Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A magnetic resonance study of complicated early childhood convulsion

OBJECTIVES The relation between complicated early childhood convulsion (ECC) and adult epilepsy is unclear, although a history of complicated ECC is obtainable in half of adults with epilepsy associated with hippocampal sclerosis. It is not known if the ECC is a marker of pre-existing brain damage or is itself harmful to the developing brain. The objective of the study was to assess the extent of structural brain abnormality present soon after a first complicated early childhood convulsion with a view to obtaining data which might contribute to an understanding of whether such abnormalities were likely to be pre-existing or caused by the convulsion. METHODS Children under the age of 5 years were recruited into the study after their first complicated febrile or non-febrile ECC. None had previously experienced an epileptic seizure. All underwent MRI of the brain within 14 days. Hippocampal volumes and T2 relaxation times were measured. The results were compared with a neurological control group of children without gross structural abnormalities of the neocortex undergoing MRI of the brain for reasons other than epilepsy. RESULTS Eighteen patients and 10 control subjects were recruited into the study. One patient was subsequently excluded because of EEG and clinical evidence of benign childhood epilepsy. Nine patients had volumetric evidence of significant hippocampal volume asymmetry (3 SD from the mean of the control group), although in only three of these was the asymmetry apparent on visual inspection of the MRI. Three patients had extrahippocampal neuropathology. None of the control subjects had significant hippocampal volume asymmetry (p<0.001). T2 relaxometry showed no evidence that postictal hippocampal oedema contributed to the asymmetry. CONCLUSIONS There is a high prevalence of structural brain abnormalities in children within 2 weeks of the first complicated early childhood convulsion, including significant hippocampal asymmetry unrelated to oedema. This does not exclude a damaging effect of complicated ECC on the brain, but suggests that in at least some patients the complicated ECC is the result of pre-existing brain abnormalities.
LPA 2 ( EDG 4 ) mediates Rho-dependent chemotaxis with lower efficacy than LPA 1 ( EDG 2 ) in breast carcinoma cells

Chen M, Towers LN, O’Connor KL. LPA2 (EDG4) mediates Rhodependent chemotaxis with lower efficacy than LPA1 (EDG2) in breast carcinoma cells. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 292: C1927–C1933, 2007; doi:10.1152/ajpcell.00400. 2006. —Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) acts via binding to specific G protein-coupled receptors and has been implicated in the biology of breast cancer. Here, we characterize LPA receptor expression patterns in common established breast cancer cell lines and their contribution to breast cancer cell motility. By measuring expression of the LPA receptors LPA1, LPA2, and LPA3 with real-time quantitative PCR, we show that the breast cancer cell lines tested can be clustered into three main groups: cells that predominantly express LPA1 (BT-549, Hs578T, MDA-MB-157, MDA-MB231, and T47D), cells that predominantly express LPA2 (BT-20, MCF-7, MDA-MB-453, and MDA-MB-468), and a third group that shows comparable expression level of these two receptors (MDAMB-175 and MDA-MB-435). LPA3 expression was detected primarily in MDA-MB-157 cells. Using a Transwell chemotaxis assay to monitor dose response, we find that cells predominantly expressing LPA1 have a peak migration rate at 100 nM LPA that drops off dramatically at 1 M LPA, whereas cells predominantly expressing LPA2 show the peak migration rate at 1 M LPA, which remains high at 10 M. Using BT-20 cells, LPA2-specific small interfering RNA, and C3 exotransferase, we demonstrate that LPA2 can mediate LPAstimulated cell migration and activation of the small GTPase RhoA. Using LPA2 small interfering RNA, exogenous expression of LPA1, and treatment with Ki16425 LPA receptor antagonist in the BT-20 cells, we further find that LPA1 and LPA2 cooperate to promote LPA-stimulated chemotaxis. In summary, our results suggest that the expression of both LPA1 and LPA2 may contribute to chemotaxis and may permit cells to respond optimally to a wider range of LPA concentrations, thus revealing a new aspect of LPA signaling.
Seasonal hippocampal plasticity in food-storing birds

Both food-storing behaviour and the hippocampus change annually in food-storing birds. Food storing increases substantially in autumn and winter in chickadees and tits, jays and nutcrackers and nuthatches. The total size of the chickadee hippocampus increases in autumn and winter as does the rate of hippocampal neurogenesis. The hippocampus is necessary for accurate cache retrieval in food-storing birds and is much larger in food-storing birds than in non-storing passerines. It therefore seems probable that seasonal change in caching and seasonal change in the hippocampus are causally related. The peak in recruitment of new neurons into the hippocampus occurs before birds have completed food storing and cache retrieval for the year and may therefore be associated with spacing caches, encoding the spatial locations of caches, or creating a neuronal architecture involved in the recollection of cache sites. The factors controlling hippocampal plasticity in food-storing birds are not well understood. Photoperiodic manipulations that produce change in food-storing behaviour have no effect on either hippocampal size or neuronal recruitment. Available evidence suggests that changes in hippocampal size and neurogenesis may be a consequence of the behavioural and cognitive involvement of the hippocampus in storing and retrieving food.
Self-Similar Solution of Hot Accretion Flow with 
Anisotropic Pressure

For the accretion flow in extremely low-luminosity active galactic nuclei, such as ourGalactic center (Sgr A*) and M 87, the collisional mean-free path of ions may be much larger than itsgyroradius. In this case, the pressure parallel to the magnetic field is different from that perpendicularto the field; therefore, the pressure is anisotropic. We study the effects of anisotropic pressure onthe dynamics of accretion flow by assuming the flow is radially self-similar. We find that in the casewhere the outflow is present, the radial and rotational velocities, the sound speed, and the Bernoulliparameter of the accretion flow are all increased when the anisotropic pressure is taken into account.This result suggests that it becomes easier for the accretion flow to generate outflow in the presenceof anisotropic pressure.
Laccase-Catalyzed Oxidation of Mixed Aqueous Phenolic Substrates at Low Concentrations

It has been proposed that Trametes versicolor laccase can be used to detoxify wastewaters that are contaminated with phenolic pollutants. However, the oxidation of phenols at low concentrations may be impacted if other substrates tend to interfere with or enhance the oxidation of the target substrate. To test this, experiments were conducted to evaluate effects arising from the simultaneous presence of mixed substrates including phenol (P), estradiol (E2), cumylphenol (CP), and triclosan (TCL), each of which are characterized by different rates of oxidation and tendencies to inactivate laccase. Slower and faster substrates were found to have only minor negative impacts upon the rate of conversion of targeted substrates, except where they tended to cause inactivation. No enhancements in substrate oxidation were observed. A multi-substrate kinetic model was shown to be able to accurately predict the time course of reactions of mixed substrates over extended periods at micromolar and sub-micromolar concentrations, except when estradiol and triclosan were simultaneously present. In this case, more enzyme inactivation was observed than would be expected from the oxidation of individual substrates alone. The utility of the model for providing insights into the reaction phenomenon and for evaluating the feasibility of oxidizing targeted substrates in the presence of other substrates is demonstrated.
Effect of in Ovo Injection of MyoPro Gene on Growth Parameter in Fayoumi Chicken

The current study aimed at evaluation the effects of in ovo injection of the myostatin inhibitor, myostatin pro-peptide (MyoPro) gene on growth performance of Fayoumi chicken. A total number of 200 Fayoumi fertilized pure breed eggs were obtained from EL-Tkamoly poultry project EL-Azab – Fayoum. Eggs were divided into two equal groups. Group 1(control group, n=100) was injected with saline, and group 2 (treated group, n=100) injected with Myo-pro gene. Growth parameters were recorded (body weight, body weight gain, feed consumption per group was measured for calculating feed conversion ratio). The obtained results revealed that injection of myo-pro to Fayoumi eggs resulted in highly significant increase in body weight and weight gain during all experimental period when compared with control group. Feed conversion ratio of Myo-pro injected group was significantly lower than control group. However, food intake showed no significant change between the two groups. From the obtained results, injection of Myo-Pro gene causing marked increase in body weight gain and improvement in feed conversion ratio without change in food intake in fayoumi chicken.
Level and correlates of physical activity and sedentary behavior in patients with type 2 diabetes: A cross-sectional analysis of the Italian Diabetes and Exercise Study_2

Objective Patients with type 2 diabetes usually show reduced physical activity (PA) and increased sedentary (SED)-time, though to a varying extent, especially for low-intensity PA (LPA), a major determinant of daily energy expenditure that is not accurately captured by questionnaires. This study assessed the level and correlates of PA and SED-time in patients from the Italian Diabetes and Exercise Study_2 (IDES_2). Methods Three-hundred physically inactive and sedentary patients with type 2 diabetes were enrolled in the IDES_2 to be randomized to an intervention group, receiving theoretical and practical exercise counseling, and a control group, receiving standard care. At baseline, LPA, moderate-to-vigorous-intensity PA (MVPA), and SED-time were measured by accelerometer. Physical fitness and cardiovascular risk factors and scores were also assessed. Results LPA was 3.93±1.35 hours∙day-1, MVPA was 12.4±4.6 min∙day-1, and SED-time was 11.6±1.2 hours∙day-1, with a large range of values (0.89–7.11 hours∙day-1, 0.6–21.0 min∙day-1, and 9.14–15.28 hours∙day-1, respectively). At bivariate analysis, LPA and MVPA correlated with better cardiovascular risk profile and fitness parameters, whereas the opposite was observed for SED-time. Likewise, values of LPA, MVPA, and SED-time falling in the best tertile were associated with optimal or acceptable levels of cardiovascular risk factors and scores. At multivariate analysis, age, female gender, HbA1c, BMI or waist circumference, and high-sensitivity C reactive protein (for LPA and SED-time only) were negatively associated with LPA and MPA and positively associated with SED-time in an independent manner. Conclusions Physically inactive and sedentary patients with type 2 diabetes from the IDES_2 show a low level of PA, though values of LPA, MVPA, and SED-time vary largely. Furthermore, there is a strong correlation of these measures with glycemic control, adiposity and inflammation, thus suggesting that even small improvements in LPA, MVPA, and SED-time might be associated with significant improvement in cardiovascular risk profile. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01600937
Specific default mode subnetworks support mentalizing as revealed through opposing network recruitment by social and semantic FMRI tasks

The ability to attribute mental states to others, or “mentalizing,” is posited to involve specific subnetworks within the overall default mode network (DMN), but this question needs clarification. To determine which default mode (DM) subnetworks are engaged by mentalizing processes, we assessed task‐related recruitment of DM subnetworks. Spatial independent component analysis (sICA) applied to fMRI data using relatively high‐order model (75 components). Healthy participants (n = 53, ages 17–60) performed two fMRI tasks: an interactive game involving mentalizing (Domino), a semantic memory task (SORT), and a resting state fMRI scan. sICA of the two tasks split the DMN into 10 subnetworks located in three core regions: medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC; five subnetworks), posterior cingulate/precuneus (PCC/PrC; three subnetworks), and bilateral temporoparietal junction (TPJ). Mentalizing events increased recruitment in five of 10 DM subnetworks, located in all three core DMN regions. In addition, three of these five DM subnetworks, one dmPFC subnetwork, one PCC/PrC subnetwork, and the right TPJ subnetwork, showed reduced recruitment by semantic memory task events. The opposing modulation by the two tasks suggests that these three DM subnetworks are specifically engaged in mentalizing. Our findings, therefore, suggest the unique involvement of mentalizing processes in only three of 10 DM subnetworks, and support the importance of the dmPFC, PCC/PrC, and right TPJ in mentalizing as described in prior studies. Hum Brain Mapp 36:3047–3063, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genetic evaluation of dairy cattle based on morning and afternoon milking test day records with fixed regression model

This study evaluated morning and afternoon test day records for genetic evaluation of dairy cattle. The data were taken form 128,087 test day yield records for the first four lactations of Holstein cows from 2007 to 2017, from Nucleus Breeding Center of dairy cattle in Indonesia. The records consisted of morning and afternoon and total milk yields from 823 cows, resulting from 133 sires and 520 dams; records were restricted to Day Interval Milk (DIM) between 5 and 305 days production. The genetic parameters were estimated with REML by using animal model with fixed regression. Ali and Schaeffer has a good fit for morning, afternoon and total test day yields with the coefficient of determination ranging from 0.980 to 0.995. Estimates of heritability were 0.177, 0.220, and 0.213 for morning, afternoon, and total test day records, respectively. Spearman rank correlations of breeding values between total yield and morning and afternoon yields, for both animals and sires, ranged between 0.953 and 0.968. In conclusion, morning and afternoon yields can be used for genetic evaluation of dairy cattle. Key words: Genetic parameters, heritability, morning and afternoon yields, fixed regression model, dairy cattle.
Calibration of Dupire local volatility model using genetic algorithm of optimization

The problem of calibration of local volatility model of Dupire has been formalized. It uses genetic algorithm as alternative to regularization approach with further application of gradient descent algorithm. Components that solve Dupire’s partial differential equation that represents dynamics of underlying asset’s price within Dupire model have been built. This price depends in particular on values of volatility parameters. Local volatility is parametrized in two dimensions (by Dupire model): time to maturity of the option and strike price (execution price). On maturity axis linear interpolation is used while on strike axis we use B-Splines. Genetic operators of mutation and selection are then applied to parameters of B-Splines. Resulting parameters allow us to obtain the values of local volatility both in knot points and intermediate points using interpolation techniques. Then we solve Dupire equation and calculate model values of option prices. To calculate cost function we simulate market values of option prices using classic Black-Scholes model. An experimental research to compare simulated market volatility and volatility obtained by means of calibration of Dupire model has been conducted. The goal is to estimate the precision of the approach and its usability in practice. To estimate the precision of obtained results we use a measure based on average deviation of modeled local volatility from values used to simulate market prices of the options. The research has shown that the approach to calibration using genetic algorithm of optimization requires some additional manipulations to achieve convergence. In particular it requires non-uniform discretization of the space of model parameters as well as usage of de Boor interpolation. Value 0.07 turns out to be the most efficient mutation parameter. Using this parameter leads to quicker convergence. It has been proved that the algorithm allows precise calibration of local volatility surface from option prices.
Mast Cells and Their Progenitors in Allergic Asthma

Mast cells and their mediators have been implicated in the pathogenesis of asthma and allergy for decades. Allergic asthma is a complex chronic lung disease in which several different immune cells, genetic factors and environmental exposures influence the pathology. Mast cells are key players in the asthmatic response through secretion of a multitude of mediators with pro-inflammatory and airway-constrictive effects. Well-known mast cell mediators, such as histamine and bioactive lipids are responsible for many of the physiological effects observed in the acute phase of allergic reactions. The accumulation of mast cells at particular sites of the allergic lung is likely relevant to the asthma phenotype, severity and progression. Mast cells located in different compartments in the lung and airways have different characteristics and express different mediators. According to in vivo experiments in mice, lung mast cells develop from mast cell progenitors induced by inflammatory stimuli to migrate to the airways. Human mast cell progenitors have been identified in the blood circulation. A high frequency of circulating human mast cell progenitors may reflect ongoing pathological changes in the allergic lung. In allergic asthma, mast cells become activated mainly via IgE-mediated crosslinking of the high affinity receptor for IgE (FcεRI) with allergens. However, mast cells can also be activated by numerous other stimuli e.g. toll-like receptors and MAS-related G protein-coupled receptor X2. In this review, we summarize research with implications on the role and development of mast cells and their progenitors in allergic asthma and cover selected activation pathways and mast cell mediators that have been implicated in the pathogenesis. The review places an emphasis on describing mechanisms identified using in vivo mouse models and data obtained by analysis of clinical samples.
Biomechanical Outcomes Related with Gait in Children with Cerebral Palsy Using Ankle-Foot Orthotic - A Systematic Review

Gait in children with cerebral palsy (CP) is often affected by motor impairments which limit the patient's ability to walk. To improve gait and reduce walking limitations, children with CP need to use ankle foot orthoses. An orthosis is an externally applied device that is designed and fitted to the body to achieve one or more of the following goals: a) Control biomechanical alignment. b) Correct or accommodate deformity, and 3) Protect and support an injury. This systematic review aims to describe research evidence supporting the use of ankle-foot orthoses to improve gait biomechanical outcomes among individuals with CP. Literature search was pursued from PubMed database. Studies were included if (1) they evaluated an outcome measure related with gait using ankle-foot orthotic (AFO) in children (2) considered children with a diagnosis of CP and have a (3) GMFCS classification of I, II or III. Papers were excluded if they evaluated (1) other population besides CP, (2) the use of orthoses other than AFOs and (3) gait analysis procedure was not presented. All the included studies have analyzed spatiotemporal parameters, the step length (m), stride length (m) and cadence (steps/minute) were the most frequently reported. Our findings showed that several studies have investigated the effects of AFOs, all of which have reported positive influences on at least one gait parameter, as well as positive changes in joint kinematics and kinetic in children with CP.
Guided wave optics

Phenomena associated with the propagation and manipulation of light in thin-film dielectric waveguides are presently the object of considerable research effort, directed toward possible applications in communications and information processing. The theory of dielectric waveguide modes is reviewed, and the topics of directional coupling, input-output coupling, modulation, and distributed feedback laser sources are treated on the basis of coupled-mode theory. A summary of experimental results for each of the guided-wave optical phenomena covered by the theory is also presented.
Fyn‐binding protein ADAP supports actin organization in podocytes

The renal podocyte is central to the filtration function of the kidney that is dependent on maintaining both highly organized, branched cell structures forming foot processes, and a unique cell‐cell junction, the slit diaphragm. Our recent studies investigating the developmental formation of the slit diaphragm identified a novel claudin family tetraspannin, TM4SF10, which is a binding partner for ADAP (also known as Fyn binding protein Fyb). To investigate the role of ADAP in podocyte function in relation to Fyn and TM4SF10, we examined ADAP knockout (KO) mice and podocytes. ADAP KO mice developed glomerular pathology that began as hyalinosis and progressed to glomerulosclerosis, with aged male animals developing low levels of albuminuria. Podocyte cell lines established from the KO mice had slower attachment kinetics compared to wild‐type cells, although this did not affect the total number of attached cells nor the ability to form focal contacts. After attachment, the ADAP KO cells did not attain typical podocyte morphology, lacking the elaborate cell protrusions typical of wild‐type podocytes, with the actin cytoskeleton forming circumferential stress fibers. The absence of ADAP did not alter Fyn levels nor were there differences between KO and wild‐type podocytes in the reduction of Fyn activating phosphorylation events with puromycin aminonucleoside treatment. In the setting of endogenous TM4SF10 overexpression, the absence of ADAP altered the formation of cell‐cell contacts containing TM4SF10. These studies suggest ADAP does not alter Fyn activity in podocytes, but appears to mediate downstream effects of Fyn controlled by TM4SF10 involving actin cytoskeleton organization.
Linear Discriminant Functions in Connection with the micro-RNA Diagnosis of Colon Cancer

Early detection (localized stage) of colon cancer is associated with a five-year survival rate of 91%. Only 39% of colon cancers, however, are diagnosed at that early stage. Early and accurate diagnosis, therefore, constitutes a critical need and a decisive factor in the clinical treatment of colon cancer and its success. In this study, using supervised linear discriminant analysis, we have developed three diagnostic biomarker models that—based on global micro-RNA expression analysis of colonic tissue collected during surgery—can discriminate with a perfect accuracy between subjects with colon cancer (stages II–IV) and normal healthy subjects. We developed our three diagnostic biomarker models with 57 subjects [40 with colon cancer (stages II–IV) and 17 normal], and we validated them with 39 unknown (new and different) subjects [28 with colon cancer (stages II–IV) and 11 normal]. For all three diagnostic models, both the overall sensitivity and specificity were 100%. The nine most significant micro-RNAs identified, which comprise the input variables to the three linear discriminant functions, are associated with genes that regulate oncogenesis, and they play a paramount role in the development of colon cancer, as evidenced in the tumor tissue itself. This could have a significant impact in the fight against this disease, in that it may lead to the development of an early serum or blood diagnostic test based on the detection of those nine key micro-RNAs.