Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dipeptidyl peptidase IV inhibition enhances the intestinotrophic effect of glucagon-like peptide-2 in rats and mice.

Glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2) induces intestinal growth in mice; but in normal rats, it seems less potent, possibly because of degradation of GLP-2 by the enzyme dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPP-IV). The purpose of this study was to investigate the survival and effect of GLP-2 in rats and mice after s.c. injection of GLP-2 with or without the specific DPP-IV inhibitor, valine-pyrrolidide (VP). Rats were injected s.c. with 40 microg GLP-2 or 40 microg GLP-2+15 mg VP. Plasma was collected at different time points and analyzed, by RIA, for intact GLP-2. Rats were treated for 14 days with: saline; 15 mg VP; 40 microg GLP-2, 40 microg GLP-2+15 mg VP; 40 microg GLP-2 (3-33). Mice were treated for 10 days with: saline; 5 microg GLP-2; 5 microg GLP-2+1.5 mg VP; 25 microg GLP-2; 25 microg GLP-2 (3-33). In both cases, body weight, intestinal weight, length, and morphometric data were measured. After s.c. injection, the plasma concentration of GLP-2 reached a maximum after 15 min, and elevated concentrations persisted for 4-8 h. With VP, the concentration of intact GLP-2 was about 2-fold higher for at least the initial 60 min. Rats treated with GLP-2+VP had increased (P < 0.01) small-bowel weight (4.68 +/- 0.11%, relative to body weight), compared with the two control groups, [3.01 +/- 0.06% (VP) and 2.94 +/- 0.07% (NaCl)] and GLP-2 alone (3.52 +/- 0.10%). In mice, the growth effect of 5 microg GLP-2+VP was comparable with that of 25 microg GLP-2. GLP-2 (3-33) had no effect in rats, but it had a weak effect on intestinal growth in mice. The extensive GLP-2 degradation in rats can be reduced by VP, and DPP-IV inhibition markedly enhances the intestinotrophic effect of GLP-2 in both rats and mice. We propose that DPP-IV inhibition may be considered to enhance the efficacy of GLP-2 as a therapeutic agent.
Improvements in Construction and Use of Resistance Networks for Studying Drainage Problems

A resistance network analog is described which incorporates some improved features in flexibility, accuracy, and ease of operation. The network consists of 575 variable resistance units and is mounted on a 6- by 8-foot board. The resistive units are of the plug-in type, and the mesh size is smaller on one-fourth of the board. The use of a control console, automatic digital voltmeter and numerous switches permits rapid measurement of voltages and currents. Improved equations are presented for calculating network resistances adjacent to the drain. These equations utilize a logarithmic expression rather than a linear one as reported by previous investigators. Comparisons are made of drain flow rates in homogeneous medium as evaluated by the network and by analytic solutions of Kirkham. Compared to the analytical solutions, the network data generally deviates < 2% if the logarithmic expression is used to calculate drain resistors; while deviations as high as 30% or more may occur if a linear relationship is utilized.
GABA-RECEPTOR ACTIVATION IN THE LUMBOSACRAL SPINAL CORD REDUCES DETRUSOR OVERACTIVITY IN SPINAL CORD INJURED RATS

Purpose—We investigated the effects of intrathecal application of GABAA and GABAB receptor agonists on detrusor overactivity in spinal cord injured rats. Materials and Methods—Adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. At 4 weeks after Th9-10 spinal cord transection, awake cystometry and recordings of external urethral sphincter electromyogram were performed to examine the effect of intrathecal application of GABAA and GABAB agonists (muscimol and baclofen, respectively) or GABAA and GABAB antagonists (bicuculline and saclofen, respectively) at the level of L6-S1 spinal cord. Expression of glutamate decarboxylase 67 mRNA in the L6-S1 spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia was also assessed. Results—Both muscimol and baclofen produced a dose-dependent inhibition of the number (51– 73% decrease) and amplitude (35–93% decrease) of nonvoiding bladder contractions, and a decrease in micturition pressure. The effects of muscimol and baclofen were antagonized by bicuculline and saclofen, respectively. Bursting activity of external urethral sphincter electromyogram was inhibited corresponding to the inhibition of bladder activity by muscimol and baclofen. Glutamate decarboxylase 67 mRNA levels in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia was decreased (55% and 84%, respectively) after spinal cord transection. Conclusions—These results indicate that GABAA and GABAB receptor activation in the spinal cord inhibits detrusor overactiivty. The reduction in glutamate decarboxylase 67 mRNA suggests hypofunction of GABAergic inhibitory mechanisms in the spinal cord. Therefore, stimulation of spinal GABAergic mechanisms could be effective for the treatment of detrusor overactivity after spinal cord injury. Corresponding author: Naoki Yoshimura, MD, PhD. , Department of Urology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Suite 700, Kaufmann Medical Bldg. , 3471 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, Phone: 412-692-4137, Fax: 412-692-4380, E-mail: nyos@pitt.edu. Publisher's Disclaimer: This is a PDF file of an unedited manuscript that has been accepted for publication. As a service to our customers we are providing this early version of the manuscript. The manuscript will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and review of the resulting proof before it is published in its final citable form. Please note that during the production process errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain. NIH Public Access Author Manuscript J Urol. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2009 September 15. Published in final edited form as: J Urol. 2008 March ; 179(3): 1178–1183. doi:10.1016/j.juro. 2007.10. 030. N IH PA Athor M anscript N IH PA Athor M anscript N IH PA Athor M anscript
The MOS 36-ltem Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36): I. Conceptual Framework and Item Selection

A 36-item short-form (SF-36) was constructed to survey health status in the Medical Outcomes Study. The SF-36 was designed for use in clinical practice and research, health policy evaluations, and general population surveys. The SF-36 includes one multi-item scale that assesses eight health concepts: 1) limitations in physical activities because of health problems; 2) limitations in social activities because of physical or emotional problems; 3) limitations in usual role activities because of physical health problems; 4) bodily pain; 5) general mental health (psychological distress and well-being); 6) limitations in usual role activities because of emotional problems; 7) vitality (energy and fatigue); and 8) general health perceptions. The survey was constructed for self-administration by persons 14 years of age and older, and for administration by a trained interviewer in person or by telephone. The history of the development of the SF-36, the origin of specific items, and the logic underlying their selection are summarized. The content and features of the SF-36 are compared with the 20-item Medical Outcomes Study short-form.
Risk of Entrapment at Low-Head Dams

AbstractThis study examines the dangerous countercurrent that can form at the downstream face of a low-head dam for certain flow conditions, utilizing computational fluid dynamics software and laboratory observations. The objective of this project was to identify easily measured parameters that can be used to accurately distinguish between the possible high-risk and low-risk states of flow. The research was carried out on two common low-head dam shapes (ogee-crested and flat-topped) and three dam heights (0.61, 1.52, and 3.05 m) with simulations performed for various upstream and downstream water depths. It was found that the combination of parameters (hu−hd)/P (named the risk factor) was capable of defining transition points between states of flow, and therefore the low-risk and high-risk conditions. With regard to the ogee-crested dam simulations, it was found that the most dangerous flow conditions occurred at risk factors between 0.09 and 0.80. For the flat-topped dams tested, the high-risk conditions.
Site Response of Strong Motion Stations in the Umbria, Central Italy, Region

We used near-field and regional records from 16 earthquakes ( M L 4.6-5.9) located in the epicentral area of the 1997 Umbria-Marche sequence to estimate the site response of 40 strong motion stations. The distribution of hypocenters covers a distance range from 5 to 100 km. We estimated site amplification factors using two techniques, namely a generalized spectral inversion method and horizontal-to-vertical-component spectral ratios (HVSRs) of ground acceleration. For the first approach, we inverted observed spectral amplitudes for site, Q , and source using a reference site. Since the site response estimated using HVSRs assumes that the vertical component of motion is amplification free, we also separated source and site effects by inverting the vertical component of the acceleration spectra. We found that although most of the stations do not show important amplifications on the vertical component, a few of them have a significant vertical amplification at low frequencies ( f Q , representative of the S -wave train, shows a frequency dependence that can be approximated by the relation Q S = 31.2 f 1.2 , between 0.3 and 9.5 Hz. However, at high frequencies ( f > 10 Hz), this dependence weakens, and Q S takes an approximately constant value of 438.
Localized uplift of Vatnajökull, Iceland: subglacial water accumulation deduced from InSAR and GPS observations

Abstract We report on satellite and ground-based observations that link glacier motion with subglacial hydrology beneath Skeiðarárjökull, an outlet glacier of Vatnajökull, Iceland. We have developed a technique that uses interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data, from the European Remote-sensing Satellite (ERS-1/-2) tandem mission (1995–2000), to detect localized anomalies in vertical ice motion. Applying this technique we identify an area of the glacier where these anomalies are frequent: above the subglacial course of the river Skeiðará, where we observed uplift of 0.15–0.20 m d−1 during a rainstorm and a jökulhlaup, and subsidence at a slower rate subsequent to rainstorms. A similar pattern of motion is apparent from continuous GPS measurements obtained at this location in 2006/07. We argue that transient uplift of the ice surface is caused by water accumulating at the glacier base upstream of an adverse bed slope where the overburden pressure decreases significantly over a short distance. Most of the frictional energy of the flowing water is therefore needed to maintain water temperature at the pressure-melting point. Hence, little energy is available to enlarge water channels sufficiently by melting to accommodate sudden influxes of water to the base. This causes water pressure to exceed the overburden pressure, enabling uplift to occur.
Sex and interferon gamma signaling regulate microglia migration in the adult mouse cortex in vivo

Significance Microglia possess the unique ability to migrate in the mature brain, but the factors that govern this are poorly understood. Here, we show that while the population of mobile (“patrolling”) microglia is small under normal conditions, it can be rapidly expanded following injury. Microglia mobility after injury was dependent on biological sex, such that microglia from male mice were more likely to migrate, and they migrated greater distances toward the site of injury compared to their female counterparts. This migratory ability was regulated by interferon gamma signaling in males, but not females. Our findings highlight the diversity of factors that regulate microglia migration and add to emerging data that male and female brains have different immunological responses to injury.
Eccentric ergometry: increases in locomotor muscle size and strength at low training intensities

[PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , December 1, 2001; 16 (6): 256-261. Physiology S. L. Lindstedt, P. C. LaStayo and T. E. Reich When Active Muscles Lengthen: Properties and Consequences of Eccentric Contractions [PDF] [Full Text] , July 1, 2002; 283 (1): R2-6. Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol J. Schnermann Exercise [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , May 1, 2005; 98 (5): 1768-1776. J Appl Physiol T. N. Shepstone, J. E. Tang, S. Dallaire, M. D. Schuenke, R. S. Staron and S. M. Phillips hypertrophy of the elbow flexors in young men Short-term highvs. low-velocity isokinetic lengthening training results in greater [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , June 1, 2005; 288 (6): E1153-E1159. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab D. R. Moore, S. M. Phillips, J. A. Babraj, K. Smith and M. J. Rennie maximal shortening and lengthening contractions Myofibrillar and collagen protein synthesis in human skeletal muscle in young men after
Seismological constraints on the structure and composition of western Deccan Volcanic Province from converted phases

Receiver function analysis using teleseismic data from one broadband and nine short period stations, was carried out in a 50 km x 100 km area, near Mumbai (Bombay), encompassing the coastal plains of the rifted margin of the western Deccan Volcanic Province (DVP) of India. This region is characterized by a thick (36–41 km) shield like crust which is at variance with earlier inferences in this part of DVP. The crustal composition as inferred from the Poisson's ratio of 0.26 ± 0.01 is felsic to intermediate in nature. The continental crust exhibits structural controls similar to the offshore shelf region but does not exhibit any typical seismic signatures of magmatic underplating nor appears to be perturbed by the Deccan volcanism.
Gastric Emptying Characteristics of a Novel C-Octanoate–labeled Muffin Meal

Goals: Determine the gastric emptying characteristics of a novel, 350-kcal test meal consisting of two muffins, using scintigraphy and the C-octanoate breath test (OBT). Study: Healthy volunteers underwent three studies on separate days within a 1-week period. On day 1, we measured emptying of the 350-kcal muffin test meal labeled simultaneously with Tc sulfur colloid and C-octanoate. On day 2, reproducibility of the OBT using a single-labeled 350-kcal test meal was assessed. On day 3, the effect of erythromycin on the 350-kcal OBT was determined. Results: The mean (±SD) half-emptying time (T1/2) as measured by scintigraphy was 104 ± 24 minutes, versus 212 ± 52 minutes by OBT. There was a strong correlation between T1/2 determined by scintigraphy and the breath test (r 0.83). Multiple linear regression analysis identified a significant relationship between T1/2 determined by scintigraphy and the 90and 180-minute breath samples. There was a strong correlation (r 0.830, slope 0.732 ± 0.120 [SE], intercept 26.4 ± 12.7) between the T1/2 obtained using the regression equation and the actual T1/2 obtained by scintigraphy. The mean T1/2 (±SD) for replicate determinations using the OBT was 209 ± 52 minutes, compared with 196 ± 42 minutes on days 1 and 2, respectively (not significant, p 0.28, paired Student t test). Treatment with erythromycin on day 3 produced a significant decrease in T1/2 (155 ± 49 minutes, p 0.002). Conclusions: The 350-kcal muffin meal OBT provides a convenient, nonscintigraphic way of measuring solid-phase gastric emptying. Multiple linear regression appears promising as a method of analyzing OBT data and may allow for an abbreviated breath test protocol.
Dietary 9- cis- (cid:1) , (cid:1) -Carotene Fails to Rescue Vision in Mouse Models of Leber Congenital Amaurosis □ S

Synthetic 9- cis -stereoisomers of vitamin A (all- trans -retinol) are especially promising agents for the fight against blinding diseases. Several studies suggested that 9- cis- (cid:1) , (cid:1) -carotene (9-cis -BC), a natural and abundant (cid:1) -carotene isomer in the diet, could be the precursor of 9- cis -retinoids and thus could have therapeutic applications. Here we showed that 9- cis -BC is metabolized both in vitro and in vivo by two types of mouse carotenoid oxygenases, (cid:1) , (cid:1) -Carotene monooxygenase 1 (BCMO1), and (cid:1) , (cid:1) -carotene dioxygenase 2 (BCDO2). In the symmetric oxidative cleavage reaction at C15,C15 (cid:1) position by BCMO1, part of the 9- cis -double bond was isomerized to the all- trans -stereoisomer, yielding all- trans -retinal and 9- cis -reti-nal in a molar ratio of 3:1. The asymmetric cleaving enzyme BCDO2 preferentially removed the 9- cis -ring site at the C9,C10 double bond from this substrate, providing an all- trans - (cid:1) -10 (cid:1) apocarotenal product that can be further metabolized to all- trans -retinal by BCMO1. Studies in knockout mouse models confirmed that each carotenoid oxygenase can metabolize 9- cis -BC. Therefore, treatment of mouse models of Leber congenital amaurosis with 9- cis -BC and 9- cis -retinyl-acetate, a well established 9- cis -retinal precursor, showed that the cis carotenoid was far less effective than the cis -retinoid in rescu- ing vision. Thus, our in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that 9- cis -BC is not a major source for mouse 9- cis -retinoid pro- duction but is mainly converted to all- trans -retinoids to support canonical vitamin A action. For BCMO1, the discrepancy of these values from the theoretical value (50%) indicates that the enzyme can interact with both (cid:1) -ionone ring sites and that the enzyme possesses intrinsic isomerase activity when interacting with the 9- cis -ring site. For BCDO2, the discrepancy of these values from the theoretical value (50%) indicates that the enzyme preferentially removes the 9- cis ring site. The cleavage product all- trans - (cid:1) -10 (cid:1) -apocarotenal can be further metabolized by BCMO1. The second cleavage product 9- cis - (cid:1) -10 (cid:1) -apocarotenal also is probably metabolized by BCMO1. In conclusion, these findings provide an explanation for the lack of production of significant amounts of 9- cis -retinoids from 9- cis -BC in different mouse models. a, 9- cis -BC; b, 9- cis -retinal; c, all- trans -retinal; d, all- trans - (cid:1) -10 (cid:1) -apocarotenal; e, 9- cis - (cid:1) -10 (cid:1) -apocarotenal, f, (cid:1) -ionone; ? , not experimentally tested.
Successful liver transduction by re‐administration of different adeno‐associated virus vector serotypes in mice

Intravenous administration of adeno‐associated virus (AAV) vectors is a promising gene therapy approach for monogenic diseases. However, re‐administration of the same AAV serotype is impossible because of the induction of anti‐AAV neutralizing antibodies (NAbs). Here, we examined the feasibility of re‐administrating AAV vector serotypes different from the initial AAV vector serotype.
Bio-Optical Characteristics of the Northern Gulf of California during June 2008

Bio-optical variables in the Northern Gulf of California were analyzed using in situ and satellite data obtained during a cruise in June 2008. The study area was divided into three bio-optical regions: Upper Gulf (UG), Northern Gulf (NG), and Great Isles (GI). Each region was characterized according to phytoplankton pigment concentration, phytoplankton and nonpigmented material spectral absorption coefficients, and spectral reflectance. Observed patterns were an indication of the shift in bio-optical conditions from north to south going from turbid and eutrophic waters to mesotrophic ones. Although there was a good agreement between satellite and in situ Chla (RMSE ±33%), an overestimation of in situ Chla was observed. This was partly explained by the presence of nonalgal particles, as well as the influence of desert and continental aerosols, which is generally overcorrected in the standard processing. The UG and NG could be considered as Case 2 waters, but they did exhibit different bio-optical characteristics. This implies that both biological and optical properties should be invoked to better understand water reflectance variability in the study region and its implications for the remote sensing of Chla and biogeochemical processes.
The Welfare Effects of Peer Entry in the Accommodation Market: The Case of Airbnb1

We study the entry of Airbnb into the accommodation industry and its effects on travelers, hosts, and hotels. We first document heterogeneity in Airbnb’s penetration across 50 major US cities and demonstrate that much of this heterogeneity can be explained by proxies for hotel costs, the costs of peer hosts, and demand fluctuations. Next, we document that Airbnb has an effect on hotel revenues. This effect is mostly due to a reduction in hotel prices rather than occupancy and is greatest in cities with low hotel capacity relative to the size of demand. Finally, we estimate a structural model of competition between peer hosts and hotels and use it to study the effects of Airbnb on the distribution of surplus across consumers, peer hosts, and incumbent hotels. We find an average consumer surplus of $70 per night from Airbnb. This surplus is disproportionately concentrated in locations (New York) and times (New Year’s Eve) when hotels have high occupancy. Because Airbnb guests view Airbnb as a differentiated product and because Airbnb bookings occur disproportionately when hotels are near full capacity, most of these bookings would not have resulted in hotel bookings had Airbnb not been available. We also quantify the effects on hotels Katie Marlowe and Max Yixuan provided outstanding research assistance. We thank Nikhil Agarwal, Susan Athey, Matt Backus, Liran Einav, Christopher Knittel, Jonathan Levin, Greg Lewis, Chris Nosko, Debi Mohapatra, Ariel Pakes, Paulo Somaini, Sonny Tambe, Dan Waldinger, Ken Wilbur, Giorgos Zervas, and numerous seminar participants for feedback. We are indebted to Airbnb’s employees, in particular Peter Coles, Mike Egesdal, Riley Newman, and Igor Popov, for sharing data and insights. Fradkin is a former employee of Airbnb. Harvard Business School and NBER, cfarronato@hbs.edu MIT Sloan School of Management, afradkin@mit.edu and peer hosts. In total, the sum of the surplus from Airbnb entry across consumers, hotels, and hosts is $352 million in 2014 for the top 10 US cities in terms of Airbnb’s penetration.
On the use of on-cow accelerometers for the classification of behaviours in 1 dairy barns 2

14 Analysing behaviours can provide insight into the health and well-being of dairy cows. As herd 15 size increases, automatic monitoring systems based on sensors, such as accelerometers, are becoming 16 increasingly important to accurately quantify cows’ behaviours. The aim of this study is to 17 automatically classify cows’ behaviours by comparing legand neck-mounted accelerometers. In 18 addition, this study investigates the effect of the sampling rate and the number of accelerometer axes 19 logged on the classification performances. Lying, standing, and feeding behaviours of 16 cows were 20 logged for 6 hours with 3D-accelerometers. K-nearest neighbours, naïve Bayes, and support vector 21 machine classification models were constructed based on accelerometers data fitted with the 22 observations made as a reference. Sensitivity, precision, and accuracy were used to evaluate the model 23