Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of genetic and metabolic predispositions and nutritional risk factors for pasture-associated laminitis in ponies.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate genetic and metabolic predispositions and nutritional risk factors for development of pasture-associated laminitis in ponies. DESIGN Observational cohort study. ANIMALS 160 ponies. PROCEDURES A previous diagnosis of laminitis was used to differentiate 54 ponies (PL group) from 106 nonlaminitic ponies (NL group). Pedigree analysis was used to determine a mode of inheritance for ponies with a previous diagnosis of laminitis. In early March, ponies were weighed and scored for body condition and basal venous blood samples were obtained. Plasma was analyzed for glucose, insulin, triglycerides, nonesterified fatty acids, and cortisol concentrations. Basal proxies for insulin sensitivity (reciprocal of the square root of insulin [RISQI]) and insulin secretory response (modified insulin-to-glucose ratio [MIRG]) were calculated. Observations were repeated in May, when some ponies had signs of clinical laminitis. RESULTS A previous diagnosis of laminitis was consistent with the expected inheritance of a dominant major gene or genes with reduced penetrance. A prelaminitic metabolic profile was defined on the basis of body condition, plasma triglyceride concentration, RISQI, and MIRG. Meeting > or = 3 of these criteria differentiated PL- from NL-group ponies with a total predictive power of 78%. Determination of prelaminitic metabolic syndrome in March predicted 11 of 13 cases of clinical laminitis observed in May when pasture starch concentration was high. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Prelaminitic metabolic syndrome in apparently healthy ponies is comparable to metabolic syndromes in humans and is the first such set of risk factors to be supported by data in equids. Prelaminitic metabolic syndrome identifies ponies requiring special management, such as avoiding high starch intake that exacerbates insulin resistance.
Coding region paraoxonase polymorphisms dictate accentuated neuronal reactions in chronic, sub‐threshold pesticide exposure

Organophosphate pesticides (OPs), known inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), are used extensively throughout the world. Recent studies have focused on the ACHE/PON1 locus as a determinant of inherited susceptibility to environmental OP exposure. To explore the relationship of the corresponding geneenvironment interactions with brain activity, we integrated neurophysiologic, neuropsychological, biochemical, and genetic methods. Importantly, we found that subthreshold OP exposure leads to discernible physiological consequences that are significantly influenced by inherited factors. Cortical EEG analyses by LORETA revealed significantly decreased theta activity in the hippocampus, parahippocampal regions, and the cingulate cortex, as well as increased beta activity in the prefrontal cortex of exposed individuals—Areas known to play a role in cholinergic‐associated cognitive functions. Through neuropsychological testing, we identified an appreciable deficit in the visual recall in exposed individuals. Other neuropsychological tests revealed no significant differences between exposed and non‐exposed individuals, attesting to the specificity of our findings. Biochemical analyses of blood samples revealed increases in paraoxonase and arylesterase activities and reduced serum acetylcholinesterase activity in chronically exposed individuals. Notably, specific paraoxonase genotypes were found to be associated with these exposure‐related changes in blood enzyme activities and abnormal EEG patterns. Thus, geneenvironment interactions involving the ACHE/PON1 locus may be causally involved in determining the physiological response to OP exposure. —Browne, R. O. , Ben Moyal‐Segal, L. , Zumsteg, D. , David, Y. , Kofman, O. , Berger, A. , Soreq, H. , Friedman, A. Coding region paraoxonase polymorphisms dictate accentuated neuronal reactions in chronic, sub‐threshold pesticide exposure. FASEB J. 20, E1103–E1113 (2006)
MicroRNA-24 Regulates Vascularity After Myocardial Infarction

Background— Myocardial infarction leads to cardiac remodeling and development of heart failure. Insufficient myocardial capillary density after myocardial infarction has been identified as a critical event in this process, although the underlying mechanisms of cardiac angiogenesis are mechanistically not well understood. Methods and Results— Here, we show that the small noncoding RNA microRNA-24 (miR-24) is enriched in cardiac endothelial cells and considerably upregulated after cardiac ischemia. MiR-24 induces endothelial cell apoptosis, abolishes endothelial capillary network formation on Matrigel, and inhibits cell sprouting from endothelial spheroids. These effects are mediated through targeting of the endothelium-enriched transcription factor GATA2 and the p21-activated kinase PAK4, which were identified by bioinformatic predictions and validated by luciferase gene reporter assays. Respective downstream signaling cascades involving phosphorylated BAD (Bcl-XL/Bcl-2–associated death promoter) and Sirtuin1 were identified by transcriptome, protein arrays, and chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses. Overexpression of miR-24 or silencing of its targets significantly impaired angiogenesis in zebrafish embryos. Blocking of endothelial miR-24 limited myocardial infarct size of mice via prevention of endothelial apoptosis and enhancement of vascularity, which led to preserved cardiac function and survival. Conclusions— Our findings indicate that miR-24 acts as a critical regulator of endothelial cell apoptosis and angiogenesis and is suitable for therapeutic intervention in the setting of ischemic heart disease.
The Interaction among Microbiota, Immunity, and Genetic and Dietary Factors Is the Condicio Sine Qua Non Celiac Disease Can Develop

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy, triggered by dietary wheat gluten and similar proteins of barley and rye in genetically susceptible individuals. This is a complex disorder involving both environmental and immune-genetic factors. The major genetic risk factor for CD is determined by HLA-DQ genes. Dysfunction of the innate and adaptive immune systems can conceivably cause impairment of mucosal barrier function and development of localized or systemic inflammatory and autoimmune processes. Exposure to gluten is the main environmental trigger responsible for the signs and symptoms of the disease, but exposure to gluten does not fully explain the manifestation of CD. Thus, both genetic determination and environmental exposure to gluten are necessary for the full manifestation of CD; neither of them is sufficient alone. Epidemiological and clinical data suggest that other environmental factors, including infections, alterations in the intestinal microbiota composition, and early feeding practices, might also play a role in disease development. Thus, this interaction is the condicio sine qua non celiac disease can develop. The breakdown of the interaction among microbiota, innate immunity, and genetic and dietary factors leads to disruption of homeostasis and inflammation; and tissue damage occurs. Focusing attention on this interaction and its breakdown may allow a better understanding of the CD pathogenesis and lead to novel translational avenues for preventing and treating this widespread disease.
An Open-Source Web-Based Tool for Resource-Agnostic Interactive Translation Prediction

Abstract We present a web-based open-source tool for interactive translation prediction (ITP) and describe its underlying architecture. ITP systems assist human translators by making context-based computer-generated suggestions as they type. Most of the ITP systems in literature are strongly coupled with a statistical machine translation system that is conveniently adapted to provide the suggestions. Our system, however, follows a resource-agnostic approach and suggestions are obtained from any unmodified black-box bilingual resource. This paper reviews our ITP method and describes the architecture of Forecat, a web tool, partly based on the recent technology of web components, that eases the use of our ITP approach in any web application requiring this kind of translation assistance. We also evaluate the performance of our method when using an unmodified Moses-based statistical machine translation system as the bilingual resource.
Importance of Primary Capture and L-Selectin–Dependent Secondary Capture in Leukocyte Accumulation in Inflammation and Atherosclerosis in Vivo

In the multistep process of leukocyte extravasation, the mechanisms by which leukocytes establish the initial contact with the endothelium are unclear. In parallel, there is a controversy regarding the role for L-selectin in leukocyte recruitment. Here, using intravital microscopy in the mouse, we investigated leukocyte capture from the free flow directly to the endothelium (primary capture), and capture mediated through interactions with rolling leukocytes (secondary capture) in venules, in cytokine-stimulated arterial vessels, and on atherosclerotic lesions in the aorta. Capture was more prominent in arterial vessels compared with venules. In venules, the incidence of capture increased with increasing vessel diameter and wall shear rate. Secondary capture required a minimum rolling leukocyte flux and contributed by ∼20–50% of total capture in all studied vessel types. In arteries, secondary capture induced formation of clusters and strings of rolling leukocytes. Function inhibition of L-selectin blocked secondary capture and thereby decreased the flux of rolling leukocytes in arterial vessels and in large (>45 μm in diameter), but not small (<45 μm), venules. These findings demonstrate the importance of leukocyte capture from the free flow in vivo. The different impact of blockage of secondary capture in venules of distinct diameter range, rolling flux, and wall shear rate provides explanations for the controversy regarding the role of L-selectin in various situations of leukocyte recruitment. What is more, secondary capture occurs on atherosclerotic lesions, a fact that provides the first evidence for roles of L-selectin in leukocyte accumulation in atherogenesis.
Profiling and Autotuning for Energy-Aware Approximate Programming

One promising approach to energy-efficient computation, approximate computing, trades off output precision for gains in energy efficiency. Many applications can easily tolerate small errors, especially if they are handled in a disciplined manner. However, approximation introduces an inherent tradeoff between quality of result and energy efficiency. Existing approaches lack ways to quantify and study these tradeoffs. This paper proposes tools to prototype, profile, and automatically tune the quality of programs designed to run on future approximate hardware. We describe the software layers required in such a system and discuss design considerations. We built an OCaml-based prototype of our set of tools and performed three case studies.
Genetics of Human and Canine Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in both humans and dogs. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) accounts for a large number of these cases, reported to be the third most common form of cardiac disease in humans and the second most common in dogs. In human studies of DCM there are more than 50 genetic loci associated with the disease. Despite canine DCM having similar disease progression to human DCM studies into the genetic basis of canine DCM lag far behind those of human DCM. In this review the aetiology, epidemiology, and clinical characteristics of canine DCM are examined, along with highlighting possible different subtypes of canine DCM and their potential relevance to human DCM. Finally the current position of genetic research into canine and human DCM, including the genetic loci, is identified and the reasons many studies may have failed to find a genetic association with canine DCM are reviewed.
The neuroprotective effects of lithium in deafferentation-induced cell death of chick cochlear nucleus neurons

ix Chapter 1. ) Introduction.1 Chapter 2) Proteins that are regulated by chronic lithium and deafferentation in the chick cochlear nucleus.13 Chapter 3. ) The influence of chronic lithium administration on deafferentation-induced cellular changes in the chick cochlear nucleus.32 Chapter 4. ) Summary.49 References.53 Biographical Sketch.60
Types for Active Objects Based onTrace

Static typing and subtyping are useful for the support of incremental reenement and reuse in object-oriented languages. Although demanded, there is currently no appropriate type model for concurrent object-oriented languages that supports dynamic behavior modiications. We propose a type model based on a process calculus with trace semantics and demonstrate its use in a simple language. This model is an extension of conventional models for types and subtyping and ensures that all messages are processed even if object behavior is modiied dynamically.
Effect of particulate contamination on adhesive ability and repellence in two species of ant (Hymenoptera; Formicidae)

SUMMARY Tarsal adhesive pads are crucial for the ability of insects to traverse their natural environment. Previous studies have demonstrated that for both hairy and smooth adhesive pads, significant reduction in adhesion can occur because of contamination of these pads by wax crystals present on plant surfaces or synthetic microspheres. In this paper, we focus on the smooth adhesive pads of ants and study systematically how particulate contamination and the subsequent loss of adhesion depends on particle size, particle surface energy, humidity and species size. To this end, workers of ant species Polyrhachis dives and Myrmica scabrinodis (Hymenoptera; Formicidae) were presented with loose synthetic powder barriers with a range of powder diameters (1–500 μm) and surface energies (PTFE or glass), which they would have to cross in order to escape the experimental arena. The barrier experiments were conducted for a range of humidities (10–70%). Experimental results and scanning electron microscopy confirm that particulate powders adversely affect the adhesive ability of both species of ant on smooth substrates via contamination of the arolia. Specifically, the loss of adhesion was found to depend strongly on particle diameter, but only weakly on particle type, with the greatest loss occurring for particle diameters smaller than the claw dimensions of each species, and no effect of humidity was found. We also observed that ants were repelled by the powder barriers which led to a decrease of adhesion prior to their eventual crossing, suggesting that insect antennae may play a role in probing the mechanical fragility of substrates before crossing them.
Architectural Specification, Exploration and Simulation Through Rewriting-Logic

In recent years Arvind’s Group at MIT has shown the usefulness of term rewriting theory for the specification of processor architectures. In their approach processors specified by term rewriting systems are translated into a standard hardware description language for simulation purposes. In this work we present our current investigation on the use of Rewriting-Logic, which is a more powerful theoretical framework than pure rewriting, for specification, exploration and verification of processor architectures at a higher abstraction level. We adopt the rewriting-logic environment ELAN to specify, explore and verify architectures without the need to resort to the details of hardware description languages for simulation purposes. Our investigation shows that simulation at rewriting-logic level may provide useful insights to guide the architectural design.
Representing Arguments as Background Knowledge for Constraining Gereralisation

The use of statistical measures to constrain generalisa-tion in learning systems has proved successful in many domains, but can only be applied where large numbers of examples exist. In domains where few training examples are available, other mechanisms for constraining gener-alisation are required. In this paper, we propose a representation of background knowledge based on arguments for and against a hypothesis rather than as statements in logic or probabilistic relations, and show how it can be used to constrain generalisation from single examples (sometimes referred to as`case-based reasoning'). Examples are characterised by the set of arguments for and against a hypothesis of interest, and the resolution of connicting arguments in a current problem is obtained by rstly locating an old example where the same or a similar connict occurred, then secondly generalising the solution in the old example to also apply to the new problem. This allows learning to occur in domains where few training examples exist and background knowledge is available. We provide a description of this method in logical form, and analyse the assumptions under which it is valid, its limitations and possible future extensions.
Two hypotheses about natural intelligence

We assume that the natural intelligence (human, particularly) is equivalent to a large inferring structure, which took shape in the last 400/500 million years. Then two hypotheses, about this structure and its development, are put forward for consideration. The first one concerns the transmission, from one generation to another, of the structure: we propose that this passage is done by direct transfer, mother to children, during pregnancy (maternal download). The second hypothesis regards the structure evolution: now the acquired improvements can be transferred to the descendants, so it is possible to envisage a governed evolutionary process (evolution by improvements).
Probiotics for Prevention and Treatment of Diarrhea

Probiotics have been extensively studied over the past several years in the prevention and, to a larger extent, in the treatment of diarrheal diseases, especially in pediatric populations. Diarrhea is a symptom, and not a disease. This review will not address chronic disorders associated with diarrhea, or Clostridium difficile-induced diarrhea. Rather it will focus on published clinical trials performed on acute-onset, likely infectious diarrhea occurring in the settings of day-care centers, in the community, acquired in the hospital, antibiotic-associated diarrhea, and treatment of acute infectious diarrhea. For prevention of diarrhea acquired in day-care centers, 9 randomized and placebo-controlled trials have been published, conducted in different parts of the world. Probiotics tested were Lactobacillus GG, Bifidobacterium lactis (alone or in combination with Streptococcus thermophilus, and Lactobacillus reuteri, Lactobacillus rhamnosus (not GG), and Lactobacillus acidophilus, in various trials either alone or in comparison with each other. The evidence of their efficacy in these settings is only modest for the prevention of diarrhea, although somewhat better for prevention of upper respiratory infections. In the community, new trails conducted in underprivileged areas of India, again with modest efficacy. Previous trials that examined the potential role of probiotics in preventing the spreading of diarrhea in hospitalized children had yielded conflicting results. More recently, a large trial in Poland showed, however, rather good evidence of efficacy for Lactobacillus GG. The prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea has been the subject of many investigations, both in children and in adults. Most commonly used probiotics were Lactobacillus GG, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Bifidobacterium ssp, Streptococcus ssp, and the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii. In general, most of these trials do show clear evidence of efficacy, with the 2 most effective strains being Lactobacillus GG and S. boulardii. Evidence is also emerging on the importance of the dose in reducing the incidence of this type of diarrhea, and the incidence of Clostridium difficile-associated postantibiotic diarrhea. As for treatment, a large body of data is available, especially in children, on the effect of several strains of probiotics in treating sporadic infectious diarrhea. The vast majority of the published trials show a statistically significant benefit and moderate clinical benefit of a few, well-identified probiotic strains—mostly Lactobacillus GG and S. boulardii—in the treatment of acute watery diarrhea, and particularly those due to rotavirus. Such a beneficial effect results, on average, in a reduction of diarrhea duration of approximately 1 day. The effect is strain-dependent and dose-dependent.
HOW MUCH CAN BE TAUGHT ABOUT STOCHASTIC PROCESSES AND TO WHOM

Researchers quite often need to model and analyse real-world random phenomena using stochastic processes. Learning stochastic processes requires a good knowledge of the probability theory, calculus, matrix algebra and a general level of mathematical maturity. However, not all researchers have a good foundation in probability and mathematics. In this paper, we discuss the different approaches to the teaching of a first course in stochastic processes to researchers. Difficulties in the understanding of stochastic processes and the various mathematical techniques used in stochastic processes are discussed. Proposal for the core topics of such a course and ways of teaching them are put forward.
Stimulation of Microbial Degradation of Methyl Bromide in Soil during Oxidation of an Ammonia Fertilizer

To reduce volatilization of the fumigant methyl bromide (MeBr) from soil into the atmosphere, attempts were made to enhance microbial degradation of MeBr in soil by stimulating the activity of soil nitrifiers. Disappearance of MeBr in limed Arredondo soil (pH 7.70) treated with an ammonia-based nitrogen fertilizer, (NH4)2SO4, was initially more rapid than in unlimed Arredondo soil (pH 5.5-5.7). Disappearance of MeBr in limed soil with or without treatment of (NH4)2SO4 that received 20 μg/g MeBr was more rapid than in the corresponding soil samples that received a higher rate of MeBr (50 μg/g). Due to higher nitrification activity in limed surface soil (0-15 cm depth) than in limed subsurface soil (15-30 cm depth), disappearance of MeBr in the surface soil with or without (NH4)2SO4 treatment was also more rapid than in the corresponding subsurface soil. Both microbial and chemical degradation were involved in the MeBr degradation in soil, with chemical degradation possibly being the major factor. Contribution from microbial degradation was greater in soil treated with (NH4)2SO4 than in untreated soil, and up to 57% of MeBr degradation was attributed to microbial degradation, mainly by the activity of nitrifiers during the oxidation of ammonia. Inoculation of an ammonia oxidation bacterium, Nitrosomonas europaea ATCC 19718, to soil greatly stimulated the initial degradation of MeBr. In conclusion, stimulation of MeBr degradation in soil can be achieved through liming and application of an ammonia fertilizer as well as through inoculation of an ammonia oxidation bacterium. Consequently, the rate of MeBr flux into the atmosphere may be reduced after fumigation is completed.