Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nongenomic Glucocorticoid Inhibition via Endocannabinoid Release in the Hypothalamus: A Fast Feedback Mechanism

Glucocorticoid negative feedback in the brain controls stress, feeding, and neural-immune interactions by regulating the hypothalamic—pituitary—adrenal axis, but the mechanisms of inhibition of hypothalamic neurosecretory cells have never been elucidated. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings in an acute hypothalamic slice preparation, we demonstrate a rapid suppression of excitatory glutamatergic synaptic inputs to parvocellular neurosecretory neurons of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) by the glucocorticoids dexamethasone and corticosterone. The effect was maintained with dexamethasone conjugated to bovine serum albumin and was not seen with direct intracellular glucocorticoid perfusion via the patch pipette, suggesting actions at a membrane receptor. The presynaptic inhibition of glutamate release by glucocorticoids was blocked by postsynaptic inhibition of G-protein activity with intracellular GDP-β-S application, implicating a postsynaptic G-protein-coupled receptor and the release of a retrograde messenger. The glucocorticoid effect was not blocked by the nitric oxide synthesis antagonist NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride or by hemoglobin but was blocked completely by the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonists AM251 [N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide] and AM281 [1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-4-methyl-N-4-morpholinyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide] and mimicked and occluded by the cannabinoid receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 [(β)-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-(4-morpholinylmethyl)pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl]-1-naphthalenylmethanone mesylate], indicating that it was mediated by retrograde endocannabinoid release. Several peptidergic subtypes of parvocellular neuron, identified by single-cell reverse transcripton-PCR analysis, were subject to rapid inhibitory glucocorticoid regulation, including corticotropin-releasing hormone-, thyrotropin-releasing hormone-, vasopressin-, and oxytocin-expressing neurons. Therefore, our findings reveal a mechanism of rapid glucocorticoid feedback inhibition of hypothalamic hormone secretion via endocannabinoid release in the PVN and provide a link between the actions of glucocorticoids and cannabinoids in the hypothalamus that regulate stress and energy homeostasis.
Age-Associated Differences in MiRNA Signatures Are Restricted to CD45RO Negative T Cells and Are Associated with Changes in the Cellular Composition, Activation and Cellular Ageing

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as important players in the regulation of T-cell functionality. However, comprehensive insight into the extent of age-related miRNA changes in T cells is lacking. We established miRNA expression patterns of CD45RO- naïve and CD45RO+ memory T-cell subsets isolated from peripheral blood cells from young and elderly individuals. Unsupervised clustering of the miRNA expression data revealed an age-related clustering in the CD45RO- T cells, while CD45RO+ T cells clustered based on expression of CD4 and CD8. Seventeen miRNAs showed an at least 2-fold up- or downregulation in CD45RO- T cells obtained from young as compared to old donors. Validation on the same and independent samples revealed a statistically significant age-related upregulation of miR-21, miR-223 and miR-15a. In a T-cell subset analysis focusing on known age-related phenotypic changes, we showed significantly higher miR-21 and miR-223 levels in CD8+CD45RO-CCR7- TEMRA compared to CD45RO-CCR7+ TNAIVE-cells. Moreover, miR-21 but not miR-223 levels were significantly increased in CD45RO-CD31- post-thymic TNAIVE cells as compared to thymic CD45RO-CD31+ TNAIVE cells. Upon activation of CD45RO- TNAIVE cells we observed a significant induction of miR-21 especially in CD4+ T cells, while miR-223 levels significantly decreased only in CD4+ T cells. Besides composition and activation-induced changes, we showed a borderline significant increase in miR-21 levels upon an increasing number of population doublings in CD4+ T-cell clones. Together, our results show that ageing related changes in miRNA expression are dominant in the CD45RO- T-cell compartment. The differential expression patterns can be explained by age related changes in T-cell composition, i.e. accumulation of CD8+ TEMRA and CD4+ post-thymic expanded CD31- T cells and by cellular ageing, as demonstrated in a longitudinal clonal culture model.
A review of sea-spray aerosol source functions using a large global set of sea salt aerosol concentration measurements

Abstract. Sea-spray aerosols (SSA) are an important part of the climate system because of their effects on the global radiative budget – both directly as scatterers and absorbers of solar and terrestrial radiation, and indirectly as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) influencing cloud formation, lifetime, and precipitation. In terms of their global mass, SSA have the largest uncertainty of all aerosols. In this study we review 21 SSA source functions from the literature, several of which are used in current climate models. In addition, we propose a~new function. Even excluding outliers, the global annual SSA mass produced spans roughly 3–70 Pg yr−1 for the different source functions, for particles with dry diameter Dp
Plant-derived differences in the composition of aphid honeydew and their effects on colonies of aphid-tending ants

In plant–ant–hemipteran interactions, ants visit plants to consume the honeydew produced by phloem-feeding hemipterans. If genetically based differences in plant phloem chemistry change the chemical composition of hemipteran honeydew, then the plant's genetic constitution could have indirect effects on ants via the hemipterans. If such effects change ant behavior, they could feed back to affect the plant itself. We compared the chemical composition of honeydews produced by Aphis nerii aphid clones on two milkweed congeners, Asclepias curassavica and Asclepias incarnata, and we measured the responses of experimental Linepithema humile ant colonies to these honeydews. The compositions of secondary metabolites, sugars, and amino acids differed significantly in the honeydews from the two plant species. Ant colonies feeding on honeydew derived from A. incarnata recruited in higher numbers to artificial diet, maintained higher queen and worker dry weight, and sustained marginally more workers than ants feeding on honeydew derived from A. curassavica. Ants feeding on honeydew from A. incarnata were also more exploratory in behavioral assays than ants feeding from A. curassavica. Despite performing better when feeding on the A. incarnata honeydew, ant workers marginally preferred honeydew from A. curassavica to honeydew from A. incarnata when given a choice. Our results demonstrate that plant congeners can exert strong indirect effects on ant colonies by means of plant-species-specific differences in aphid honeydew chemistry. Moreover, these effects changed ant behavior and thus could feed back to affect plant performance in the field.
Background and Foreground Modeling Using an Online EM Algorithm

A novel approach to background/foreground segmentation using an online EM algorithm is presented. The method models each layer as a Gaussian mixture, with local, per pixel, parameters for the background layer and global parameters for the foreground layer, utilising information from the entire scene when estimating the foreground. Additionally, the online EM algorithm uses a progressive learning rate where the relative update speed of each Gaussian component depends on how often the component has been observed. It is shown that the progressive learning rate follows naturally from introduction of a forgetting factor in the log-likelihood. To reduce the number of mixture components similar foreground components are merged using a method based on the Kullback-Leibler distance. A bias is introduced in the variance estimates to avoid the known problem of singularities in the log-likelihood of Gaussian mixtures when the variance tends to zero. To allow a decoupling of the learning rate of the Gaussian components and the speed at which stationary objects are incorporated into the background a CUSUM detector is used instead of the prevailing method that uses the ratio of prior probability to standard deviation. The algorithm is scale invariant and its properties on gray-scale and RGB videos, as well as on output from an edge detector, is compared to that of another algorithm. Especially for the edge detector video performance increases dramatically. (Less)
Behavioral / Systems / Cognitive Amygdalar Stimulation Produces Alterations on Firing Properties of Hippocampal Place Cells

Stress is a biologically ubiquitous factor that, when perceived uncontrollable by humans and animals, can have lingering adverse effects on brain and cognitive functions. We have previously reported that rats that experienced inescapable-unpredictable stress subsequently exhibited decreased stability of firing rates of place cells in the CA1 hippocampus, accompanied by impairments in CA1 long-term synaptic potentiation and spatial memory consolidation. Because the elevated level of glucocorticoid hormones and the heightened amygdalar activity have been implicated in the emergence of stress effects on the hippocampus, we investigated whether administration of corticosterone and electrical stimulation of the amygdala can produce stress-like alterations on hippocampal place cells. To do so, male Long–Evans rats chronically implanted with tetrodes in the hippocampus and stimulating electrodes in the amygdala were placed on a novel arena to forage for randomly dispersed food pellets while CA1 place cells were monitored across two recording sessions. Between sessions, animals received either corticosterone injection or amygdalar stimulation. We found that amygdalar stimulation reliably evoked distress behaviors and subsequently reduced the pixel-by-pixel correlation of place maps across sessions, while corticosterone administration did not. Also, the firing rates of place cells between preamygdalar and postamygdalar stimulation recording sessions were pronouncedly different, whereas those between precorticosterone and postcorticosterone injection recording sessions were not. These results suggest that the heightened amygdalar activity, but not the elevated level of corticosterone per se, reduces the stability of spatial representation in the hippocampus by altering the firing rates of place cells in a manner similar to behavioral stress.
Exploring Controlled English Ontology-Based Data Access

Controlled languages (CLs) are subsets of natural language with minimal ambiguity (lexical, structural, or semantic) tailored to fullfil data management tasks. Recently [5, 11], they have been proposed as a means of providing natural language interfaces to databases (DBs) and to ontology-based data access systems (OBDASs) centered around the W3C standard ontology language OWL1 (Web Ontology Language) [7, 9]. CL utterances are so-to-speak ”compiled” (compositionally translated by a symbolic translation) into a formal query/ontology language expression. They have given rise to a number of applications and implementations [5, 11], among which ACE-OWL [7, 9], which maps to OWL DL and fragments of it (such as OWL-Lite). The formal underpinning of OWL DL is provided by description logics (DLs) [3, 8], in particular, OWL Lite corresponds to the DL SHIF (Actually SHIF(D), but we do not consider datatypes). Given that OBDASs may contain large amounts of data, we are interested in knowing whether querying such systems through CL interfaces scales up with the size of the data. An ODBAS can be modelled by a DL knowledge base (KB), whose information is accessed through queries belonging to some fragment of SQL. A fragment that is considered sufficiently expressive but still computationally manageable (since query answering is decidable in significant cases) is that of conjunctive queries [1]. The basic problem in this setting is (conjunctive) query answering (QA) [6], which is a form of logical entailment [3]. To evaluate the efficiency of querying through CL interfaces, we focus on the so-called data complexity of QA, i.e., the computational complexity of the problem measured in terms of the size of the data only [16]. The optimum lies in L data complexity, which is the complexity of answering SQL queries over plain databases. Data complexity beyond PTime (i.e., intractable) indicates low scalability of query answering through CL interfaces. The data complexity of query answering in SHIF , and hence in OWL Lite and ACE-OWL Lite (the fragment of ACE that maps to OWL Lite) is known to be coNP-complete [12]. Hence, CLs like ACE-OWL do not scale up with data, although they contain fragments that do. This computational behaviour depends on the language constructs they cover. In this paper we pinpoint (some of) the English constructs and a fortiori of ACE, that give rise to these computational properties. To this effect, we study a CL that maps into ALCI, a DL simpler than SHIF but with the same data complexity of query answering, and fragments thereof that are either (i) minimal w.r. t. intractability or (ii) maximal w.r. t. tractability, mirroring Pratt and Third in [13] (cf. also [14]).
Novel model for the simulation of lightning stepped leader

The stepped leader forms the first phase of the first stroke in any lightning flash. It is basically a stepwise elongating discharge in air, which carries significant charge. The charge distribution on the leader and its velocity of descent, determine the attractive radius in shielding efficiency calculations. Also, the conductivity and the charge distribution on the leader tip region govern the initial stages of the return stroke. Therefore, there is a need for determining these parameters accurately. In this regard, a self-consistent model for the stepped leader will be very useful. The authors present a new model for the stepped leader that does not assume basic quantities like leader charge, current and velocity, but derives them from the computer simulation.
Integrated Planning of ATM Networks Using the Tool LINDA

When communications networks gain increased exibility and the network structure becomes a variable, network planning has to consider more than just capacity dimensioning. Because this planning task is and will be too complex to be solved within a single algorithm, the task has to be partioned. To prevent from suboptimal solutions partioning has to be done carefully and under consideration of the relevant tradeo s. Some methods to do this partioning and the development of the integrated planning process will be discussed. Because these algorithms should be implemented within a single planning tool, there are some special requirements. The ATM network planning tool LINDA will be presented as a solution, together with a planning example.
The Complementary Roles of Government and Social Sector in Poverty Alleviation in Indonesia

live births. This is partly because of improvements in basic health care and the use of advanced medical facilities that have been gradually implemented by the government since the 1980s. Another non-income dimension of poverty, educational attainment (represented by the proportion of the population 10 years of age and over who are literate), shows an unprecedented extension of literacy as well. In 1980, the proportion of the population 10 year of age or over who were able to read and write was only 71 percent, but in 2005 it was almost 92 percent. This measurement indicates that the literacy rate has increased by an average 0.86% every year.
Molecular function prediction for a family exhibiting evolutionary tendencies toward substrate specificity swapping: Recurrence of tyrosine aminotransferase activity in the Iα subfamily

The subfamily Iα aminotransferases are typically categorized as having narrow specificity toward carboxylic amino acids (AATases), or broad specificity that includes aromatic amino acid substrates (TATases). Because of their general role in central metabolism and, more specifically, their association with liver‐related diseases in humans, this subfamily is biologically interesting. The substrate specificities for only a few members of this subfamily have been reported, and the reliable prediction of substrate specificity from protein sequence has remained elusive. In this study, a diverse set of aminotransferases was chosen for characterization based on a scoring system that measures the sequence divergence of the active site. The enzymes that were experimentally characterized include both narrow‐specificity AATases and broad‐specificity TATases, as well as AATases with broader‐specificity and TATases with narrower‐specificity than the previously known family members. Molecular function and phylogenetic analyses underscored the complexity of this family's evolution as the TATase function does not follow a single evolutionary thread, but rather appears independently multiple times during the evolution of the subfamily. The additional functional characterizations described in this article, alongside a detailed sequence and phylogenetic analysis, provide some novel clues to understanding the evolutionary mechanisms at work in this family. Proteins 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Online Self-Organizing Social Systems: The Decentralized Future of Online Learning

Introduction The development of innovative network applications marches on at an astounding rate. Ten years ago who could have predicted the impact of the World Wide Web? Who could have predicted the impact of Napster just two years ago? And who knows what will be next? Such is the conundrum of the instructional technologist who struggles to employ ever-emerging technologies in the service of learning.
Blocking artifact detection and reduction in compressed data

A novel frequency-domain technique for image blocking artifact detection and reduction is presented. The algorithm first detects the regions of the image which present visible blocking artifacts. This detection is performed in the frequency domain and uses the estimated relative quantization error calculated when the discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients are modeled by a Laplacian probability function. Then, for each block affected by blocking artifacts, its DC and AC coefficients are recalculated for artifact reduction. To achieve this, a closed-form representation of the optimal correction of the DCT coefficients is produced by minimizing a novel enhanced form of the mean squared difference of slope for every frequency separately. This correction of each DCT coefficient depends on the eight neighboring coefficients in the subband-like representation of the DCT transform and is constrained by the quantization upper and lower bound. Experimental results illustrating the performance of the proposed method are presented and evaluated.
Challenges in Drug Discovery for Neurofibromatosis Type 1-Associated Low-Grade Glioma

Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder that results from germline mutations of the NF1 gene, creating a predisposition to low-grade gliomas (LGGs; pilocytic astrocytoma) in young children. Insufficient data and resources represent major challenges to identifying the best possible drug therapies for children with this tumor. Herein, we summarize the currently available cell lines, genetically engineered mouse models, and therapeutic targets for these LGGs. Conspicuously absent are human tumor-derived cell lines or patient-derived xenograft models for NF1-LGG. New collaborative initiatives between patients and their families, research groups, and pharmaceutical companies are needed to create transformative resources and broaden the knowledge base relevant to identifying cooperating genetic drivers and possible drug therapeutics for this common pediatric brain tumor.
Quantum capacity of channel with thermal noise

The quantum capacity of thermal noise channel is studied. The extremal input state is obtained at the postulation that the coherent information is convex or concave at its vicinity. When the input energy tends to infinitive, it is verified by perturbation theory that the coherent information reaches its maximum at the product of identical thermal state input. The quantum capacity is obtained for lower noise channel and it is equal the one shot capacity.
The Relationship between American Community Colleges' Curricular and Extracurricular Programs and Students' Perceptions of Their Leadership Abilities.

This experimental study explores the relationship between students' perceptions of their leadership abilities and the characteristics of community colleges' academic and extracurricular programs. The research examines correlations between participation in school events and volunteer and community service, and the students' self-ratings on their capacities to lead others. The study also considers the characteristics of community college curricular programs that influence students' perceptions of their leadership abilities. The study draws upon data from the 1989 Beginning Postsecondary Students Survey and the 1994 follow-up survey. Findings indicate that participation in school events is positively associated with students' perceptions of their leadership abilities. The students who considered their leadership abilities to be above average were most likely to earn a bachelor's degree. All students in the study who transferred to a four-year institution perceived their leadership abilities as at least average. Positive change in increased perceptions of leadership ability occurred most notably in students majoring in social/behavioral sciences, business/management, and other technical and professional programs. Tables 1A-H measure response rates according to the following variables: (1) being a leader in the community; (2) highest degree attained; (3) 1989-90 degree program; (4) academic coursework; and (5) transfer to first institution by control and type. Contains 11 references. (AS) ******************************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. ******************************************************************************** Students' Perceptions of Leadership Abilities The Relationship Between American Community Colleges' Curricular and Extracurricular Programs and Students' Perceptions of Their Leadership Abilities U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement E UCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) is document has been reproduced as eived from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of view or opinions stated in this document do not necessarily represent official OERI position or policy.