Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parcellation of the Healthy Neonatal Brain into 107 Regions Using Atlas Propagation through Intermediate Time Points in Childhood

Neuroimage analysis pipelines rely on parcellated atlases generated from healthy individuals to provide anatomic context to structural and diffusion MRI data. Atlases constructed using adult data introduce bias into studies of early brain development. We aimed to create a neonatal brain atlas of healthy subjects that can be applied to multi-modal MRI data. Structural and diffusion 3T MRI scans were acquired soon after birth from 33 typically developing neonates born at term (mean postmenstrual age at birth 39+5 weeks, range 37+2–41+6). An adult brain atlas (SRI24/TZO) was propagated to the neonatal data using temporal registration via childhood templates with dense temporal samples (NIH Pediatric Database), with the final atlas (Edinburgh Neonatal Atlas, ENA33) constructed using the Symmetric Group Normalization (SyGN) method. After this step, the computed final transformations were applied to T2-weighted data, and fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and tissue segmentations to provide a multi-modal atlas with 107 anatomical regions; a symmetric version was also created to facilitate studies of laterality. Volumes of each region of interest were measured to provide reference data from normal subjects. Because this atlas is generated from step-wise propagation of adult labels through intermediate time points in childhood, it may serve as a useful starting point for modeling brain growth during development.
The European and American university since 1800: Historical and sociological essays

Notes on the contributors Introduction: universities and 'higher education' Sheldon Rothblatt and Bjorn Wittrock Part I. Fact and Ideals in Liberal Education: 1. The limbs of Osiris: liberal education in the English-speaking world Sheldon Rothblatt 2. In search of Isis: general education in Germany and Sweden Sven-Eric Liedman Part II. The State, the University, and the Professions: 3. The transformation of professional education in the nineteenth century Rolf Torstendahl 4. From practise to school-based professional education: patterns of conflict and accommodation in England, France and the United States Michael Burrage Part III. The Ambiguities of University Research in Sweden and the United States: 5. Universities, research, and the transformation of the state in Sweden Aant Elzinga 6. Research, graduate education, and the ecology of American universities: an interpretative history Roger Geiger Part IV. Complexity: 7. The problem of complexity in modern higher education Burton R. Clark 8. Comparative perspectives on British and American higher education Martin Trow Part V. The Ironies of University History: 9. The modern university: the three transformations Bjorn Wittrock Index.
Malonaldehyde formation and DNA fragmentation: two independent sperm decays linked to reactive oxygen species

Summary Malondialdehyde (MDA), a product involved in membrane lipid peroxidation, was dosed in the sperm of 163 patients who had consulted the clinic regarding hypofertility. We attempted to determine if there was correlation between MDA content, sperm World Health Organization parameters and DNA fragmentation that results mainly from reactive oxygen species assaults. We found that no correlation could be established; however MDA and sperm decondensation were shown to be significantly linked. The impact of membrane polyunsaturated fatty acids and the role of phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase are discussed.
Tactile “Change Blindness” in the Detection of Vibration Intensity

A variety of data rich complex domains stand to benefit from the introduction of tactile displays that offload the visual and auditory information channels. Yet, a better understanding of factors that affect tactile information processing is needed to ensure the robustness of these interfaces. Recent research has shown, for example, that the sense of touch can be affected by phenomena that are analogous to visual change blindness, which describes the surprising difficulty in detecting changes to a visual scene when these changes coincide with masking stimuli or blank inter-stimulus intervals. To date, tactile change blindness has been demonstrated only for changes in the number of body locations where vibrations were presented. The present study examined whether change blindness is observed also in the context of detecting changes in vibration intensity and whether the introduction of a secondary task during vibrotactile presentations exacerbates these effects. The findings show that a 300-ms vibrotactile masking stimulus and a 600-ms “mudsplash” sequence of stimuli significantly degrade performance in detecting coincident intensity changes, as do intensity changes that occur gradually instead of abruptly. Change detection was significantly worse in dual-task (vs. isolation) conditions for only the “mudsplash” presentations. Implications of these effects for the design of tactile displays that encode information in vibration intensity are discussed.
Evidence For Early Aging in the Mucosal Immune System1

Despite recent advances in the cellular and molecular analysis of induction and regulation of mucosal immune responses, little is yet known about differences which occur in aging. To address this important issue, we have compared the mucosal and systemic immune responses of aged (12- to 14-mo- or 2-year-old) and young adult (6- to 8-wk-old) C57BL/6 mice. Both aged and young mice were immunized weekly with three oral doses of 1 mg of OVA and 10 μg of cholera toxin (CT) as mucosal adjuvant. Both groups of mice over 1 or 2 years of age showed reduced levels of Ag-specific mucosal or systemic immune responses at day 21. An Ag-specific B cell enzyme-linked immunospot assay confirmed these results at the cellular level. When the Ag-induced cytokine responses were examined at both protein and mRNA levels, CD4+ T cells from spleen and Peyer’s patches of young adult mice revealed elevated levels of IL-4 production; however, these cytokine responses were significantly diminished in aged mice. In contrast to mucosal immunization, mice s.c. immunized with OVA plus CT resulted in impaired OVA-specific but intact CT B subunit-specific immune responses in 12- to 14-mo-old mice although the responses to both Ags were depressed in 2-year-old mice. These results provide the first evidence that the development of age-associated alterations possibly occurs earlier in the mucosal immune system than in the systemic immune compartment.
GaN-based SAW structures resonating within the 5.4–8.5 GHz frequency range, for high sensitivity temperature sensors

The paper presents the manufacturing of GaN based single SAW resonator temperature sensing structures, having IDTs with fingers/interdigit spacing width within 200-120 nm range. “On wafer” hot plate resonance frequency vs. temperature measurements were performed in the 20-150°C temperature range. Further measurements have been performed in the -268-+150°C temperature range, using a cryostat setup. The sensitivities obtained demonstrate the advantage of GaN SAW resonators as temperature sensors.
A Rationale for Evaluation of Item Discrimination Statistics

EVALUATION specialists are accustomed to using complicated statistical measures of difficulty and discriminating power in assessing the worth of individual items in a test. In helping subject-matter specialists build achievement tests, however, they have learned to use simplified item statistics for several reasons: to reduce the computational chore, because the small numbers of cases often involved will not justify elaborate techniques, and to make the measures more comprehensible to the uninitiated. It is the thesis of this paper that one type of simplified technique lends itself to a rationale that should commend
Effects of Land-Use Conversion from Double Rice Cropping to Vegetables on Methane and Nitrous Oxide Fluxes in Southern China

Compared with CO2, methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) are potent greenhouse gases in terms of their global warming potentials. Previous studies have indicated that land-use conversion has a significant impact on greenhouse gas emissions. However, little is known regarding the impact of converting rice (Oryza sativa L.) to vegetable fields, an increasing trend in land-use change in southern China, on CH4 and N2O fluxes. The effects of converting double rice cropping to vegetables on CH4 and N2O fluxes were examined using a static chamber method in southern China from July 2012 to July 2013. The results indicate that CH4 fluxes could reach 31.6 mg C m−2 h−1 under rice before land conversion. The cumulative CH4 emissions for fertilized and unfertilized rice were 348.9 and 321.0 kg C ha−1 yr−1, respectively. After the land conversion, the cumulative CH4 emissions were −0.4 and 1.4 kg C ha−1 yr−1 for the fertilized and unfertilized vegetable fields, respectively. Similarly, the cumulative N2O fluxes under rice were 1.27 and 0.56 kg N ha−1 yr−1 for the fertilized and unfertilized treatments before the land conversion and 19.2 and 8.5 kg N ha−1 yr−1, respectively, after the land conversion. By combining the global warming potentials (GWPs) of both gases, the overall land-use conversion effect was minor (P = 0.36) with fertilization, but the conversion reduced GWP by 63% when rice and vegetables were not fertilized. Increase in CH4 emissions increased GWP under rice compared with vegetables with non-fertilization, but increased N2O emissions compensated for similar GWPs with fertilization under rice and vegetables.
Evaluation of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale in a Sample of College Students

This study examines the psychometric qualities of the Spiritual Well-Being Scale (SWBS) with a religiously heterogeneous sample of college students. Specific questions addressed were possible ceiling effects in the SWBS and the SWBS's factor structure. Factor analysis supported the two-dimensional structure of the SWBS. Item groupings corresponded to Religious Well-Being (RWB) and Existential Well-Being (EWB) as conceptualized by the developers of the instrument. Differential patterns of correlations also suggest that RWB and EWB are two distinct constructs. The findings also yielded significant ceiling effects for the SWBS, especially among Christian respondents.
Listening to our Students: Understanding the factors that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' academic success

While the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in higher education in Australia has doubled in recent years, the gap between their attainment and the attainment of other Australians has remained consistent. It is essential to elucidate the factors that promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students' academic success, not in order to justify the exclusion of these students from tertiary education, but to refine and develop curriculum and management strategies which promote their academic success. This study focuses on Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander students' experiences in a diploma program offered in block mode, in order to better understand the ‘on-’ and ‘off-’ campus experiences which are related to academic success and the factors which challenge or enhance students' study. The research yields important findings related to students' motivations to enrol and their definitions of academic success; the challenges they experience in making the transition to tertiary study; the vulnerability of our students' determination to succeed; the effects of being in a program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students; and the ways in which minor challenges, if unresolved, can accumulate to interfere with students' study.
The ingestible telemetric body core temperature sensor: a review of validity and exercise applications

An ingestible telemetric temperature sensor for measuring body core temperature (Tc) was first described 45 years ago, although the method has only recently gained widespread use for exercise applications. This review aims to (1) use Bland and Altman’s limits of agreement (LoA) method as a basis for quantitatively reviewing the agreement between intestinal sensor temperature (Tintestinal), oesophageal temperature (Toesophageal) and rectal temperature (Trectal) across numerous previously published validation studies; (2) review factors that may affect agreement; and (3) review the application of this technology in field-based exercise studies. The agreement between Tintestinal and Toesophageal is suggested to meet our delimitation for an acceptable level of agreement (ie, systematic bias <0.1°C and 95% LoA within ±0.4°C). The agreement between Tintestinal and Trectal shows a significant systematic bias >0.1°C, although the 95% LoA is acceptable. Tintestinal responds less rapidly than Toesophageal at the start or cessation of exercise or to a change in exercise intensity, but more rapidly than Trectal. When using this technology, care should be taken to ensure adequate control over sensor calibration and data correction, timing of ingestion and electromagnetic interference. The ingestible sensor has been applied successfully in numerous sport and occupational applications such as the continuous measurement of Tc in deep sea saturation divers, distance runners and soldiers undertaking sustained military training exercises. It is concluded that the ingestible telemetric temperature sensor represents a valid index of Tc and shows excellent utility for ambulatory field-based applications.
Development of a computational biomechanical model of the human upper‐airway soft‐tissues toward simulating obstructive sleep apnea

Numerous challenges are faced in investigations aimed at developing a better understanding of the pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The anatomy of the tongue and other upper‐airway tissues, and the ability to model their behavior, are central to such investigations. We present details of the construction and development of a soft‐tissue model of the human upper airway, with the ultimate goal of simulating obstructive sleep apnea. The steps taken to produce a representative anatomical geometry, of which the associated muscle histology is also captured, are documented. An overview of the mathematical models used to describe tissue behavior, both at a macro‐ and microscopic level, is given. A neurological model, which mimics the proprioceptive capabilities of the body, is described as it is applies to control of the active dynamics of the tongue. A simplified scenario, which allows for the manipulation of several environmental influences, is presented. It is demonstrated that the response of the genioglossus is qualitatively similar to that determined through experimental techniques. Furthermore, insights into the stress distribution developed within the tongue are discussed. It is shown that changes in almost any aspect of the breathing or physiological conditions invoke a significant change in the response of the airway dilators. The results of this study provide further evidence of the importance of modeling and simulation techniques as an aid in understanding the complex behavior of the human body. Clin. Anat. 27:182–200, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Molecular Genetic Analysis of the Human Lewis Histo-blood Group System

The Lewis histo-blood group system comprises two major antigens, Lewis a and Lewis b. The Lewis b antigen is a product of two fucosyltransferases, the α(1,3/1,4)fucosyltransferase (Lewis enzyme; Fuc-TIII) encoded by the Lewis gene and an α(1,2)fucosyltransferase which is not required for synthesis of Lewis a antigen. An enzyme responsible for secreting ABH antigens into body secretions (secretor enzyme) is also one of α(1,2)fucosyltransferases. A candidate gene encoding secretor enzyme Sec2 gene was recently cloned by Rouquier, S. , Lowe, J. B. , Kelly, R. J., Fertitta, A. L. , Lennon, G. G. , and Giorgi, D. ((1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 4632-4639) and Kelly, R. J., Rouquier, S. , Giorgi, D. , Lennon, G. G. , and Lowe, J. B. ((1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 4640-4649) who demonstrated a G428A nonsense mutation (Trp to terminal codon) in Sec2 of nonsecretors. However, the G428A nonsense mutation discovered in the Sec2 gene of nonsecretors in an ethnic group other than Japanese was not found in any of 45 Japanese nonsecretors, whereas one Filipino who had been erroneously registered as a Japanese possessed the G428A mutation heterozygously. In order to explore the Sec2 gene of a Japanese population, we performed a molecular genetic analysis of the Sec2 gene on 226 Japanese individuals, 21 in a family study and 205 in a random sampling study. We discovered two novel mutations in the Sec2 gene, an A385T missense mutation (Ile to Phe) that results in inactivation of Sec2-encoded α(1,2)fucosyltransferase and a C357T silent mutation which is irrelevant to amino acid substitution, in Japanese nonsecretors. The analysis of Japanese individuals using the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method found three alleles in the Sec2 gene, the first having no mutation, the second having a C357T mutation, and the third having both C357T and A385T mutations, which we designated as Se1, Se2, and sej, respectively. Among 226 Japanese individuals, 40 having a Le(a+b-) phenotype and 5 having a Le(a-b-) nonsecretor phenotype were homozygous for sej/sej, whereas 149 having a Le(a-b+) phenotype and 32 having a Le(a-b-)-secretor phenotype possessed at least one Se1 or Se2. The frequencies of occurrence of Se1, Se2, and sej among 410 alleles examined in a random sample of 205 Japanese individuals were 15, 46, and 39%, respectively, indicating a rather wide distribution of the sej allele in the Japanese population. The results show that the Sec2 gene really encodes the secretor enzyme α(1,2)fucosyltransferase and indicate that a ethnic group-specific nonsense or missense point mutation in the Sec2 gene determines nonsecretor status. The phylogenic aspect and biological significance of the Se and Le genes are discussed.
Design and Rationale of Gulf locals with Acute Coronary Syndrome Events (Gulf Coast) Registry

Objectives: To describe the risk profile, management and one-year outcomes of patients hospitalized with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the Gulf region of the Middle East. Subjects and Methods: The Gulf locals with acute coronary syndrome events (Gulf COAST) registry is a prospective, multinational, longitudinal, observational, cohort-based registry of consecutive citizens, from the Gulf region of the Middle East, admitted from January 2012 to January 2013 to 29 hospitals with a diagnosis of ACS. Data entered online included patient demographics, cardiovascular risk profiles, past medical history, physical findings on admission, in-hospital diagnostic tests and therapeutic management, as well as one year outcomes. Results: 3188 patients were recruited. The mean age was 60.4 ± 12.6years (range: 22-112), 2104 (66%) were males and 1084 (34%) females. The discharge diagnosis was ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) in 741 (23.2%), new-onset left bundle branch block myocardial infarction (LBBBMI) in 30 (0.9%), non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) in 1486 (46.6%) and unstable angina in 931 (29.2%). At hospital presentation, 2105 (66%), 1779 (55.8%), 1703 (53.4%) and 740 (23.2%) had history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus and active smoking, respectively. Conclusion: Patients with ACS in our region are young with very high risk profile. The Gulf COAST registry is an example of successful regional collaboration and will provide information on contemporary management of ACS in the region.
Executive dysfunction in a survival environment

Victims often respond to survival incidents with maladaptive behaviours that suggest impairment in executive function. To examine this hypothesis the authors tested sub-components of executive function during an intensive military survival exercise. Compared to a control group the survival course participants showed significant impairment in the incongruent condition of the Stroop task; the mean repetition gap and adjacent letter pair components of the random letter generation task; and the planning and action components of the Tower of London task. No impairment was found in dual-task performance nor in verbal fluency. The pattern of the data suggests that the maladaptive behaviour frequently observed in survival incidents may be explained by dysfunction in the supervisory systemcontention scheduler interface.
Interpersonal Stress Regulation and the Development of Anxiety Disorders: An Attachment-Based Developmental Framework

Anxiety disorders represent a common but often debilitating form of psychopathology in both children and adults. While there is a growing understanding of the etiology and maintenance of these disorders across various research domains, only recently have integrative accounts been proposed. While classical attachment history has been a traditional core construct in psychological models of anxiety, contemporary attachment theory has the potential to integrate neurobiological and behavioral findings within a multidisciplinary developmental framework. The current paper proposes a modern attachment theory-based developmental model grounded in relevant literature from multiple disciplines including social neuroscience, genetics, neuroendocrinology, and the study of family factors involved in the development of anxiety disorders. Recent accounts of stress regulation have highlighted the interplay between stress, anxiety, and activation of the attachment system. This interplay directly affects the development of social–cognitive and mentalizing capacities that are acquired in the interpersonal context of early attachment relationships. Early attachment experiences are conceptualized as the key organizer of a complex interplay between genetic, environmental, and epigenetic contributions to the development of anxiety disorders – a multifactorial etiology resulting from dysfunctional co-regulation of fear and stress states. These risk-conferring processes are characterized by hyperactivation strategies in the face of anxiety. The cumulative allostatic load and subsequent “wear and tear” effects associated with hyperactivation strategies converge on the neural pathways of anxiety and stress. Attachment experiences further influence the development of anxiety as potential moderators of risk factors, differentially impacting on genetic vulnerability and relevant neurobiological pathways. Implications for further research and potential treatments are outlined.
Attitudes of Male Prisoners Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help

Abstract Several variables have been associated with the tendency to seek psychological help. For example, attitudes, psychological distress, and treatment fearfulness have all been associated with mental health professionals and whether individuals seek help from counsellors. The aims of this study were: (1) to examine whether individuals seek help from mental health professionals, and (2) to assess the validity and utility of a short form of the Attitudes Toward Seeking Professional Psychological Help Scale (ATSPPHS) for assessing prison inmates' helpseeking attitudes. In addition, the relative impact of components of treatment fearfulness and psychological distress on helpseeking attitudes was assessed. Results were consistent with previous research, and indicated that male inmates (N= 173) have similar scores on the ATSPPHS to other male samples. Stigma-related treatment fears and psychological distress were significant unique predictors of attitudes toward professional psychological helpseeking. Factor analysis revealed a single general factor for the ATSPPHS. The potential utility of the brief version of the ATSPPHS was also supported. Suggestions are made for further research with this population and with the two versions of the helpseeking attitude measure.