Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution pattern of tachykinin NK2 receptors in human colon: Involvement in the regulation of intestinal motility

Although a number of pharmacological studies have shown the involvement of tachykinin type 2 receptors (NK2r) in the regulation of human colonic motility, few data are available so far on their pattern of expression. In this study this pattern was investigated in the myenteric plexuses, the longitudinal and circular muscle layers (external muscular layers), and the interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) using confocal microscopy immunofluorescence methods. NK2r immunoreactivity (NK2r‐IR) was detected in the soma of myenteric neurons and in nerve varicosities located in myenteric plexuses as well as in external muscular layers. Colocalization analysis of NK2r‐IR and synaptophysin‐IR, showed significant regional differences in the distribution of NK2r‐expressing nerve varicosities, the rate of occurrence was found to be 56.08% ± 3% (mean ± SE) in the external muscular layers and 30.22% ± 1% (mean ± SE) in the myenteric plexuses. NK2r‐IR was found in membranes of most muscle cells previously incubated with a selective NK2r agonist, [β‐Ala8] neurokinin A fragment 4‐10, at 4°C, and then mainly relocated in the cytoplasm when heated to 37°C. A number of NK2r‐IR nerve varicosities were close to NK2r‐expressing neurons and muscle cells. Some of NK2r‐expressing neurons and nerves were tachykinin‐IR. No NK2r‐IR was detected in ICCs. The present data indicate that presynaptic and postsynaptic neuroneuronal and neuromuscular regulatory processes mediated by tachykinins via NK2r may occur for modulating human colonic motility. J. Comp. Neurol. 503:381–391, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cilk: efficient multithreaded computing

This thesis describes Cilk, a parallel multithreaded language for programming contemporary shared memory multiprocessors (SMP's). Cilk is a simple extension of C which provides constructs for parallel control and synchronization. Cilk imposes very low overheads | the typical cost of spawning a parallel thread is only between 2 and 6 times the cost of a C function call on a variety of contemporary machines. Many Cilk programs run on one processor with virtually no degradation compared to equivalent C programs. We present the \workrst" principle which guided the design of Cilk's scheduler and two consequences of this principle, a novel \two-clone" compilation strategy and a Dijkstra-like mutual-exclusion protocol for implementing the ready queue in the work-stealing scheduler. To facilitate debugging of Cilk programs, Cilk provides a tool called the Nondeterminator-2 which nds nondeterministic bugs called \data races". We present two algorithms, All-Sets and Brelly, used by the Nondeterminator-2 for nding data races. The All-Sets algorithm is exact but can sometimes have poor performance; theBrelly algorithm, by imposing a locking discipline on the programmer, is guaranteed to run in nearly linear time. For a program that runs serially in time T , accesses V shared memory locations, and holds at most k locks simultaneously, Brelly runs in O(kT (V; V )) time and O(kV ) space, where is Tarjan's functional inverse of Ackermann's function. Cilk can be run on clusters of SMP's as well. We de ne a novel weak memory model called \dag consistency" which provides a natural consistency model for use with multithreaded languages like Cilk. We provide evidence that Backer, the protocol that implements dag consistency, is both empirically and theoretically e cient. In particular, we prove bounds on running time and communication for a Cilk program executed on top of Backer, including all costs associated with Backer itself. We believe this proof is the rst of its kind in this regard. Finally, we present the MultiBacker protocol for clusters of SMP's which extends Backer to take advantage of hardware support for shared memory within an SMP. Thesis Supervisor: Charles E. Leiserson Title: Professor of Computer Science and Engineering
Root phosphatase activity in Cladium jamaicense and Typha domingensis grown in Everglades soil at ambient and elevated phosphorus levels

Activity of root phosphatase was examined in Cladium jamaicense (sawgrass) and Typha domingensis (cattail) grown under controlled conditions in Everglades peat with different inorganic P availabilities and flooding regimes. Cladium root phosphatase activity was significantly greater than for Typha when both were subjected to relatively low inorganic phosphorus concentrations (10 to 80 μg l−1) in the interstitial water, indicating a greater potential for Cladium to use organic phosphorus compounds as a phosphate source. When inorganic phosphorus concentration was elevated (500 μg l−1), internal root phosphate concentrations increased and root phosphatase activities decreased in both species to similar levels. Thus, root phosphatase activity in these species is induced by low ambient inorganic phosphate concentrations. The relatively greater ability of Cladium to hydrolyze organic phosphorus compounds indicates that it is physiologically better adapted to peat-based, low inorganic phosphorus conditions and helps explain this species’ historic dominance in peat-based Everglades soils.
Patterns and Grade of Velopharyngeal Closure in Candidates for Adenotonsillectomy

Introduction: The most common type of velopharyngeal valve (VPV) closure is a matter of controversy. The aim of this study was to estimate the most common type of VPV closure, including identification of the type and grade of VPV closure among Egyptian children. Materials and Methods: This study included patients who were candidates for adenotonsillectomy. In these cases, video-nasoendoscopy and speech assessment were performed prior to surgery in addition to otorhinolaryngology examination and preoperative laboratory tests. Results: By examination of 97 patients, video-nasoendoscopy of the VPV revealed that 49 patients had coronal VPV closure (50.5%), 48 patients had circular VPV closure (49.5%) and no patients had sagittal VPV closure. Conclusion: Coronal and circular closure are the main types of VPV closure in Arabic-speaking children, as neither sagittal closure nor circular closure with Passavant’s ridge were detected in this study. Therefore, revision of the methods of repair for persistent velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI) is required.
Confirmation of High Incidence of Type 1 (Insulin‐dependent) Diabetes Mellitus in Moroccan Children in The Netherlands

The incidence of Type 1 (insulin‐dependent) diabetes mellitus among Moroccan children aged (0–19 years) in The Netherlands was determined. Point of reference was the data derived from the second nationwide incidence study on Type 1 diabetes among children under 20 years of age. In that study the incidence among Dutch children was 13.2 100 000−1 year−1. To scrutinize the data and to obtain more information a questionnaire was sent in 1993 to all specialists who had reported that they had diagnosed a patient with Type 1 diabetes during the years 1988–1990 whose parents originated from Morocco, Turkey or other foreign countries. The questionnaire requested information on origin and migration of child and parents. The response to the questionnaire was 86 % for the Moroccan children, 75 % for the Turkish children and 100 % for the children from other countries. In only one case a wrong country had been recorded. None of the patients had been in The Netherlands for less than 6 months before the diagnosis. The incidence for Moroccan children was 20.0 (95 % CI 14.6–26.9) and for Turkish children 4.5 (95 % CI 2.2–8.0) 100 000−1 year−1. It is concluded that the incidence of Type 1 diabetes in Moroccan children (0–19 years) is 1.5 times higher than in Dutch children and 4.5 times higher than in Turkish children. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Status, Habitat Use, and Behaviour of Wintering Greater Flamingos Phoenicopterus roseus in Semi-Arid and Saharan Wetlands of Algeria

The Greater flamingo is considered the flagship species of wetlands across semi-arid and Saharan regions of Africa, especially Chotts and Sebkhas, which also concentrate significant numbers of bird species. Flamingos have different status (wintering and breeder) which vary between sites in different parts of Algeria. We conducted surveys and recorded banded flamingos across distinct regions within two climatic belts: semi-arid (Hauts Plateaux) and arid (Sahara), showing the importance of these sites in the migratory flyways particularly the relation between West Mediterranean and West Africa populations. The distribution of Greater flamingos varied between sites and seasons, where the concentrations mainly were in the wide, lees deep and salt lakes. Many of the sites (17) in the surveyed area were regularly supporting at least 1% of the regional population during winter. The analysis of Greater flamingos behaviour in different climatic regions in relation showed that the feeding is the dominant diurnal activity with rates exceeding 60% of the time. While feeding varies between seasons, and showed a negative relationship with the degree of disturbance. Keywords—Algeria, greater flamingo, Phoenicopterus roseus, Sahara, semi-arid.
A Study of Contact Endurance Switching Life as a Function of Contact Bond Quality, Contact Electrical Load and Residual Stresses for Silver Tin Indium Oxide Composite Rivet Contacts

This work investigates contact endurance switching life as a function of the contact interface bond quality and residual stresses created in the contacts by different electrical loads. Comparisons are made using resistive loads under different DC voltages and currents and also some AC loads. The mechanisms for failure for different levels of power loads and bond quality are explained in terms of thermal and mechanical stress levels and arc energy. This work covers machine made composite rivets with silver tin indium oxide material directly bonded to ETP copper. It also shows how liquid metal embrittlement of the contact can result from long duration switching endurance.
Use of tranquilizing drugs by a middle-aged population in a West Germany city.

Sociological writings give the impression that the consumption of tranquilizing drugs in our society is related to social factors on a micro-and a macro-sociological level. A questionnaire survey in Hannover, Germany, in 1970 and 1972 with a random sample of 1,251 subjects born in 1920 showed that 14.7 percent of the men and 27.1 percent of the women took tranquilizers "presently" and "regularly. " The drug consumption is higher in middle and upper classes, particularly for men. There is a strong relationship between mental health (as assessed by the 22-Item-Scale) and drug consumption. The use of drugs is related to subjective ill health and is unrelated to objective indicators of health status. The data support a psychiatric-medical model rather than a sociological one.
Hematologic and biochemical abnormalities indicating iron deficiency are associated with decreased reticulocyte hemoglobin content (CHr) and reticulocyte volume (rMCV) in dogs.

BACKGROUND The ADVIA 120 automated hematology system uses low- and high-angle light scatter to determine individual RBC and reticulocyte volume and hemoglobin (Hgb) concentration. Current hematologic and biochemical markers of iron status in the dog are insensitive, and results may be highly variable, especially in the presence of concurrent disease (ie, inflammation, neoplasia). Reticulocyte Hgb content (CHr) has proven useful in detecting early iron deficiency and iron deficiency masked by concurrent disease in human patients. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to retrospectively investigate the association of low CHr and reticulocyte MCV (rMCV) with hematologic and biochemical abnormalities indicative of iron deficiency in canine patients. METHODS Reference intervals for CHr and rMCV were established on a population of 362 hematologically-normal dogs using standard methods. CBC and serum biochemical results from 833 dogs at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital were retrospectively evaluated. The prevalence of decreased CHr and rMCV values was determined based on the reference intervals. Hematologic (HCT, MCV) and biochemical (serum Fe concentration, percent saturation of transferrin [% sat]) values were compared among dogs with low CHr (n=58), low rMCV (n=50), and control dogs (cohort groups from the initial population) using a Fisher exact test. RESULTS Reference intervals were 22.3-27.9 pg for CHr and 77.8-100.2 fL for rMCV. Seven percent (n=58) of dogs in the hospital population had low CHr and 6% (n=50) had low rMCV based on the reference values. Dogs with low CHr had significantly lower HCT, MCV, serum Fe, and % sat values than did control dogs. In addition, dogs with low CHr or low rMCV values had a higher frequency of microcytosis, anemia, low serum Fe concentration, and low % sat than did control dogs. CONCLUSION Low CHr and low rMCV are associated with hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities indicative of iron deficiency. CHr and rMCV hold promise as noninvasive, cost-effective measures of iron status in the dog.
No strong relationship between body mass index and clinical hand osteoarthritis – results from a population-based case-control study

Objectives: The aim of this population-based case–control study was to investigate whether a high body mass index (BMI) is a risk factor for clinical hand osteoarthritis (OA). Method: Persons living in Ullensaker municipality in Norway who were aged 20–52 years in 1990 reported height and weight in 1990, 1994, 2004, and 2010 (n = 1276). Cases (clinical hand OA in 2010, n = 59) were compared to controls (participants without self-reported OA or hand pain in 2010, n = 805) with regard to the prospectively measured BMI by means of a generalized estimating equation (GEE) analysis adjusted for age, sex, time, and education. Results: The mean age of hand OA cases was 64 (SD = 7.5) years in 2010 and 78% were women. There was no association between total average BMI over the entire period and later clinical hand OA (p = 0.320). Cases had a higher mean BMI in 1990 [unstandardized B = 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.07–1.79] and in 1994 (B = 0.75, 95% CI 0.22–1.28) but there were no differences between the groups in 2004 or 2010. Conclusions: The study lend support to the hypothesis that having a higher BMI when young or middle-aged might be associated with later hand OA.
Presynaptic α2‐adrenoceptors control excitatory, but not inhibitory, transmission at rat hippocampal synapses

1 The effects of noradrenaline on neurotransmission at rat hippocampal synapses were investigated by recording autaptic currents in single neurons isolated on glial microislands. Noradrenaline reduced excitatory, but not inhibitory, autaptic currents in a pertussis toxin‐sensitive manner, but the amine did not affect glutamate‐evoked currents. 2 The inhibition of excitatory autaptic currents by noradrenaline was half‐maximal at 0.11 ± 0.06 μm. The α2‐adrenoceptor agonists UK 14 304 and clonidine were equipotent to noradrenaline in reducing these currents, whereas the α1‐adrenoceptor agonist methoxamine and the β‐adrenoceptor agonist isoprenaline (isoproterenol) were ineffective. The reduction of excitatory autaptic currents by noradrenaline was not altered by the α1‐adrenergic antagonist urapidil or the β‐antagonist propranolol, but reduced by the α2‐antagonist yohimbine. The subtype‐preferring antagonists rauwolscine and phentolamine (both at 0.3 μm) caused 9‐fold and 36‐fold rightward shifts in the concentration‐response curve for the noradrenaline‐dependent reduction of excitatory autaptic currents, respectively. Prazosine (1 μm) did not affect this concentration‐response curve. 3 Noradrenaline reduced voltage‐activated Ca2+ currents in excitatory, but not in inhibitory, microisland neurons. For comparison, the GABAB agonist baclofen reduced both excitatory and inhibitory autaptic currents and diminished voltage‐activated Ca2+ currents in both types of neurons. The inhibition of Ca2+ currents by noradrenaline was half‐maximal at 0.17 ± 0.05 μm, and UK 14 304 and clonidine were equipotent to noradrenaline in reducing these currents. The noradrenaline‐induced reduction of Ca2+ currents was antagonized by yohimbine, but not by urapidil or propranolol; the subtype‐preferring α2‐adrenergic antagonists displayed the following rank order of activity: phentolamine > rauwolscine > prazosine. 4 Noradrenaline did not affect K+ currents and failed to alter the frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents measured in mass cultures of hippocampal neurons. 5 These results show that noradrenaline regulates transmission at glutamatergic, but not at GABAergic, hippocampal synapses via presynaptic α2‐adrenoceptors of the α2A/D subtype. This inhibitory action involves an inhibition of voltage‐activated Ca2+ currents, but no modulation of spontaneous vesicle exocytosis or of voltage‐activated K+ currents.
Uncertainty Aversion and Systemic Risk

We propose a new theory of systemic risk based on Knightian uncertainty (“ambiguity”). Because of uncertainty aversion, bad news on one asset class worsens investors’ expectations on other asset classes, so that idiosyncratic risk creates contagion, snowballing into systemic risk. In a Diamond and Dybvig setting, uncertainty-averse investors are less prone to run individual banks, but runs can be systemic and are associated with stock market crashes and flight to quality. Finally, increasing uncertainty makes the financial system more fragile and more prone to crises. Implications for the current public policy debate on management of financial crisis are derived.
Anatomical-Functional Image Fusion by Information of Interest in Local Laplacian Filtering Domain

A novel method for performing anatomical magnetic resonance imaging-functional (positron emission tomography or single photon emission computed tomography) image fusion is presented. The method merges specific feature information from input image signals of a single or multiple medical imaging modalities into a single fused image, while preserving more information and generating less distortion. The proposed method uses a local Laplacian filtering-based technique realized through a novel multi-scale system architecture. First, the input images are generated in a multi-scale image representation and are processed using local Laplacian filtering. Second, at each scale, the decomposed images are combined to produce fused approximate images using a local energy maximum scheme and produce the fused residual images using an information of interest-based scheme. Finally, a fused image is obtained using a reconstruction process that is analogous to that of conventional Laplacian pyramid transform. Experimental results computed using individual multi-scale analysis-based decomposition schemes or fusion rules clearly demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method through subjective observation as well as objective metrics. Furthermore, the proposed method can obtain better performance, compared with the state-of-the-art fusion methods.
NAD-Dependent DNA-Binding Activity of the Bifunctional NadR Regulator of Salmonella typhimurium

ABSTRACT NadR is a 45-kDa bifunctional regulator protein. In vivo genetic studies indicate that NadR represses three genes involved in the biosynthesis of NAD. It also participates with an integral membrane protein (PnuC) in the import of nicotinamide mononucleotide, an NAD precursor. NadR was overexpressed and purified as a His-tagged fusion in order to study its DNA-binding properties. The protein bound to DNA fragments containing NAD box consensus sequences. NAD proved to be the relevant in vivo corepressor, but full NAD dependence of repressor activity required nucleotide triphosphates. DNA footprint analysis and gel shift assays suggest that NadR binds as a multimer to adjacent NAD boxes. The DNA-repressor complex would sequester a potential RNA polymerase binding site and thereby decrease expression of thenad regulon.
A New Outlook on the Action of Salicylate

I N A D D I T ION to the well known clinical effects of salicylate in rheumatic fever two outstanding biochemical changes follow treatment with full doses of the drug. There is a progressive rise in the output of nitrogen in the urine which exceeds the protein intake and a respiratory alkalosis develops (Reid et al., 1950). These changes appear simultaneously and reach their height between the fifth and tenth days of salicylate administration when the temperature has returned to normal so that they are not due to fever. The connection between increased nitrogen output indicating increased protein katabolism and a respiratory alkalosis is not obvious. The possibility that the change in the reaction of blood plasma is due to a central action of salicylate on respiration has been suggested by Rapoport and Guest (1945), who reported a respiratory alkalosis in monkeys and dogs after salicylate and attributed it to primary stimulation of respiration by the drug. The same explanation but an alternative site of action was put forward by Graham and Parker (1948), who claimed that hyperventilation in cats from salicylate is prevented by cutting both vagus nerves. The inference is that salicylate stimulates breathing through an action on peripheral vagal nerve endings, and the resulting hyperventilation leads to an alkalosis from excessive loss of carbon dioxide. There is no doubt that the alkalosis arises from respiratory stimulation, but whether this is a direct or an indirect effect of salicylate has still to be settled (Boyle et al., 1947). On present information it is difficult to understand how increased protein breakdown, an invariable accompaniment of the respiratory alkalosis, arises unless it is due to the alkalosis. This possibility seemed worth investigating, and the rabbit was selected as a suitable animal for the purpose. Our intention was to study the respiratory gaseous exchanges before and after administration of salicylate and then proceed to investigate the relation between the reaction and protein metabolic changes.
Toll-like Receptor Signaling Stimulates Cell Cycle Entry and Progression in Fibroblasts*

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are proteins involved in recognition of foreign pathogen-associated molecular patterns and activation of processes leading to innate immune recognition. We show that stimulation of fibroblasts with a TLR5 ligand, flagellin, can induce proliferation of serum-starved cells or prevent cell cycle exit upon serum withdrawal independently of autologous growth factor secretion. Other TLR ligands, such as poly(I:C) and lipopolysaccharide, can have a similar effect only if the action of type I interferons is blocked. Flagellin stimulation can prevent cell cycle arrest induced by overexpression of exogenous cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27. Stimulation of TLR5 and overexpression of MyD88, but not TRIF, TIRAP, or TRAM, result in p27 degradation, which can be suppressed by dominant negative Akt and mutation of the p27 C-terminal Thr187 site. These data provide evidence for a nonimmune and cell autonomous role of TLR signaling, whereby TLR stimulation provides a positive signal for cell division.