pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
The role of the amygdala during emotional processing in Huntington's disease: From pre-manifest to late stage disease

AbstractBackgroundDeficits in emotional processing can be detected in the pre-manifest stage of Huntington's disease and negative emotion recognition has been identified as a predictor of clinical diagnosis. The underlying neuropathological correlates of such deficits are typically established using correlative structural MRI studies. This approach does not take into consideration the impact of disruption to the complex interactions between multiple brain circuits on emotional processing. Therefore, exploration of the neural substrates of emotional processing in pre-manifest HD using fMRI connectivity analysis may be a useful way of evaluating the way brain regions interrelate in the period prior to diagnosis.MethodsWe investigated the impact of predicted time to disease onset on brain activation when participants were exposed to pictures of faces with angry and neutral expressions, in 20 pre-manifest HD gene carriers and 23 healthy controls. On the basis of the results of this initial study went on to look at amygdala dependent cognitive performance in 79 Huntington's disease patients from a cross-section of disease stages (pre-manifest to late disease) and 26 healthy controls, using a validated theory of mind task: “the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test” which has been previously been shown to be amygdala dependent.ResultsPsychophysiological interaction analysis identified reduced connectivity between the left amygdala and right fusiform facial area in pre-manifest HD gene carriers compared to controls when viewing angry compared to neutral faces. Change in PPI connectivity scores correlated with predicted time to disease onset (r=0.45, p<0.05). Furthermore, performance on the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test” correlated negatively with proximity to disease onset and became progressively worse with each stage of disease.ConclusionAbnormalities in the neural networks underlying social cognition and emotional processing can be detected prior to clinical diagnosis in Huntington's disease. Connectivity between the amygdala and other brain regions is impacted by the disease process in pre-manifest HD and may therefore be a useful way of identifying participants who are approaching a clinical diagnosis. Furthermore, the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test” is a surrogate measure of amygdala function that is clinically useful across the entire cross-section of disease stages in HD
Heavy Naphtha Fractions 85-155 ̊C Recycling in the Catalytic Reforming Industrial Unit

AbstractCatalytic naphtha reforming is a vital process for refineries due to the production of high-octane components, which is intensely demanded in our modern life. In these paper, the mathematical modelling method application for catalytic reforming installation of Komsomolsk oil-refinery is proposed. The mathematical model-based system “Catalyst Control” was used for catalytic reforming installation monitoring. The quality of the product from the unit was studied, with hydrocracking gasoline used as the feedstock. The impact of the feedstock on the product output was analyzed. It is shown that the feedstock replacement of catalytic reforming unit L-35-11/450K has positive impact on high-octane product output and increases the resource efficiency of the process
Protective Effect of Focal Adhesion Kinase against Skeletal Muscle Reperfusion Injury after Acute Limb Ischemia

ObjectivesIn cardiac muscle, ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury is attenuated by mitochondrial function, which may be upregulated by focal adhesion kinase (FAK). The aim of this study was to determine whether increased FAK levels reduced rhabdomyolysis in skeletal muscle too.Material and methodsIn a translational in vivo experiment, rat lower limbs were subjected to 4 hours of ischemia followed by 24 or 72 hours of reperfusion. FAK expression was stimulated 7 days before (via somatic transfection with pCMV-driven FAK expression plasmid) and outcomes were measured against non-transfected and empty transfected controls. Slow oxidative (i.e., mitochondria-rich) and fast glycolytic (i.e., mitochondria-poor) type muscles were analyzed separately regarding rhabdomyolysis, apoptosis, and inflammation. Severity of IR injury was assessed using paired non-ischemic controls.ResultsAfter 24 hours of reperfusion, marked rhabdomyolysis was found in non-transfected and empty plasmid-transfected fast-type glycolytic muscle, tibialis anterior. Prior transfection enhanced FAK concentration significantly (p = 0.01). Concomitantly, levels of BAX, promoting mitochondrial transition pores, were reduced sixfold (p = 0.02) together with a blunted inflammation (p = 0.01) and reduced rhabdomyolysis (p = 0.003). Slow oxidative muscle, m. soleus, reacted differently: although apoptosis was detectable after IR, rhabdomyolysis did not appear before 72 hours of reperfusion; and FAK levels were not enhanced in ischemic muscle despite transfection (p = 0.66).ConclusionsIR-induced skeletal muscle rhabdomyolysis is a fiber type-specific phenomenon that appears to be modulated by mitochondria reserves. Stimulation of FAK may exploit these reserves constituting a potential therapeutic approach to reduce tissue loss following acute limb IR in fast-type muscle
Linking collisional and accretionary orogens during Rodinia assembly and breakup: Implications for models of supercontinent cycles

AbstractPeriodic assembly and dispersal of continental fragments has been a characteristic of the solid Earth for much of its history. Geodynamic drivers of this cyclic activity are inferred to be either top-down processes related to near surface lithospheric stresses at plate boundaries or bottom-up processes related to mantle convection and, in particular, mantle plumes, or some combination of the two. Analysis of the geological history of Rodinian crustal blocks suggests that internal rifting and breakup of the supercontinent were linked to the initiation of subduction and development of accretionary orogens around its periphery. Thus, breakup was a top-down instigated process. The locus of convergence was initially around north-eastern and northern Laurentia in the early Neoproterozoic before extending to outboard of Amazonia and Africa, including Avalonia–Cadomia, and arcs outboard of Siberia and eastern to northern Baltica in the mid-Neoproterozoic (∼760 Ma). The duration of subduction around the periphery of Rodinia coincides with the interval of lithospheric extension within the supercontinent, including the opening of the proto-Pacific at ca. 760 Ma and the commencement of rifting in east Laurentia. Final development of passive margin successions around Laurentia, Baltica and Siberia was not completed until the late Neoproterozoic to early Paleozoic (ca. 570–530 Ma), which corresponds with the termination of convergent plate interactions that gave rise to Gondwana and the consequent relocation of subduction zones to the periphery of this supercontinent. The temporal link between external subduction and internal extension suggests that breakup was initiated by a top-down process driven by accretionary tectonics along the periphery of the supercontinent. Plume-related magmatism may be present at specific times and in specific places during breakup but is not the prime driving force. Comparison of the Rodinia record of continental assembly and dispersal with that for Nuna, Gondwana and Pangea suggests grouping into two supercycles in which Nuna and Gondwana underwent only partial or no break-up phase prior to their incorporation into Rodinia and Pangea respectively. It was only after this final phase of assembly that the supercontinents then underwent full dispersal
Some discretizations of geometric evolution equations and the Ricci iteration on the space of Kähler metrics

AbstractWe propose the study of certain discretizations of geometric evolution equations as an approach to the study of the existence problem of some elliptic partial differential equations of a geometric nature as well as a means to obtain interesting dynamics on certain infinite-dimensional spaces. We illustrate the fruitfulness of this approach in the context of the Ricci flow, as well as another flow, in Kähler geometry. We introduce and study dynamical systems related to the Ricci operator on the space of Kähler metrics that arise as discretizations of these flows. We pose some problems regarding their dynamics. We point out a number of applications to well-studied objects in Kähler and conformal geometry such as constant scalar curvature metrics, Kähler–Ricci solitons, Nadel-type multiplier ideal sheaves, balanced metrics, the Moser–Trudinger–Onofri inequality, energy functionals and the geometry and structure of the space of Kähler metrics. E.g., we obtain a new sharp inequality strengthening the classical Moser–Trudinger–Onofri inequality on the two-sphere
Measurement of the cross section ratio σtt¯bb¯/σtt¯jj in pp collisions at s=8 TeV

AbstractThe first measurement of the cross section ratio σtt¯bb¯/σtt¯jj is presented using a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 19.6 fb−1 collected in pp collisions at s=8 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC. Events with two leptons (e or μ) and four reconstructed jets, including two identified as b quark jets, in the final state are selected. The ratio is determined for a minimum jet transverse momentum pT of both 20 and 40 GeV/c. The measured ratio is 0.022±0.003(stat)±0.005(syst) for pT>20 GeV/c. The absolute cross sections σtt¯bb¯ and σtt¯jj are also measured. The measured ratio for pT>40 GeV/c is compatible with a theoretical quantum chromodynamics calculation at next-to-leading order
Hyperkähler structures and infinite-dimensional Grassmannians

AbstractIn this paper, we describe an example of a hyperkähler quotient of a Banach manifold by a Banach Lie group. Although the initial manifold is not diffeomorphic to a Hilbert manifold (not even to a manifold modelled on a reflexive Banach space), the quotient space obtained is a Hilbert manifold, which can be furthermore identified either with the cotangent space of a connected component Grresj (j∈Z), of the restricted Grassmannian or with a natural complexification of this connected component, thus proving that these two manifolds are isomorphic hyperkähler manifolds. Moreover, Kähler potentials associated with the natural complex structure of the cotangent space of Grresj and with the natural complex structure of the complexification of Grresj are computed using Kostant–Souriau's theory of prequantization
Breaking the VE-cadherin bonds

AbstractExchanges between the blood compartment and the surrounding tissues require a tight regulation by the endothelial barrier. Recent reports inferred that VE-cadherin, an endothelial specific cell–cell adhesion molecule, plays a pivotal role in the formation, maturation and remodeling of the vascular wall. Indeed, a growing number of permeability inducing factors (PIFs) was shown to elicit signaling mechanisms culminating in VE-cadherin destabilization and global alteration of the junctional architecture. Conversely, anti-PIFs protect from VE-cadherin disruption and enhance cell cohesion. These findings provide evidence on how endothelial cell–cell junctions impact the vascular network, and change our perception about normal and aberrant angiogenesis
Context-Specific Effects of TGF-β/SMAD3 in Cancer Are Modulated by the Epigenome

SummaryThe transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) signaling pathway exerts opposing effects on cancer cells, acting as either a tumor promoter or a tumor suppressor. Here, we show that these opposing effects are a result of the synergy between SMAD3, a downstream effector of TGF-β signaling, and the distinct epigenomes of breast-tumor-initiating cells (BTICs). These effects of TGF-β are associated with distinct gene expression programs, but genomic SMAD3 binding patterns are highly similar in the BTIC-promoting and BTIC-suppressing contexts. Our data show cell-type-specific patterns of DNA and histone modifications provide a modulatory layer by determining accessibility of genes to regulation by TGF-β/SMAD3. LBH, one such context-specific target gene, is regulated according to its DNA methylation status and is crucial for TGF-β-dependent promotion of BTICs. Overall, these results reveal that the epigenome plays a central and previously overlooked role in shaping the context-specific effects of TGF-β in cancer
Real CO2 emissions benefits and end user’s operating costs of a plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle

AbstractAlthough plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (pHEVs) can be considered a powerful technology to promote the change from conventional mobility to e-mobility, their real benefits, in terms of CO2 emissions, depend to a great extent on the average efficiency of their Internal Combustion Engine and on the energy source mix which is used to supply the electrical demand of pHEV.Furthermore the operating cost of the vehicle should also be taken into account in the design process, since it represents the main driver in the customer’s choice.This article has the purpose of assessing, through numerical simulations, the effects of different technology mixes used to produce electrical energy for the battery recharging, of different Internal Combustion Engines on the pHEV performance, and highlighting the main differences with respect to the regulatory test procedure
Critical Role of CD2 Co-stimulation in Adaptive Natural Killer Cell Responses Revealed in NKG2C-Deficient Humans

SummaryInfection by human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) leads to NKG2C-driven expansion of adaptive natural killer (NK) cells, contributing to host defense. However, approximately 4% of all humans carry a homozygous deletion of the gene that encodes NKG2C (NKG2C−/−). Assessment of NK cell repertoires in 60 NKG2C−/− donors revealed a broad range of NK cell populations displaying characteristic footprints of adaptive NK cells, including a terminally differentiated phenotype, functional reprogramming, and epigenetic remodeling of the interferon (IFN)-γ promoter. We found that both NKG2C− and NKG2C+ adaptive NK cells expressed high levels of CD2, which synergistically enhanced ERK and S6RP phosphorylation following CD16 ligation. Notably, CD2 co-stimulation was critical for the ability of adaptive NK cells to respond to antibody-coated target cells. These results reveal an unexpected redundancy in the human NK cell response to HCMV and suggest that CD2 provides “signal 2” in antibody-driven adaptive NK cell responses
Topological black holes in su(N) Einstein–Yang–Mills theory with a negative cosmological constant

AbstractWe investigate the phase space of topological black hole solutions of su(N) Einstein–Yang–Mills theory in anti-de Sitter space with a purely magnetic gauge potential. The gauge field is described by N−1 magnetic gauge field functions ωj, j=1,…,N−1. For su(2) gauge group, the function ω1 has no zeros. This is no longer the case when we consider a larger gauge group. The phase space of topological black holes is considerably simpler than for the corresponding spherically symmetric black holes, but for N>2 and a flat event horizon, there exist solutions where at least one of the ωj functions has one or more zeros. For most of the solutions, all the ωj functions have no zeros, and at least some of these are linearly stable
Increasing Companies’ Absorptive Capacity through Participation in Collaborative Research Centres

AbstractNorway has developed ambitious goals to become one of the leading environment friendly energy nations. The establishment of Centres for Environment-friendly Energy Research (CEER) scheme is one of the main measures for addressing these goals. The CEER scheme seeks to develop expertise and promote innovation through focus on long-term research in selected areas of environment-friendly energy, in close collaboration between prominent research communities and users like industry and public administrative bodies. The main objective of this paper is to explore and present the potential benefits companies may gain from participation in collaborative research centres like CEER, as well as possible barriers for participation. The framing in this paper is on the development of the absorptive capacity for the industry partners through active participation in the concrete research activities. Based on the empirical material for this paper, collected from one of the eight technological CEERs, we conclude that there are benefits to be gained from companies involving themselves in large-scale research centres. Their potential absorptive capacity is increased by exposure of knowledge and hopefully new positive experience with collaboration over time. However, both this effect, and a potential increase in realized absorptive capacity is very dependent on the active involvement of the company and choosing the right persons to represent the company towards the research centre. By contacting the researchers on a regular, keeping up to date, taking initiative and proposing research projects, combined with some patience, participating industry partners should be well positioned to reap the benefits from their funding
Using the latent class approach to cluster firms in benchmarking: An application to the US electricity transmission industry

AbstractIn this paper we advocate using the latent class model (LCM) approach to control for technological differences in traditional efficiency analysis of regulated electricity networks. Our proposal relies on the fact that latent class models are designed to cluster firms by uncovering differences in technology parameters. Moreover, it can be viewed as a supervised method for clustering data that takes into account the same (production or cost) relationship that is analysed later, often using nonparametric frontier techniques. The simulation exercises show that the proposed approach outperforms other sample selection procedures. The proposed methodology is illustrated with an application to a sample of US electricity transmission firms for the period 2001–2009
Effect of Adenosine on Injury Caused by Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rats: Functional and Morphologic Study

AbstractTo study whether treatment with adenosine (ADO), an agonist of adenosine receptors, attenuates intestinal dysfunction caused by ischemia (I) and reperfusion (R), we treated rats with ADO (15 mg/kg or saline solution (SS) intravenously before 60 minutes occlusion of the superior mesenteric artery (I) and/or 120 minutes after its release (R). After I or I/R, isolated jejunal segments (2 cm) were mounted in an organ bath to study nerve-mediated contractions stimulated by electrical pulses or KCI with the use of a digital recording system. Thin jejunal slices were stained with hematoxylin and eosin for optical microscopy. Compared with the sham group, jejunal contractions were reduced in I+SS and IR+SS but similar after treatment with ADO (I+ADO and IR+ADO groups). We concluded that rat jejunal enteric nerves were damaged in I+SS and IR+SS but not in the I+ADO and IR+ADO groups. These results suggested that ADO attenuated intestinal dysfunction due to I and R
New determination of the D0→K−π+π0 and D0→K−π+π+π− coherence factors and average strong-phase differences

AbstractMeasurements of the coherence factors (RKππ0 and RK3π) and the average strong-phase differences (δDKππ0 and δDK3π) for the decays D0→K−π+π0 and D0→K−π+π+π− are presented. These parameters are important inputs to the determination of the unitarity triangle angle γ in B∓→DK∓ decays, where D designates a D0 or D¯0 meson decaying to a common final state. The measurements are made using quantum correlated DD¯ decays collected by the CLEO-c experiment at the ψ(3770) resonance, and augment a previously published analysis by the inclusion of new events in which the signal decay is tagged by the mode D→KS0π+π−. The measurements also benefit from improved knowledge of external inputs, namely the D0D¯0 mixing parameters, rDKπ and several D-meson branching fractions. The measured values are RKππ0=0.82±0.07, δDKππ0=(164−14+20)°, RK3π=0.32−0.28+0.20 and δDK3π=(225−78+21)°. Consideration is given to how these measurements can be improved further by using the larger quantum-correlated data set collected by BESIII
Atypical surface behavior of ceramides with nonhydroxy and 2-hydroxy very long-chain (C28–C32) PUFAs

AbstractUnique species of ceramide (Cer) with very-long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (VLCPUFA), mainly 28–32 carbon atoms, 4–5 double bonds, in nonhydroxy and 2-hydroxy forms (n-V Cer and h-V Cer, respectively), are generated in rat spermatozoa from the corresponding sphingomyelins during the acrosomal reaction. The aim of this study was to determine the properties of these sperm-distinctive ceramides in Langmuir monolayers. Individual Cer species were isolated by HPLC and subjected to analysis of surface pressure, surface potential, and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) as a function of molecular packing. In comparison with known species of Cer, n-V Cer and h-V Cer species showed much larger mean molecular areas and increased molecular dipole moments in liquid expanded phases, which suggest bending and partial hydration of the double bonded portion of the VLCPUFA. The presence of the 2-hydoxyl group induced a closer molecular packing in h-V Cer than in their chain-matched n-V Cer. In addition, all these Cer species showed liquid-expanded to liquid-condensed transitions at room temperature. Existence of domain segregation was confirmed by BAM. Additionally, thermodynamic analysis suggests a phase transition close to the physiological temperature for VLCPUFA-Cers if organized as bulk dispersions
The Social Enterprise and the Social Entrepreneurship–Instruments of Local Development. A Comparative Study for Romania

AbstractThe paper examines the evolution of the social enterprise and the social entrepreneurship in Romania, as solutions of local development, as instruments of cooperation among citizens, organizations and the bodies of local, regional, national and European representation. The study takes into consideration the theoretical and normative framework in view to present the characteristics of the forms of organisation of social economy, achieving a comparative study which uses comparative items: conceptual system, normative system, participation to the field of activity, integration on the labour market, etc.The development regions in Romania represent the sample for the comparative study. The comparative study is accomplished according to the methodology of similar studies from the field literature, highlighting the trends and development of social entrepreneurship and enterprise in the EU Member States
Self-anchored suspension bridges with prestressed concrete deck : some historic examples

This paper deals with a challenging bridge type, which is not very
well known i.e. self-anchored suspension bridges with prestressed concrete deck.
Some of these bridges were built in the 1950’s over a canal around the city of
Ghent after a design by Prof. Daniël Vandepitte (1922–2016). Prof. Vandepitte,
passed away at the age of 94 years and was a brilliant teacher in structural
analysis. He was a successor of Prof. Gustave Magnel (1889–1955) in the field of
structural analysis and he designed several remarkable bridges in the early 1950’s
before he was appointed at Ghent University