Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preferential Localization of Muscarinic M1 Receptor on Dendritic Shaft and Spine of Cortical Pyramidal Cells and Its Anatomical Evidence for Volume Transmission

Acetylcholine (ACh) plays important roles for higher brain functions, including arousal, attention, and cognition. These effects are mediated largely by muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs). However, it remains inconclusive whether the mode of ACh-mAChR signaling is synaptic, so-called “wired,” transmission mediated by ACh released into the synaptic cleft, or nonsynaptic, so-called “volume,” transmission by ambient ACh. To address this issue, we examined cellular and subcellular distribution of M1, the most predominant mAChR subtype in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, and pursued its anatomical relationship with cholinergic varicosities in these regions of adult mice. M1 was highly expressed in glutamatergic pyramidal neurons, whereas it was low or undetectable in various GABAergic interneuron subtypes. M1 was preferentially distributed on the extrasynaptic membrane of pyramidal cell dendrites and spines. Cholinergic varicosities often made direct contact to pyramidal cell dendrites and synapses. At such contact sites, however, synapse-like specialization was infrequent, and no particular accumulation was found at around contact sites for both M1 and presynpatic active zone protein Bassoon. These features contrasted with those of the glutamatergic system, in which AMPA receptor GluA2 and metabotropic receptor mGluR5 were recruited to the synaptic or perisynaptic membrane, respectively, and Bassoon was highly accumulated in the presynaptic terminals. These results suggest that M1 is so positioned to sense ambient ACh released from cholinergic varicosities at variable distances, and to enhance the synaptic efficacy and excitability of pyramidal cells. These molecular–anatomical arrangements will provide the evidence for volume transmission, at least in M1-mediated cortical cholinergic signaling.
Preparation and Characterization of Cellulose Nanofibers with High Yield Via ZnCl_2 Aqueous Solution Treatment

A new approach was developed to prepare nanofibers(NFs) with high yield. The bleached chemical pulp of softwood was pretreated in ZnCl2 aqueous solution at a fixed temperature for a period of time. Cellulose fibers were swelled and dissolved. Then dissolved fibers were mixed with water and dispersed into NFs. Various influencing factors were investigated in an attempt to improve the yield of NFs. In addition, the NFs were characterized using Fourier transform infrared(FT-IR) spectrometer, an X-ray diffraction(XRD) and a scanning electron microscope(SEM). The results demonstrated that the yield of NFs could be 75% when fibers with the concentration of 1.5% was performed with 65%(wt)ZnCl2 aqueous solution at 85℃ for 2.5 h, then dispersed in water for 25 min. Fibers treated according to this method had the skeleton of NFs and the average diameter was about 10 nm. The cellulose of the fiber was not chemically modified during this process, just the crystal form of cellulose was transformed from cellulose Ⅰ to cellulose Ⅱ.
Sulforaphane reduces hepatic glucose production and improves glucose control in patients with type 2 diabetes

Sulforaphane, a natural compound identified by drug repurposing, reduces hepatic glucose production and improves glucose control in type 2 diabetes. Another reason to eat your broccoli Type 2 diabetes is becoming increasingly common worldwide, and not all patients can be successfully treated with the existing drugs. Axelsson et al. analyzed the pattern of gene expression associated with type 2 diabetes and compared it to the gene signatures for thousands of drug candidates to find compounds that could counteract the effects of diabetes. The leading candidate from this analysis was sulforaphane, a natural compound found in broccoli and other vegetables. The authors showed that sulforaphane inhibits glucose production in cultured cells and improves glucose tolerance in rodents on high-fat or high-fructose diets. Moreover, in a clinical trial, sulforaphane-containing broccoli sprout extract was well tolerated and improved fasting glucose in human patients with obesity and dysregulated type 2 diabetes. A potentially useful approach for drug discovery is to connect gene expression profiles of disease-affected tissues (“disease signatures”) to drug signatures, but it remains to be shown whether it can be used to identify clinically relevant treatment options. We analyzed coexpression networks and genetic data to identify a disease signature for type 2 diabetes in liver tissue. By interrogating a library of 3800 drug signatures, we identified sulforaphane as a compound that may reverse the disease signature. Sulforaphane suppressed glucose production from hepatic cells by nuclear translocation of nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 (NRF2) and decreased expression of key enzymes in gluconeogenesis. Moreover, sulforaphane reversed the disease signature in the livers from diabetic animals and attenuated exaggerated glucose production and glucose intolerance by a magnitude similar to that of metformin. Finally, sulforaphane, provided as concentrated broccoli sprout extract, reduced fasting blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in obese patients with dysregulated type 2 diabetes.
Exploring Diet Quality between Urban and Rural Dwelling Women of Reproductive Age

Health disparities, including weight gain and obesity exist between urban and rural dwelling women. The primary aim was to compare diet quality in urban and rural women of reproductive age, and secondary analyses of the difference in macronutrient and micronutrient intake in urban and rural women, and the predictors of diet quality. Diet quality was assessed in urban (n = 149) and rural (n = 394) women by a modified version of the Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) energy, macronutrient and micronutrient intake from a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and predictors of diet quality. Diet quality did not significantly differ between urban and rural women (mean ± standard deviation (SD), 84.8 ± 15.9 vs. 83.9 ± 16.5, p = 0.264). Rural women reported a significantly higher intake of protein, fat, saturated fat, monounsaturated fat, cholesterol and iron and a higher score in the meat and meat alternatives component of the diet quality tool in comparison to urban women. In all women, a higher diet quality was associated with higher annual household income (>$Australian dollar (AUD) 80,000 vs. <$AUD80,000 p = 0.013) and working status (working fulltime/part-time vs. unemployed p = 0.043). Total diet quality did not differ in urban and rural women; however, a higher macronutrient consumption pattern was potentially related to a higher lean meat intake in rural women. Women who are unemployed and on a lower income are an important target group for future dietary interventions aiming to improve diet quality.
Multiple kernel learning based feature selection for process monitoring

In the process of large-scale chemical engineering, more useful industrial process information can be obtained by increasing measuring variables, defined as system features. However, the increase in amount of features will lead to the high computation cost and reduce the efficiency of the process monitoring system. To solve this issue, those features that are redundant or bring an incorrect result should be removed before the process monitoring. Feature selection is the issue of selecting a subset of most informative features from the full set of features. A novel multiple kernel learning based method is proposed for the feature selection. Distinguished with the literature, the feature selection problem is transformed into an optimization problem in the multiple kernel learning, which avoids the drawback called the "monotonic" problem in conventional feature selection methods. Finally, the performance of the proposed method for feature selection in process monitoring is demonstrated through the experiment in Tennessee Eastman benchmark process.
Ripe fruits of Bromelia antiacantha: investigations on the chemical and bioactivity profile.

O cha dos frutos maduros de Bromelia antiacantha (banana-de-bugre; banana-do-mato) e usado tradicionalmente para tratar desordens respiratorias, como antitussigeno e tambem para tratar ulceras de pele e boca. Neste trabalho pesquisou-se o potencial de captacao de radicais livres do extrato aquoso e extrato metanolico atraves da reacao de reducao do DPPH e do fosfomolibdenio, sendo encontrada baixa atividade nos dois modelos (abaixo de 5 mg/ml nenhuma atividade foi detectada em ambos extratos). Os compostos fenolicos totais foram determinados atraves de Folin-Ciocalteau, sendo encontrados 500 µg/g de fruto maduro fresco, e foi desenvolvido fingerprint dos compostos fenolicos atraves de CLAE-DAD. Nenhuma citotoxicidade foi observada em fibroblastos L929 para extratos aquoso, metanolico e lipidico entre 500 e 0,01 µg/ml, assim como baixa genotoxicidade (1000 µg/mL) quando comparados aos controles negativo e positivo (MMS). Abundantes cristais de oxalato de calcio e de sacarose foram observados e caracterizados por RMN e difracao de Raios-X respectivamente, e a composicao centesimal do fruto indicou abundantes carboidratos (45%) e lipideos (18%). A analise de carboidratos encontrou componentes monosacaridicos acidos e foram encontrados acido palmitico e linoleico em quantidades similares (30% cada) e 20% de acido oleico, entre outros acidos graxos atraves de CG-DIC. A viscosidade da sub-fracao polissacaridica soluvel em agua (5 g/L) foi semelhante a da agua.
Overview of existing algorithms for emotion classification. Uncertainties in evaluations of accuracies.

A numerous techniques and algorithms are dedicated to extract emotions from input data. In our investigation it was stated that emotion-detection approaches can be classified into 3 following types: Keyword based / lexical-based, learning based, and hybrid. The most commonly used techniques, such as keyword-spotting method, Support Vector Machines, Naïve Bayes Classifier, Hidden Markov Model and hybrid algorithms, have impressive results in this sphere and can reach more than 90% determining accuracy.
Unified Particle Swarm Optimization for Solving Multi-Item Inventory Models with Supplier Selection

The multi-item inventory optimization problem with supplier selection is considered to be among the most interesting problems in Operations Research. Constraints such as limited capacity and defective items render the problem a demanding challenge for most solvers. Metaheuristic algorithms have been considered as promising approaches for tackling problems of this type. The present work investigates the performance of the Unified Particle Swarm Optimization on this problem type. The employed model also assumes individual transaction costs and productdependent holding cost. Different parametrizations of the algorithm are considered under various configurations. The results are statistically analyzed, offering valuable insight.
Association between paraoxonase-1 ( PON-1 ) polymorphisms and polycystic ovary syndrome susceptibility : a meta-analysis

Several investigations have focused on the relationship between paraoxonase-1 (PON-1) polymorphisms and the risk of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); however, the result remains conflicting. To obtain a more precise estimation of the correlation between PON-1 polymorphisms [rs705379 C>T (-108C/T), rs854560 T>A (55Leu/ Met) and rs662 A>G (192Gln/Arg)] and the risk of PCOS, we performed a meta-analysis of 940 PCOS cases and 881 controls concerning rs705379 C>T polymorphism, 1,436 PCOS cases and 1,053 controls concerning rs854560 T>A polymorphism and 1,306 PCOS cases and 983 controls concerning rs662 A>G polymorphism from eight publications. The crude odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were harnessed to measure the strength of the association. Our findings suggested that there was an evidence of a correlation between the PON-1 rs705379 C>T polymorphism and increased risk of PCOS in three genetic models: allelic comparison, homozygote comparison and recessive comparison. While the association between PON-1 rs854560 T>A polymorphism and a decreased risk of PCOS was found in dominant model. PON-1 rs662 A>G polymorphism is not correlated with PCOS susceptibility. In summary, this study suggests that PON-1 rs705379 C>T polymorphism may cause an increased risk of PCOS, while PON-1 rs854560 T>A polymorphism may cause a decreased risk of PCOS.
Logarithmic Adaptive Quantization Projection for Audio Watermarking

SUMMARY In this paper, a logarithmic adaptive quantization projection (LAQP) algorithm for digital watermarking is proposed. Conventional quantization index modulation uses a ﬁxed quantization step in the watermarking embedding procedure, which leads to poor ﬁdelity. Moreover, the conventional methods are sensitive to value-metric scaling attack. The LAQP method combines the quantization projection scheme with a perceptual model. In comparison to some conventional quantization methods with a perceptual model, the LAQP only needs to calculate the perceptual model in the embedding procedure, avoiding the decoding errors introduced by the di ﬀ erence of the perceptual model used in the embedding and decoding procedure. Experimental results show that the proposed watermarking scheme keeps a better ﬁdelity and is robust against the common signal processing attack. More importantly, the proposed scheme is invariant to value-metric scaling attack.
Study on acrylic copolymer emulsion for wood adhesives

The acrylic copolymer emulsion and the isocyanate were compounded to get a two component waterborne wood adhesive with excellent resistance to water and boiling water.The adhesive was synthesized by crosslinking of the copolymer emulsion containing active hydrogens with isocyanate crosslinking agent and used for bonding of the glulams.The adhesive is curable quickily at room temperature,convenient for use and friendly to envioonment,has excellent bonding performance and water resistance,and can satisfy the requirements of JAS and national forest industry standards.
Cdc42 regulates junctional actin but not cell polarization in the Caenorhabditis elegans epidermis

During morphogenesis, adherens junctions (AJs) remodel to allow changes in cell shape and position while preserving adhesion. Here, we examine the function of Rho guanosine triphosphatase CDC-42 in AJ formation and regulation during Caenorhabditis elegans embryo elongation, a process driven by asymmetric epidermal cell shape changes. cdc-42 mutant embryos arrest during elongation with epidermal ruptures. Unexpectedly, we find using time-lapse fluorescence imaging that cdc-42 is not required for epidermal cell polarization or junction assembly, but rather is needed for proper junctional actin regulation during elongation. We show that the RhoGAP PAC-1/ARHGAP21 inhibits CDC-42 activity at AJs, and loss of PAC-1 or the interacting linker protein PICC-1/CCDC85A-C blocks elongation in embryos with compromised AJ function. pac-1 embryos exhibit dynamic accumulations of junctional F-actin and an increase in AJ protein levels. Our findings identify a previously unrecognized molecular mechanism for inhibiting junctional CDC-42 to control actin organization and AJ protein levels during epithelial morphogenesis.
Identification of Novel Viruses in Amblyomma americanum, Dermacentor variabilis, and Ixodes scapularis Ticks

The incidence of tick-borne disease is increasing, driven by rapid geographical expansion of ticks and the discovery of new tick-associated pathogens. The examination of the tick microbiome is essential in order to understand the relationship between microbes and their tick hosts and to facilitate the identification of new tick-borne pathogens. Genomic analyses using unbiased high-throughput sequencing platforms have proven valuable for investigations of tick bacterial diversity, but the examination of tick viromes has historically not been well explored. By performing a comprehensive virome analysis of the three primary tick species associated with human disease in the United States, we gained substantial insight into tick virome diversity and can begin to assess a potential role of these viruses in the tick life cycle. ABSTRACT Ticks carry a wide range of known human and animal pathogens and are postulated to carry others with the potential to cause disease. Here we report a discovery effort wherein unbiased high-throughput sequencing was used to characterize the virome of 2,021 ticks, including Ixodes scapularis (n = 1,138), Amblyomma americanum (n = 720), and Dermacentor variabilis (n = 163), collected in New York, Connecticut, and Virginia in 2015 and 2016. We identified 33 viruses, including 24 putative novel viral species. The most frequently detected viruses were phylogenetically related to members of the Bunyaviridae and Rhabdoviridae families, as well as the recently proposed Chuviridae. Our work expands our understanding of tick viromes and underscores the high viral diversity that is present in ticks. IMPORTANCE The incidence of tick-borne disease is increasing, driven by rapid geographical expansion of ticks and the discovery of new tick-associated pathogens. The examination of the tick microbiome is essential in order to understand the relationship between microbes and their tick hosts and to facilitate the identification of new tick-borne pathogens. Genomic analyses using unbiased high-throughput sequencing platforms have proven valuable for investigations of tick bacterial diversity, but the examination of tick viromes has historically not been well explored. By performing a comprehensive virome analysis of the three primary tick species associated with human disease in the United States, we gained substantial insight into tick virome diversity and can begin to assess a potential role of these viruses in the tick life cycle.
Low-stress transfer bonding using floatation

A novel method for transferring thin, large-area polymer layers from a mould and its subsequent bonding to a destination substrate is presented here. Buoyancy is used for transfer via floatation to allow the release of internal stress in the polymer and to avoid induced strain. Additionally, floatation leads to wrinkle-free contact between the polymer layer and its destination substrate, an important feature for the transfer of large-area polymer sheets. Poly(vinyl alcohol) is used as a release film on the mould, from which the device polymer layer is released using ultrasonication. The polymer layer floats from the mould to a destination surface, to which it automatically aligns. Here, the method is demonstrated by the successful manufacturing of a 4″ sized, triple microfluidic layer PDMS stack on a silicon wafer, containing a total of 48 large-area, fragile membranes, each with a thickness of 50 µm.
Aggression, Social Stress, and the Immune System in Humans and Animal Models

Social stress can lead to the development of psychological problems ranging from exaggerated anxiety and depression to antisocial and violence-related behaviors. Increasing evidence suggests that the immune system is involved in responses to social stress in adulthood. For example, human studies show that individuals with high aggression traits display heightened inflammatory cytokine levels and dysregulated immune responses such as slower wound healing. Similar findings have been observed in patients with depression, and comorbidity of depression and aggression was correlated with stronger immune dysregulation. Therefore, dysregulation of the immune system may be one of the mediators of social stress that produces aggression and/or depression. Similar to humans, aggressive animals also show increased levels of several proinflammatory cytokines, however, unlike humans these animals are more protected from infectious organisms and have faster wound healing than animals with low aggression. On the other hand, subordinate animals that receive repeated social defeat stress have been shown to develop escalated and dysregulated immune responses such as glucocorticoid insensitivity in monocytes. In this review we synthesize the current evidence in humans, non-human primates, and rodents to show a role for the immune system in responses to social stress leading to psychiatric problems such as aggression or depression. We argue that while depression and aggression represent two fundamentally different behavioral and physiological responses to social stress, it is possible that some overlapped, as well as distinct, pattern of immune signaling may underlie both of them. We also argue the necessity of studying animal models of maladaptive aggression induced by social stress (i.e., social isolation) for understanding neuro-immune mechanism of aggression, which may be relevant to human aggression.
A 20-pW Discontinuous Switched-Capacitor Energy Harvester for Smart Sensor Applications

We present a discontinuous harvesting approach for switch capacitor dc–dc converters that enables ultralow-power energy harvesting. Smart sensor applications rely on ultralow-power energy harvesters to scavenge energy across a wide range of ambient power levels and charge the battery. Based on the key observation that energy source efficiency is higher than charge pump efficiency, we present a discontinuous harvesting technique that decouples the two efficiencies for a better tradeoff. By slowly accumulating charge on an input capacitor and then transferring it to a battery in burst mode, dc–dc converter switching and leakage losses can be optimally traded off with the loss incurred by nonideal maximum power point tracking operation. Harvester duty cycle is automatically modulated instead of charge pump operating frequency to match with the energy source input power level. The harvester uses a hybrid structure called a moving-sum charge pump for low startup energy upon a mode switch, an automatic conversion ratio modulator based on conduction loss optimization for fast conversion ratio increment, and a <15-pW asynchronous mode controller for ultralow-power operation. In 180-nm CMOS, the harvester achieves >40% end-to-end efficiency from 113 pW to 1.5 $\mu \text{W}$ with 20-pW minimum harvestable input power.
Effects of thermal treatment on surface color, dimensional stability and mechanical properties of bamboo-based fiber composites

Bamboo fibrous veneers were fabricated using a new technology and heat-treated in a vacuum by steaming at pressure of 0.40 MPa (151°C) for 170 min. Bamboo-based fiber composites (BFC) were made from bamboo fibrous veneers that were before and after thermal-treated using a compression molding method. The results pointed out that, chemical degradation occurred in bamboo fibrous veneers, mainly in relation to hemicelluloses, and its reduction reached 59.15%. The pH value decreased significantly, whereas acid buffering capacity increased compared with control samples. The color of thermal-treated BFC was darkened; dimensional stability was significantly improved by reducing thickness swelling and wideness swelling. The mechanical properties were affected with reduction in Modulus of Rupture (MOR) and Horizontal Shear strength (HS), but Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) was affected slightly. Thus it is shown that the surface color and dimensional stability of BFC can be changed and improved by thermal treatment.