Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distinct synaptic and extrasynaptic NMDA receptors identified in dorsal horn neurones of the adult rat spinal cord

1 N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors (NMDARs) were examined in substantia gelatinosa (SG) neurones of adult rat spinal cord slices. 2 In somatic outside‐out patches, high‐ and low‐conductance NMDAR channels were present. The low‐conductance channels exhibited asymmetrical transitions between the main (44 pS) and subconductance (19 pS) levels, suggesting that they arise from NR2D subunit‐containing receptors. The high‐conductance channels (main conductance, 57 pS) were blocked by ifenprodil, an NR2B subunit selective blocker. 3 Ifenprodil had no effect on NMDA‐EPSCs. The double‐exponential decay time course and the apparent Kd for Mg2+ of NMDA‐EPSCs suggested the expression of NR2A subunit‐containing receptors at the synapse. 4 These results indicate that different NMDAR subtypes are expressed in subsynaptic and extrasynaptic regions of adult SG neurones, which may have differential roles in nociception.
Quantization of electric charge from anomaly constraints and a Majorana neutrino.

In gauge models of electroweak interactions where the gauge group contains an explicit U(1) factor contributing to U(1){sub em}, due to the arbitrariness of the U(1) quantum numbers, electric charge is not quantized. While requiring the cancellation of gauge and gravitational anomalies reduces the arbitrariness considerably, it is still not restrictive enough to fix all the quark and lepton charges. Analyzing a large class of gauge models that contain the right-handed neutrino {nu}{sub {ital R}}, we find that the anomaly constraints, together with the requirement of nonvanishing fermion masses, lead to charge quantization only if the neutrino is a Majorana particle. The basic reason for this is the appearance of a hidden anomaly-free local U(1){sub {ital B}{minus}{ital L}} symmetry in the Lagrangian, once {nu}{sub {ital R}} is included, leading to a one-parameter family of solutions to the anomaly constraints. The Majorana mass of the neutrino breaks this hidden local symmetry. We also show that this phenomenon of charge dequantization'' occurs in models without {nu}{sub {ital R}} due to the appearance of hidden anomaly-free horizontal U(1) symmetries. In these models, quantization of electric charge is restored by including Dirac mass terms that break the hidden symmetry. Our work provides a newmore » way to understand charge quantization outside the framework of grand unified theories. « less
Monocyte-Astrocyte Networks Regulate Matrix Metalloproteinase Gene Expression and Secretion in Central Nervous System Tuberculosis In Vitro and In Vivo1

CNS tuberculosis (CNS-TB) is the most deadly form of tuberculous disease accounting for 10% of clinical cases. CNS-TB is characterized by extensive tissue destruction, in which matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) may play a critical role. We investigated the hypothesis that Mycobacterium tuberculosis activates monocyte-astrocyte networks increasing the activity of key MMPs. We examined the expression of all human MMPs and the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) in human astrocytes stimulated by conditioned medium from M. tuberculosis-infected monocytes (CoMTB). Real-time RT-PCR showed that gene expression of MMP-1, -2, -3, -7, and -9 was increased (p < 0.05). MMP-9 secretion was significantly up-regulated at 24 h and increased over 120 h (p < 0.01). MMP-1, -3, and -7 secretion was not detected. Secretion of MMP-2 was constitutive and unaffected by CoMTB. Astrocyte gene expression and secretion of TIMP-1 was not affected by CoMTB although TIMP-2 secretion increased 3-fold at 120 h. Immunohistochemical analysis of human brain biopsies confirmed that astrocyte MMP-9 secretion is a predominant feature in CNS-TB in vivo. Dexamethasone inhibited astrocyte MMP-9, but not TIMP-1/2 secretion in response to CoMTB. CoMTB stimulated the nuclear translocation of NF-κB, inducing a 6-fold increase in nuclear p65 and a 2-fold increase in nuclear p50. This was associated with degradation of IκBα and β within 30 min, persisting for 24 h. In summary, networks active between monocytes and astrocytes regulate MMP-9 activity in tuberculosis and astrocytes are a major source of MMP-9 in CNS-TB. Astrocytes may contribute to a matrix degrading environment within the CNS and subsequent morbidity and mortality.
Mercury and Drought Along the Lower Carson River, Nevada: III. Effects on Blood and Organ Biochemistry and Histopathology of Snowy Egrets and Black-Crowned Night-Herons on Lahontan Reservoir, 2002–2006

A 10-year study (1997–2006) was conducted to evaluate reproduction and health of aquatic birds in the Carson River Basin of northwestern Nevada (on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Natural Priorities List) due to high mercury (Hg) concentrations from past mining activities. This part of the study evaluated physiological associations with blood Hg in young snowy egrets (Egretta thula) and black-crowned night-herons (Nycticorax nycticorax), and organ biochemistry and histopathological effects in snowy egrets on Lahontan Reservoir (LR) from the period 2002–2006. LR snowy egret geometric mean total Hg concentrations (µg/g ww) ranged from 1.5 to 4.8 for blood, 2.4 to 3.1 liver, 1.8 to 2.5 kidneys, 1.7 to 2.4 brain, and 20.5 to 36.4 feathers over these years. For night-herons, mean Hg for blood ranged from 1.6 to 7.4. Significant positive correlations were found between total Hg in blood and five plasma enzyme activities of snowy egrets suggesting hepatic stress. Histopathological findings revealed vacuolar changes in hepatocytes in LR snowy egrets as well as correlation of increased liver inflammation with increasing blood and tissue Hg. Hepatic oxidative effects were manifested by decreased hepatic total thiol concentration and glutathione reductase activity and elevated hepatic thiobarbituric acid-reactive subatances (TBARS), a measure of lipid peroxidation. However, other hepatic changes indicated compensatory mechanisms in response to oxidative stress, including decreased oxidized glutathione (GSSG) concentration and decreased ratio of GSSG to reduced glutathione. In young black-crowned night-herons, fewer correlations were apparent. In both species, positive correlations between blood total Hg and plasma uric acid and inorganic phosphorus were suggestive of renal stress, which was supported by histopathological findings. Both oxidative effects and adaptive responses to oxidative stress were apparent in kidneys and brain. Vacuolar change and inflammation in peripheral nerves were found to correlate with blood and tissue Hg. Hg-associated effects related to the immune system included alterations in specific white blood cells and lymphoid depletion in the bursa that were correlated with blood and tissue Hg. When the number of plasma variables that differed between young snowy egrets from the LR site and the reference site were compared between wet and drought years, over twice as many variables were affected during drought years. This resulted in many more variables correlating with blood total Hg during dry than during wet years, suggesting the combination of drought and Hg was more stressful than Hg alone. Drought may have exacerbated Hg-related effects as reported previously for overall productivity. This relationship was not evident in black-crowned night-herons, although data were more limited.
Teacher and Classroom Characteristics and Their Relations to Mathematics Achievement of the Students in the TIMSS.

Background: Teacher-related factors such as gender, experience, conceptions related to mathematics, instructional practices have effects with various magnitudes on students’ mathematics achievement. Classroom related factors such as class size, class climate and limitations to teaching and their relation to mathematics achievement have also been studied. The TIMSS data provides opportunities to researchers for dealing with these variables simultaneously, thus, makes comparisons in cross-cultural settings. Aim: To develop a multi-level model that investigate the relation of mathematics teacher and classroom characteristics to students’ mathematics achievement in the TIMSS-R data across Turkey and European Union (EU) countries. Sample: The target population for TIMSS-R was 13-year-old students at the time of testing. Two-stage stratified cluster sample design was used in TIMSS-R. In this study, the data from 10 countries, namely Turkey, Belgium (Flemish), Italy, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Cyprus were analyzed. Method: Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) techniques were employed. Results: Except the home educational resources, no other variable is significant in all the countries. The variables have different impacts with different magnitudes and directions across the countries except reteaching and clarification, class size, class climate and limitations to teaching. Even though the overall findings obtained in the analyses indicated no consistency in line with significant variables in different countries. Conclusion: Findings indicated no overall consistency across the countries. Limitations to teaching, class size and class climate are moderately related to mathematics achievement. Re-teaching and clarification and pair work do not contribute to learning in any country. There is no best teaching method in the classroom, when lecture style, guided practice, independent practice are considered. Emphasize on problem solving in the classroom clearly fosters learning in the European Union countries whereas textbook based teaching is effective in Turkey.
A New Esterase Amplification Involved in OP Resistance in Culex Pipiens Mosquitoes from Tunisia

The linearity of dose–mortality responses was accepted (Chi square analysis P > 0.05) for S-Lab and Jendouba population (slope regression is 3.42 for S-Lab with Heterogeneity factor equal to 1 and 2.15 for Jendouba population with Heterogeneity factor equal to 5.01). RR at LC50 (RR50) showed that the sample was resistant to chlorpyrifos. The RR50 reached very high level with chlorpyrifos (RR50 = 8062 with confidence limits between 7759.46 and 8285.87). Addition of DEF to chlorpyrifos bioassays did not decrease tolerance significantly (P > 0.05) in S-Lab and Jendouba sample. So, the increased detoxification by EST (and/ or glutathione-s-transferases) was not involved in chlorpyrifos resistance of this sample. However, as reported by Ben Cheikh, et al. [12] the mosquito Culex pipiens esterases contributed to OP resistance by their increased activity. Likewise AChE was not involved in chlorpyrifos resistance.
Novel Methodology for Online Half-Broken-Bar Detection on Induction Motors

The relevance of the development of monitoring systems for rotating machines is not only the ability to detect failures but is also how early these failures can be detected. Squirrel-cage induction motors are the most popular motors used in industry, consuming around 85% of the power in industrial plants. Broken rotor bars in induction motors are among the major failures that are desirable to detect at early stages because this failure significantly increases power consumption and is responsible for further damage to the machinery. Previously reported works base their analysis on current or vibration monitoring for broken-bar detection up to one broken bar under mechanically loaded motor conditions. The contribution of this paper presents a novel methodology for half-broken-bar detection, which combines current and vibration analysis by correlating the signal spectra to enhance detectability for mechanically loaded and unloaded operating conditions of the motor, which the other isolated techniques are unable to detect. The proposed methodology is implemented in a low-cost field-programmable gate array (FPGA), giving a special-purpose system-on-a-chip (SoC) solution for online operation, with the development of a complex postprocessing decision-making unit. Several cases of study are presented to demonstrate the performance of the implementation.
Analysis and design of high output power from a two-arm coherently combined Q-switched fiber laser

In this work, we have developed an analytical model of an actively Q-switched Ytterbium doped fiber laser by using two coupled cavities with amplifying fibers in Mach-Zehnder interferometer configuration. We demonstrate that this oscillator system provides record high peak power nanosecond pulse. This study shows that the energy obtained is almost twice the energy of an individual fiber laser. We have theoretically demonstrated that the coherent combining efficiency up to 99%. This concept brings some novel perspectives for scaling the high energy and high peak power of single mode Q-switched fiber lasers.
High-Speed Dynamic Programmable Logic Array Chip

This paper describes the circuit design of a programmable logic array chip using four-phase dynamic circuits, operating at a nominal cycle time of 230 nanoseconds. Bootstrap circuit techniques are used to obtain high function and performance by satisfying some special requirements of PLA designs. These include a simple means for two-bit partitioning of the data inputs, a noninverting buffer circuit between precharged arrays, and a fast, compact on-chip driver for heavily loaded arrays. Multiphase clocking enables the use of master/slave type JK flip-flops with minimum circuitry and power dissipation. A polarity hold function is provided at the outputs to allow interfacing the dynamic design to static output circuits.
A coalition partnership of vision health through a health-promoting school program for primary school students in Taiwan

Myopia, the most common refractive error, is the most common cause of avoidable visual impairment among children and has reached epidemic proportions among children and young adults in urban areas of East and Southeast Asia that contain populations of Chinese ancestry. Moreover, vision health is an important theme of the health-promoting school program issued by the Ministry of Education in Taiwan. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of pre- and post-intervention proposed by the health-promoting school (HPS) model. The objectives are to understand whether the HPS model influenced the vision screening results and the attitude, knowledge level, and vision care behavior of the students involved. A prospective cohort study design was used to evaluate a vision health program. Four elementary schools, local education authorities, and one university in northern Taiwan established a coalition partnership to design a six-month program to combat myopia among students. The target population was 6668 school children from local elementary schools. For the purpose of this study, the outcome of visual acuity testing (in logMAR) was analyzed with a sampling of 373 school children (aged 11–12 years old) who were chosen from high prevalence of poor vision classes. After the HPS program, the attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge levels of the school children regarding vision health were significantly improved. The pre-intervention mean logMAR of all participating students (N = 373) was –. 10, which increased to –. 19 after the intervention. Analysis using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test showed that the logMAR value was significantly improved after the intervention (t = 2.13, p < 0.05). Our findings highlight the relevance and effectiveness of the coalition’s efforts, which reinforces the usefulness of co-operatively implementing the HPS program.
TLR 4 gene expression in pig populations and its association with resistance to Escherichia coli F 18

TLR4 is the main recognition receptor of bacterial lipopolysaccharides, which play an important role in innate and adaptive immunity. We used real-time PCR to analyze the tissue expression profile and differential expression of TLR4 in 4 pig populations (Escherichia coli F18-resistant Sutai, E. coli F18-sensitive Sutai, Large White, Meishan), in order to determine the role that the TLR4 gene plays in resistance to E. coli F18. We found that TLR4 expressed consistently in the 4 populations, with relatively high levels in immune tissues and the highest level in the lung. Generally, the expression of TLR4 in E. coli F18-sensitive individuals was the highest, followed by that in E. coli F18-resistant, Large White and Meishan. In the spleen, lung, kidney, lymph nodes, and thymus gland, TLR4 expression is significantly higher in the E. coli F18-sensitive than in the other 3 populations; there were no significant differences among E. coli F18-resistant Sutai, Large White, and Meishan. In addition, Gene Ontology and pathway analysis showed that TLR4 takes part in the inflammatory response. We found that porcine TLR4 has consistent tissue specificity in each breed, and downregulation of expression of the TLR4
Modeling of nonlinear power amplifier with memory effects applied for 3G system

In this paper, the nonlinear modeling of power amplifier with remarkable memory effects is presented. The power amplifier was designed by using LDMOS, and was driven by one-carrier W-CDMA signal and four-carrier W-CDMA signal respectively. Two different models, V-vector Volterra model and MPMSD model, are extracted from the power amplifier and the performances on capturing memory effects of the power amplifier are compared. The simulation results show that the MPMSD model is more accurate and effective than the V-vector Volterra model.
ADAMTS-13 regulates platelet adhesion under flow

Summary ADAMTS-13 cleaves large and ultra-large vonWillebrand factor multimers normally secreted by endothelial cells. Severe deficiency of this enzyme leads to thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). We applied the Impact-R system [Cone and plate(let) Analyzer, CPA] to determine optimal conditions for ADAMTS-13 function, to assess it’s activity in TTP patients and to distinguish inheritedTTP (inTTP) from acquiredTTP (acTTP). The role of ADAMTS-13 in platelet adhesion under different conditions was investigated applying recombinant forms of VWF and ADAMTS-13. rVWF was first treated by rADAMTS-13 either in solution or when immobilized on the surface of the well, under static or flow conditions, in the presence or absence of BaCl2. The resulting cleavedVWF fragments were then immobilized and served to assess type 3 von Willebrand disease whole blood platelet adhesion under flow. Maximal effect of the rADAMTS-13 (decrease of platelet adhesion in the absence compared to the presence of BaCl2), was observed when the rVWF was pre-immobilized and the cleavage step took place under flow (85%). Mixing plasma ofTTP patients with normal blood (1:3) yielded a 1.6 to 2-fold increase of platelet adhesion under flow compared to mixing normal plasma with normal blood, at shear rate range of 1,800–2,500s−1. Maximal increase of platelet adhesion was observed under 2,050s−1. Under these conditions, the extent of adhesion was similarly higher in patients with inTTP and acTTP versus control [surface coverage (SC) 14.5 ± 2.8% and 14.6 ± 2.5% vs. 7.4 ± 1.7%, respectively]. ADAMTS-13 activity measured by collagen-binding test was similarly low (4.2 ± 3.8% and 3.5 ± 2.4% vs. 72.2 ± 8.0%, respectively). An inverse correlation between SC and ADAMTS-13 activity was observed in a patient with inTTP assayed eight times during plasma infusion treatment. Addition of BaCl2 to the mixture of TTP plasma and normal whole blood yieldeda decrease in platelet adhesion in inTTP (by 51%) but not in acTTP. The lack of reduction of platelet adhesion in acTTP could presumably be due to the presence of ADAMTS-13 inhibitor in these patients. These results suggest that VWF immobilization and high shear flow yielded optimal conditions for ADAMTS-13 activity, and that introduction of BaCl2 in the Impact-R (CPA) test may be useful for differentiation between inherited and acquired TTP.
Transcobalamin 2 variant associated with poststroke homocysteine modifies recurrent stroke risk

Objectives: The Vitamin Intervention for Stroke Prevention trial found an association between baseline poststroke homocysteine (Hcy) and recurrent stroke. We investigated genes for enzymes and cofactors in the Hcy metabolic pathway for association with Hcy and determined whether associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) influenced recurrent stroke risk. Methods: Eighty-six SNPs in 9 candidate genes (BHMT1, BHMT2, CBS, CTH, MTHFR, MTR, MTRR, TCN1, and TCN2) were genotyped in 2,206 subjects (83% European American). Associations with Hcy measures were assessed using linear regression models assuming an additive genetic model, adjusting for age, sex, and race and additionally for baseline Hcy when postmethionine load change was assessed. Associations with recurrent stroke were evaluated using survival analyses. Results: Five SNPs in the transcobalamin 2 (TCN2) gene were associated with baseline Hcy (false discovery rate [FDR]–adjusted p = 0.049). TCN2 SNP rs731991 was associated with recurrent stroke risk in the low-dose arm of the trial under a recessive model (log-rank test p = 0.009, hazard ratio 0.34). Associations with change in postmethionine load Hcy levels were found with 5 SNPs in the cystathionine β-synthase (CBS) gene (FDR-adjusted p < 0.031). Conclusions: TCN2 variants contribute to poststroke Hcy levels, whereas variants in the CBS gene influence Hcy metabolism. Variation in the TCN2 gene also affects recurrent stroke risk in response to cofactor therapy.
Human Object Sketches: Datasets, Descriptors, Computational Recognition and 3d Shape Retrieval

Since prehistoric times, humans have used sketching to depict our visual world. Even today, sketching is possibly the only rendering technique readily available to all humans. To understand how humans sketch objects, we perform two experiments. In the first experiment, we analyze the distribution of non-expert sketches of everyday objects such as ‘teapot’ or ‘car’. We ask participants to sketch objects of a given category and gather 20,000 unique sketches evenly distributed over 250 object categories. The second experiment targets 3d shape retrieval, and we gather 1,814 sketches that are related to the categories in an existing dataset of 3d shapes. The sketches in both datasets turn out to be generally quite abstract with large local and global deviations from the original shape. Based on the first sketch dataset, we perform a perceptual study and find that humans can correctly identify the object category of a sketch 73% of the time. We develop a targeted feature transform for sketches that is based on a bagof-features approach, yields a compact representation and comes with suitable invariance properties. Using this representation, we develop the first computational recognition method for classifying human object sketches. We compare human performance against the computational model for which we use multi-class support vector machines, trained on the sketch dataset, to classify sketches. The resulting recognition method is able to identify unknown sketches with 56% accuracy (chance is 0.4%). Using the computational model, we demonstrate an interactive sketch recognition system. Based on the second dataset, we develop a system for 3d object retrieval using sketched feature lines as input. The system employs a view-based approach, matching the input against computer generated line drawings of the objects, using the bag-of-features representation developed earlier. Moreover, we demonstrate how to optimize the parameters of our, as well as other approaches, based on the gathered sketches. In the resulting comparison, we show objectively that our approach performs significantly better than any other system described so far.