Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Écologie et biologie des arthropodes terrestres du milieu souterrain superficiel : fonctionnement et écologie évolutive

Le milieu souterrain superficiel (m. S. S. ) est le compartiment du milieu souterrain le plus proche de la surface. Il se presente soit sous forme d'eboulis, soit sous forme de fissures recouvert par un sol, son existence est independante de la nature de la roche mere. L'etude de ce milieu et de sa faune n'a ete possible que grace a une approche pluri-disciplinaire: biologie des populations, ecologie des peuplements, geomorphologie, pedologie. Le peuplement d'arthropodes de ce milieu est compose de deux contingents d'especes, les unes souterraines et les autres originaires du sol. La structuration de ce peuplement est discute; elle est sous la dependance de facteurs du milieu (temperature, humidite, nature de la porosite,. . . ) de facteurs internes (adaptation, predation, parasitisme. . . ) et de facteurs historiques. L'etude geomorphologique et pedologique, effectuee au sein d'un bassin versant des pyrenees ariegeoises a permis de definir l'origine du m. S. S. , la duree de vie (10. 000 ans) et la disparition par colmatage au sein de cycles d'erosion et de pedogenese. Des scenarios de colonisation, de developpement et d'extinction de populations d'arthropodes de ce milieu ont pu etre proposes au cours de l'evolution de ce compartiment. Ce travail de recherche, s'integre dans une approche de type ecologie evolutive, dont les processus operent le long de trois echelles, celle de l'espace, celle du temps et celle des changements. Les resultats obtenus sur la faune des arthropodes terrestres et sur ce compartiment du milieu souterrain permettent de situer dans un nouveau contexte les theories emises sur l'origine et la genese des populations et des peuplements troglobies
Macroevolutionary developmental biology: Embryos, fossils, and phylogenies

The field of evolutionary developmental biology is broadly focused on identifying the genetic and developmental mechanisms underlying morphological diversity. Connecting the genotype with the phenotype means that evo‐devo research often considers a wide range of evidence, from genetics and morphology to fossils. In this commentary, we provide an overview and framework for integrating fossil ontogenetic data with developmental data using phylogenetic comparative methods to test macroevolutionary hypotheses. We survey the vertebrate fossil record of preserved embryos and discuss how phylogenetic comparative methods can integrate data from developmental genetics and paleontology. Fossil embryos provide limited, yet critical, developmental data from deep time. They help constrain when developmental innovations first appeared during the history of life and also reveal the order in which related morphologies evolved. Phylogenetic comparative methods provide a powerful statistical approach that allows evo‐devo researchers to infer the presence of nonpreserved developmental traits in fossil species and to detect discordant evolutionary patterns and processes across levels of biological organization. Developmental Dynamics 244:1184–1192, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Expression, crystallization and structure elucidation of γ-terpinene synthase from Thymus vulgaris.

The biosynthesis of γ-terpinene, a precursor of the phenolic isomers thymol and carvacrol found in the essential oil from Thymus sp. , is attributed to the activitiy of γ-terpinene synthase (TPS). Purified γ-terpinene synthase from T. vulgaris (TvTPS), the Thymus species that is the most widely spread and of the greatest economical importance, is able to catalyze the enzymatic conversion of geranyl diphosphate (GPP) to γ-terpinene. The crystal structure of recombinantly expressed and purified TvTPS is reported at 1.65 Å resolution, confirming the dimeric structure of the enzyme. The putative active site of TvTPS is deduced from its pronounced structural similarity to enzymes from other species of the Lamiaceae family involved in terpenoid biosynthesis: to (+)-bornyl diphosphate synthase and 1,8-cineole synthase from Salvia sp. and to (4S)-limonene synthase from Mentha spicata.
Berberine induces dedifferentiation by actin cytoskeleton reorganization via phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt and p38 kinase pathways in rabbit articular chondrocytes

Osteoarthritis is a nonrheumatologic joint disease characterized by progressive degeneration of the cartilage extracellular matrix. Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline alkaloid used in traditional Chinese medicine, the majority of which is extracted from Huang Lian (Coptis chinensis). Although numerous studies have revealed the anticancer activity of BBR, its effects on normal cells, such as chondrocytes, and the molecular mechanisms underlying its actions remain elusive. Therefore, we examined the effects of BBR on rabbit articular chondrocytes, and the underlying molecular mechanisms, focusing on actin cytoskeletal reorganization. BBR induced dedifferentiation by inhibiting activation of phosphoinositide-3(PI3)-kinase/Akt and p38 kinase. Furthermore, inhibition of p38 kinase and PI3-kinase/Akt with SB203580 and LY294002, respectively, accelerated the BBR-induced dedifferentiation. BBR also caused actin cytoskeletal architecture reorganization and, therefore, we investigated if these effects were involved in the dedifferentiation. Disruption of the actin cytoskeleton by cytochalasin D reversed the BBR-induced dedifferentiation by activating PI3-kinase/Akt and p38 kinase. In contrast, the induction of actin filament aggregation by jasplakinolide accelerated the BBR-induced dedifferentiation via PI3-kinase/Akt inhibition and p38 kinase activation. Taken together, these data suggest that BBR strongly induces dedifferentiation, and actin cytoskeletal reorganization is a crucial requirement for this effect. Furthermore, the dedifferentiation activity of BBR appears to be mediated via PI3-kinase/Akt and p38 kinase pathways in rabbit articular chondrocytes.
Beyond “Bad Science”: Skeptical Reflections on the Value-Freedom of Scientific Inquiry

It is often implied, suggested, or presupposed that science and values are rather like oil and waterdistinct sorts of things that are not expected to mix. The relation of values to science either does not exist or is highly problematic. Without denying the problematic nature of this relation-and with the hope of clarifying or beginning to clarify itI will suggest in this essay another way of thinking about some of the issues included under the rubric of "science and values. " Loren Graham, in his book Between Science and Values,' has addressed the impact on and relevance to human cultural and personal values of twentieth-century scientific theory. I shall, in this essay, instead raise some questions concerning the reverse relation: how do human cultural and personal values relate to scientific practice (and, indirectly, to the results of that practice). I will not defend any particular theses about the integrity and autonomy of science from social and other values or about the lack thereof, but do seek to foster some skepticism toward conventional understanding of these attributes.
On the Mapping Problem

In array processors it is important to map problem modules onto processors such that modules that communicate with each other lie, as far as possible, on adjacent processors. This mapping problem is formulated in graph theoretic terms and shown to be equivalent, in its most general form, to the graph isomorphism problem. The problem is also very similar to the bandwidth reduction problem for sparse matrices and to the quadratic assignment problem.
The processes underlying two frequent casual speech phenomena in Dutch: A production experiment

This study investigated whether a shadowing task can provide insights in the nature of reduction processes that are typical of casual speech. We focused on the shortening and presence versus absence of schwa and /t/ in Dutch past participles. Results showed that the absence of these segments was affected by the same variables as their shortening, suggesting that absence mostly resulted from extreme gradient shortening. This contrasts with results based on recordings of spontaneous conversations. We hypothesize that this difference is due to non-casual fast speech elicited by a shadowing task.
Fuzzy linear programming for supply chain management in steel industry

Linear programming is one of the frequently applied tools in supply chain management. However, managers and decision makers may lack information about exact values of most of the parameters used in the optimization models. Fortunately, fuzzy linear programming comes up with a powerful tool to deal with this kind of incomplete data. In this paper, the ﬂexible approach of fuzzy linear programming is proposed and used to solve supply chain management of steel manufacturing company. This approach reformulated some constraints from conventional linear programming to fuzzy linear programming and provides alternative solutions to decision makers. The results obtained indicate that the fuzzy linear programming gives more ﬂexibility to the decision maker to achieve some aspiration level in order to choose what he considers as the best optimal solution.
Cattle Cloned from Increasingly Differentiated Muscle Cells1

Abstract It has been postulated that mammalian nuclear transfer (NT) cloning efficiency is inversely correlated with donor cell differentiation status. To test this hypothesis, we compared genetically identical and increasingly differentiated donors within the myogenic lineage. Bovine male fetal muscle cells were cultured for 1–6 days in vitro. The proportion of cells displaying the following antigens was quantified by immunofluorescence microscopy: MYOD1, MYF5, PAX7, MYOG, DES, MYH, and 5-Bromo-2-deoxyuridine. Based on the antigen profile of both bulk populations and individually size-selected cells prepared for NT, donors serum-starved for 1, 4, and 5 days were classified as myogenic precursors (MPCs), myotubes (MTs), and muscle-derived fibroblasts (MFs) with purities of 92%, 85%, and 99%, respectively. Expression of the following transcripts was measured by RT-PCR in 1) cells selected for NT, 2) metaphase II oocytes, 3) NT couplets, 4) NT reconstructs, 5) NT two-cell embryos, and 6) NT blastocysts: MYOD1, MYF5, PAX7, MYOG, MYF6, ACTB, and 18S rRNA. Muscle-specific genes were silenced and remained undetectable up to the blastocyst stage, whereas housekeeping genes 18S and ACTB continued to be expressed. Differentiation status affected development to transferable embryos (118 [23%] of 520 vs. 93 [11%] of 873 vs. 66 [38%] of 174 for MPC vs. MT vs. MF, respectively, P < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences in pregnancy rate and development to weaning between the cell types (pregnancy rate: 14 [64%] of 22 vs. 8 [35%] of 23 vs. 10 [45%] of 22, and development: 4 [18%] of 22 vs. 2 [9%] of 23 vs. 3 [14%] of 22 for MPC vs. MT vs. MF, respectively).
Using dependence analysis to support the software maintenance process

Dependence analysis is useful for software maintenance because it indicates the possible effects of a software modification on the rest of a program. This helps the software maintainer evaluate the appropriateness of a software modification, drive regression testing, and determine the vulnerability of critical sections of code. A definition of interprocedural dependence analysis is given, and its implementation in a prototype tool that supports software maintenance is described. <<ETX>>
Community-based cardiovascular health promotion in Argentina. A systematic review

In Argentina, cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for 30% of deaths and more than 600 000 disability-adjusted life years. However, no reviews describing local studies on interventions to address CVD risk factors have been identified. The purpose of this study is to characterize those population-based interventions and public policies implemented in Argentina to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease with an adequate evaluation of their impact on population health. We conducted a systematic review of studies that assessed interventions in health promotion and/or primary prevention conducted in adult populations of Argentina, addressing specific CVD factors, from 1999 to 2016. We searched major bibliographic databases, grey literature, ministries and secretariats of health, and academic national libraries. Key informants, non-governmental organizations, universities, hospitals and experts were also contacted. We applied specific inclusion criteria. We assessed the methodological quality of the studies and reported the effectiveness and impact of population interventions and policies, as well as process evaluations' characteristics. After removing duplicates we identified 1686 references from databases. After reviewing title and abstracts 18 studies were selected, five of them corresponded to evaluations of public policies-all addressing tobacco smoking. We presented a structured review of each experience. Most of the studies were deemed to entail moderate or high risk of bias. We summarized the findings and characteristics of these studies, including implementation strategies, process and impact evaluation. This is the first systematic review of interventions focused on primary prevention and health promotion to counter CVD and diabetes in Argentina.
A Prototype PET Scanner with DOI-Encoding Detectors

Detectors with depth-encoding allow a PET scanner to simultaneously achieve high sensitivity and high spatial resolution. Methods: A prototype PET scanner, consisting of depth-encoding detectors constructed by dual-ended readout of lutetium oxyorthosilicate (LSO) arrays with 2 position-sensitive avalanche photodiodes (PSAPDs), was developed. The scanner comprised 2 detector plates, each with 4 detector modules, and the LSO arrays consisted of 7 × 7 elements, with a crystal size of 0.9225 × 0.9225 × 20 mm and a pitch of 1.0 mm. The active area of the PSAPDs was 8 × 8 mm. The performance of individual detector modules was characterized. A line-source phantom and a hot-rod phantom were imaged on the prototype scanner in 2 different scanner configurations. The images were reconstructed using 20, 10, 5, 2, and 1 depth-of-interaction (DOI) bins to demonstrate the effects of DOI resolution on reconstructed image resolution and visual image quality. Results: The flood histograms measured from the sum of both PSAPD signals were only weakly depth-dependent, and excellent crystal identification was obtained at all depths. The flood histograms improved as the detector temperature decreased. DOI resolution and energy resolution improved significantly as the temperature decreased from 20°C to 10°C but improved only slightly with a subsequent temperature decrease to 0°C. A full width at half maximum (FWHM) DOI resolution of 2 mm and an FWHM energy resolution of 15% were obtained at a temperature of 10°C. Phantom studies showed that DOI measurements significantly improved the reconstructed image resolution. In the first scanner configuration (parallel detector planes), the image resolution at the center of the field of view was 0.9-mm FWHM with 20 DOI bins and 1.6-mm FWHM with 1 DOI bin. In the second scanner configuration (detector planes at a 40° angle), the image resolution at the center of the field of view was 1.0-mm FWHM with 20 DOI bins and was not measurable when using only 1 bin. Conclusion: PET scanners based on this detector design offer the prospect of high and uniform spatial resolution (crystal size, ∼1 mm; DOI resolution, ∼2 mm), high sensitivity (20-mm-thick detectors), and compact size (DOI encoding permits detectors to be tightly packed around the subject and minimizes number of detectors needed).
Adverse Effects Associated With Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation

BACKGROUND Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has emerged as an important treatment for patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis who are at high operative risk, but accurate estimates of serious adverse effects in contemporary practice are not available. PURPOSE To quantify the adverse effects associated with TAVI, and to evaluate whether the type of transcatheter valve and the route of valve implantation are associated with differences in adverse outcomes. DATA SOURCE PubMed to 5 May 2012. STUDY SELECTION All studies that included at least 100 patients who had TAVI and reported at least 1 outcome of interest. DATA EXTRACTION Two reviewers abstracted the data independently. A random-effects model was used to combine data on adverse outcomes and conduct stratified analyses. DATA SYNTHESIS A total of 49 studies enrolling 16 063 patients met the inclusion criteria. Overall 30-day and 1-year survival after TAVI were 91.9% (95% CI, 91.1% to 92.8%) and 79.2% (CI, 76.9% to 81.4%), respectively. Heart block requiring permanent pacemaker implantation was the most common adverse outcome (13.1%) and was 5 times more common with the CoreValve (Medtronic, Minneapolis, Minnesota) than the Sapien valve (Edwards Lifesciences, Irving, California) implanted using the transarterial route (25.2% vs. 5.0%, respectively). The overall rate of vascular complications was 10.4% and was highest with transarterial implantation of the Sapien valve (22.3%). Acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy was the third most common complication, occurring in 4.9% of patients. LIMITATION Rates of major vascular complications may be overestimated owing to rapidly evolving TAVI technology. CONCLUSION The most common adverse effects associated with TAVI are heart block, vascular complications, and renal failure. The type of transcatheter valve and the route of implantation are associated with observed variations in the risks for some adverse effects. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada.
Miniature Accelerometer and Multichannel Signal Processor for Fiberoptic Fabry–Pérot Sensing

A miniature accelerometer based on silicon microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication technology has been developed. Using a beam-suspended proof mass and a Fabry-Peacuterot sensing gap, this accelerometer is fiber coupled to a miniature, multichannel, optical readout system which was developed for application in compact optical sensor systems. The approximately 4 mmtimes7 mmtimes2 mm accelerometer can be tailored to cover milli-g to kilo-g acceleration ranges. The miniature readout system is enclosed in approximately a 2 cmtimes8 cmtimes1 cm package, one of the smallest ever reported, and implements the complete optical path for a three-channel embodiment of a multichannel, highly sensitive and accurate, in-phase and quadrature (IQ) optical measurement system for Fabry-Peacuterot sensors. A variety of fiber-based sensors (temperature, strain, pressure, etc.) are commercially available using this Fabry-Peacuterot technique. The complete measurement system with the accelerometer was tested using a shaker table. Sample results are presented for 100 Hz, 10-g peak-peak acceleration
Measurement of Human and Murine Interleukin 2 and Interleukin 4

This unit describes protocols employing cell lines or bioassays that can be used for the quantitation of murine total T cell growth factor (TCGF) activity, interleukin 2 (IL‐2), and interleukin 4 (IL‐4), and of human IL‐2 and IL‐4. The ability to distinguish between different growth factors is crucial to understanding the regulation of the immune response. The describes the use of the CTLL‐2 line to detect murine IL‐2 and IL‐4 in supernatants. One alternate protocol describes the detection of IL‐2 in samples of human serum or supernatants using CTLL‐2 cells, while other alternate procedures describe the detection and quantitation of murine IL‐4 using a mutagenized subline of CTLL‐2, CT.4S, and the detection of human IL‐4 using a derivative of the CT.4S mouse cell line, CT.h4S. Support protocols are provided for the quantitation of CTLL‐2, CT4.S, or CT.h4S proliferation using a standard [3H]thymidine incorporation method or by using the 3‐(4,5‐dimenthylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay ( ). Support protocols also describe the calculation of cytokine units from samples based on DNA synthesis data and procedures for the maintenance of the CTLL‐2, CT.4S, and CT.h4S cell lines.
Cognitive endophenotypes in a family with bipolar disorder with a risk locus on chromosome 4.

OBJECTIVES We studied cognitive function in high-risk relatives belonging to a single extended family showing linkage of bipolar disorder to a locus on chromosome 4. High-risk relatives were defined as those that carried the risk haplotype of polymorphic markers, identified in a previous linkage study. This family provided a rare opportunity to characterize a neuropsychological endophenotype in a homogeneous sample of relatives with a common genetic risk factor. METHODS Fifteen family members carrying the risk haplotype (eight diagnosed with bipolar disorder or depression and seven with no psychiatric diagnosis), unrelated patients with bipolar disorder (n = 36) and major depressive disorder (n = 40), and healthy control subjects (n = 33) were administered the California Verbal Learning Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Hayling Sentence Completion Test, and Brixton Spatial Anticipation Test to assess verbal memory, verbal fluency, and executive function. RESULTS Compared with healthy controls, family members carrying the risk haplotype were impaired in indices of memory and executive function. There were no significant differences between unaffected and affected haplotype-carrying family members in any cognitive measure. Pronounced deficits in the encoding stage of verbal memory and category verbal fluency were evident in individuals with the risk haplotype. CONCLUSIONS Verbal learning and semantic verbal fluency impairments may represent a cognitive endophenotype for both bipolar disorder and major depression in relatives of bipolar disorder patients, as impairment was also present in high-risk relatives who had not developed any affective disorder symptoms. These findings suggest that impairment in semantic organization may be linked to the genetic aetiology of bipolar disorder.
Changes in biogenic amines of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) fillets stored at different temperatures and their relation to total volatile base nitrogen, microbiological and sensory score.

BACKGROUND Biogenic amines have received considerable attention owing to their undesirable effects in humans. There are few studies of changes in biogenic amine contents related to freshwater fish. Silver carp is an important freshwater fish species in China. This study aimed to investigate the changes in biogenic amines and their relation to total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N), microbiological and sensory score of silver carp fillets stored at 0, 3 and 15 °C. RESULTS The total biogenic amine contents of all silver carp fillets (regardless of storage time and temperature) ranged from 13.05 to 318.10 mg kg(-1). Putrescine and histamine were the main biogenic amines in silver carp fillets during storage. Cadaverine was only detected after 12 days at 3 °C and after 2 days at 15 °C. Spermidine and spermine contents increased during the early storage period and then slightly decreased. CONCLUSION Low temperature could control the quality of silver carp fillets by inhibiting the contents of biogenic amines. Putrescine showed significant correlation with TVB-N, total aerobic content, sensory score, tryptamine and phenylethylamine. Putrescine was a good quality marker of silver carp fillets in the cold chain.