Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Scorpion venom peptide, BmK AGAP as an adjuvant to lidocaine in sciatic nerve block causes dose-dependent increase intensity of sensory block and prolog duration of analgesia in rat.

Background: Various analgesics adjuvants, including opioids, have been tested and demonstrated to be clinically beneficial when added to local anesthetics in an attempt to increase the duration of analgesia with the risk of various adverse effects. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that scorpion venom peptide, BmK AGAP as an adjuvant to lidocaine causes dose-dependent increase intensity of sensory block and prolong duration of analgesia. Method: We performed partial sciatic nerve ligation on 60 rats to induce a rapid onset and long-lasting mechanical allodynia. Equal volume (600µl) of preservative-free lidocaine (0.5%) and BmK AGAP (2 or 1 mg/kg) were prepared with saline (0.9%). The rats were randomly allocated into five groups. Group A (n=12) received saline as the negative control; Group B (n=12) received equal volume of lidocaine and saline; Group C (n=12) received lidocaine and BmK AGAP (1 mg/kg); Group D (n=12) received lidocaine along with BmK AGAP (2 mg/kg) and Group E (n=12) sham. We operated on the rats representing the sham group (n=12) and the sciatic nerve exposed but not ligated. The von Frey filaments were used to assessed mechanical allodynia in rats. Results: The data showed that rats from the lidocaine group exhibited increased 12.51g of PWT. The rats from the BmK AGAP (1 mg/kg) group exhibited increased 13.67g of PWT, whereas the rats from the BmK AGAP (2mg/kg) group exhibited increased 14.78g of PWT compared with the baseline PWT. There was a prolonged duration of increased paw withdrawal threshold in rats that were supplemented with BmK AGAP compared with rats that received lidocaine injection alone. We realized a significant (P< 0.0001) prolonged duration of increased paw withdrawal threshold in rats that were supplemented with BmK AGAP (2 mg/kg) compared with rats that received BmK AGAP (1 mg/kg). Conclusion: This study finding suggests scorpion venom peptide, BmK AGAP to be a potent analgesic adjuvant. BmK AGAP as an adjuvant to lidocaine in sciatic nerve block increase the intensity of sensory block and prolongs perioperative analgesia without significant adverse effects. Keywords: Scorpion venom peptide, BmK AGAP, nerve block, adjuvant, perioperative analgesia
Hepatic FGF21 is Under the Regulation of the Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathway by Yasaman Badakhshi A thesis submitted in conformity with the requirements

Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) has emerged as an important metabolic regulator for its involvement in energy homeostasis and insulin signaling sensitization. Our lab has obtained preliminary observation suggesting that hepatic FGF21 is reduced in male LTCFDN, a transgenic mouse line in which canonical Wnt signaling cascade is functionally attenuated. With approaches including Western blotting, quantitative RT-PCR, and ELISA, I verified reduced hepatic Fgf21 mRNA and FGF21 protein levels, along with reduced fasting plasma FGF21 level in male LTCFDN mice. This reduction was not associated with reduced expression of Pparα, a known Fgf21 transactivator. Utilizing mouse primary hepatocytes, luciferase reporter assay, and chromatin immunoprecipitation, I determined the stimulation of Fgf21 expression by Wnt activation at transcriptional level, attributed to increased TCF7L2 binding to the Fgf21 promoter. My observations collectively suggest that Wnt signaling cascade is involved in hepatic FGF21 production, and this positive regulation is likely independent of PPARα-mediated regulation.
The Signi cance of Follow-Up Serum Uric Acid Levels in Predicting All-Cause Mortality and Cardiovascular Mortality in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

Pingping Ren Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital Qilong Zhang Anji People's Hospital,Huzhou,China Yixuan Pan Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital Yi Liu Anji People's Hospital, Huzhou, China Chenglin Li Anji People's Hospital,Huzhou,China Zhenzhen Fan Ninghai First Hospital,Ningbo,China Xiaohui Zhang Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital Xishao Xie Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital Shilong Xiang Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital Jianghua Chen Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital Fei Han (  hanf8876@zju.edu.cn ) Zhejiang University School of Medicine First A liated Hospital https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5363-7556
LEARNING LIGHTING MODELS WITH SHADER-BASED NEURAL NETWORKS A Thesis

He, Qin M.S., Purdue University, May 2020. Learning Lighting Models with Shader-Based Neural Networks . Major Professor: Tim McGraw. To correctly reproduce the appearance of different objects in computer graphics applications, numerous lighting models have been proposed over the past several decades. These models are among the most important components in the modern graphics pipeline since they decide the final pixel color shown in the generated images. More physically valid parameters and functions have been introduced into recent models. These parameters expanded the range of materials that can be represented and made virtual scenes more realistic, but they also made the lighting models more complex and dependent on measured data. Artificial neural networks, or neural networks are famous for their ability to deal with complex data and to approximate arbitrary functions. They have been adopted by many data-driven approaches for computer graphics and proven to be effective. Furthermore, neural networks have also been used by the artists for creative works and proven to have the ability of supporting creation of visual effects, animation and computational arts. Therefore, it is reasonable to consider artificial neural networks as potential tools for representing lighting models. Since shaders are used for general-purpose computing, neural networks can be further combined with modern graphics pipeline using shader implementation. In this research, the possibilities of shader-based neural networks to be used as an alternative to traditional lighting models are explored. Fully connected neural networks are implemented in fragment shader to reproduce lighting results in the graphics pipeline, and trained in compute shaders. Implemented networks are proved to be able to approximate mathematical lighting models. In this thesis,
1361 Inﬂammatory Chemokine Transport and Presentation in HEV: A Remote Control Mechanism for Monocyte Recruitment to Lymph Nodes in Inﬂamed

Austria Abstract Interstitial fluid is constantly drained into lymph nodes (LNs) via afferent lymph vessels. This conduit enables monocyte-derived macrophages and dendritic cells to access LNs from peripheral tissues. We show that during inflammation in the skin, a second recruitment pathway is evoked that recruits large numbers of blood-borne monocytes to LNs via high endothelial venules (HEVs). Inhibition of monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 blocked this in-flammation-induced monocyte homing to LNs. MCP-1 mRNA in inflamed skin was over 100-fold upregulated and paralleled MCP-1 protein levels, whereas in draining LNs MCP-1 mRNA induction was much weaker and occurred only after a pronounced rise in MCP-1 protein. Thus, MCP-1 in draining LNs was primarily derived from inflamed skin. In MCP-1 (cid:2) / (cid:2) mice, intracutaneously injected MCP-1 accumulated rapidly in the draining LNs where it en-hanced monocyte recruitment. Intravital microscopy showed that skin-derived MCP-1 was transported via the lymph to the luminal surface of HEVs where it triggered integrin-depen-dent arrest of rolling monocytes. These findings demonstrate that inflamed peripheral tissues project their local chemokine profile to HEVs in draining LNs and thereby exert “remote control” over the composition of leukocyte populations that home to these organs from the formula 2 (cid:7)(cid:7) CT Statistical Analysis. Data are mean (cid:9) SEM. The Student’s t test was used for comparison of two groups. One-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett’s test was used for comparison of multiple test groups with a control group. P (cid:10) 0.05 was considered significant.
in vitro IFN susceptibility of ΔM27-MCMV is fully reversed by pharmacologic

Pathogen encounter induces interferons which signal via Janus kinases and STAT transcription 20 factors to establish an antiviral state. However, host and pathogens are situated in a continuous arms 21 race which shapes host evolution towards optimized immune responses and the pathogens towards 22 enhanced immune evasive properties. 23 Mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) counteracts interferon responses by pM27-mediated degradation 24 of STAT2 which directly affects the signaling of type I as well as type III interferons. Using MCMV 25 mutants lacking M27 and mice lacking STAT2, we studied the opposing relationship between 26 antiviral activities and viral antagonism in a natural host-pathogen pair in vitro and in vivo . In 27 contrast to wt-MCMV, ΔM27-MCMV was efficiently cleared from all organs within a few days in 28 BALB/c, C57BL/6, and 129 mice, highlighting the general importance of STAT2 antagonism for 29 MCMV replication. Despite this effective and relevant STAT2 antagonism, wt and STAT2-deficient 30 mice exhibited fundamentally different susceptibilities to MCMV infections. MCMV replication 31 was increased in all assessed organs (e.g. liver, spleen, lungs, and salivary glands) of STAT2- 32 deficient mice, resulting in mortality during the first week after infection. 33 Taken together, our study reveals the importance of cytomegaloviral interferon antagonism for viral 34 replication as well as a pivotal role of the remaining STAT2 activity for host survival. This mutual 35 influence establishes a stable evolutionary stand-off situation with fatal consequences when the 36 equilibrium is disturbed. 37 The host limits viral replication by interferons which signal via STAT proteins. Several viruses 40 evolved antagonists targeting STATs to antagonize IFNs (e.g. cytomegaloviruses, Zika virus, 41 Dengue virus, and several paramyxoviruses). We analyzed infections of mouse CMV expressing 42 or lacking the STAT2 antagonist pM27 in STAT2-deficient and control mice to evaluate their 43 importance for host and virus in vitro and in vivo . The inability to counteract STAT2 directly 44 translates into exaggerated IFN susceptibility in vitro and pronounced attenuation in vivo . Thus, 45 the antiviral activity mediated by IFNs via STAT2-dependent signaling drove the development 46 of a potent MCMV-encoded STAT2 antagonist which became indispensable for efficient virus 47 replication and spread to organs required for dissemination. Despite this clear impact of viral 48 STAT2 antagonism, the host critically required the remaining STAT2 activity to prevent overt 49 disease and mortality upon MCMV infection. Our findings highlight a remarkably delicate 50 balance between host and virus.
3. Exclusionary practices in secondary schools in the Netherlands: a comparison between students sent to out-of-school facilities and their non-referred peers

The present study investigated differences between students sent to out-of-school facilities ( N = 148), also called Rebound facilities, and non-referred students ( N = 411), in junior vocational high schools. Self-reports on externalizing and antisocial behaviors were used to compare the two samples. Referred students scored significantly higher on externalizing and antisocial behaviors than non-referred students. After controlling for age, gender, and socio-economic status (SES), an interaction effect between ethnicity and referral status was found, in which differences between referred and non-referred students on externalizing behavior were larger for national students than for immigrant students. No interaction effects were found for antisocial behaviors. In short, immigrant youths were more likely to be referred while reporting less externalizing behavior than their national peers. Practical implications in terms of possible intervention models are discussed.
Chloroplast Response to Low Leaf Water Potentials

Cyclic and noncyclic photophosphorylation and electron transport by photosystem 1, photosvstem 2, and from water to methyl viologen ("whole chain") were studied in chloroplasts isolated from sunflower (Helianthus annus L. var Russian Mammoth) leaves that had been desiccated to varying degrees. Electron transport showed considerable inhibition at leaf water potentials of -9 bars when the chloroplasts were exposed to an uncoupler in vitro, and it continued to decline in activity as leaf water potentials decreased. Electron transport by photosystem 2 and coupled electron transport by photosystem 1 and the whole chain were unaffected at leaf water potentials of -10 to -11 bars but became progressively inhibited between leaf water potentials of -11 and -17 bars. A low, stable activity remained at leaf water potentials below -17 bars. In contrast, both types of photophosphorylation were unaffected by leaf water potentials of -10 to -11 bars, but then ultimately became zero at leaf water potentials of -17 bars. Although the chloroplasts isolated from the desiccated leaves were coupled at leaf water potentials of -11 to -12 bars, they became progressively uncoupled as leaf water potentials de-creased to -17 bars. Abscisic acid and ribonuclease had no effect on chloroplast photophosphorylation. The results are generally consistent with the idea that chloroplast activity begins to decrease at the same leaf water potentials that cause stomatal closure in sunflower leaves and that chloroplast electron transport begins to limit photosynthesis at leaf water potentials below about -11 bars. However, it suggests that, during severe desiccation, the limitation may shift from
perceptions of crime and disorder: How

: This study attempts to disentangle the extent to which residents are systematically biased when reporting on the level of crime or disorder in their neighborhood. By utilizing a unique sample of households nested in household clusters, this study teases out the degree of systematic bias on the part of respondents when perceiving crime and disorder. The findings are generally consistent with theoretical expectations of which types of residents will perceive more crime or disorder, and contrast with the generally mixed results of prior studies that utilize an inappropriate aggregate unit when assuming that residents live in the same social context of crime or disorder. Estimating ancillary models on a sample of respondents nested in tracts produces mixed results that mirror the existing literature. I find that whites consistently perceive more crime or disorder than their neighbors. I also find that females, those with children, and those with longer residence in the neighborhood perceive more crime or disorder than their neighbors. Abstract This study attempts to disentangle the extent to which residents are systematically biased when reporting on the level of crime or disorder in their neighborhood. By utilizing a unique sample of households nested in household clusters, this study teases out the degree of systematic bias on the part of respondents when perceiving crime and disorder. The findings are generally consistent with theoretical expectations of which types of residents will perceive more crime or disorder, and contrast with the generally mixed results of prior studies that utilize an inappropriate aggregate unit when assuming that residents live in the same social context of crime or disorder. Estimating ancillary models on a sample of respondents nested in tracts produces mixed results that mirror the existing literature. I find that whites consistently perceive more crime or disorder than their neighbors. I also find that females, those with children, and those with longer residence in the neighborhood perceive more crime or disorder than their neighbors. The results of this study provided consistent evidence that certain types of residents are systematically biased towards perceiving greater levels of crime or disorder in the neighborhood. By comparing residents living very close to one another—as opposed to trying to compare residents who live up to two miles apart from one another as has been done in prior research aggregating households to census tracts—this study was able to obtain relatively unbiased estimates of this systematic bias. The findings of the present study are quite informative given that they were obtained on a national non-rural sample, compared to other research that is often constrained to studying a single city. Understanding which types of residents are systematically predisposed to perceiving more crime and disorder in the neighborhood is important for understanding which households are likely to change their behavior as a consequence.
Review on Structural Health Evaluation with Acoustic Emission

This review introduces several areas of importance in acoustic emission (AE) technology, starting from signal attenuation. Signal loss is a critical issue in any large-scale AE monitoring, but few systematic studies have appeared. Information on damping and attenuation has been gathered from metal, polymer, and composite fields to provide a useful method for AE monitoring. This is followed by discussion on source location, bridge monitoring, sensing and signal processing, and pressure vessels and tanks, then special applications are briefly covered. Here, useful information and valuable sources are identified with short comments indicating their significance. It is hoped that readers note developments in areas outside of their own specialty for possible cross-fertilization.
Murine Brain Tumors IL-12 Treatment of Endogenously Arising

A number of recent studies have indicated that T cells can be stimulated to attack transplanted brain tumors in rodent models. As IL-12 has been shown to activate cytotoxic T cell responses, we tested the idea that it might stimulate a T cell response against endogenous brain tumors that arise in SV40 large T Ag transgenic mice (SV11). SV11 mice develop tumors of the choroid plexus, a specialization of the ependymal lining of the brain ventricles. They are a particularly relevant model of human disease, because they are immunocompetent but immunologically tolerant of the tumors. SV11 mice were treated with recombinant murine IL-12 for 10 days. Tumors grew more slowly than in control treated mice, and in some cases were reduced in size, as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging before and after treatment. At the end of treatment, tumors, but not brain parenchyma, exhibited extensive inﬁltration of activated CD8 1 and CD4 1 T cells. Tumors also showed a reduction in vascular density. Mice treated with IL-12 lived signiﬁcantly longer than control mice. Tumors that progressed were nearly devoid of T cells, indicating that the T cell response was not sustained. In addition, some mice that had a substantial tumor burden at the beginning of treatment displayed evidence of immunosuppression, which might be related to TGF- b 2 detected in tumors. We conclude that IL-12 treatment can initiate an anti-tumor response even against endogenously arising brain tumors, but factors that will allow a sustained and more effective anti-tumor response need to be determined. The Journal of Immunology, 2000, 165: 7293–7299.
Intranasal Administration of Neuropeptide Y Signi�cantly Antagonized Chronic Stress Responses via Central Gabaa Receptors in Male Rats

Stress is widely believed to play a major role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. Central neuropeptide Y (NPY) counteracts the biological actions of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), and in turn attenuates stress responses. Administration (intracerebroventricular, ICV) of NPY, signi�cantly antagonized the inhibitory effects of chronic complicated stress (CCS) on gastrointestinal (GI) dysmotility in rats. However, ICV administration is an invasive technique. The effect of intranasal administration of NPY on the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and GI motility in CCS conditions have not been studied, and the inhibitory mechanism of NPY on CRF through the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) A receptor needs to be further investigated. A CCS rat model was set up, NPY was intranasal administered every day prior to the stress loading. Further, a GABA A receptor antagonist was ICV injected daily. Central CRF and NPY expression were evaluated, serum corticosterone and NPY levels were analyzed, and colonic motor functions was assessed. CCS rats showed signi�cantly increased CRF expression and corticosterone levels, which resulted in enhanced colonic motor functions. Intranasal NPY signi�cantly increased central NPY mRNA expression and reduced central CRF mRNA expression as well as the plasma corticosterone level, helping to restore colonic motor functions. However, ICV administration of the GABA A receptor antagonist signi�cantly abolished these effects. Intranasal administration of NPY upregulates the hypothalamic NPY system. NPY may, through the GABA A receptor, signi�cantly antagonize the overexpressed central CRF and attenuate the HPA axis activities in CCS conditions, exerting in�uences and helping to restore colonic motor function. administration of NPY attenuated the HPA axis activity in response to stress and restored stress-induced GI dysmotility. Further, it is necessary to explore the inhibitory mechanism of NPY on CRF through GABA A receptor under chronic stress. Our work will contribute to the further studies on stress-induced abnormal GI motility and will help to seek a new approach (intranasal administration of NPY) for treatment of FGIDs.
Identi cation of potential Zinc de ciency responsive genes and regulatory pathways in rice genotypes by Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis

Blaise Pascal Muvunyi Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Genomes Institute at Shenzhen Xiang Lu Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Genomes Institute at Shenzhen Sang He Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Genomes Institute at Shenzhen Guoyou Ye (  G.Ye@irri.org ) Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Agricultural Genomes Institute at Shenzhen https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9943-4815
THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HUMANITIES & SOCIAL STUDIES Content Analytical Study of Nigerian Newspapers’ Reportage of Southern Kaduna Killings

: Objectives of the study: The study used three purposively-selected newspapers examine the Southern Kaduna killings in order to determine the intensiveness of the reportage, the frames used in the reports, the prominence given to the reports and how interpretative the reports were. Methodology: The study content analyzed 168 editions of the selected newspapers over a period of 36 weeks (three years) using constructed week and simple random techniques. Results: The study found that newspapers intensively reported the Southern Kaduna killings with an average of 2.08 reports per day. It found five most prevalent frames used in reporting constituting 82.33% while the remaining accounted for 17.67%. It further that the crises enjoy prominence with a cumulative of 154(43.87%) on front and back pages and carried 253(72.07%) interpretative stories. Implications: The implication is that the Nigerian newspapers have significantly improved their reportage of crises and to be rising above ethno-religious and ownership interests. public on the underlying issues in Southern Kaduna killings. of Daily prevalent in