Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatic manifestations of inflammatory bowel diseases

Inflammatory bowel diseases are associated with various hepatobiliary disorders, reported both in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. They may occur at any moment in the natural course of the disease. The prevalence of liver dysfunction rises from 3% to 50% accordingly to definitions used in different studies. Fatty liver is considered as the most common hepatobiliary complication in inflammatory bowel diseases while primary sclerosing cholangitis is the most specific one. Less frequently, inflammatory bowel diseases‐associated hepatobiliary disorders include: autoimmune hepatitis/ primary sclerosing cholangitis overlap syndrome, IgG4‐associated cholangiopathy, primary biliary cholangitis, hepatic amyloidosis, granulomatous hepatitis, cholelithiasis, portal vein thrombosis and liver abscess. The spectrum of these manifestations varies according to the type of inflammatory bowel diseases. Treatments of inflammatory bowel diseases may cause liver toxicity, although incidence of serious complications remains low. However, early diagnosis of drug‐induced liver injury is of major importance as it affects future clinical management. When facing abnormal liver tests, clinicians should undertake a full diagnostic work‐up in order to determine whether the hepatic abnormalities are related to the inflammatory bowel diseases or not. Management of hepatic manifestations in inflammatory bowel diseases usually involves both hepatologists and gastroenterologists because of the complexity of some situations.
Gingival crevicular fluid and serum levels of resistin in obese and non-obese subjects with and without periodontitis and association with single nucleotide polymorphism at −420

Objective: Resistin is an adipocytokine, which have been studied for its role in insulin resistance and recently in inflammation. The present study was designed to study the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and serum levels of resistin in obese and non-obese subjects with and without periodontitis and to further study the association of single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) −420 with these levels. Materials and Methods: A total of 90 subjects were divided based on gingival index (GI), probing pocket depth (PPD), clinical attachment level (CAL), body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) into: Non-obese healthy (Group 1, n = 30, BMI ≤ 22.9 and WC < 90 for male subjects and < 80 for female subjects, PPD ≤ 3 mm, CAL = 0, GI = 0), non-obese periodontitis (Group 2, n = 30, BMI ≤ 22.9 and WC < 90 for male subjects and < 80 for female subjects, PPD ≥ 5 mm, CAL ≥ 3, GI ≥ 1) and obese periodontitis (Group 3, n = 30, BMI ≥ 25.0 and WC ≥ 90 for male subjects and ≥ 80 for female subjects, PPD ≥ 5 mm, CAL ≥ 3, GI ≥ 1). The GCF and serum levels of resistin were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and compared amongst the study groups. Further, the association of the resistin levels with periodontal inflammation and SNP at −420 was studied. Results: The mean resistin levels were highest in Group 3 (14.66 ± 5.93 ng/ml and 9.99 ± 7.22 μg/ml), followed by Group 2 (12.34 ± 4.31 ng/ml and 7.47 ± 3.94 μg/ml) and least in Group 1 (7.09 ± 3.34 ng/ml and 6.05 ± 3.61 μg/ml) in serum and GCF respectively. The levels positively correlated with GI, PPD, CAL, BMI, WC and waist-hip ratio (r < 0.6). The SNP at −420 showed that GG genotype was associated with Group 2 and 3 i.e. periodontitis, while CC genotype was associated with periodontal health. The GG genotype was also associated with high serum resistin levels as compared to CC and CG genotypes. Conclusion: Resistin levels increased with periodontal inflammation indicating its possible inflammatory role in periodontitis. GG genotype at −420 is associated with increased serum resistin and with periodontal disease. Thus, further research is needed to study GG genotype and increased serum and GCF resistin levels as putative risk factors for periodontal diseases.
Do Tropical Nickel Hyperaccumulators Mobilize Metals into Epiphytes? A Test Using Bryophytes from New Caledonia

Abstract Hyperaccumulator plants mobilize large amounts of certain elements from the soil into their tissues. Those elements then may be transferred to other organisms in those communities. Using a humid tropical forest site in New Caledonia, we tested whether epiphytes (mosses and liverworts) growing on Ni hyperaccumulator hosts contained greater levels of Ni (and seven other metals) than those growing on non-hyperaccumulator hosts. We selected two Ni hyperaccumulator species, Psychotria douarrei and Hybanthus austrocaledonicus, pairing individuals of each species with similar-sized non-hyperaccumulators and collecting epiphytes from each for elemental analysis. Samples of epiphytes and host plant leaves were analyzed for concentrations of eight metals (Co, Cr, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn). Two-way ANOVA was used to assess the influence of host type (hyperaccumulator or non-hyperaccumulator), epiphyte group, and the interaction term. Leaves of both Ni hyperaccumulator species had greater Ni concentrations than the paired non-hyperaccumulator species, but leaf concentrations of other metals (Co, Cr, Fe, Pb, and Zn) were higher as well in one or both cases. The strongest influence on epiphyte elemental composition was found to be the host type factor for Ni. Epiphytes collected from hyperaccumulator hosts had significantly greater Ni concentrations than those collected from non-hyperaccumulator hosts. Epiphyte Ni concentrations often exceeded the threshold used to define Ni hyperaccumulation (1000 µg/g), showing that some epiphytes (in most cases those growing on Ni hyperaccumulators) also hyperaccumulate Ni. Six of the epiphytes we analyzed, four liverworts (Frullania ramuligera, Schistochila sp., Morphotype #1 and Morphotype #13) and two mosses (Calyptothecium sp. and Aerobryopsis wallichii), had at least one specimen containing more than 1000 µg Ni/g and hence qualify as Ni hyperaccumulators. We conclude that Ni could move from Ni hyperaccumulator hosts to their epiphytes, either from leachates/exudates from tissues or from accumulated external dust, thus potentially mobilizing Ni still further into the food webs of these humid tropical forests.
Wheat root length and not branching is altered in the presence of neighbours, including blackgrass

The effect of neighbouring plants on crop root system architecture may directly interfere with water and nutrient acquisition, yet this important and interesting aspect of competition remains poorly understood. Here, the effect of the weed blackgrass (Alopecurus myosuroides Huds.) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) roots was tested, since a low density of this species (25 plants m-2) can lead to a 10% decrease in wheat yield and herbicide resistance is problematic. We used a simplified growth system based on gelled medium, to grow wheat alongside a neighbour, either another wheat plant, a blackgrass or Brachypodium dystachion individual (a model grass). A detailed analysis of wheat seminal root system architecture showed that the presence of a neighbour principally affected the root length, rather than number or diameter under a high nutrient regime. In particular, the length of first order lateral roots decreased significantly in the presence of blackgrass and Brachypodium. However, this effect was not noted when wheat plants were grown in low nutrient conditions. This suggests that wheat may be less sensitive to the presence of blackgrass when grown in low nutrient conditions. In addition, nutrient availability to the neighbour did not modulate the neighbour effect on wheat root architecture.
The Role of the Novel Oral Anticoagulants in the Secondary Prevention of Acute Coronary Syndromes

Acute coronary syndromes continue to be a dominant cause of death worldwide. Acute therapies with potent antithrombotic agents have improved in-hospital outcomes; however, despite the use of these therapies, recurrent events continue to occur long term. Statins, renin–angiotensin inhibitors, beta-blockers, and dual antiplatelet therapy all have roles in mitigating long-term risk, but given recurrent thrombotic events on contemporary pharmacologic agents, novel therapies inhibiting thrombin formation have been explored. The intent of the current article is to review recent phase II/III clinical trials of oral anticoagulants used for the prevention of acute coronary syndromes.
Reduced Sulfation of Chondroitin Sulfate but Not Heparan Sulfate in Kidneys of Diabetic db/db Mice

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans are hypothesized to contribute to the filtration barrier in kidney glomeruli and the glycocalyx of endothelial cells. To investigate potential changes in proteoglycans in diabetic kidney, we isolated glycosaminoglycans from kidney cortex from healthy db/+ and diabetic db/db mice. Disaccharide analysis of chondroitin sulfate revealed a significant decrease in the 4-O-sulfated disaccharides (D0a4) from 65% to 40%, whereas 6-O-sulfated disaccharides (D0a6) were reduced from 11% to 6%, with a corresponding increase in unsulfated disaccharides. In contrast, no structural differences were observed in heparan sulfate. Furthermore, no difference was found in the molar amount of glycosaminoglycans, or in the ratio of hyaluronan/heparan sulfate/chondroitin sulfate. Immunohistochemical staining for the heparan sulfate proteoglycan perlecan was similar in both types of material but reduced staining of 4-O-sulfated chondroitin and dermatan was observed in kidney sections from diabetic mice. In support of this, using qRT-PCR, a 53.5% decrease in the expression level of Chst-11 (chondroitin 4-O sulfotransferase) was demonstrated in diabetic kidney. These results suggest that changes in the sulfation of chondroitin need to be addressed in future studies on proteoglycans and kidney function in diabetes.
Caffeine potentiates the renin response to furosemide in rats. Evidence for a regulatory role of endogenous adenosine.

Adenosine is a potent inhibitor of renin release. It has therefore been suggested that endogenous adenosine may play a role in the regulation of renin release. Sodium-chloride transport at the level of the macula densa has been proposed as the primary source of endogenous adenosine. Evidence to support a modulatory role of adenosine on renin release in vivo is, however, limited. We therefore wanted to determine if: 1) adenosine modulates furosemide-induced renin release and 2) sodium-chloride reabsorption at the macula densa is essential for adenosine actions. To test these hypotheses, three groups of rats were pretreated either with saline or the adenosine receptor antagonists caffeine or 1,3-dipropyl-8-(p-sulfophenyl)xanthine (both at a dose of 30 mg/kg followed by 450 micrograms/kg/min). Rats then received furosemide (50 mg/kg i.v.). In the vehicle group, furosemide increased urinary volume, sodium and potassium excretion and increased plasma renin activity from 6 +/- 1 to 45 +/- 11 ngAl/ml/hr. Caffeine and 1,3-dipropyl-8-(p-sulfophenyl)xanthine potentiated the increase in plasma renin activity produced by furosemide (to 120 +/- 15 and 147 +/- 21 ng Al/ml/hr, respectively), whereas having no significant effects on urinary volume, sodium excretion or blood pressure. These results suggest that furosemide-induced renin release in vivo is restrained by endogenous adenosine. In as much as furosemide blocks sodium-chloride transport in the thick ascending limb of Henle's loop and the macula densa cells, it appears that under the conditions of this study sodium transport across these segments is not essential to initiate adenosine-mediated mechanisms.
A New Frame Memory Compression Algorithm with DPCM and VLC in a 4×4 Block

Frame memory compression (FMC) is a technique to reduce memory bandwidth by compressing the video data to be stored in the frame memory. This paper proposes a new FMC algorithm integrated into an H.264 encoder that compresses a 4×4 block by differential pulse code modulation (DPCM) followed by Golomb-Rice coding. For DPCM, eight scan orders are predefined and the best scan order is selected using the results of H.264 intra prediction. FMC can also be used for other systems that require a frame memory to store images in RGB color space. In the proposed FMC, RGB color space is transformed into another color space, such as YCbCr or G, R-G, B-G color space. The best scan order for DPCM is selected by comparing the efficiency of all scan orders. Experimental results show that the new FMC algorithm in an H.264 encoder achieves 1.34 dB better image quality than a previous MHT-based FMC for HD-size sequences. For systems using RGB color space, the transform to G, R-G, B-G color space makes most efficient compression. The average PSNR values of R, G, and B colors are 46.70 dB, 50.80 dB, and 44.90 dB, respectively, for 768×512-size images.
Eudragit RL100 based microspheres for ocular administration of azelastine hydrochloride

In the present study, potential of polymeric microspheres for treatment of allergic conjunctivitis was investigated. Azelastine hydrochloride loaded Eudragit RL100 microspheres were prepared by solvent evaporation technique. The change in drug–polymer ratio on the particle size, zeta potential, entrapment efficiency and in vitro drug release was investigated. As Eudragit concentration ranged from 40 to 80 mg/ml the size range obtained was 4.18–7.36 µm with positive zeta potential. With the increase in drug polymer ratio, the entrapment efficiency was increased with maximum 14.56%. In vitro release studies demonstrated prolonged release of the drug over the period of 6 hr. Scanning electron micrographs showed that microspheres were spherical with distinct solid dense structure. Fourier transform infrared and differential scanning calorimetry studies concluded slight change in peak intensities of drug in microspheres. In vivo studies in rat model indicated that reduction in eosinophil count number was more pronounced in azelastine hydrochloride microspheres than marketed formulation, Azelast®.
Externally funded research, development and innovation projects as learning environments: Case: The MOBI project

Research, Development and Innovation (RD&I) projects are learning environments creating new skills and competencies for students, teachers, researchers, companies and public organizations. Our RD&I project model builds academic insights and competences by solving real problems for real people. This case-study describes the model through the MOBI project, whose project idea was developed in dialogue with lecturers and students; later on the dialogue was expanded to include a more extensive network with other students, teachers, researchers, companies (both device and service developers and end-users), public end-users and publicly-funded expert organizations for financing RD&I. MOBI has expanded not only to an academic multi-disciplinary collaboration but also collaboration with four companies and government officials as police and emergency departments. Our paper describes how the project was integrated into the study units and studies in general, as well as providing a description of the roles of different stakeholders when creating a learning environment. We will reclaim these lessons learned within our following RD&I projects, such as MACICO.
Kernel PCA for Invariant Shape Description

We present in this paper a novel approach for shape description based on kernel principal component analysis (KPCA). The strength of this method resides in the similarity (and particularly scale) invariance of KPCA when using a family of triangular conditionally positive definite kernels. Beside this invariance, the method provides an effective way to capture the non-linearities in the shape geometry. A given two dimensional curve is described using the eigenvalues of the underlying manifold modeled in a high dimensional Hilbert space. Using Fourier analysis, we will show that this eigenvalue description captures a low to high variations of the shape frequencies. Experiments conducted on standard databases including the SQUID, the Swedish and the Smithsonian leaf databases, show that the method is effective to capture the invariance and has good generalization performances for shape matching and retrieval.
Analysis of Wide-Band MIMO Measurements for the 60 GHz Band

Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) channel measurements at 60 GHz, both indoors and outdoors, are analyzed in this paper from two perspectives. First, we consider the single- carrier, single stream case. 2x2 MIMO measurements over a 2.2 GHz bandwidth are used to generate 4 times the number of Single Input Single Output (SISO) channels. These measurements are then used to quantify the performance improvements from the use of a decision feedback equalizer (DFE) instead of a linear equalizer (LE) to corroborate previous results based on raytracing simulations which had indicated that even with beam-formed transmission and reception, a single carrier system can benefit from the use of a DFE. In this paper we extend that simulation work to actual measurements at 60 GHz made both indoors and outdoors and demonstrate that in real-world channels significant performance improvements can indeed be realized using a DFE. Second, we analyze the 2x2 MIMO capacity as a function of beam orientation and demonstrate, again with real measurements, that in many cases the beam orientation that maximizes total received power is also that which maximizes MIMO capacity, and in cases where that is not the case the capacity is reduced by only about 4.5%. Thus, simpler power maximization algorithms can be used instead of more complex capacity maximizing algorithms for beam tracking, with very little performance degradation.
The Neurobiology of Childhood Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Almost to the century after the initial clinical description of childhood spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) (Werdnig, 1891) a new era of investigation into the nature of SMAwas inaugurated when Conrad Gilliam and his group at Columbia University established genetic linkage for this autosomal recessive disorder to chromosome 5q (Brzustowicz et al., 1990). In 6 years the pace of research has accelerated markedly: an extensive international effort to identify the gene is documented in over 50 papers by 240 authors at a dozen centers. One early by-product of this search was the discovery that the SMA-critical region of chromosome 5q is unusually unstable and that this genetic instability is likely responsible for the high incidence and worldwide distribution of SMA (Carpten et al., 1994; Theodosiou et al., 1994; Thompson et al., 1995; Crawford, 1996). By early 1995, the search had narrowed sufficiently for two neighboring but unrelated candidate genes to be proposed for the disorder (Lefebvre et al., 1995; Roy et al., 1995a). The arguments buttressing the candidacy of each of these two genes contrast strong biologic plausibility against high genetic probability. The plausible candidate gene, neuronal apoptosis inhibitory protein (NAIP), has displayed anti-apoptotic function—an activity that matches closely a standing hypothesis that SMA is a disorder of development. The probable candidate gene, survival motor neuron (SMN), is deleted in over 95% of patients with SMA and disabling point mutations have been found in a number of the remaining patients where they were pursued. Investigations into the pathogenesis of SMAare now turning to the cellular biology of NAIP and SMN and to the generation of gene-targeted animal models. Meanwhile, available animal models of motor neuron degeneration raise new questions about the multiple pathways of selective motor neuron vulnerability. New clinical insights and findings also raise some unexpected questions. The current vigor of SMA research stands as an outstanding illustration of how insight frommultiple levels—from epidemiology, clinical trials, and individual patient investigations to pathology, biochemistry, classic genetics, and now molecular genetics and cell biology—contribute to and draw strength from one another.
Localication et cartographie simultanées par vision monoculaire contraintes par un SIG : application à la géolocalisation d'un véhicule

Les travaux realises au cours de cette these s’inscrivent dans les problematiques de localisation d’un vehicule par vision. Nous nous placons en particulier dans le cas de parcours sur de longues distances, c’est a dire plusieurs kilometres. Les methodes actuelles de localisation et cartographie simultanees souffrent de problemes de derives qui les rendent difficilement exploitables apres plusieurs centaines de metres. Nous proposons dans ce memoire de pallier ces limites en exploitant une connaissance a priori sur la geometrie de l’environnement parcouru.Cette information est extraite d’un Systeme d’Information Geographique. En particulier, les travaux realises se basent sur les modeles 3D des bâtiments des villes et sur une carte de la route.Dans la premiere partie de ce memoire, nous proposons une approche permettant de corriger hors ligne une reconstruction SLAM en exploitant la connaissance d’un modele 3D simple de l’environnement. Cette correction s’applique en deux etapes. En premier lieu, un recalage non-rigide entre le nuage de points reconstruit et le modele 3D est effectue de sorte a retrouver la coherence globale de la reconstruction. Dans le but de raffiner le nuage de points obtenu, un ajustement de faisceaux contraint par le SIG est alors effectue sur l’ensemble de la reconstruction.La particularite de cet ajustement de faisceaux est qu’il prend implicitement en compte les contraintes geometriques apportees par le modele 3D. La reconstruction ainsi corrigee est alors utilisee en tant que base de donnees pour la relocalisation en ligne d’une camera mobile. La precision de relocalisation obtenue est en particulier suffisante pour les applications de realite augmentee.Dans la deuxieme partie de ce memoire, nous detaillons une solution permettant de corriger en ligne la reconstruction SLAM. Pour cela, les contraintes geometriques apportees par le SIG sont exploitees au fur et a mesure de la trajectoire du vehicule. Nous montrons tout d’abord que la connaissance de la position relative de la camera par rapport a la route permet de corriger de facon robuste la derive de facteur d’echelle. De plus, lorsque les contraintes geometriques sont suffisantes, la reconstruction SLAM realisee jusqu’a l’instant courant est recalee sur le SIG.Cela permet de corriger ponctuellement la derive observee sur la position courante de la camera.Le processus complet permet des lors de localiser le vehicule avec une precision semblable a celle d’un systeme GPS sur des trajectoires de plusieurs kilometres.Les deux methodes proposees ont ete testees a la fois sur des sequences de synthese et reelles. Des resultats qualitatifs et quantitatifs sont presentes tout au long de ce memoire.