacy of treatment aimed at reducing MS-related fatigue.
THE EFFECTS OF RESOURCES AND INSTITUTIONAL PRESSURES ON CORPORATE ENVIRONMENTALISM

While previous research on organizations and the natural environment provides a rationale for general corporate environmental responses, questions remain regarding why firms facing similar institutional pressures respond differently to environmental issues. On one hand, organizations have control over their corporate strategies. Firms can utilize their resources and capabilities to gain a competitive advantage. On the other hand, firms' flexibility of action is limited by external forces. I argue that the differences in firms' resources and capabilities affect the extent to which firms integrate environmental issues into their planning processes and strategies. The awareness, sense-making, and perceptions of social phenomena, in this case the green building movement, also create social framing that influences how firms respond and react to environmental issues. In sum, this research offers a more comprehensive examination of the resource-based view (RBV) and institutional perspectives in the context of business and the environment. A field study was employed to investigate how organizations respond to environmental issues from the perspectives of a resource-based view and institutional theory. A quantitative research method was employed in this study. A web-based survey was used to investigate the phenomenon of corporate environmentalism within firms. Knowing more about the resources and capabilities of firms and about the institutional pressures relative to corporate environmentalism could help firms formulate and integrate environmental initiatives into their strategies. This study can also benefit the broader research domain of business and the natural environment by providing insight into what factors contribute to perceptions surrounding corporate environmentalism in organizations.
Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D and left ventricular systolic function in a non‐smoking population: the Tromsø Study

The myocardium is considered to be an important target organ for parathyroid hormone and 1,25‐dihydroxyvitamin D, the active metabolite of vitamin D. Vitamin D inadequacy has also been linked to cardiovascular morbidity. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and LV systolic function in a general population.
Low-dose dopexamine's effect on lung and gut function after CPB in a sheep model.

OBJECTIVE The lung injury regularly associated with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) may be linked to gut mucosal dysfunction occurring as the result of mucosal ischemia associated with nonpulsatile CPB. To examine this possibility we postulated that the weak-beta 2 agonist dopexamine would improve gut mucosal blood flow, thereby decreasing gut and lung dysfunction seen after CPB in sheep. METHODS Anesthetized sheep had 2 h of hypothermic (24 degrees C), nonpulsatile CPB, and 60 min of cold, blood cardioplegic arrest. After warming they were separated from CPB for 2 h of reperfusion. Before and during CPB, dopexamine at 2 micrograms/kg/min (n = 7) or saline (n = 7) were infused in a blinded fashion. Hemodynamic parameters were measured. Biatrial thromboxane B2 levels were obtained. Mesenteric arterial flow (QSMA), mucosal flow (Qmuc), FD-4 clearance (ClFD-4), and tonometric pHi were measured at baseline and 30-min intervals on, and after, CPB. RESULTS After CPB, similar reductions in MAP were seen (P < 0.05 vs. baseline), but heart rate and the mean pulmonary vascular resistance were significantly increased in the dopexamine animals (P < 0.05 vs. placebo). Plasma thromboxane was similarly increased in both groups after CPB (P < 0.05 vs. baseline), returning to baseline 1 h after CPB. The Qsma was not altered, but a statistically significant decrease in Qmuc and pHi occurred in both groups (P < 0.05 vs. baseline). In both groups FD-4 clearance reached a peak 30 min after CPB (P < 0.05; dopexamine vs. baseline). After 2 h neither of these changes returned to control levels. CONCLUSIONS In this ovine model, gut mucosal ischemia and increased permeability occur with hypothermic CPB, but dopexamine administration during CPB, compared to placebo, neither ameliorates these intestinal derangements nor reduces post-CPB lung pathophysiology.
Molecular Determinants of Permeation through the Cation Channel TRPV4*

We have studied the molecular determinants of ion permeation through the TRPV4 channel (VRL-2, TRP12, VR-OAC, and OTRPC4). TRPV4 is characterized by both inward and outward rectification, voltage-dependent block by Ruthenium Red, a moderate selectivity for divalent versus monovalent cations, and an Eisenman IV permeability sequence. We identify two aspartate residues, Asp672 and Asp682, as important determinants of the Ca2+ sensitivity of the TRPV4 pore. Neutralization of either aspartate to alanine caused a moderate reduction of the relative permeability for divalent cations and of the degree of outward rectification. Neutralizing both aspartates simultaneously caused a much stronger reduction of Ca2+permeability and channel rectification and additionally altered the permeability order for monovalent cations toward Eisenman sequence II or I. Moreover, neutralizing Asp682 but not Asp672 strongly reduces the affinity of the channel for Ruthenium Red. Mutations to Met680, which is located at the center of a putative selectivity filter, strongly reduced whole cell current amplitude and impaired Ca2+ permeation. In contrast, neutralizing the only positively charged residue in the putative pore region, Lys675, had no obvious effects on the properties of the TRPV4 channel pore. Our findings delineate the pore region of TRPV4 and give a first insight into the possible architecture of its permeation pathway.
Validation of the Prognostic Kidney Donor Risk Index Scoring System of Deceased Donors for Renal Transplantation in the Netherlands

Background The prognostic Kidney Donor Risk Index (KDRI)—developed and internally validated in the United States—is a widely used tool to predict transplant outcome of a deceased donor kidney. The KDRI is currently used for longevity matching between donors and recipients in the United States. Methods We aimed to externally validate the KDRIdonor-only and KDRIfull as proposed by Rao et al (2009). KDRIdonor-only consist of 10 donor factors, and KDRIfull with an additional 4 transplant factors. We used the Dutch Organ Transplantation Registry to include 3201 adult recipients transplanted from 2002 to 2012. Results The median Dutch KDRI was 1.21 and comparable with the year 2012 in the United States (median of 1.24). The calibration-slope was 0.98 and 0.96 for the KDRIfull and KDRIdonor-only, respectively, indicating that predictions of graft failure were on average similar. The discriminative ability (Harrell C) of the KDRIfull and the KDRIdonor-only at 5 years was 0.63 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-0.64), and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.61-0.63), respectively. We found misspecification of 3 KDRI factors: age (P = 0.002), weight (P = 0.017), and cold ischemia time (P < 0.001). Adding the use of inotropic drugs before donation (P = 0.040) and the interaction between circulatory-death donor kidneys and prolonged cold ischemic time (>24 hours vs 12 hours; P = 0.059) could improve predictive ability. Conclusions The KDRI performs equal in the Dutch population. Discriminative ability of the KDRI indicates limited clinical use for adequate individualized decisions. An updated KDRI may contribute to a standardized policy meeting the growing demand of donor kidneys in the Eurotransplant region.
Inequality of Opportunity and Economic Growth: How Much Can Cross‐Country Regressions Really Tell Us?

Income differences arise from many sources. While some kinds of inequality, caused by differential rewards to effort, might be associated with faster economic growth, other kinds, arising from unequal opportunities for investment, might be detrimental to economic progress. This study uses two new datasets, consisting of 117 income and expenditure household surveys and 134 Demographic and Health Surveys, to revisit the relationship between total inequality and economic growth. In particular, we ask whether inequality of opportunity, driven by circumstances at birth, has a negative effect on subsequent growth. Using the income and expenditure micro dataset, we find that while both total income inequality and inequality of opportunity are negatively associated with growth, the coefficient estimates are insignificant. The evidence is similarly equivocal using the Demographic and Health Surveys data. On balance, the data do not provide support for the hypothesis that inequality of opportunity is bad for growth.
The impact of sustainable manufacturing practices on sustainability performance: Empirical evidence from Malaysia

Sustainable manufacturing practices are one of the significant environmental initiatives taken by manufacturing industries to preserve the environment and improve the quality of human life while performing manufacturing activities. The emergence of the value creation concept, economic value no longer counts as a single factor for measuring manufacturing performance. Within the sustainability context, the impact of manufacturing activities on the environmental and social aspects should be taken into account as the basis for assessing manufacturing performance, which is called sustainability performance. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship of sustainable manufacturing practices with sustainability performance, which considers the environmental, economic and social aspects. ,A questionnaire survey is carried out among 443 ISO 14001 certified manufacturing companies in Malaysia. Structural equation modelling is used to evaluate the relationship of sustainable manufacturing practices with sustainability performance. ,The findings of this study indicate that manufacturing process is the manufacturing stage that gives the most impact on the improvement of sustainability performance. Hence, it is concluded that manufacturing companies in Malaysia are highly focussed on the production bound when implementing sustainable manufacturing practices. ,Although this study indicates a good estimation of the proposed model, additional variables might be added to improve the prediction strength of the proposed model such as considering type of industries, economic scale or ownership. Adding the comparison of sustainable manufacturing practices between different countries also a valuable research to investigated. ,The framework proposed here can also assist manufacturing industries to conduct sustainability assessments by providing elements of sustainability performance and can serve as a guideline to select appropriate sustainable manufacturing practices and to what level the practices need to be improved to leverage companies’ sustainability performance. ,The framework proposed here can also assist manufacturing industries to conduct sustainability assessments by providing elements of sustainability performance and can serve as a guideline to select appropriate sustainable manufacturing practices and to what level the practices need to be improved to leverage companies’ sustainability performance.
Nonlocal Disadvantage: An Examination of Social Media Sentiment

We examine 176,375 Twitter posts from nearly two thousand individuals covering 1,015 U.S. companies from 2009 to 2011. While nonlocal Twitter posters consistently exhibit a large negative predictability of stock returns, local posters have close-to-zero and insignificant return predictability. The differential return predictability, or nonlocal disadvantage, is 18 basis points per week and statistically significant. Nonlocal disadvantage is much larger in firms without public news coverage and firms with greater information asymmetry. Compared to local investors, nonlocal investors exhibit significantly greater overreaction to analyst opinions. These results indicate that the performance spread between local and nonlocal individual investors is attributable to local individual investors’ private information, which reduces individual investors’ behavioral biases.
Thixotropy of levator palpebrae as the cause of lagophthalmos after peripheral facial nerve palsy

Patients with facial nerve palsy are at risk of developing corneal ulceration because of lagophthalmos (incomplete closure of the affected eyelid). Lagophthalmos could result from thixotropy of the levator palpebrae muscle—that is, the formation of tight crossbridges between the actin and myosin filaments of the muscle fibres causing stiffness of the muscle—rather than from paralysis of the orbicularis occuli muscle as previously supposed. This possibility was investigated in 13 patients with a peripheral facial nerve palsy in a prospective open study. The levator muscle of the affected eyelid was stretched by manipulation and downward movement of the passively closed upper eyelid for ∼15 seconds. The amount of lagophthalmos was measured before and immediately after this manoeuvre. In all patients except one there was a clear reduction in lagophthalmos (mean reduction 72%; range 60–100%). Thus in this setting the lagophthalmos appears to be caused by thixotropy of the levator palpebrae muscle, which has implications for treatment.
Effects of Moringa oleifera leaves as a substitute for alfalfa meal on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, carcass trait, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and biochemical parameters of rabbits

This contribution reports the effects of Moringa oleifera leaves (MOLs) meal on the growth performances, nutrient digestibility, carcass trait, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and biochemical parameters of growing New Zealand white rabbits. The MOL was substituted for alfalfa meal at levels of 0, 10%, 20% and 30% to obtain respective diets MOL0, MOL10, MOL20 and MOL30. Each treatment was replicated five times with 10 rabbits per replicate. Results showed the average daily weight gain (ADWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) of rabbits fed MOL20 diet were significantly better (p < 0.05) than those of other three dietary groups. Liver and spleen index of rabbits fed MOL20 and MOL30 diets was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the groups fed with lower M. oleifera leaves (MOL0, MOL10). The meat drip loss of rabbits fed with diet MOL10 was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than that of rabbits fed other diets. All rabbits fed MOL dietary groups had lower (p < 0.05) shear force of longissimus dorsi than the group without M. oleifera leaves. No significant differences were found in the digestibility of crude fibre (CF), crude fat (EE), ash, crude protein (CP) and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) among the dietary groups. Moringa oleifera leaves also have a significant impact on serum albumin (ALB), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLC), triiodothyroxine (T3 ) and tetraiodothyroxine (T4 ) values and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in serum and liver. The results indicated that M. oleifera leaves could be developed as a good feed source, and it not only could substitute for alfalfa meal well but also has a significant effect on growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant and biochemical parameters of rabbits.