Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding the effects of diet on bacterial metabolism in the large intestine

Recent analyses of ribosomal RNA sequence diversity have demonstrated the extent of bacterial diversity in the human colon, and have provided new tools for monitoring changes in the composition of the gut microbial community. There is now an excellent opportunity to correlate ecological niches and metabolic activities with particular phylogenetic groups among the microbiota of the human gut. Bacteria that associate closely with particulate material and surfaces in the gut include specialized primary degraders of insoluble substrates, including resistant starch, plant structural polysaccharides and mucin. Butyrate‐producing bacteria found in human faeces belong mainly to the clostridial clusters IV and XIVa. In vitro and in vivo evidence indicates that a group related to Roseburia and Eubacterium rectale plays a major role in mediating the butyrogenic effect of fermentable dietary carbohydrates. Additional cluster XIVa species can convert lactate to butyrate, while some members of the clostridial cluster IX convert lactate to propionate. The metabolic outputs of the gut microbial community depend not only on available substrate, but also on the gut environment, with pH playing a major role. Better understanding of the colonic microbial ecosystem will help to explain and predict the effects of dietary additives, including nondigestible carbohydrates, probiotics and prebiotics.
Enprofylline Protects Motor Neurons from in vitro Excitotoxic Challenge

Background: The death of motor neurons in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is believed to result, in part, from unrestrained activation of glutamate receptors (excitotoxicity). In some in vitro models, excitotoxic death only occurs if motor neurons develop in the presence of the growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Objective: Since the increased vulnerability of motor neurons evoked by BDNF is mediated by activation of TrkB, we sought to identify pharmacological agents that can block this pathway. Adenosine receptors are known to transactivate Trk receptors, leading us to examine the effects of manipulating of adenosine receptor signaling on Trk signaling and excitotoxic sensitivity. Methods: Spinal cord cultures were treated with adenosine receptor agonists and antagonists. The biochemical effects on Trk signaling and excitotoxic motor neuron death were examined. Results: We show here that adenosine A2a antagonists can reduce activation of Trk receptors and are neuroprotective. Conversely, activating adenosine A2a receptors in the absence of BDNF signaling makes motor neurons vulnerable to excitotoxic challenge. Conclusion: Selective, high-affinity adenosine A2a antagonists merit consideration as therapeutic agents for the treatment of ALS.
Technological Change and the Distribution of Income

PERHAPS A MAJOR OBSTACLE to an understanding of the forces affecting the distribution of income is that much of the theory bearing on the problem has not been susceptible to rigorous tests, at least not to the satisfaction of many students. Some forces which are not adequately quantified are crucial, such as nonneutral technological change, the elasticity of substitution, and the degree of monopoly in products and factor markets. The role of the first two of these forces in determining the distribution of income between, say, capital and labor has been spelled out theoretically in the early 1930's by J. R. Hicks. ' As is well known, there are two propositions in the neoclassical tradition which hold that relative shares are the resultant of configurations of nonneutral technological change, the elasticity of substitution, and the labor-capital ratio. The first holds that a factor saving innovation, cet. par. , reduces the relative share of income of that factor in all cases.2 The second maintains that if one factor increases in supply more rapidly than another, and if the elasticity of substitution a is less than unity, the relative share of the first factor decreases.3 Of course, if a exceeds unity, the relative share of the first factor increases; and if a is equal to unity (the Cobb-Douglas case), changes in the relative supplies of factors will have no effect on the relative shares. We add a third proposition: An increase in the elasticity of substitution (due, say, to a onneutral technological change) reduces the relative -'hare of labor provided labor is scarce. This proposition is developed below for an im-portant class of production functions. For * Manuscript received March 1, 1962, revised November 7, 1962. The Theory of Wages, (London: Macmillan and Co., Ltd., 1935). For the most part, Hicks assumed competitive markets. For a discussion of monopoly forces in the determination of relative income shares, cf. M. Kalecki, Theory of Economic Dynamics, (London: Allen and Unwin, Ltd., 1954), 28-31. Although this paper abstracts from the effects of monopoly, we hope to return to the problem at a future date. 2 Hicks, op. cit., 122. An innovation is capital using, e.g., if the marginal product of capital increases relative to the marginal product of labor for each combination of labor and capital. 3 Hicks, op. cit., 115.
High provitamin A carotenoid serum concentrations, elevated retinyl esters, and saturated retinol-binding protein in Zambian preschool children are consistent with the presence of high liver vitamin A stores.

BACKGROUND Biomarkers of micronutrient status are needed to best define deficiencies and excesses of essential nutrients. OBJECTIVE We evaluated several supporting biomarkers of vitamin A status in Zambian children to determine whether any of the biomarkers were consistent with high liver retinol stores determined by using retinol isotope dilution (RID). DESIGN A randomized, placebo-controlled, biofortified maize efficacy trial was conducted in 140 rural Zambian children from 4 villages. A series of biomarkers were investigated to better define the vitamin A status of these children. In addition to the assessment of total-body retinol stores (TBSs) by using RID, tests included analyses of serum carotenoids, retinyl esters, and pyridoxal-5'-phosphate (PLP) by using high-pressure liquid chromatography, retinol-binding protein by using ELISA, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity by using a colorimetric assay. RESULTS Children (n = 133) were analyzed quantitatively for TBSs by using RID. TBSs, retinyl esters, some carotenoids, and PLP differed by village site. Serum carotenoids were elevated above most nonintervened reference values for children. α-Carotene, β-carotene, and lutein values were >95th percentile from children in the US NHANES III, and 13% of children had hypercarotenemia (defined as total carotenoid concentration >3.7 μmol/L). Although only 2% of children had serum retinyl esters >10% of total retinol plus retinyl esters, 16% of children had >5% as esters, which was consistent with high liver retinol stores. Ratios of serum retinol to retinol-binding protein did not deviate from 1.0, which indicated full saturation. ALT activity was low, which was likely due to underlying vitamin B-6 deficiency, which was confirmed by very low serum PLP concentrations. CONCLUSIONS The finding of hypervitaminosis A in Zambian children was supported by high circulating concentrations of carotenoids and mildly elevated serum retinyl esters. ALT-activity assays may be compromised with co-existing vitamin B-6 deficiency. Nutrition education to improve intakes of whole grains and animal-source foods may enhance vitamin B-6 status in Zambians.
On the allocation of multiple divisible and non-transferable commodities

When there is a dispute between players how to divide multiple divisible commodities, how should it be resolved? In this paper we introduce a multi-commodity game model. This model enables cooperation between multiple players to bargain on sharing K commodities, when each player has a different value for each commodity. It thus extends the sequential discrete Raiffa solution and the Aumann bankruptcy solution to multi-commodity cases.
VE-cadherin facilitates BMP-induced endothelial cell permeability and signaling

ABSTRACT Several vascular disorders, such as aberrant angiogenesis, atherosclerosis and pulmonary hypertension, have been linked to dysfunctional BMP signaling. Vascular hyperpermeability via distortion of endothelial cell adherens junctions is a common feature of these diseases, but the role of BMPs in this process has not been investigated. BMP signaling is initiated by binding of ligand to, and activation of, BMP type I (BMPRI) and type II (BMPRII) receptors. Internalization of VE-cadherin as well as c-Src kinase-dependent phosphorylation have been implicated in the loosening of cell–cell contacts, thereby modulating vascular permeability. Here we demonstrate that BMP6 induces hyperpermeabilization of human endothelial cells by inducing internalization and c-Src-dependent phosphorylation of VE-cadherin. Furthermore, we show BMP-dependent physical interaction of VE-cadherin with the BMP receptor ALK2 (BMPRI) and BMPRII, resulting in stabilization of the BMP receptor complex and, thereby, the support of BMP6-Smad signaling. Our results provide first insights into the molecular mechanism of BMP-induced vascular permeability, a hallmark of various vascular diseases, and provide the basis for further investigations of BMPs as regulators of vascular integrity, both under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. Summary: We reveal the molecular mechanism by which BMP6 induces hyperpermeabilization of the endothelium. This provides first insights into the mechanism of BMP-dependent vascular integrity in normal physiology and disease.
The quality of outpatient primary care in public and private sectors in Sri Lanka--how well do patient perceptions match reality and what are the implications?

OBJECTIVE To compare the quality of clinical care and patient satisfaction in public and private outpatient primary care services in Sri Lanka. METHODS A prospective, cross-sectional comparison was done by direct observation of patient encounters and exit interviews of outpatients in 10 public hospital general outpatient clinics and 66 private practitioner clinics in three districts of Sri Lanka. A total of 1027 public sector patients and 944 private sector patients were surveyed. Data were collected for 39 quality indicators covering diarrhoea, cough, hypertension, diabetes, asthma, upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and five other conditions, along with prescribing indicators. The exit interviews collected data for 10 patient satisfaction indicators. RESULTS The public sector performed better for some conditions (diarrhoea, cough and asthma) and the private sector performed better for others (hypertension, diabetes, URTI and tonsillitis). Overall quality was similar between the sectors in the domains of history taking, examination and investigations and management, but the private sector performed much better on patient education (57 vs 12%). Overall patient satisfaction was high in both sectors (98%), although the private sector performed much better in interpersonal satisfaction (94 vs 84%) and system-related indicators (95 vs 84%). Comparisons with studies from other countries suggest that both sectors perform considerably better than India, and similarly in many indicators to high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS Quality of outpatient primary care in Sri Lanka is generally high for a lower-middle income developing country. The public and private sectors perform similarly, except that private sector patients have longer consultations, are more likely to receive education and advice, and obtain better interpersonal satisfaction. The public system, with its limited funding, is able to deliver care in diagnosis and management that is similar to the private sector, while private sector patients, who spend more on their healthcare receive better quality care in non-clinical areas.
Bystander activation of irrelevant CD4+ T cells following antigen-specific vaccination occurs in the presence and absence of adjuvant

Autoimmune and other chronic inflammatory diseases (AID) are prevalent diseases which can severely impact the quality of life of those that suffer from the disease. In most cases, the etiology of these conditions have remained unclear. Immune responses that take place e.g. during natural infection or after vaccination are often linked with the development or exacerbation of AID. It is highly debated if vaccines induce or aggravate AID and in particular adjuvants are mentioned as potential cause. Since vaccines are given on a large scale to healthy individuals but also to elderly and immunocompromised individuals, more research is warranted. Non-specific induction of naïve or memory autoreactive T cells via bystander activation is one of the proposed mechanisms of how vaccination might be involved in AID. During bystander activation, T cells unrelated to the antigen presented can be activated without (strong) T cell receptor (TCR) ligation, but via signals derived from the ongoing response directed against the vaccine-antigen or adjuvant at hand. In this study we have set up a TCR transgenic T cell transfer mouse model by which we were able to measure local bystander activation of transferred and labeled CD4+ T cells. Intramuscular injection with the highly immunogenic Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) led to local in vivo proliferation and activation of intravenously transferred CD4+ T cells in the iliac lymph node. This local bystander activation was also observed after CFA prime and Incomplete Freund’s Adjuvant (IFA) boost injection. Furthermore, we showed that an antigen specific response is sufficient for the induction of a bystander activation response and the general, immune stimulating effect of CFA or IFA does not appear to increase this effect. In other words, no evidence was obtained that adjuvation of antigen specific responses is essential for bystander activation.
Distributive Politics in a Multiparty System

What are the dynamics of distributive politics in a setting of multiparty competition? Existing studies on the allocation of resources across multiple electoral districts focus primarily on a setting of two-party competition and consider only the core versus swing district hypotheses. This framework does not correspond to the actual electoral setting in many countries and ignores valuable information furnished by a context of multiparty competition. Compared with two-party elections, multiparty elections provide more information about the underlying distribution of the ideological preferences of voters in a district; this information could be utilized by the incumbent party to maximize electoral returns. In this article, I argue that a setting of multiparty competition presents incentives to the incumbent party to channel disproportionately more resources to districts with an ideologically close challenger. Systematic evidence from the Conditional Cash Transfer program spending in 878 districts of Turkey from 2005 to 2008 supports this hypothesis.
The effect of the agency of family on the political socialization of the youth in South Africa: An examination of political knowledge, attitudes and behavior

In this paper we present the survey results of a questionnaire administered to youth in a community in Cape Town, South Africa. This study is part of a longitudinal study that started in 2008 on citizenship and democracy. The emergence of violent protests and demonstration starting in 2004 inspired our interest in the institutional participatory arrangements adopted at the dawn of democracy in South Africa. Initially, we explored the influence of social capital and trust on participation in trying to understand the reasons for citizens opting out of state participatory structures. Our interest in the youth stemmed from the results of this study and the perceived political apathy of a previously militant community. We examine the role of the family on the development of political knowledge. We infer that political knowledge shapes and informs political attitudes that, in turn, have an effect on the future political behavior of the youth. For the purpose of this paper we adopt a descriptive analysis approach.
Outcomes in a pediatric intensive care unit before and after the implementation of a nutrition support team.

BACKGROUND We evaluated the effect of parenteral nutrition (PN) and enteral nutrition (EN) on in-pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) mortality before and after a continuous education program in nutrition support that leads to implementation of a nutrition support team (NST). METHODS We used a historical cohort study of infants hospitalized for >72 hours at the PICU from 1992 to 2003. Five periods were selected (P1 to P5), considering the modifications incorporated into the program: P1, without intervention; P2, basic themes and original articles discussion; P3, clinical and nursing staff participation; P4, clinical visits; P5, NST. The samples were compared in terms of sex, age, admitting service (ie, medical vs surgical), prognostic index of mortality, length of stay (LOS), duration of mechanical ventilation, in-PICU mortality rate, and percentage of time receiving EN and PN for each patient. Bi- and multivariate analyses were performed. Statistical significance was set at 0.05 level. RESULTS Progressive increase was observed in EN use (p = .0001), median values for which were 25% in P1 and rose to 67% by P5 in medical patients; there was no significant difference in surgical patients. A reduction was observed in PN use; in P1 medians were 73% and 69% for medical and surgical patients respectively, and decreased to 0% in P5 for both groups (p = .0001). There was significant reduction in-PICU mortality rate during P4 and P5 among medical patients (p < .001). The risk of death was 83% lower in patients that received EN for >50% of LOS (odds ratio, 0.17; confidence interval, 0.066-0.412; p = .000). CONCLUSIONS The program motivated an increase in EN and a decrease in PN use, mainly after implementation of NST and reduced in-PICU mortality rate.
Tracking with MIMO radar: A baseline solution

This paper describes a baseline target tracking system implemented using the GTRI/ONR Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) Radar Benchmark platform. MIMO radar systems have been garnering a significant amount of attention for their potential to improve overall radar performance in comparison to existing systems. While there is much in the current literature regarding the performance and parameter design of MIMO radar target tracking systems, there is little that describes a complete target tracking solution. Such a solution would integrate measurement processing, data assignment, and track filtering into a single unit. The “MIMO tracker” described in this paper aims to provide a starting point for such tracking solutions. Although naive in some respects, this MIMO tracker provides a comparison tool for new MIMO target tracking algorithms. The results of running the tracker with the scenarios provided in the GTRI/ONR MIMO Radar Benchmark are also presented.
Identification of a Nuclear Protein from Rat Developing Brain as Heterodimerization Partner with Thyroid Hormone Receptor-β.

Thyroid hormone receptors (TR) are ligand-activated transcription factors that modulate the expression of certain target genes in a developmental and tissue-specific manner. These specificities are determined by the tissue distribution of the TR isoforms alpha1 and beta1, the structure of the thyroid hormone response element (TRE) bound by the receptor, and heterodimerization partners. Among these, retinoid X receptors (RXR) have been recognized as the principal partners for TR. The present work reports the identification of a novel nuclear protein from 19-day-old embryonic rat brain that displays a distinct interaction pattern with TR isoforms at the level of the TRE of two genes known to be differentially expressed and regulated by thyroid hormone (T3): the ubiquitous malic enzyme and the brain-specific myelin basic protein. Electrophoretic gel mobility shift assays demonstrate that only TRbeta1 forms a specific complex with the rat brain nuclear factor on the myelin basic protein-TRE, but not on the malic enzyme-TRE. Thus, the interaction is selectively determined by both the receptor isoform and the structure of the TRE. The expression of this brain nuclear factor is restricted to the perinatal period, when myelination is sensitive to T3. Gel supershift assays with RXR-specific antibodies indicate that this factor is not one of the known RXR isoforms. However, it is most likely a new member of the RXR subfamily because it could be supershifted with an antibody raised against the highly conserved DNA-binding domain of RXRs.
A novel double-threshold user division method based on channel isolation and scheduling for downlink CoMP

Coordinated multi-point(CoMP) is regarded as a key technology in LTE-Advanced to eliminate the inter-cell interference and improve the user throughput, especially in cell edge. Traditional single-threshold coordinated user division, irrespective of whether it is based on distance or other metrics, has a potential problem whereby channel state variations lead to frequent user mode changes between coordination and non-coordination states, placing undue constrains on the system backhaul consumption. On account of such weakness, a novel user division method based on double-threshold is proposed in this paper to reduce the user handover with static clustering. As a result, a user with coordination has a relatively stable status between the two thresholds. The judging threshold adjusts in line with the user's last transmitting mode over the time. Furthermore, Zero-forcing precoding and water-filling power allocation are employed. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm provides user throughput improvement and achieves a good balance between system throughput and backhaul overhead, providing even more benefits especially in scenarios where the channel state changes rapidly.
Cognitive consequences of overweight and obesity in the ninth decade of life?

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES the association between late-life obesity and late-life cognitive abilities is poorly understood. We studied the association between body mass index (BMI) and cognitive change in longitudinal population-based study spanning over the ninth decade of life. SUBJECTS/METHODS in total, 475 participants free of dementia at baseline from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1921 (mean age: 79.1 years, SD: 0.6) were included. Height and weight were assessed at baseline. BMI was calculated as kg/m(2). Cognitive abilities were assessed at age ∼11 years and at age ∼79, ∼83, ∼87 and ∼90 years. RESULTS latent growth models showed that men being overweight and obese had a 0.65 (SD: 0.3) and 1.10 (SD: 0.5) points less steep decline in general cognitive ability (as measured by the Moray House Test) for each year than people of normal weight. These associations were to some extent confounded by childhood intelligence. No other association between BMI and cognition was significant, either for men or women. People who were obese in old age had significantly lower childhood intelligence (m = 43.6, SD: 1.3) than people who were normal in weight (m = 47.0, SD: 0.8) and persons being overweight (m = 47.5, SD: 0.8), F (472, 3) = 3.2, P = 0.043. CONCLUSIONS the current study shows weak or no evidence for an association between BMI in old age and cognitive function, especially not when childhood intelligence is controlled for. Lower intelligence at the age of 11 years predicted obesity at the age of 79 years.