Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The relationships of a family history of alcohol dependence, a low level of response to alcohol and six domains of life functioning to the development of alcohol use disorders.

OBJECTIVE Numerous biological and sociocultural factors have been proposed as potentially important to the risk for alcohol use disorders. This study evaluates the relationships to alcohol abuse or dependence of several additional potential trait and state characteristics when studied in the context of a family history of alcohol dependence (FH) and the level of response (LR) to alcohol. METHOD Data were generated from the successful 15-year follow-up of 97% of 453 sons of alcohol dependent men and controls; of these, 315 men were appropriate for the current analyses. Personal interviews were used to gather data from the subjects and additional informants to study the relationships among FH, LR as determined 15 years previously, and retrospective ratings over the recent 15 years for six additional domains of life functioning. These were evaluated as correlates of a diagnosis of an alcohol use disorder in both a 3-step hierarchical and a 7-step structured series of regressions for the subjects with complete data. RESULTS LR, FH and measures from all of the domains except stress had significant zero-order correlations with alcohol abuse or dependence. The hierarchical regression revealed that LR and FH remained significant when considered in the context of the five remaining domains. Both trait-like characteristics (behavioral undercontrol, alcohol expectancies and ways of coping) and state-like domains (nurturance in the social support system and the amount of drinking in the environment) added significantly to the analyses. A heuristic model of the relationship among these variables was tested in a structured series of regressions with a final R2 of 0.22. Future prospective study of the offspring of these subjects will help evaluate potential causal implications of these findings. CONCLUSIONS Prospective studies, measuring both biological and environmental factors, are needed for optimal understanding of the performance of such characteristics in real-life conditions.
Configurable heat generators for FPGAs

This work describes methodology for implementation of high-performance synthetic heat generators within the FPGA fabric. The proposed design flow is compatible with vendor tools and the generated synthetic heat generators can be seamlessly integrated with existing designs. Various architectures of synchronous and asynchronous heaters are evaluated in terms of their efficacy and dynamic range. We provide temperature and power measurements of the heaters implemented in Virtex5 FPGA. Measuring power consumption allows to validate heater performance and the extent to which its power dissipation can be controlled.
Insulin targets the Na+/K+ ATPase in enterocytes via PI3K, PKC, and MAPKS

The effect of insulin on intestinal Na+/K+ ATPase is till now undetermined, and it is still unclear whether insulin exerts any modulatory effect on glucose absorption by targeting the ATPase. This work attempted to address this question and to unravel the signaling pathway involved using Caco-2 cells as a model. After an overnight starvation, cells were treated with insulin in presence and absence of specific inhibitors of some known mediators. The activity of the pump was assayed by measuring the ouabain-inhibitable inorganic phosphate (Pi) released, whereas changes in its abundance were determined by western blot analysis. Insulin decreased the activity and abundance of the ATPase in a crude membrane homogenate. This effect disappeared completely upon inhibition of either phosphotidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) or protein kinase C (PKC), but was partially abolished when p38MAPK or MEK/ERK were inhibited separately. Activation of PKC with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) imitated the effect of insulin and was not affected by inhibition of PI3K. The data suggest that PI3K and PKC are along the same pathway that branches into two separate ones involving each either p38MAP kinase or MEK/ERK. This hypothesis was confirmed by the data obtained from the treatment of Caco-2 cells with PMA, when p38MAPK and MEK/ERK were inhibited simultaneously. Concomitant inhibition of p38MAPK and MEK/ERK abrogated fully the effect of insulin, indicating that no other pathways are present in addition to the ones proposed above.
Real time endpoint detection in plasma etching using Real-Time Decision Making Algorithm

The endpoint detection (EPD) is the most important technique in plasma etching process. In plasma etching process, the Optical Emission Spectroscopy (OES) is usually used to analyze plasma reaction. And Plasma Impedance Monitoring (PIM) system is used to measure the voltage, current, power, and load impedance of the supplied RF power during plasma process. In this paper, Real-Time Decision Making Algorithm is proposed to improve the performance of EPD in SiOx single layer plasma etching. To enhance the accuracy of the endpoint detection, both OES data and PIM data are utilized and a real-time decision making algorithm is applied. The proposed method successfully detected endpoint of silicon oxide plasma etching.
Lecture 10 : Local Alignment and Substitution Matrices

Trailing Gaps Suppose we have two sequences , and and is the shorter of the 2 sequences. We wish to align with "! and insert trailing gaps. Instead of looking only at the entry #%$ & ' ( in the matrix computed by the DP algorithm for global alignment, we look at all the entries in last column of the matrix. The )+* , entry in the last column of the matrix indicates the score of aligning with ! The maximum from this column is chosen and returned as the score of aligning with ,
Behavior of Self-Centering Steel Plate Shear Walls and Design Considerations

This paper presents insights on the combined contribution of posttensioning and beam-to-column joint rocking connection in self- centering steel plate shear walls (SC-SPSWs). Moment, shear, and axial force diagrams along the boundary beam are developed based on capacity design principles and are compared with nonlinear cyclic push-over analysis results. These closed-form solutions are integrated into a design procedure to select cross-sectional areas of the posttension reinforcement and beam sizes: (1) to prevent in-span plastic hinges; (2) to ensure that posttension reinforcement remains elastic to maintain self-centering capability of the system; (3) to impose sufficient initial posttensioning to overcome wind and gravity loads; (4) to provide adequate beam plastic strength considering reduced moment capacity due to the presence of axial and shear forces; and (5) to consider posttension losses due to axial beam shortening. Using this fundamental behavior knowledge, and adding response-based performance objectives to the design procedure, a companion paper investigates the seismic response of SC-SPSW using time-history nonlinear analyses. DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)ST.1943-541X.0000424. © 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers. CE Database subject headings: Connections; Steel plates; Shear walls; Earthquake engineering; Structural design. Author keywords: Self-centering; Rocking connection; Steel plate; Shear wall; Earthquake engineering.
Single Exposure of Mesothelial Cells to Glucose Degradation Products (GDPs) Yields Early Advanced Glycation End-Products (AGEs) and a Proinflammatory Response

← Background Fluids commonly used for peritoneal dialysis (PD) have a low pH and a high glucose content. Furthermore, heat sterilization of dialysis fluids degrades some of the glucose into glucose degradation products (GDPs), such as methylglyoxal (MGO) and 3-deoxyglucosone (3-DG). Mesothelial cells (MCs) form the first line in the peritoneal cavity and are constantly exposed to these nonphysiological conditions. Since MCs play an important role in the regulation of inflammatory responses in the peritoneal cavity, we studied the kinetics of MC uptake of highly purified GDP species, along with their effect on various cellular biological and immunological parameters. ← Methods Methylglyoxal and 3-DG were purified and added to MC cultures. Complexing to medium components or uptake by MCs was analyzed over time by HPLC of the culture supernatant and by immunocytochemistry of MCs for MGO-modified proteins. Furthermore, MCs were exposed to a single dose of MGO or 3-DG and analyzed for apoptosis, proliferation by MTT assay, and [3H]-thymidine incorporation. Incorporation of [35S]-methionine was determined in order to analyze de novo protein synthesis. Expression of the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), CD44, and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) was analyzed by cell-bound ELISA. Effects of MGO and 3-DG on cytokine production were also analyzed. ← Results Substitution of MGO and 3-DG in culture medium resulted in a spontaneous decrease in MGO over time, whereas 3-DG levels decreased minimally. The concentration of these GDPs was more reduced in the presence of MCs, indicating binding to and/or uptake by MCs of these GDPs. Mesothelial cells that had been cultured in the presence of MGO showed positive staining with a monoclonal that specifically recognizes MGO-modified proteins, demonstrating complexing to mesothelial cellular proteins. Cell-bound ELISA showed a two- to threefold induction of expression of VCAM-1 by MGO and 3-DG; the expression of ICAM-1 and CD44 was not changed. Mesothelial cells showed a twofold increase in interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 production after exposure to 3-DG. Furthermore, incubation with MGO and 3-DG induced apoptosis and reduced the proliferation of cells, but did not influence protein synthesis. ← Conclusions In the current report we demonstrate that MCs take up MGO and 3-DG and form early advanced glycation end-products. Upon short exposure to a single GDP, MCs react with enhanced cytotoxic damage and a proinflammatory response, evidenced by increased VCAM-1 expression and elevated production of IL-6 and IL-8.
Assessing coral reef health in the North Ari Atoll ( Maldives ) using the FoRAM Index

Tropical marine ecosystems are richly diverse, but are experiencing growing pressure from coastal development and tourism. Assessing the status of coral reef communities along gradients of human pressure is necessary to predict recovery capacity of reefs exposed to acute events such as mass bleaching or storm destruction. Islands in the central Maldives Archipelago, which experience three different management regimes (four for each category: local community, uninhabited, and resort islands), were sampled during the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)-REGENERATE Cruise in 2015. Assessments were carried out using the FoRAM Index (FI), based on relative abundances of larger foraminiferal shells in reef sediments. Overall, FI values (> 5) indicate that water quality currently should support active accretion by reef-building corals and larger benthic foraminifers. The highest median FI values (5.9) were recorded from sites associated with the uninhabited islands. Slightly, but significantly lower medians were recorded at sites near community and resort islands (FI = 5.3 and 5.1, respectively) that host permanent human settlement, indicating possible local deterioration of water quality by disposal of domestic wastes. Note that the FI was designed to assess suitability of local water quality and not to assess responses to regional to global changes associated with temperature stress or ocean acidification.
Effect of Combined Treatment With α‐Lipoic Acid and Acetyl‐L‐Carnitine on Vascular Function and Blood Pressure in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Mitochondria produce reactive oxygen species that may contribute to vascular dysfunction. α‐Lipoic acid and acetyl‐L‐carnitine reduce oxidative stress and improve mitochondrial function. In a double‐blind crossover study, the authors examined the effects of combined α‐lipoic acid/acetyl‐L‐carnitine treatment and placebo (8 weeks per treatment) on vasodilator function and blood pressure in 36 subjects with coronary artery disease. Active treatment increased brachial artery diameter by 2.3% (P=.008), consistent with reduced arterial tone. Active treatment tended to decrease systolic blood pressure for the whole group (P=.07) and had a significant effect in the subgroup with blood pressure above the median (151±20 to 142±18 mm Hg; P=.03) and in the subgroup with the metabolic syndrome (139±21 to 130±18 mm Hg; P=.03). Thus, mitochondrial dysfunction may contribute to the regulation of blood pressure and vascular tone. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and determine the clinical utility of α‐lipoic acid/acetyl‐L‐carnitine as antihypertensive therapy.
Perineural alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor activation inhibits spinal cord neuroplasticity and tactile allodynia after nerve injury.

BACKGROUND Nerve injury in animals increases alpha(2)-adrenoceptor expression in dorsal root ganglion cells and results in novel excitatory responses to their activation, perhaps leading to the phenomenon of sympathetically maintained pain. In contrast to this notion, peripheral alpha(2)-adrenoceptor stimulation fails to induce pain in patients with chronic pain. We hypothesized that alpha(2) adrenoceptors at the site of nerve injury play an inhibitory, not excitatory role. METHODS Partial sciatic nerve ligation was performed on rats, resulting in a reduction in withdrawal threshold to tactile stimulation. Animals received perineural injection at the injury site of clonidine, saline, or clonidine plus an alpha(2)-adrenergic antagonist, and withdrawal threshold was monitored. Immunohistochemistry was performed on the sciatic nerve ipsi- and contralateral to injury and on the spinal cord. RESULTS Clonidine reduced this hypersensitivity in a dose-dependent manner, and this was blocked by an alpha(2A)-preferring antagonist. Perineural clonidine injection had a slow onset (days) and prolonged duration (weeks). Systemic or intrathecal clonidine, or transient neural blockade with ropivacaine, had short lasting or no effect on hypersensitivity. alpha(2A)-adrenoceptor immunostaining was increased near the site of peripheral nerve injury, both in neurons and in immune cells (macrophages and T lymphocytes). Phosphorylated cAMP response element binding protein (pCREB) in lumbar spinal cord was increased ipsilateral to nerve injury, and this was reduced 1 week after perineural clonidine injection. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that peripheral alpha(2) adrenoceptors are concentrated at the site of peripheral nerve injury, and their activation receptors produce long-lasting reductions in abnormal spinal cord gene activation and mechanical hypersensitivity.
Insights into Smoothies with High Levels of Fibre and Polyphenols: Factors Influencing Chemical, Rheological and Sensory Properties

Attempts to add fibre and polyphenols (PPs) into popular beverages present challenges related to the properties of finished products such as smoothies. Consumer acceptability, viscosity and phenolic composition of smoothies containing high levels of fruit fibre (2.5-7.5 g per 300 mL serve) and PPs (250-750 mg per 300 mL serve) were examined. The changes in total extractable PP, vitamin C content, and colour of selected smoothies over a storage stability trial (4°C, 14 days) were compared. A set of acidic aqueous model beverages were prepared to further examine the effect of two different heat treatments on the stability and extractability of PPs. Results show that overall consumer acceptability of high fibre and PP smoothies was low, with average hedonic scores ranging from 3.9 to 6.4 (on a 1-9 scale). Flavour, texture and overall acceptability decreased as fibre and polyphenol contents increased, with fibre content exerting a stronger effect. Higher fibre content resulted in greater viscosity, with an elevated PP content increasing viscosity only slightly. The presence of fibre also aided the stability and extractability of PPs after heating. A reduction of extractable PPs, vitamin C content and colour intensity of smoothies was observed after a 14-day storage period at 4°C. Two heat treatments (75°C for 45 min or 85°C for 1 min) that are normally used for beverage production, did not cause significant reduction of total extracted PPs. It is clear that high levels of added fibre and PPs greatly influence the consumer appeal of smoothies, suggesting the need to develop novel formulation and processing methods if a satisfactory functional beverage is to be developed incorporating these ingredients. Keywords—Apple fibre, apple and blackcurrant polyphenols, consumer acceptability, functional foods, stability.
Bacterial exopolysaccharides – a perception

Microbial polysaccharides are multifunctional and can be divided into intracellular polysaccharides, structural polysaccharides and extracellular polysaccharides or exopolysaccharides (EPS). Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), produced by both prokaryotes (eubacteria and archaebacteria) and eukaryotes (phytoplankton, fungi, and algae), have been of topical research interest. Newer approaches are carried out today to replace the traditionally used plant gums by their bacterial counterparts. The bacterial exopolysaccharides represent a wide range of chemical structures, but have not yet acquired appreciable significance. Chemically, EPS are rich in high molecular weight polysaccharides (10 to 30 kDa) and have heteropolymeric composition. They have new‐fangled applications due to the unique properties they possess. Owing to this, exopolysaccharides have found multifarious applications in the food, pharmaceutical and other industries. Hence, the present article converges on bacterial exopolysaccharides. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Advances in Brief Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Is an Autocrine Survival Factor for Neuropilin-expressing Breast Carcinoma Cells 1

We identify a novel function for the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in its ability to stimulate an autocrine signaling pathway in metastatic breast carcinoma cells that is essential for their survival. Suppression of VEGF expression in metastatic cellsin vitro induced their apoptosis, in addition to inhibiting the constitutively elevated phosphatidylinositol 3*-kinase activity that is characteristic of these cells and important for their survival. Hypoxia enhanced the survival of metastatic cells by increasing VEGF expression. The importance of the VEGF receptor neuropilin was indicated by the ability of a neuropilin-binding VEGF isoform to enhance breast carcinoma survival. Moreover, the expression of neuropilin in neuropilin-deficient breast carcinoma cells protected them from apoptosis. The identification of this VEGF autocrine signaling pathway has important implications for tumor metastasis and therapeutic intervention.
Biodiversity Conservation in Southeast Asian Timber Concessions: a Critical Evaluation of Policy Mechanisms and Guidelines

Tropical deforestation is leading to a loss of economically productive timber concessions, as well as areas with important environmental or socio-cultural values. To counteract this threat in Southeast Asia, sustainable forest management (SFM) practices are becoming increasingly important. We assess the tools and guidelines that have been developed to promote SFM and the progress that has been made in Southeast Asia toward better logging practices. We specifically focus on practices relevant to biodiversity issues. Various regional or national mechanisms now inform governments and the timber industry about methods to reduce the impact of production forestry on wildlife and the forest environment. However, so many guidelines have been produced that it has become difficult to judge which ones are most relevant. In addition, most guidelines are phrased in general terms and lack specific recommendations targeted to local conditions. These might be reasons for the generally slow adoption of SFM practices in the region, with only a few countries having incorporated the guidelines into national legislation. Malaysia, Indonesia, and Laos are among the frontrunners in this process. Overall there is progress, especially in the application of certification programs, the planning and management of high conservation value forests, the regulation and control of hunting, and silvicultural management. To reduce further forest loss, there is a need to accelerate the implementation of good forest management practices. We recommend specific roles for governments, the forestry industry, and nongovernmental organizations in further promoting the implementation of SFM practices for biodiversity conservation. (Resume d'auteur)
Additional drug treatment in resistant hypertension: need for randomized studies.

I nterest in resistant hypertension, customarily defined as failure to control blood pressure (BP) by a treatment based on adequate doses of a diuretic and two additional drugs, has grown enormously in the last few years. This has occurred because previously unknown or abandoned interventional procedures such as renal denervation and carotid receptor stimulation have been found to have promising BP-lowering effects in this clinical condition [1,2]. It has also occurred, however, because of the increased awareness that, depending on the population examined and the level of medical screening, the prevalence of resistant hypertension may range between 5 and 30% of the overall hypertensive population, which means that in Europe many millions of individuals may be affected. Given its high cardiovascular risk [3], this translates into a large number of morbid and fatal events with a high economic burden for public health. The first therapeutic approach to be adopted in resistant hypertension is to add antihypertensive drugs of different classes to the existing treatment in order to oppose the multifactorial origin of a persistently marked BP elevation by as many BP-lowering mechanisms as possible. This can be successful in a number of patients, and respectable BPlowering effects have indeed been reported with the addition as a fourth treatment step of anti-aldosterone agents, a-blockers and diuretics such as amiloride [4–8]. With few exceptions [9], however, evidence has been obtained by a nonrandomized treatment approach, which means that limited information is available on which drug can be more useful in which type of patients with no or only an unsatisfactorily response to three previous drugs. The article by Bobrie et al. [10] published in this issue of the Journal of Hypertension scores in this direction by
Multiphoton Microscopy of Live Tissues With Ultraviolet Autofluorescence

Current research on multiphoton autofluorescence microscopy is primarily focused on imaging the signal from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleatide (NADH) in tissue. NADH levels in cells are useful reporters of metabolic information, as well as early indicators in precancer and cancer diagnosis. While NADH is typically imaged in the 400-500 nm spectral window, the amino acid tryptophan is the major source of tissue fluorescence in the Ultraviolet range. Here, we briefly review current progress in multiphoton autofluorescence imaging of live tissues and cells, and report our recent findings of in vivo mouse skin imaging based on multiphoton excited tryptophan autofluorescence. This new method enables noninvasive imaging of skin tissue at video-rate and allows for the visualization and identification of cellular components in the epidermis, dermis, and muscle layers. It is also possible to image through small blood vessels in the mouse skin and observe circulating leukocytes in situ.