Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural Activity within Area V1 Reflects Unconscious Visual Performance in a Case of Blindsight

Although lesions of the striate (V1) cortex disrupt conscious vision, patients can demonstrate surprising residual abilities within their affected visual field, a phenomenon termed blindsight. The relative contribution of spared islands of functioning striate cortex to residual vision, versus subcortical pathways to extrastriate areas, has implications for the role of early visual areas in visual awareness and performance. Here we describe the behavioral and neural features of residual cortical function in Patient M.C. , who sustained a posterior cerebral artery stroke at the age of 15 years. Within her impaired visual field, we found preserved visual abilities characteristic of blindsight, including superior detection of motion, and above-chance discrimination of shape, color, and motion direction. Functional magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a retinotopically organized representation of M.C. 's blind visual field within the lesioned occipital lobe, specifically within area V1. The incongruity of a well-organized cortex and M.C. 's markedly impaired vision was resolved by measurement of functional responses within her damaged occipital lobe. Attenuated neural contrast-response functions were found to correlate with M.C. 's impaired psychophysical performance. These results demonstrate that the behavioral features of blindsight may arise in the presence of residual striate responses that are spatially organized and sensitive to contrast variation.
TGF Afterglows: A New Radiation Mechanism From Thunderstorms

Thunderstorms are known to create terrestrial gamma ray flashes (TGFs) which are microsecond‐long bursts created by runaway of thermal electrons from propagating lightning leaders, as well as gamma ray glows that possibly are created by relativistic runaway electron avalanches (RREA) that can last for minutes or more and are sometimes terminated by a discharge. In this work we predict a new intermediate thunderstorm radiation mechanism, which we call TGF afterglow, as it is caused by the capture of photonuclear neutrons produced by a TGF. TGF afterglows are milliseconds to seconds long; this duration is caused by the thermalization time of the intermediate neutrons. TGF afterglows indicate that the primary TGF has produced photons in the energy range of 10–30 MeV; they are nondirectional in contrast to the primary TGF. Gurevich et al. might have reported TGF afterglows in 2011.
Enzymatic vitreolysis with ocriplasmin for vitreomacular traction and macular holes.

BACKGROUND Vitreomacular adhesion can lead to pathologic traction and macular hole. The standard treatment for severe, symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion is vitrectomy. Ocriplasmin is a recombinant protease with activity against fibronectin and laminin, components of the vitreoretinal interface. METHODS We conducted two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, phase 3 clinical trials to compare a single intravitreal injection of ocriplasmin (125 μg) with a placebo injection in patients with symptomatic vitreomacular adhesion. The primary end point was resolution of vitreomacular adhesion at day 28. Secondary end points were total posterior vitreous detachment and nonsurgical closure of a macular hole at 28 days, avoidance of vitrectomy, and change in best-corrected visual acuity. RESULTS Overall, 652 eyes were treated: 464 with ocriplasmin and 188 with placebo. Vitreomacular adhesion resolved in 26.5% of ocriplasmin-injected eyes and in 10.1% of placebo-injected eyes (P<0.001). Total posterior vitreous detachment was more prevalent among the eyes treated with ocriplasmin than among those injected with placebo (13.4% vs. 3.7%, P<0.001). Nonsurgical closure of macular holes was achieved in 40.6% of ocriplasmin-injected eyes, as compared with 10.6% of placebo-injected eyes (P<0.001). The best-corrected visual acuity was more likely to improve by a gain of at least three lines on the eye chart with ocriplasmin than with placebo. Ocular adverse events (e.g., vitreous floaters, photopsia, or injection-related eye pain--all self-reported--or conjunctival hemorrhage) occurred in 68.4% of ocriplasmin-injected eyes and in 53.5% of placebo-injected eyes (P<0.001), and the incidence of serious ocular adverse events was similar in the two groups (P=0.26). CONCLUSIONS Intravitreal injection of the vitreolytic agent ocriplasmin resolved vitreomacular traction and closed macular holes in significantly more patients than did injection of placebo and was associated with a higher incidence of ocular adverse events, which were mainly transient. (Funded by ThromboGenics; ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT00781859 and NCT00798317.).
An Algorithm for Situation Classification of Chinese Verbs

Temporal information analysis is very important for Chinese Information Process. Comparing with English, Chinese is quite different in temporal information expression. Based on the feature of Chinese a phase-based method is proposed to deal with Chinese temporal information. To this end, an algorithm is put forward to classify verbs into different situation types automatically. About 2981 verbs were tested. The result has shown that the algorithm is effective.
Optimal Crop Choice, Irrigation Allocation, and the Impact of Contract Farming

The changing climate and concerns over food security are prompting a new look at the supply chain reliability of products derived from agriculture, and the potential role of contract farming as a mechanism to address climate and price risk while contributing toward crop diversification and water use efficiency is also emerging. In this study, the decision problem of a farmer associated with allocating his land among different crops with varying water requirements is considered, given that a subset of the crops may be associated with a forward contract that is being offered by a buyer. The problem includes a decision to acquire a certain amount of irrigation water capacity prior to the season and to allocate this capacity as irrigation water to be applied during the season to each of the crops selected. Rainfall in the growing season and the market price of each crop at the end of the season are considered to be random variables. Two stochastic programming models are developed to consider facets of this problem and to understand how contracts that reduce market price uncertainty from the problem may change the farmer's decision. The structural properties of these models are discussed, and selected implications are illustrated through an application to data from the Ganganagar district in Rajasthan, India.
Effect of pioglitazone on circulating adipocytokine levels and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic patients.

We examined the effect of pioglitazone (PIO) on circulating adipocytokine levels to elucidate the mechanisms by which thiazolidinediones improve insulin resistance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Twenty-three subjects with T2DM (age 54 +/- 2 yr, body mass index 29 +/- 1 kg/m(2)) were randomly assigned to receive placebo (n = 11) or PIO, 45 mg/d (n = 12), for 4 months. Before and after treatment, subjects received a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT); euglycemic insulin clamp (40 mU/m(2). min) with 3-(3)H-glucose; determination of fat mass ((3)H(2)O); and measurement of fasting glucose, free fatty acids (FFAs), leptin, adiponectin, and TNFalpha concentrations. After 4 months of PIO, fasting plasma glucose concentration (Delta = -2.7 mol/liter), mean plasma glucose during OGTT (Delta = -3.8 mol/liter), and hemoglobin A(1c) (Delta = 1.7%) decreased (P < 0.05 vs. placebo) without change in fasting or post-OGTT plasma insulin levels. Fasting FFAs (Delta = 168 micromol/liter) and TNFalpha (Delta = 0.7 pg/ml) concentrations decreased (P < 0.05 vs. placebo), whereas adiponectin (Delta = 8.7 microg/ml) increased (P < 0.01 vs. placebo). Despite the increase in body fat mass (Delta = 3.4 kg) after PIO, plasma leptin concentration did not change significantly. No changes in plasma glucose, FFAs, or adipocytokine levels were observed in placebo-treated subjects. During the insulin clamp, endogenous (hepatic) glucose production decreased (Delta = -2.67 micromol/fat-free mass.min, P < 0.05 vs. placebo), whereas metabolic clearance rate of glucose (MCR) increased (Delta = 0.58 ml/fat-free mass.min, P < 0.05 vs. placebo) after PIO. In all subjects, before and after PIO, the decrease in plasma FFA concentration was correlated with the changes in both endogenous (hepatic) glucose production (r = 0.47, P < 0.05) and MCR (r = -0.41, P < 0.05), whereas the increase in plasma adiponectin concentration was correlated with the change in endogenous (hepatic) glucose production (r = -0.70, P < 0.01) and MCR (r = 0.49, P < 0.05). These results suggest that the direct effects of PIO on adipose tissue to decrease plasma FFA levels and increase plasma adiponectin contribute to the improvements in hepatic and peripheral insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance in patients with T2DM.
Performance of different microsatellite marker panels for detection of mismatch repair-deficient colorectal tumors.

BACKGROUND Colorectal tumors caused by failure of the DNA mismatch repair system commonly show microsatellite instability. Our goals were to compare the performance of two panels of markers (a panel previously recommended by the National Cancer Institute [NCI] and a pentaplex of mononucleotide repeats) and to devise the simplest diagnostic strategy for identification of patients with colorectal cancer characterized by defects in mismatch repair. METHODS We recruited 1058 patients who were newly diagnosed with colorectal cancer. DNA from fresh-frozen and paraffin-embedded tumors was tested for microsatellite instability, using the NCI-recommended panel of microsatellite markers and the pentaplex panel of mononucleotide repeats, respectively, as templates for polymerase chain reactions (PCRs). Microsatellite instability in fresh-frozen tumors was also assessed using the pentaplex panel of mononucleotides in a crossover analysis. The expression of mismatch repair proteins (MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, and PMS2) in the tumors was determined immunohistochemically. The sensitivity and specificity with which the marker panels identified tumors with deficiencies in the expression of mismatch repair proteins were calculated. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS The sensitivity and positive predictive value of the NCI panel were 76.5% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 61% to 92%) and 65.0% (95% CI = 49% to 81%), respectively; corresponding values for the mononucleotide pentaplex panel were 95.8% (95% CI = 89% to 103%) and 88.5% (95% CI = 79% to 98%), respectively. A panel consisting of the mononucleotide repeat markers BAT26 and NR24 alone had the same predictive value as the pentaplex panel of mononucleotide repeats. CONCLUSIONS The pentaplex panel of mononucleotide repeats performs better than the NCI panel for the detection of mismatch repair-deficient tumors. Simultaneous assessment of the instability of BAT26 and NR24 is as effective as use of the pentaplex panel for diagnosing mismatch repair deficiency.
An unexpected effect of TNF-α on F508del-CFTR maturation and function

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a multifactorial disease caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene ( CFTR), which encodes a cAMP-dependent Cl - channel. The most frequent mutation, F508del, leads to the synthesis of a prematurely degraded, otherwise partially functional protein. CFTR is expressed in many epithelia, with major consequences in the airways of patients with CF, characterized by both fluid transport abnormalities and persistent inflammatory responses. The relationship between the acute phase of inflammation and the expression of wild type (WT) CFTR or F508del-CFTR is poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate this effect. The results show that 10 min exposure to TNF-alpha (0.5-50ng/ml) of F508del-CFTR-transfected HeLa cells and human bronchial cells expressing F508del-CFTR in primary culture (HBE) leads to the maturation of F508del-CFTR and induces CFTR chloride currents. The enhanced CFTR expression and function upon TNFα is sustained, in HBE cells, for at least 24 h. The underlying mechanism of action involves a protein kinase C (PKC) signaling pathway, and occurs through insertion of vesicles containing F508del-CFTR to the plasma membrane, with TNFα behaving as a corrector molecule. In conclusion, a novel and unexpected action of TNFα has been discovered and points to the importance of systematic studies on the roles of inflammatory mediators in the maturation of abnormally folded proteins in general and in the context of CF in particular.
Isolation of 10 Differentially Expressed cDNAs in Differentiated Neuro2a Cells Induced Through Controlled Expression of the GD3 Synthase Gene

Abstract: Recently, we showed that transfection of GD3 synthase cDNA into Neuro2a cells, a mouse neuroblastoma cell line, causes cell differentiation with neurite sprouting. In a search for the genes involved in this ganglioside‐induced Neuro2a differentiation, we used a tetracycline‐regulated GD3 synthase cDNA expression system combined with differential display PCRs to identify mRNAs that were differentially expressed at four representative time points during the process. We report here the identification of 10 mRNAs that are expressed highly at the Neuro2a differentiated stage. These cDNAs were named GDAP1–GDAP10 for (ganglioside‐induced differentiation‐associated protein) cDNAs. It is interesting that in retinoic acid‐induced neural differentiated mouse embryonic carcinoma P19 cells, GDAP mRNA expression levels were also up‐regulated (except that of GDAP3), ranging from three to > 10 times compared with nondifferentiated P19 cells. All the GDAP genes (except that of GDAP3) were developmentally regulated. The GDAP1, 2, 6, 8, and 10 mRNAs were expressed highly in the adult mouse brain, whereas all the other GDAP mRNAs were expressed in most tissues. Our results suggested that these GDAP genes might be involved in the signal transduction pathway that is triggered through the expression of a single sialyltransferase gene to induce neurite‐like differentiation of Neuro2a cells.
An RGD spacing of 440 nm is sufficient for integrin alpha V beta 3- mediated fibroblast spreading and 140 nm for focal contact and stress fiber formation

The synthetic peptide Gly-Arg-Gly-Asp-Tyr (GRGDY), which contains the RGD sequence of several adhesion molecules, was covalently grafted to the surface of otherwise poorly adhesive glass substrates and was used to determine the minimal number of ligand-receptor interactions required for complete spreading of human foreskin fibroblasts. Well- defined adhesion substrates were prepared with GRGDY between 10(-3) fmol/cm2 and 10(4) fmol/cm2. As the adhesion ligand surface concentration was varied, several distinct morphologies of adherent cells were observed and categorized. The population of fully spread cells at 4 h reached a maximum at 1 fmol/cm2, with no further increases up to 10(4) fmol/cm2. Although maximal cell spreading was obtained at 1 fmol/cm2, focal contacts and stress fibers failed to form at RGD surface concentrations below 10 fmol/cm2. The minimal peptide spacings obtained in this work correspond to 440 nm for spreading and 140 nm for focal contact formation, and are much larger than those reported in previous studies with adsorbed adhesion proteins, adsorbed RGD-albumin conjugates, or peptide-grafted polyacrylamide gels. Vitronectin receptor antiserum specific for integrin alpha V beta 3 blocked cell adhesion and spreading on substrates containing 100 fmol/cm2 of surface- bound GRGDY, while fibronectin receptor antiserum specific for alpha 5 beta 1 did not. Furthermore, alpha V beta 3 was observed to cluster into focal contacts in spread cells, but alpha 5 beta 1 did not. It was thus concluded that a peptide-to-peptide spacing of 440 nm was required for alpha V beta 3-mediated cellular spreading, while 140 nm was required for alpha V beta 3-mediated focal contact formation and normal stress fiber organization in human foreskin fibroblasts; these spacings represent much fewer ligands than were previously thought to be required.
On the Logic of SQL Nulls

The logic of nulls in databases has been subject of investigation since their introduction in Codd’s Relational Model, which is the foundation of the SQL standard. In the logic based approaches to modelling relational databases proposed so far, nulls are considered as representing unknown values. Such existential semantics fails to capture the behaviour of the SQL standard. We show that, according to Codd’s Relational Model, a SQL null value represents a non-existing value; as a consequence no indeterminacy is introduced by SQL null values. In this paper we introduce an extension of first-order logic accounting for predicates with missing arguments. We show that the domain independent fragment of this logic is equivalent to Codd’s relational algebra with SQL nulls. Moreover, we prove a faithful encoding of the logic into standard first-order logic, so that we can employ classical deduction machinery. 1 Relational Databases and SQL Null Values Consider a database instance with null values over the relational schema {R/2}, and a SQL query asking for the tuples in R being equal to themselves: R : 1 2 a b b N SELECT * FROM R WHERE R.1 = R.1 AND R.2 = R.2 ; ⇒ 1 | 2 ---+--a | b (1 row)
High-redshift galaxy populations and their descendants

We study predictions in the concordance A cold dark matter cosmology for the abundance and clustering of high-redshift galaxies and for the properties of their descendants. We focus on three high-redshift populations: Lyman break galaxies (LBGs) at z ∼ 3, optically selected star-forming galaxies at z ∼ 2 (BXs) and distant red galaxies (DRGs) at z ∼ 2. We select galaxies from mock catalogues based on the Millennium Simulation using the observational colour and apparent magnitude criteria. With plausible dust assumptions, our galaxy formation model can simultaneously reproduce the abundances, redshift distributions and clustering of all three observed populations. The star formation rates (SFRs) of model LBGs and BXs are lower than those quoted for the real samples, reflecting differing initial mass functions and scatter in model dust properties. About 85 per cent of model galaxies selected as DRGs are star forming, with SFRs in the range 1 to ∼ 100 M ⊙ yr ―1 . Model LBGs, BXs and DRGs together account for less than half of all star formation over the range 1.5 10 11 M ⊙ are classified as LBGs or BXs at the relevant redshifts, while 65 per cent are classified as DRGs. Almost all model LBGs and BXs are the central galaxies of their dark haloes, but fewer than half of the haloes of any given mass have an LBG or BX central galaxy. Half of all LBG descendants at z = 2 would be identified as BXs, but very few as DRGs. Clustering increases with decreasing redshift for descendants of all three populations, becoming stronger than that of L * galaxies by z = 0, when many have become satellite galaxies and their typical stellar mass has increased by a factor of 10 for LBGs and BXs and by a factor of 3 for DRGs. This growth is dominated by star formation until z ∼ 1 and thereafter by mergers. Merging is predicted to be more important for LBG and DRG descendants than for BX descendants. Most LBGs and DRGs end up as red ellipticals, while BXs have a more varied fate. Over 70 per cent of local galaxies with M * > 10 11 Mo are predicted to have at least one LBG/BX/DRG progenitor.
Gesindheid van onderwysers in gewone skole teenoor leerders met spesiale onderwysbehoeftes

The right of every individual to education, as enshrined in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the renewing of the pledge made by the world community at the 1990 World Conference on Education for All to ensure that right, regardless of individual differences, gave rise to the worldwide trend in education known as Inclusion. All indications are that South Africa will also adopt the policy of Inclusion as part of the government's efforts to reform education. The policy of Inclusion has major implications for the teachers in the ordinary school, as they are both the subjects and the agents of reform. It is generally believed that teachers' attitudes towards learners plays a major role ·in the success of the teaching-learning events in the classroom. These attitudes are often influenced by the teachers' knowledge of the learners in their classrooms and their skill in teaching them. in view of literature that suggests that teachers are not adequately trained to meet the needs of learners, with special Educational needs, this study undertakes to investigate the attitude of teachers in the ordinary school towards learners with special educational needs, as it manifests in practice.
Mechanism of glutamate uptake in Zymomonas mobilis

The energetics of the anaerobic gram-negative bacterium Zymomonas mobilis, a well-known ethanol-producing organism, is based solely on synthesis of 1 mol of ATP per mol of glucose by the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. When grown in the presence of glucose as a carbon and energy source, Z. mobilis had a cytosolic ATP content of 3.5 to 4 mM. Because of effective pH homeostasis, the components of the proton motive force strongly depended on the external pH. At pH 5.5, i.e., around the optimal pH for growth, the proton motive force was about -135 mV and was composed of a pH gradient of 0.6 pH units (internal pH 6.1) and a membrane potential of about -100 mV. Measurement of these parameters was complicated since ionophores and lipophilic probes were ineffective in this organism. So far, only glucose transport by facilitated diffusion is well characterized for Z. mobilis. We investigated a constitutive secondary glutamate uptake system. Glutamate can be used as a nitrogen source for Z. mobilis. Transport of glutamate at pH 5.5 shows a relatively high Vmax of 40 mumol.min-1.g (dry mass) of cells-1 and a low affinity (Km = 1.05 mM). Glutamate is taken up by a symport with two H+ ions, leading to substantial accumulation in the cytosol at low pH values.
Effect of acute head-down tilt on skeletal muscle cross-sectional area and proton transverse relaxation time.

This study investigated changes in skeletal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) evoked by fluid shifts that accompany short-term 6 degrees head-down tilt (HDT) or horizontal bed rest, the time course of the resolution of these changes after resumption of upright posture, and the effect of altered muscle CSA, in the absence of increased contractile activity, on proton transverse relaxation time (T2). Average muscle (CSA and T2 were determined by standard spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging. Analyses were performed on contiguous transaxial images of the neck and calf. After a day of normal activity, 24 h of HDT increased neck muscle CSA 19 +/- 4(SE)% (P < 0.05) while calf muscle CSA decreased 14 +/- 3% (P < 0.05). The horizontal posture (12 h) induced about one-half of these responses: an 11 +/- 2% (P < 0.05) in the neck muscle CSA and an 8 +/- 2% decrease (P < 0.05) in the calf. Within 2 h after resumption of upright posture, neck and calf muscle CSA returned to within 0.5% (P > 0.05) of the values assessed after a day of normal activity, with most of the change occurring within the first 30 min. No further change in muscle CSA was observed through 6 h of upright posture. Despite these large alterations in muscle CSA, T2 was not altered by more than 1.1 +/- 0.6% (P > 0.05) and did not relate to muscle size. These results suggest that postural manipulations and subsequent fluid shifts modeling micro-gravity elicit marked changes in muscle size. Because these responses were not associated with alterations in muscle T2, it does not appear that simple movement of water into muscle can explain the contrast shift observed after exercise.