Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gonads directly regulate growth in teleosts

In general, there is a relationship between growth and reproduction, and gonads are known to be important organs for growth, but direct evidence for their role is lacking. Here, using a fish model, we report direct evidence that gonads are endocrine organs equal to the pituitary in controlling body growth. Gonadal loss of function, gain of function, and rescue of growth were investigated in tilapia. Gonadectomy experiments were carried out in juvenile males and females. Gonadectomy significantly retarded growth compared with controls; however, this retardation was rescued by the implantation of extirpated gonads. Because gonads express growth hormone, it is possible that gonads control body growth through the secretion of growth hormone and/or other endocrine factors. We propose that gonads are integral players in the dynamic regulation of growth in teleosts.
Domain Shapes and Patterns: The Phenomenology of Modulated Phases

A wide variety of two- and three-dimensional physical-chemical systems display domain patterns in equilibrium. The phenomenology of these patterns, and of the shapes of their constituent domains, is reviewed here from a point of view that interprets these patterns as a manifestation of modulated phases. These phases are stabilized by competing interactions and are characterized by periodic spatial variations of the pertinent order parameter, the corresponding modulation period generally displaying a dependence on temperature and other external fields. This simple picture provides a unifying framework to account for striking and substantial similarities revealed in the prevalent "stripe" and "bubble" morphologies as well as in commonly observed, characteristic domain-shape instabilities. Several areas of particular current interest are discussed.
Identification of Propofol Binding Sites in a Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor with a Photoreactive Propofol Analog*

Background: Propofol, a general anesthetic, potentiates GABAA receptors and inhibits nAChRs by binding to unknown sites. Results: Photoaffinity labeling with a photoreactive propofol analog is used to identify propofol binding sites in a muscle-type nAChR. Conclusion: Propofol binds to an intrasubunit site in the nAChR transmembrane domain. Significance: This study helps define the diversity of allosteric modulator binding sites in Cys-loop neurotransmitter receptors. Propofol, a widely used intravenous general anesthetic, acts at anesthetic concentrations as a positive allosteric modulator of γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors and at higher concentration as an inhibitor of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Here, we characterize propofol binding sites in a muscle-type nAChR by use of a photoreactive analog of propofol, 2-isopropyl-5-[3-(trifluoromethyl)-3H-diazirin-3-yl]phenol (AziPm). Based upon radioligand binding assays, AziPm stabilized the Torpedo nAChR in the resting state, whereas propofol stabilized the desensitized state. nAChR-rich membranes were photolabeled with [3H]AziPm, and labeled amino acids were identified by Edman degradation. [3H]AziPm binds at three sites within the nAChR transmembrane domain: (i) an intrasubunit site in the δ subunit helix bundle, photolabeling in the nAChR desensitized state (+agonist) δM2-18′ and two residues in δM1 (δPhe-232 and δCys-236); (ii) in the ion channel, photolabeling in the nAChR resting, closed channel state (−agonist) amino acids in the M2 helices (αM2-6′, βM2-6′ and -13′, and δM2-13′) that line the channel lumen (with photolabeling reduced by >90% in the desensitized state); and (iii) at the γ-α interface, photolabeling αM2-10′. Propofol enhanced [3H]AziPm photolabeling at αM2-10′. Propofol inhibited [3H]AziPm photolabeling within the δ subunit helix bundle at lower concentrations (IC50 = 40 μm) than it inhibited ion channel photolabeling (IC50 = 125 μm). These results identify for the first time a single intrasubunit propofol binding site in the nAChR transmembrane domain and suggest that this is the functionally relevant inhibitory binding site.
Mutation of a Self-Processing Site in Caspase-8 Compromises Its Apoptotic but Not Its Nonapoptotic Functions in Bacterial Artificial Chromosome-Transgenic Mice1

Caspase-8, the proximal enzyme in the death-induction pathway of the TNF/nerve growth factor receptor family, is activated upon juxtaposition of its molecules within the receptor complexes and is then self-processed. Caspase-8 also contributes to the regulation of cell survival and growth, but little is known about the similarities or the differences between the mechanisms of these nonapoptotic functions and of the enzyme’s apoptotic activity. In this study, we report that in bacterial artificial chromosome-transgenic mice, in which the aspartate residue upstream of the initial self-processing site in caspase-8 (D387) was replaced by alanine, induction of cell death by Fas is compromised. However, in contrast to caspase-8-deficient mice, which die in utero at mid-gestation, the mice mutated at D387 were born alive and seemed to develop normally. Moreover, mice with the D387A mutation showed normal in vitro growth responses of T lymphocytes to stimulation of their Ag receptor as well as of B lymphocytes to stimulation by LPS, normal differentiation of bone marrow macrophage precursors in response to M-CSF, and normal generation of myeloid colonies by the bone marrow hematopoietic progenitors, all of which are compromised in cells deficient in caspase-8. These finding indicated that self-processing of activated caspase-8 is differentially involved in the different functions of this enzyme: it is needed for the induction of cell death through the extrinsic cell death pathway but not for nonapoptotic functions of caspase-8.
Immediate effects of diamond burr debridement in patients with spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects, light and electron microscopic evaluation

PURPOSE To evaluate immediate effects of diamond burr debridement (DBD) on the cornea of canine patients diagnosed with spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs). ANIMALS STUDIED Eight client owned dogs with SCCEDs. METHODS Nine eyes from eight dogs with SCCEDs underwent superficial keratectomy (SK). The ulcerated area was divided into quadrants with a 300-micron restricted depth knife. Two of four quadrants underwent DBD for 40-60 s. A SK followed immediately. One burred section and one nonburred section were fixed with formaldehyde 10% and underwent light microscopy (LM). The remaining quadrants from five eyes were fixed with glutaraldehyde 2.5% and underwent transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Masked pathologists evaluated the samples. A student's paired t-test was used to analyze the data. RESULTS With LM all nonburred samples had a superficial stromal hyaline acellular zone (HAZ), seven of the burred samples had an intermittent HAZ and in two burred samples this zone was absent. The HAZ thickness of burred samples (1.062 ± 0.664 μm) was significantly thinner than that of the nonburred samples (4.309 ± 1.348 μm) (P < 0.0001). Transmission electron microscopy showed an absence of basement membrane and the presence of an amorphous, fine fibrillar material in the superficial stroma in nonburred samples. This material was intermittent or absent in burred samples. CONCLUSION DBD significantly reduces the superficial stromal HAZ in SCCEDs. A reduction of its thickness may be responsible for the healing rates reported with DBD.
Clock-Phase-Noise-Induced TX Leakage Estimation of a Baseband Wireless Transmitter DAC

In many wireless systems, the transmit (TX) signal could leak to the receiver input through the antenna duplexer, and this leakage could raise the noise level in the receive (RX) band. Therefore, it is important to be able to accurately predict the noise spectrum that leaks into the RX band from a TX digital-to-analog converter (DAC) in order to optimize the noise performance. This study analyzes the DAC output noise that is caused by the phase noise of the DAC clock. First, a closed-form equation is derived to account for both the phase noise and noise aliasing. Then, the proposed TX leakage prediction in the RX band is verified with both simulation and measurement. A clear understanding of the relationship between the clock phase noise and the DAC output noise spectrum could enable both the DAC and phase-locked loop designs to be optimized for the lowest RX band noise performance with low cost and power consumption at the same time.
ALBL: an adaptive load balancing algorithm for distributed web systems

This paper presents an adaptive load balancing algorithm (ALBL) for cluster-based web systems. The balancing policy is based on two criteria: HTTP process time and network delay. The former describes web server ability to process a forthcoming request, while the latter tries to estimate network conditions. Periodic criteria calculations are performed by agents at the web switch and the weight estimation process is transparent to web servers enhancing therefore distributed system's scalability. We put to test our implementation against known blind selection balancing algorithms used at web-farms such as: Round Robin, stateful ones such as Least Connections and adaptive ones such as Least Load. We also put to test performance and scalability of previous algorithms. From our testbed scenario results we show that ALBL algorithm outperforms stateless and stateful algorithms and also presents significant performance gains towards adaptive algorithms. We also show that our algorithm scales well as the number of balancing servers and web cluster's requests rate increases. We also pinpoint ALBL algorithm ability to predict network conditions and web servers load without the use of feedback information obtained by web servers but frequent service and network probes towards web servers issued by the web switch.
Neuronal Sianallina of Information Imoortant to Visual Recognition‐Memory in Rat Rhinal aid Neighbouring Cortices

This study was conducted to discover whether the rat cortex contains neurons that signal information concerning the previous occurrence of stimuli, as has been found in the primate. Recordings of the activity of 396 single neurons were made while unanaesthetized rats were shown objects. The effects on neuronal responsiveness of stimulus repetition and of the relative familiarity of the stimuli were sought. The areas sampled were the rhinal (entorhinal and perirhinal) cortex, area TE of the temporal cortex, the lateral occipital cortex and the hippocampal formation. The response to the first presentations of objects was significantly different from that to their second presentations for 63 (34%) of the 185 responsive neurons; for 39 of the neurons the response was smaller when the stimulus was repeated, whereas for 24 it was larger. The incidence of decremental responses was higher in the non‐hippocampal cortex than in the hippocampal formation, while the incidence of incremental responses was higher in the hippocampal formation than other cortical areas. The response to unfamiliar objects was significantly different from that to highly familiar objects for 15 (22%) of 67 responsive neurons so tested; for 12 of the neurons the response was smaller when the stimulus was repeated, and for three it was larger; most of these neurons were found in area TE. The responses of ten familiarity neurons varied significantly with the relative familiarity of the stimuli but not with stimulus repetition; the responses of seven recency neurons varied significantly upon stimulus repetition but not with the relative familiarity of the stimuli. Thus information concerning stimulus repetition and familiarity is separably encoded at the single neuron level in the rat cortex. The results demonstrate that in the rat cortex as in the monkey cortex there are neurons that signal information concerning the prior occurrence of stimuli; such information is of importance to recognition memory, working memory and priming memory.
Postural Instability in Patients With Injury of Corticoreticular Pathway Following Mild Traumatic Brain Injury

ObjectiveWe attempted to investigate postural instability in patients with injury of the corticoreticular pathway (CRP) after mild traumatic brain injury. MethodsThe CRP was reconstructed, and the fractional anisotropy value, apparent diffusion coefficient value, and fiber volume of the CRP were measured. For evaluation of postural instability, both the Balance Error Scoring System score and the displacement of center of pressure were measured. ResultSignificantly lower tract volume of the CRP was observed in the patient group than in the control group with no significant difference in fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient values(P > 0.05). The results of the Balance Error Scoring System shown on a firm and foam surface were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group (P < 0.05). Significant increments in displacement of center of pressure for 3 stances of double-leg, single-leg, and tandem stances in distance, maximum distance, and path length were observed in the patient group compared with the control group (P < 0.05). By contrast, no significant difference in the double stance on the x axis of the distance was observed between the patient and control groups (P > 0.05). ConclusionWe demonstrated postural instability in patients with injury of the CRP following mild traumatic brain injury.
Pathogenesis of chronic persistent cough associated with gastroesophageal reflux.

It was previously shown that unexplained chronic cough is associated with asymptomatic gastroesophageal reflux. The aim of this study was to determine if distal esophageal acid is important in the pathogenesis of this cough. In 22 patients with cough and reflux as determined by 24-h ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring, distal esophageal acid perfusion was performed in a double-blind controlled fashion. Patients received both 0.1 N HCl and 0.9% saline for 15 min, in random order. Cough was recorded with a microphone and then computer analyzed. In 12 matched control subjects, 24-h ambulatory esophageal pH monitoring and distal esophageal acid perfusion studies were also performed. In patients, there was a significant increase in cough frequency, median (range): 36.5 (6 to 111) versus 8.3 (0 to 46)/15 min, p < 0.001, and amplitude, geometric mean (range): 85.2 (78.1 to 92.3) versus 73.1 (0.0 to 87.1) dB, p < 0.01, with HCl compared with saline. During HCl infusion, compared with control subjects, patients had more cough episodes, 36.5 (6 to 111) versus 0.0 (0 to 11)/15 min, p < 0.0001, with greater amplitude, 85.2 (78.1 to 92.3) versus 0.0 (0.0 to 79.6) dB, p < 0.001, but there was no difference in cough duration. We subsequently investigated whether inhibition of the induced cough was possible. In seven patients repeat esophageal acid perfusion was performed 15 min after the esophageal instillation of 4 ml of 4% lignocaine. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Genetic analysis of Bactrocera zonata (Diptera: Tephritidae) populations from India based on cox1 and nad1 gene sequences

Abstract The peach fruit fly, Bactrocera zonata, is among the most serious and polyphagous insect pest of fruit crops in many parts of the world under genus Bactrocera. In the present study, the genetic structure, diversity and demographic history of B. zonata in India were inferred from mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) and NADH dehydrogenase 1 (nad1) sequences. The efficiency of DNA barcodes for identification of B. zonata was also tested. Genetic diversity indices [number of haplotypes (H), haplotype diversity (Hd), nucleotide diversity (π) and average number of nucleotide differences (k)] of B. zonata populations across India maintain high level of genetic diversity without isolation by distance among the geographic regions. Non-significant negative correlation between pairwise Fst and geographic distance suggests a high level of gene flow among studied populations of B. zonata. The possibility of sudden expansion of B. zonata revealed through mismatch distribution analysis as well as negative Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs values further supported by star-like network of haplotypes. DNA barcoding analysis suggests that B. zonata specimens can be clearly differentiated from other species with 100% accuracy of identification. Therefore, cytochrome oxidase 1 (cox1) barcode sequences generated in the present study could be a valuable source for the rapid identification and global population genetic study of B. zonata.
Mutagenic Properties of the TC Cyclobutane Dimer

G z C3A z T transitions within T-C or C-C bipyrimidine sequences are by far the most frequent class of mutation induced by 254-nm UV irradiation in most genes and species investigated, but the reason for the high degree of mutability and specificity at these sites is uncertain. Some data implicate the deamination of cytosine to uracil as a possible cause, but other results appear to indicate that the rate of deamination is too low for this to be significant in Escherichia coli. If deamination is not the cause, the high degree of mutability must presumably reflect the inherent properties of T-C and C-C dimers. We investigated this question by transfecting excision-deficient and excision-proficient strains of E. coli with single-stranded vectors that carried a site-specific cis-syn T-C cyclobutane dimer and by analyzing the nucleotide sequences of replicated vector products. We found that replication past the T-C dimer, like replication past its T-T and U-U counterparts, is in fact >95% accurate and that the frequencies of bypass are also very similar for these photoproducts. Since the T-C dimer appears to be only weakly mutagenic, the high frequency of UV-induced mutations at T-C sites presumably depends on some other process, such as deamination, although the mechanism remains to be established.
The Association of High Jugular Bulb Venous Oxygen Saturation with Cognitive Decline After Hypothermic Cardiopulmonary Bypass

This study was conducted to investigate whether jugular bulb venous oxygen saturation (Sjvo2) predicted cognitive decline after cardiac surgery with hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). We studied 35 patients undergoing cardiac surgery. After the induction of anesthesia, a 5.5F fiberoptic oximetry catheter was retrogradely inserted into the jugular bulb, and Sjvo2 and other cerebral oxygenation variables were analyzed before, during, and after CPB. At each point, an oxyhemoglobin dissociation curve was drawn, and the P50 value of jugular bulb venous blood was calculated by computer analysis. Cognitive function was assessed with the revised version of Hasegawa’s Dementia Scale and the Benton Revised Visual Retention Test before and early after the operation. In 15 patients (the Decline group), cognitive function was declined after surgery, whereas it remained unchanged in 20 patients (the Normal group). Sjvo2 was significantly higher and cerebral oxygen extraction was significantly lower before and during CPB in the Decline group than in the Normal group (P < 0.05). The oxygen pressure at an oxygen saturation of 50% was significantly lower before and after CPB in the Decline group than in the Normal group (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that high Sjvo2 was a predictor of cognitive decline after cardiac surgery. We conclude that high Sjvo2 was associated with cognitive decline after cardiac surgery with hypothermic CPB.
Viscosupplementation with hylan G-F 20 in patients with osteoarthrosis of the knee

Viscosupplementation (VIS) is one of several treatment modalities for osteoarthritis of the knee. It is useful in the treatment of osteoarthritis when other methods of conservative care have failed and it may be a safer method of treatment than oral chemical therapy which can have significant side effects with even short-term usage. The biochemical effects of hyaluronic acid are incompletely understood, however there are several accepted modes of action which result in a positive clinical effect on the function of the knee joint. There is some evidence that hyaluronic acid preparations with a higher molecular weight may be more beneficial to the patient. It is commonly used after arthroscopic meniscectomy and or debridement of the knee in a patient with chondral disease. The clinical effects have been well documented in multiple studies in patients with mild to moderate osteoarthritis in study groups before or after arthroscopic surgery of the knee. Adverse events do occur and are easily treated with only rare case reports of systemic effects. Furthermore, there is some evidence that VIS can prolong the need for total knee arthroplasty in the older patient as well.
Evaluation of hierarchical grouping techniques; a preliminary study

This is an initial enquiry into the evaluation of hierarchical grouping procedures. The arbitrary criterion of quality proposed was goodness of fit of output distances to input distances. This was measured by two coefficients, Kendall's tau and a stress type of measure. Seven well-known hierarchical grouping techniques were investigated. The input data sets were artificially constructed to represent several different data types, including metric and ultrametric. A strong interaction was found between input data and grouping method.
Développement de produit nouveau avec les fournisseurs : les didascalies d'une collaboration performante

Apres une these theorique en modelisation elements finis appliquee a l’elasticite lineaire, j’ai integre l’ecole de Grenoble INP Genie industriel et le laboratoire G-SCOP. Il m’a donc fallu quelques annees pour bien apprehender ce nouveau domaine qu’etait pour moi le genie industriel et mener ma reconversion thematique. A partir de 2002, j’ai ete en mesure de definir clairement un programme de recherche autour de la performance des collaborations client-fournisseur en developpement de produit nouveau que j’ai souhaite mener de facon interdisciplinaire et en interactions fortes avec les entreprises. Son montage a necessite non seulement un travail important pour creer un reseau collaboratif durable d’industriels et de partenaires academiques mais egalement une forte determination pour developper des connaissances actionnables a la fois pour les chercheurs et les industriels. Apres une partie liminaire (Partie 1) qui detaille nos activites d’enseignement et de recherche, la Partie 2 a pour objet d’expliquer pourquoi et comment notre programme de recherche a ete construit chemin faisant, quels ont ete nos postulats de recherche, nos partis pris methodologiques, nos principaux resultats obtenus, ainsi que les perspectives que nous envisageons dans la suite de notre parcours. Ainsi dans le Chapitre 1 de cette partie, apres quelques definitions, nous commencerons par positionner nos travaux au regard de la litterature en matiere d’integration amont des fournisseurs dans les projets de developpement de produit nouveau (DPN). Puis nous expliciterons nos questions de recherche et en quoi nos recherches sont interdisciplinaires et ingenieriques. Nous presenterons alors dans le Chapitre 2 qu’elles sont selon nous les didascalies d’une collaboration client–fournisseur performante en developpement de produit nouveau en expliquant les modeles et outils que nous avons developpes pour preparer, co-construire et piloter une telle collaboration. Nous finirons ce chapitre par un bilan de nos contributions tant d’un point de vue academique qu’industriel. Pour conclure ce memoire, le Chapitre 3 est, quant a lui, est consacre a la presentation de nos perspectives de recherche a court et moyen et long termes