Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural Correlates of Drug-Related Attentional Bias in Heroin Dependence

The attention of drug-dependent persons tends to be captured by stimuli associated with drug consumption. This involuntary cognitive process is considered as attentional bias (AB). AB has been hypothesized to have causal effects on drug abuse and drug relapse, but its underlying neural mechanisms are still unclear. This study investigated the neural basis of AB in abstinent heroin addicts (AHAs), combining event-related potential (ERP) analysis and source localization techniques. Electroencephalography data were collected in 21 abstinent heroin addicts and 24 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) during a dot-probe task. In the task, a pair of drug-related image and neutral image was presented randomly in left and right side of the cross fixation, followed by a dot probe replacing one of the images. Behaviorally, AHAs had shorter reaction times (RTs) for the congruent condition compared to the incongruent condition, whereas this was not the case in the HCs. This finding demonstrated the presence of AB towards drug cues in AHAs. Furthermore, the image-evoked ERPs in AHAs had significant shorter P1 latency compared to HCs, as well as larger N1, N2, and P2 amplitude, suggesting that drug-related stimuli might capture attention early and overall require more attentional resources in AHAs. The target-related P3 had significantly shorter latency and lower amplitude in the congruent than incongruent condition in AHAs compared to HCs. Moreover, source localization of ERP components revealed increased activity for AHAs as compared to HCs in the dorsal posterior cingulate cortex (dPCC), superior parietal lobule and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) for image-elicited responses, and decreased activity in the occipital and the medial parietal lobes for target-elicited responses. Overall, the results of our study confirmed that AHAs may exhibit AB in drug-related contexts, and suggested that the bias might be related to an abnormal neural activity, both in early and late attention processing stages.
An Updated Review of Methods and Advancements in Microvascular Blood Flow Imaging

There has been a consistent growth in research involving imaging of microvasculature over the past few decades. By 2008, publications mentioning the microcirculation had grown more than 2000 per annum. Many techniques have been demonstrated for the measurement of the microcirculation ranging from the earliest invasive techniques to the present high‐speed, high‐resolution noninvasive imaging techniques. Understanding the microvasculature is vital in tackling fundamental research questions as well as to understand the effects of disease progression on the physiological well‐being of an individual. We have previously provided a wide–ranging review covering most of the available techniques and their applications. In this review, we discuss the recent advances made and applications in the field of microcirculation imaging.
Some new graceful generalized classes of diameter six trees

Here we denote a {\it diameter six tree} by $(c; a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{m}; b_{1}, b_{2}, \ldots, b_{n}; c_{1}, c_{2}, \ldots, c_{r})$, where $c$ is the center of the tree; $a_{i}, i = 1, 2, \ldots, m$, $b_{j}, j = 1, 2, \ldots, n$, and $c_{k}, k = 1, 2, \ldots, r$ are the vertices of the tree adjacent to $c$; each $a_{i}$ is the center of a diameter four tree, each $b_{j}$ is the center of a star, and each $c_{k}$ is a pendant vertex. Here we give graceful labelings to some new classes of diameter six trees $(c; a_{1}, a_{2}, \ldots, a_{m}; b_{1}, b_{2}, \ldots, b_{n}; c_{1}, c_{2}, \ldots, c_{r})$ in which a diameter four tree may contain any combination of branches with the total number of branches odd though with some conditions on the number of odd, even, and pendant branches. Here by a branch we mean a star, i.e. we call a star an odd branch if its center has an odd degree, an even branch if its center has an even degree, and a pendant branch if it is a pendant vertex.
Correlation of immunoglobulin E, eosinophil cationic protein, and eosinophil count with the severity of childhood perennial allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Elevated levels of serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), serum allergen-specific IgE, serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), blood eosinophil count and nasal eosinophil count are considered to be associated with allergic rhinitis (AR), but the relationships between these allergic inflammatory markers and the clinical severity of AR remain controversial. This study aimed to clarify these relationships. METHODS 186 children aged 2 to 12 years old were selected, including 160 with perennial AR (PAR) and 26 with non-AR as controls. The total nasal symptom score was calculated for each patient from a questionnaire and correlated with data on serum total IgE, serum allergen-specific IgE, serum ECP, and eosinophil count in blood and nasal smear. RESULTS Levels of all allergic inflammatory markers in children with PAR were significantly different from those in non-allergic children, except for serum ECP. All of the markers were related to the severity of PAR in bivariate correlation analysis. On multiple linear regression analysis, however, only nasal eosinophil count (p<0.001) and serum allergen-specific IgE (p=0.005) were independent predictors. CONCLUSION These results suggest that nasal eosinophil count, an organ-specific allergic inflammatory marker, and serum allergen-specific IgE, a systemic allergic inflammatory marker, are correlated with the severity of PAR in children.
Study of infectious intestinal disease in England: rates in the community, presenting to general practice, and reported to national surveillance

Abstract Objective: To establish the incidence and aetiology of infectious intestinal disease in the community and presenting to general practitioners. Comparison with incidence and aetiology of cases reaching national laboratory based surveillance. Design: Population based community cohort incidence study, general practice based incidence studies, and case linkage to national laboratory surveillance. Setting: 70 general practices throughout England. Participants: 459 975 patients served by the practices. Community surveillance of 9776 randomly selected patients. Main outcome measures: Incidence of infectious intestinal disease in community and reported to general practice. Results: 781 cases were identified in the community cohort, giving an incidence of 19.4/100 person years (95% confidence interval 18.1 to 20.8). 8770 cases presented to general practice (3.3/100 person years (2.94 to 3.75)). One case was reported to national surveillance for every 1.4 laboratory identifications, 6.2 stools sent for laboratory investigation, 23 cases presenting to general practice, and 136 community cases. The ratio of cases in the community to cases reaching national surveillance was lower for bacterial pathogens (salmonella 3.2:1, campylobacter 7.6:1) than for viruses (rotavirus 35:1, small round structured viruses 1562:1). There were many cases for which no organism was identified. Conclusions: Infectious intestinal disease occurs in 1 in 5 people each year, of whom 1 in 6 presents to a general practitioner. The proportion of cases not recorded by national laboratory surveillance is large and varies widely by microorganism.Ways of supplementing the national laboratory surveillance system for infectious intestinal diseases should be considered.
The influence of nicotine on pioglitazone encapsulation into carbon nanotube: the investigation of molecular dynamic and density functional theory

In this work, molecular dynamics simulations of the insertion of pioglitazone into the nanotube with chirality (10, 10) at 400 K and 1 bar in the presence and absence of nicotine molecules and in different drug concentrations have been studied. The main aim is consideration of the effect of nicotine in the drug encapsulation process. The results indicate that encapsulation of pioglitazone could be attributed to the water flow via van der Waals and hydrophilic interactions. Because of the existence of the partial π–π interactions between aromatic rings of pioglitazone and the conjugated aromatic rings of nanotube, pioglitazone molecule can enter inside the nanotube. Some physical properties such as hydrogen bonding, number of contacts, also, the diffusion coefficient of the pioglitazone and water molecules, and variation of the center of mass have been calculated during the simulation. Furthermore, computing the electronic structure has also been done on model systems for quantitative determination of the adsorption energy (Eads). The B3LYP/6-31G* level calculations on four different configurations of pioglitazone/carbon nanotube (CNT) and nicotine/CNT show that the interaction of drug with the inside of the nanotube is stronger than the other forms. Graphical abstract Graphical representation of final simulation snapshots for nicotine and drug molecule on SWCNT (10, 10) in the E system (a front view representation).
Sociodemographic and economic characteristics associated with dairy intake vary across genders.

BACKGROUND Recommendations promote a diversified and optimal but not excessive consumption of dairy products. Their efficiency may depend on sociodemographic and economic factors, for which little information is available. Links between these factors and dairy intake were investigated in a large sample of French adults. METHODS Dietary intakes were assessed using at least six 24-h dietary records collected during a 2-year period from 4574 adults aged 45-60 years. The cost of each food item was estimated from national data. Sociodemographic and economic characteristics were assessed by self-administered questionnaires. Compliance with the current dairy recommendation, distribution of the dairy budget and calcium inadequacy were compared by logistic regression and covariance analyses. RESULTS Thirty-five percent of subjects complied with the three-per-day dairy recommendation, with more men than women exceeding this (36.2% versus 26.5%, P < 0.0001). The proportion of the dairy budget spent on milk increased with age in men (P = 0.002); in women, it was inversely associated with occupational category (P = 0.009) and residence in an urban area (P = 0.0001). The proportion of this budget spent on cheese increased with education level in women (P = 0.04) and decreased with age in men (P = 0.03). In men, the consumption of cream desserts decreased with age (P = 0.006) and education level (P = 0.002). Dietary calcium inadequacy was more prevalent in women than in men (32.7% versus 14.2%, P < 0.0001). Among women, this prevalence was higher in older subjects (P < 0.0001) and those who lived alone (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS Although compliance with dairy recommendation needs to be improved, sociodemographic and economic factors should be taken into account to improve the efficiency of targeted public health messages.
Migrant Workers ’ Remittances and Macroeconomic Policy in Jordan

Migrant remittances play an important role in many labor exporting countries in the world today. In some cases, remittances are the single most important source of foreign exchange. Because foreign exchange is a scant resource in many of the labor exporting countries, mobilizing remittances could ease foreign exchange bottlenecks, helping thus, to mitigate development finance, improve balance of payments and alleviate pressures on external borrowing. The inflow of remittances to the labor exporting countries is, however, affected by various macro and micro factors. The majority of the literature about remittances focuses on the micro determinants of the inflow of remittances. Though it has been frequently argued that migrant remittances may significantly be affected by economic policy failures, there is relatively little evidence about the macroeconomic determinants of remittances.
Influence of natural temperature gradients on measurements of xylem sap flow with thermal dissipation probes. 1. Field observations and possible remedies.

The thermal dissipation method is simple and widely used for measuring sap flow in large stems. As with several other thermal methods, natural temperature gradients are assumed to be negligible in the sapwood being measured. We studied the magnitude and variability of natural temperature gradients in sapwood of Acacia trees growing in the Sahelian zone of Senegal, analyzed their effects on sap flow measurements, and investigated possible solutions. A new measurement approach employing cyclic heating (45 minutes of heating and 15 minutes of cooling; 45/15) was also tested. Three-day measurement sequences that included 1 day without heating, a second day with continuous heating and a third day with cyclic heating were recorded during a 6.5-month period using probes installed at three azimuths in a tree trunk. Natural temperature gradients between the two probes of the sensor unit, spaced 8 to 10 cm vertically, were rarely negligible (i.e., < 0.2 degrees C): they were positive during the night and negative during the day, with an amplitude ranging from 0.3 to 3.5 degrees C depending on trunk azimuth, day and season. These temperature gradients had a direct influence on the signal from the continuously heated sensors, inducing fluctuations in the nighttime reference signal. The resulting errors in sap flow estimates can be greater than 100%. Correction protocols have been proposed in previous studies, but they were unsuitable because of the high spatial and temporal variability of the natural temperature gradients. We found that a measurement signal derived from a noncontinuous heating system could be an attractive solution because it appears to be independent of natural temperature gradients. The magnitude and variability of temperature gradients that we observed were likely exacerbated by the combination of open stand, high solar radiation and low sap flow rate. However, for all applications of the thermal dissipation method, it is wise to check regularly for natural temperature gradients by switching off the heater.
The quality of family planning services and client satisfaction in the public and private sectors in Kenya.

OBJECTIVE To compare the quality of family planning services delivered at public and private facilities in Kenya. METHODS Data from the 2004 Kenya Service Provision Assessment were analysed. The Kenya Service Provision Assessment is a representative sample of health facilities in the public and private sectors, and comprises data obtained from a facility inventory, service provider interviews, observations of client-provider interactions and exit interviews. Quality-of-care indicators are compared between the public and private sectors along three dimensions: structure, process and outcome. RESULTS Private facilities were superior to public sector facilities in terms of physical infrastructure and the availability of services. Public sector facilities were more likely to have management systems in place. There was no difference between public and private providers in the technical quality of care provided. Private providers were better at managing interpersonal aspects of care. The higher level of client satisfaction at private facilities could not be explained by differences between public and private facilities in structural and process aspects of care. CONCLUSIONS Formal private sector facilities providing family planning services exhibit greater readiness to provide services and greater attention to client needs than public sector facilities in Kenya. Consistent with this, client satisfaction is much higher at private facilities. Technical quality of care provided is similar in public and private facilities.
Stem cells for the ischaemic heart

The discovery of adult progenitor cells capable of generating new vascular and myocardial tissue offers the promise of salvage of ischaemically threatened or irreversibly damaged cardiac tissue. Not surprisingly, great interest has focused on the use of a variety of cell types to treat both acute myocardial infarction and chronic ischaemic heart disease. This review focuses on the treatment of these two categories of disease, the cell types being considered, our understanding of timing and methods of cellular administration, and possible mechanisms of myocardial salvage.
Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type I with biallelic mutations in the RNU4ATAC gene

Nagy R, Wang H, Albrecht B, Wieczorek D, Gillessen‐Kaesbach G, Haan E, Meinecke P, de la Chapelle A, Westman JA. Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism type I with biallelic mutations in the RNU4ATAC gene.
A comparative assessment of the response of three fruit fly species (Diptera: Tephritidae) to a spinosad-based bait: effect of ammonium acetate, female age, and protein hunger

Abstract Ammonia-releasing substances are known to play an important role in fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidae) attraction to food sources, and this information has been exploited for the development of effective synthetic food-based lures and insecticidal baits. In field studies conducted in Hawaii, we examined the behavioural response of wild female oriental fruit fly (Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel)), melon fly (B. cucurbitae (Coquillett)), and Mediterranean fruit fly (Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann)) to spinosad-based GF-120 NF Naturalyte Fruit Fly Bait© formulated to contain either 0, 1 or 2% ammonium acetate. Use of visually-attractive yellow bait stations for bait application in the field allowed for proper comparisons among bait formulations. Field cage tests were also conducted to investigate, using a comparative behavioural approach, the effects of female age and protein starvation on the subsequent response of F1 generation B. cucurbitae and B. dorsalis to the same three bait formulations that were evaluated in the field. Our field results indicate a significant positive effect of the presence, regardless of amount, of AA in GF-120 for B. dorsalis and B. cucurbitae. For C. capitata, there was a significant positive linear relationship between the relative amounts of AA in bait and female response. GF-120 with no AA was significantly more attractive to female C. capitata, but not to female B. dorsalis or B. cucurbitae, than the control treatment. Our field cage results indicate that the effects of varying amounts of AA present in GF-120 can be modulated by the physiological stage of the female flies and that the response of female B. cucurbitae to GF-120 was consistently greater than that of B. dorsalis over the various ages and levels of protein starvation regimes evaluated. Results are discussed in light of their applications for effective fruit fly suppression.
Insights into the membrane proteome of rat liver peroxisomes: Microsomal glutathione‐S‐transferase is shared by both subcellular compartments

Peroxisomes are ubiquitous “multipurpose” organelles of eukaryotic cells. Their matrix enzymes catalyze mainly catabolic and anabolic reactions of lipid metabolism, thus contributing to the regulation of lipid homeostasis. Since most metabolites must be actively transported across the peroxisomal membrane and since individual proteins and protein complexes play functional roles in such transport processes, we analyzed the peroxisomal membrane proteome. Benzyldimethyl‐n‐hexadecylammoniumchloride (16‐BAC)/SDS‐2‐D‐PAGE and mass spectrometry were used to characterize the proteomes of highly purified “light” and “heavy” peroxisomes of rat liver obtained by density gradient centrifugation. In both populations, the major integral membrane proteins could be detected in high concentrations, verifying 16‐BAC/SDS‐2‐D‐PAGE as a suitable tool for the preparation of membrane proteomes destined for mass spectrometric analysis. Both reliable and reproducible detection of a distinct set of microsomal (ER) membrane proteins, including microsomal glutathione‐S‐transferase (mGST), in light and heavy peroxisomal fractions was also possible. Compared with the abundance of most microsomal membrane proteins, we found mGST to be specifically enriched in peroxisomal membrane fractions. Furthermore, C terminus epitope‐tagged mGST versions were localized at least in part to peroxisomes in different mammalian cell lines. Taken together, these data suggest that the peroxisomal GST is not a mere ER‐contaminant, but a bona fide protein comprising the membrane proteome of both intracellular compartments. In addition, we could detect several mitochondrial proteins in light peroxisome fractions. This finding may likely indicate a physical association of light peroxisomes with mitochondria, since the organelles could be partly separated by mechanical stress. Whether this association is of functional importance awaits further investigation.
Contribution to the lichen flora of Cyprus

97 especes de lichens ont ete recoltees a Chypre lors de deux excursions en 1994 et en 1996, dont 78 sont nouvelles pour Chypre et 17 sont probablement nouvelles pour l'Asie. La flore n'est pas riche, mais elle est imparfaitement connue.
Effects of partial immersion in water on vertical ground reaction forces and weight distribution in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of partial immersion in water on vertical ground reaction force (vGRF) and vGRF distribution in dogs. ANIMALS 10 healthy adult dogs. PROCEDURES Weight placed on each limb of each dog was measured 3 times (1 scale/limb). Dogs were then immersed in water to the level of the tarsal, stifle, and hip joints, and vGRFs were measured. Coefficients of variation for triplicate measurements were calculated. Mixed-effects ANOVAs were used to compare the vGRF for thoracic versus pelvic limbs and the vGRF at various immersion levels as well as the vGRF distributions among limbs at various immersion levels. RESULTS Mean±SD vGRF before immersion was 249±34 N. It was significantly decreased by 9% after immersion to the tarsal joints (227±32 N), by 15% after immersion to the stifle joints (212±21 N), and by 62% after immersion to the hip joints (96±20 N). The vGRFs were significantly higher for the thoracic limbs than for the pelvic limbs before immersion and at all immersion levels. Dogs placed 64% of their weight on the thoracic limbs before immersion. That ratio did not differ significantly after immersion to the tarsus (64%) or stifle (63%) joints, but was significantly larger after immersion to the hip joints (71%). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE vGRF decreased as the depth of immersion increased. The thoracic limb-to-pelvic limb vGRF ratio was unchanged in dogs after immersion to the tarsal or stifle joints, but it increased after immersion to the hip joints.