Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Controlling Horizontal Cell-Mediated Lateral Inhibition in Transgenic Zebrafish Retina with Chemogenetic Tools

Abstract Horizontal cells (HCs) form reciprocal synapses with rod and cone photoreceptors, an arrangement that underlies lateral inhibition in the retina. HCs send negative and positive feedback signals to photoreceptors, but how HCs initiate these signals remains unclear. Unfortunately, because HCs have no unique neurotransmitter receptors, there are no pharmacological treatments for perturbing membrane potential specifically in HCs. Here we use transgenic zebrafish whose HCs express alien receptors, enabling cell-type-specific control by cognate alien agonists. To depolarize HCs, we used the Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-amide (FMRFamide)-gated Na+ channel (FaNaC) activated by the invertebrate neuropeptide FMRFamide. To hyperpolarize HCs we used a pharmacologically selective actuator module (PSAM)-glycine receptor (GlyR), an engineered Cl– selective channel activated by a synthetic agonist. Expression of FaNaC or PSAM-GlyR was restricted to HCs with the cell-type selective promoter for connexin-55.5. We assessed HC-feedback control of photoreceptor synapses in three ways. First, we measured presynaptic exocytosis from photoreceptor terminals using the fluorescent dye FM1-43. Second, we measured the electroretinogram (ERG) b-wave, a signal generated by postsynaptic responses. Third, we used Ca2+ imaging in retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) expressing the Ca2+ indicator GCaMP6. Addition of FMRFamide significantly decreased FM1-43 destaining in darkness, whereas the addition of PSAM-GlyR significantly increased it. However, both agonists decreased the light-elicited ERG b-wave and eliminated surround inhibition of the Ca2+ response of RGCs. Taken together, our findings show that chemogenetic tools can selectively manipulate negative feedback from HCs, providing a platform for understanding its mechanism and helping to elucidate its functional roles in visual information processing at a succession of downstream stages.
Heuristics and biases in the mental manipulation of magnitudes: Evidence from length and time production

There is a debate about whether and why we overestimate addition and underestimate subtraction results (Operational Momentum or OM effect). Spatial-attentional accounts of OM compete with a model which postulates that OM reflects a weighted combination of multiple arithmetic heuristics and biases (AHAB). This study addressed this debate with the theoretically diagnostic distinction between zero problems (e.g., 3 + 0, 3 − 0) and non-zero problems (e.g., 2 + 1, 4 − 1) because AHAB, in contrast to all other accounts, uniquely predicts reverse OM for the latter problem type. In two tests (line-length production and time production), participants indeed produced shorter lines and under-estimated time intervals in non-zero additions compared with subtractions. This predicted interaction between operation and problem type extends OM to non-spatial magnitudes and highlights the strength of AHAB regarding different problem types and modalities during the mental manipulation of magnitudes. They also suggest that OM reflects methodological details, whereas reverse OM is the more representative behavioural signature of mental arithmetic.
Local gene regulation in radial glia: Lessons from across the nervous system

Radial glial cells (RGCs) are progenitors of the cerebral cortex which produce both neurons and glia during development. Given their central role in development, RGC dysfunction can result in diverse neurodevelopmental disorders. RGCs have an elongated bipolar morphology that spans the entire radial width of the cortex and ends in basal endfeet connected to the pia. The basal process and endfeet are important for proper guidance of migrating neurons and are implicated in signaling. However, endfeet must function at a great distance from the cell body. This spatial separation suggests a role for local gene regulation in endfeet. Endfeet contain a local transcriptome enriched for cytoskeletal and signaling factors. These localized mRNAs are actively transported from the cell body and can be locally translated in endfeet. Yet, studies of local gene regulation in RGC endfeet are still in their infancy. Here, we draw comparisons of RGCs with foundational work in anatomically and phylogenetically related cell types, neurons and astrocytes. Our review highlights a striking overlap in the types of RNAs localized, as well as principles of local translation between these three cell types. Thus, studies in neurons, astrocytes and RGCs can mutually inform an understanding of RNA localization across the nervous system.
It’s time to stop sweeping recombination rate under the genome scan rug

Different parts of the genome can vary widely in their evolutionary histories and sequence divergence from other species. Indeed, some of the most interesting biology (e.g., hybridization, horizontal gene transfer, variable mutation rates across the genome) is revealed by the discordant relationships between taxa across the genome. The goal for much of evolutionary genetics is centred on understanding the evolutionary processes by which such varied signatures arise and are maintained. Many evolutionary genetics studies seek to identify signatures of positive selection between two closely related ecotypes or taxa by delineating regions with particularly high divergence relative to a genome‐wide average, often termed “divergence outliers. ” In a From the Cover article in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Booker et al. take a major step forward in showing that recombination rate differences are sufficient to create false positive divergence outliers, even under neutrality. They demonstrate that the variance of genome scan metrics is especially high in regions with low recombination rates, consistent with previous work. Furthermore, they show that both relative and absolute measures of divergence (FST and DXY, respectively) as well as other commonly used statistics in genome scans (e.g., πW, Tajima's D and H12) all have similar covariance between variance and local recombination rate. Finally, Booker et al. show that low recombination regions will tend to produce more outliers if genome‐wide averages are used as cut‐offs to define genomic outliers. Booker et al.’s results suggest that recombination rate variation, even under neutral conditions, can shape genome scans for selection, and this important variable can no longer be ignored.
A Frame Response to the European Commission Consultation on the Draft Report on Alternative (Non-animal) Methods for Cosmetics Testing: Current Status and Future Prospects — 2010 a

This response on behalf of FRAME to the European Commission's consultation on the five chapters of the Draft Report on Alternative (Non-animal) Methods for Cosmetics Testing: Current Status and Future Prospects — 2010, is via a Comment in ATLA, rather than via the template supplied by the Commission. This is principally so that a number of general points about cosmetic ingredient testing can be made. It is concluded that the five draft chapters do not provide a credible basis for the Commission's forthcoming report to the European Parliament and the European Council on the five cosmetic ingredient safety issues for which the 7th Amendment to the Cosmetic Directive's ban on animal testing was postponed until 2013. This is mainly because there is insufficient focus in the draft chapters on the specific nature of cosmetic ingredients, their uses, their local effects and metabolism at their sites of application, and, in particular, on whether their possible absorption into the body would be likely to lead to their accumulation in target sites at levels approaching Thresholds of Toxicological Concern. Meanwhile, there continues to be uncertainty about how the provisions of the Cosmetics Directive should be applied, given the requirements of the REACH system and directives concerned with the safety of other chemicals and products.
Multi-component cancer prevention awareness program to improve adolescent HPV vaccine uptake

ABSTRACT Objective We introduced a multi-component cancer prevention awareness program to primary care practices across New York State to evaluate its impact on adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates. Methods Eight pediatric and three family medicine practices were recruited to participate in this program. On-site training sessions were provided for all practice providers and staff to discuss the importance of HPV vaccine and cancer prevention and teach strategies for delivering a strong vaccine recommendation. Each practice received a study-specific booklet that included HPV vaccine information and other commonly provided cancer prevention guidance. These booklets were distributed to all adolescents and their parents during well visits over a one-year period. Practice specific and county-wide HPV vaccination rates were assessed before and 12 months after the program training session. Results One year after program initiation, aggregate data show statistically higher vaccine series initiation rates among 11–12 and 13–18-year-olds and higher vaccine series completion rates among 13–18-year-olds. The greatest and most consistent improvements were seen in vaccine initiation rates for the 11–12-year-old cohort. Disparities in vaccine uptake were observed by gender and medical specialty. Conclusion Cancer prevention education targeting providers, office staff, patients, and parents, improved adolescent HPV vaccine series initiation rates.
Reverse Ad Hoc on Demand Distance Vector Routing Protocol in MANETs and Performance Comparison with AODV

— An ad hoc wireless network consists of a set of mobile nodes that are connected by wireless links. The network topology in such a network may keep changing randomly. Routing protocols that find a path to be followed by data packets from source node to a destination node used in traditional wired networks cannot be directly applied in ad hoc wireless networks due to their highly dynamic topology. A variety of routing protocols for ad hoc wireless networks has been proposed in the recent past. AODV (Ad-hoc on-demand Distance vector routing) is a representative among the most widely studied on-demand ad hoc routing protocols. In AODV, source node floods the route request packet in the network to obtain a route for the destination. AODV and most of the on demand ad hoc routing protocols use single route reply along reverse path. Route reply packet may not reach the source node due to rapid changes in topology or link failure resulting in reinitiating route discovery process. This increases communication delay, power consumption & decreases packet delivery ratio. To avoid these problems, the proposed routing protocol generates & maintains multiple route replies. The proposed (modified) AODV protocol is called Reverse AODV (R-AODV). In this paper, R-AODV protocol is implemented using NS-2.35 in Linux platform. Simulations are conducted to evaluate the performance of R-AODV and is compared with AODV using application oriented metrics, such as the throughput, packet delivery ratio and end to end delay. Simulation results show that R-AODV performs well when link breakage is frequent.
Palatal width growth rates as the genetic determinant of cleft palate induced by vitamin A.

: While many studies have demonstrated sexual dimorphism and racial variation (Mongoloid greater than Caucasian greater than Black) in the incidence of palatal clefting, only generalized statements have been made concerning the causal mechanism (eg, "genetic propensity"). The present study tests the hypothesis that the more rapid the growth rate of the width of the facial skeleton, the higher the incidence of palatal clefting, given a uniform environmental insult. Two strains of pregnant rats with differing rates of craniofacial development (Wistar-fast and Sprague-Dawley-slow) were injected prenatally with high doses of vitamin A (300,000 IU/kg) on days 10-13 gestation. Fetuses were examined at 20 d prenatally and the incidence of palatal clefting was recorded. A significantly higher (P less than .05) incidence of palatal clefting was noted in the more rapidly developing strain (66% vs 81%). These results support statements by Fraser and others who suggest that head width and palatal clefting are causally related. The "genetic propensity" in this case, then, is the rate of palatal width development.
Enterohepatic circulation of prednisolone in rats.

: In the present study human equivalent doses of the synthetic glucocorticoid, prednisolone, were administered intravenously into male rats. The prednisolone was rapidly cleared from blood and accumulated in the liver, from where it and metabolized prednisolone was excreted into the small intestine after a short time. By cannulation of the common bile duct with serial collection of bile it was shown that liver was able to handle relatively large doses of the steroid. There was good evidence of an enterohepatic circulation of steroid with relationships of time and content of prednisolone in liver and small intestine.
Effects of seed weight and rate of emergence on early growth of oepn-pollinated Douglas-Fir families

Seed weight, time of emergence, and three measures of seedling size were recorded for 39 open-pollinated Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii vat. menziesii [IVlirb.] Franco) •milies in order to assess family variation in seed weight and emergence, and the influence of these seed traits on early growth. Families were planted both as ungerminated seed and as recent germinants to test whether using germinants minimized seed effects on early growth. To evaluate the effect of competition on the relationships of seed weight and rate of emergence to seedling size, individuals of families were planted in mfxedfamily blocks at close spacing, in single (pure) family blocks at close spacing, and at a wide, noncompetitive spacing. Families differed significantly inseed weight, total percent emergence, and rate of emergence. Nevertheless, correlations of seed weight to rate of emergence, and seed weight and rate of emergence to seedling size were not strong. Using germinants was ineffective in diminishing seed effects, and interfamily competition had only a minor influence on magnifying seed effects. FOR. ScL 37(4):987-997. ADDITIONAL
Determinants of Firm’s Leverage and Theoretical Examination: A Study on the Food and Allied Companies in Bangladesh

Leverage helps to understand how much debt and equity employed by a firm to funds its operation and asset. Modigliani and Miller are the path breaker in this sector. In 1958 identified irrelevancy proposition of Firm Leverage decision. In 1963 they came with their new explanation to incorporate the effect of tax. There are some other popular theories. Jensen and Meckling agency cost theory, Scott trade off theory, Ross signaling theory, Myers and Majluf pecking order theory are the most popular one. There are several determinants in Firm Leverage used in different studies. In this study, we used some most popular determinants. They are profitability, tangibility, growth, operating leverage, liquidity, size. In this study, nine DSE listed food and allied companies’ data are used to analysis the relation between determinants and leverage and Firm Leverage theories are also tested for those companies. Food and allied sector is a constant growing sector and good option for the investors. Nine A category companies’ data are used for this study. For the data analysis descriptive data, hypothesis, correlation and regression method is used. Leverage mean of last seven-year data is 48.5%. That means there is a good combination of debt and equity. In the hypothesis, T-test: paired two sample for means is used. Null hypothesis only accepted for the tangibility determinants. That indicates there is a relationship between tangibility and leverage. In correlation matrix, it also showed that, leverage and tangibility have the strongest relation and the relation is negative. In regression model, only tangibility result is significant and the coefficient is negative. According to the result, pecking order theory, trade off theory and signaling theory play an important role in food and allied companies in Bangladesh. The analysis showed that, companies with high tangibility ratio try to finance their operations by internal finance rather than debt finance and supported theories also refer the same result.
THE TWO MOTOR DOMAINS OF KINESIN-2 COORDINATE FOR PROCESSIVE MOTILITY

The long-term goal of this project is to understand the fundamental chemomechanical mechanism of the Kinesin-2 class of molecular motor proteins. Kinesin-2 motors, involved in intraflagellar transport and Golgi trafficking, are unique among the kinesin superfamily in having two non-identical motor domains. Because homodimeric kinesins rely on coordination between their two motor domains for long distance transport, this heterodimeric structure offers many potential functional advantages. Our hypothesis is that the two heads are biochemically tuned to maximize motor function such as speed, strength, processivity and microtubule affinity. To test this hypothesis, we focused on KIF3A/B, the mouse ortholog of Kinesin-2, and constructed two homodimeric KIF3 motors by fusing the head of one chain to the rod-tail of the other. In microtubule gliding assays the two homodimeric motors moved at 10-fold different rates. Regarding the stepping rate of the wild-type KIF3A/B, the data are consistent with a coordinated head model in which detachment of the slow KIF3A head from the microtubule is accelerated roughly three-fold by the KIF3B head. However, further experiments indicated that the bulk of the difference between the two heads is due to point mutations in the A head. For higher resolution analysis of motor function, fluorescently labeled heterodimeric and homodimeric KIF3 motors were constructed by replacing the tail domains with EGFP. The run length (processivity), dwell time, and velocity of motors
Is tumour necrosis factor α the molecular basis of concomitant immunity in schistosomiasis?

Prior to the development of high levels of resistance to infection with schistosomes, some mechanism appears to limit the number of productive worms in individuals, since children do not become superinfected, despite continued exposure to infection. One way in which infection levels might be limited, is through the generation of a concomitant immunity. Concomitant immunity results in the destruction of newly invading schistosomula whilst established adult worms continue to survive. Recent studies have provided evidence that TNFα enhances worm fecundity and is essential for granuloma formation. TNFα may therefore be important in worm reproduction and transmission, since the granuloma may serve to assist the passage oft he eggs out of the tissues. With the additional evidence that the cytotoxic activity of lymphokine‐activated macrophages against schistosomula may be, at least in part, due to the action of TNFα, we propose that TNFα may also be responsible for the phenomenon of concomitant immunity.
Early Results of Mycorrhizal Inoculation of Pine in Puerto Rico

Despite the presence of more than 500 native tree species in Puerto Rico, many efforts have been made to introduce pine3. These attempts have . been made because, compared to the native species, pine has a much wider accepted market and has th", longer fiber necessary as a component of kraft papers. In addition pine produces higher yields on poor sites, and its silviculture and utilization. are relatively simple. The lat. ter two reasons alone would be sufficient on this island,where there is ' an abundance of degraded, abandoned agricultural land and a population almost cOmpletely lacking a woods· working background. phosphorous-potassium, and c~mplete.
Pre-emptive epidural analgesia for acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and objectives Epidural analgesia is the gold standard for post-thoracotomy pain management and can be started before or after surgical incision. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated whether pre-emptive epidural analgesia before thoracotomy incision reduces acute and chronic post-thoracotomy pain in adults compared with epidural analgesia after incision. Methods We searched databases including MEDLINE, Embase, and CENTRAL for randomized controlled trials comparing epidural analgesia initiated before (pre-emptive group) and after (control group) thoracotomy incision in adults. The primary outcomes were the pain intensity during rest and coughing within 72 hours after surgery and the incidence of pain 1 to 6 months after surgery. Data were combined with random-effects meta-analyses. We rated the quality of evidence as high, moderate, low, and very low using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) method. Results We included 19 trials with 1062 participants involving 529 in the pre-emptive group and 533 in the control group. The pain intensity was significantly lower at rest within 72 hours after surgery (19 studies, n=1062) and during coughing within 48 hours after surgery (11 studies, n=638), and the incidence of pain was significantly lower 1 to 6 months after surgery (6 studies, n=276) in the pre-emptive group than in the control group. The quality of evidence was moderate or low in the primary outcomes. Conclusions Our review provides low-quality evidence that pre-emptive epidural analgesia reduces the intensity of acute pain and the incidence of chronic pain after thoracotomy in adults. Protocol registration number CRD42019131620.
Biogeographical patterns in fungal communities from soils cultivated with sugarcane

Despite the important roles that microbial communities play world‐wide, relatively little attention has been given to the processes that shape their distributions. Of those studies that have addressed this question, the vast majority has focused on temperate regions and relatively undisturbed environments. In particular, tropical agricultural environments have been rarely studied, and it is commonly assumed that agriculture reduces spatial variation in microbial communities, especially in soil. Here, we evaluated the diversity and abundance of fungal communities in soils used for the cultivation of the world's largest crop, sugarcane, in the world's largest producer, Brazil.
Multi-trait analysis of growth traits: Fitting reduced rank models using principal components for simmental beef cattle

The aim of this research was to evaluate the dimensional reduction of additive direct genetic covariance matrices in genetic evaluations of growth traits (range 100-730 days) in Simmental cattle using principal components, as well as to estimate (co)variance components and genetic parameters. Principal component analyses were conducted for five different models-one full and four reduced-rank models. Models were compared using Akaike information (AIC) and Bayesian information (BIC) criteria. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML). The AIC and BIC values were similar among models. This indicated that parsimonious models could be used in genetic evaluations in Simmental cattle. The first principal component explained more than 96% of total variance in both models. Heritability estimates were higher for advanced ages and varied from 0.05 (100 days) to 0.30 (730 days). Genetic correlation estimates were similar in both models regardless of magnitude and number of principal components. The first principal component was sufficient to explain almost all genetic variance. Furthermore, genetic parameter similarities and lower computational requirements allowed for parsimonious models in genetic evaluations of growth traits in Simmental cattle.