Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation between the effects of local and intracerebroventricular infusions of galanin on 5‐HT release studied by microdialysis, and distribution of galanin and galanin receptors in prefrontal cortex, ventral hippocampus, amygdala, hypothalamus, and striatum of awake rats

The neuropeptide galanin is implicated in regulation of affective behavior, including modulation of 5‐HT signaling. Here, we investigated, by use of microdialysis in freely moving rats, the effects of intracerebral (i.c.) and intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) infusions of galanin on basal extracellular 5‐HT levels in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), CA1 area of ventral hippocampus (vHPC), central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus ventrolateral part (VMHvl), and ventromedial caudate putamen (CPu). These results were compared with a parallel immunohistochemical analysis of the distribution of galanin, 5‐HT, and noradrenaline (NA) nerve terminals, and with data on galanin receptors. Galanin i.c. v. significantly decreased the 5‐HT levels in mPFC to 79% and in vHPC to 72%. Local infusions of galanin caused a long‐lasting decrease in 5‐HT levels in vHPC to 88%, and a moderate decrease in CeA, whereas the 5‐HT levels in mPFC significantly increased to 121%. These effects of i.c. galanin correlated well with the density of 5‐HT and galanin nerve terminals and galanin receptors autoradiography in mPFC, vHPC, and CeA. No effects of i.c. or i.c. v. galanin on 5‐HT levels were observed in CPu or VMHvl, in agreement with the low numbers of galanin‐positive terminals and low/moderate galanin receptor density. Galanin was often found to coexist in NA, but could never be detected in 5‐HT terminals. Together the results show a neuroanatomical correlation between the effects of galanin infusions on 5‐HT release and distribution of galanin and its receptors, and that i.c. v. and i.c. administration can give opposite effects on 5‐HT release. Synapse 68:179–193, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Facial pain: Overlapping syndromes

Premise This review summarises the pain syndromes that overlap between headache and facial pain and overlap between pain and cranial nerve lesion. Problem These syndromes share two features in common. First, they show both cranial nerve impairment (e.g. palsy, autonomic dysfunction) and pain; second, they have inflammatory (and/or small vessel) processes as the underlying mechanism. A typical representative of these syndromes is recurrent painful ophthalmoplegic neuropathy, which was previously called ophthalmoplegic migraine and was regarded as a migraine subtype. It is now supposed that this syndrome is caused by an inflammation of one of the ocular motor nerves. Other syndromes discussed in this review are optic neuritis, Tolosa-Hunt syndrome, ischaemic ocular motor nerve palsy, and the very rare Raeder’s syndrome. Treatment of all these syndromes is mainly based on steroids. Potential solution Management of possibly underlying disorders such as multiple sclerosis or atherosclerosis should also be considered.
Frequently Encountered Animal Diseases at Animal Hospital Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State - Nigeria

Data from the clinical record of the Animal Hospital Birnin Kebbi was used to determine the frequency of occurrence of various diseases of animals from February 2009 to January 2010. A total of 794 cases were presented. 155 (19.5%) for routine check and vaccination, while the bulk 639 (80.5%) were presented as a result of disease conditions. Diseases diagnosed include; helminthoses 141(22%), followed by fowl pox 65(10.2%), lousiness 61(9.5%), traumatic injuries 46(7.2%), enteritis 32(5.0%), upper respiratory tract infection 29(4.5%), mite/mange 24(3.8%), septicemia 22(3.4%), bloat 19(3.0%), and abscess 17(2.7%). Other moderately occurring, disorders included dystocia & post partum complications 14(2.2%) each, mal-directed horn/hooves 12(1.9%), tick infestation 10(1.6%), coccidiosis 9(1.4%), fracture 8(1.3%), hernia, PPR, pregnancy toxemia & castration 7(1.1%) each. Poisoning, infectious coryza, arthritis, rumen impaction & vaginal prolapse were 6(0.9%) each, pneumonia and mastitis 5(0.8%) each. The less occurring disorders included urinary tract infection, Gumboro disease, black leg, abortion, paraphimosis & dog bite 4(0.6%) each. Rhinitis & chronic respiratory diseases 3(0.5%) each, Foot and Mouth disease, New castle disease, cowdriosis, and hygroma numbering 2(0.3%) each. The least occurring disorders were Fowl typhoid, dislocation, trypanasomosis, pyometra, orf, stomatitis, grass tetany, canine distemper, atresia ani and rectal prolapse 1(0.2%) case each. Information generated can be useful to Government agencies involved in formulating policies and guidelines for prevention and control of animal diseases.
Carbon monoxide inhalation induces headache in a human headache model

Introduction Carbon monoxide (CO) is an endogenously produced signalling molecule that has a role in nociceptive processing and cerebral vasodilatation. We hypothesized that inhalation of CO would induce headache and vasodilation of cephalic and extracephalic arteries. Methods In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover design, 12 healthy volunteers were allocated to inhalation of CO (carboxyhemoglobin 22%) or placebo on two separate days. Headache was scored on a verbal rating scale from 0–10. We recorded mean blood velocity in the middle cerebral artery (VMCA) by transcranial Doppler, diameter of the superficial temporal artery (STA) and radial artery (RA) by high-resolution ultrasonography and facial skin blood flow by laser speckle contrast imaging. Results Ten volunteers developed headache after CO compared to six after placebo. The area under the curve for headache (0–12 hours) was increased after CO compared with placebo (p = 0.021). CO increased VMCA (p = 0.002) and facial skin blood flow (p = 0.012), but did not change the diameter of the STA (p = 0.060) and RA (p = 0.433). Conclusion In conclusion, the study demonstrated that CO caused mild prolonged headache but no arterial dilatation in healthy volunteers. We suggest this may be caused by a combination of hypoxic and direct cellular effects of CO.
Monkeys Like Mimics

Human and nonhuman primates recognize when they are being imitated. Is there a social advantage to that? Human adults routinely engage in unconscious (automatic) bodily mimicry of each other, and this has many positive social consequences: When others mimic us, we like them more, empathize with them more, and are more helpful and generous toward them (1). On page 880 in this issue, Paukner et al. (2) show that these social consequences of mimicry may have deeper evolutionary roots than previously thought.
Fixing a Critical Climate Accounting Error

Rules for applying the Kyoto Protocol and national cap-and-trade laws contain a major, but fixable, carbon accounting flaw in assessing bioenergy. The accounting now used for assessing compliance with carbon limits in the Kyoto Protocol and in climate legislation contains a far-reaching but fixable flaw that will severely undermine greenhouse gas reduction goals (1). It does not count CO2 emitted from tailpipes and smokestacks when bioenergy is being used, but it also does not count changes in emissions from land use when biomass for energy is harvested or grown. This accounting erroneously treats all bioenergy as carbon neutral regardless of the source of the biomass, which may cause large differences in net emissions. For example, the clearing of long-established forests to burn wood or to grow energy crops is counted as a 100% reduction in energy emissions despite causing large releases of carbon.
Breaking the Code of DNA Binding Specificity of TAL-Type III Effectors

TAL Order Xanthomonas bacteria attack their plant hosts by delivering their own transcription-activator–like (TAL) proteins into the plant cell nucleus and alter the plant's gene regulation (see the Perspective by Voytas and Joung). Moscou and Bogdanove (p. 1501, published online 29 October: see the cover) and Boch et al. (p. 1509, published online 29 October) have now discovered how the similar but not identical repeats in the TAL proteins encode the specificity needed for the proteins to find their targets. Each repeat is specific for one DNA base pair, a specificity encoded by hypervariable amino acid positions. Combining several repeats with different amino acids in the hypervariable positions allowed the production of new effectors that targeted new DNA sites. Artificial effectors with new specificities have been constructed that mimic proteins injected into plant cells by pathogens. The pathogenicity of many bacteria depends on the injection of effector proteins via type III secretion into eukaryotic cells in order to manipulate cellular processes. TAL (transcription activator–like) effectors from plant pathogenic Xanthomonas are important virulence factors that act as transcriptional activators in the plant cell nucleus, where they directly bind to DNA via a central domain of tandem repeats. Here, we show how target DNA specificity of TAL effectors is encoded. Two hypervariable amino acid residues in each repeat recognize one base pair in the target DNA. Recognition sequences of TAL effectors were predicted and experimentally confirmed. The modular protein architecture enabled the construction of artificial effectors with new specificities. Our study describes the functionality of a distinct type of DNA binding domain and allows the design of DNA binding domains for biotechnology.
Chronic social isolation during adolescence augments catecholamine response to acute ethanol in the basolateral amygdala

Adolescent social isolation (SI) results in numerous behavioral alterations associated with increased risk of alcoholism. Notably, many of these changes involve the basolateral amygdala (BLA), including increased alcohol seeking. The BLA sends a strong glutamatergic projection to the nucleus accumbens and activation of this pathway potentiates reward‐seeking behavior. Dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) exert powerful excitatory and inhibitory effects on BLA activity and chronic stress can disrupt the excitation‐inhibition balance maintained by these catecholamines. Notably, the impact of SI on BLA DA and NE neurotransmission is unknown. Thus the aim of this study was to characterize SI‐mediated catecholamine alterations in the BLA. Male Long Evans rats were housed in groups of four (GH) or in SI for 6 weeks during adolescence. DA and NE transporter levels were then measured using Western blot hybridization and baseline and ethanol‐stimulated DA and NE levels were quantified using microdialysis. DA transporter levels were increased and baseline DA levels were decreased in SI compared to GH rats. SI also increased DA responses to an acute ethanol (2 g kg−1) challenge. While no group differences were noted in NE transporter or baseline NE levels, acute ethanol (2 g kg−1) only significantly increased NE levels in SI animals. Collectively, these SI‐dependent changes in BLA catecholamine signaling may lead to an increase in BLA excitability and a strengthening of the glutamatergic projection between the BLA and NAc. Such changes may promote the elevated ethanol drinking behavior observed in rats subjected to chronic adolescent stress. Synapse 69:385–395, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Magnetic resonance imaging in children presenting migraine with aura: Association of hypoperfusion detected by arterial spin labelling and vasospasm on MR angiography findings

Objective A child presenting with a first attack of migraine with aura usually undergoes magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to rule out stroke. The purpose of this study was to report vascular and brain perfusion findings in children suffering from migraine with aura on time-of-flight MR angiography (TOF-MRA) and MR perfusion imaging using arterial spin labelling (ASL). Methods We retrospectively included all children who had undergone an emergency MRI examination with ASL and TOF-MRA sequences for acute neurological deficit and were given a final diagnosis of migraine with aura. The ASL perfusion maps and TOF-MRA images were independently assessed by reviewers blinded to clinical data. A mean cerebral blood flow (CBF) value was obtained for each cerebral lobe after automatic data post-processing. Results Seventeen children were finally included. Hypoperfusion was identified in one or more cerebral lobes on ASL perfusion maps by visual assessment in 16/17 (94%) children. Vasospasm was noted within the intracranial vasculature on the TOF-MRA images in 12/17 (71%) children. All (100%) of the abnormal TOF-MRA images were associated with homolateral hypoperfusion. Mean CBF values were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in visually hypoperfused lobes than in normally perfused lobes. Conclusion ASL and TOF-MRA are two totally non-invasive, easy-to-use MRI sequences for children in emergency settings. Hypoperfusion associated with homolateral vasospasm may suggest a diagnosis of migraine with aura.
Aeroplane headache, mountain descent headache, diving ascent headache.. Three subtypes of headache attributed to imbalance between intrasinusal and external air pressure?

Background Headache attributed to aeroplane travel (AH) is currently codified in Chapter 10.1. 2 of the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3 beta (ICHD 3 beta). After our previous papers, the investigation was enlarged to 200 patients. Material and methods People affected by AH contacted us by mail and agreed to fill in a detailed anonymous questionnaire that allowed a thorough definition of the headache features. Results This extended case series allows us to confirm most of the clinical features of AH, reported in our previously published article, and to partially modify others. New results mainly regard the higher occurrence of accompanying symptoms and the presence of a long lasting mild headache phase, usually not exceeding 24 h, that follows the short lasting acute pain, the duration of which has been confirmed as less than 30 min. Moreover, headache attacks identical to those of AH are reported in a portion of patients, triggered by the ascent during free/snorkeling or scuba diving and rapid descent from high mountains. Conclusion The coexistence of AH with headache triggered by different environmental factors (ascent during free/scuba diving and descent from high mountains) indicates a common causal mechanism, that is, the imbalance between intrasinusal and external air pressure. We propose to classify them together, within Chapter 10 “Headache attributed to disorders of homoeostasis”, under a unique heading “Headache attributed to imbalance between intrasinusal and external air pressure”.
CGRP receptor antagonist MK-8825 attenuates cortical spreading depression induced pain behavior

Background and objective The present study aimed to investigate the effects of selective calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) receptor antagonist (MK-8825) on cortical spreading depression (CSD) induced pain behavior and anxiety in freely-moving rats, and neuronal activation in the correlated anatomical regions. Methods CSD was induced while keeping all meningeal layers and BBB intact and MK-8825 was administered in two different doses. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), arterial pressure and DC shift were recorded. Behavioral studies were conducted in freely-moving rats. Spontaneous behavior, mechanical allodynia, ultrasonic vocalization, and anxiety were evaluated. Immunohistochemistry of c-fos, CGRP, calcitonin receptor like-receptor (CLR) and receptor activity modifying protein 1 (RAMP1) were studied. Results MK-8825 did not block DC shifts in the cerebral cortex and accompanied hemodynamic response. CSD significantly induced freezing and grooming behavior in freely-moving rats. MK-8825 reversed increased episodes of freezing, grooming, wet dog shake and head shake behavior. MK-8825 increased CSD-induced reductions in von Frey thresholds, but did not change elevated plus maze results. MK-8825 blocked c-fos induction by CSD in the brainstem trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) and reticular nucleus of thalamus (TRN) but not in the amygdala. Immunofluorescence analysis showed no co-localization of CGRP, CLR or RAMP1 with c-fos positive cells. Conclusion CGRP receptor antagonist MK-8825 dose dependently attenuated CSD-induced trigeminal nerve mediated pain response without altering CSD waves and accompanied rCBF response. While blocking TNC activation, MK-8825 did not exert any effect on amygdala and anxiety behavior. CGRP receptor antagonists may also modulate thalamo-cortical gating.
3D point cloud segmentation: A survey

3D point cloud segmentation is the process of classifying point clouds into multiple homogeneous regions, the points in the same region will have the same properties. The segmentation is challenging because of high redundancy, uneven sampling density, and lack explicit structure of point cloud data. This problem has many applications in robotics such as intelligent vehicles, autonomous mapping and navigation. Many authors have introduced different approaches and algorithms. In this survey, we examine methods that have been proposed to segment 3D point clouds. The advantages, disadvantages, and design mechanisms of these methods are analyzed and discussed. Finally, we outline the promising future research directions.
Structure and Mechanisms of a Protein-Based Organelle in Escherichia coli

Bacterial Compartmentalization In diverse bacteria, reactions that involve toxic or volatile metabolites are carried out by enzymes inside proteinaceous microcompartments. Tanaka et al. (p. 81; see the Perspective by Kang and Douglas) now report high-resolution crystal structures for four homologous proteins that are constituents of the shell that sequesters the metabolism of ethanolamine in bacteria. While the structures have similar overall folds, they have distinctive structural features that provide insight into how they build the shell and participate in microcompartment function. Structures of the shell proteins from a bacterial organelle help to explain how it functions in metabolizing ethanolamine. Many bacterial cells contain proteinaceous microcompartments that act as simple organelles by sequestering specific metabolic processes involving volatile or toxic metabolites. Here we report the three-dimensional (3D) crystal structures, with resolutions between 1.65 and 2.5 angstroms, of the four homologous proteins (EutS, EutL, EutK, and EutM) that are thought to be the major shell constituents of a functionally complex ethanolamine utilization (Eut) microcompartment. The Eut microcompartment is used to sequester the metabolism of ethanolamine in bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica. The four Eut shell proteins share an overall similar 3D fold, but they have distinguishing structural features that help explain the specific roles they play in the microcompartment. For example, EutL undergoes a conformational change that is probably involved in gating molecular transport through shell protein pores, whereas structural evidence suggests that EutK might bind a nucleic acid component. Together these structures give mechanistic insight into bacterial microcompartments.
A fuzzy inference system for predicting allergenicity and allergic cross-reactivity in proteins

Allergy, a hypersensitivity disorder of the immune system, is one of the steadily increasing health problems in the world. Usage of transgenic food products is constantly increasing and hence assessment of product for potential allergenicity is necessary before they are introduced into the human food chain. Though several bioinformatics approach exists for allergen prediction, discriminating the allergen-like non-allergen from allergens and non-allergens remains challenging. Hence, here we describe a novel fuzzy rule based system for assessing the protein for allergenicity. It combines five different modules-Machine learning classifier (MLC), Motif search, Global similarity with allergen, FAO/WHO evaluation scheme, and Global similarity with allergen like putative non-allergen (APN)- to assess the protein allergenicity. AllerHunter dataset, consisting of 1405 known allergens and 12474 non-allergens, were used to rigorously train and test the proposed method. The system was validated extensively through 10-fold cross validation, receiver-operator characteristic curve, and Mathew's correlation coefficient. The validation results revealed that the proposed method is effective in distinguishing allergen, non-allergen, and APN proteins. An independent dataset test, containing 1443 protein sequence, (sensitivity = 89.9%, specificity = 98.6, Accuracy = 97.85, MCC = 0.87, and AUC = 0.95) revealed that the proposed method performs significantly better than the existing methods.
Transforming growth factor‐β1 level correlates with angiogenesis, tumor progression, and prognosis in patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma

Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐ β1) is a multifunctional factor and is known to affect tumor growth in malignant tumors. The effects of TGF‐β1 on angiogenesis, stromal formation, and immune function suggest its possible involvement in tumor progression. The authors examined whether TGF‐β1 levels may be correlated with angiogenesis, clinicopathologic factors, and survival in patients with surgically resected lung carcinoma.
Tuberculous Granuloma Induction via Interaction of a Bacterial Secreted Protein with Host Epithelium

Garnering Information on Granulomas In tuberculosis, the tuberculous granuloma has been viewed traditionally as a host-protective structure that serves to “wall off” mycobacteria. However, recent work in the zebrafish embryo showed that mycobacteria convert the nascent granuloma into a vehicle for bacterial expansion and dissemination. Thus, intercepting granuloma formation could provide a strategy for treating tuberculosis, an urgent public health goal in light of the epidemic of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Now Volkman et al. (p. 466, published online 10 December; see the Perspective by Agarwal and Bishai) present the molecular pathway by which mycobacteria induce granulomas in zebrafish. Inhibition of this pathway attenuates infection by reducing granuloma formation, suggesting a therapeutic target for tuberculosis treatment. Epithelial cells play a role in tubercular granuloma formation and mycobacterial virulence. Granulomas, organized aggregates of immune cells, are a hallmark of tuberculosis and have traditionally been thought to restrict mycobacterial growth. However, analysis of Mycobacterium marinum in zebrafish has shown that the early granuloma facilitates mycobacterial growth; uninfected macrophages are recruited to the granuloma where they are productively infected by M. marinum. Here, we identified the molecular mechanism by which mycobacteria induce granulomas: The bacterial secreted protein 6-kD early secreted antigenic target (ESAT-6), which has long been implicated in virulence, induced matrix metalloproteinase–9 (MMP9) in epithelial cells neighboring infected macrophages. MMP9 enhanced recruitment of macrophages, which contributed to nascent granuloma maturation and bacterial growth. Disruption of MMP9 function attenuated granuloma formation and bacterial growth. Thus, interception of epithelial MMP9 production could hold promise as a host-targeting tuberculosis therapy.