Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Control of metabolic rate is a hidden variable in the allometric scaling of homeotherms

SUMMARY The allometric scaling exponent of the relationship between standard metabolic rate (SMR) and body mass for homeotherms has a long history and has been subject to much debate. Provided the external and internal conditions required to measure SMR are met, it is tacitly assumed that the metabolic rate (B) converges to SMR. If SMR does indeed represent a local minimum, then short-term regulatory control mechanisms should not operate to sustain it. This is a hidden assumption in many published articles aiming to explain the scaling exponent in terms of physical and morphological constraints. This paper discusses the findings of a minimalist body temperature (Tb) control model in which short-term controlling operations, related to the difference between Tb and the set-point temperatures by specific gains and time delays in the control loops, are described by a system of differential equations of Tb, B and thermal conductance. We found that because the gains in the control loops tend to increase as body size decreases (i.e. changes in B and thermal conductance are speeded-up in small homeotherms), the equilibrium point of the system potentially changes from asymptotically stable to a centre, transforming B and Tb in oscillating variables. Under these specific circumstances the very concept of SMR no longer makes sense. A series of empirical reports of metabolic rate in very small homeotherms supports this theoretical prediction, because in these animals B seems not to converge to a SMR value. We conclude that the unrestricted use of allometric equations to relate metabolic rate to body size might be misleading because metabolic control itself experiences size effects that are overlooked in ordinary allometric analysis.
Treatment with rapamycin prevents fibrosis in tight-skin and bleomycin-induced mouse models of systemic sclerosis.

OBJECTIVE Rapamycin, a novel macrolide immunosuppressive drug, is increasingly used as an agent for posttransplant immunosuppression and treatment of autoimmune disease. The molecular mechanism related to rapamycin-mediated immunosuppression is that rapamycin binds to FK-506 binding protein 12, and the formed complex inhibits the function of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), which in turn reduces protein phosphorylation, cell cycle progression, and cytokine production. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of rapamycin against the development of fibrosis and autoimmunity in 2 different types of systemic sclerosis (SSc) model mice. METHODS Tight skin (TSK/+) mice and bleomycin- induced SSc model mice were used to evaluate the effect of rapamycin on fibrosis and immunologic abnormalities. Furthermore, the antifibrotic effect of rapamycin was assessed using TSK/+ mouse fibroblasts. RESULTS Treatment with rapamycin reduced skin fibrosis of TSK/+ mice and skin and lung fibrosis of bleomycin-induced SSc model mice. The production of fibrogenic cytokines, such as interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-6, IL-17, and transforming growth factor beta1, was attenuated by rapamycin. Hypergammaglobulinemia and anti-topoisomerase I antibody production were also reduced by rapamycin treatment in TSK/+ mice. In addition, mTOR expression levels were increased in TSK/+ mouse fibroblasts compared with those in wild-type mouse fibroblasts. Rapamycin treatment inhibited proliferation and collagen production of TSK/+ mouse fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION This study is the first to show that rapamycin has a significant inhibitory effect on fibrosis in both TSK/+ and bleomycin-induced SSc model mice. These results suggest that rapamycin might be an attractive candidate for clinical trials in SSc patients.
The impact of lack of standardized definitions on the specialty.

1. Litt L, Li D: Awareness without recall during anesthesia for electroconvulsive therapy. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2007; 106:871–2 2. Veselis RA, Reinsel RA, Feshchenko VA: Drug-induced amnesia is a separate phenomenon from sedation: Electrophysiologic evidence. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2001; 95:896–907 3. Veselis RA, Reinsel RA, Feshchenko VA, Dnistrian AM: A neuroanatomical construct for the amnesic effects of propofol. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2002; 97:329–37 4. Veselis RA, Reinsel RA, Feshchenko VA, Wronski M: The comparative amnestic effects of midazolam, propofol, thiopental, and fentanyl at equisedative concentrations. ANESTHESIOLOGY 1997; 87:749–64 5. Velly LJ, Rey MF, Bruder NJ, Gouvitsos FA, Witjas T, Regis JM, Peragut JC, Gouin FM: Differential dynamic of action on cortical and subcortical structures of anesthetic agents during induction of anesthesia. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2007; 107:202–12 6. Alkire MT, McReynolds JR, Hahn EL, Trivedi AN: Thalamic microinjection of nicotine reverses sevoflurane-induced loss of righting reflex in the rat. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2007; 107:264–72 7. Lukatch HS, MacIver MB: Synaptic mechanisms of thiopental-induced alterations in synchronized cortical activity. ANESTHESIOLOGY 1996; 84:1425–34 8. Alkire MT, Haier RJ, Fallon JH: Toward a unified theory of narcosis: Brain imaging evidence for a thalamocortical switch as the neurophysiologic basis of anestheticinduced unconsciousness. Conscious Cogn 2000; 9:370–86 9. Nelson LE, Guo TZ, Lu J, Saper CB, Franks NP, Maze M: The sedative component of anesthesia is mediated by GABA(A) receptors in an endogenous sleep pathway. Nat Neurosci 2002; 5:979–84 10. White NS, Alkire MT: Impaired thalamocortical connectivity in humans during general-anesthetic-induced unconsciousness. Neuroimage 2003; 19: 402–1 11. John ER, Prichep LS: The anesthetic cascade: A theory of how anesthesia suppresses consciousness. ANESTHESIOLOGY 2005; 102:447–71 12. Sugiyama K, Muteki T, Shimoji K: Halothane-induced hyperpolarization and depression of postsynaptic potentials of guinea pig thalamic neurons in vitro. Brain Res 1992; 576:97–103 13. Violet JM, Downie DL, Nakisa RC, Lieb WR, Franks NP: Differential sensitivities of mammalian neuronal and muscle nicotinic acetylcholine receptors to general anesthetics. ANESTHESIOLOGY 1997; 86:866–74 14. Cheng SC, Brunner EA: Inducing anesthesia with a GABA analog, THIP. ANESTHESIOLOGY 1985; 63:147–51
Coordination of Drosophila Metamorphosis by Two Ecdysone-Induced Nuclear Receptors

The functions of the ecdysone-induced DHR3 and E75B orphan nuclear receptors in the early stages of Drosophila metamorphosis were investigated. DHR3 represses the ecdysone induction of early genes turned on by the pulse of ecdysone that triggers metamorphosis. It also induces βFTZF1, an orphan nuclear receptor that is essential for the appropriate response to the subsequent prepupal pulse of ecdysone. The E75B receptor, which lacks a complete DNA binding domain, inhibits this inductive function by forming a complex with DHR3 on the βFTZF1 promoter, thereby providing a timing mechanism for βFTZF1 induction that is dependent on the disappearance of E75B.
Ulcerating necrobiosis lipoidica effectively treated with pentoxifylline

A 30‐year‐old man had suffered from persistent ulceration within an area of necrobiosis lipoidica diabeticorum for 13 months. The ulcerating necrobiosis lipoidica was resistant to topical therapy and oral therapy with acetylsa‐licylic acid. However, the ulcers healed completely within 8 weeks of administration of 400 mg pentoxifylline twice daily.
Principles of Cognitive Neuroscience

from the book and premade flashcards that allow students review key terms from the text. In addition, students have the option to use the online site to mark or take notes in their books. For instructors and professors looking to prepare their students to ask important questions in the quantitative world that awaits the future of biomedical research, The Molecules of Life: Physical and Chemical Properties is an excellent selection. Principles of Cognitive Neuroscience. 2nd edition. When in a bustling, raucous environment filled with noise, how can we still hear our name being called from across the room? How do you know when looking at a woman standing in front of you that she is your mother? Why is the written word so perplexing for some individuals to grasp? And what are the theoretical models, neural mechanisms, and anatomical substrates underlying such capabilities? These questions and others are cleverly and clearly answered by the authors of Principles of Cogni-tive Neuroscience. The textbook aims to introduce the reader to the field of cognitive neuroscience, a field that, according to the authors, " combines all the difficulties of measuring brain function with all the problems of trying to accurately assess cognition and behavior, as well as the complexities of trying to link them together " (pg. 9). The authors succeed in presenting a simplified, introductory view of cognitive neuroscience while still making it clear to the reader that much in the field remains unknown and in need of further experimentation and evaluation. This textbook is an ideal introductory text for advanced undergraduates or graduate students studying cog-nitive neuroscience. The text assumes prior knowledge of neuroscience, although there is an excellent appendix that reviews the basics of the human nervous system as a brief refresher. The book begins with a brief introduction to the field, explicitly and excellently distinguishing cognitive neuroscience from related fields such as cognitive psychology and clinical neuroscience. The authors then provide a thorough review of methods used in the field. This methods chapter is a strength of the book, as it clearly de-lineates the pros and cons of each method, discusses methods used in both animal and human research, and includes state-of-the-art techniques such as optogenetics. The remainder of the book delves into specific topics in cogni-tive neuroscience, including sensorimotor systems, attention, memory, emotion, and decision making. The authors elegantly tie in many of the classical experiments from cognitive …
Motion picture restoration - digital algorithms for artefact suppression in degraded motion picture film and video

From the Publisher: This book looks at the design of automatic motion picture restoration tools that can be used for enhancing archive material, and reducing the storage requirements necessary for acceptable viewing quality so that data can be recorded on relatively low-cost media. An increasing amount of research is being carried out in the area of visual manipulation, aspects of which include Motion Estimation, Data Reconstruction and Human Visual Perception. Motion Estimation is relevant to everything in video processing, from reconstruction to robotics. Research is also being carried out in the area of post processing decoded video streams to improve the image quality of the film. This research also involves reconstruction. This book addresses both Motion Estimation and Reconstruction, and as such will be of great interest to researchers in both academia and industry.
The Case for Flexible Exchange Rates in a Great Recession

We analyze macroeconomic stabilization in a small open economy which faces a large recession in the rest of the world. We show analytically that for the economy to remain isolated from the external shock, the exchange rate must depreciate not only upfront, to offset the collapse in external demand, but also persistently to decouple domestic prices from deflation in the rest of the world. If monetary policy becomes constrained by the zero lower bound, the scope of exchange rate depreciation is limited and the economy is no longer isolated from the shock. Still, in this case there is a "benign coincidence": fiscal policy is particularly effective in stabilizing economic activity. Under fixed exchange rates, instead, the impact of the external shock is particularly severe and the effectiveness of fiscal policy limited.
Childhood maltreatment and social anxiety disorder: implications for symptom severity and response to pharmacotherapy

Childhood maltreatment has been associated with symptom severity, reduced quality of life, and impaired functioning in adults with social anxiety disorder (SAD). No study has investigated how childhood maltreatment impacts pharmacotherapy outcomes in this population, despite evidence for such a link in depression. The current study replicates previous work on childhood maltreatment within SAD and examines its impact on response to pharmacotherapy.
Lack of sex differences in the IGF–IGFBP response to ultra endurance exercise

The insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)–IGF binding proteins (BP) and the pituitary–gonadal axes were investigated during ultra endurance exercise in 16 endurance‐trained athletes (seven women). Median duration of the race was 6.3 days. Although food and drink were ad libitum, energy balance was negative. Blood samples were drawn before (PRE), at the end of (END) and 24 h after (POST24h) the race. Serum concentrations of total IGF‐I (t‐IGF‐I) and free IGF‐I (f‐IGF‐I) decreased by 33 (SD 38)% and 54 (19)%, respectively. The decrease in t‐IGF‐I appeared to be associated to the total energy deficit during the race. At END, the IGFBP‐3 fragmentation and IGFBP‐1 were increased but these changes did not predict changes in f‐IGF‐I. An increase in POST24h IGFBP‐2 levels in women was the only sex difference. Testosterone was decreased by 67 (12)% in the men and estradiol became undetectable in the women without any detectable increase in LH and/or FSH. In conclusion ultra endurance exercise results in similar IGF–IGFBP responses in men and women reflecting a catabolic state. IGFBP‐2 was the only exception, with increased levels in women after exercise. A concomitant decrease in gonadal hormones was not related to endocrine changes in the IGF–IGFBP axis but may be related to local changes in IGF‐I expression.
The Basel early‐detection‐of‐psychosis (FEPSY)‐study – design and preliminary results

Objective: Early detection and therapy of schizophrenic psychoses have become broadly accepted aims in psychiatry, recently even in very early stages of the disorder when clear diagnostic criteria are not yet fulfilled. However, reliable and widely applicable methods do not yet exist. This study aims at contributing to the improvement of the early assessment of psychosis.
Best Practices Recommendations in the Application of Immunohistochemistry in the Kidney Tumors: Report From the International Society of Urologic Pathology Consensus Conference

Primary renal neoplasms comprise multiple distinct entities, some of which are well understood and others that are not. It is not uncommon for some of these entities to have overlapping morphologic features. Their clinical behavior is varied, ranging from highly malignant to benign, and metastatic renal cell carcinoma oftentimes enters into the differential diagnosis of tumors of unknown primary. In this age of personalized medicine, identifying biomarkers that can better predict clinical outcome and response to therapy is a pressing need. In 2013 the International Society of Urological Pathology held a meeting in which best practices recommendations on the use of immunohistochemical markers in urologic malignancies were discussed. In this review we make recommendations regarding immunohistochemical markers that are best suited to aid in establishing a diagnosis of renal primary, panels of antibodies that are most useful in classifying renal tumors, and the current status of prognostic and predictive biomarkers. Although no prognostic or predictive marker and set of markers have yet to be validated, ongoing research suggests that this fact is likely to change in the near future.
Breast free flap complications related to haematoma formation – do the risks of multiple antithrombotics outweigh the benefits today?

Abstract Background Free flap reconstruction is today a common operation for many breast cancer patients, but local protocols for microsurgery still predict the use of antithrombotic agents. Reduced operation times and complication rates together with faster mobilisation, after introduction of perforator flaps, call for less comprehensive antithrombotic regimens. It was hypothesised that multiple antithrombotics was a risk factor for bleeding-related flap complications. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted to study the association between reoperation for haematoma and flap-related complications after free flap breast reconstruction. A combination of heparin, low-molecular-weight heparin and dextran were used as antithrombotics. A sub-analysis was performed to compare non-dextran to dextran treated patients. Results One hundred and thirty-nine patients were identified, reconstructed with 150 consecutive perforator free flaps to the breast. Reoperation for breast haematoma (13%) was associated with concomitant re-operation for venous congestion (8.6%) (p < 0.001), but also for flap thrombosis (2.9%) (p = 0.007), highlighting haematoma as a risk factor for flap-related complications. An increased rate of haematoma re-operations of the breast was noted among the flap-related complications in the dextran (n = 79), compared to the non-dextran group (p = 0.011). Conclusion The current study highlights the use of multiple antithrombotics as a risk factor for haematoma reoperation. Liberal use of drains and evacuation of breast haematomas are, therefore, indicated together with limitation of antithrombotic agents. The highly variable use of antithrombotic agents worldwide call for evidence-based guidelines in standardised free flap breast reconstruction.
Brain glycogen supercompensation following exhaustive exercise

Non‐technical summary Exercise training elicits an increase in the basal level of muscular glycogen. This happens when glycogen recovers to above its basal level (supercompensation) after it decreases with acute exercise. Although untested, it is hypothesized that, similar to that of skeletal muscle, brain glycogen supercompensation occurs after acute exhaustive exercise. We provide evidence that exhaustive exercise induces glycogen supercompensation not only in skeletal muscles, but also in the brain. Furthermore, we observed exercise training‐induced increases in basal glycogen levels in the cortex and hippocampus, which are involved in motor control and cognitive function. This suggests that, like skeletal muscles, the brain adapts metabolically, probably to meet the increased energy demands of exercise training.
Heterozygous Missense Mutations in the Insulin Gene Are Linked to Permanent Diabetes Appearing in the Neonatal Period or in Early Infancy

OBJECTIVE—Permanent neonatal diabetes (PND) is defined by chronic hyperglycemia due to severe nonautoimmune insulin deficiency diagnosed in the first months of life. Several genes, including KCNJ11 and ABCC8, which encode the two subunits of the ATP-sensitive K+ channel (KATP channel) can cause PND. Mutations in the insulin (INS) gene have been recently described in families with neonatal diabetes. Our study aimed to investigate the genetic anomalies and clinical heterogeneity in PND patients who are negative for a KATP channel mutation. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We screened the INS gene by direct sequencing in 38 PND patients and in one child with nonautoimmune early-infancy diabetes, where no mutation in GCK, KCNJ11, and ABCC8 was identified. A detailed clinical phenotyping of the patients was carried out to specify the diabetes features in those found with an INS mutation. RESULTS—We identified three missense mutations in the INS gene in four probands. Two of four mutations were inherited in a dominant manner, and the familial description evidenced a marked variability in age of diagnosis and disease progression. In our cohort, the INS mutations may represent ∼10% of all permanent neonatal diabetes cases, having a later presentation of diabetes and no associated symptoms compared with cases with KATP channel mutations. CONCLUSIONS—Heterozygous INS gene mutations can cause isolated permanent early-infancy diabetes and should be assessed in neonatal as well as in childhood diabetes appearing like type 1, when autoimmune markers are absent. New pharmacogenomic strategies may be applicable, since residual β-cell function is still present in some patients.
Production , Manufacturing and Logistics The newsvendor problem with an in-season price adjustment

Consider a retailer stocking a seasonal item facing a stochastic demand where information about the demand becomes more accurate as the selling season progresses. The retailer places orders before the start of the season and in-season reorders are not possible. This article extends the classical newsvendor model by allowing the retailer to make an in-season price adjustment after conducting a review and using the realized demand to obtain an accurate estimate of the remaining demand. Our results include answers to the following questions. What price should the retailer choose? How much should the retailer have ordered at the start of the season given the option of adjusting prices in-season? This model was motivated by a problem in car rental revenue management and has applications in perishable assets revenue management (PARM), where price adjustments are needed towards the end of the selling season. 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Short-and long-term effects of forced migration on child health and mortality in Angola

This study investigates the effects of forced migration on child survival and health in Angola. Using survey data collected in Luanda, Angola, just two years after the end of that country’s prolonged civil war, we compare three groups: migrants who moved primarily due to war, migrants whose moves were not directly related to war, and non-migrants. First, we examine the differences among the three groups in under-five mortality. Using an event-history approach, we find that hazards of child death in any given year were higher in families that experienced warrelated migration in the same year or in the previous year, net of other factors. To assess longer-term effects of forced migration, we examine hazards of death of children who were born in Luanda, i.e., after migrants had reached their destinations. We again observe a disadvantage of forced migrants, but this disadvantage is explained by other characteristics. When looking at the place of delivery, number of antenatal consultation, and age-adequate immunization of children born in Luanda, we again detect a disadvantage of forced migrants relative to nonmigrants, but now this disadvantage also extends to migrants who came to Luanda for reasons other than war. Finally, no differences across the three groups in child morbidity and related health care seeking behavior in the two weeks preceding the survey are found. We interpret these results within the context of the literature on shortand long-term effects of forced migration on child health.
Fourier transform profilometry for the automatic measurement of 3-D object shapes.

A new computer-based technique for automatic 3-D shape measurement is proposed and verified by experiments. In contrast to the moire contouring technique, a grating pattern projected onto the object surface is Fourier-transformed and processed in its spatial frequency domain as well as in its space-signal domain. This technique has a much higher sensitivity than the conventional moire technique and is capable of fully automatic distinction between a depression and an elevation on the object surface. There is no requirement for assigning fringe orders and interpolating data in the regions between contour fringes. The technique is free from errors caused by spurious moire fringes generated by the higher harmonic components of the grating pattern.