Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Direct Regulation of Gonadotrophin‐Releasing Hormone (GnRH) Transcription By RF‐Amide‐Related Peptide‐3 and Kisspeptin in A Novel GnRH‐Secreting Cell Line, mHypoA‐GnRH/GFP

RF‐amide‐related peptide‐3 [RFRP‐3; also often referred to as the mammalian orthologue of the avian gonadotrophin‐inhibitory hormone (GnIH)] and kisspeptin have emerged as potent modulators of neuroendocrine function via direct regulation of the reproductive axis in the hypothalamus and pituitary. There are few studies focusing on the direct regulatory effects of RFRP‐3 and kisspeptin on gonadotrophin‐releasing hormones (GnRH) neurones. We report their effect on GnRH mRNA expression and release in a novel GnRH neuronal cell model, mHypoA‐GnRH/GFP, generated from adult‐derived GnRH‐GFP neurones. The neurones express receptors for both RFRP‐3 and kisspeptin, Gpr147 and Gpr54, respectively. Incubation with 100 nm RFRP‐3 results in attenuation of GnRH mRNA expression by approximately 60%. Conversely, incubation with 10 nm of Kiss‐10 induced GnRH mRNA expression, whereas the combined effect was an overall repression of GnRH mRNA levels. With transcription inhibitors, the repression of GnRH mRNA levels was linked to a transcriptional mechanism but not mRNA stability. No significant changes in GnRH secretion were observed upon RFRP‐3 exposure in these neurones. Our findings suggest that the suppressive signalling of RFRP‐3 on GnRH transcription may dominate over kisspeptin induction in the mHypoA‐GnRH/GFP GnRH neuronal cell model.
The RENEB operational basis: complement of established biodosimetric assays

Abstract Purpose: To set up an operational basis of the Realizing the European Network of Biodosimetry (RENEB) network within which the application of seven established biodosimetric tools (the dicentric assay, the FISH assay, the micronucleus assay, the PCC assay, the gamma-H2AX assay, electron paramagnetic resonance and optically stimulated luminescence) will be compared and standardized among the participating laboratories. Methodology: Two intercomparisons were organized where blood samples and smartphone components were irradiated, coded and sent out to participating laboratories for dosimetric analysis. Moreover, an accident exercise was organized during which each RENEB partner had the chance to practice the procedure of activating the network and to handle large amounts of dosimetric results. Results: All activities were carried out as planned. Overall, the precision of dose estimates improved between intercomparisons 1 and 2, clearly showing the value of running such regular activities. Conclusions: The RENEB network is fully operational and ready to act in case of a major radiation emergency. Moreover, the high capacity for analyzing radiation-induced damage in cells and personal electronic devices makes the network suitable for large-scale analyses of low doses effects, where high numbers of samples must be scored in order to detect weak effects.
Single leg squat performance is impaired one to two years after hip arthroscopy

1 2 Objective: 1. Evaluate single leg squat performance 1-2 years after arthroscopy for intra3 articular hip pathology, compared to controls and th e non-operative limb. 2. Investigate 4 whether single leg squat performance on the operated limb was associated with hip muscle 5 strength. 6 Design: Cross-sectional study 7 Setting: Private physiotherapy clinic and university laboratory. 8 Participants: Thirty-four participants (17 females, 36.7±12.6 years) 1-2 years following hip 9 arthroscopy, and 34 sex-matched controls (17 females , 33.1±11.9 years) 10 Methods: Participants performed single leg squats using a standardized testing procedure. 11 Squat performance was captured using video. Video fo otage was uploaded and reformatted 12 for analyses. Hip muscle strength was measured with hand-held dynamometry using reliable 13 methods. 14 Outcome measures: Frontal plane pelvic obliquity, hip adduction and knee valgus were 15 measured. Repeated measures analysis of variance eva luat d between-group differences, with 16 limb as a within-subjects factor (operated versus no n-operated) and sex as a between-subjects 17 factor (p<.05). 18 Results: The hip arthroscopy group demonstrated significantly greater apparent hip 19 adduction (mean difference 2.7°, 95% CI 0.7° to 4.8° ) and apparent knee valgus (4.0°, 95% 20 CI 1.0° to 7.1°) at peak squat depth, compared to co ntrols. The operated limb also 21 demonstrated significantly greater pelvic obliquity during single leg stance compared to the 22 M AN US CR IP T AC CE PT ED ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 2 non-operated limb (1.2°, 95% CI 0.1° to 2.3°). Females had significantly greater apparent hip 23 adduction (standing 1.6°, 95% CI 0.5° to 2.6°; peak squat depth 95% CI 2.4°, 0.3° to 4.4°) 24 and apparent knee valgus (standing 3.3°, 95% CI 1.8° to 4.7°; peak squat depth 3.1°, 95% CI 25 0° to 6.1°). Significant positive correlations were found between frontal plane angles and hip 26 flexor and extensor peak torque (p>.05). 27 Conclusion: 1-2 years after hip arthroscopy, deficits in single leg squat performance exist 28 that have the potential to increase hip joint imping ement and perpetuate post-operative 29 symptoms. Rehabilitation post-hip arthroscopy should target retraining in functional single 30 leg positions. 31 32 Key terms: hip arthroscopy, chondrolabral pathology, single leg squat, functional 33 impairment 34
Exploiting Gate Leakage in Deep-Submicrometer CMOS for Input Offset Adaptation

Gate leakage that occurs in deep-submicrometer CMOS might be a convenient new way of implementing highly resistive elements with minimal area consumption. We present an adaptive device that exploits gate leakage in the 90-nm STM CMOS process for offset cancellation at its input. This is achieved by a high-pass-filtering input stage with a very low cutoff due to a time constant of approximately 130 ms. In this filter, three 0.1times0. 22 mum2 gate-oxide structures are used to achieve the equivalent of a 6.5-GOmega resistance
Multifunctional Role of Human SPLUNC1 in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infection

ABSTRACT The human short PLUNC1 (SPLUNC1) protein has been identified as a component of the pulmonary antimicrobial response based on its structural similarity to the bactericidal/permeability-increasing (BPI) protein. Using a genetically modified mouse model, we recently verified the antimicrobial activity of SPLUNC1 against Pseudomonas aeruginosa in vivo. To further define the mechanism of epithelial SPLUNC1-mediated antibacterial action, we carried out studies to determine how SPLUNC1 protects the host from acute respiratory infections. P. aeruginosa treated with recombinant human SPLUNC1 protein showed decreased growth in vitro. This antibacterial activity was due to growth inhibition, as a consequence of a SPLUNC1-induced increase in bacterial cell permeability. Removal of SPLUNC1 allowed the recovery of P. aeruginosa and suggested no permanent cell injury or direct killing of bacteria. Further investigation showed coating of bacterial cells by SPLUNC1. We suggest that this “bacterial cell coating” is necessary for the bacteriostatic function of SPLUNC1. Additionally, we demonstrated a novel role for SPLUNC1 as a chemoattractant that facilitated migration of macrophages and neutrophils. Taking the findings together, we propose synergistic roles for human SPLUNC1 as an antibacterial agent with bacteriostatic and chemotactic activities.
Simultaneous inpainting and denoising by directional global three-part decomposition: connecting variational and Fourier domain-based image processing

We consider the very challenging task of restoring images (i) that have a large number of missing pixels, (ii) whose existing pixels are corrupted by noise, and (iii) that ideally contain both cartoon and texture elements. The combination of these three properties makes this inverse problem a very difficult one. The solution proposed in this manuscript is based on directional global three-part decomposition (DG3PD) (Thai, Gottschlich. 2016 EURASIP. J. Image Video Process. 2016, 1–20 (doi:10.1186/s13640-015-0097-y)) with a directional total variation norm, directional G-norm and ℓ∞-norm in the curvelet domain as key ingredients of the model. Image decomposition by DG3PD enables a decoupled inpainting and denoising of the cartoon and texture components. A comparison with existing approaches for inpainting and denoising shows the advantages of the proposed method. Moreover, we regard the image restoration problem from the viewpoint of a Bayesian framework and we discuss the connections between the proposed solution by function space and related image representation by harmonic analysis and pyramid decomposition.
Spatial analysis of housing stress estimation in Australia with statistical validation

A large number of Australian households are experiencing housing stress. Decision makers at the national and regional levels need reliable small area statistics on housing stress, to most efficiently and fairly target assistance and policy design. This paper studies small area housing stress estimation in Australia and examines various distributive scenarios of the estimates through spatial analysis of a synthetically microsimulated data. Results reveal that one in every nine households in Australia is experiencing housing stress, with private renter households being most greatly affected. About two-thirds of Australian households with housing stress reside in the eight major capital cities, principally in Sydney and Melbourne. The statistical local area level estimates of housing stress are much lower in Canberra, compared to the other major cities. Scenarios of the spatial analysis identify small area level hotspots for housing stress across Australia. A new approach for validating the results of microsimulated data produced by the microsimulation modelling technology reveals statistically accurate housing stress estimation for about 94.3 percent of small areas.
How California Gains if the President's Executive Actions on Immigration are Implemented

After more than a year of litigation in the lower courts, the Supreme Court will soon have the opportunity to make a decision on the constitutionality of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration. A decision in United States v. Texas is expected before the end of June 2016. The ruling on Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)1 will impact the lives of nearly 4 million immigrants and their families. California has a large stake in what ultimately gets decided — beyond the sheer number of DAPAand expanded DACA-eligible immigrants, an unfavorable decision’s ramifications could reverberate through the current and future economic and social foundations of the state. However, a favorable decision — one that recognizes the Secretary of Homeland Security’s authority to grant temporary protection from deportation and work authorization to certain qualified immigrants — can empower and strengthen households and families, promote broad social and civic inclusion, and enhance economic prosperity to all communities throughout the state.
Recapitalization Effectiveness and Performance of Banks in Malaysia

Recapitalization through capital injection is one of the strategies for banks to strengthen their banking system from the possibility of bank failures. Banks cannot deny that capital is one of the most important components to run their business. In spite of that, few studies have been conducted to assess the effectiveness of such strategy on Asian banks. This paper investigates the effectiveness of capital injection in the Malaysian banking sector which was adversely hit by the financial crisis. Panel data from 1997 to 2014 was used. The financial data is obtained from annual reports published in Bank Scope and The World Bank database. The data were processed using Panel Least Square and Random effect model. The empirical analysis reveals that, GDP, CAR, previous year capital injection and loan write-off (LWO) explain 89.6 percent of the variance in capital injection effectiveness. CAR and LWO/TA are significant at 5 percent confidence level. The evidence from the results shows that recapitalization is vital for long term survival of the banking sector. The study recommends that in order to improve the profitability of banking sector, the banks should write off bad loans and ensure they have adequate capital either through capital injection, or growth to withstand financial risks.
Variations in cerebral organization as a function of handedness, hand posture in writing, and sex.

During the past century, it has become increasingly apparent that there is a great deal of variation in the direction and degree of cerebral lateralization, a plurality of people having language and related functions strongly specialized to the left hemisphere and visuospatial functions strongly specialized to the right, with substantial minorities manifesting various deviations from this pattern. In particular, in 35%-50% of sinistrals and 1%-10% of dextrals, the right hemisphere is specialized for linguistic skills, and in some unknown fraction of the two handedness groups, verbal and/or spatial abilities are, to varying extents, bilateralized. Levy (1973) suggested that the hand posture adopted during writing might be an index of the lateral relationship between the dominant writing hand and the language hemisphere, a normal posture indicating contralateral language specialization, and an inverted posture indicating ipsilateral language specialization. In the present investigation, two tachistoscopic tests of cerebral lateralization, one measuring spatial functions and one measuring verbal function, were administered to 73 subjects classified by handedness, hand posture during writing, and sex. Among both dextral and sinistral subjects with a normal writing posture, language and spatial functions were specialized to the contralateral and ipsilateral hemispheres, respectively, and lateral differentiation of the brain was strong. The reverse was seen in subjects having an inverted writing posture. In all groups, females were less laterally differentiated than males. In 70 out of 73 subjects, the direction of cerebral laterization was accurately predicted by handedness and hand posture. The 3 subjects (2 females and 1 male) who failed to manifest the predicted relations were all left-handers having an inverted hand posture . In this group, lateral differentiation was so weak that the reliability of the tachistoscopic tests was reduced, and we attribute these three predictive failures to this cause. Thus, almost all of the variation in the lateral organization of the brain was accounted for by handedness, hand posture, and sex.
Recent Trends in Organizational Citizenship Behavior Research : 2010-2015

Over the last thirty years, organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) has been considered as one of the important concepts about organizational behavior. Today, many researchers in various countries are conducting empirical research into OCB. This paper reviews empirical research into OCB between 2010 and 2015, drawing on two academic research databases, and identifies the latest trends in the research. The paper lists more than one hundred OCB studies, and classifies them into those that investigate the individual, interpersonal/group, or organizational antecedents of OCB. The characteristics of OCB are documented for each category. The paper presents several findings from the research review as a guide to useful future OCB
Photophysics and stability of cyano-substituted boradiazaindacene dyes

The solvatochromic photophysical properties of two fluorescent, cyano-substituted BODIPY dyes—8-(4-bromophenyl)-3,4,4,5-tetracyano-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza- s -indacene ( 4CN ) and 8-(4-bromophenyl)-3,5-dicyano-4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza- s -indacene ( 2CN )—have been studied in various solvents by UV–vis spectrophotometry and steady-state and time-resolved fluorometry. These two BODIPY analogues have comparable photophysical properties, implying that displacement of F by CN at boron has a negligible effect. Both compounds have high fluorescence quantum yields Uf (0.65–0.90 for 4CN and 0.63–0.88 for 2CN ) in the solvents studied and display mono-exponential fluorescence decay profiles in nonprotic solvents. A new, generalized treatment of the solvent effect based on four mutually independent, empirical solvent scales (dipolarity, polarizability, acidity, and basicity of the medium) indicates that solvent polarizability and, to a lesser degree, solvent (di)polarity are crucial factors causing the solvent-dependent shifts of the UV–vis absorption and fluorescence emission. The rate constants of radiative deactivation ( k _f) are nearly independent of the nonprotic solvent [ k _f = (1.4 ± 0.1) × 108 s^−1 for 4CN and (1.5 ± 0.2) × 108 s^−1 for 2CN ]. Both compounds undergo a color change in polar aprotic solvents (acetone, acetonitrile, and N , N -dimethylformamide), which can be stopped by addition of HClO4. The kinetics of this color change indicates that the decomposition of these cyano-substituted BODIPY compounds is complex.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor activation in genital tubercle, palate, and other embryonic tissues in 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin-responsive lacZ mice.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor that mediates the toxicity of 2,3,7, 8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) and related halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons. Although the normal function and endogenous ligand for this receptor are not known, it is thought to have a role in growth regulation processes. The AhR has been found in both adult and certain developing tissues, and AhR agonists like the environmental contaminant TCDD cause a number of developmental anomalies. We sought to determine whether the AhR is directly activated to a transcriptionally functional form in tissues known to be adversely affected by AhR agonist exposure. To this end, a transgenic mouse model was developed that could be used to indicate the temporal and spatial context of transcriptionally active AhR following agonist exposure in vivo. A synthetic promoter containing two dioxin-responsive elements (DREs) and a minimal TATA box was strongly induced by TCDD in transfected cells when linked to the lacZ or luciferase reporter gene. Transgenic mice harboring the lacZ construct had TCDD-inducible beta-galactosidase activity in tissues following adult and in utero exposure. Embryonic lacZ expression was induced in hard and soft palates, genital tubercle, certain facial regions, shoulder, as well as other tissues by in utero exposure to 30 microg TCDD/kg at Gestational Day 13. The most intense reporter response was observed in the genital tubercle. Histopathology of the palate and tubercle demonstrated the reporter gene activity to be both cell- and region-specific. This is the first publication to correlate reported TCDD-elicited toxicity (e.g., cleft palate in mice) with TCDD-dependent AhR activation. These data indicate the ability of TCDD to initiate a signal transduction process leading to a transcriptionally active AhR in these tissues, thereby identifying potential targets of dioxin-induced toxicity during development. Weak activation of the reporter gene was consistently observed only in the genital tubercle in the absence of exogenous inducer. This indicates minimal or no endogenous AhR activators at the developmental stage examined. This mouse model will prove useful for both the examination of the endogenous role of the AhR in proliferation or differentiation and of the developmental targets of dioxin-like compounds.
A COMPARATIVE STOCHASTIC FRONTIER ANALYSIS OF IRRIGATED AND RAIN-FED POTATO FARMS IN EASTERN ETHIOPIA

Irrigation development has been considered as one of the viable strategies for achieving food security. Accordingly, the government of Ethiopia has been increasing water resource development and utilization. However, to what extent the irrigation users are better off than rainfall dependent counterparts on their technical effi ciency (TE) and variability in productivity among the farmers is not well known. Therefore, this study compared the technical effi ciency of farmers who are producing potato under irrigation and through rainfall in Eastern Ethiopia. Propensity Score Matching was applied to select irrigated farms with comparable attributes to rain-fed farms to see the true effi ciency diff erences between the two groups. Cobb-Douglas production function was fi tted using the stochastic production frontier for both irrigated and rain fed farming. The result indicated that irrigated farms have high ineffi ciencies compared with the rain-fed farms. This indicates the existence of considerable potential for increasing output by improving the effi ciency of irrigated farms than rain-fed farms. Among the factors hypothesized to determine the level of TE, landholding, family size and extension contact were found to have a signifi cant eff ect on irrigated farms whereas, landholding, non/off income, farm income, livestock size and extension contact were the determinants in rain-fed farms. This indicates that factors that aff ect technical effi - ciency in irrigated farms are not necessarily the same as rain fed farms. Therefore, it is important to consider both farms groups in evaluating strategies aimed at improving technical effi ciency of smallholder farmers
Brain indices of disagreement with one’s social values predict EU referendum voting behavior

Abstract Pre-electoral surveys typically attempt, and sometimes fail, to predict voting behavior on the basis of explicit measures of agreement or disagreement with a candidate or political position. Here, we assessed whether a specific brain signature of disagreement with one’s social values, the event-related potential component N400, could be predictive of voting behavior. We examined this possibility in the context of the EU referendum in the UK. In the 5 weeks preceding the referendum, we recorded the N400 while participants with different vote intentions expressed their agreement or disagreement with pro- and against-EU statements. We showed that the N400 responded to statements incongruent with one’s view regarding the EU. Crucially, this effect predicted actual voting behavior in decided as well as undecided voters. The N400 was a better predictor of voting choice than an explicit index of preference based on the behavioral responses. Our findings demonstrate that well-defined patterns of brain activity can forecast future voting behavior.
Expression of the human T cell receptor as defined by anti-isotypic antibodies.

Anti-isotypic reagents against the human T cell receptor (TcR) were made by immunizing rabbits with peptides which corresponded to sites within the constant region of the alpha- and beta-chains. These antibodies were shown to immunoprecipitate a heterodimer of 80,000 to 90,000 m.w. that could be reduced to chains of 44,000 to 50,000 and 37,000 to 40,000 m.w. In addition, an anti-peptide serum against CD3 delta-chain was made. The anti-alpha peptide serum reacted with all human TcR (from phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes, cytotoxic T cell clones, and the T cell leukemias: HPB-ALL, Jurkat, JA3, and JM), and the anti-beta peptide serum reacted with only human TcR of the C beta 2 isotype (from a cytotoxic T cell clone which had a C beta 2 transcript, HPB-ALL, and a proportion of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated lymphocytes, but not with Jurkat, JA3, and JM). A comparison of the detergents NP-40 and digitonin revealed that digitonin was more efficient at keeping the TcR/CD3 complex intact, but was less efficient at solubilizing the total amount of TcR or the total amount of CD3. With these reagents and the use of digitonin, it was shown that all of the alpha, beta, and CD3 moieties on the surface of a T cell leukemia HPB-ALL occur as a bound TcR/CD3 complex. The proportion of C beta 1 to C beta 2 isotype expressed on the surface of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes was 0.8, indicating approximately equal use of the two beta-chain isotypes.