Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
RESPONSE OF INTESTINAL EPITHELIAL CELLS TO TRICHURIS SUIS EXCRETORY–SECRETORY PRODUCTS AND THE INFLUENCE ON CAMPYLOBACTER JEJUNI INVASION UNDER IN VITRO CONDITIONS

We previously developed a swine animal model in which natural host resistance to Campylobacter jejuni is altered by experimental infection with low numbers of the nematode Trichuris suis. Pigs naturally colonized with C. jejuni experience colitis because of the invasion of the bacterium approximately 21 days after exposure to T. suis. To better understand the mechanism of T. suis–dependent C. jejuni colitis, we evaluated the effects of T. suis excretory–secretory products (ESPs) on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) and the influence of ESP on C. jejuni invasion in IECs under in vitro conditions. Viability assays revealed a dose-dependent cytotoxic response in ESP-treated IECs, particularly IPEC-1 and INT407 cells. Transepithelial electrical resistance dropped significantly in IPEC-1 cells treated on apical and basolateral surfaces, but not in those treated only on apical surfaces. Using the gentamicin-killing assay, reduced numbers of intracellular C. jejuni were recovered from IECs treated with ESP at 1 mg protein/ml concentration. This observation can be at least partially explained by a novel antibacterial activity in ESP. Contrary to our hypothesis, ESP at subtoxic concentrations did not enhance invasion. In addition to mechanical damage from worms, these results suggest that soluble products released by T. suis contribute to IEC damage at the site of worm attachment.
Examining Theories of Ventromedial Prefrontal Cortex Function

The ventromedial prefrontal cortex (VMPFC) is an intriguing brain region which sends output to and receives input from memory, emotion and reward related structures such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and caudate nucleus. Humans with lesions to the VMPFC on the surface seem to function normally and most have normal intelligence. However, in high-level tasks blending affect and decision-making, they are often highly impaired. This thesis concerns three behavioral experiments of patients with VMPFC damage which contrast and examine hypotheses of VMPFC function. In Experiment 1, the hypothesis that the VMPFC is involved in representing social knowledge was tested with more rigorous methods and a non social control task. Results did not support a specific role of the VMPFC in social knowledge. In Experiments 2 & 3, the hypothesis that VMPFC is involved in rapid reversal of stimulus-reinforcer associations was examined in detail. A gambling task and a probabilistic learning task helped discriminate punishment versus reward processing. Experiment 2 revealed normal performance of VMPFC patients in a rewards-only reversal task, in contrast to performance on previous gambling tasks with both reversal and punishment. Experiment 3 added to this evidence for a special function in punishment processing by examining learning from punishment versus learning from reward. Results revealed deficits in punishment learning, but not reward learning, after damage to the VMPFC. In conclusion, these experiments suggest a special role for the VMPFC in punishment processing, especially when a change in stimulus choice is indicated.
Effect of Dietary Beta-Glucan on the Performance of Broilers and the Quality of Broiler Breast Meat

A total of 400, one day-old commercial broiler chicks were divided into five diet groups (negative control, positive control group with 55 ppm Zn-bacitracin, 15 ppm β-glucan, 30 ppm β-glucan, and 60 ppm β-glucan) and fed for six weeks. Ten broilers were allotted to each of 40 floor pens. Eight floor pens were randomly assigned to one of the 5 diets. Each diet was fed to the broilers for 6 weeks with free access to water and diet. The survival rate, growth rate, feed efficiency, and feed conversion rate of the broilers were calculated. At the end of the feeding trial, the birds were slaughtered, breast muscles deboned, and quality parameters of the breast meat during storage were determined. The high level of dietary β-glucan (60 ppm) showed better feed conversion ratio and survival rate than the negative control. The survival rate of 60 ppm β-glucan-treated group was the same as that of the antibiotic-treated group, which showed the highest survival rate among the treatments. There was no significant difference in carcass yield, water holding capacity, pH, color, and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of chicken breast meat among the 5 treatment groups. Supplementation of 60 ppm β-glucan to broiler diet improved the survival rate and feed conversion rate of broilers to the same level as 55 ppm Zn-bacitracin group. The result indicated that use of β-glucan (60 ppm) can be a potential alternative to antibiotics to improve the survival and performance of broilers. However, dietary β-glucan showed no effects on the quality parameters of chicken breast meat.
Analysis of Automated Fare Collection Data from Montevideo, Uruguay for Planning Purposes

Automated Fare Collection (AFC) and smartcard systems have been rapidly adopted by transit systems all over the world. The datasets produced by these systems are extensive and can be analyzed for planning purposes and system evaluation. This thesis analyzes the AFC data from the bus transit system in Montevideo, Uruguay and proposes methods to reconstruct itineraries, identify the alighting locations of transactions, and understand travel behaviour of smartcard users. The methods used successfully build itineraries for 97% of bus runs, identify 87.7% of alighting locations, and recreate 67.5% of complete trip chains of smartcard users. The complete trip chain data is then used to pair smartcards with individuals from the Montevideo travel survey. As the trip chain and travel survey datasets have different parameters, spatial and temporal windows were used to enable matching. Only 10 to 15% of individuals from the survey could be paired with smartcards. These findings have important implications for incorporating AFC datasets in transportation planning and evaluating transit systems.
Certified electronic health record technology under the Quality Payment Program

The Quality Payment Program (QPP) is a Medicare Part B reimbursement system designed to incentivize value-based care over volume-based care. The QPP has two tracks for clinicians: the Merit-Based Incentive Payment System (MIPS) and Advanced Alternative Payment Models (Advanced APMs). Both QPP tracks require clinicians to adopt and use certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT) for full reimbursement.
Controlling Shareholders’ Proxy and Multiple Directorships: Insight Evidence from Related Party Transactions

This study examines the association between controlling shareholders' networks (i.e., controlling shareholders’ proxy (CSProxy) and controlling shareholders’ multiple-directorships (CSMultiD)) and related-party transactions (RPTs), particularly involving controlling shareholders' interests (RPT-conflict). This study also examines the impact of interaction between CSProxy and CSMultiD on firm engagement with RPTs, and RPT-conflict. The hypotheses are tested using a sample of 548 listed companies in Malaysia over the period 2012-2014 with a total of 1,550 observations. The results show that CSProxy is not associated with RPTs, and RPT-conflict. The CSMultiD is also not associated with RPTs. However, it has a positive relationship with RPT-conflict. Additionally, an interaction between CSProxy and CSMultiD increases the likelihood of firms to engage and disclose more RPTs; in contrast, it discloses lower magnitude of RPT-conflict. The opportunistic controlling shareholders may exploit their conflict of interest for private benefits by hiding their intention behind the RPTs. Overall, these findings provide partial empirical support to the argument that controlling shareholders seek to use their network relationship to influence firms to engage with related parties. These findings raise concerns to the regulators and policy makers, specifically on the ability of the controlling shareholders in utilizing their position and networks opportunistically to expropriate firm resources for personal purposes.
Household headship and nutritional status of toddlers: an examination of Malawian data

The feminisation of poverty indicates that female-headed households (FHH) constitute a vulnerable socio-economic group generally considered as impoverished compared to male-headed households (MHH). The interest in this paper is to examine whether the nutritional status of children in FHH differ significantly from that of children in MHH. Anthropometric data on 1466 toddlers aged 12-59 months and several societal, household and individual variables from the Malawi Demographic Health Survey (MDHS) 1992 were used to find out the net impact of the sex of household head on stunting, under nutrition and wasting in the toddlers. The bivariate results show that children in FHH (stunted – 56.7%; underweight - 33.3%; wasted – 6.7%) may not have poorer nutritional outcomes than their counterparts from MHH (stunted – 53.6%; underweight – 31.3%; wasted – 5.7%) since the differences are not significant. However, a number of the background characteristics were significantly associated with the three indicators suggesting that the results on headship could be masked by the differentials shown in background characteristics. Furthermore, results from the logistic regression analysis suggest that economic status has the strongest relationship with stunting. Hence the likelihood that a child from a better economic status household will be stunted is 50% less likely compared to a child from a poor household. Besides economic status, the role of birth weight, child’s age sanitation and the region in which the child lives were found to be important differentials in the nutritional status of toddlers in Malawi
Repeatability of a Commercially Available Adaptive Optics Visual Simulator and Aberrometer in Normal and Keratoconic Eyes.

PURPOSE To evaluate the repeatability of aberration measurement obtained by a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer combined with a visual adaptive optics simulator in normal and keratoconic eyes. METHODS One hundred fifteen normal eyes and 92 eyes with grade I and II keratoconus, as per the Amsler-Krumeich classification, were included in the study. To evaluate the repeatability, three consecutive measurements of ocular aberrations were obtained by a single operator. Zernike analyses up to the 5th order for a pupil size of 4.5 mm were performed. Statistical analyses included the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and within-subject standard deviation (SD). RESULTS For intrasession repeatability, the ICC value for sphere and cylinder was 0.94 and 0.93 in normal eyes and 0.98 and 0.97 in keratoconic eyes, respectively. The ICC for root mean square of higher order aberrations (HOARMS) was 0.82 in normal and 0.98 in keratoconic eyes. For 3rd order aberrations (trefoil and coma), the ICC values were greater than 0.87 for normal eyes and greater than 0.92 for keratoconic eyes. The ICC for spherical aberration was 0.92 and 0.90 in normal and keratoconic eyes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Visual adaptive optics provided repeatable aberrometry data in both normal and keratoconic eyes. For most of the parameters, the repeatability in eyes with early keratoconus was somewhat better than that for normal eyes. The repeatability of the Zernike terms was acceptable for 3rd order (trefoil and coma) and spherical aberrations. Therefore, visual adaptive optics was a suitable tool to perform repeatable aberrometric measurements. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(11):769-772. ].
Dishevelled 2 Recruits ß-Arrestin 2 to Mediate Wnt5A-Stimulated Endocytosis of Frizzled 4

Wnt proteins, regulators of development in many organisms, bind to seven transmembrane–spanning (7TMS) receptors called frizzleds, thereby recruiting the cytoplasmic molecule dishevelled (Dvl) to the plasma membrane.Frizzled-mediated endocytosis of Wg (a Drosophila Wnt protein) and lysosomal degradation may regulate the formation of morphogen gradients. Endocytosis of Frizzled 4 (Fz4) in human embryonic kidney 293 cells was dependent on added Wnt5A protein and was accomplished by the multifunctional adaptor protein β-arrestin 2 (βarr2), which was recruited to Fz4 by binding to phosphorylated Dvl2. These findings provide a previously unrecognized mechanism for receptor recruitment of β-arrestin and demonstrate that Dvl plays an important role in the endocytosis of frizzled, as well as in promoting signaling.
Small Cell Clustering for Efficient Distributed Fog Computing: A Multi-User Case

Ultra-dense deployment of radio access points is a key enabler for future 5G networks. It allows the network to cope with the ever increasing mobile data traffic. In addition, these radio access points can serve as an infrastructure for a local mobile cloud computing platform referred to as fog computing. The fog is a capillary edge cloud that enables joint optimization of communication and computational resources for maintaining an efficient and scalable network design. In this paper, we address the problem of radio access points clustering for fog computing applications. We focus on the case where multiple users require fog computing services. We formulate the distributed clustering problem as a joint optimization of the computation and communication resources. We transform the non-convex original problem into an equivalent convex one. Our simulation results show that the clustering solution derived from this problem yields high users' satisfaction ratio while keeping low the communication power consumption of the computation cluster.
Immunomodulatory Effects of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rat Organ Transplant Model

Background. Recent reports suggest that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have immunomodulatory properties. Mesenchymal stem cells can suppress the immune response toward alloantigen in vitro by inhibiting T cell proliferation in mixed-lymphocyte reactions (MLRs). However, relatively little has been reported regarding the immunomodulative potential of MSCs in vivo. Herein the authors confirm the immunomodulatory effects of rat MSCs in vitro and tested for tolerogenic features in a model of allogeneic heart transplantation. Methods. Mesenchymal stem cells were obtained from bone marrow aspirates of male Lewis rats (major histocompatibility complex [MHC] haplotype RT1l) and ACI rats (RT1a). Lewis MSCs were cocultured with ACI spleen cells to reveal direct effects of MSCs on lymphocytes. In addition, MSCs were added to MLRs between ACI T cells as responders and irradiated Lewis spleen cells as stimulators. Finally, MSCs were administered in an allogeneic heart transplantation model at different doses (with and without cyclosporin A [CsA]). Results. Mesenchymal stem cells appeared with typical spindle-shaped morphology in culture and readily differentiated into adipocytes when exposed to differentiation media. Mesenchymal stem cells expressed MHC class I, but not class II or costimulatory molecules. In vitro, MSCs phagocytosed ACI spleen cells. When introduced into an MLR, donor MSCs suppressed the proliferation of stimulated T cells. However, in vivo, MSC injection did not prolong allograft survival. In addition, concurrent treatment with low-dose CsA and MSCs accelerated allograft rejection. Conclusions. The present data confirm previous reports suggesting that MSCs have immunomodulatory properties in vitro. However, their tolerogenic properties in vivo must be questioned, as MSC injections were not only ineffective at prolonging allograft survival, but tended to promote rejection.
Análisis matemático y simulación numérica del comportamiento termomecánico de una colada de aluminio

En la memoria se estudia un modelo matematico que describe el comportamiento termomecanico de una placa de aluminio durante el proceso de colada, Se trata de un problema de evolucion cuasi-estatico para materiales viscoelasticos de Maxwell-Norton, formulado en un dominio tridimensional que varia con el tiempo, con un condicion de contacto en una parte de la frontera. Las principales dificultades que surgen en la resolucion numerica de este problema son la imposicion de la condicion de contorno que refleja la presion metalostatica ejercida por el aluminio liquido sobre la zona ya solidificada, el tratamiento de la condicion de contacto y la no linealidad de la ley viscoelastica. La utilizacion de un metodo de dominio ficticio permite implementar numericamente la presion metalostatica de una forma sencilla, si bien es necesario conocer los parametros mecanicos que se deben considerar en la ley de comportamiento de dicho dominio ficticio. Estos parametros se obtienen a partir de un analisis asintotica del problema. Para tratar la condicion de contacto y evitar la no linealidad de la ley viscoelastica se utilizan tecnicas de operadores maximales monotonos. La formulacion variacional propuesta se discretiza en espacio mediante un metodo de elementos finitos y en tiempo mediante un esquema implicito. El algoritmo construido se valida con varios ejemplos academicos. Ademas, se presentan las deformaciones obtenidas en la simulacion de diversos procesos de colada y se comparan estos resultados con datos experimentales. Finalmente, se demuestra la existencia de solucion del submodelo obtenido al eliminar la dependencia del dominio con respecto al tiempo y de la ley constitutiva con respecto a la temperatura.
Electroencephalographic (EEG) Photoparoxysmal Responses Under 5 Years of Age

Electroencephalographic (EEG) photoparoxysmal response has been little investigated in very young patients. We studied 5055 patients aged less than 5 years with no acquired brain damage, who underwent EEG recording. We determined the prevalence and significance of photoparoxysmal response induced by 1 to 20 Hz photic stimulation. Fifty-three showed photoparoxysmal response and were diagnosed as having Dravet syndrome (11), epileptic encephalopathy with myoclonic seizures (8), neurodegenerative disorders (8), benign idiopathic epilepsies (9), and static disorders with a known or suspected genetic origin (17). Photoparoxysmal response occurred in response to 1 to 5 Hz trains in 41.5% subjects. In most patients with epileptic encephalopathies, photoparoxysmal response was a transient finding: in 53.2%, it failed to be replicated in the recordings performed more than 6 months after initial evaluation. Photoparoxysmal response is rare in patients aged less than 5 years and has some peculiarities such as occurrence with low-frequency stimuli. Its distribution in specific conditions indicates that photoparoxysmal response may be useful in diagnostic workup.
Red-light is an environmental effector for mutualism between begomovirus and its vector whitefly

Environments such as light condition influence the spread of infectious diseases by affecting insect vector behavior. However, whether and how light affects the host defense which further affect insect preference and performance, remains unclear, nor has been demonstrated how pathogens co-adapt light condition to facilitate vector transmission. We previously showed that begomoviral βC1 inhibits MYC2-mediated jasmonate signaling to establish plant-dependent mutualism with its insect vector. Here we show red-light as an environmental catalyzer to promote mutualism of whitefly-begomovirus by stabilizing βC1, which interacts with PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs) transcription factors. PIFs positively control plant defenses against whitefly by directly binding to the promoter of terpene synthase genes and promoting their transcription. Moreover, PIFs integrates light and jasmonate signaling by interaction with MYC2, and co-regulation the transcription of terpene synthase genes. However, begomovirus encoded βC1 inhibit PIFs’ and MYC2’ transcriptional activity via disturbing their dimerization, thereby impairing plant defenses against whitefly-transmitted begomoviruses. Our results thus describe how a viral pathogen hijacks host light signaling to enhance the mutualistic relationship with its insect vector. Author summary Climate change is driving disease rapidly spread, esp. for global distribution of insect-borne diseases. This paper reports red-light as an environmental factor to promote insect vector olfactory orientation behavior and increase viral disease transmission. Plant virus adapts the supplemental red lighting practice in modern agricultural greenhouse production under protection, therefore enhancing disease spreading globally.
Adiposed-derived stem cells seeded on PLCL/P123 eletrospun nanofibrous scaffold enhance wound healing

The aim of this study was to evaluate the wound healing of adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) seeded on electrospinning poly (L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone)/poloxamer (PLCL/P123) scaffolds and the mechanisms using a rat skin tissue injury model. CM-Dil labeled ADSCs were seeded on PLCL/P123 scaffolds for 48 h (ADSCs- PLCL/P123). Twelve Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three groups: ADSCs-PLCL/P123 (A group); PLCL/P123 alone (B group); petrolatum gauze (C group). Two 1.5 cm diameter circular impressions were made by placement of a punch biopsy instrument. The wound closure percentages were calculated by planimetry on postoperative day 0, 3, 12 and 21. On postoperative day 21, full-thickness skins from each group were examined by H&E staining, CK10 and CD31 immunohistochemical staining, and CK10 immunofluorescence staining respectively. The wound closure percentages on postoperative day 21 in A, B and C groups were 95.7% ± 3.9%, 83.2% ± 15.4% and 64.3% ± 6.2%, respectively (p < 0.05). H&E staining and immunohistochemical staining showed that the epidermal structure of A group was complete and possessed the characteristics of epidermal cells, and the CK10 staining positive suggested that ADSCs were differentiated into epidermal-like structures. The microvessel density of A group was significantly higher than that of the B and C groups (p < 0.05), while no significant differences were observed between B group and C group (p > 0.05). The ADSCs seeded on PLCL/P123 scaffolds could promote wound healing and have the potential to become a new therapeutic alternative material for skin tissue engineering.
Klippel-Feil Syndrome Presenting with Bilateral Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

Study Design. This report aims, in the light of the recent literature, to describe the clinical features of bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome in a case of Klippel-Feil syndrome, the results of electrophysiologic evaluation, and the outcome after surgical intervention. Objectives. Cervical ribs in the context of Klippel-Feil syndrome as the cause of bilateral thoracic outlet syndrome is discussed. Summary of Background Data. In Klippel-Feil syndrome, congenital fusion of cervical vertebrae occurs and may also be associated with various anomalies, including musculoskeletal anomalies. The typical neurologic defects in this syndrome are caused by compression of the cervical cord and/or the corresponding roots. Methods. A 25-year-old woman had experienced, for 3 years, sensory symptoms, mainly numbness and pain, in both arms and episodic color changes of the hands that were aggravated by certain activities. Results. Radiologic examination revealed Klippel-Feil syndrome type I, accompanied by bilateral cervical ribs. Electrophysiologic evaluation demonstrated impairment of nerve conduction, as indicated by F wave changes, after the arms were raised. The patient underwent successful decompression of the neurovascular structures at the thoracic aperture. Conclusions. It is often difficult to diagnose thoracic outlet syndrome by conventional neurophysiology. Dynamic changes in F waves appear to be a useful finding. In the absence of symptoms of myeloradiculopathy, thoracic outlet syndrome could be the sole manifestation of Klippel-Feil syndrome.