Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Corticotropin‐Releasing Hormone on Extracellular Norepinephrine in Prefrontal Cortex After Chronic Cold Stress

Abstract: We have previously demonstrated that exposing rats to cold (5°C) for 3–4 weeks potentiates the increase in extracellular norepinephrine (NE) in the medial prefrontal cortex produced by acute tail shock. In the present study, we used microdialysis to determine the duration of cold exposure required to produce this sensitization and explored the mechanism of the phenomenon. Tail shock elicited a twofold greater increase in extracellular NE in the medial prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to cold for 2 weeks than in naive control rats or in rats exposed to cold for 1 week and tested either immediately or after a 2‐week delay. Local infusion of 10 µMd‐amphetamine or 30 mM K+ increased extracellular NE in the medial prefrontal cortex (∼350 and 190%, respectively) comparably in control rats and rats exposed to cold for 3 weeks. In contrast, intraventricular administration of 3.0 µg of corticotropin‐releasing hormone increased extracellular NE in the medial prefrontal cortex by 65% in rats exposed to cold for 2 weeks, but only 35% in control rats. These results indicate that an enhanced responsiveness of noradrenergic neurons to acute tail shock (1) requires ∼2 weeks of cold exposure to develop and (2) may be mediated by a change at the level of the noradrenergic cell bodies rather than the nerve terminals.
Numerical magnitude processing in abacus-trained children with superior mathematical ability: an EEG study

Distance effect has been regarded as the best established marker of basic numerical magnitude processes and is related to individual mathematical abilities. A larger behavioral distance effect is suggested to be concomitant with lower mathematical achievement in children. However, the relationship between distance effect and superior mathematical abilities is unclear. One could get superior mathematical abilities by acquiring the skill of abacus-based mental calculation (AMC), which can be used to solve calculation problems with exceptional speed and high accuracy. In the current study, we explore the relationship between distance effect and superior mathematical abilities by examining whether and how the AMC training modifies numerical magnitude processing. Thus, mathematical competencies were tested in 18 abacus-trained children (who accepted the AMC training) and 18 non-trained children. Electroencephalography (EEG) waveforms were recorded when these children executed numerical comparison tasks in both Arabic digit and dot array forms. We found that: (a) the abacus-trained group had superior mathematical abilities than their peers; (b) distance effects were found both in behavioral results and on EEG waveforms; (c) the distance effect size of the average amplitude on the late negative-going component was different between groups in the digit task, with a larger effect size for abacus-trained children; (d) both the behavioral and EEG distance effects were modulated by the notation. These results revealed that the neural substrates of magnitude processing were modified by AMC training, and suggested that the mechanism of the representation of numerical magnitude for children with superior mathematical abilities was different from their peers. In addition, the results provide evidence for a view of non-abstract numerical representation. 概要目的阐明珠心算儿童的高数学能力与数字距离效应之间的关系。 创新点以经过珠心算训练的儿童为研究对象, 探索通过珠心算训练获得的高数学能力与数字距离效应(表征数量加工的重要标志)的关系及珠心算儿童拥有高数学能力的神经基础。 方法实验对象选取经过一年半珠心算训练的儿童, 实验任务为数字比较任务(数字形式分为阿拉伯数字和圆点两种), 在执行数字比较任务的同时记录儿童的脑电信息, 对不同组别不同数字形式任务的行为学和脑电数据进行对比分析。 结论通过珠心算训练而获得高数学能力儿童表征数量信息的神经基础与普通儿童之间会存在差异, 说明珠心算训练可能改变儿童加工数量信息的神经基础。
IFN‐β improves BCG immunogenicity by acting on DC maturation

Given the variable protective efficacy provided by Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette‐Guérin (BCG), there is an urgent need to develop new vaccines against tuberculosis. As dendritic cells (DC) play a critical role in initiating and regulating a protective T cell response against the pathogens, the comprehension of mycobacterium‐induced modulation of DC functions is critical to pinpoint new, immunological strategies. To this end, a comparative analysis of the effect induced by BCG and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection on the DC immunophenotype indicated that BCG is less efficient in inducing DC maturation than Mtb. In addition, BCG‐infected DC poorly expressed IFN‐β and displayed a reduced production of IL‐12 as compared with Mtb‐stimulated cells. The impaired expression of IL‐12p35 and IFN‐β is likely a result of the inability of BCG to induce the activation of the IFN regulatory factor‐3. Taking into account these data, we sought to investigate whether the exogenous addition of IFN‐β, a cytokine that exerts important effects on the immune system, could enhance the Th1‐polarizing capacity of BCG‐infected DC. Interestingly, when DC infected by BCG were pretreated in vitro with IFN‐β, they displayed a fully mature phenotype and released a significant amount of bioactive IL‐12p70, which resulted in an enhanced Th1 response. This study demonstrates that IFN‐β potentiates DC immunological functions following BCG infection, thus suggesting IFN‐β as a possible candidate as vaccine adjuvant.
New public management and libraries: a success story or just an excuse for cost reduction

Purpose From the 1980s – in some parts of Europe from the 1990s – onward, the new public management (NPM) has been emerging in public organizations including libraries. Since then, there has been a need to develop strategies, to plan budgets and to implement cost and activity accounting as well as benchmarking to compare the library’s processes, costs and activities with those of other libraries. One basic idea of the NPM was to make a transition from focusing on how institutions function to product orientation, to improve the quality of library services, to develop output orientation and to act market and consumer oriented. There also was a need to change from bureaucratic and hierarchically acting organizations to a more modern flexible and lean form of management. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The aim of this paper is in the first part to describe the basic ideas of NPM, their realization in libraries and how libraries have to handle constantly reduced budgets and the risk of being closed down (especially in the “age of austerity”); the second part will show how the University of Eastern Finland (UEF) Library has managed to improve its services with the NPM approach. Findings Many libraries are faced with serious financial cutbacks on the one hand and with emergent needs to (re)invest in neglected public infrastructure on the other hand. At the same time, they have to develop modern digital library services. Thus there is a need for efficiency, which is put in action via major budget cutbacks. Also many libraries have been closed down since the implementation of NPM ideas. Originality/value In this paper, the NPM tools used in the restructuring of the UEF are described and the outcome of this modern management is shown.
Mitigating flood risk and enhancing community resilience to natural disasters: plan quality matters

ABSTRACT In response to increasingly frequent and severe flooding events, tracking the explanatory elements of integrative planning effort can provide useful assessment of initiatives that foster improved community disaster resiliency. In this research, we address the effect of local hazard mitigation plan quality on mitigating disaster risk with an emphasis on the relationship between plan quality and community resilience. Using content analysis and principles of plan quality metrics, we evaluate local hazard mitigation plans to determine how well they support disaster risk reduction. Analytically, these metrics and relevant controls were incorporated into both a log-linear two-stage least squares model and a quantile regression model to explain flood loss at the county level for the US Mississippi River Basin. Findings suggest that better plan quality and high levels of community resilience result in reducing disaster losses.
Assessment of Her‐2/neu status using immunocytochemistry and fluorescence in situ hybridization on fine‐needle aspiration cytology smears: Experience from a tertiary care centre in India

Breast carcinoma shows amplification/overexpression of Her‐2/neu in ∼20–30% of cases. The determination of Her‐2/neu expression accurately is vital in clinical practice as it has significant predictive value and eligibility for anti Her‐2/neu therapy. Amplification and overexpression of Her‐2/neu gene is traditionally identified by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) on tissue sections; only a few studies have evaluated feasibility of these techniques on cytological smears.
Balanced low-loss 2-IDT double mode SAW filter with narrowed passband and improved selectivity

This paper presents the new balanced low-loss DMS filter with the narrowed passband and improved selectivity on 42° YX LiTaO3. The filter is realized as two-transducer scheme. A narrow passband of the filter is obtained by choosing a definite gap length between the input and output IDTs. Also the both long weighted input IDT and reflectors are used. A shape of the frequency response of the filter is determined by the weighting function of the input IDT, number of the electrodes in output IDT and reflectors, relationship between the electrode pitches in the input IDT, output IDT and reflectors. An optimization of the mentioned parameters with a computer simulation using equivalent circuit model allows to get a specified high selectivity of the filter with a fractional bandwidth of 0.5-0.6% under condition that the insertion losses are low and input and output impedances are close to the specified real values. To decrease the input and output impedances the parallel connection of the two filters in the different acoustic tracks is used. To improve the selectivity of the filter the cascaded connection and phase weighting the input IDT are employed. The 300 MHz sample of the balanced SAW filter has shown an insertion loss of 3 dB, 2-dB bandwidth of 1.5 MHz, stopband attenuation of 70 dB at ±12 MHz offsets from a center frequency in a 75-Ω balanced system. The filter did not require the matching elements and housed in the 9.1×7.1×2 mm SMD package.
Aminoacylase I deficiency due to ACY1 mRNA exon skipping

Aminoacylase 1 (ACY1) deficiency is a rare inborn error of metabolism of which less than 20 observations have been described. Patients exhibit urinary excretion of specific N‐acetyl amino acids and manifest a heterogeneous clinical spectrum including intellectual disability, motor delay, seizures, moderate to severe mental retardation, absent speech, growth delay, muscular hypotonia and autistic features. Here, we report the case of ACY1 enzyme deficiency in a 6‐year‐old girl presenting severe intellectual disability, motor retardation, absence of spontaneous locomotor activity and severe speech delay. Urinary excretion of N‐acetylated amino acids was present. Mutational analysis of ACY1 gene identified the new homozygous c. 1001_1001+5del6 mutation, which alters the mRNA transcription leading to exon 13 skipping and inclusion of a premature stop codon (p.Lys308Glufs*7). A quantitative fluorescent multiplex‐polymerase chain reaction (QFM‐PCR) assay has been set up and confirmed homozygosity of the mutation in the patient's DNA. Biochemical analysis showed absence of ACY1 enzyme activity in the patient's fibroblasts. The structure of the mutated protein has been defined by homology modeling (HM). Our data endorse the hypothesis of a link between this inborn error of metabolism and the neurological manifestations observed in patients with ACY1 deficiency.
Cluster synchronization in complex dynamical networks via comparison principle

This paper focuses on the problem of cluster synchronization of a class of complex dynamical networks. Based on impulsive control theory and a comparison theorem, generic criteria for cluster synchronization are derived. It is shown that these criteria provide a novel and effective control approach to synchronize a general dynamical network to a cluster synchronization manifold by exposing the relationship between cluster synchronization, the impulsive intervals, and the graph topology.
Muscle protein synthesis and balance responsiveness to essential amino acids ingestion in the presence of elevated plasma free fatty acid concentrations.

CONTEXT Elevated plasma free fatty acid (FFA) concentrations are observed under various clinical circumstances and are associated with impaired glucose disposal in skeletal muscle. OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to determine the effects of elevated plasma FFA concentrations on the response of protein synthesis and balance in muscle after essential amino acids (EAAs) ingestion. DESIGN Leg protein kinetics were determined in young healthy individuals before and after the ingestion of EAAs at 10 h after the initiation of either lipid (Liposyn/heparin+EAA) or saline (saline+EAA) infusions. RESULTS Plasma insulin responses where higher (P <0.05) in the Liposyn/heparin+EAA group than the saline+EAA group both before (14 +/- 4 vs. 6 +/- 1 microIU . ml(-1)) and after (1038 +/- 257 vs. 280 +/- 87 microIU . ml(-1) . 210 min(-1)) the EAA ingestion. After the EAA ingestion, the rates of both leg phenylalanine disappearance (Rd; nmol . min(-1) . kg lean leg mass(-1)) and muscle proteins fractional synthesis (FSR; % . h(-1)) increased (P <0.05) in both the Liposyn/heparin+EAA and saline+EAA groups, but these changes were not different between the two groups (Rd, 102 +/- 32 vs. 118 +/- 34; FSR, 0.014 +/- 0.005 vs. 0.018 +/- 0.007; P > 0.05). Although the leg phenylalanine rate of appearance (Ra; nmol . min(-1) . kg lean leg mass(-1)) was lower (381 +/- 47 vs. 518 +/- 40) and the balance was greater (-109 +/- 20 vs. -172 +/- 17) in the Liposyn/heparin+EAA group compared to the saline+EAA group before the EAA ingestion (P <0.05), the changes in both of these parameters were not different between groups after the EAA ingestion (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Elevated plasma FFA concentrations do not interfere with the response of muscle protein synthesis and balance to a bolus ingestion of EAAs.
Oxytocin receptors are expressed on dopamine and glutamate neurons in the mouse ventral tegmental area that project to nucleus accumbens and other mesolimbic targets

The mesolimbic dopamine (DA) circuitry determines which behaviors are positively reinforcing and therefore should be encoded in the memory to become a part of the behavioral repertoire. Natural reinforcers, like food and sex, activate this pathway, thereby increasing the likelihood of further consummatory, social, and sexual behaviors. Oxytocin (OT) has been implicated in mediating natural reward and OT‐synthesizing neurons project to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc); however, direct neuroanatomical evidence of OT regulation of DA neurons within the VTA is sparse. To phenotype OT‐receptor (OTR) expressing neurons originating within the VTA, we delivered Cre‐inducible adeno‐associated virus that drives the expression of fluorescent marker into the VTA of male mice that had Cre‐recombinase driven by OTR gene expression. OTR‐expressing VTA neurons project to NAc, prefrontal cortex, the extended amygdala, and other forebrain regions but less than 10% of these OTR‐expressing neurons were identified as DA neurons (defined by tyrosine hydroxylase colocalization). Instead, almost 50% of OTR‐expressing cells in the VTA were glutamate (GLU) neurons, as indicated by expression of mRNA for the vesicular GLU transporter (vGluT). About one‐third of OTR‐expressing VTA neurons did not colocalize with either DA or GLU phenotypic markers. Thus, OTR expression by VTA neurons implicates that OT regulation of reward circuitry is more complex than a direct action on DA neurotransmission. J. Comp. Neurol. 525:1094–1108, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Myocardial Gene Expression of Angiogenic Factors in Human Chronic Ischemic Myocardium: Influence of Acute Ischemia/Cardioplegia and Reperfusion

Objective: Angiogenic therapies in animals have demonstrated the development of new blood vessels within ischemic myocardium. However, results from clinical protein and gene angiogenic trials have been less impressive. The present study aimed to investigate the expression of angiogenic genes in human chronic ischemic myocardium and the influence of acute ischemia/cardioplegia and reperfusion on their expression.
Comparative Study of the Use of Trichloroacetic Acid and Phenolic Acid in the Treatment of Atrophic-Type Acne Scars

BACKGROUND Many therapies involving varying degrees of complexity have been used to treat acne scars, but none is considered the gold standard treatment. OBJECTIVE A comparative evaluation of 88% phenol and 90% trichloroacetic acid (TCA) applied using the chemical reconstruction of skin scars (CROSS) technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS A nonrandomized, single-blinded self-controlled clinical trial was conducted among patients with ice pick–type and boxcar-type atrophic acne scars. Using 88% phenol on the left hemiface and 90% TCA on the right hemiface was adopted as the standard practice of the CROSS technique. The dermatological quality of life index (DLQI) questionnaire, acne scar grading scale Échelle d´Evaluation Clinique des Cicatrices d'Acne (ECCA), and evaluation of improvement were performed pretreatment and post-treatment. RESULTS Regarding ECCA, significant differences were found in pretreatment and post-treatment (p < .001). Regarding tolerance to pain, it was found that the discomfort felt with 90% TCA was significantly less than that felt with 88% phenol (p = .020). Regarding the quality of life measured with the DLQI, the results showed that the mean score in post-treatment assessment was significantly lower than that in the pretreatment assessment (p < .05). Hypochromia and enlargement scar were only seen after the use of 90% TCA. CONCLUSION This study confirmed the efficacy of both TCA and phenol for treating such scars, with less severe complications from the use of phenol.
Fermentation strategy for second generation ethanol production from sugarcane bagasse hydrolyzate by Spathaspora passalidarum and Scheffersomyces stipitis

Alcoholic fermentation of released sugars in pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass is a central feature for second generation ethanol (E2G) production. Saccharomyces cerevisiae used industrially in the production of first generation ethanol (E1G) convert sucrose, fructose, and glucose into ethanol. However, these yeasts have no ability to ferment pentose (xylose). Therefore, the present work has focused on E2G production by Scheffersomyces stipitis and Spathaspora passalidarum. The fermentation strategy with high pitch, cell recycle, fed‐batch mode, and temperature decrease for each batch were performed in a hydrolyzate obtained from a pretreatment at 130°C with NaOH solution (1.5% w/v) added with 0.15% (w/w) of anthraquinone (AQ) and followed by enzymatic hydrolysis. The process strategy has increased volumetric productivity from 0.35 to 0.38 g · L−1 · h−1 (first to third batch) for S. stipitis and from 0.38 to 0.81 g · L−1 · h−1 for S. passalidarum (first to fourth batch). Mass balance for the process proposed in this work showed the production of 177.33 kg ethanol/ton of sugar cane bagasse for S. passalidarum compared to 124.13 kg ethanol/ton of sugar cane bagasse for S. stipitis fermentation. The strategy proposed in this work can be considered as a promising strategy in the production of second generation ethanol. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 2211–2221. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
EFFECTS OF THE NEW FATHERS NETWORK ON FIRST-TIME FATHERS' PARENTING SELF-EFFICACY AND PARENTING SATISFACTION DURING THE TRANSITION TO PARENTHOOD

The effectiveness of an Internet-based intervention, the New Fathers Network, was tested in improving first-time fathers' parenting self-efficacy and parenting satisfaction during the first 8 weeks following their infants' birth as compared with no intervention (Comparison Group). Parenting self-efficacy and satisfaction scores for the Intervention Group significantly improved from 4 to 8 weeks; parenting self-efficacy and satisfaction scores for the Comparison Group to which no intervention was given did not change significantly. Participants were primarily satisfied with the New Fathers Network.
Thyroid Stimulating Immunoglobulin is Often Negative in Children with Graves' Disease

BACKGROUND The diagnosis of Graves' disease (GD) is typically confirmed with a thyroid stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) titer. While TSI is reported to be positive in >90% of patients with GD, our anecdotal experience suggests that TSI negative GD may be more common in children. AIM To investigate the incidence of TSI negative GD in our population and to compare patients with TSI negative vs TSI positive GD. METHODS Charts of children with GD seen in our pediatric endocrinology clinic over the past 5 years were reviewed. RESULTS Fifty-seven patients with GD were included. TSI was negative in 43% of patients. No significant differences were found in children with TSI negative vs TSI positive GD. CONCLUSIONS In patients with GD, the finding of a negative TSI titer usually creates diagnostic uncertainty. However, the fact that nearly half of our patients with GD were TSI negative suggests that this is common in children.
Smg1 is required for embryogenesis and regulates diverse genes via alternative splicing coupled to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay

Smg1 is a PI3K-related kinase (PIKK) associated with multiple cellular functions, including DNA damage responses, telomere maintenance, and nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD). NMD degrades transcripts that harbor premature termination codons (PTCs) as a result of events such as mutation or alternative splicing (AS). Recognition of PTCs during NMD requires the action of the Upstream frameshift protein Upf1, which must first be phosphorylated by Smg1. However, the physiological function of mammalian Smg1 is not known. By using a gene-trap model of Smg1 deficiency, we show that this kinase is essential for mouse embryogenesis such that Smg1 loss is lethal at embryonic day 8.5. High-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of RNA from cells of Smg1-deficient embryos revealed that Smg1 depletion led to pronounced accumulation of PTC-containing splice variant transcripts from approximately 9% of genes predicted to contain AS events capable of eliciting NMD. Among these genes are those involved in splicing itself, as well as genes not previously known to be subject to AS-coupled NMD, including several involved in transcription, intracellular signaling, membrane dynamics, cell death, and metabolism. Our results demonstrate a critical role for Smg1 in early mouse development and link the loss of this NMD factor to major and widespread changes in the mammalian transcriptome.
The number of K+ channels in the plasma membrane of guard cell protoplasts changes in parallel with the surface area

The activity of the two dominant K+ channels in the plasma membrane of Vicia faba guard cell protoplasts was examined during pressure-driven swelling. For this purpose, the K+ currents and the membrane capacitance (Cm) of guard cell protoplasts were recorded in parallel. A rise in Cm, reflecting an increase of the membrane surface area, was coupled to a proportional rise in conductance of both the K+ inward and K+ outward rectifier. The activation kinetics of the K+ channels were not affected during this process. The quantitative and temporal coupling of Cm and K+ conductance can hence be interpreted as the result of the addition of active inward and outward rectifier K+ channels to the plasma membrane during an increase in surface area.