Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Separating Components of Attention and Surprise

Cognitive processes involved in both allocation of attention during decision making as well as surprise when making mistakes trigger release of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine, which has been shown to be correlated with an increase in pupil dilation, in turn reflecting raised levels of arousal. Extending earlier experiments based on the Attention Network Test (ANT), separating the neural components of alertness and spatial re-orientation from the attention involved in more demanding conflict resolution tasks, we demonstrate that these signatures of attention are so robust that they may be retrieved even when applying low cost eye tracking in an everyday mobile computing context. Furthermore we find that the reaction of surprise elicited when committing mistakes in a decision task, which in the neuroimaging EEG literature have been referred to as a negativity feedback error correction signal, may likewise be retrieved solely based on an increase in pupil dilation.
Utilization of Replication-Competent XMRV Reporter-Viruses Reveals Severe Viral Restriction in Primary Human Cells

The gammaretrovirus termed xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was described to be isolated from prostate cancer tissue biopsies and from blood of patients suffering from chronic fatigue syndrome. However, many studies failed to detect XMRV and to verify these disease associations. Data suggesting the contamination of specimens in particular by PCR-based methods and recent reports demonstrating XMRV generation via recombination of two murine leukemia virus precursors raised serious doubts about XMRV being a genuine human pathogen. To elucidate cell tropism of XMRV, we generated replication competent XMRV reporter viruses encoding a green fluorescent protein or a secretable luciferase as tools to analyze virus infection of human cell lines or primary human cells. Transfection of proviral DNAs into LNCaP prostate cancer cells resulted in readily detectably reporter gene expression and production of progeny virus. Inoculation of known XMRV susceptible target cells revealed that these virions were infectious and expressed the reporter gene, allowing for a fast and highly sensitive quantification of XMRV infection. Both reporter viruses were capable of establishing a spreading infection in LNCaP and Raji B cells and could be easily passaged. However, after inoculation of primary human blood cells such as CD4 T cells, macrophages or dendritic cells, infection rates were very low, and a spreading infection was never established. In line with these results we found that supernatants derived from these XMRV infected primary cell types did not contain infectious virus. Thus, although XMRV efficiently replicated in some human cell lines, all tested primary cells were largely refractory to XMRV infection and did not support viral spread. Our results provide further evidence that XMRV is not a human pathogen.
Disclosure and perceptions of social support in male victims of child sexual abuse

Disclosure and Perceptions of Social Support in Male Victims of Child Sexual Abuse Abigail Leslie Child sexual abuse of males is a serious issue that is largely hidden in the United States because many victims never disclose the abuse. The literature review highlights the prevalence and severity of child sexual abuse of males and the negative effects nondisclosure has on the psychological well-being of the victim. The need to study factors affecting whether or not a male victim discloses is stressed, and social support is proposed to be an influencing factor. This study explored the impact of social support on disclosure status for male victims of child sexual abuse in parts of West Virginia and Ohio. It was predicted that higher levels of perceived social support would be positively related to disclosure and be negatively related to non-disclosure. Unfortunately, a small sample size was obtained due to time and geographical constraints, which prevented the intended data analyses of logistical regression to be completed. No statistically significant data regarding the relationship of perceived social support to disclosure was obtained from the analyses that were performed. Despite the shortcomings of the research, this research demonstrated that, by using Child Advocacy Centers, it is possible to conduct research solely on male victims of CSA at or around the time they were victimized, while being able to control for participant safety and control, anonymity, and the recollection of information about the abuse and disclosure status. The information gathered warrants further investigation of the relationship of perceived social support to disclosure status as the males in the study that disclosed abuse perceived higher amounts of social support in all categories than males who did not disclose. The information gathered also warrants further investigation of the relationship between socioeconomic status and disclosure status. Future research should attempt to recruit participants from several different CACs in several different regions of the country and plan to collect data for a longer time period.
HtaA Is an Iron-Regulated Hemin Binding Protein Involved in the Utilization of Heme Iron in Corynebacterium diphtheriae

ABSTRACT Many human pathogens, including Corynebacterium diphtheriae, the causative agent of diphtheria, use host compounds such as heme and hemoglobin as essential iron sources. In this study, we examined the Corynebacterium hmu hemin transport region, a genetic cluster that contains the hmuTUV genes encoding a previously described ABC-type hemin transporter and three additional genes, which we have designated htaA, htaB, and htaC. The hmu gene cluster is composed of three distinct transcriptional units. The htaA gene appears to be part of an iron- and DtxR-regulated operon that includes hmuTUV, while htaB and htaC are transcribed from unique DtxR-regulated promoters. Nonpolar deletion of either htaA or the hmuTUV genes resulted in a reduced ability to use hemin as an iron source, while deletion of htaB had no effect on hemin iron utilization in C. diphtheriae. A comparison of the predicted amino acid sequences of HtaA and HtaB showed that they share some sequence similarity, and both proteins contain leader sequences and putative C-terminal transmembrane regions. Protein localization studies with C. diphtheriae showed that HtaA is associated predominantly with the cell envelope when the organism is grown in minimal medium but is secreted during growth in nutrient-rich broth. HtaB and HmuT were detected primarily in the cytoplasmic membrane fraction regardless of the growth medium. Hemin binding studies demonstrated that HtaA and HtaB are able to bind hemin, suggesting that these proteins may function as cell surface hemin receptors in C. diphtheriae.
Exercise for chronic musculoskeletal pain: A biopsychosocial approach.

Chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) refers to ongoing pain felt in the bones, joints and tissues of the body that persists longer than 3 months. For these conditions, it is widely accepted that secondary pathologies or the consequences of persistent pain, including fear of movement, pain catastrophizing, anxiety and nervous system sensitization appear to be the main contributors to pain and disability. While exercise is a primary treatment modality for CMP, the intent is often to improve physical function with less attention to secondary pathologies. Exercise interventions for CMP which address secondary pathologies align with contemporary pain rehabilitation practices and have greater potential to improve patient outcomes above exercise alone. Biopsychosocial treatment which acknowledges and addresses the biological, psychological and social contributions to pain and disability is currently seen as the most efficacious approach to chronic pain. This clinical update discusses key aspects of a biopsychosocial approach concerning exercise prescription for CMP and considers both patient needs and clinician competencies. There is consensus for individualized, supervised exercise based on patient presentation, goals and preference that is perceived as safe and non-threatening to avoid fostering unhelpful associations between physical activity and pain. The weight of evidence supporting exercise for CMP has been provided by aerobic and resistance exercise studies, although there is considerable uncertainty on how to best apply the findings to exercise prescription. In this clinical update, we also provide evidence-based guidance on exercise prescription for CMP through a synthesis of published work within the field of exercise and CMP rehabilitation.
Generalized procedure calling and content-directed invocation

We suggest that the concept of a strategy can profitably be viewed as knowledge about how to select from among a set of plausibly useful knowledge sources, and explore the framework for knowledge organization which this implies. We describe meta rules, a means of encoding strategies that has been implemented in a program called TEIRESIAS, and explore their utility and contribution to problem solving performance. Meta rules are also considered in the broader context of a tool for programming. We show that they can be considered a medium for expressing the criteria for retrieval of knowledge sources in a program, and hence can be used to define control regimes. The utility of this as a programming mechanism is considered. Finally, we describe the technique of content-directed invocation used by meta rules, and consider its use as a way of implementing strategies. It is also considered in historical perspective as a knowledge source invocation technique, and its advantage over some existing mechanisms like goal-directed invocation is considered. This work was supported in part by the Bureau of Health Sciences Research and Evaluation of HEW under Grant HS-01544 and by the Advanced Research Projects Agency under ARPA Order 2494. It was carried out on the SUMEX Computer System, supported by the NIH under Grant RR-00785. The views expressed are solely those of the author.
The economic and potential years of life lost from suicide in Taiwan, 1997-2007.

BACKGROUND Taiwan has experienced a marked increase in the suicide rate in the last decade. However, the socioeconomic burden and impact to the community has not been adequately assessed. AIMS This study aimed to estimate the social and economic burden of premature mortality from suicide in Taiwan in 1997-2007. METHODS The suicide rate, potential years of life lost (PYLL), and present value of lifetime earnings (PVLE) by sex and age groups in 1997-2007 were calculated. The contribution of each suicide method to PYLL for each age group was also assessed. RESULTS Using the PYLL calculations, suicide had become the third leading cause of death in Taiwan in 2007, compared to its ninth position in terms of absolute numbers. Furthermore, the PYLL was associated with an estimated NTD (New Taiwan Dollars) 32.5 billion of lost earnings in 2007. The increase in PYLL and PVLE from suicide was highest in middle-aged men (aged 25-59 years). Charcoal burning suicide accounted for most of the increase in PYLL in the middle-aged group in the past decade. CONCLUSIONS The loss of life in middle-aged males contributes disproportionately to the social and economic burden of suicide in Taiwan. Suicide intervention effort should target this high-risk population.
Deletion of the MAD2L1 spindle assembly checkpoint gene is tolerated in mouse models of acute T-cell lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma

Chromosome instability (CIN) is deleterious to normal cells because of the burden of aneuploidy. However, most human solid tumors have an abnormal karyotype implying that gain and loss of chromosomes by cancer cells confers a selective advantage. CIN can be induced in the mouse by inactivating the spindle assembly checkpoint. This is lethal in the germline but we show here that adult T cells and hepatocytes can survive conditional inactivation of the Mad2l1 SAC gene and resulting CIN. This causes rapid onset of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and progressive development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), both lethal diseases. The resulting DNA copy number variation and patterns of chromosome loss and gain are tumor-type specific, suggesting differential selective pressures on the two tumor cell types. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.7554/eLife.20873. 001
Efficacy of the anti–IL-6 receptor antibody tocilizumab in neuromyelitis optica

Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a humanized anti–interleukin-6 receptor antibody, tocilizumab (TCZ), in patients with neuromyelitis optica (NMO). Methods: Seven patients with anti–aquaporin-4 antibody (AQP4-Ab)-positive NMO or NMO spectrum disorders were recruited on the basis of their limited responsiveness to their current treatment. They were given a monthly injection of TCZ (8 mg/kg) with their current therapy for a year. We evaluated the annualized relapse rate, the Expanded Disability Status Scale score, and numerical rating scales for neurogenic pain and fatigue. Serum levels of anti-AQP4-Ab were measured with AQP4-transfected cells. Results: Six females and one male with NMO were enrolled. After a year of TCZ treatment, the annualized relapse rate decreased from 2.9 ± 1.1 to 0.4 ± 0.8 (p < 0.005). The Expanded Disability Status Scale score, neuropathic pain, and general fatigue also declined significantly. The ameliorating effects on intractable pain exceeded expectations. Conclusion: Interleukin-6 receptor blockade is a promising therapeutic option for NMO. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class IV evidence that in patients with NMO, TCZ reduces relapse rate, neuropathic pain, and fatigue.
Topology Estimation in Bulk Power Grids: Guarantees on Exact Recovery

The topology of a power grid affects its dynamic operation and settlement in the electricity market. Real-time topology identification can enable faster control action following an emergency scenario like failure of a line. This article discusses a graphical model framework for topology estimation in bulk power grids (both loopy transmission and radial distribution) using measurements of voltage collected from the grid nodes. The graphical model for the probability distribution of nodal voltages in linear power flow models is shown to include additional edges along with the operational edges in the true grid. Our proposed estimation algorithms first learn the graphical model and subsequently extract the operational edges using either thresholding or a neighborhood counting scheme. For grid topologies containing no three-node cycles (two buses do not share a common neighbor), we prove that an exact extraction of the operational topology is theoretically guaranteed. This includes a majority of distribution grids that have radial topologies. For grids that include cycles of length three, we provide sufficient conditions that ensure existence of algorithms for exact reconstruction. In particular, for grids with constant impedance per unit length and uniform injection covariances, this observation leads to conditions on geographical placement of the buses. The performance of algorithms is demonstrated in test case simulations.
THE IMPACT OF MATERNAL AGE AND PARITY ON THE CESAREAN SECTION RATE

Objective: To study the impact of maternal age and parity on cesarean section rate. Methods: Fifteen thousand three hundred and forty two women delivered at Prince Hashim Hospital between the 1 of January 1998 and 31 of December 2001. One thousand four hundred thirty four cesarean sections were performed in the same period. Patients underwent cesarean section were divided into three age groups: <25 yr. (n=280), 25-35 (n=462), and >35 yr. (n=692), and into five parity groups (P0 (n= 170), P1 (n=136), P2 (n=166), P3 (n=212), and >P3 (n=750). Information abstracted included maternal characteristics and indications for cesarean section. Statistical analysis was performed using Pearson Chi-Square test to evaluate the association between age parity, and cesarean section. Results: Out of the 15342 deliveries conducted during the study period, 1434 cesarean sections were performed, with incidence of 9.3%. The cesarean section rate in the three age groups was 5.2%, 6.9%, and 20.9%, respectively. The rate in the various parity groups was 8.5%, 7.1%, 7.4%, 6.3% and 12.9%, respectively. According to the indications, a statistically significant increase in cesarean section rates with increasing maternal age and parity (p<0.05 and p<0.02, respectively) was observed. Conclusion: Maternal age and parity are two factors that affect significantly the cesarean section rate.
Robust sensor fusion for finding HRI partners in a crowd

We present a simple probabilistic framework for multimodal sensor fusion that allows a mobile robot to reliably locate and approach the most promising interaction partner among a group of people, in an uncontrolled environment. Our demonstration integrates three complementary sensor modalities, each of which detects features of nearby people. The output is an occupancy grid approximation of a probability density function over the locations of people that are actively seeking interaction with the robot. We show empirically that simply driving towards the peak of this distribution is sufficient to allow the robot to correctly engage an interested user in a crowd of bystanders.
Intravesicular Calcium Release Mediates the Motion and Exocytosis of Secretory Organelles

Secretory vesicles of sympathetic neurons and chromaffin granules maintain a pH gradient toward the cytosol (pH 5.5 versus 7.2) promoted by the V-ATPase activity. This gradient of pH is also responsible for the accumulation of amines and Ca2+ because their transporters use H+ as the counter ion. We have recently shown that alkalinization of secretory vesicles slowed down exocytosis, whereas acidification caused the opposite effect. In this paper, we measure the alkalinization of vesicular pH, caused by the V-ATPase inhibitor bafilomycin A1, by total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy in cells overexpressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein-labeled synaptobrevin (VAMP2-EGFP) protein. The disruption of the vesicular gradient of pH caused the leak of Ca2+, measured with fura-2. Fluorimetric measurements, using the dye Oregon green BAPTA-2, showed that bafilomycin directly released Ca2+ from freshly isolated vesicles. The Ca2+ released from vesicles to the cytosol dramatically increased the granule motion of chromaffin- or PC12-derived granules and triggered exocytosis (measured by amperometry). We conclude that the gradient of pH of secretory vesicles might be involved in the homeostatic regulation of cytosolic Ca2+ and in two of the major functions of secretory cells, vesicle motion and exocytosis.
Using 100- instead of 120-kVp computed tomography to diagnose pulmonary embolism almost halves the radiation dose with preserved diagnostic quality

Background: Concern has been raised regarding the mounting collective radiation doses from computed tomography (CT), increasing the risk of radiation-induced cancers in exposed populations. Purpose: To compare radiation dose and image quality in a chest phantom and in patients for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) at 100 and 120 peak kilovoltage (kVp) using 16-multichannel detector computed tomography (MDCT). Material and Methods: A 20-ml syringe containing 12 mg I/ml was scanned in a chest phantom at 100/120 kVp and 25 milliampere seconds (mAs). Consecutive patients underwent 100 kVp (n = 50) and 120 kVp (n = 50) 16-MDCT using a “quality reference” effective mAs of 100, 300 mg I/kg, and a 12-s injection duration. Attenuation (CT number), image noise (1 standard deviation), and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR; fresh clot = 70 HU) of the contrast medium syringe and pulmonary arteries were evaluated on 3-mm-thick slices. Subjective image quality was assessed. Computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and dose–length product (DLP) were presented by the CT software, and effective dose was estimated. Results: Mean values in the chest phantom and patients changed as follows when X-ray tube potential decreased from 120 to 100 kVp: attenuation +23% and +40%, noise +38% and +48%, CNR −6% and 0%, and CTDIvol −38% and −40%, respectively. Mean DLP and effective dose in the patients decreased by 42% and 45%, respectively. Subjective image quality was excellent or adequate in 49/48 patients at 100/120 kVp. No patient with a negative CT had any thromboembolism diagnosed during 3-month follow-up. Conclusion: By reducing X-ray tube potential from 120 to 100 kVp, while keeping all other scanning parameters unchanged, the radiation dose to the patient may be almost halved without deterioration of diagnostic quality, which may be of particular benefit in young individuals.
Education, experience and translator certification as signalling mechanisms : a case study of job advertisements in Hong Kong

Alors que la demande en services de traduction a augmente a cause de la mondialisation et de l’essor des technologiques de l’information et des communications, le caractere generalise de l’usage d’Internet a egalement accru l’incertitude en matiere d’embauche et, par consequent, les coUts de la recherche de traducteurs competents. Afin d’examiner les effets indicateurs de la scolarite, de l’experience et de l’agrement en traduction dans le processus de recrutement, Hong Kong a fait l'objet d'une etude de cas. Parmi les constats degages, mentionnons la fragmentation du marche de la traduction; le bas statut professionnel des traducteurs; le caractere generalise de la traduction dans une deuxieme langue; la surdependance des employeurs envers le niveau de scolarisation comme indicateur de recrutement; une ignorance relative des divers agrements du domaine de la traduction; et l'importance accordee a l'experience professionnelle et les connaissances en informatique. Meme si le corpus de l’etude ne reflete que le marche de la traduction a Hong Kong, il pourrait s’en degager des situations generales en matiere de recrutement de traducteurs dans d'autres pays et regions bilingues.
Arterial Stiffness Is Associated With Cytomegalovirus‐Specific Senescent CD8+ T Cells

Background Arterial stiffness is a well‐known predictor of future cardiovascular events. Search for the underlying mechanism of arterial stiffening is still under way. We investigated the relationship between arterial stiffness and cytomegalovirus infection in terms of T‐cell senescence. Methods and Results Arterial stiffness was evaluated using pulse wave velocity measurements in 415 Koreans (age 59±12 years). We also investigated the frequency of CD57+ or CD28null senescent T cells in peripheral blood lymphocytes and analyzed which immune parameters were correlated with pulse wave velocity. Furthermore, cytomegalovirus‐specific T cells were stimulated with overlapping peptides covering pp65 protein, and T‐cell function was evaluated by intracellular cytokine staining of interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor‐α, and CD107a. In a multivariate analysis, it was found that the frequency of CD57+ cells in the CD8+ T‐cell subset was independently correlated with pulse wave velocity after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as age, sex, diabetes mellitus history, smoking history, body mass index, blood pressure, serum creatinine, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein. Cytomegalovirus pp65‐specific T cells were more frequently observed in the CD8+ CD57+ population than in the CD8+ CD57− population, and multivariate analysis revealed that the frequency of cytomegalovirus pp65‐specific interferon‐γ+, tumor necrosis factor‐α+, or CD107a+ cells in the CD8+ T‐cell subset was independently correlated with pulse wave velocity as well. Conclusions We demonstrate that arterial stiffness is associated with senescent CD57+ T cells and CMV pp65‐specific T cells in the CD8+ T‐cell subset. The precise role of cytomegalovirus‐specific, senescent T cells in vascular aging needs to be further investigated.