Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of Methodologic Choice for Automatic Detection of Different Aspects of Brain Atrophy by Using Temporal Lobe Epilepsy as a Model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: VBM, DBM, and cortical thickness measurement techniques are commonly used automated methods to detect structural brain changes based on MR imaging. The goal of this study was to demonstrate the pathology detected by the 3 methods and to provide guidance as to which method to choose for specific research questions. This goal was accomplished by 1) identifying structural abnormalities associated with TLE with (TLE-mts) and without (TLE-no) hippocampal sclerosis, which are known to be associated with different types of brain atrophy, by using these 3 methods; and 2) determining the aspect of the disease pathology identified by each method. MATERIALS AND METHODS: T1-weighted MR images were acquired for 15 TLE-mts patients, 14 TLE-no patients, and 33 controls on a high-field 4T scanner. Optimized VBM was carried out by using SPM software, DBM was performed by using a fluid-flow registration algorithm, and cortical thickness was analyzed by using FS-CT. RESULTS: In TLE-mts, the most pronounced volume losses were identified in the ipsilateral hippocampus and mesial temporal region, bilateral thalamus, and cerebellum, by using SPM-VBM and DBM. In TLE-no, the most widespread changes were cortical and identified by using FS-CT, affecting the bilateral temporal lobes, insula, and frontal and occipital lobes. DBM revealed 2 clusters of reduced volume complementing FS-CT analysis. SPM-VBM did not show any significant volume losses in TLE-no. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the 3 methods detect different aspects of brain atrophy and that the choice of the method should be guided by the suspected pathology of the disease.
Syndecans : New Kids on the Signaling Block

Cell-associated proteoglycans provide highly complex and sophisticated systems to control interactions of extracellular cell matrix components and soluble ligands with the cell surface. Syndecans, a conserved family of heparanand chondroitin-sulfate carrying transmembrane proteins, are emerging as central players in these interactions. Recent studies have demonstrated the essential role of syndecans in modulating cellular signaling in embryonic development, tumorigenesis, and angiogenesis. In this review, we focus on new advances in our understanding of syndecan-mediated cell signaling. (Circ Res. 2005;96:488-500.)
Salicylate-aspirin interaction in the rat. Evidence that salicylate accumulating during aspirin administration may protect vascular prostacyclin from aspirin-induced inhibition.

Aspirin inhibits cyclooxygenase, thus preventing thromboxane A2 production in blood platelets and prostacyclin in vascular cells. Aspirin is rapidly hydrolyzed to salicylate in the circulation. The objectives of this study were (a) to evaluate whether administration of salicylate, though ineffective by itself, prevents the inhibitory effect of aspirin on platelet and/or vascular cyclooxygenase activity; (b) to verify whether salicylate accumulating in blood after aspirin administration interferes with the pharmacological activity of further doses of aspirin. Pretreatment of rats with sodium salicylate (25-100 mg/kg i.p.) resulted in dose-related prevention of the effect of a subsequent dose of aspirin (2.5-10 mg/kg i.v.) on both platelet and vascular cells. Sodium salicylate appeared to amplify the greater response of platelets to aspirin compared with vessel wall. Pretreatment of rats with repeated high doses of aspirin (200 mg/kg) resulted after 24 h in blood salicylate levels (150-200 microgram/ml) that significantly prevented the inhibitory effect of a subsequent dose of aspirin on newly synthesized vascular prostacyclin. Blood salicylate levels obtained after 36 or 48 h (less than 50 microgram/ml) were too low to blunt aspirin's effect. The interference with aspirin of its major endogenous metabolite should be borne in mind when interpreting results obtained with high dose aspirin or during repeated administration of this drug.
Extracellular Production of Hydrogen Selenide Accounts for Thiol-assisted Toxicity of Selenite against Saccharomyces cerevisiae*

Administration of selenium in humans has anticarcinogenic effects. However, the boundary between cancer-protecting and toxic levels of selenium is extremely narrow. The mechanisms of selenium toxicity need to be fully understood. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, selenite in the millimolar range is well tolerated by cells. Here we show that the lethal dose of selenite is reduced to the micromolar range by the presence of thiols in the growth medium. Glutathione and selenite spontaneously react to produce several selenium-containing compounds (selenodiglutathione, glutathioselenol, hydrogen selenide, and elemental selenium) as well as reactive oxygen species. We studied which compounds in the reaction pathway between glutathione and sodium selenite are responsible for this toxicity. Involvement of selenodiglutathione, elemental selenium, or reactive oxygen species could be ruled out. In contrast, extracellular formation of hydrogen selenide can fully explain the exacerbation of selenite toxicity by thiols. Indeed, direct production of hydrogen selenide with d-cysteine desulfhydrase induces high mortality. Selenium uptake by S. cerevisiae is considerably enhanced in the presence of external thiols, most likely through internalization of hydrogen selenide. Finally, we discuss the possibility that selenium exerts its toxicity through consumption of intracellular reduced glutathione, thus leading to severe oxidative stress.
Maternal Human Immunodeficiency Virus‐1 Infection and Pregnancy Outcome

Objective: To study the impact of maternal human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) infection on pregnancy outcome. Methods: Between January 1989 and December 1991, 406 HIV‐1‐seropositive and 407 HIV‐1‐seronegative age‐ and parity‐matched pregnant women from Nairobi, Kenya, all at less than 28 weeks' gestation, were recruited into a prospective study of HIV‐1 infection in pregnant women and their offspring. Both groups were followed until 6 weeks postpartum. Results: Three hundred fifteen HIV‐1‐seropositive women and 311 HIV‐1‐seronegative controls were followed until delivery. Seropositive women were younger at sexual debut and reported more lifetime partners and more sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) than the seronegative controls. The seropositive women had higher rates of genital ulcer disease (4.7 versus 2.0%; P = .08), genital warts (4.9 versus 2.0%; P = .03), and positive syphilis serology (7.9 versus 3.2%; P < .001), but there were no differences between the groups in isolation rates of Neisseria gonorrhoeae (6.8 versus 7.1%) and Chlamydia trachomatis (11.5 versus 9.0%). Maternal HIV‐1 infection was associated with significantly lower birth weight (2913 versus 3072 g; P = .0003) and with prematurity (21.1 versus 9.4%; P < .0001), but not with small for gestational age size (4.2 versus 3.2%; P = .7). The stillbirth rate was higher in seropositive women, yet not statistically significant (3.8 versus 1.9%; P = .2). Women with a CD4 count lower than 30% had a higher risk of preterm delivery (26.3 versus 10.1%; P < .001). Postpartum endometritis was more common in HIV‐1‐infected women than in seronegative controls (10.3 versus 4.2%; P = .01) and was inversely correlated with the CD4 percentage. No histopathologic placental abnormalities attributable to HIV‐1 were detected. Conclusion: Maternal HIV‐1 infection was significantly associated with prematurity and postpartum endometritis, but not with fetal growth retardation. There was a trend toward a higher stillbirth rate in HIV‐1‐seropositive mothers. (Obstet Gynecol 1994;83:495‐501)
Analysis of sound field profile formed by conical acoustic probe with pinhole

This paper analyzes sound pressure field profiles formed by a conical acoustic probe (CAP) with a pinhole much smaller than the ultrasonic wavelength λ. The analysis is done using the Rayleigh integral and the finite element method (FEM). Both calculated results reveal that lateral -3dB widths near the pinhole are approximately equal to the pinhole diameter and that the shape of the CAP does not affect the lateral width. A lateral resolution of the CAP, which is much smaller than λ, is verified by our analysis.
Erythropoietin Pathway: A Potential Target for the Treatment of Depression

During the past decade, accumulating evidence from both clinical and experimental studies has indicated that erythropoietin may have antidepressant effects. In addition to the kidney and liver, many organs have been identified as secretory tissues for erythropoietin, including the brain. Its receptor is expressed in cerebral and spinal cord neurons, the hypothalamus, hippocampus, neocortex, dorsal root ganglia, nerve axons, and Schwann cells. These findings may highlight new functions for erythropoietin, which was originally considered to play a crucial role in the progress of erythroid differentiation. Erythropoietin and its receptor signaling through JAK2 activate multiple downstream signaling pathways including STAT5, PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, and MAPK. These factors may play an important role in inflammation and neuroprogression in the nervous system. This is particularly true for the hippocampus, which is possibly related to learning, memory, neurocognitive deficits and mood alterations. Thus, the influence of erythropoietin on the downstream pathways known to be involved in the treatment of depression makes the erythropoietin-related pathway an attractive target for the development of new therapeutic approaches. Focusing on erythropoietin may help us understand the pathogenic mechanisms of depression and the molecular basis of its treatment.
An augmented CO2 chemoreflex and overactive orexin system are linked with hypertension in young and adult spontaneously hypertensive rats

Activation of central chemoreceptors by CO2 increases sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), arterial blood pressure (ABP) and breathing. These effects are exaggerated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), resulting in an augmented CO2 chemoreflex that affects both breathing and ABP. The augmented CO2 chemoreflex and the high ABP are measureable in young SHRs (postnatal day 30–58) and become greater in adult SHRs. Blockade of orexin receptors can normalize the augmented CO2 chemoreflex and the high ABP in young SHRs and normalize the augmented CO2 chemoreflex and significantly lower the high ABP in adult SHRs. In the hypothalamus, SHRs have more orexin neurons, and a greater proportion of them increase their activity with CO2. The orexin system is overactive in SHRs and contributes to the augmented CO2 chemoreflex and hypertension. Modulation of the orexin system may be beneficial in the treatment of neurogenic hypertension.
New constraints on Northern Hemisphere growing season net flux

Observations of the column‐averaged dry molar mixing ratio of CO2 above both Park Falls, Wisconsin and Kitt Peak, Arizona, together with partial columns derived from aircraft profiles over Eurasia and North America are used to estimate the seasonal integral of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) between the atmosphere and the terrestrial biosphere in the Northern Hemisphere. We find that NEE is ∼25% larger than predicted by the Carnegie Ames Stanford Approach (CASA) model. We show that the estimates of NEE may have been biased low by too weak vertical mixing in the transport models used to infer seasonal changes in Northern Hemisphere CO2 mass from the surface measurements of CO2 mixing ratio.
TOWARDS SEMIOTIC AGENT-BASED MODELS OF SOCIO-TECHNICAL ORGANIZATIONS

We present an approach to agent modeling of socio-technical organizations based on the principles of semiotics. After reviewing complex systems theory and traditional Artificial Life (ALife) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) approaches to agent-based modeling, we introduce the fundamental principles of semiotic agents as decision-making entities embedded in artificial environments and exchanging and interpreting semiotic tokens. We proceed to discuss the design requirements for semiotic agents, including those for artificial environments with a rich enough “virtual physics” to support selected selforganization; semiotic agents as implementing a generalized control relation; and situated communication and shared knowledge within a community of such agents. We conclude with a discussion of the resulting properties of such systems for dynamical incoherence, and finally describe an application to the simulation of the decision structures of Command and Control Organizations. 1. MOTIVATION
Paired-Pulse Plasticity at the Single Release Site Level: An Experimental and Computational Study

CA3–CA1 glutamatergic synapses in the hippocampus exhibit a large heterogeneity in release probability (p) and paired-pulse (PP) plasticity, established already in the early neonatal period when the CA3–CA1 connections consist of only a single release site. At such a site two factors decide initial release probability: the number of immediately releasable vesicles (preprimed pool) and the vesicle release probability (Pves1). Depletion and replenishment of this pool, an alteration in Pves, and desensitization of postsynaptic receptors may contribute to PP plasticity. A model based on data from single neonatal CA3–CA1 synapses has been used to address the relative importance of these factors for the heterogeneity in PP plasticity. At a 20 msec PP interval, the PP ratio (P2/P1) varied from 0.1 to 4.5 among the synapses. At this interval desensitization and replenishment were of little importance. The heterogeneity was explained mostly by the variation inPves1, whereas the preprimed pool size was of minor importance. Pves altered from the first to the second stimulus such thatPves2 was rather uniform among the synapses. Its variation thus contributed little to the heterogeneity in PP ratio. The model also shows that the relationship between alterations in release probability and PP ratio is complex. Thus, an increase in release probability can be associated with an increase, a decrease, or no change at all in PP ratio, depending on the original values ofPves1 and the preprimed pool and on which one of these factors is altered to produce the increase in release probability.
Assessing the oseltamivir-induced resistance risk and implications for influenza infection control strategies

Background Oseltamivir-resistant mutants with higher drug resistance rates and low trans-mission fitness costs have not accounted for influenza (sub)type viruses. Predicting the impacts of neuraminidase inhibitor therapy on infection rates and transmission of drug-resistant viral strains requires further investigation. Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess the potential risk of oseltamivir-induced resistance for influenza A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) viruses. Materials and methods An immune-response-based virus dynamic model was used to best fit the oseltamivir-resistant A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) infection data. A probabilistic risk assessment model was developed by incorporating branching process-derived probability distribution of resistance to estimate oseltamivir-induced resistance risk. Results Mutation rate and sensitive strain number were key determinants in assessing resistance risk. By increasing immune response, antiviral efficacy, and fitness cost, the spread of resistant strains for A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) were greatly decreased. Probability of resistance depends most strongly on the sensitive strain number described by a Poisson model. Risk of oseltamivir-induced resistance increased with increasing the mutation rate for A (H1N1) only. The ≥50% of resistance risk induced by A (H1N1) and A (H3N2) sensitive infected cells were 0.4 (95% CI: 0.28–0.43) and 0.95 (95% CI 0.93–0.99) at a mutation rate of 10−6, respectively. Antiviral drugs must be administrated within 1–1.5 days for A (H1N1) and 2–2.5 days for A (H3N2) virus infections to limit viral production. Conclusion Probabilistic risk assessment of antiviral drug-induced resistance is crucial in the decision-making process for preventing influenza virus infections.
SETH: A VLSI Chip for the Real-Time Information Dispersal and Retrieval for Security and Fault-Tolerance

In this paper, SETH,(a) a hardwired implementation of the recently proposed \Information Dispersal Algorithm" (IDA) [7], is presented. SETH allows the real-time dispersal of information into pieces as well as the retrieval of the original information from the minimal intact subset of these pieces. We begin the paper by introducing IDA and overviewing SETH operation. Next, the di erent algorithms used are described and schematics of varying levels of details are presented. Next, we present an implementation of SETH [1]-[2] using Scalable CMOS technology that has been fabricated using a MOSIS 3-micon process. We conclude the paper with potential applications and extensions.
Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma Near the End of Life: A Longitudinal Qualitative Study of Their Illness Experiences

Background: In the United States, the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rising. For those diagnosed with terminal HCC, there is no curative treatment and duration of survival is typically 1 to 2 years. Research on illness and treatment experiences toward the end of life for patients with terminal HCC is limited. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore the illness experiences of patients with terminal HCC as they approached the end of life. Methods: This study used a prospective, longitudinal descriptive design. Interview data were collected from 14 patients once a month for up to 6 months, for a total of 45 interviews. Data were analyzed using conventional content analysis. Results: Three major themes (illness perceptions, decision to start treatment, and navigating treatment over time) and 10 subthemes were identified that were reflected across time in all patient experiences. Patients faced challenges with symptom experiences, treatment decisions, and unmet information needs affecting their quality of life. Conclusions: Gaining knowledge about the challenges facing patients with HCC is crucial for designing interventions that optimize their quality of life. Implications for Practice: Healthcare professionals may improve the quality of life of patients with terminal HCC by eliciting patients’ perceptions of their illness and treatment decisions, symptom experiences, and information needs as the disease progresses and providing symptom management and offering information tailored to their needs. Care for patients with HCC who are approaching the end of life should be multidisciplinary and include timely referral to palliative care.
Cache revive: Architecting volatile STT-RAM caches for enhanced performance in CMPs

High density, low leakage and non-volatility are the attractive features of Spin-Transfer-Torque-RAM (STT-RAM), which has made it a strong competitor against SRAM as a universal memory replacement in multi-core systems. However, STT-RAM suffers from high write latency and energy which has impeded its widespread adoption. To this end, we look at trading-off STT-RAM's non-volatility property (data-retention-time) to overcome these problems. We formulate the relationship between retention-time and write-latency, and find optimal retention-time for architecting an efficient cache hierarchy using STT-RAM. Our results show that, compared to SRAM-based design, our proposal can improve performance and energy consumption by 18% and 60%, respectively.
Immunopathology and Immunogenetics of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a Th2 hypersensitivity lung disease in response to Aspergillus fumigatus that affects asthmatic and cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. Sensitization to A. fumigatus is common in both atopic asthmatic and CF patients, yet only 1%–2% of asthmatic and 7%–9% of CF patients develop ABPA. ABPA is characterized by wheezing and pulmonary infiltrates which may lead to pulmonary fibrosis and/or bronchiectasis. The inflammatory response is characterized by Th2 responses to Aspergillus allergens, increased serum IgE, and eosinophilia. A number of genetic risks have recently been identified in the development of ABPA. These include HLA-DR and HLA-DQ, IL-4 receptor alpha chain (IL-4RA) polymorphisms, IL-10 −1082GA promoter polymorphisms, surfactant protein A2 (SP-A2) polymorphisms, and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene (CFTR) mutations. The studies indicate that ABPA patients are genetically at risk to develop skewed and heightened Th2 responses to A. fumigatus antigens. These genetic risk studies and their consequences of elevated biologic markers may aid in identifying asthmatic and CF patients who are at risk to the development of ABPA. Furthermore, these studies suggest that immune modulation with medications such as anti-IgE, anti-IL-4, and/or IL-13 monoclonal antibodies may be helpful in the treatment of ABPA.
Conductivity and piezoresistivity of conductive carbon black filled polymer composite

Dispersing conductive carbon black (CCB) particles into silicone rubber (SR), we studied the conductivity and piezoresistivity of particles filled polymer composite. The experimental results show that the conductive percolation threshold and shape exponent of composite are effected on by filler's size and reduce with filler's size decreasing. The electrical resistance and Young's model of composite have different critical filler volume fraction to fall or increase. The compressing deformation is the main reason of the piezoresistivity of composite, but the piezoresistivity is more obvious when particles have larger size or polymer matrix has smaller Young's Model. A research was done to explain the piezoresistivity through comparing CCB/SR with CCB/high density polythene (HDP). The other interesting find is that the electrical resistance of composite decreases with time under an invariant load, showing “electrical resistance creep” behavior, which is due to the composite's compressing strain creep under uniaxial pressure. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
Long-term effects of high intensity flashes on the ERG of the rabbit.

Knave, B. Long-term effects of high intensity flashes on the ERG of the rabbit. Acta physiol. scand. 1970. 78. 478–490. A method was developed allowing long-term studies on retinal function in the unanesthetized rabbit. High intensity flashes were found to cause long-lasting reversible excitability changes in the retina. Even a single flash with an intensity of about 7 log units above the electro-retinographic b-wave threshold of the dark adapted eye resulted in a depression of the b-wave which lasted for about a week. Flashes with still higher intensities resulted in an initial increase followed by a long-term decrease lasting one or two weeks. In additional experiments corresponding reversible changes in the b-wave threshold were found. The effects described are not due to influences on a shielding pigment or to a central efferent mechanism since the flash effects were also obtained on albino rabbits and after intracranial section of the optic nerve.
Management of Bureaucrats and Public Service Delivery: Evidence from the Nigerian Civil Service

We study how the management practices bureaucrats operate under correlate to the quantity of public services delivered, using data from the Nigerian Civil Service. We have hand-coded independent engineering assessments of 4700 project completion rates. We supplement this with a management survey in the bureaucracies responsible for these projects, building on Bloom and Van Reenen [2007]. Management practices matter: increasing bureaucrats' autonomy is positively associated with completion rates, yet practices related to incentives/monitoring of bureaucrats are negatively associated with completion rates. Our evidence provides new insights on the importance of management in public bureaucracies in a developing country setting.