Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transient Global Ischemia Alters NMDA Receptor Expression in Rat Hippocampus: Correlation with Decreased Immunoreactive Protein Levels of the NR2A/2B Subunits, and an Altered NMDA Receptor Functionality

Abstract: We investigated the gene expression levels, the immunoreactive protein prevalence, and the functional activity of N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor complexes at early times after severe global ischemia challenge in rats. The mRNA expression levels for the NR2A and NR2B subunits of NMDA receptors changed to different degrees within different subregions of the hippocampus after reperfusion with respect to sham‐operated control. No significant change in expression was observed in the vulnerable CA1 subfield at or before 6 h after challenge for either receptor subunit, although changes in expression in other hippocampal subfields were observed. At 12 and 24 h after challenge, significant decreases in expression for both subunits were found in the vulnerable CA1 subfield, as well as in other hippocampal regions. At the protein level, a significant decrease in the amount of NR2A/NR2B immunoreactivity in the total hippocampus was observed at both 6 and 24 h after reperfusion compared with sham control. Electrophysiological assessment of single‐channel NMDA receptor activity in the CA1 subfield indicates that the main conductance state of NMDA receptor channels is maintained 6 h after challenge, although by 18–24 h after challenge, this main conductance state is rarely observed. The NMDA receptor component of the excitatory postsynaptic field potential was found to be significantly diminished from sham control 24 h after challenge, such that only ∼10% of the sham response remained, but was not significantly altered from sham control at 6 h after challenge. These results indicate that decreases in the expression levels, the immunoreactive protein prevalence, and that alterations in the functionality of NMDA receptors occur in the hippocampus at early times after severe transient global ischemia.
Visual Equivalence: A New Standard of Image Fidelity for Computer Graphics

Determining the visual fidelity of an image is a fundamental problem in computer graphics. When is an image good enough; i.e. when does it convey a convincing representation of a scene? Most graphics algorithms either aim to compute a physically accurate solution matching the real world, or they leave judgments of fidelity entirely up to the end user. The former is often computationally intractable, and the latter is ad-hoc since it cannot be generalized or predicted. In this dissertation, we chart a new course between these two approaches. We propose visual equivalence, a new standard of image fidelity that focuses on what is visually important to the observer: the appearance of the scene, consisting of impressions of shapes, materials, and lighting. Under visual equivalence, an image with noticeable, pixel-by-pixel differences from a perfect reference can still be a high fidelity representation of the same scene, provided it conveys the same impression of scene appearance. This appearance-preserving standard is, to our knowledge, the first approach to image fidelity that permits judgments of this kind. We present an end-to-end psychophysical and algorithmic investigation of visual equivalence, and its impact on scene modeling and rendering in computer graphics. For natural illumination, we measure the degree to which representations of lighting can be approximated or manipulated without affecting object appearance, and demonstrate how the resulting metrics can motivate new algorithms resulting in improved speedup and compression for rendering. For complex aggregate geometry, we investigate how different combinations of object shapes and colors affect appearance, and derive thresholds that can be used to reduce scene complexity. Finally, for texture, we describe how texture synthesis can be characterized in terms of visual equivalence, and present an efficient synthesis algorithm for a range of constrained synthesis applications, including the synthesis of visually equivalent detail to enhance low-resolution images. This research takes some important first steps into a large new space in perceptually based rendering and modeling, which can address the challenges of future complex scenes in computer graphics.
Herschel observations of extended atomic gas in the core of the Perseus cluster

We present Herschel observations of the core of the Perseus cluster of galaxies. Especially intriguing is the network of filaments that surround the brightest cluster galaxy, NGC 1275, previously imaged extensively in H and CO. In this work, we report detections of farinfrared (FIR) lines, in particular, [Cii] 158 m, [Oi] 63 m, [Nii] 122 m, [Oib] 145 m and [Oiii] 88 m, with Herschel. All lines are spatially extended, except [Oiii], with the [Cii] line emission extending up to 25 kpc from the core. [Cii] emission is found to be cospatial with H and CO. Furthermore, [Cii] shows a similar velocity distribution to CO, which has been shown in previous studies to display a close association with the H kinematics. The spatial and kinematical correlation among [Cii], H and CO gives us confidence to model the di erent components of the gas with a common heating model. With the help of FIR continuum Herschel measurements, together with a suite of coeval radio, submm and infrared data from other observatories, we performed a spectral energy distribution fitting of NGC 1275 using a model that contains contributions from dust emission as well as synchrotron AGN emission. This has allowed us to accurately estimate the dust parameters. The data indicate a low dust emissivity index, 1, a total dust mass close to 10 7 M , a cold dust component with temperature 38 2 K and a warm dust component with temperature of 116 9 K. The FIR-derived star formation rate (SFR) is 24 1 M yr 1 , which is in agreement with the FUV-derived SFR in the core, determined after applying corrections for both Galactic and internal reddening. The total infrared luminosity in the range 8 m to 1000 m is inferred to be 1:5 10 11 L , making NGC 1275 a luminous infrared galaxy (LIRG). We investigated in detail the source of the Herschel FIR and H emissions emerging from a core region 4 kpc in radius. Based on simulations conducted using the radiative transfer code, cloudy, a heating model comprising old and young stellar populations is su cient to explain these observations. The optical line ratios indicate that there may be a need for a second heating component. However, stellar photoionization seems to be the dominant mechanism. We have also detected [Cii] in three well-studied regions of the filaments. Herschel, with its superior sensitivity to FIR emission, can detect far colder atomic gas than previous studies. We find a [Oi]/[Cii] ratio about 1 dex smaller than predicted by the otherwise functional Ferland (2009) model. That study considered optically thin emission from a small cell of gas and by design did not consider the e ects of reasonable column densities. The line ratio suggests that the lines are optically thick, as is typical of galactic PDRs, and implies that there is a large reservoir of cold atomic gas. This was not included in previous inventories of the filament mass and may represent a significant component.
Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthes Infection among Primary School Children in Urban and Semi - Urban Areas in Rivers State, Nigeria

The prevalence and intensities of intestinal helminthes among school children were determined in urban and semi - urban communities in Rivers state, Nigeria. Stool samples were collected from 300 hundred consented children attending Universi ty Demonstration Nursery & Primary School (UD N PS) , Choba and Community Primary School (CPS), Rumuolumeni. The stool samples were analyzed for helminthes eggs and larvae u sing standard method s . Other inf ormation was collected using a Performa specifically designed for this study. Results showed that Ascaris lumbricoides 27(57.4%) was the most predominant, followed by Trichuris trichuria (12(25.5%)) and h ookworm (8(17.0%)) was the least prevalent. Location - specific prevalence showed a significant difference (p 0.05) in the acquisition of helminthes in this study. This study has shown that intestinal helminthes are still highly prevalent among school - aged children in Nigeria. This information however will be very useful in the control strategy. Based on the result obtained, we would like to recommend routine examin ation of stool of all school children. However, further studies are therefore advocated. ( Odu NN, Elechi VI and Okonko IO. Prevalence of Intestinal Helminthes Infection among Primary School Children in Urban and Semi - Urban Areas in Port Harcourt, Rivers S tate, Nigeria. World Rural Observ
Ivermectin influence on the mast cell activity in nodules of onchocerciasis patients

Summary Onchocercal nodules were stained immunohistochemically using antibodies specific for human mast cells and IgE to elucidate the localization and frequency of mast cells after a single oral dose of 150 μg/kg ivermectin. Tryptase‐and chymase‐positive mast cells occurred predominantly in mixed inflammatory infiltrates and perivascularly, and never adhered to adult worms or microfilariae. Up to three days after ivermectin, mast cells and IgE‐positive cells were markedly increased in the capsular area of nodules containing female worms with embryos and microfilariae compared to untreated nodules. In the centre of these nodules, around the adult Onchocerca volvulus, we found many tryptase‐positive cells. More mast cells were IgE‐positive than in untreated nodules, equalling the number of tryptase‐positive mast cells. There was a clear correlation between the appearance of mast cells and the attacks on damaged microfilariae by eosinophils and macrophages and in the vicinity of adult worms by neutrophils that occur soon after ivermectin treatment. Onchocercomata harbouring female worms with oocytes only revealed, after all treatment intervals, the same mast cell numbers as untreated nodules. In conclusion, during the first three days after administration, ivermectin produces increased numbers of mast cells in nodules harbouring females with embryos and microfilariae, probably as part of an allergic reaction to the attacked microfilariae. Four to 19 days after ivermectin the number of mast cells in the entire nodule is no longer elevated.
A novel use of neural network model to determine the effects of multibiomarker on early health damage among Chinese steel workers

Coke‐oven workers are exposed to many kinds of pollutants that can cause health damage even lead to carcinogenesis. Therefore, it is critical to identify biomarkers that predict early health damage in these exposed individuals in molecular epidemiological studies. We applied an artificial neural network (ANN) model to the identification of such predictors in a study of coke‐oven workers. The study included 330 steel‐factory workers who were exposed to different levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the workplace and their levels of early health damage were determined by cytokinesis‐block micronuclei (CMN), heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) expression, benzo(a)pyrene diolepoxide‐albumin adduct (BPDE‐AA), and olive tail moment (OTM). The ANN model was built to predict the early health damage index, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to illustrate the judged criteria and the ANN model. Trend Chi‐square modeling was also performed. We found that there were 55 subjects with early health damage among 330 workers based on the multibiomarker criteria using the 95 percentile of the control group as the cut‐off value, while there were 22–35 positive subjects if screening by any single biomarker. The Cochran‐Armitage trend test for these findings were statistically significant (Z = 3.21, P = 0.0013). Six variables were selected to simulate the ANN model. The area under ROC (AUROC) was 0.726 ± 0.037 (P < 0.001), and the predictors included workplace, cholesterol, waistline, and others. Therefore, collective using CMN frequency, Hsp70 level, BPDE‐AA level, and OTM with equal weights to make an initial screening test for early health damage in coke‐oven workers is feasible and superior to any single biomarker. The determinants of the effects of multibiomarker on early health damage screening can be identified by the ANN model and ROC curve method. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 26: 1–9, 2011.
Safety of Clozapine in 2 Successive Pregnancies

Dear Editor: With the introduction of atypical antipsychotics, it was predicted that the incidence of hyperprolactinemia-induced infertility problems would decrease. However, the use of atypical antipsychotics during pregnancy is an area with more questions than answers. We present a case wherein clozapine therapy was continued successfully over 2 consecutive pregnancies. case Report MK, aged 25 years and a housewife of rural background, was premorbidly well adjusted, with a family history of depression. She had an acute-onset 7-year continuous illness precipitated by the death of her father. The illness was characterized by auditory hallucinations (that is, commenting and commanding), tac tile hallucinations, passivity phenomenon, aggression, negative symptoms, and disturbed biofunctions. There was no history suggestive of depression or mania, substance abuse, or head injury. During this period, treatment tolerance or resistance was seen with various antipsychotics (that is, chlorpromazine, haloperidol, trifluperazine, and risperidone). Hence, clozapine was initiated after baseline investigations up to 400 mg daily. With 8 months of treatment, significant improvement in psychopathology and functioning occurred, with associated weight gain of 10 kg. Over the next 3 years, clozapine was gradually reduced to 200 mg daily with no reemergence of positive symptoms but persistence of negative symptoms. MK was married in early 2001 and continued to take clozapine. She was informed about the risk of congenital malformations with antipsychotics and was advised to use contraception. However, she conceived after 6 months of marriage and continued with the pregnancy and with clozapine. Venereal Disease Research Laboratory Slide Test (VDRL), HIV, and hepatitis B surface antigen titers were negative during the first trimester, and there was no evidence of congenital malformations during antenatal ultrasonography on repeat occasions. Hemoglobin was 9.6 gram percent at the 10th week of pregnancy; folic acid and iron supplements were initiated at 10 and 16 weeks, respectively. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) was detected at the 38th week and was monitored. At the beginning of the 39th week, a 3-kg boy was delivered by episiotomy, with Apgar scores of 8 and 9 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. The postnatal period was uneventful, with normal developmental growth until age 20 months. Eight months after the first delivery, the patient reconceived and continued the pregnancy while on clozapine 100 mg daily. PIH occurred at 30 weeks and was managed with methyldopate hydrochloride 1500 mg daily. At 39 weeks, a 2.8-kg girl in breech presentation was delivered by elective cesarean section. …
Cerebral Blood Flow during Hypoxemia and Hemodilution in Rabbits: Different Roles for Nitric Oxide?

Hypoxemia and anemia are associated with increased CBF, but the mechanisms that link the changes in Pao2 or arterial O2 content (Cao2) with CBF are unclear. These experiments were intended to examine the contribution of nitric oxide. Cao2 in pentobarbital-anesthetized rabbits was reduced to approximately 6.5 mL O2/dL by hypoxemia (Pao2 approximately 24 to 26 mm Hg) or hemodilution with hetastarch (hematocrit approximately 14% to 15%). Animals with normal Cao2 (approximately 17.5 to 18 mL O2/dL) served as controls. In part I, each animal was given 3, 10, and 30 mg/kg Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (l-NAME) intravenously (total 43 mg/kg) to inhibit production of nitric oxide. Forebrain CBF was measured with radioactive microspheres approximately 15 to 20 minutes after each dose. Baseline CBF was greater in hypoxemic rabbits (111 ± 31 mL·100 g−1·min−1, mean ± SD) than in hemodiluted (70 ± 22 mL·100 g−1·min−1) or control animals (39 ± 12 mL·100 g−1·min−1). l-NAME (which reduced brain tissue nitric oxide synthase activity by approximately 65%) reduced CBF in hypoxemic animals to 80 ± 23 mL·100 g−1·min−1 (P < 0.0001), but had no significant effect on CBF in either anemic or control animals. In four additional rabbits, further hemodilution to a Cao2 of approximately 3.5 mL O2/dL increased baseline CBF to 126 ± 21 mL·100 g−1·min−1, but again there was no effect of l-NAME. In part II, animals were anesthetized as above, and a closed cranial window was prepared. The cyclic GMP (cGMP) content of the artificial CSF superfusate was measured under baseline conditions, and then after the reduction of Cao2 to approximately 6.5 mL O2/dL by either hypoxemia or hemodilution. Concentrations of cGMP did not change during either control conditions or after hemodilution. However, cGMP increased significantly with the induction of hypoxemia. The cGMP increase in hypoxemic animals could be blocked with l-NAME. These results suggest that nitric oxide plays some role in hypoxemic vasodilation, but not during hemodilution.
Differential Influence of Laboratory Anaesthetic Regimens upon Renal and Hepatosplanchnic Haemodynamics in the Rat

Abstract— Renal blood flow in rats anaesthetized with the combination alphaxolone/alphadolone (3.90 mL min−1 (g tissue)−1) was significantly (P < 005) greater than in rats anaesthetized with ketamine/midazolam (3.24 mL min−1 (g tissue)−1), pentobarbitone (3.19 mL min−1 (g tissue)−1), fentanyl/fluanisone/midazolam (2.84 mL min−1 (g tissue)−1) or urethane (1.99 mL min−1 (g tissue)−1). Renal blood flow in the urethane anaesthetized rats was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in animals anaesthetized with the other anaesthetic regimens, and is consistent with literature reports of a depressive effect of urethane anaesthesia upon xenobiotic renal clearance in the rat. Hepatosplanchnic blood flow was highest in the alphaxolone/alphadolone anaesthetized animals (71.7 mL min−1 kg−1), with the urethane anaesthetized animals demonstrating a significantly (P < 0.05) lower (33.4 mL min−1 kg−1) blood flow. The fentanyl/fluanisone/midazolam (65.4 mL min−1 kg−1), pentobarbitone (61.1 mL min−1 kg−1), and ketamine/midazolam (51.4 mL min−1 kg−1) regimens resulted in hepatosplanchnic blood flows of intermediate magnitude. The observed marked differential effects of the anaesthetic regimens upon renal and hepatosplanchnic blood flows may dramatically influence drug disposition in the experimental animal, and be of significance to laboratory pharmacokinetic studies in which anaesthesia is used.
CD154 Blockade Results in Transient Reduction in Theiler's Murine Encephalomyelitis Virus-Induced Demyelinating Disease

ABSTRACT Transient CD154 blockade at the onset of Theiler's murine encephalomyelitis virus-induced demyelinating disease ameliorated disease progression for 80 days, reduced immune cell infiltration, and transiently increased viral loads in the central nervous system. Peripheral antiviral and autoimmune T-cell responses were normal, and disease severity returned to control levels by day 120.
Uses and Limitations of the XTT Assay in Studies of Candida Growth and Metabolism

ABSTRACT Colorimetric tetrazolium assays are used increasingly in studies of fungi, often in the absence of standardization or correlation with other methods. We examined species- and strain-related tetrazolium metabolism in Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis by using XTT {2,3-bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino) carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium hydroxide} and WST-8 [2-(2-methoxy-4-nitrophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-(2,4-disulphonyl)-2H-tetrazolium] and found marked variations. Also, significant signal was often missed in the absence of dimethyl sulfoxide extraction.
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Constitutively Activates STAT-3 via Oxidative Stress: Role of STAT-3 in HCV Replication

ABSTRACT The hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes chronic hepatitis, which often results in liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. We have previously shown that HCV nonstructural proteins induce activation of STAT-3 via oxidative stress and Ca2+ signaling (G. Gong, G. Waris, R. Tanveer, and A. Siddiqui, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 98:9599-9604, 2001). In this study, we focus on the signaling pathway leading to STAT-3 activation in response to oxidative stress induced by HCV translation and replication activities. Here, we demonstrate the constitutive activation of STAT-3 in HCV replicon-expressing cells. The HCV-induced STAT-3 activation was inhibited in the presence of antioxidant (pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate) and Ca2+ chelators (BAPTA-AM and TMB-8). Previous studies have shown that maximum STAT-3 transactivation requires Ser727 phosphorylation in addition to tyrosine phosphorylation. Using a series of inhibitors and dominant negative mutants, we show that HCV-induced activation of STAT-3 is mediated by oxidative stress and influenced by the activation of cellular kinases, including p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, JNK, JAK-2, and Src. Our results also suggest a potential role of STAT-3 in HCV RNA replication. We also observed the constitutive activation of STAT-3 in the liver biopsy of an HCV-infected patient. These studies provide an insight into the mechanisms by which HCV induces intracellular events relevant to liver pathogenesis associated with the viral infection.
Knowledge management practices in Indian industries - a comparative study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study Knowledge Management (KM) implementation in Indian manufacturing, IT and IT Enabled Services (ITES) and power generation and distribution companies. Various dimensions of KM, namely: process, leadership, culture, technology, and measurement are compared across the three industries to understand the differences in KM practices.Design/methodology/approach – Samples comprised 17 responses from ITES, 32 from manufacturing and eight from power generation and distribution organizations. Convenient sampling scheme was used. The paper reports the findings of the difference in KM practices with respect to the organizations' use of the above mentioned dimensions across the three industries.Findings – The raw mean score of various dimensions for ITES is the highest followed by manufacturing, and power generation and distribution on all except the leadership dimension. However, one way ANOVA results indicate that no significant difference is found for KM process, cultur.
Effect of seawater concentration on survival of indicator bacteria.

the recreational use of our population. In addition, shellfish are harvested in the tidal areas of the world's many oceans. These shellfish are consumed by the general public, often without cooking. It is well documented that disease can be spread by either swim ming in, or eating shellfish harvested in, areas that are contaminated by the fecal material of man. As a result, it is important that the presence and amount of the fecal material of man be measured in these areas of ocean.