Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Evaluation of Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Changes in Rats Based on Metabolomics

Purpose Substantial evidence indicates that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) exposure can lead to systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiple organ failure. Previous metabolomic studies have mainly focused on LPS-induced depression or hepatic and renal effects. However, no comprehensive metabolomics-based analysis of the serum, liver, kidney, hippocampus, and heart following exposure to LPS has been undertaken to date. Material and Methods Male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly allocated to a control and a LPS-treated group (n=8). LPS for 2 weeks (0.5 mg/kg every other day) was given via intraperitoneal injection. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) was used for metabolite determination, while multivariate statistical analysis was performed to identify differentially expressed metabolites between the two groups. Results Our study revealed that 24, 13, 12, 7, and 12 metabolites were differentially expressed between the LPS treatment group and the control group in the serum, liver, kidney, hippocampus, and heart, respectively. We further identified that these metabolic changes were mainly involved with aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis; glutathione metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism; arginine biosynthesis; bile acid biosynthesis; and glycerolipid metabolism. Conclusion We have systematically elucidated the metabolic changes underlying LPS-induced SIRS, thereby providing insight into the mechanisms associated with these alterations.
Effects of Adult Müller Cells and Their Conditioned Media on the Survival of Stem Cell-Derived Retinal Ganglion Cells

Retinal neurons, particularly retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), are susceptible to the degenerative damage caused by different inherited conditions and environmental insults, leading to irreversible vision loss and, ultimately, blindness. Numerous strategies are being tested in different models of degeneration to restore vision and, in recent years, stem cell technologies have offered novel avenues to obtain donor cells for replacement therapies. To date, stem cell–based transplantation in the retina has been attempted as treatment for photoreceptor degeneration, but the same tools could potentially be applied to other retinal cell types, including RGCs. However, RGC-like cells are not an abundant cell type in stem cell–derived cultures and, often, these cells degenerate over time in vitro. To overcome this limitation, we have taken advantage of the neuroprotective properties of Müller glia (one of the main glial cell types in the retina) and we have examined whether Müller glia and the factors they secrete could promote RGC-like cell survival in organoid cultures. Accordingly, stem cell-derived RGC-like cells were co-cultured with adult Müller cells or Müller cell-conditioned media was added to the cultures. Remarkably, RGC-like cell survival was substantially enhanced in both culture conditions, and we also observed a significant increase in their neurite length. Interestingly, Atoh7, a transcription factor required for RGC development, was up-regulated in stem cell-derived organoids exposed to conditioned media, suggesting that Müller cells may also enhance the survival of retinal progenitors and/or postmitotic precursor cells. In conclusion, Müller cells and the factors they release promote organoid-derived RGC-like cell survival, neuritogenesis, and possibly neuronal maturation.
Visuo-Perceptual and Decision-Making Contributions to Visual Hallucinations in Mild Cognitive Impairment in Lewy Body Disease: Insights from a Drift Diffusion Analysis

Background: Visual hallucinations (VH) are a common symptom in dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB); however, their cognitive underpinnings remain unclear. Hallucinations have been related to cognitive slowing in DLB and may arise due to impaired sensory input, dysregulation in top-down influences over perception, or an imbalance between the two, resulting in false visual inferences. Methods: Here we employed a drift diffusion model yielding estimates of perceptual encoding time, decision threshold, and drift rate of evidence accumulation to (i) investigate the nature of DLB-related slowing of responses and (ii) their relationship to visuospatial performance and visual hallucinations. The EZ drift diffusion model was fitted to mean reaction time (RT), accuracy and RT variance from two-choice reaction time (CRT) tasks and data were compared between groups of mild cognitive impairment (MCI-LB) LB patients (n = 49) and healthy older adults (n = 25). Results: No difference was detected in drift rate between patients and controls, but MCI-LB patients showed slower non-decision times and boundary separation values than control participants. Furthermore, non-decision time was negatively correlated with visuospatial performance in MCI-LB, and score on visual hallucinations inventory. However, only boundary separation was related to clinical incidence of visual hallucinations. Conclusions: These results suggest that a primary impairment in perceptual encoding may contribute to the visuospatial performance, however a more cautious response strategy may be related to visual hallucinations in Lewy body disease. Interestingly, MCI-LB patients showed no impairment in information processing ability, suggesting that, when perceptual encoding was successful, patients were able to normally process information, potentially explaining the variability of hallucination incidence.
Mental Health and Cognition in Older Cannabis Users: a Review

Background The impact of cannabis use on mental health and cognition in older adults remains unclear. With the recent legalization of cannabis in Canada, physicians will need up-to-date information about the mental and cognitive effects of cannabis use in this specific population. Method A narrative review was conducted to summarize the literature on mental health and cognitive effects of cannabis use in older adults using Medline (OvidSP). Results A total of 16 studies were identified, including nine cross-sectional studies on mental health comorbidities reported by older cannabis users. The self-reported prevalence of mental and substance use disorders is approximately two to three times higher in older adults who report past-year cannabis use, compared to older adults who report using more than one year ago or never using. The remaining seven clinical trials found that short-term, low-dose medical cannabis was generally well-tolerated in older adults without prior serious mental illness. However, mental/cognitive adverse effects were not systematically assessed. Conclusion Although preliminary findings suggests that low-dose, short-term medical cannabis does not carry significant risk of serious mental health and cognitive adverse effects in older adults without prior psychiatric history, epidemiological studies find a correlation between past-year cannabis use and poor mental health outcomes in community-dwelling older adults. These findings may indicate that longer term cannabis use in this population is detrimental to their mental health, although a direct causal link has not been established. Larger, longitudinal studies on the safety of medical cannabis in older adults are needed.
Multi-Instrument Rainfall-Rate Estimation in the Peruvian Central Andes

Agriculture is one of the main economic activities in the Peruvian Andes, rain water alone irrigates more than 80% of the fields used for agriculture purposes. However, the cloud and rain generation mechanisms in the Andes still remain mostly unknown. In early 2014, the Instituto Geofı́sico del Perú (IGP) decided to intensify studies in the central Andes to better understand cloud microphysics; the Atmospheric Microphysics And Radiation Laboratory officially started operations in 2015 at IGP’ Huancayo Observatory. In this work, a Ka-band cloud profiler (MIRA-35c), a UHF wind profiler (CLAIRE), and a VHF wind profiler (BLTR), are used to estimate rainfall rate at different conditions. The height dependence of the drop size diameter versus the terminal velocity, obtained by the radars, in the central Andes (3350 m asl) was evaluated. The estimates of rainfall rate are validated to ground measurements through a disdrometer (PARSIVEL2) and two rain gauges. The biases in the cumulative rainfall totals for the PARSIVEL2, MIRA-35c, and CLAIRE were 18%, 23%, and -32%, respectively, and their respective absolute biases were 19%, 36%, and 63%. These results suggest that a real-time calibration of the radars, MIRA-35c and CLAIRE, is necessary for better estimation of precipitation at the ground. They also show that the correction of the raindrop terminal fall velocity, obtained by separating the vertical wind velocity (BLTR), used in the estimation the raindrop diameter is not sufficient, especially in convective conditions. 7
Major Principles of Attachment Theory

D the past five decades, few theories in psychology have generated as much interest, research, and debate as attachment theory (Bowlby, 1969/1982, 1973, 1980, 1988) and its recent extensions (see Cassidy & Shaver, 2016). Attachment theory is an extensive, inclusive theory of personality and social development “from the cradle to the grave” (Bowlby, 1979, p. 129). Being a lifespan theory, it is relevant to several areas in psychology, including developmental, personality, social, cognitive, neuroscience, and clinical. Because attachment theory covers the entire life course, it has several fundamental principles and core hypotheses, most of which address how and why people think, feel, and behave in particular ways within relationships at different points of their lives. Given the focus of this volume, our primary goal in this chapter is to provide a brief, representative overview of the key principles and central hypotheses that underlie attachment theory, both as originally articulated by Bowlby and his contemporaries (e.g., Ainsworth, Blehar, Waters, & Wall, 1978) and as expanded upon in recent theory and research (Cassidy & Shaver, 2016). Attachment theory has two major components: (1) a normative component, which explains modal (species-typical) attachment processes and patterns of behavior in humans, and (2) an individual-difference component, which explains individual deviations from modal processes and behavioral patterns. Most of the major principles and hypotheses we discuss in this chapter are normative ones, but we also highlight principles associated with well-established individual differences in attachment patterns (in children) and attachment orientations (in adults), including how they are related to a host of personal and relational processes and outcomes. We began our work on this chapter by surveying the theoretical and empirical literature on attachment processes across the lifespan and generated an initial list of potential principles and hypotheses. We then asked several leading attachment scholars working in different areas of psychology (e.g., clinical, developmental, personality, social) to indicate what they thought were the most important principles/ hypotheses.1 Informed by this information, we next identified what we believe are nine of the most important, foundational principles and hypotheses that serve as the foundation of attachment theory (see Table 12.1, which serves as a guide to the following discussion). C H A P T E R 1 2
The Effect of Autogenous Peritoneal Graft Augmented with Platelets- Plasma Rich Protein on the Healing of Induced Achilles Tendon Rupture, in Dogs

BACKGROUND: In dogs, Achilles tendon rupture is an important clinical issue. Treatment of the ruptured tendon remains a controversial problem. However, surgical intervention, by the using of different biological scaffolds, has been recognized as the most effective approach for the repair of such cases. OBJECTIVES: The current study aimed to evaluate the efficiency of platelets-plasma rich protein (PRP) and autogenous peritoneal scaffold to improve the healing process of ruptured Achilles tendon in dogs. METHODS: Eighteen healthy dogs of the local breed were randomly allocated into three equal groups. Achilles tendon of the hind limbs were prepared aseptically and transected transversely. In the control group, the tendon was reconstructed with the traditional suture using modified Kessler techniques. In the peritoneal scaffold group, a combination of traditional suture and the autogenous peritoneal scaffold was used to augment the defected tendon. In the peritoneal scaffold with the PRP group, the induced rupture was treated as similar to the peritoneal scaffold group and supported by a topical application of PRP. In addition to the gross observation, the healing process was evaluated with histopathological and sonographic investigations at 15, 30, and 60 days post-operative. RESULTS: By comparison with control, the utilizing of autologous peritoneum scaffold augmented with PRP revealed a valuable impact on Achilles tendon healing. This impact was manifested by improved fibroblastic proliferation, reduced adhesion, and improved mechanical function of the tendon. Also, the sonographic examination of the fibrosis site demonstrated the presence of hyperechoic spots. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that utilizing both the peritoneal scaffold augmented and PRP along with the traditional suture revealed remarkable optimistic effects on healing of the ruptured Achilles tendon in dogs.
The Electoral Quota—A Form of Gender Quota to Increase Women’s Participation in Parliament: A Quantitative Study from a Survey in the Middle East

Objective: This research focuses on the impact of political parties and electoral quotas on women’s political participation within the context of Islam. Methods: This study utilizes quantitative methods in analyzing women in eight Muslimmajority countries in the Middle East. The statistical dataset was culled from Kaasem’s work entitled Party Variation in Religiosity and Women's Leadership: A Cross-National Perspective, 2008-2010, published by the Inter-University Consortium for Political and Social Research of the University of Michigan. The statistical analysis and modeling focused on selected Middle East countries, namely: Bahrain, Egypt, Lebanon, Palestine, Yemen, Turkey, Israel, and Kuwait. The sample consisted of 126 observations at the political party level Results: Gender is construed as a classification of being a woman or a man not merely by biological identification but one that is embedded within culture, and structures of power in families, communities, and states, which have gender in itself, as an organizing principle. Woman’s question (dispute of women) is identified as a complex personal and social problem, and therefore cannot be rejected as a valid search for gender sameness or equality. Based on the quantitative analysis of the dataset of the survey conducted among selected Middle East countries, electoral quotas and seats occupied in previous parliaments affect women’s nominations in current parliaments. Conclusion: The research shows that electoral quota for women has proven to increase female participation in parliaments.
Screening of the Patients with Autoimmune Thyroid Disease (AITD) and Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (DM1) for Atrophic Gastritis (AG) by Serological Biomarker Testing (GastroPanel

Background: The high prevalence (10 30%) of autoimmune atrophic gastritis (AAG/AG) in patients with autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD) or type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) advocates a screening of these patients by gastroscopy. An alternative to invasive gastroscopy is offered by a non-invasive serological biomarker test; GastroPanel® (Biohit Oyj, Helsinki, Finland). Objective: To establish the prevalence of AAG/AG in AITDand DM1 patients by the new-generation GastroPanel® test in a clinical validation study. Material and Methods: A cohort of 244 patients (207 with AITD and 37 with DM1) was enrolled at the Outpatient Department of Internal Medicine, Oulu University Hospital (OUH, Oulu, Finland). A written consent was obtained from all patients, and the study was approved by the joint Ethical Committee of OUH/Oulu University (Dno 28/2017). All patients underwent GastroPanel® examination and those with AG/AAG biomarker profile were referred for gastroscopy and biopsy confirmation (reference test). Results: Of the 244 patients, biopsy-confirmed AG was found in 12.0% (25/207) of the AITDand in 10.8% (4/37) of the DM1 patients. The adjusted overall agreement between GastroPanel® and the USS classification was 73.3% (95%CI 60.4 86.2%), and the adjusted weighted kappa: κw = 0.881 (95%CI 0.783 0.935). In ROC analysis for AGC2+ (moderate/severe AGC) endpoint, the ROC curves have AUC = 0.939 (95%CI 0.870 1.000) and AUC = 0.945 (95%CI 0.879 1.000) for PGI and PGI/PGII, respectively. Conclusion: AG/AAG is far more prevalent among the AITDand DM1 patients as compared with general population. The new generation GastroPanel® is an ideal test for non-invasive screening of these patients for early diagnosis of AG/AAG.
New species and new records of stomatopod Crustacea from the Philippines

Twenty-one species of stomatopod Crustaceans are reported from Balicasag Island, Philippines, and from various Philippine localities visited by the 1907 1910 Albatross Expedition. Four superfamilies, six families and 15 genera are represented. One new genus and five new species are described: Gonodactyloideus rubrus sp. nov., Lysiosquilla isos sp. nov., Carinosquilla balicasag sp. nov., Cloridina albatrossae sp. nov. and Visaya lira gen. et sp. nov. Previous records of Odontodactylus brevirostris (Miers) and Quollastria imperialis (Manning) (as Oratosquilla imperialis) from the Philippines are based on O. hansensii (Pocock) and Q. capricornae Ahyong, respectively. Nine other previously described species are newly reported from the Philippines. Haptosquilla tuberosa (Pocock), Lysiosquilla sulcirostris Kemp, Lysiosquillina lisa Ahyong & Randall, Lysiosquilloides siamensis Naiyanetr, Faughnia formosae Manning & Chan, Busquilla quadraticauda (Fukuda), Carinosquilla carinata (Ser ne), Erugosquilla grahami Ahyong & Manning, and Quollastria kapala Ahyong are also reported herein. The known Philippine stomatopod fauna is increased from 70 to 85 species. A key to the species of Gonodactyloideus is also provided.
Biogeographical analysis of intertidal macrophyte floras of southern California

The macrophyte floras of California mainland and island sites south of Point Conception form five discrete biogeographic units based on indi- vidual between-site similarity comparisons, hierarchical classification (cluster) analysis and principal coordinates ordination. These site assemblages correlate well with the complex patterns of surface water circulation and temperature. Sites bathed more regularly by the warm waters of the Southern California Countercurrent tend to group and exhibit relatively low overlap in species composition with the cold-temperate flora characteristic of the central California coast north of Point Conception. Greater cold water floristic affinities were found for the sites proximal to cold California Current flow, while sites located in the region of variable mixing between cold and warm water currents showed intermediate affinities. The apparent relationship between the groups established by classification analysis and ordination, the degree of overlap with the cold- temperate central California flora, and our understanding of surface circulation and temperature gradients, provide indirect evidence implicating temperature in the control of the distributions of southern California intertidal macrophytes. Additionally, the changing species composition along the coast south of Point Conception clearly demonstrates the transitional nature of the southern California shallow-water biota and underscores the importance of this unique region to eastern North Pacific biogeography.
Price Dispersion and the Value of Information in Online Retail Markets

Compared to conventional markets, online markets offer many informational advantages to consumers. It is seemingly easy to compare prices online and still, economists have found temporal price dispersions in markets for homogeneous goods. Existing research uses data from the turn of the millennial, yet it’s findings may not apply to today’s markets, as online markets have developed rapidly and are becoming increasingly important to consumers and firms. In this thesis, I measure the price dispersion of homogeneous goods in German online markets. I find significant levels of price dispersion, comparable to those in previous research. I furthermore examine how price dispersion relates to market characteristics: My analysis indicates that price dispersion shows a negative relationship to average price levels and no significant relationship to the number of sellers in the market. Lastly, I simulate consumer search behavior to obtain estimates of the value of information to consumers. I find that consumers can be broadly categorized into two groups, namely of low and high search intensity. For the analyses, I collected price data of 207 homogeneous electronics products from a German price comparison website. Supervisor: Anna Bindler
Right-handed neutrinos? Mass? Ask Gravity

In a multi-fold universe, gravity emerges from Entanglement through the multi-fold mechanisms. As a result, gravity-like effects appear in between entangled particles that they be real or virtual. Long range, massless gravity results from entanglement of massless virtual particles. Entanglement of massive virtual particles leads to massive gravity contributions at very smalls scales. Multi-folds mechanisms also result into a spacetime that is discrete, with a random walk fractal structure and non-commutative geometry that is Lorentz invariant and where spacetime nodes and particles can be modeled with microscopic black holes. All these recover General relativity at large scales and semi-classical model remain valid till smaller scale than usually expected. Gravity can therefore be added to the Standard Model. This can contribute to resolving several open issues with the Standard Model. In particular with chirality flips of fermion induced by gravity, right-handed neutrinos (and left-handed anti-neutrinos) can appear in flight and now acquire mass when encountering Higgs bosons; two mysteries can be explained in one shot in a multi-fold universe.
Construction of Exercise Behavior Model in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Background: Despite the awareness that regular exercise has a positive impact on maintaining health, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) engage in markedly less exercise than do the general population. Weaimed to construct and test a structural equation model of exercise behavior in patients with RA based on self-determination theory and self-efficacy theory. Methods: Participants were 214 outpatients with RA at Chonnam National University Hospital located in the Gwangju City, South Korea from Mar to Apr 2018. A structured self-report questionnaire was used to assess autonomy support, autonomy, competence, relatedness, autonomous motivation, self-efficacy, and exercise behavior. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 22.0 and AMOS 22.0 program. Results: The structural model showed a good fitness with the data (χ2= 727.27, df = 392, P<0.001, TLI = 0.92, CFI = 0.93, RMSEA = 0.07, SRMR = 0.07). Autonomous motivation and self-efficacy had a significant effect on exercise behavior in patients with RA. This model explained 21.2% of the variance of exercise behavior in patients with RA. Conclusion: Self-efficiency and autonomous motivation should be promoted in order to strengthen the exercise behavior of patients with RA.