Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Key compound groups for the neuroprotective effect of roots of Polygonum cuspidatum on transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in Sprague-Dawley rats

Polygonum cuspidatum is a potent anti-oxidant herb that is well known for its various bioactivities. The current study investigates which compound group is most effective, to establish the key compound groups for quality assessment, especially in terms of neuroprotective effects. The roots of P. cuspidatum were extracted with 85% methanol and fractionated with hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol and water. Each fraction was applied to an in vitro radical scavenging assay, a lipid peroxidation assay in brain homogenates and an in vivo assay using a transient focal cerebra ischemia model induced by a middle cerebral artery occlusion in a Sprague-Dawley rat. The ethyl acetate fraction was the most effective fraction in both in vitro and in vivo assays, having the highest stilbene and anthraquinone contents. These results suggest that stilbenes and anthraquinones may be key compound groups for the quality assessment of the anti-oxidative and neuroprotective effects of P. cuspidatum.
Evaluating Light Rain Drop Size Estimates from Multiwavelength Micropulse Lidar Network Profiling

AbstractThis paper investigates multiwavelength retrievals of median equivolumetric drop diameter D0 suitable for drizzle and light rain, through collocated 355-/527-nm Micropulse Lidar Network (MPLNET) observations collected during precipitation occurring 9 May 2012 at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) project site. By applying a previously developed retrieval technique for infrared bands, the method exploits the differential backscatter by liquid water at 355 and 527 nm for water drops larger than ≈50 μm. In the absence of molecular and aerosol scattering and neglecting any transmission losses, the ratio of the backscattering profiles at the two wavelengths (355 and 527 nm), measured from light rain below the cloud melting layer, can be described as a color ratio, which is directly related to D0. The uncertainty associated with this method is related to the unknown shape of the drop size spectrum and to the measurement error. Molecular and aerosol scattering contributions and relative transmission .
Estudio preliminar para el establecimiento de un protocolo de crioconservación para palma de aceite (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

El objetivo de esta investigacion fue desarrollar e implementar un protocolo de crioconservacion para embriones cigoticos de palma de aceite ( Elaeis guineensis Jacq.), como alternativa para complementar la conservacion de genotipos de palma ante las dificultades que se presentan en la coleccion de campo en la actualidad. Se evaluaron las etapas de pre y poscongelacion de embriones cigoticos con la metodologia de desecacion en silica gel a diferentes tiempos de exposicion (2, 2,5 y 3 h), seguido de un congelamiento rapido y una etapa de recuperacion en un medio de cultivo Murashige y Skoog (1962). Todos los tratamientos de crioconservacion fueron evaluados con un fotoperiodo de 16 h luz y 8 h de oscuridad, con una temperatura media de 28 oC. Previamente se determino el estado de desarrollo adecuado de los embriones para crioconservar. Ademas, se realizo la prueba de viabilidad con Tetrazolio para embriones desnudos como un control inicial del lote de semilla solicitado. Se logro establecer un protocolo de crioconservacion a partir de embriones cigoticos desnudos de palma, el cual permitio obtener plantulas de embriones congelados en nitrogeno liquido (-196 oC); alcanzando una sobrevivencia del 84,37% para embriones crioconservados. En cuanto a la diferenciacion de estructuras de los embriones crioconservados, el tratamiento de dos horas obtuvo valores para plumula del 88,9%, radicula del 55,57% y haustorio del 66,7%. Esta metodologia permitiria conservar material valioso a largo plazo como copia de seguridad complementaria de la coleccion de campo y reduciria los costos de mantenimiento y conservacion.
Amélioration des ouvertures par chemins pour l'analyse d'images à N dimensions et implémentations optimisées

La detection de structures fines et orientees dans une image peut mener a un tres large champ d'applications en particulier dans le domaine de l'imagerie medicale, des sciences des materiaux ou de la teledetection. Les ouvertures et fermetures par chemins sont des operateurs morphologiques utilisant des chemins orientes et flexibles en guise d'elements structurants. Ils sont utilises de la meme maniere que les operateurs morphologiques utilisant des segments orientes comme elements structurants mais sont plus efficaces lorsqu'il s'agit de detecter des structures pouvant etre localement non rigides. Recemment, une nouvelle implementation des operateurs par chemins a ete proposee leur permettant d'etre appliques a des images 2D et 3D de maniere tres efficace. Cependant, cette implementation est limitee par le fait qu'elle n'est pas robuste au bruit affectant les structures fines. En effet, pour etre efficaces, les operateurs par chemins doivent etre suffisamment longs pour pouvoir correspondre a la longueur des structures a detecter et deviennent de ce fait beaucoup plus sensibles au bruit de l'image. La premiere partie de ces travaux est dediee a repondre a ce probleme en proposant un algorithme robuste permettant de traiter des images 2D et 3D. Nous avons propose les operateurs par chemins robustes, utilisant une famille plus grande d'elements structurants et qui, donnant une longueur L et un parametre de robustesse G, vont permettre la propagation du chemin a travers des deconnexions plus petites ou egales a G, rendant le parametre G independant de L. Cette simple proposition menera a une implementation plus efficace en terme de complexite de calculs et d'utilisation memoire que l'etat de l'art. Les operateurs developpes ont ete compares avec succes avec d'autres methodes classiques de la detection des structures curvilineaires de maniere qualitative et quantitative. Ces nouveaux operateurs ont ete par la suite integres dans une chaine complete de traitement d'images et de modelisation pour la caracterisation des materiaux composite renforces avec des fibres de verres. Notre etude nous a ensuite amenes a nous interesser a des filtres morphologiques recents bases sur la mesure de caracteristiques geodesiques. Ces filtres sont une bonne alternative aux ouvertures par chemins car ils sont tres efficaces lorsqu'il s'agit de detecter des structures presentant de fortes tortuosites ce qui est precisement la limitation majeure des ouvertures par chemins. La combinaison de la robustesse locale des ouvertures par chemins robustes et la capacite des filtres par attributs geodesiques a recouvrer les structures tortueuses nous ont permis de proposer un nouvel algorithme, les ouvertures par chemins robustes et selectives.
Determining patient characteristics for decision analysis support systems using anonymized electronic patient records

While decision analysis has the potential to improve treatment decisions, the quality of patient specific data has hindered its development. Experience with the General Practice Research Database (GPRD) indicated the possibility of generating such data. The example developed concerns the probability of recurrent stroke and the risks and benefits of treatment with aspirin. Eight criteria were systematically applied to identify suitable patients from the 664,241 cohort of patients in the West Midlands GPRD. The risk of recurrent stroke was estimated using survival analysis, yielding multivariate hazard ratios for 960 patient profiles. These were used to populate a decision analysis model. The study highlights how decision analysis can introduce evidence-based information into the consultation. Data can be transformed into information for the increasingly complex world of general practice. This can clarify the risks and benefits of prescribing, assist GP—patient dialogue and promote shared decision-making.
Piston finger device for restoring the motor function of chronic plegic fingers: Development of the device and verification of the effectiveness

A piston finger technique (PFT) was developed for restoring the motor function of chronic plegic fingers with good outcomes, including reduced spasticity and improved muscle shortening. In our previous work, we analyzed finger motions during treatment with the PFT using a motion capture system. Based on the motion analysis results of treatment with the PFT, we determined the required specifications for a piston finger device (PFD). In this study, we developed a PFD utilizing a crank mechanism. We conducted treatment with the PFD on five patients with chronic plegic fingers. The assessment results based on the Modified Ashworth Scale, the Fast Passive Stretch, and the Passive-ROM (Range Of Motion) before and after treatment with the PFD showed that motor function was improved and abnormal muscle tone had decreased. Therefore, the effectiveness of treatment with the PFD was verified.
Mitomycin C treatment induces resistance and enhanced migration via phosphorylated Akt in aggressive lung cancer cells

Since 1984, mitomycin C (MMC) has been applied in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). MMC-based chemotherapeutic regimens are still under consideration owing to the efficacy and low cost as compared with other second-line regimens in patients with advanced NSCLC. Hence, it is important to investigate whether MMC induces potential negative effects in NSCLC. Here, we found that the malignant lung cancer cells, CL1-2 and CL1-5, were more resistant to MMC than were the parental CL1-0 cells and pre-malignant CL1-1 cells. CL1-2 and CL1-5 cells consistently showed lower sub-G1 fractions post MMC treatment. DNA repair-related proteins were not induced more in CL1-5 than in CL1-0 cells, but the levels of endogenous and MMC-induced phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt) were higher in CL1-5 cells. Administering a p-Akt inhibitor reduced the MMC resistance, demonstrating that p-Akt is important in the MMC resistance of CL1-5 cells. Furthermore, we revealed that cell migration was enhanced by MMC but lowered by a p-Akt inhibitor in CL1-5 cells. This study suggests that in CL1-5 cells, the activity of p-Akt, rather than DNA repair mechanisms, may underlie the resistance to MMC and enhance the cells' migration abilities after MMC treatment.
Detecting epistatic interactions contributing to quantitative traits

The restricted partition method (RPM) is a partitioning algorithm for examining multi‐locus genotypes as (potentially non‐additive) predictors of a quantitative trait. The motivating application was to develop a robust method to examine quantitative phenotypes for epistasis (gene–gene interactions), but the method can be applied without modification to gene–environment interactions. Simulation results indicate that the method provides an efficient way to identify loci contributing epistatically to a quantitative trait, even if the loci have no single locus effects. Statistical significance can be estimated through permutation testing. An example using real data involving the metabolism of a chemotherapy drug is included for illustration. Although the examples in this article involve 2‐locus interactions, the RPM is computationally feasible for the analysis of more than two loci or factors. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Electrically evoked dendritic pH transients in rat cerebellar Purkinje cells

Our aim was to test the hypothesis that depolarization‐induced intracellular pH (pHi) shifts in restricted regions (dendrites) of mammalian neurones might be larger and faster than those previously reported from the cell soma. We used confocal imaging of the pH‐sensitive dye, HPTS, to measure pH changes in both the soma and dendrites of whole‐cell patch‐clamped rat cerebellar Purkinje cells. In the absence of added CO2‐HCO3−, depolarization to +20 mV for 1 s caused large (≈0.14 pH units) and fast dendritic acid shifts, whilst the somatic acidifications were significantly smaller (≈0.06 pH units) and slower. The pHi shifts were smaller in the presence of 5 % CO2‐25 mm HCO3−‐buffered saline (≈0.08 pH units in the dendrites and ≈0.03 pH units in the soma), although a clear spatiotemporal heterogeneity remained. Acetazolamide (50 μM) doubled the size of the dendritic acid shifts in the presence of CO2‐HCO3−, indicating carbonic anhydrase activity. Removal of extracellular calcium or addition of the calcium channel blocker lanthanum (0.5 mm) inhibited the depolarization‐evoked acid shifts. We investigated more physiological pHi changes by evoking modest bursts of action potentials (≈10 s duration) in CO2‐HCO3−‐buffered saline. Such neuronal firing induced an acidification of ≈0.11 pH units in the fine dendritic regions, but only ≈0.03 pH units in the soma. There was considerable variation in the size of the pHi shifts between cells, with dendritic acid shifts as large as 0.2‐0.3 pH units following a 10 s burst of action potentials in some Purkinje cells. We postulate that these large dendritic pHi changes (pH microdomains) might act as important signals in synaptic function.
A method for changing contact states for robotic assembly by using some local models in a multi-agent system

A method is proposed for changing contact states during robotic assembly that is based on a multi-agent system. The agents that have its own model of the local contact state transition between corners of objects are prepared. Using its own model, each local agent individually senses the contact state, plans the motion for contact state transition, and suggests its motion to another agent. This agent integrates these suggestions and determines the robot motion for changing contact states. Without revising the model according to object shapes, our method determines the robot motion for changing contact states by changing the number of local agents. Simulation of single-peg and dual-peg insertion confirmed the effectiveness of this method.
Grid Interface of Wind Power With Large Split-Winding Alternator Using Cascaded Multilevel Inverter

In this paper, a wind energy conversion system based on a cascaded H-bridge multilevel inverter (CHBMLI) topology has been proposed to be used for the grid interface of large split-winding alternators (SWAs). A new method has been suggested for the generation of reference currents for the voltage source inverter (VSI) depending upon the available wind power. The CHBMLI has been used as a VSI and operated in a current control mode in order to achieve the objectives of real power injection and load compensation (power factor correction, load balancing, and harmonic compensation) based on the proposed reference-generation scheme. The field excitation control of SWA provides a single means to vary the dc-link voltages of all the CHBs simultaneously and proportionately. The equal distribution of switching stress and power losses among H-bridge cells, reduction in their power ratings, and high quality of inverter output makes the proposed arrangement more efficient. The closed-loop performance of the VSI has been shown to be adequate and fully achieves the control objectives, i.e., grid interface of distributed energy resource (wind) in addition to load compensation. The simulation studies on the proposed scheme have been obtained through the PSCAD/EMTDC software.
Severe (Psychopathic) Personality Disorder: A review

The development of the concept, causes and management of severe (psychopathic) personality disorder is reviewed against the current background of government concern about the activities of a small group of individuals alleged to be showing the disorder to a dangerous degree. The authors acknowledge the problems involved in ‘labelling’ the disorder. The term psychopathic has a somewhat chequered history. It did not enter UK legislation until the Mental Health Act 1959. To this extent, it is a legal term and does not equate to any exact degree with the clinical descriptions currently in use. However, the term ‘psychopathic disorder’ will be used as a kind of shorthand for variants in everyday use. It is important to note that in this contribution we are only considering those ‘psychopaths’ who have come to the attention of the criminal justice and mental health systems. There are also ‘psychopaths’ who, for a variety of reasons, have not come to official attention and a recent contribution by Board and Fritzon (2005) highlights some interesting common characteristics in business managers and a sample of forensic patients detained in high security establishments.
Risk factors for sanitary condemnation in broiler chickens and their relative impact: application of an original multiblock approach

SUMMARY An innovative and well-adapted statistical method, called multiblock redundancy analysis, is proposed for a complex health-event analysis to account for the thematic block organization of variables. The outcome block contained the condemnation rates of 404 broiler chicken flocks, distinguishing infectious and traumatic condemnation categories. Explanatory variables were organized in blocks related to the different production stages (farm structure and routine husbandry practices; on-farm flock history and characteristics; catching, transport and lairage conditions; slaughterhouse and inspection features). The aim was to determine risk factors for both condemnation categories, and the relative impact of the different production stages on the whole condemnation rate. Results showed that significant factors were either specific to one condemnation category or related to both categories, and each of the explanatory blocks was involved in the explanation of infectious and traumatic condemnation rates. On-farm flock information explained 40% of the overall condemnation process whereas the other explanatory blocks had similar relative impacts.
Towards an improved measure of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory: A one‐factor congeneric measurement model using confirmatory factor analysis

The Edinburgh Handedness Inventory was administered to a sample of 203 mentally well adults drawn from the Western Australian Family Study of Schizophrenia (90 men and 113 woman). Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that seven out of ten original items of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory were sufficient to provide an internally consistent and valid measure of hand preference. Exclusion of three problematic items led to a more refined measurement of the latent construct of handedness. The rationale for exclusion was: (1) redundancy stemming from collinearity between writing and drawing, and (2) an unacceptably large measurement error associated with two of the items (use of broom and opening a box‐lid). The results suggest that this revision of the Edinburgh Handedness Inventory enhances its measurement properties.
Effects of Group B Streptococcus on the Responses to U46619, Endothelin-1, and Noradrenaline in Isolated Pulmonary and Mesenteric Arteries of Piglets1

The release of endogenous vasoconstrictors together with changes in the vascular responses are central to the pathophysiology of sepsis. The effects of in vitro incubation for 20 h with heat-killed group B Streptococcus (GBS, 3 × 107 colonyforming units mL-1) on the vasoconstrictor responses to noradrenaline (NA, 10-8 to 10-4 M), the thromboxane A2 analog 9,11-dideoxy-11α,9α-epoxymethanoprostaglandin F2α(U46619; 10-10 M to 10-6 M) and endothelin-1 (ET-1, 10-11 to 3 × 10-9 M) were evaluated on isolated intrapulmonary and mesenteric arteries from 10-17-d-old piglets. The incubation with GBS reduced the maximal contractile response to NA and ET-1 (p < 0.01) in both arteries. The nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) inhibitorNω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 10-4 M) completely reversed this hyporesponsiveness. GBS-treated mesenteric arteries also showed a significant reduction of the maximal contractions induced by U46619 (p < 0.05) and this effect was inhibited by 10-4 M L-NAME. In contrast, the maximal contractile responses to U46619 were similar in control and in GBS-treated pulmonary arteries. Addition of L-NAME did not modify the contractile responses to U46619 in GBS-treated pulmonary arteries. In conclusion, GBS-treated systemic arteries from neonatal piglets showed decreased responses to NA, U46619, and ET-1 due to enhanced NO release. GBS-treated pulmonary arteries also exhibited decreased responses to NA and ET-1 but not to U46619. Induction of NOS in vascular smooth muscle may play a key role in the hypotension and loss of systemic vascular responsiveness that occurs in GBS sepsis. The absence of pulmonary hyporesponsiveness to U46619 may partially explain the coexistence during sepsis of pulmonary hypertension and lung NOS induction.
Expression quantitative trait loci for TNFRSF10 influence both HBV infection and hepatocellular carcinoma development

Tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 10 (TNFRSF10) is a death domain‐containing receptor for the apoptotic ligand TNFSF10, which involves multiple processes, including hepatocarcinogenesis and immune response against HBV infection. Several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) for TNFRSF10. To assess the association of TNFRSF10 eQTL SNPs with the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and chronic HBV infection, we designed a case–control study that included 1,300 HBV‐related HCC patients, 1,344 chronic HBV carriers, and 1,344 subjects with HBV natural clearance, and then genotyped two TNFRSF10 eQTL SNPs (rs79037040 and rs2055822). We found that rs79037040 GT/TT genotypes were associated with a decreased HCC risk (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.83, 95% confidence intervals [CIs] = 0.71–0.97, P = 0.021) but an increased chronic HBV infection risk of borderline significance (adjusted OR = 1.14, 95%CIs = 0.98–1.33, P = 0.085). In contrast, the rs2055822 G allele was a risk factor for HCC (adjusted OR = 1.12, 95%CIs = 1.00–1.25, P = 0.041) but a protective factor for chronic HBV infection (adjusted OR = 0.89, 95%CIs = 0.80–0.99, P = 0.038). Furthermore, we observed a dose‐dependent relationship between the number of alleles (rs79037040‐T and rs2055822‐A) and the risk of HCC and chronic HBV infection. In comparison with “0” alleles, having “1–4” alleles was significantly associated with decreased HCC risk and increased HBV infection risk. These findings suggest that eQTL SNPs for TNFRSF10 may be susceptibility markers for HCC and chronic HBV infection. J. Med. Virol. 88:474–480, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A comparison of the impacts of continuous and interval cycle exercise on perceived exertion

Abstract Ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were developed to assess exertion during exercise testing. However, assessments of RPE prior to and after exercise have become common and potentially important in understanding exercise behaviour. The purpose of this project was to compare RPE taken before, during and after interval and continuous exercise sessions. Twenty-four participants (12 men, 12 women, body mass index = 24, = 41 mL · kg · min−1) completed a maximal cycle ergometer test used to prescribe experimental trials: (1) moderate continuous (MC), (2) vigorous continuous (VC), (3) vigorous interval and (4) severe interval. All trials were 20 minutes in length and all intervals utilised 60-second segments and a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio. Predicted exertion was highest in the continuous vigorous trial (p < .05). Exertion increased from beginning to end in all trials (p < .05). Session RPE values were highest for the continuous vigorous trial (p < .05). Findings suggest that interval protocols produce perceptions of effort that are lower than VC exercise but similar to MC exercise. These results help describe the perceptions of effort associated with continuous and interval exercise and suggest that interval exercise can be performed with lower perceived work, which may encourage increased participation.