Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
c-Fos Expression in Rat Brain and Brainstem Nuclei in Response to Treatments That Alter Food Intake and Gastric Motility

Expression of the proto-oncogene protein c-Fos was evaluated immunocytochemically in individual brain cells as a marker of treatment-related neuronal activation following pharmacological and physiological treatments that are known to alter food intake and gastric motility in rats. c-Fos expression in response to each treatment was analyzed in the brainstem dorsal vagal complex, the limbic system, and the hypothalamus, representing the areas thought to be involved in coordinating the autonomic, behavioral, and neuroendocrine responses that occur during conditions of stimulated or inhibited food intake. Our results indicate that the patterns of brain c-Fos expression associated with treatments that inhibit food intake differ significantly from the patterns produced by treatments that potentiate food intake. Treatments that inhibited food intake (administration of the anorexigenic agents cholecystokinin, LiCl, and hypertonic saline, and food ingestion following fasting or insulin treatment) were associated with widespread stimulation of c-Fos expression in cells in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), and to a more variable degree the area postrema (AP), but without significant activation of neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve (DMN). In contrast, treatments that potentiated food intake (food deprivation and insulin-induced hypoglycemia) were associated with marked stimulation of c-Fos expression in DMN neurons, but little or no activation in cells in the NTS or the AP. Pharmacological treatments that inhibited food intake and gastric motility also were associated with pronounced c-Fos expression in several forebrain areas, including the parvocellular and magnocellular subdivisions of the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), and the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). In contrast, more physiological inhibition of food intake resulting from spontaneous food ingestion did not cause significant activation of c-Fos expression in these forebrain regions, nor did treatments that stimulated food intake. Central administration of oxytocin, which also is known to inhibit food intake, was associated with a pattern of c-Fos activation analogous to that produced by spontaneous food ingestion after fasting (c-Fos expression in the NTS and AP, but without significant activation in the DMN or forebrain areas). Finally, acute gastric distension produced complex results, in that it was associated with activation of c-Fos expression in all areas of the brainstem (NTS, AP, and DMN), as well as in multiple forebrain areas (PVN, CeA, and BNST). Our results therefore demonstrate that specific patterns of brain c-Fos expression are associated with treatments that alter food intake in rats, and indicate that assessment of c-Fos immunoreactivity in different brain areas can identify common functional neuroanatomical networks that are activated by diverse treatments which nonetheless produce similar behavioral, autonomic, and neuroendocrine effects in animals.
Exploring Co-studied Massive Open Online Course Subjects via Social Network Analysis

Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) allow students to study online courses without requiring previous experience or qualifications. This offers students the freedom to study a wide variety of topics, freed from the curriculum of a degree programme for example; however, it also poses a challenge for students in terms of making connections between individual courses. This paper examines the subjects which students at one MOOC platform (Coursera) choose to study. It uses a social network analysis based approach to create a network graph of co-studied subjects. The resulting network demonstrates a good deal of overlap between different disciplinary areas. Communities are identified within the graph and characterised. The results suggests that MOOC students may not be seeking to replicate degree-style courses in one specialist area, which may have implications for the future moves toward ‘MOOCs for credit’.
Inhibitory effect of troleandomycin on the metabolism of omeprazole is CYP2C19 genotype-dependent

1. Eighteen healthy CYP2C19 genotyped male subjects were administered a 20-mg oral dose of omeprazole (OP) alone or received troleandomycin (TAO) 500 mg daily for 2 days before the dose of OP was administered. Blood samples were obtained and OP 5-hydroxyomeprazole (5-OH-OP) and OP sulfone in plasma were determined by reversed-phase HPLC. 2. The mean C max, AUC and CL for OP in poor metabolizers (PMs) were greater with TAO than without TAO. The C max and AUC of 5-OH-OP in PMs were significantly (p < 0.05) less with TAO than without TAO. The differences in 5-OH-OP between heterozygous extensive metabolizers (EMs) with TAO versus without TAO were similar to those observed in PMs, except for the AUC. However, in homozygous EMs, there were no statistical differences for the effect of TAO. 3. The effect of TAO on the metabolism of OP and its two principal metabolites differs in different genotype groups of CYP2C19. CYP3A4 not only plays a dominant role in the formation of OP sulfone, but also it contributes to the 5-hydroxylation of OP. Both CYP2C19 and CYP3A contribute to the further elimination of 5-OH-OP and OP sulfone.
Gradient feature matching for expression invariant face recognition using single reference image

Automatic recognition of human faces irrespective of the expression variations is a challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a novel method for face recognition based on `edge-strings'. Experimental studies on face perception have shown the significance of edge features in visual perception and learning. In the proposed technique, the edges of a face are identified, and a feature string is created from edge pixels. This forms a symbolic descriptor corresponding to the edge image referred to as `edge-string'. The `edge-strings' are then compared using the Smith-Waterman algorithm to match them. The class corresponding to each image is identified based on the number of string primitives that match. Local string alignment algorithm is more robust to noise than global alignment algorithm; it gives better performance even if the input image is noisy. In addition, this method needs only a single training image per class. The proposed technique is a good solution for expression invariant face recognition. The effectiveness of the proposed method is compared with state-of-the-art algorithms on the Yale Face database, the Japanese Female Face Expression database (JAFFE) and CMU AMP Face EXpression database.
Diagnostic accuracy of polymerase chain reaction for intrapartum detection of group B streptococcus colonization

Many pregnant women are treated with antibiotics during labor to prevent transmission of group B streptococcus (GBS, Streptococcus agalactiae) to their baby during passage of the birth canal, and so reduce the risk of serious infection of the newborn. Methods for intrapartum testing for GBS have been introduced to select women to whom intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis should be offered. For such an intrapartum test to be useful in clinical practice, it has to be specific as well as sensitive. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the accuracy of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay compared with an optimized culture method for GBS.
First- and second-order epi-differentiability in nonlinear programming

Problems are considered in which an objective function express-ible as a max of finitely many C2 functions, or more generally as the composition of a piecewise linear-quadratic function with a C2 mapping, is minimized subject to finitely many C2 constraints. The essential objective function in such a problem, which is the sum of the given objective and the indicator of the constraints, is shown to be twice epi-differentiable at any point where the active constraints (if any) satisfy the Mangasarian-Fromovitz qualification. The epi-derivatives are defined by taking epigraphical limits of classical first-and second-order difference quotients instead of pointwise limits, and they reveal properties of local geometric approximation that have not previously been observed.
CHANGES IN SOIL MICROBIAL CHARACTERISTICS WITH ELEVATED SALINITY

Changes in microbial characteristics in soils with increasing salinity were measured in 30 soil samples belonging to Kattikhel and Dargai soil series occuring in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa of North West Pakistan during 2009. Microbial characteristics including microbial biomass C, microbial biomass N, C/N ratio in microbial biomass, N mineralization, nitrification, rate of CO2 evolution and cumulative CO2 production were measured. The soils used in the study were alkaline in reaction and had electrical conductivity (EC) gradient from 0.63-32.3 dS m. All microbial indices showed a decreasing trend with increasing EC. The average microbial biomass C of soils decreased from 391 mg kg in soils with EC of <4.0 dS m to 209 mg in soils with EC of >12 dS m. The same trend was observed for microbial biomass N, N mineralization, nitrification, rate of CO2 evolution and cumulative CO2 production with respect to elevated EC. The C/N ratio of soil microbial biomass increased with increasing salinity. These results suggested that soil microbial biomass were highly sensitive to salinity and can be used as indicator for management of salt affected soils.
Molecular analysis of the leukaemic B cell in adult and childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH gene) rearrangements are found in the majority of cases of B‐lineage acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). We have examined bone marrow samples taken at presentation or relapse from 109 patients (79 adults and 30 children) and have performed sequence analysis of the complementarity determining region 3 (CDR3) on 65 alleles from 54 patients. We aimed to define immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) variable segment family use and investigate biological and structural features of the B cell in adult and childhood ALL. Using the FR1 fingerprinting method, a rearranged band was identified in 70 (89%) of 79 adult ALL and in 29 (97%) of 30 childhood ALL. This study found no preferential use or selection of IgH VH genes and no statistically significant structural differences between normal and leukaemic B cells in either adult and childhood ALL. An equal proportion of amplifiable cases of adult and childhood ALL uses more than one VH family gene (24/70, 34%, and 8/29, 27.5%, respectively). There were no significant differences in the structure or size of the CDR3 region and the variable (V) or joining (J) segment use in ALL patients compared to normal B cells. We observed that the N2 region was shorter than N1 in children whereas the opposite was observed in adults (not statistically significant). The J4 segment was a more common rearrangement in children than in adults, and in both groups J4 was more frequently associated with multiple D segment VDJ rearrangements. An increase in VH6 use in leukaemic alleles compared to normal B lymphocytes (2%) was observed but it was not statistically significant in our group of patients. Amongst children and adults, in‐frame CDR3 junctions occurred in 78% and 64% of rearranged alleles, respectively, compared to 75% of in‐frame sequences reported by others to occur among normal B cells.
Prevalence and determinants of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy in a multiethnic Asian cohort: the Singapore Epidemiology of Eye Diseases (SEED) study

Objective To determine the prevalence and risk factors of undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy (DR), in particular vision-threatening DR (VTDR) in a multiethnic Asian cohort. Design A population-based survey of 3353 Chinese, 3280 Malays and 3400 Indians (73.6% response) aged 40–80 years residing in Singapore. Diabetes mellitus (DM) was defined as random glucose ≥11.1 mmol/L, use of diabetic medication or a previous physician diagnosis. DR severity was graded from retinal photographs following the modified Airlie House classification. VTDR was defined as the presence of severe non-proliferative DR (NPDR), proliferative DR (PDR) or clinically significant macular oedema (CSMO), using the Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group definition. Participants were deemed ‘undiagnosed’ if they reported no prior physician diagnosis in structured interviews, in those with the condition. Results Of 10 033 participants, 2376 had DM (23.7%), of which 805 (33.9%) had DR. Among 2376 with DM, 11.1% (n=263) were undiagnosed. Among 805 with DR, 671 (83.3%) were undiagnosed. Among 212 with VTDR, 59 (27.3%) were undiagnosed. In multivariate models, factors associated with undiagnosed VTDR were higher low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (OR=1.53, 95% CI 0.99 to 2.35, p=0.05) and absence of visual impairment or blindness in any eye in terms of best-corrected vision OR=3.00, 95% CI 1.47 to 6.11, p=0.003). Conclusions In this community, a quarter with VTDR is undiagnosed, and 8 in 10 with any DR are undiagnosed, compared with only 1 in 10 with DM undiagnosed. These findings suggest that screening for diabetes is successful, while screening for DR is currently inadequate in our population. Public health strategies to aid early diagnosis of DR in Singapore are urgently warranted to reduce blindness due to diabetes.
Recherche de technihadrons dans le spectre di-électrons et alignement temporel du calorimètre Argon liquide de l'expérience ATLAS

La campagne du LHC dans les premieres annees de prise de donnees a ete un succes. La prise de donnees 2011 a permis d'enregistrer plus de $5~ifb$ de donnees a $sqrt{s} = 7$~TeV avec l'experience ATLAS. Dans le travail presente dans cette these l'ensemble de donnees 2011 est utilise pour les differentes etudes. Cette these est organisee en cinq chapitres. Dans le premier chapitre est presente une introduction theorique au modele standard (MS) et son extension eventuelle la Technicouleur (TC). Le deuxieme chapitre donne un apercu du LHC et du detecteur ATLAS. Dans le troisieme chapitre l'analyse temporelle des canaux de lecture du calorimetre a argon liquide est rapportee. Un alignement temporel de l'ensemble du calorimetre permet la synchronisation du systeme de lecture du detecteur avec l'horologe du LHC et est egalement utilise dans des analyses de physique telles que celles pour la recherche de particules a longue duree de vie. Dans le cadre de recherches de nouvelle physique une excellente capacite identification des electrons avec un rendement eleve est necessaire sur une gamme d'energie etendue. Le quatrieme chapitre de cette these presente les mesures d'efficacite du trigger (systeme de declenchement ) et d'identification des electrons en utilisant les evenements Zee . Enfin le dernier chapitre decrit la recherche de resonances a grandes masses dans le canal dielectron, ceci dans les cadre de deux scenarios differents, la Technicouleur "Low-scale" et la Technicouleur "Minimal Walking". L'importance de l'exces potentiel des evenements TC par rapport aux predictions du MS est evaluee dans la distribution de masse invariante dilepton. En l'absence d'ecart significatif par rapport aux predictions du MS des limites avec un niveau de confiance de 95% sont fixees sur la section transversale et sur la masse de resonance.
Cluster Analysis of Autistic Patients Based on Principal Pathogenetic Components

We have recently described four principal pathogenetic components in autism: (I) circadian and sensory dysfunction, (II) immune abnormalities, (III) neurodevelopmental delay, and (IV) stereotypic behaviors. Using hierarchical and k‐means clustering, the same 245 patients assessed in our principal component analysis can be partitioned into four clusters: (a) 43 (17.6%) have prominent immune abnormalities accompanied by some circadian and sensory issues; (b) 44 (18.0%) display major circadian and sensory dysfunction, with little or no immune symptoms; (c) stereotypies predominate in 75 (31.0%); and (d) 83 (33.9%) show a mixture of all four components, with greater disruptive behaviors and mental retardation. The “immune” component provides the largest contributions to phenotypic variance (P = 2.7 x 10–45), followed by “stereotypic behaviors. ” These patient clusters may likely differ in genetic and immune underpinnings, developmental trajectories, and response to treatment. Autism Res 2012,••:••–••. © 2012 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Older patient experiences in the mammography decision-making process.

from 2009 to 2010; however, there is still room for improvement. It is current VA policy that every veteran be offered HIV testing at least once in a lifetime, regardless of risk factors and age, and that all veterans identified as HIV positive be linked to high-quality comprehensive care in a timely manner. The VA’s OPH will continue to collect annual HIV testing data and strive to improve HIV testing rates throughout the entire VA system.
Impact of the human immunodeficiency virus on early multidrug-resistant tuberculosis treatment outcomes in Botswana.

SETTING The impact of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) on multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa, where extensive rollout of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has occurred, remains unclear. OBJECTIVE To compare the time to initial culture conversion among patients with and those without HIV infection in a setting of individualized MDR-TB care in Botswana. DESIGN Prospective cohort study of MDR-TB patients receiving ambulatory, integrated TB-HIV care at two public clinics in Botswana. The time to culture conversion was compared by HIV status using Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs). RESULTS A total of 40 HIV-infected and 30 non-HIV-infected patients with MDR-TB and follow-up cultures were identified. The median time to initial culture conversion was 78 days (interquartile range [IQR] 42-186) for HIV-infected and 95 days (IQR 70-133) for non-HIV-infected individuals (log rank P > 0.5; unadjusted HR 0.9, 95%CI 0.5-1.5). Adjusting for age, sex, treatment history and number of active anti-tuberculosis drugs did not change this result (adjusted HR 0.8, 95%CI 0.4-1.4). CONCLUSION We found no difference in the proportion of or time to initial sputum culture conversion between an HIV-infected and a non-infected cohort of MDR-TB patients in Botswana, suggesting that outcomes may be comparable in similar settings with access to individualized anti-tuberculosis treatment and HAART.
Virtual Reality and Exercise: Behavioral and Psychological Effects of Visual Feedback

We herein report an experimental study examining the potential positive effects of Virtual Reality (VR) feedback during an indoor bicycling exercise. Using a regular bike coupled to a VR system, we compared conditions of no VR feedback, VR feedback and VR feedback with the presence of a virtual coach, acting as a pacer. In VR feedback conditions, we observed a decreased level of perceived exertion and an increased level of enjoyment of physical activity, when compared to a regular exercise situation (no VR feedback). We also observed a shift in the subjects' attentional focus, from association (in the absence of VR feedback) to dissociation (in VR feedback conditions). Moreover, the presence of a virtual coach in the VR environment triggered a systematic regulation of the (virtual) displacement speed, whose relationship with perceived enjoyment and exertion require further work.
Monocyte CD163 and CD36 Expression in Human Whole Blood and Isolated Mononuclear Cell Samples: Influence of Different Anticoagulants

ABSTRACT We investigated whether the choice of anticoagulant or the application of density gradient mononuclear cell isolation may account for conflicting published data regarding the levels of the scavenger receptors' expression in healthy individuals. We demonstrate that the detection of CD163, but not CD36, differs dramatically among the methods.
Bilirubin as an endogenous modulator of neurotrophin redox signaling

Bilirubin is neurotoxic upon excess accumulation in the brain, but it also plays important physiological roles related to its antioxidant properties. Here we report that exposure of PC12 and primary rat cerebellar granule neurons to bilirubin (0.5–10 μM) drastically decreases nerve growth factor (NGF)/brain‐derived neurotrophic factor signaling to Akt and extracellular signal‐regulated kinases (ERKs), indicating a direct interference of the molecule with crucial prosurvival signaling pathways. This effect likely involves the scavenging capacity of bilirubin, the latter being able to inhibit, in PC12 cells, accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and phosphorylation of Akt and ERKs in response to extracellular hydrogen peroxide. Interestingly, in the absence of exogenous growth factor, bilirubin elicited the phosphorylation of ERKs and of the cAMP responsive element binding (CREB) transcription factor, a signature of NGF‐dependent survival signaling. These growth factor‐like signaling effects were paralleled by the induction of the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and generation of nitric oxide (NO). Pharmacological dissection of the signaling cascade triggered by bilirubin revealed that phosphorylation of ERKs requires NO signaling through soluble guanylyl cyclase, and, further upstream, influx of extracellular calcium is necessary for nNOS induction and NO release, likely through calcium‐dependent phosphorylation of CREB. Importantly, the cascade elicited by bilirubin through NO and ERK is cytoprotective, as revealed by exacerbated bilirubin toxicity in cultures treated by either NOS or MEK inhibitors. Taken together, these observations indicate an important action of bilirubin on redox signaling by neurotrophins, with either inhibitory or agonistic effects based on growth factor availability. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.