Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Obeticholic acid ameliorates dyslipidemia but not glucose tolerance in mouse model of gestational diabetes

Metabolism alters markedly with advancing gestation, characterized by progressive insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and raised serum bile acids. The nuclear receptor farnesoid X receptor (FXR) has an integral role in bile acid homeostasis and modulates glucose and lipid metabolism. FXR is known to be functionally suppressed in pregnancy. The FXR agonist, obeticholic acid (OCA), improves insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. We therefore hypothesized that OCA treatment during pregnancy could improve disease severity in a mouse model of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). C57BL/6J mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% kcal from fat) for 4 wk before and throughout pregnancy to induce GDM. The impact of the diet supplemented with 0.03% OCA throughout pregnancy was studied. Pregnant HFD-fed mice displayed insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. OCA significantly reduced plasma cholesterol concentrations in nonpregnant and pregnant HFD-fed mice (by 22.4%, P < 0.05 and 36.4%, P < 0.001, respectively) and reduced the impact of pregnancy on insulin resistance but did not change glucose tolerance. In nonpregnant HFD-fed mice, OCA ameliorated weight gain, reduced mRNA expression of inflammatory markers in white adipose tissue, and reduced plasma glucagon-like peptide 1 concentrations (by 62.7%, P < 0.01). However, these effects were not evident in pregnant mice. OCA administration can normalize plasma cholesterol levels in a mouse model of GDM. However, the absence of several of the effects of OCA in pregnant mice indicates that the agonistic action of OCA is not sufficient to overcome many metabolic consequences of the pregnancy-associated reduction in FXR activity.
Predicting Perceptual Decisions Using Visual Cortical Population Responses and Choice History

Our understanding of the neural basis of perceptual decision making has been built in part on relating co-fluctuations of single neuron responses to perceptual decisions on a trial-by-trial basis. The strength of this relationship is often compared across neurons or brain areas, recorded in different sessions, animals, or variants of a task. We sought to extend our understanding of perceptual decision making in three ways. First, we measured neuronal activity simultaneously in early [primary visual cortex (V1)] and midlevel (V4) visual cortex while macaque monkeys performed a fine orientation discrimination perceptual task. This allowed a direct comparison of choice signals in these two areas, including their dynamics. Second, we asked how our ability to predict animals' decisions would be improved by considering small simultaneously-recorded neuronal populations rather than individual units. Finally, we asked whether predictions would be improved by taking into account the animals' choice and reward histories, which can strongly influence decision making. We found that responses of individual V4 neurons were weakly predictive of decisions, but only in a brief epoch between stimulus offset and the indication of choice. In V1, few neurons showed significant decision-related activity. Analysis of neuronal population responses revealed robust choice-related information in V4 and substantially weaker signals in V1. Including choice- and reward-history information improved performance further, particularly when the recorded populations contained little decision-related information. Our work shows the power of using neuronal populations and decision history when relating neuronal responses to the perceptual decisions they are thought to underlie. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Decades of research has provided a rich description of how visual information is represented in the visual cortex. Yet how cortical responses relate to visual perception remains poorly understood. Here we relate fluctuations in small neuronal population responses, recorded simultaneously in primary visual cortex (V1) and area V4 of monkeys, to perceptual reports in an orientation discrimination task. Choice-related signals were robust in V4, particularly late in the behavioral trial, but not in V1. Models that include both neuronal responses and choice-history information were able to predict a substantial portion of decisions. Our work shows the power of integrating information across neurons and including decision history in relating neuronal responses to perceptual decisions.
How psychology might alleviate violence in queues: Perceived future wait and perceived load moderate violence against service providers

Introduction Queues are inherent to service encounters, as it is not always possible to provide service to all clients at the exact moment they request service. Queues involve waiting for a service in a specific place that might also be crowded, they obstruct the client's’ goal of receiving service, and at times lead clients to mistreat service providers and in extreme cases even attack them violently. We show, in a hospital setting, that perceived predicted future wait and load can buffer the causes of violence towards service staff. Methods We combine objective data on crowdedness, reports of violence, and durations of time people waited, with psychological measures of perceived load and perceived future wait, collected from 226 people in the Emergency Department (ED) of a large hospital. Visitors to the ED were recruited as they waited for service. They indicated their perceived load in the ED and their perceived remaining wait for service. This data was then triangulated with objective operational data regarding the actual number of people waiting for service (i.e., crowdedness) and objective data regarding staff calls to security to stop violent accounts. Results We find that with increased crowdedness, there are more calls to security reporting violence. However, this relationship is moderated by two factors: when people perceive the future wait to be short and when they perceive the load on the system to be high. Moreover, a three-way interaction shows that crowdedness is associated with more incidents of violence, however high perceived load and low perceived future wait are associated with fewer violent incidents. Conclusions This paper demonstrates the relationship between crowded queues and violence towards service staff, and suggests two psychological mechanisms for buffering such violence: reducing perceived future wait and elevating perceived load.
Placental weight and size in relation to fetal growth restriction: a case-control study

Abstract Objective Reductions in placental weight and size have been associated with reduced fetal growth. However, few studies have examined the association of placental weight and size with the risk of fetal growth restriction (FGR). Methods We enrolled 121 mother-newborn pairs, including 54 FGR cases and 67 healthy controls, from our previous case-control study. The weight, surface area, and thickness of the placenta were measured by medical professionals. Results Reduced placental weight and surface area were found to be associated with decreased birth weight. A 10-unit decrement in placental weight (g) and surface area (cm2) was associated with 33.9 (β = 33.9, 95% CI, 22.1–45.7) and 24.3 (β = 24.3, 95% CI, 11.2–37.5) g decrease in birth weight, respectively. Those associations varied by infant gender and the magnitudes of effect were larger among male fetuses. Moreover, reduced placental weight and surface area were associated with increased odds of FGR. A 10-unit decrease in placental weight and surface area were associated with 21% (OR = 1.21, 95% CI, 1.08–1.44) and 19% (OR = 1.19, 95% CI, 1.06–1.41) increase in the odds of FGR. Conclusions Our results suggest that fetuses with lower placental weight and smaller surface area are at higher risk of developing FGR.
Laboratory Compaction Study and Mechanical Performance Assessment of Half-Warm Mix Recycled Asphalt Mixtures Containing 100% RAP

The use of low-carbon and energy-efficient paving technologies is gaining worldwide acceptance in recent years as a means to encourage commitment towards more sustainable pavement management practices. However, there still remain some technical gaps regarding mix design procedures for the half-warm mix asphalt (HWMA) mixtures’ preparation and characterization in the laboratory. To this end, three different laboratory compaction methods (e.g., static load, Marshall impactor, and gyratory compactor) were selected and put into assessment to define the most suitable compaction test method for half-warm mix recycled asphalt (HWMRA) mixtures with 100% reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). Posteriorly, the effect of four-accelerated curing treatments (0, 24, 48, and 72 h) on the mixtures’ mechanical performance was investigated. Then, advanced mechanical characterization of the mixture performance was conducted to quantify the indirect tensile strength (ITS), stiffness modulus, rutting, and four-point bending (4PB) fatigue test. Thus, based on the authors’ findings, the HWMRA mixtures with 100% RAP and emulsified bitumen exhibited proper volumetric (e.g., air voids and density) and mechanical behavior in terms of moisture damage, ITS, stiffness modulus, rutting, and fatigue cracking. These findings encourage greater confidence in promoting the use of these sustainable asphalt mixes for their use in road pavements or urban streets.
Vision models and quality metrics for image processing applications

These Ecole polytechnique federale de Lausanne EPFL, n° 2313 (2000)Faculte des sciences et techniques de l'ingenieurInstitut de genie electrique et electroniqueLaboratoire de traitement des signaux 1Jury: Michel Benard, Jean-Bernard Martens, Philippe Robert, Christian Van den Branden Lamb, Pierre Vandergheynst Public defense: 2001-2-2 Reference doi:10.5075/epfl-thesis-2313Print copy in library catalog Record created on 2005-03-16, modified on 2016-08-08
When Is A Lineage A Species? A Case Study In Myxacorys gen. nov. (Synechococcales: Cyanobacteria) With The Description of Two New Species From The Americas

Soil cyanobacteria are crucial components of biological soil crusts and carry out many functions in dryland ecosystems. Despite this importance, their taxonomy and population genetics remain poorly known. We isolated 42 strains of simple filamentous cyanobacteria previously identified as Pseudophormidium hollerbachianum from 26 desert locations in the North and South America and characterized these strains using a total evidence approach, that is, using both morphological and molecular data to arrive at taxonomic decisions. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, we propose and characterize Myxacorys gen. nov. with two new species Myxacorys chilensis, the generitype, and M. californica. We also found distinct 16S‐23S ITS sequence variability within species in our dataset. Especially interesting was the presence of two distinct lineages of M. californica obtained from locations in close spatial proximity (within a few meters to kilometers from each other) suggesting niche differentiation. The detection of such unrecognized lineage‐level variability in soil cyanobacteria has important implications for biocrust restoration practices and conservation efforts.
The neuropeptide 26RFa in the human gut and pancreas: potential involvement in glucose homeostasis

Objective Recent studies performed in mice revealed that the neuropeptide 26RFa regulates glucose homeostasis by acting as an incretin and by increasing insulin sensitivity. However, in humans, an association between 26RFa and the regulation of glucose homeostasis is poorly documented. In this study, we have thus investigated in detail the distribution of 26RFa and its receptor, GPR103, in the gut and the pancreas, and determined the response of this peptidergic system to an oral glucose challenge in obese patients. Design and methods Distribution of 26RFa and GPR103 was examined by immunohistochemistry using gut and pancreas tissue sections. Circulating 26RFa was determined using a specific radioimmunoassay in plasma samples collected during an oral glucose tolerance test. Results 26RFa and GPR103 are present all along the gut but are more abundant in the stomach and duodenum. In the stomach, the peptide and its receptor are highly expressed in the gastric glands, whereas in the duodenum, ileum and colon they are present in the enterocytes and the goblet cells. In the pancreatic islets, the 26RFa/GPR103 system is mostly present in the β cells. During an oral glucose tolerance test, plasma 26RFa profile is different between obese patients and healthy volunteers, and we found strong positive correlations between 26RFa blood levels and the BMI, and with various parameters of insulin secretion and insulin resistance. Conclusion The present data suggest an involvement of the 26RFa/GPR103 peptidergic system in the control of human glucose homeostasis.
25-Hydroxy Vitamin D Detection Using Different Analytic Methods in Patients with Migraine

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of different analytic methods, such as liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), high-performance liquid chromatography-ultraviolet (HPLC-UV), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (EIA), and chemiluminescence immunoassays (CLIA), in order to highlight whether or not there is relative superiority amongst the assays. We analyzed two groups of subjects suffering from headache and two groups of healthy subjects. Design and Methods: We performed a prospective, single-blind single-center control-group study on 220 subjects with migraine. Subjects of both sexes >10 years old and with 12 months’ history of migraine were eligible for the study. As a control group, 120 healthy subjects were chosen by their family physician. Results: LC-MS/MS evaluation documented that in all enrolled subjects (migraine and control groups), the serum vitamin D3 levels were lower with respect to the normal range (30–100 ng/mL), with a mean value of 15.4 ng/mL, without difference between sex. The mean values measured using HPLC-UV, EIA, and CLIA tests such as Liaison® and Architect® did not show significant differences compared to the values obtained using LC-MS/MS. Conclusions: In conclusion, the population generally has low values of the vitamin D3 hormone, and the suggested range should probably be revised. HPLC-UV and CLIA were found to have appropriate analytical values compared to the reference method (LC-MS/MS), so it is possible to suggest their routine use to optimize care.
Metabolic Brain Network Analysis of FDG-PET in Alzheimer’s Disease Using Kernel-Based Persistent Features

Recent research of persistent homology in algebraic topology has shown that the altered network organization of human brain provides a promising indicator of many neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases. However, the current slope-based approach may not accurately characterize changes of persistent features over graph filtration because such curves are not strictly linear. Moreover, our previous integrated persistent feature (IPF) works well on an rs-fMRI cohort while it has not yet been studied on metabolic brain networks. To address these issues, we propose a novel univariate network measurement, kernel-based IPF (KBI), based on the prior IPF, to quantify the difference between IPF curves. In our experiments, we apply the KBI index to study fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) imaging data from 140 subjects with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), 280 subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 280 healthy normal controls (NC). The results show the disruption of network integration in the progress of AD. Compared to previous persistent homology-based measures, as well as other standard graph-based measures that characterize small-world organization and modular structure, our proposed network index KBI possesses more significant group difference and better classification performance, suggesting that it may be used as an effective preclinical AD imaging biomarker.
Strigolactone promotes cytokinin degradation through transcriptional activation of CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE 9 in rice

Significance Strigolactone plays a vital role in plant growth and development, but its response genes remain to be identified. In this study, we found that cytokinin content is markedly increased in the strigolactone signaling mutant d53, and that OsCKX9, which encodes a cytokinin oxidase to catalyze the degradation of cytokinin, functions as a primary strigolactone-responsive gene to regulate rice tillering, plant height, and panicle size, likely via a secondary response gene, OsRR5, which encodes a cytokinin-inducible rice type-A response regulator, demonstrating that strigolactone regulates rice shoot architecture through enhanced cytokinin catabolism by modulating OsCKX9 expression. Strigolactones (SLs), a group of terpenoid lactones derived from carotenoids, are plant hormones that control numerous aspects of plant development. Although the framework of SL signaling that the repressor DWARF 53 (D53) could be SL-dependently degraded via the SL receptor D14 and F-box protein D3 has been established, the downstream response genes to SLs remain to be elucidated. Here we show that the cytokinin (CK) content is dramatically increased in shoot bases of the rice SL signaling mutant d53. By examining transcript levels of all the CK metabolism-related genes after treatment with SL analog GR24, we identified CYTOKININ OXIDASE/DEHYDROGENASE 9 (OsCKX9) as a primary response gene significantly up-regulated within 1 h of treatment in the wild type but not in d53. We also found that OsCKX9 functions as a cytosolic and nuclear dual-localized CK catabolic enzyme, and that the overexpression of OsCKX9 suppresses the browning of d53 calli. Both the CRISPR/Cas9-generated OsCKX9 mutants and OsCKX9-overexpressing transgenic plants showed significant increases in tiller number and decreases in plant height and panicle size, suggesting that the homeostasis of OsCKX9 plays a critical role in regulating rice shoot architecture. Moreover, we identified the CK-inducible rice type-A response regulator OsRR5 as the secondary SL-responsive gene, whose expression is significantly repressed after 4 h of GR24 treatment in the wild type but not in osckx9. These findings reveal a comprehensive plant hormone cross-talk in which SL can induce the expression of OsCKX9 to down-regulate CK content, which in turn triggers the response of downstream genes.
Development of an acute, short-term exposure model for phosgene

Abstract Phosgene is classified as a chemical warfare agent, yet data on its short-duration high concentration toxicity in a nose-only exposure rat model is sparse and inconsistent. Hence, an exposure system for short-term/high concentration exposure was developed and characterized. Herein, we report the median lethal concentration (LC50) for a 10-min nasal exposure of phosgene in a 24-h rat survival model. Male Wistar rats (Envigo) weighing 180–210 g on the day of exposure, were exposed to phosgene gas via nose-only inhalation using a system specifically designed to allow the simultaneous exposure and quantification of phosgene. After 24 h, the surviving rats were euthanized, the lung/body mass ratio determined, and lung tissues analyzed for histopathology. Increased terminal airway edema in the lungs located primarily at the alveoli (resulting in an increased lung/body mass ratio) coincided with the observed mortality. An LC50 value of 129.2 mg/m3 for a 10-min exposure was determined. Furthermore, in agreement with other highly toxic compounds, this study reveals a LC50 concentration value supportive of a nonlinear toxic load model, where the toxic load exponent is >1 (ne = 1.17). Thus, in line with other chemical warfare agents, phosgene toxicity is predicted to be more severe with short-duration, high-concentration exposures than long-duration, low-concentration exposures. This model is anticipated to be refined and developed to screen novel therapeutics against relevant short-term high concentration phosgene exposures expected from a terrorist attack, battlefield deployment, or industrial accident.
CMOS current-controlled oscillators using multiple-feedback-loop ring architectures

Three types of high-frequency current-controlled oscillators (ICO) having multiple-feedback loops are implemented in a 0.8 /spl mu/m CMOS technology. Three stage single-feedback-loop ICO (SICO) and double-feedback-loop ICO (DICO) and four-stage triple-feedback-loop ICO (TICO) are tested and compared. They all use the differential current steering logic (DCSL). Using the multiple-feedback-loop ring architectures, the operation frequencies of the ICO's are considerably improved and obtained 1.69 GHz.
Problem of tracking a reference with unknown derivatives

High-gain observers have been used as approximate differentiators in state estimation in nonlinear systems. The classical problem of tracking a reference signal requires knowledge of certain derivatives of the reference. This information may not be available on-line. We extend the use of high-gain observers to formulate special forms that estimate the requisite derivatives. The development is primarily based on tracking properties of thigh-gain observers, which have been termed as wide-band filters in this particular application. Related issues like estimation error have been discussed in the course of development. It has also been shown that step- and ramp-invariant discrete equivalents are the appropriate methods for implementation of wide-band filters.
Cancer Stem Cells and Radioresistance: DNA Repair and Beyond

The current preclinical and clinical findings demonstrate that, in addition to the conventional clinical and pathological indicators that have a prognostic value in radiation oncology, the number of cancer stem cells (CSCs) and their inherent radioresistance are important parameters for local control after radiotherapy. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms of CSC radioresistance attributable to DNA repair mechanisms and the development of CSC-targeted therapies for tumor radiosensitization. We also discuss the current challenges in preclinical and translational CSC research including the high inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity, plasticity of CSCs, and microenvironment-stimulated tumor cell reprogramming.
Influences of Ga Doping on Crystal Structure and Polarimetric Pattern of SHG in ZnO Nanofilms

The second-harmonic generation (SHG) in gallium doped ZnO (GZO) nanofilms was studied. The Ga doping in GZO nanofilms influenced the crystal structure of the films, which affected SHG characteristics of the nanofilms. In our experiments, a strong SHG response was obtained in GZO nanofilms, which was excited by 790 nm femtosecond laser. It was observed that the Ga doping concentrations affected, not only the intensity, but also the polarimetric pattern of SHG in GZO nanofilms. For 5.0% doped GZO films, the SHG intensity increased about 70%. The intensity ratio of SHG between the incident light polarization angle of 90° and 0°changed with the Ga doping concentrations. It showed the most significant increase for 7.3% doped GZO films, with an increased ratio of c/a crystal constants. This result was attributed to the differences of the ratios of d33/d31 (the second-order nonlinear susceptibility components) induced by the crystal distortion. The results are helpful to investigate nanofilms doping levels and crystal distortion by SHG microscopy, which is a non-destructive and sensitive method.