Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diabetogenic Effect of Streptozotocin in the Rat During the Perinatal Period

The diabetogenic effect of streptozotocin was investigated in the rat during the fetal and neonatal life. Streptozotocin was directly injected in the vitellin vein of the fetus or in the saphenous vein of the neonate. In the 21.5 day old fetus, diabetogenic activity was demonstrated with a single dose of 100 μg/gm. administered the day before, and this was indicated by a fall in the pancreatic insulin content to 20 per cent and a lowering of the plasma insulin to 60 per cent of the controls. A single dose (100 μg/gm.) of streptozotocin administered on the day of birth produced an overt diabetes in the neonate: the maximal fall in the pancreatic insulin content (7 per cent of the controls) was observed four days after the streptozotocin injection, during the highest blood glucose level (300 per cent of the controls). A significant increase in the pancreatic glucagon content was observed twenty-four hours after the maximal insulin depletion. Liver glycogen content was occasionally decreased. More severe diabetes was obtained by two streptozotocin injections (50μg/gm.), with lowest pancreatic and highest blood glucose levels at 1 per cent and 60 per cent, respectively. A clearcut drop of the plasma insulin/glucose ratio was observed in the drug-treated animals. Three weeks after injection(s), basal blood glucose and plasma insulin levels were normal, although impairment of insulin secretion still appeared after glucose load and insulin pancreatic content was still slightly lower. A rapid and spontaneous, if not quite complete recovery, is a characteristic pattern of the streptozotocin diabetes in the neonate as compared to that in the adult.
Perceived Social Support and Stress among Pregnant Women at Health Centers of Iran- Tabriz.

INTRODUCTION Social support is considered the interaction between the person and environment, which reduces stressors, covers the effects of stress and consequently protects individuals from the harmful effects of stressful situations. This study aimed to determine social support in pregnant women and its relationship with the rate of pregnant women's perceived stress at health centers of Tabriz in 2012-13. METHODS This cross-sectional study was carried out on 450 pregnant women selected through cluster sampling. Data collection tools consisted of a demographic questionnaire, interpersonal support evaluation list (ISEL) and perceived stress questionnaire (PSS) that were completed in an interview. The range of obtainable score for social support and perceived stress was 0-90 and 0-30, respectively. Descriptive and analytical statistics including Pearson and Independent t-test were used for analyzing the data. RESULTS The mean score of social support and perceived stress in pregnant women was 96.6 (14.6), and 11.5 (5.5), respectively . The women with favorable social support had significantly less stress than the women with unfavorable social support. CONCLUSION The study finding showed that the rate of social support in highly stressful women is significantly less than low-stress mothers. Therefore, considering adverse effects of the stress on pregnancy outcomes, some strategies should be designed and implemented in order to strengthen and improve the social support for pregnant women so that it can reduce the rate of pregnant women's stress.
A new Vibrio fischeri lux gene precedes a bidirectional termination site for the lux operon

The DNA downstream of the lux structural genes in the Vibrio fischeri lux operon has been sequenced and a new lux gene (luxG) has been identified. A hairpin loop that begins with a poly(A) region and ends with a poly(T) region and thus can function as a bidirectional termination site for luxG and a convergent gene is located immediately downstream of luxG. 3' S1 nuclease mapping has demonstrated that the luxG mRNA was induced in a cell-density-dependent fashion consistent with it being part of the lux system and that the lux mRNA terminated immediately after the hairpin loop. The mRNA coded by an open reading frame convergent to luxG on the complementary strand was also shown by S1 nuclease mapping to overlap the lux mRNA for at least 20 nucleotides before termination. Expression of DNA containing the hairpin loop, placed between a strong promoter and a reporter gene and transferred by conjugation into luminescent bacteria, demonstrated the very high efficiency of termination by this hairpin loop oriented in either direction. These results also demonstrate that the organization of the genes at the 3' ends of the lux operons of V. fischeri and V. harveyi has clearly diverged.
A Global Investigation of the Bacillus subtilis Iron-Sparing Response Identifies Major Changes in Metabolism

ABSTRACT The Bacillus subtilis ferric uptake regulator (Fur) protein is the major sensor of cellular iron status. When iron is limiting for growth, derepression of the Fur regulon increases the cellular capacity for iron uptake and mobilizes an iron-sparing response mediated in large part by a small noncoding RNA named FsrA. FsrA functions, in collaboration with three small basic proteins (FbpABC), to repress many “low-priority” iron-containing enzymes. We have used transcriptome analyses to gain insights into the scope of the iron-sparing response and to define subsets of genes dependent for their repression on FsrA, FbpAB, and/or FbpC. Enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, including aconitase and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), are major targets of FsrA-mediated repression, and as a consequence, flux through this pathway is significantly decreased in a fur mutant. FsrA also represses the DctP dicarboxylate permease and the iron-sulfur-containing enzyme glutamate synthase (GltAB), which serves as a central link between carbon and nitrogen metabolism. Allele-specific suppression analysis was used to document a direct RNA-RNA interaction between the FsrA small RNA (sRNA) and the gltAB leader region. We further demonstrated that distinct regions of FsrA are required for the translational repression of the GltAB and SDH enzyme complexes.
Robust torque control of an elastic robotic arm based on invertibility and feedback stabilization

We present an approach to the control of elastic robotic systems for space applications using inversion, servocompensation, and feedback stabilization. For simplicity, a robot arm (PUMA-type) with three rotational joints is considered. The third link is assumed to be elastic. Using an inversion algorithm, a non-linear decoupling control law, ud, is derived such that in the closed loop system, independent control of joint angles by the three joint torquers is accomplished. For the stabilization of elastic oscillations, a linear feedback torquer control law, us, is obtained applying linear quadratic optimization to the linearized arm model augmented with a servocompensator about the terminal state. Simulation results show that, in spite of uncertainties in the payload and vehicle angular velocity, good joint angle control and damping of elastic oscillations are obtained with the torquer control law u=ud+us.
The aware toolbox for the detection of law infringements on web pages

In the project Aware we aim to develop an automatic assistant for the detection of law infringements on web pages. The motivation for this project is that many authors of web pages are at some points infringing copyrightor other laws, mostly without being aware of that fact, and are more and more often confronted with costly legal warnings. As the legal environment is constantly changing, an important requirement of Aware is that the domain knowledge can be maintained (and initially defined) by numerous legal experts remotely working without further assistance of the computer scientists. Consequently, the software platform was chosen to be a web-based generic toolbox that can be configured to suit individual analysis experts, definitions of analysis flow, information gathering and report generation. The report generated by the system summarizes all critical elements of a given web page and provides case specific hints to the page author and thus forms a new type of service. Regarding the analysis subsystems, Aware mainly builds on existing state-of-the-art technologies. Their usability has been evaluated for each intended task. In order to control the heterogeneous analysis components and to gather the information, a lightweight scripting shell has been developed. This paper describes the analysis technologies, ranging from text based information extraction, over optical character recognition and phonetic fuzzy string matching to a set of image analysis and retrieval tools; as well as the scripting language to define the analysis flow.
A Virtual Synchronous Generator Based Hierarchical Control Scheme of Distributed Generation Systems

Sustainable energy-based generation systems, such as photovoltaic and wind turbine generation systems, normally adopt inverters to connect to the grid. These power electronic interfaces possess the characteristics of small inertia and small output impedance, which create difficulties to stabilize the voltage and frequency of a distributed power source. To deal with this problem, a Virtual Synchronous Generator (VSG)-based inverter control method is presented in this paper by introducing virtual inertia and damping coefficient into the control loop to emulate the dynamic behavior of a traditional synchronous generator. Based on this VSG control method, a three-layer hierarchical control scheme is further proposed to increase the control accuracy of the voltage and frequency in a VSG-based distributed generation system with parallel inverters. The principle of the VSG control method, the system stability analysis, the design process of the hierarchical control structure, and the frequency/voltage secondary regulation processes are all specified in this paper. Finally, some numerical simulations are carried out and the effectiveness of proposed control scheme is verified by the simulation results analysis.
On the social consequences of the desire for motion

Title of Thesis: ON THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE DESIRE FOR MOTION Marina Chernikova, Master of Science, 2016 Thesis Directed By: Distinguished University Professor, Arie Kruglanski, Department of Psychology Three studies investigated the effects of locomotion regulatory mode on individuals’ evaluations of social partners who disrupt the smooth forward motion of a social interaction. Locomotion was expected to increase individuals’ preference for smooth motion in social interactions. In turn, that preference was expected to lead to less positive evaluations of listeners who disrupted the “flow” of a social interaction. The results generally did not confirm the predictions. Theoretical and practical implications of the studies, as well as future directions for the research, are discussed. ON THE SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF THE DESIRE FOR MOTION
Mainstream Cigarette Smoke Exposure Attenuates Airway Immune Inflammatory Responses to Surrogate and Common Environmental Allergens in Mice, Despite Evidence of Increased Systemic Sensitization1

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of mainstream cigarette smoke exposure (MTS) on allergic sensitization and the development of allergic inflammatory processes. Using two different experimental murine models of allergic airways inflammation, we present evidence that MTS increased cytokine production by splenocytes in response to OVA and ragweed challenge. Paradoxically, MTS exposure resulted in an overall attenuation of the immune inflammatory response, including a dramatic reduction in the number of eosinophils and activated (CD69+) and Th2-associated (T1ST2+) CD4 T lymphocytes in the lung. Although MTS did not impact circulating levels of OVA-specific IgE and IgG1, we observed a striking reduction in OVA-specific IgG2a production and significantly diminished airway hyperresponsiveness. MTS, therefore, plays a disparate role in the development of allergic responses, inducing a heightened state of allergen-specific sensitization, but dampening local immune inflammatory processes in the lung.
A randomized clinical trial of group versus standard behavioral couples therapy plus individually based treatment for patients with alcohol dependence.

OBJECTIVE Multiple studies show that behavioral couples therapy (BCT) is more efficacious than individually based therapy (IBT) for substance use and relationship outcomes among patients with alcohol use disorder. To facilitate dissemination, a multicouple, rolling admission Group BCT (G-BCT) format has been suggested as an alternative to the 1 couple at a time, conjoint Standard BCT (S-BCT) format. This randomized study compared outcomes of G-BCT versus S-BCT over a 1-year follow-up. The authors predicted that G-BCT, as compared to S-BCT, would have equivalent (i.e., noninferior) improvements on substance and relationship outcomes. METHOD Participants were patients (N = 101) with alcohol dependence and their heterosexual relationship partners without substance use disorder. Participants were mostly White, in their 40s, and 30% of patients were women. Patients were randomized to either G-BCT plus 12-step-oriented IBT or S-BCT plus IBT. Primary outcomes included Timeline Followback Interview percentage days abstinent and Inventory of Drug Use Consequences measure of substance-related problems. Secondary outcome was Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Outcome data were collected at baseline, posttreatment, and quarterly for 1-year follow-up. RESULTS Results overall found no support for the predicted statistical equivalency of G-BCT and S-BCT. Rather than the predicted equivalent outcomes, substance and relationship outcomes were significantly worse for G-BCT than S-BCT in the last 6-9 months of the 12-month follow-up period, because G-BCT deteriorated and S-BCT maintained gains during follow-up. CONCLUSION This was the first study of the newer rolling admission group format for BCT. It proved to have worse not equivalent outcomes compared to standard conjoint BCT. (PsycINFO Database Record
Conducting Polymer Nanostructures: Template Synthesis and Applications in Energy Storage

Conducting polymer nanostructures have received increasing attention in both fundamental research and various application fields in recent decades. Compared with bulk conducting polymers, conducting polymer nanostructures are expected to display improved performance in energy storage because of the unique properties arising from their nanoscaled size: high electrical conductivity, large surface area, short path lengths for the transport of ions, and high electrochemical activity. Template methods are emerging for a sort of facile, efficient, and highly controllable synthesis of conducting polymer nanostructures. This paper reviews template synthesis routes for conducting polymer nanostructures, including soft and hard template methods, as well as its mechanisms. The application of conducting polymer mesostructures in energy storage devices, such as supercapacitors and rechargeable batteries, are discussed.
Interaction between oral estrogen plus progestogen therapy and ABO blood groups on coagulation activation in postmenopausal women

ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to investigate the effect of postmenopausal hormone therapy on coagulation and whether this effect differs according to ABO blood groups. MethodsThis was a prospective observational study to evaluate factor VIII (FVIII) activity, factor von Willebrand (vWF), and D-dimer (D-Di) levels and ABO blood groups in 61 postmenopausal women using oral estrogen plus progestogen therapy (EPT; 2 mg estradiol + 1 mg norethisterone acetate) for 3 months and in 101 women not using EPT. After 3 months, all eligible women who had completed the treatment scheme proposed for the EPT group or those who opted to participate but had not undergone EPT had a blood sample collected for analysis. ResultsSignificant differences were observed in FVIII activity and vWF levels in the control group between those carrying group O and non–group O blood. For EPT users, significant differences were observed for FVIII activity, vWF, and D-Di levels. After a multivariate regression analysis, FVIII activity and ABO blood groups were independently associated with vWF levels, whereas interaction between ABO blood groups and EPT were independently associated with FVIII activity. Besides diabetes, the ABO × EPT interaction was also noted to be independently associated with D-Di levels. ConclusionsThese findings suggest an interactive effect between oral EPT and non-O blood groups, contributing to the mechanism by which estrogen triggers the hypercoagulability state and increased risk for venous thrombosis in women undergoing oral EPT.
Globally convergent blind source separation based on a multiuser kurtosis maximization criterion

We consider the problem of recovering blindly (i.e., without the use of training sequences) a number of independent and identically distributed source (user) signals that are transmitted simultaneously through a linear instantaneous mixing channel. The received signals are, hence, corrupted by interuser interference (IUI), and we can model them as the outputs of a linear multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) memoryless system. Assuming the transmitted signals to be mutually independent, i.i. d. , and to share the same non-Gaussian distribution, a set of necessary and sufficient conditions for the perfect blind recovery (up to scalar phase ambiguities) of all the signals exists and involves the kurtosis as well as the covariance of the output signals. We focus on a straightforward blind constrained criterion stemming from these conditions. From this criterion, we derive an adaptive algorithm for blind source separation, which we call the multiuser kurtosis (MUK) algorithm. At each iteration, the algorithm combines a stochastic gradient update and a Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization procedure in order to satisfy the criterion's whiteness constraints. A performance analysis of its stationary points reveals that the MUK algorithm is free of any stable undesired local stationary points for any number of sources; hence, it is globally convergent to a setting that recovers them all.
Plasma Phospholipid and Sphingolipid Alterations in Presenilin1 Mutation Carriers: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Aberrant lipid metabolism has been implicated in sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). The current study investigated plasma phospholipid and sphingolipid profiles in individuals carrying PSEN1 mutations responsible for autosomal dominant AD (ADAD). METHODS Study participants evaluated were from the Perth and Melbourne sites of the Dominantly Inherited Alzheimer Network (DIAN) study. Plasma phospholipid and sphingolipid profiles were measured using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry in 20 PSEN1 mutation carriers (MC; eight of whom were symptomatic and twelve asymptomatic, based on Clinical Dementia Rating scores) and compared with six non carriers (NC) using linear mixed models. Further, AD gold standard biomarker data obtained from the DIAN database were correlated with lipid species significantly altered between MC and NC, using Spearman's correlation coefficient. RESULTS One-hundred and thirty-nine plasma phospholipid and sphingolipid species were measured. Significantly altered species in MC compared to NC primarily belonged to choline and ethanolamine containing phospholipid classes and ceramides. Further phosphatidylcholine species (34:6, 36:5, 40:6) correlated with cerebrospinal fluid tau (p < 0.05), and plasmalogen ethanolamine species (34:2, 36:,4) correlated with both cerebrospinal fluid tau and brain amyloid load within the MC group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION These findings indicate altered phospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism in ADAD and provide insight into the pathomolecular changes occurring with ADAD pathogenesis. Further, findings reported in this study allow comparison of lipid alterations in ADAD with those reported previously in sporadic AD. The findings observed in the current pilot study warrant validation in the larger DIAN cohort.
Purine de novo synthesis in liver and developing rat brain, and the effect of some inhibitors of purine nucleotide interconversion.

The rate of purine de novo synthesis from sodium formate in developing rat brain falls in the late gestational stages to birth, rises again in the 1st week of life and then decreases rapidly to the 3rd week, and continues declining up to 8 weeks of life (adulthood). The changes in the overall purine biosynthetic rate with respect to time are similar to those in the activity of the rate-limiting enzyme [amidophosphoribosyltransferase (phosphoribosyl diphosphate amidotransferase; EC 2.4.2.14)]. Azaserine [O-diazoacetyl-L-serine], a known inhibitor of glutamine requiring metabolic steps, inhibits purine de novo synthesis by more than 90%. This confirms that the method used to assess purine de novo synthesis in fact does so. The effects of virazole [1-beta-ribofuranosyl-1-H,1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxamide], an inhibitor of IMP dehydrogenase (EC 1.2.1.14), and of alanosine [L-2-amino-3-(hydroxynitrosamino)propanoic acid] an inhibitor of adenylosuccinate synthetase (EC 6.3.4.4), on the rate of purine de novo synthesis were investigated in liver and brain tissue. The effect of the xanthine oxidase inhibitor allopurinol [4-hydroxypyrazolo(3,4-d)pyrimidine] was also investigated in liver tissue. The biosynthesis of the purines which were extruded into the incubation medium as well as those which remained in the tissue was studied. Only inhibitory effects were observed, and these were confined to the purines remaining in the tissue. Allopurinol was completely inert from this viewpoint. The results are compared with those of other workers using lymphoid cells, and emphasize the differences in the control of de novo purine synthesis in different tissues and under different conditions. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Rescue of vaccinia virus lacking the E3L gene by mutants of E3L

Vaccinia virus with the E3L gene deleted was able to replicate in RK-13 but not HeLa cells. This host range phenotype could be complemented by an E3L gene expressed transiently from a plasmid. Analysis of mutants of E3L indicates that the ability to complement deletion of E3L correlates with the ability of mutated proteins to bind double-stranded RNA but not with their ability to migrate to the nucleus.
Purification and Characterization of Compound Bioflocculant

Two strains (designated F2, F6) which produce excellent flocculating substance were isolated from soil samples and identified as Rhizobium radiobacter and Bacillus sphaeicus. The compound bioflocculant (CBF) with higher flocculating activity was obtained by coculturing F2 and F6. The isolates F2 and F6 produced the flocculating substance during the late logarithmic growth phase and the early stationary growth phase, and the isolate F6 grew slower than isolate F2, so the time of producing CBF was prolonged. It was founded that the flocculation activated substances of CBF distributed mainly in upper phase and were mainly composed of polysaccharide (90.6%) and protein (9.3%). The CBF was thermo-stable and 75% of its activity remains after heating at 100degC for 30 min. With the pH value increasing from 7 to 9, the flocculation efficiency of CBF increased from 86% to 94%. The flocculation activated substances could be recovered from the supernatant of the fermented medium by cold acetone precipitation and purified by treating with Sevage reagent. After the preliminary extraction and purification, CBF remained high flocculating activity.