Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Genetic Enhancement of Thalamocortical Network Activity by Elevating α1G-Mediated Low-Voltage-Activated Calcium Current Induces Pure Absence Epilepsy

Absence seizures are a leading form of childhood epilepsy. Human and mouse P/Q-type calcium channel gene mutations initiate a complex absence epilepsy and ataxia phenotype, and in mice, secondarily elevate neuronal low-voltage-activated T-type calcium currents. These currents influence thalamocortical network activity and contribute to the generation of cortical spike-wave discharges (SWDs) associated with absence seizures. To address whether enhanced thalamocortical T-type currents suffice to induce an epileptic phenotype, two BAC transgenic mouse lines overexpressing the Cacna1g gene for α1G T-type calcium channels were generated with low and high transgene copy numbers that exhibit elevated α1G expression and showed increased functional T-type currents measured in thalamic neurons. Both lines exhibit frequent bilateral cortical SWDs associated with behavioral arrest but lack other overt neurological abnormalities. These models provide the first evidence that primary elevation of brain T-type currents are causally related to pure absence epilepsy, and selectively identify Cacna1g, one of the three T-type calcium channel genes, as a key component of a genetically complex epileptogenic pathway.
Synthetic Cannabinoid-Induced Immunosuppression Augments Cerebellar Dysfunction in Tetanus-Toxin Treated Mice

Synthetic cannabinoids are one of most abused new psychoactive substances. The recreational use of abused drug has aroused serious concerns about the consequences of these drugs on infection. However, the effects of synthetic cannabinoid on resistance to tetanus toxin are not fully understood yet. In the present study, we aimed to determine if the administration of synthetic cannabinoids increase the susceptibility to tetanus toxin-induced motor behavioral deficit and functional changes in cerebellar neurons in mice. Furthermore, we measured T lymphocytes marker levels, such as CD8 and CD4 which against tetanus toxin. JWH-210 administration decreased expression levels of T cell activators including cluster of differentiation (CD) 3ε, CD3γ, CD74p31, and CD74p41. In addition, we demonstrated that JWH-210 induced motor impairment and decrement of vesicle-associated membrane proteins 2 levels in the cerebellum of mice treated with tetanus toxin. Furthermore, cerebellar glutamatergic neuronal homeostasis was hampered by JWH-210 administration, as evidenced by increased glutamate concentration levels in the cerebellum. These results suggest that JWH-210 may increase the vulnerability to tetanus toxin via the regulation of immune function.
A Role for the Ppz Ser/Thr Protein Phosphatases in the Regulation of Translation Elongation Factor 1Bα*

In vivo 32P-labeled yeast proteins from wild type and ppz1 ppz2 phosphatase mutants were resolved by bidimensional electrophoresis. A prominent phosphoprotein, which in ppz mutants showed a marked shift to acidic regions, was identified by mixed peptide sequencing as the translation elongation factor 1Bα (formerly eEF1β). An equivalent shift was detected in cells overexpressing HAL3, a inhibitory regulatory subunit of Ppz1. Subsequent analysis identified the conserved Ser-86 as the in vivo phosphorylatable residue and showed that its phosphorylation was increased inppz cells. Pull-down experiments using a glutathioneS-transferase (GST)-EF1Bα fusion version allowed to identify Ppz1 as an in vivo interacting protein. Cells lacking Ppz display a higher tolerance to known translation inhibitors, such as hygromycin and paromomycin, and enhanced readthrough at all three nonsense codons, suggesting that translational fidelity might be affected. Overexpression of a GST-EF1Bα fusion counteracted the growth defect associated to high levels of Ppz1 and this effect was essentially lost when the phosphorylatable Ser-86 is replaced by Ala. Therefore, the Ppz phosphatases appear to regulate the phosphorylation state of EF1Bα in yeast, and this may result in modification of the translational accuracy.
New Methods for Processing and Quantifying VO2 Kinetics to Steady State: VO2 Onset Kinetics

Current methods of oxygen uptake (VO2) kinetics data handling may be too simplistic for the complex physiology involved in the underlying physiological processes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to quantify the VO2 kinetics to steady state across the full range of sub-ventilatory threshold work rates, with a particular focus on the VO2 onset kinetics. Ten healthy, moderately trained males participated in five bouts of cycling. Each bout involved 10 min at a percentage of the subject's ventilation threshold (30, 45, 60, 75, 90%) from unloaded cycling. The VO2 kinetics was quantified using the conventional mono-exponential time constant (tau, τ), as well as the new methods for VO2 onset kinetics. Compared to linear modeling, non-linear modeling caused a deterioration of goodness of fit (main effect, p < 0.001) across all exercise intensities. Remainder kinetics were also improved using a modified application of the mono-exponential model (main effect, p < 0.001). Interestingly, the slope from the linear regression of the onset kinetics data is similar across all subjects and absolute exercise intensities, and thereby independent of subject fitness and τ. This could indicate that there are no functional limitations between subjects during this onset phase, with limitations occurring for the latter transition to steady state. Finally, the continuing use of mono-exponential modeling could mask important underlying physiology of more instantaneous VO2 responses to steady state. Consequently, further research should be conducted on this new approach to VO2 onset kinetics.
Compact Differentially Fed Inverted Microstrip Circular Patch With an Integrated Coupler

This letter presents a compact design of an inverted microstrip circular patch differentially fed by an integrated coupler. The compact design offers symmetric copolarized radiation in both principal planes and low cross-polarized radiation in the H-plane. A relatively high gain of 8.3 dBi is experimentally demonstrated. Moreover, the integrated unilayer coupler feed shares a common ground plane with the inverted patch providing a compact design.
A Fast and Scalable Protection Scheme for Distribution Networks With Distributed Generation

The increasing penetration of distributed generators (DGs) in modern day power grids results in varying fault current levels and network scenarios which may affect the conventional overcurrent protection relays. This necessitates a protection scheme with efficient fault signal estimations and smart decision-making capabilities in case of unexpected events. In this paper, a novel, fast, and adaptive relay mechanism has been proposed for complete protection of radial distribution systems with DG penetration. A fast recursive discrete Fourier transform (FRDFT) algorithm is used here for efficient fundamental tracking of varying power system signals. The numerical relay design using the FRDFT algorithm is embedded with a fuzzy-logic decision-making module for obtaining optimal protection settings in case of changing system conditions. The proposed adaptive scheme is tested on a standard IEEE 34-bus distribution system equipped with DGs by simulating various case studies. Simulation results verify that the adaptive relay is able to capture the changing system scenarios and select the protection settings accordingly.
Myostatin DNA vaccine increases skeletal muscle mass and endurance in mice

Myostatin is a transforming growth factor‐β family member that acts as a negative regulator of skeletal muscle growth. In mice, genetic disruption of the myostatin gene leads to a marked increase in body weight and muscle mass. Similarly, pharmacological interference with myostatin in vivo in mdx knockout mice results in a functional improvement of the dystrophic phenotype. Consequently, myostatin is an important therapeutic target for treatment of diseases associated with muscle wasting. To construct a therapeutic DNA vaccine against myostatin, we coupled the foreign, immunodominant T‐helper epitope of tetanus toxin to the N terminus of myostatin, and BALB/c mice were immunized with the recombinant vector. Sera from vaccinated mice showed the presence of specific antibodies against the recombinant protein. In addition, body weight, muscle mass, and grip endurance of vaccinated mice were significantly increased. Our study provides a novel, pharmacological strategy for treatment of diseases associated with muscle wasting. Muscle Nerve, 2007
Assessment of biomarkers for risk prediction with nested case–control studies

Background Accurate risk prediction plays a key role in disease prevention and disease management; emergence of new biomarkers may lead to an important question about how much improvement in prediction accuracy it would achieve by adding the new markers into the existing risk prediction tools. Purpose In large prospective cohort studies, the standard full-cohort design, requiring marker measurement on the entire cohort, may be infeasible due to cost and low rate of the clinical condition of interest. To overcome such difficulties, nested case–control (NCC) studies provide cost-effective alternatives but bring about challenges in statistical analyses due to complex data sets generated. Methods To evaluate prognostic accuracy of a risk model, Cai and Zheng proposed a class of nonparametric inverse probability weighting (IPW) estimators for accuracy measures in the time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. To accommodate a three-phase NCC design in Nurses’ Health Study, we extend the double IPW estimators of Cai and Zheng to develop risk prediction models under time-dependent generalized linear models and evaluate the incremental values of new biomarkers and genetic markers. Results Our results suggest that aggregating the information from both the genetic markers and biomarkers substantially improves the accuracy for predicting 5-year and 10-year risks of rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusions Our method provided robust procedures to evaluate the incremental value of new biomarkers allowing for complex sampling designs.
The Disclosure Practices of Islamic Equity Funds

ABSTRACT We investigate the disclosure practices of screening and compliance information of Islamic equity funds around the world. Disclosures on Sharia advisors and screening information are quite high, but they are lower for compliance information such as Sharia advisory report (SAR) and holdings data. The results show that younger funds with better Sharia advisory board (SAB) governance which are domiciled in countries belonging to an Islamic international standard-setter body have the highest disclosure levels. However, funds domiciled in countries with a central SAB and following common law disclose less Sharia-related information. These findings are important for the effectiveness of disclosure framework.
Intermediates in photochemistry of Fe(III) complexes with carboxylic acids in aqueous solutions

The primary processes in the photochemistry of Fe(III) complexes with carboxylic acids (glyoxalic, tartaric, pyruvic and lactic) were studied by means of laser flash photolysis. The inner-sphere electron transfer with the formation of Fe(II) complex and an escape of an organic radical to the solution bulk was shown to be a minor channel of the photolysis. The main channel was proposed to be the formation of a long-lived radical complex [Fe^II . ^•OOC-R]^2+. Spectral and kinetic parameters of the radical complexes are determined.
Evolvable visual commercial detector

Commercial detection plays an important role in various video segmentation and indexing applications. It provides high-level program segmentation so that other algorithms can be applied on the true program material in the broadcast. It is a challenge to have robust commercial detection methodology for various platforms, content formats, and broadcast styles that are used all over the world. Wide deployment of such an algorithm not only requires the development of new algorithms but also updating and tuning of parameters for existing algorithms. We present visual commercial detectors that rely on features including, luminance, letterbox, and keyframe distance. These detectors were developed after a careful study of the various features that can be extracted during MPEG-encoding process in real time. Due to the intermittent nature of the features, and platform restrictions, the commercial detection relies on a set of thresholds to keep the implementation as simple as possible. We evolved these thresholds using genetic algorithms (GAs) to optimize the performance. We show how a scalar genetic algorithm can locate sets of parameters in a multi-objective space (precision and recall) that outperform the values selected by an expert engineer. We present the results of optimizing a commercial detection algorithm for different data sets and parameter sets. In this paper we show that GAs drastically improved our approach and enabled fast prototyping and performance tuning of commercial detection algorithms.
Heterogeneous output pathways link the anterior pretectal nucleus with the zona incerta and the thalamus in rat

The anterior pretectal nucleus (APT) and the zona incerta (ZI) are diencephalic nuclei that exert a strong inhibitory influence selectively in higher order thalamic relays. The APT is also known to project to the ZI as well as the thalamus, but anatomical details of the APT‐ZI projection have not been described. In the present study, the efferent pathways of the APT were examined in the APT‐ZI‐thalamus network by using anterograde and retrograde tracing in combination with pre‐ and postembedding immunocytochemical stainings and in situ hybridization. The vast majority of APT fibers selectively innervated the parvalbumin‐positive, ventral part of the ZI, which contains ZI neurons with axons projecting to higher order thalamic nuclei. The APT‐ZI pathway consisted of both γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)‐negative and GABA‐positive components; 38.2% of the terminals in the ZI contained GABA, and 8.6% of the projecting somata in the APT were glutamic acid decarboxylase 67 (GAD67) mRNA positive. The combination of parvalbumin immunostaining with retrograde tracing showed that strongly and weakly parvalbumin‐positive as well as parvalbumin‐negative neurons were all among the population of APT cells projecting to the ZI. Similar heterogeneity was found among the APT cells projecting to the thalamus. Double retrograde tracing from higher order thalamic nuclei and their topographically matched ZI regions revealed hardly any APT neuron with dual projections. Our data suggest that both ZI and the higher order thalamic relays are innervated by distinct, physiologically heterogeneous APT neurons. These various efferent pathways probably interact via the rich recurrent collaterals of the projecting APT cells. Therefore, the powerful, GABAergic APT and ZI outputs to the thalamus are apparently co‐modulated in a synergistic manner via dual excitatory and inhibitory APT‐ZI connections. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:122–140, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Aggressive Combination Drug Therapy in Very Early Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (ACUTE–JIA): a multicentre randomised open-label clinical trial

Objectives In juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), the efficacy of very early disease-modifying drug therapy, synthetic or biological, is not well known. Three alternative strategies were compared for treating recent‑onset polyarticular JIA. Methods In a 54-week multicentre open-label clinical trial, 60 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naive patients aged 4–15 years were randomly assigned into three treatment arms. The efficacy of infliximab plus methotrexate (TNF) was compared to that of two synthetic therapies: methotrexate alone (MTX) and DMARD methotrexate, sulphasalazine and hydroxychloroquine in combination (COMBO). Primary endpoint was American College of Rheumatology paediatric 75% improvement (ACR Pedi 75). Secondary endpoints were inactive disease and safety. Results In 59 patients, mean (±SE) age at baseline was 9.6±0.4 years, duration of JIA 1.9±0.2 months and number of active joints 18±1. ACR Pedi 75 was achieved in 100% (19/19) of patients receiving TNF, 65% (13/20) on COMBO (95% CI 44% to 86%) and 50% (10/20) on methotrexate (95% CI 28% to 72%) p<0.0001. Thirteen patients receiving TNF (68%; 95% CI 47% to 89%) achieved inactive disease, whereas eight (40%; 95% CI 22% to 63%) on COMBO and five (25%; 95% CI 6% to 44%) on methotrexate did (p=0.002). Patients on TNF spent a mean 26 weeks (95% CI 18 to 34) with inactive disease, longer than did those receiving COMBO (13 weeks; 95% CI 6 to 20), or methotrexate (6 weeks; 95% CI 2 to 10). Serious adverse events were rare. Conclusion In early polyarticular JIA, targeting to achieve minimally active or inactive disease, infliximab plus methotrexate was superior to synthetic DMARD in combination and strikingly superior to methotrexate alone.
Metabolic effects of oral fructose in the liver of fasted rats.

Twenty-four-hour-fasted rats were given fructose (4 g/kg) by gavage. Fructose absorption and the portal vein, aorta, and hepatic vein plasma fructose, glucose, lactate, and insulin concentrations as well as liver fructose and fructose 1-P, glucose, glucose 6-P, UDPglucose, lactate, pyruvate, ATP, ADP, AMP, inorganic phosphate (Pi), cAMP, and Mg2+, and glycogen synthase I and phosphorylase alpha were measured at 10, 20, 30, 40, 60 and 120 min after gavage. Liver and muscle glycogen and serum uric acid and triglycerides also were measured. Fifty-nine percent of the fructose was absorbed in 2 h. There were modest increases in plasma and hepatic fructose, glucose, and lactate and in plasma insulin. Concentrations in the portal vein, aorta, and hepatic vein plasma indicate rapid removal of fructose and lactate by the liver and a modest increase in production of glucose. The source of the increase in plasma lactate is uncertain. Hepatic glucose 6-P increased twofold; UDPglucose rose transiently and then decreased below the control level. Fructose 1-P increased linearly to a concentration of 3.3 mumol/g wet wt by 120 min. There was no change in ATP, ADP, AMP, cAMP, Pi, or Mg2+. Serum triglycerides and uric acid were unchanged. Glycogen synthase was activated by 20 min without a change in phosphorylase alpha. This occurred with a fructose dose that did not significantly increase either the liver glucose or fructose concentrations. Liver glycogen increased linearly after 20 min, and glycogen storage was equal in liver (38.4%) and muscle (36.5%). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Evaluation of a new device for measuring responses to posteroanterior forces in a patient population, Part 1: Reliability testing.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study determined the test-retest reliability of measurements of responses to posteroanterior (PA) forces made using a recently developed instrument. SUBJECT Twenty-two subjects with nonspecific low back pain participated. METHODS The length of the low- stiffness or "toe" region and the slope of the linear portion of the force-displacement curve were measured on two occasions. Reliability of repeated measurements was evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients and percentage-of-agreement scores. The presence of a systematic change in the response to PA forces was evaluated by a paired-samples t test. RESULTS High reliability coefficients were obtained for both indices of the response to PA forces. The t test revealed no systematic change with repeated testing. CONCLUSION AND DISCUSSION The new device provides highly reliable measurement of the lumbar PA force-displacement relationship and may prove useful in evaluating theories that have suggested a relationship between spinal symptoms and abnormal PA stiffness.
Performance of KCl:Eu2+ storage phosphor dosimeters for low-dose measurements

Recent research has demonstrated that europium doped potassium chloride (KCl:Eu2+) storage phosphor material has the potential to become the physical foundation of a novel and reusable dosimetry system using either film-like devices or devices similar to thermoluminescent dosimeter chips. The purposes of this work are to quantify the performance of KCl:Eu2+ prototype dosimeters for low-dose measurements and to demonstrate how it can be incorporated into clinical application for in vivo peripheral dose measurements. Pellet-style KCl:Eu2+ dosimeters, 6 mm in diameter, and 1 mm thick, were fabricated in-house for this study. The dosimeters were read using a laboratory photostimulated luminescence detection system. KCl:Eu2+ prototype storage phosphor dosimeter was capable of measuring a dose-to-water as low as 0.01 cGy from a 6 MV photon beam with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 6. A pre-readout thermal annealing procedure enabled the dosimeter to be read within an hour post-irradiation. After receiving large accumulated doses (∼10 kGy), the dosimeters retained linear response in the low-dose region with only a 20% loss of sensitivity comparing to a fresh sample (zero Gy history). The energy dependence encountered during low-dose peripheral measurements could be accounted for via a single point outside-field calibration per each beam quality. With further development the KCl:Eu2+−-based dosimeter could become a versatile and durable dosimetry tool with large dynamic range (sub-cGy to 100 Gy).
The effect of high strength static magnetic fields and ionizing radiation on gene expression and DNA damage in Caenorhabditis elegans

Magnetic resonance imaging with high static magnetic fields (SMFs) has become widely used for medical imaging purposes because SMFs cause fewer genotoxic side effects than ionizing radiation (IR). However, the effect of exposure to high SMFs on global transcription is little understood. We demonstrate that genes involved in motor activity, actin binding, cell adhesion, and cuticles are transiently and specifically induced following exposure to 3 or 5 T SMF in the experimental model metazoan Caenorhabditis elegans. In addition, transient induction of hsp12 family genes was observed after SMF exposure. The small‐heat shock protein gene hsp16 was also induced but to a much lesser extent, and the LacZ‐stained population of hsp‐16.1::lacZ transgenic worms did not significantly increase after exposure to SMFs with or without a second stressor, mild heat shock. Several genes encoding apoptotic cell‐death activators and secreted surface proteins were upregulated after IR, but were not induced by SMFs. Real‐time quantitative RT‐PCR analyses for 12 of these genes confirmed these expression differences between worms exposed to SMFs and IR. In contrast to IR, exposure to high SMFs did not induce DNA double‐strand breaks or germline cell apoptosis during meiosis. These results suggest that the response of C. elegans to high SMFs is unique and capable of adjustment during long exposure, and that this treatment may be less hazardous than other therapeutic tools. Bioelectromagnetics 29:605–614, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.