Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of zearalenone on the localization and expression of the growth hormone receptor gene in the uteri of post-weaning piglets

Objective In this study, we investigated the adverse effects of dietary zearalenone (ZEA) (0.5 to 1.5 mg/kg diet) on the localization and expression of the growth hormone receptor (GHR) in the uteri of post-weaning gilts and explored alternative mechanism of the reproductive toxicity of ZEA on piglets. Methods A total of forty healthy piglets (Duroc×Landrace×Large White) aged 28 d were selected for study. Piglets were transferred to single cages after 10 days’ adaptation on an obstetric table. The animals were allocated to one of four treatments: a normal basal diet supplemented with 0 (Control), 0.5 (ZEA0.5), 1.0 (ZEA1.0), or 1.5 (ZEA1.5) mg/kg purified ZEA, and fed for 35 d after the 10-d adaptation. Analyzed ZEA concentrations in the diets were 0, 0.52±0.07, 1.04±0.03, and 1.51±0.13 mg/kg, respectively. At the end of the feeding trial, piglets were euthanized after being fasted for 12 h. Two samples of uterine tissue from each pig were rapidly collected, one of which was stored at −80°C for analysis of the relative mRNA and protein expression of GHR, and the second was promptly fixed in Bouin’s solution for immunohistochemical analysis. Results The relative weight of the uteri and thickness of the myometrium and endometrium increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.001) with an increasing level of ZEA. The results of immunohistochemical analysis indicated that GHR immunoreactive substance was mainly localizated in the cytoplasm of uterine smooth muscle, glandular epithelial, luminal epithelial, stromal, and vascular endothelial cells. In contrast, nuclear staining was rarely observed. The immunoreactive integrated optic density of GHR in the myometrium, luminal epithelium, glandular epithelium, and whole uteri of weaning gilts increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.05) with an increasing level of ZEA. The mRNA and protein expression of GHR in the uteri of weaning gilts increased linearly (p<0.001) and quadratically (p<0.05) with an increasing level of ZEA. Conclusion In conclusion, ZEA at a concentration of 0.5 mg/kg was sufficient to significantly thicken the myometrium and endometrium, and at a concentration of 1.0 mg/kg induced a high level of GHR expression to promote growth and development of the uteri. This revealed an alternative molecular mechanism whereby ZEA induces growth and development of the uteri and provides a theoretical basis for the revision of Chinese feed hygiene standards.
New graduate registered nurses’ knowledge of patient safety and practice: A literature review

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To critically appraise available literature and summarise evidence pertaining to the patient safety knowledge and practices of new graduate registered nurses. BACKGROUND Responsibility for patient safety should not be limited to the practice of the bedside nurses, rather the responsibility of all in the healthcare system. Previous research identified lapses in safety across the health care, more specifically with new practitioners. Understanding these gaps and what may be employed to counteract them is vital to ensuring patient safety. DESIGN A focused review of research literature. METHODS The review used key terms and Boolean operators across a 5-year time frame in CINAHL, Medline, psycINFO and Google Scholar for research articles pertaining to the area of enquiry. Eighty-four articles met the inclusion criteria, 39 discarded due to irrelevant material and 45 articles were included in the literature review. RESULTS This review acknowledges that nursing has different stages of knowledge and practice capabilities. A theory-practice gap for new graduate registered nurses exists, and transition to practice is a key learning period setting new nurses on the path to becoming expert practitioners. Within the literature, there was little to no acknowledgement of patient safety knowledge of the newly registered nurse. CONCLUSIONS Issues raised in the 1970s remain a concern for today's new graduate registered nurses. Research has recognised several factors affecting transition from nursing student to new graduate registered nurse. These factors are leaving new practitioners open to potential errors and risking patient safety. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Understanding the knowledge of a new graduate registered nurse upon entering clinical practice may assist in organisations providing appropriate clinical and theoretical support to these nurses during their transition.
Bovine serum thyroxine, prolactin, growth hormone, glucocorticoid, and thyroxine binding globulin response to thyroprotein.

Twenty-one lactating Holstein cows were assigned randomly to groups of seven and received: (1) no treatment; (2) 15 g thyroprotein daily for 5 wk; or (3) 15 g thyroprotein daily for 13 wk. Combined averages for serum thyroxine of cows in thyroprotein groups increased linearly from a baseline of 54 ng/ml to a peak of 135 ng/ml at 6 days after thyroprotein feeding was begun. Serum thyroxine then decreased to approximately 80 ng/ml at 23 days of thyroprotein feeding which was maintained during the remainder of the feeding period. Following thyroprotein withdrawal from the diet serum thyroxine concentration decreased to 24 ng/ml at 6 days. Neither serum prolactin, growth hormone, nor total glucocorticoids were affected by thyroprotein feeding or withdrawal. Average milk production of cows in the control group decreased linearly with time. Milk production of cows fed thyroprotein for 5 wk averaged 2.2 to 3.3 kg/day more than cows in the control group and that of cows fed thyroprotein for 13 wk averaged . 95 to 2.5 kg/day more than controls for 60 days, but between 60 and 91 days it was . 9 kg/day less than controls.
Discovering Objects in Videos

The goal of this project is to identify and localize objects in videos. Given a video V , consisting of a set of N frames f1, . , fN where each frame contains one or more unknown object, the objective is to identify and localize primary objects in each i-th frame fi in V that exhibit coherence in both appearance and motion. Figure 1 shows a brief illustration of discovering objects in videos problem. There are two sub-problems that should be solved; the first sub-problem is localization of primary objects in each frame (still images). The second sub-problem is finding the correlation between the detected objects in all video’s frames.
Computer-assisted analysis of spontaneous speech: quantification of basic parameters in aphasic and unimpaired language

Although generally accepted as an important part of aphasia assessment, detailed analysis of spontaneous speech is rarely carried out in clinical practice mostly due to time limitations. The Aachener Sprachanalyse (ASPA; Aachen Speech Analysis) is a computer-assisted method for the quantitative analysis of German spontaneous speech that allows for a detailed assessment by means of linguistic basic parameters in an acceptable amount of time. It has previously been proven sensitive for monitoring changes over time. In this study, we present data of 52 aphasic participants whose spontaneous speech was analyzed retrospectively before and after an intensive therapy program. The measured changes are evaluated with reference to normative data of 60 non-brain-damaged speakers. Results confirm good sensitivity to document changes over time. Clinical relevance of changes is assessed with reference to critical score ranges derived from the normative data. Findings provide further evidence of the clinical applicability and usefulness of ASPA.
A statistical framework in variational methods of image and video processing problems with high dimensions. (Un cadre statistique en traitement d'images et vidéos par approche variationnelle avec modélisation haute dimension)

This thesis addresses variational formulation of image and video processing problems. This formulation expresses the solution through a minimization of an energy. These energies can be defined as deterministic or stochastic. It is known that the first approach corresponds to the parametric class of the second one. The second class is then chosen as it is more general when relaxing parametric assumptions. In return, the energy must be expressed as a function of the data considered as random variables. These probabilities are classically estimated with fixed-sized kernels on marginal distributions of the data, assuming the different channels are independent. These methods have two limitations, the inhomogeneous and scarce repartition of the data in the space. These difficulties, as well as the independence assumption are enhanced when the data of the image are high dimensional (color channels, or other channels describing local patterns of natural images). At the foundation of the statistics, the k-th nearest neighbor method can solve these difficulties by locally adapting to the repartition of the data and treating the channels jointly. We propose a general statistical framework based on k-th nearest neighbors and information theory. This new framework is dedicated to variational problems as it efficiently estimates, high dimensional energies, derivates of these energies and local probabilities. This framework is applied to three problems of image and video processing: optical flow, object tracking and segmentation. This framework circumvents the problem of dimensionality and allows us to introduce new measures and probabilities more adapted to natural images. Some results obtained have been applied in an industrial context.
Evaluation of Envelope Vaccines Derived from the South African Subtype C Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 TV1 Strain

ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) subtype C infections are on the rise in Sub-Saharan Africa and Asia. Therefore, there is a need to develop an HIV vaccine capable of eliciting broadly reactive immune responses against members of this subtype. We show here that modified HIV envelope (env) DNA vaccines derived from the South African subtype C TV1 strain are able to prime for humoral responses in rabbits and rhesus macaques. Priming rabbits with DNA plasmids encoding V2-deleted TV1 gp140 (gp140TV1ΔV2), followed by boosting with oligomeric protein (o-gp140TV1ΔV2) in MF59 adjuvant, elicited higher titers of env-binding and autologous neutralizing antibodies than priming with DNA vaccines encoding the full-length TV1 env (gp160) or the intact TV1 gp140. Immunization with V2-deleted subtype B SF162 env and V2-deleted TV1 env together using a multivalent vaccine approach induced high titers of oligomeric env-binding antibodies and autologous neutralizing antibodies against both the subtypes B and C vaccine strains, HIV-1 SF162 and TV1, respectively. Low-level neutralizing activity against the heterologous South African subtype C TV2 strain, as well as a small subset of viruses in a panel of 13 heterologous primary isolates, was observed in some rabbits immunized with the V2-deleted vaccines. Immunization of rhesus macaques with the V2-deleted TV1 DNA prime/protein boost also elicited high titers of env-binding antibodies and moderate titers of autologous TV1 neutralizing antibodies. The pilot-scale production of the various TV1 DNA vaccine constructs and env proteins described here should provide an initial platform upon which to improve the immunogenicity of these subtype C HIV envelope vaccines.
Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of selected wheat varieties released since 1903 to increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide: can yield sensitivity to carbon dioxide be a factor in wheat performance?

The sensitivity of yield and quality parameters to carbon dioxide concentration [CO2] was determined for individual lines of hard‐red spring wheat released in 1903, 1921, 1965 and 1996. All cultivars were evaluated with respect to growth and vegetative characteristics, grain yield and nutritional quality in response to [CO2] increases that corresponded roughly to the CO2 concentrations at the beginning of the 20th century, the current [CO2], and the future projected [CO2] for the end of the 21st century, respectively. Leaf area ratio (cm2 g−1) declined and net assimilation rate (g m2 day−1) increased in response to increasing [CO2] for all cultivars during early vegetative growth. By maturity, vegetative growth of all cultivars significantly increased with the increase in [CO2]. Seed yield increased significantly as [CO2] increased, with yield sensitivity to rising [CO2] inversely proportional to the year of cultivar release. Greater [CO2] yield sensitivity in older cultivars was associated with whole‐plant characteristics such as increased tillering and panicle formation. Grain and flour protein, however, declined significantly with increasing [CO2] and with year of release for all cultivars, although absolute values were higher for the older cultivars. Overall, these data indicate that yield response at the whole‐plant level to recent and projected increases in [CO2] has declined with the release of newer cultivars, as has protein content of grain and flour. However, if agronomic practice can be adapted to maximize individual plant performance, [CO2] responsive characteristics of older cultivars could, potentially, be incorporated as factors in future wheat selection.
Harmonic generation in clusters

A model is presented for the nonlinear response of a small cluster, with a size much smaller than the wavelength, at the third harmonic of the laser frequency. The model involves collective modes of a cold electron core confined within a positively charged ion background. The response of the electron core to the laser field is similar to that of a weakly nonlinear oscillator driven by an external force. In particular, there is a resonant enhancement of the third harmonic when the frequency of the applied field is close to one third of the core eigenfrequency. It is shown that density nonuniformity or nonspherical shape of the ion background is necessary for harmonic generation. Particle-in-cell simulations have been performed to model the time evolution of the third harmonic response as the ion density profile changes due to cluster expansion. The simulation results are consistent with the predictions of the cold electron core model. In addition, the code quantifies the role of stochastic electron heating.
Lessons learned from acute and late scaffold failures in the ABSORB EXTEND trial.

AIMS Bioresorbable scaffolds are increasingly used in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing percutaneous coronary interventions. ABSORB EXTEND is an ongoing study that will recruit 800 patients. This report evaluates acute and late scaffold failure in the first 450 patients enrolled in ABSORB EXTEND who have completed 12 months follow-up. METHODS AND RESULTS Clinical event data from the first 450 patients enrolled in ABSORB EXTEND have demonstrated low rates of ischaemia-driven MACE (4.2%) and target vessel failure (4.7%) at 12 months. There have been seven cases of device failure in this study: three cases of scaffold dislodgement (0.67%) and four cases of subacute or late scaffold thrombosis (0.89%). All scaffold dislodgements occurred in the left circumflex (LCX), and in two cases dislodgement was observed after reinsertion of the same device. Two cases of subacute scaffold thrombosis and two late scaffold thromboses were observed. Two out of four cases of scaffold thrombosis seemed to be related to either premature discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) or resistance to clopidogrel. CONCLUSIONS This is the first report specifically describing the incidence and the potential mechanisms of scaffold dislodgement and scaffold thrombosis as seen in the ABSORB EXTEND trial.
[The clinical, neurophysiological and differential diagnostic aspects in a study of severe forms of early childhood autism].

Clinical, pathopsychological and neurophysiological studies have been carried out in 85 children with infantile autistic psychosis and in 38 girls with Rett's syndrome. New improved differential diagnostic criteria between these two forms of early childhood autism have been suggested. EEG spectral density values in alpha-1, alpha-2, beta and theta subbands are established to be their neurophysiological markers. Special attention was paid to close relationship between ontogenetic neuromorphogenesis of the brain cortical structures (e.g. physiological lysis of cortical cell populations at the age 8-30 months of the child's life) and the defect severity in the onset of illness at the same age range in patients with the studied forms of early childhood autism. The data obtained are discussed in terms of new approaches to understanding pathogenesis of different forms of early childhood autism.
Multimodal perineural analgesia with combined bupivacaine-clonidine-buprenorphine-dexamethasone: safe in vivo and chemically compatible in solution.

OBJECTIVES The use of adjuvants in regional anesthesia has increased. However, there are knowledge gaps pertaining to 1) in vivo local tissue effects of these adjuvants; and 2) chemical compatibility and solubility of these drugs in solution with each other and with local anesthetics. This study addresses these gaps in knowledge. DESIGN In vivo rat safety/toxicopathology study and analytical chemistry study. SETTING Collaborating Good Laboratory Practice laboratories under the direction of the university-based principal investigator. METHODS Single-injection formulations of clonidine, buprenorphine, and dexamethasone were combined with either bupivacaine or midazolam, and were administered to groups of rats. Post-injection behavior was monitored to assess changes related to the block. A continuous infusion of bupivacaine, clonidine, and dexamethasone was administered to another group of rats, and behavioral effects were recorded. After 15 days, rats were sacrificed and their nerves/dorsal root ganglia were examined by the pathologist. Samples of combined drug solutions were processed at an analytical chemistry laboratory for compatibility, solubility, and stability. RESULTS Each of the single-injection formulations produced reversible sensory and/or motor block. None of the study drugs caused damage to any of the nerve segments or related tissue. The text describes the concentrations at which compatibility and solubility of the combined drug solutions were achieved. CONCLUSIONS Four-drug single-injection formulations are described that 1) had compatible and stable concentrations in solution; and 2) produced reversible nerve block without causing long-term motor or sensory deficits or damage to sciatic nerves/dorsal root ganglia.
The Complementarity of Incentive Policies in Education: Evidence from New York City

Many production activities require cooperation between agents in an organization, and incentive alignment may take advantage of complementarities in such activities. This paper investigates such a possibility by examining two education policies that were implemented in New York City: a grade retention policy that incentivizes students and an accountability scheme that incentivizes schools. I employ doubleand triple-difference strategies to estimate the individual and combined effects of these policies. The policies alone appear to have generated either modest or insignificant improvements in student outcomes. Combined, however, the retention and accountability policies led to a substantial increase in math test scores and reductions in student absences and suspension rates; the effect on English test scores is positive but not robust. These results underscore the value of using incentive alignment to realize complementarities in organizations. ∗Department of Economics, Columbia University. Email: tg2430@columbia.edu. †I am deeply grateful to Bentley MacLeod, Jonah Rockoff, and Miguel Urquiola for their comments and encouragement. I also thank Peter Bergman, Michael Best, George Bulman, Alex Eble, Michael Gilraine, Rucker Johnson, Wojciech Kopczuk, Robert McMillan, Randall Reback, Evan Riehl, Miikka Rokkanen, Norbert Schady, Elizabeth Setren, Mandy Shen, Ludger Woessmann, and participants of the Columbia Applied Microeconomics Colloquium for helpful discussions. All errors are my own.
Potential of ceragenin CSA‐13 and its mixture with pluronic F‐127 as treatment of topical bacterial infections

Aims: Ceragenin CSA‐13 is a synthetic mimic of cationic antibacterial peptides, with facial amphiphilic morphology reproduced using a cholic acid scaffold. Previous data have shown that this molecule displays broad‐spectrum antibacterial activity, which decreases in the presence of blood plasma. However, at higher concentrations, CSA‐13 can cause lysis of erythrocytes. This study was designed to assess in vitro antibacterial and haemolytic activity of CSA‐13 in the presence of pluronic F‐127.
Plasma trimethylamine‐N‐oxide following supplementation with vitamin D or D plus B vitamins

SCOPE We compared the effect of supplementation with vitamin D + B or vitamin D on plasma trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and choline metabolites. METHODS AND RESULTS This is a randomized single-blinded nonplacebo-controlled study. Twenty-seven participants received 1200 IU vitamin D3 and 800 mg calcium, and 25 participants received additionally 0.5 mg folic acid, 50 mg B6, and 0.5 mg B12 for 1 year. Plasma homocysteine (Hcy), TMAO, and choline metabolites were measured at baseline and 12 months later. TMAO declined in the vitamin D arm by 0.5 versus 2.8 μmol/L in the D + B arm (p = 0.005). Hcy decreased and betaine increased in the D + B compared to the D arm. Within-subject levels of plasma choline and dimethylglycine and urine betaine increased in both arms and changes did not differ between the arms. TMAO reduction was predicted by higher baseline TMAO and lowering Hcy in stepwise regression analysis. The test-retest variations of TMAO were greater in the D + B arm compared to vitamin D arm. CONCLUSION B vitamins plus vitamin D lowered plasma fasting TMAO compared to vitamin D. Vitamin D caused alterations in choline metabolism, which may reflect the metabolic flexibility of C1-metabolism. The molecular mechanisms and health implications of these changes are currently unknown.
Deciphering the proteomic profile of Mycobacterium leprae cell envelope

The complete sequence of the Mycobacterium leprae genome, an obligate intracellular pathogen, shows a dramatic reduction of functional genes, with a coding capacity of less than 50%. Despite this massive gene decay, the leprosy bacillus has managed to preserve a minimal gene set, most of it shared with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, allowing its survival in the host with ensuing pathological manifestations. Thus, the identification of proteins that are actually expressed in vivo by M. leprae is of high significance in understanding obligate, intracellular mycobacterial pathogenesis. In this study, a high‐throughput proteomic approach was undertaken resulting in the identification of 218 new M. leprae proteins. Of these, 60 were in the soluble/cytosol fraction, 98 in the membrane and 104 in the cell wall. Although several proteins were identified in more than one subcellular fraction, the majority were unique to one. As expected, a high percentage of these included enzymes responsible for lipid biosynthesis and degradation, biosynthesis of the major components of the mycobacterial cell envelope, proteins involved in transportation across lipid barriers, and lipoproteins and transmembrane proteins with unknown functions. The data presented in this study contribute to our understanding of the in vivo composition and physiology of the mycobacterial cell envelope, a compartment known to play a major role in bacterial pathogenesis.