Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical-grade human skin-derived ABCB5+ mesenchymal stromal cells exert anti-apoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects in vitro and modulate mRNA expression in a cisplatin-induced kidney injury murine model

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is characterized by a rapid reduction in renal function and glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The broadly used anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin often induces AKI as an adverse drug side effect. Therapies targeted at the reversal of AKI and its potential progression to chronic kidney disease or end-stage renal disease are currently insufficiently effective. Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) possess diverse immunomodulatory properties that confer upon them significant therapeutic potential for the treatment of diverse inflammatory disorders. Human dermal MSCs expressing ATP-Binding Cassette member B5 (ABCB5) have shown therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials in chronic skin wounds or recessive dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa. In preclinical studies, ABCB5+ MSCs have also shown to reverse metabolic reprogramming in polycystic kidney cells, suggesting a capacity for this cell subset to improve also organ function in kidney diseases. Here, we aimed to explore the therapeutic capacity of ABCB5+ MSCs to improve renal function in a preclinical rat model of cisplatin-induced AKI. First, the anti-apoptotic and immunomodulatory capacity was compared against research-grade adipose stromal cells (ASCs). Then, cross-species immunomodulatory capacity was checked, testing first inhibition of mitogen-driven peripheral blood mononuclear cells and then modulation of macrophage function. Finally, therapeutic efficacy was evaluated in a cisplatin AKI model. First, ABCB5+ MSCs suppressed cisplatin-induced apoptosis of human conditionally-immortalized proximal tubular epithelial cells in vitro, most likely by reducing oxidative stress. Second, ABCB5+ MSCs inhibited the proliferation of either human or rat peripheral blood mononuclear cells, in the human system via the Indoleamine/kynurenine axis and in the murine context via nitric oxide/nitrite. Third, ABCB5+ MSCs decreased TNF-α secretion after lipopolysaccharide stimulation and modulated phagocytosis and in both human and rat macrophages, involving prostaglandin E2 and TGF-β1, respectively. Fourth, clinical-grade ABCB5+ MSCs grafted intravenously and intraperitoneally to a cisplatin-induced AKI murine model exerted modulatory effects on mRNA expression patterns toward an anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative state despite an apparent lack of amelioration of renal damage at physiologic, metabolic, and histologic levels. Our results demonstrate anti-inflammatory and pro-regenerative effects of clinical grade ABCB5+ MSCs in vitro and in vivo and suggest potential therapeutic utility of this cell population for treatment or prevention of cisplatin chemotherapy-induced tissue toxicity.
Negligible contribution of adaptation of ocular opponency neurons to the effect of short-term monocular deprivation

Introduction Modeling work on binocular rivalry has described how ocular opponency neurons represent interocular conflict. These neurons have recently been considered to mediate an ocular dominance shift to the eye that has viewed a backward movie for long during which time the other eye is presented with a regular movie. Unlike typical short-term monocular deprivation, the visual inputs are comparable across eyes in that “dichoptic-backward-movie” paradigm. Therefore, it remains unclear whether the ocular opponency neurons are also responsible for the short-term monocular deprivation effect which is prevalently explained by the homeostatic compensation theory. We designed two experiments from distinct perspectives to investigate this question. Methods In Experiment 1, we mitigated the imbalance in the activity of opponency neurons between the two eyes during monocular deprivation by presenting video stimuli alternately. In Experiment 2, we directly evaluated the response of opponency neurons before and after monocular deprivation using SSVEP techniques. Results Consistent with each other, both experiments failed to provide reliable evidence supporting the involvement of ocular opponency neurons in the short-term monocular deprivation effect. Discussion Our results suggest that ocular opponency neurons may not play an essential role in the short-term monocular deprivation effect, potentially due to interference from the homeostatic plasticity mechanism.
Soil Degradation of Three Dinitroanilines

These studies were conducted in the laboratory on two soils at two temperatures to define the rate of degradation and the associated rate law for trifluralin (α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-p-toluidine), benefin (N-butyl-N-ethyl-α,α,α-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-p-toluidine), and 2,6-dinitro-N-(3-pentyl)-α,α,α-trifluoro-p-toluidine (hereafter referred to as Unnamed). Rate of degradation was directly correlated with temperature and moisture content. First order kinetics adequately described the rate of degradation at 15 C, but the simple first order assumption was not sufficient to describe degradation at 30 C. The implication of our interpretation is that at 30 C two rate processes may operate in the soil degradation of these three dinitroaniline herbicides. The data show an initial rapid first order rate of degradation with a subsequent change to a slower first order process. First half lives ranged from 0.4 to 1.8 months at 30 C and were consistently lower in a loam than in a sandy loam soil.
The Effect of Pumpkin Seed Oil on Zinc Deficient-Induced Reproductive Disorders in Male Rats

Pumpkin (Cucurbitae Pepo L.) seed oil (PSO) is suggested as an antioxidant, as well as reproductive effect, whereas zinc claimed as fertility supplement. Current work aims to assess the possible effect of PSO combined with zinc on thyroids, testosterone hormones and oxidative damage against zinc deficiency in male rats. Thirty-six rats weight ranged 70-80g classified into four nine rats, were used for the research that lasted for six weeks. Group I, the control group, received fed on basal diet with sufficient zinc and water ad libitum. Group II, received zinc-deficient diet (3ppm), group III was received zinc-deficient diet and zinc sulphate supplemented (3+81 ppm) and group IV received the same of group III treated with 200 mg PSO/kg/b.wt/rats. The results showed an excellent quality of PSO with high content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, and phenolic phytochemicals. Results showed statistically significant increase in serum levels of triodothyronine hormone (T3), testosterone, antioxidant microsomal enzymes in liver and testis in the test PSO compared with the zinc-deficient rats. The results also revealed statistically significant decrease in the serum levels of lipid profile except HDL-C in groups ZD + Zn and ZD + Zn + PSO when compared with zinc deficient group (ZD). The increase in zinc levels in blood and liver and testis in dose dependent as there were consistent increment in groups ZD + Zn and ZD + Zn + PSO after which the levels increased with adding PSO to zinc supplemented in zinc-deficient rats. In conclusion, PSO has some significant positive effects on reproductive functions in male rats in particular those suffering from zinc deficient. All of the effects could be potentially attributed the high bioactive compound content fatty acids, menieral, antioxidant activity, testis and liver by PSO.
Measurement of radio wave velocities in the firn zones of polar ice sheets

A common-reflection point profiling experiment to obtain electromagnetic wave velocities in the ice at Dome C at 35 MHz was carried out to a maximum antenna separation of 2 km. Four different recording systems were used for this experiment. The echoes from numerous internal reflecting horizons within the ice and the bedrock were recorded in four different ways: in A-display form on film using an oscilloscope, in intensity-modulated form using the Honeywell Visicorder and thermal intensifier on heat-sensitive silver paper, and in both raw and signal-averaged form on magnetic tape. Travel times of oblique reflections from nearly 160 internal layers down to a depth of 2 600 m and reflections from the ice bottom were measured at each station along the profile. The average wave velocities from the surface of each internal layer were measured to obtain a continuous mean velocity vs depth profile. Velocity-density models derived from the dielectric mixture equations of Looyenga, Bottcher, Lichtenrecker, Hanai-Bruggeman and Wiener were compared against the measurements. In addition Robin's empirical relationship was also used in this study. The preliminary results show that the observed velocitydepth profile for the ice column is compatible with Wiener's equation (with Formzahl = 0) and a newly derived empirical relationship (from this study) of
How the evaporation of dry dune grasslands evolves during the concerted succession of soil and vegetation

Sustainable water and vegetation management of coastal dunes requires fundamental knowledge of how interactions between soil, water, and vegetation evolve during succession. Therefore, we quantified the effect of succession on evaporation in dry dune grasslands of the Netherlands. On the basis of vegetation and soil records, we simulated the evaporation rate of vegetation plots that differed in successional stage, slope angle and slope orientation. Starting from bare sand, average yearly evaporation increased with 94 mm in a period of 52 to 76 years of soil and vegetation succession. The increase in evaporation was for the greater part caused by soil development (an increase of the water holding capacity) and the lesser part by an increase in vascular plant cover. In an early successional stage, ground layer evaporation could be both higher and lower compared to bare soil evaporation, depending on the moss species. At a later successional stage, moss species primarily decreased ground layer evaporation and facilitated vascular plants. Despite clear differences in slope angle and slope orientation, the simulated actual evaporation rate was not significantly correlated to the incoming solar radiation because the vascular plant cover and soil water holding capacity decreased with incoming solar radiation. These results show that biotic processes can eliminate the effects of micrometeorological differences on evaporation. On the basis of our findings, we hypothesize that vegetation shifts towards more moss‐ and lichen‐dominated vegetation could mitigate the adverse effects of climate change (e.g., drier summers) on water resources.
The effects of lower limb ischaemic preconditioning: a systematic review

Ischaemic preconditioning (IPC) involves the use of repeated occlusions and reperfusions of the peripheral muscle blood supply at a limb. This systematic literature review examines the typical responses in response to the method of application during an IPC applied at the lower limb. This review focuses on the physiological responses for VO2max, haemoglobin, metabolic and genetic responses to various IPC interventions. The literature search was performed using four databases and assessed using the PRISMA search strategy and COSMIN to assess the quality of the articles. Seventeen articles were included in the review, with a total of 237 participants. While there is variation in the method of application, the average occlusion pressure was 222 ± 34 mmHg, ranging from 170 to 300 mmHg typically for 3 or 4 occlusion cycles. The distribution of this pressure is influenced by cuff width, although 8 studies failed to report cuff width. The majority of studies applies IPC at the proximal thigh with 16/17 studies applying an occlusion below this location. The results highlighted the disparities and conflicting findings in response to various IPC methods. While there is some agreement in certain aspects of the IPC manoeuvre such as the location of the occlusion during lower limb IPC, there is a lack of consensus in the optimal protocol to elicit the desired responses. This offers the opportunity for future research to refine the protocols, associated responses, and mechanisms responsible for these changes during the application of IPC.
Cortical and Striatal Astrocytes of Neonatal Rats Display Distinct Molecular and Pharmacological Characteristics of Dopamine Uptake

Astrocytes are crucial in the regulation of neurotransmitter homeostasis, and while their involvement in the dopamine (DA) tripartite synapse is acknowledged, it necessitates a more comprehensive investigation. In the present study, experiments were conducted on primary astrocyte cultures from the striatum and cortex of neonatal rats. The pharmacological intricacies of DA uptake, including dependence on time, temperature, and concentration, were investigated using radiolabelled [3H]-DA. The mRNA expression of transporters DAT, NET, PMAT, and OCTs was evaluated by qPCR. Notably, astrocytes from both brain regions exhibited prominent mRNA expression of NET and PMAT, with comparatively lower expression of DAT and OCTs. The inhibition of DA uptake by the DAT inhibitor, GBR12909, and NET inhibitors, desipramine and nortriptyline, impeded DA uptake in striatal astrocytes more than in cortical astrocytes. The mRNA expression of NET and PMAT was significantly upregulated in cortical astrocytes in response to the DA receptor agonist apomorphine, while only the mRNA expression of NET exhibited changes in striatal astrocytes. Haloperidol, a DA receptor antagonist, and L-DOPA, a DA precursor, did not induce significant alterations in transporter mRNA expression. These findings underscore the intricate and region-specific mechanisms governing DA uptake in astrocytes, emphasizing the need for continued exploration to unravel the nuanced dynamics of astrocytic involvement in the DA tripartite synapse.
The Relevance of Chitonga as a Regional Language of Instruction in the Multilingual Schools of Livingstone Urban in Southern Province of Zambia

The purpose of the study was to find out the relevance of Chitonga as a regional language of instruction from Grade 1 to 4 in multilingual schools of Livingstone. The study objectives were, to assess how teachers are teaching literacy to grade 1 to grade 4 using Chitonga in the multilingual classes of Livingstone and to establish the pedagogical challenges teachers face on the use of Chitonga as a language of instruction in Livingstone. The study used a phenomenological design on the population of Livingstone District. Data was collected using interview guide and classroom observation guide from three primary schools and sixteen (16) participants who included three (3) head teachers, twelve (12) grade 1 to 4 teachers (four (4) from each selected school) and one (1) official from the district education board. The findings revealed that teachers in Livingstone multilingual schools taught Literacy in Chitonga through translanguaging practices like translation and code switching. They also used flash cards, syllabic cards and talking walls. The findings also indicated that Chitonga was not the language of play in multilingual primary classrooms of Livingstone. It was also revealed that there were differences between the Chitonga spoken in Livingstone District and the one used in schools and books. Both teachers and pupils were not proficient in the standard Chitonga. The study concluded that Chitonga despite being the regional language, it was not relevant to the urban primary school learner of Livingstone town because the classrooms were multilingual hence translanguaging practices were used extensively. In the view of the findings, the study recommended that there should be training for primary teachers to teach in multilingual classrooms and schools need to buy more teaching and learning materials in Chitonga for primary schools to help teachers in multilingual classes.
Exit as Governance : An Empirical Analysis 1

Recent models such as Admati and Pfleiderer (2009) and Edmans (2009) show that block holders’ threat of exit is in itself a strong governance mechanism. However, the threat of exit cannot be directly tested. We argue that an exogenous increase (decrease) in stock liquidity strengthens (reduces) block holder exit threats, and examine how these liquidity shocks affect the relation between block ownership and firm value. Using both positive and negative natural liquidity experiments (Decimalization, Russian, and Asian crises), we find strong empirical results. These results are stronger for firms whose managers are more sensitive to stock price, as analytically predicted. ∗Corresponding author: Sudarshan Jayaraman, Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO 63130. Tel: (314) 935 6116. e-mail: jayaraman@wustl.edu. We thank Anat Admati and Alex Edmans for detailed feedback. We also thank Lauren Cohen, Ron Masulis, Raghu Rajan and workshop participants at Emory University, University of North Carolina (2010 GIA conference), University of Michigan and Washington University for helpful comments. All errors remain our own. Sreedhar Bharath, W.P. Carey School of Business, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287. Tel: (347) 256 8784. e-mail: sbharath@asu.edu. Venky Nagar, Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. Tel: (734) 647 3292. e-mail: venky@umich.edu.
How do New Zealand Marine Scientists perceive the benefits and limitations of Citizen Science?

Public engagement with science in New Zealand adopted a more participatory approach with the 2014 launch of the Strategic Plan for Science in Society, joining the groundswell of citizen science research seen internationally. This study interrogates the views of scientists on the benefits and limitations of citizen science (CS) before and several years after the strategy was launched. Three groups of scientists were compared: NZ marine scientists with an international group of marine scientists around the time of launch, and NZ marine scientists four years later. At initial comparison NZ and international scientists held largely similar views on the benefits and limitations of CS, with only a few exceptions. Awareness of and involvement in CS projects were significantly higher in NZ four years later. Scientists with CS experience generally perceived more benefits, such as expanded data collection, community engagement and public awareness of science. The most frequently identified limitation was quality of data. Although this perception increased in the NZ cohort, the vast majority of scientists felt limitations could be overcome by careful project design and improved infrastructure support and professional recognition. These findings guide further recommendations for high level support systems to facilitate scientists’ involvement in citizen science.
Credit Constraints as a Barrier to the Entry and Post-Entry Growth of Firms: Lessons from Firm-Level Cross Country Panel Data

There is growing evidence that firm dynamics the entry and exit of firms, the continuous process of resource reallocation among incumbents, and the post entry growth of new firms is of key importance for technological innovation and economic growth (for example see Bartelsman-Haltiwanger-Scarpetta (2004), Aghion-Howitt (2006), and Foster-Haltiwanger-Krizan (2002)). Most market economies display sizable firm dynamics with 10 to 15 percent of firms being created every year, and a similar amount being destroyed. The evidence also shows that many new firms fail in the initial years of life, and that surviving firms tend to experience significant growth, often higher than that of the incumbents (see e.g. Geroski, (1995); Bartelsman et al (2004)). The common wisdom is that beyond technological factors, the main barriers to the entry and the post-entry growth of firms, should be: (a) adjustment costs induced by the R&D and/or advertising of incumbent firms1; (b) the administrative costs of creating a new firm2; (c) labor market regulations that may deter firms from growing too large3 In this paper we explore another potential factor limiting the entry and postentry growth of firms, namely financial constraints. We first develop a stylized model in which entry costs as well as post entry growth potentials affect the entry decision, the size at entry, and the post entry expansion of firms. This model allows us to also assess whether financial development has a differential effect on entry by firms of different size, and also to analyze the impact of financial development on the post-entry growth of firms. A first prediction of
F-MIM: Feature-based Masking Iterative Method to Generate the Adversarial Images against the Face Recognition Systems

Numerous face recognition systems employ deep learning techniques to identify individuals in public areas such as shopping malls, airports, and other high-security zones. However, adversarial attacks are susceptible to deep learning-based systems. The adversarial attacks are intentionally generated by the attacker to mislead the systems. These attacks are imperceptible to the human eye. In this paper, we proposed a feature-based masking iterative method (F-MIM) to generate the adversarial images. In this method, we utilize the features of the face to misclassify the models. The proposed approach is based on a black-box attack technique where the attacker does not have the information related to target models. In this black box attack strategy, the face landmark points are modified using the binary masking technique. In the proposed method, we have used the momentum iterative method to increase the transferability of existing attacks. The proposed method is generated using the ArcFace face recognition model that is trained on the Labeled Face in the Wild (LFW) dataset and evaluated the performance of different face recognition models namely ArcFace, MobileFace, MobileNet, CosFace and SphereFace under the dodging and impersonate attack. The F-MIM attack is outperformed in comparison to the existing attacks based on Attack Success Rate evaluation metrics and further improves the transferability.
Comparison of thermal modeling, microstructural analysis, and Ti‐in‐quartz thermobarometry to constrain the thermal history of a cooling pluton during deformation in the Mount Abbot Quadrangle, CA

Granitic plutons commonly preserve evidence for jointing, faulting, and ductile fabric development during cooling. Constraining the spatial variation and temporal evolution of temperature during this deformation could facilitate an integrated analysis of heterogeneous deformation over multiple length‐scales through time. Here, we constrain the evolving temperature of the Lake Edison granodiorite within the Mount Abbot Quadrangle (central Sierra Nevada, CA) during late Cretaceous deformation by combining microstructural analysis, titanium‐in‐quartz thermobarometry (TitaniQ), and thermal modeling. Microstructural and TitaniQ analyses were applied to 12 samples collected throughout the pluton, representative of either the penetrative “regional” fabric or the locally strong “fault‐related” fabric. Overprinting textures and mineral assemblages indicate the temperature decreased from 400–500°C to <350°C during faulting. TitaniQ reveals consistently lower Ti concentrations for partially reset fault‐related fabrics (average: 12 ± 4 ppm) than for regional fabrics (average: 31 ± 12 ppm), suggesting fault‐related fabrics developed later, following a period of pluton cooling. Uncertainties, particularly in TiO2 activity, significantly limit further quantitative thermal estimates using TitaniQ. In addition, we present a 1‐D heat conduction model that suggests average pluton temperature decreased from 585°C at 85 Ma to 332°C at 79 Ma, consistent with radiometric age data for the field. Integrated with the model results, microstructural temperature constraints suggest faulting initiated by ∼83 Ma, when the temperature was nearly uniform across the pluton. Thus, spatially heterogeneous deformation cannot be attributed to a persistent temperature gradient, but may be related to regional structures that develop in cooling plutons.