Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
3-Hydroxy-3-Methylglutaryl Coenzyme A Reductase-Independent Inhibition of CD40 Expression by Atorvastatin in Human Endothelial Cells

Objective—3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors (statins) exert potent anti-inflammatory effects that are independent of their cholesterol-lowering action. We have investigated the effects of these drugs on cytokine-stimulated CD40 expression in human cultured endothelial cells and monocytes. Methods and Results—Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis revealed that treatment of either cell type with atorvastatin, cerivastatin, or pravastatin (1 to 10 &mgr;mol/L) inhibited interferon-&ggr; plus tumor necrosis factor-&agr;-stimulated CD40 expression by ≈50%, an effect that was not reversed by the HMG-CoA reductase product mevalonic acid (400 &mgr;mol/L). In contrast, mevalonic acid prevented the inhibitory effect of atorvastatin on cytokine-stimulated vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 expression and subsequent adhesion of THP-1 monocytes to the cultured endothelial cells. Transcription factor analysis revealed an inhibition by atorvastatin of nuclear factor-&kgr;B plus signal transducer and activator of transcription-1-dependent de novo synthesis of interferon regulatory factor-1, governing cytokine-stimulated CD40 expression in these cells. One consequence of this statin-dependent downregulation of CD40 expression was a decrease in CD40 ligand-induced endothelial interleukin-12 expression. Conclusions—By interfering with cytokine-stimulated CD40 expression in vascular cells, statins thus seem capable of attenuating CD40 ligand-induced proinflammatory responses, including atherosclerosis. In addition, they point to the coexistence of HMG-CoA reductase-dependent and -independent effects of statins in the same cell type.
Effects of high light intensity on egg weight loss, hatchability, embryonic mortality, and supply organ weight at hatch in quail hatching eggs during incubation

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of high light intensity on egg weight loss, hatchability, embryonic mortality, and supply organ weights at hatch in Japanese quail ( Coturnix coturnix japonica ) eggs. A total of 640 hatching eggs were randomly distributed into 2 groups. The first group of eggs were continuously incubated in the dark (Control; C), the second group of eggs were incubated in continuous light(L), the third group of eggs were incubated in the dark for the first five days of incubation (D5), and the last group were incubated in the light for the first five days in the eggs (L5). The light intensity at the surface of the eggshell varied from 5000 to 6000 lux as measured with a luxmeter. No significant differences were found in egg weight loss, hatchability, and supply organ weight among treatments. Embryonic mortality were higher in the L5 group than in the control group at 10 to 16 days of incubation. These results demonstrate that high light application during incubation affected the embryonic mortality negatively except hatchability and egg weight loss.
Characterizing Latency in Touch and Button-Equipped Interactive Systems

We present a low cost method to measure and characterize the end-to-end latency when using a touch system (tap latency) or an input device equipped with a physical button. Our method relies on a vibration sensor attached to a finger and a photo-diode to detect the screen response. Both are connected to a micro-controller connected to a host computer using a low-latency USB communication protocol in order to combine software and hardware probes to help determine where the latency comes from. We present the operating principle of our method before investigating the main sources of latency in several systems. We show that most of the latency originates from the display side. Our method can help application designers characterize and troubleshoot latency on a wide range of interactive systems.
Spontaneous Symmetry Breaking in Neural Networks

We propose a framework to understand the unprecedented performance and robustness of deep neural networks using field theory. Correlations between the weights within the same layer can be described by symmetries in that layer, and networks generalize better if such symmetries are broken to reduce the redundancies of the weights. Using a two parameter field theory, we find that the network can break such symmetries itself towards the end of training in a process commonly known in physics as spontaneous symmetry breaking. This corresponds to a network generalizing itself without any user input layers to break the symmetry, but by communication with adjacent layers. In the layer decoupling limit applicable to residual networks (He et al., 2015), we show that the remnant symmetries that survive the non-linear layers are spontaneously broken. The Lagrangian for the non-linear and weight layers together has striking similarities with the one in quantum field theory of a scalar. Using results from quantum field theory we show that our framework is able to explain many experimentally observed phenomena,such as training on random labels with zero error (Zhang et al., 2017), the information bottleneck, the phase transition out of it and gradient variance explosion (Shwartz-Ziv & Tishby, 2017), shattered gradients (Balduzzi et al., 2017), and many more.
Implementing the PPM data compression scheme

The prediction by partial matching (PPM) data compression algorithm developed by J. Cleary and I. Witten (1984) is capable of very high compression rates, encoding English text in as little as 2.2 b/character. It is shown that the estimates made by Cleary and Witten of the resources required to implement the scheme can be revised to allow for a tractable and useful implementation. In particular, a variant is described that encodes and decodes at over 4 kB/s on a small workstation and operates within a few hundred kilobytes of data space, but still obtains compression of about 2.4 b/character for English text. >
Socially tuned: Brain responses differentiating human and animal motion

Typical adult observers demonstrate enhanced behavioral sensitivity to human movement compared to animal movement. Yet, the neural underpinnings of this effect are unknown. We examined the tuning of brain mechanisms for the perception of biological motion to the social relevance of this category of motion by comparing neural response to human and non-human biological motion. In particular, we tested the hypothesis that the response of the right posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) varies according to the social relevance of the motion, responding most strongly to those biological motions with the greatest social relevance (human > dog). During a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session, typical adults viewed veridical point-light displays of human, dog, and tractor motions created from motion capture data. A conjunction analysis identified regions of significant activation during biological motion perception relative to object motion. Within each of these regions, only one brain area, the right pSTS, revealed an enhanced response to human motion relative to dog motion. This finding demonstrates that the pSTS response is sensitive to the social relevance of a biological motion stimulus.
Heroin on trial: Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials of diamorphine-prescribing as treatment for refractory heroin addiction

Background Supervised injectable heroin (SIH) treatment has emerged over the past 15 years as an intensive treatment for entrenched heroin users who have not responded to standard treatments such as oral methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) or residential rehabilitation. Aims To synthesise published findings for treatment with SIH for refractory heroin-dependence through systematic review and meta-analysis, and to examine the political and scientific response to these findings. Method Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of SIH treatment were identified through database searching, and random effects pooled efficacy was estimated for SIH treatment. Methodological quality was assessed according to criteria set out by the Cochrane Collaboration. Results Six RCTs met the inclusion criteria for analysis. Across the trials, SIH treatment improved treatment outcome, i.e. greater reduction in the use of illicit ‘street’ heroin in patients receiving SIH treatment compared with control groups (most often receiving MMT). Conclusions SIH is found to be an effective way of treating heroin dependence refractory to standard treatment. SIH may be less safe than MMT and therefore requires more clinical attention to manage greater safety issues. This intensive intervention is for a patient population previously considered unresponsive to treatment. Inclusion of this low-volume, high-intensity treatment can now improve the impact of comprehensive healthcare provision.
A Refined Hybrid Image Retrieval System using Text and Color

Image retrieval (IR) continues to be most exciting and fastest growing research areas due to significant progress in data storage and image acquisition techniques. Broadly, Image Retrieval can be Text based or Content based. Text-based Image Retrieval (TBIR) is proficient in „named-entity‟ queries (e.g. searching images of „TajMahal‟. Content Based Image Retrieval (CBIR) shows its proficiency in querying by visual content. Both the techniques having their own advantages and disadvantages and still have not been very successful in uncovering the hidden meanings/semantics of the image. In this paper, we propose a hybrid approach that improves the quality of image retrieval and overcomes the limitations of individual approaches. For text retrieval, matching term frequency-inverse document frequency (tf-idf) weightings and cosine similarity are used, whereas for content matching the search space is narrowed down using color moments and then the two results obtained are combined to show better results than the individual approaches. Further refinement using color histogram technique improves the performance of the system significantly.
Full Time Directional versus User Selectable Microphone Modes in Hearing Aids

Objective The purpose of this experiment was to systematically examine hearing aid benefit as measured by speech recognition and self-assessment methods across omnidirectional and directional hearing aid modes. These data were used to compare directional benefit as measured by speech recognition in the laboratory to hearing aid wearer's perceptions of benefit in everyday environments across full-time directional, full-time omnidirectional, and user selectable directional fittings. Identification of possible listening situations that resulted in different self reported hearing aid benefit as a function of microphone type was a secondary objective of this experiment. Design Fifteen adults with symmetrical, sloping sensorineural hearing loss were fitted bilaterally with in-the-ear (ITE) directional hearing aids. Measures of hearing aid benefit included the Profile of Hearing Aid Benefit (PHAB), the Connected Sentence Test (CST), the Hearing in Noise Test (HINT), and a daily use log. Additionally, two new subscales were developed for administration with the PHAB. These subscales were developed to specifically address situations in which directional hearing aids may provide different degrees of benefit than omnidirectional hearing aids. Participants completed these measures in three conditions: omnidirectional only (O), directional only with low-frequency gain compensation (D), and user-selectable directional/omnidirectional (DO). Results Results from the speech intelligibility in noise testing indicated significantly more hearing aid benefit in directional modes than omnidirectional. PHAB results indicated more benefit on the background noise subscale (BN) in the DO condition than in the O condition; however, this directional advantage was not present for the D condition. Although the reliability of the newly proposed subscales is as yet unknown, the data were interpreted as revealing a directional advantage in situations where the signal of interest was in front of the participant and a directional disadvantage in situations where the signal of interest was behind the listener or localization was required. Conclusions Laboratory directional benefit is reflected in self-assessment measures that focus on listening in noise when the sound source of interest is in front of the listener. The use of a directional hearing aid mode; however, may have either a positive, a neutral, or a negative impact on hearing aid benefit measured in noisy situations, depending on the specific listening situation.
Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Underlies Loss of Cortical Dendritic Spine Density in a Mouse Model of Congestive Heart Failure

Background Heart failure (HF) is a progressive disorder characterized by reduced cardiac output and increased peripheral resistance, ultimately leading to tissue perfusion deficits and devastating consequences for several organs including the brain. We previously described a tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)–dependent enhancement of posterior cerebral artery tone and concomitant reduced cerebral blood flow in a mouse model of early HF in which blood pressure remains minimally affected. HF is often associated with cognitive impairments such as memory deficits, even before any overt changes in brain structure and function occur. The pathophysiology underlying the development of cognitive impairments in HF is unknown, and appropriate treatment strategies are lacking. Methods and Results We used a well-established mouse model in which HF was induced by experimental myocardial infarction produced by permanent surgical ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (infarct size ≈25% of the left ventricular wall). Ligated mice developed enlarged hearts, congested lungs, and reduced cardiac output and blood pressure, with elevated peripheral resistance within 6 to 8 weeks after ligation. In this study, we demonstrated the significance of the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α during HF-mediated neuroinflammation and associated impaired hippocampus-independent nonspatial episodic memory function. Augmented cerebral TNF-α expression and microglial activation in HF mice, indicative of brain inflammation, were accompanied by morphological changes and significant reduction of cortical dendritic spines (61.39±8.61% for basal and 61.04±9.18% for apical spines [P<0.001]). The significance of TNF-α signaling during the observed HF-mediated neurodegenerative processes is supported by evidence showing that sequestration or genetic deletion of TNF-α ameliorates the observed reduction of cortical dendritic spines (33.51±7.63% for basal and 30.13±6.98% for apical spines in wild-type mice treated with etanercept; 17.09±6.81% for basal and 17.21±7.29% for apical spines in TNF-α−/−). Moreover, our data suggest that alterations in cerebral serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase 1 (SgK1) expression and phosphorylation during HF may be TNF-α dependent and that an increase of SgK1 phosphorylation potentially plays a role in the HF-associated reduction of dendritic spine density. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate that TNF-α plays a pivotal role in HF-mediated neuroinflammation and associated alterations of cortical dendritic spine density and has the potential to reveal novel treatment strategies for HF-associated memory deficits.
Prevalence and possible pathological significance of calcium phosphate salt accumulation in tendon matrix degeneration.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence of calcium phosphate mineral salt accumulation in degenerative supraspinatus 'tendinitis' compared with a normal sample of human tendons, and to determine whether there is an association of calcium salt deposition with pathological changes in the tendon extracellular matrix. METHODS: Cadaver tendons (supraspinatus and common biceps tendons, n = 96) and fragments of supraspinatus tendons obtained during shoulder surgery (n = 31) were analysed for calcium content by atomic absorption spectroscopy, phosphorous content using a spectrophotometric assay, and matrix composition (collagen, glycosaminoglycans and DNA) using standard biochemical techniques. RESULTS: We established baseline values of calcium concentration in macroscopically normal cadaver tendons (mean 1.1 (SD 0.35) micrograms/mg dry wt, n = 60) and found that 33% (nine of 27) of ruptured tendons from patients with 'degenerative tendinitis' contained an excess of calcium (more than 2SD greater than the normal sample mean). Five of these specimens had increased concentrations of phosphorous and calcium:phosphorous (molar) ratios consistent with a variety of possible calcium crystals, including calcium pyrophosphate, hydroxyapatite, and tricalcium phosphate, in addition to mixed or amorphous calcium phosphate deposits. Four of these specimens contained normal concentrations of phosphorous, consistent with deposits of calcium oxalate or calcium carbonate, although this was not confirmed biochemically. In contrast, surgical specimens (n = 4) from patients with 'calcifying tendinitis' (radiographically detected calcium deposits) all contained salts with a mineral composition consistent with hydroxyapatite. The presence and identity of crystal deposits was subsequently confirmed in five specimens by radiographic microanalysis. Analysis of the tendon matrix demonstrated a number of significant differences between normal and degenerate (ruptured) tendons, including a reduction in collagen content, an increase in sulphated glycosaminoglycans (predominantly dermatan sulphate) and an increase in DNA (cellular) content. However, there were no significant differences between degenerate tendons that were 'calcified' and those degenerate specimens that contained normal concentrations of calcium. CONCLUSIONS: Although there was a relatively high prevalence of calcium salts in degenerate tendons, which might contribute to the pathological process (such as increased matrix collagen degradation), these data are consistent with the hypothesis that 'dystrophic calcification' of degenerate tendon matrix is a pathological entity distinct from cell mediated 'calcifying tendinitis'. Calcification is probably one possible outcome (or end point) of chronic tendon injury, although the possibility exists that in many cases, the presence of calcium salts may contribute to the tendon matrix degeneration.
Distinguishing high‐alumina mare basalts using Clementine UVVIS and Lunar Prospector GRS data: Mare Moscoviense and Mare Nectaris

[1] High-alumina (HA) mare basalts are a unique group of the lunar sample collection. Sample geochemistry indicates that these basalts are derived from sources composed of late-stage cumulates from the Lunar Magma Ocean (LMO). Their aluminous nature suggests their sources contained significant plagioclase, which has implications regarding the efficiency of plagioclase separation from earlier forming, mafic cumulates in the LMO to form the anorthositic lunar crust, and hence the heterogeneity of the lunar mantle. The Apollo and Luna missions sampled HA basalts from four different locations that are separated by 80 equatorial degrees (∼2400 km). Radiometric age dating of these samples demonstrates aluminous basaltic volcanism spanned over 1 billion years, suggesting HA basalts may be more prevalent on the Moon than implied by the sample population. Knowing their global occurrence would ultimately enhance our understanding of lunar evolution. Aluminous mare basalts occupy a unique location in Th-FeO compositional space that suggests they can be identified using global remote-sensing data of the Moon. We present our approach for distinguishing exposures of HA basalts using Clementine ultraviolet-visible-infrared (UVVIS) and Lunar Prospector Gamma Ray Spectrometer (LP-GRS) data with constraints based on the FeO, TiO2, and Th abundances of Apollo and Luna HA samples. We identified 34 regions of interest (ROIs) where HA basalts could be a prominent component of the lunar surface. By analyzing the rims and proximal ejecta from small impacts (0.4–4 km in diameter) into the mare surface we characterized compositionally distinct basaltic units that make up the mare and thus determined which units represent HA basalt lavas. The results were used to generate maps that depict discrete mare units and classify their general basalt type. Here we focus on two ROIs: Mare Moscoviense and Mare Nectaris. Mare Moscoviense is composed of four basaltic units, two of which are HA candidates. Clementine UVVIS data of Mare Nectaris show evidence of up to three mare basalt units. One is the remnants of a mid-Ti unit that capped earlier low-Ti flows. The majority of the basin is filled by a compositionally indistinguishable low-Fe, low-Ti basalt. However, spectral profiles suggest there are two units. Regardless, the units both fit the criteria for a HA basalt.
On the Upper Bound of the Information Capacity in Neuronal Synapses

Neuronal communication is a biological phenomenon of the central nervous system that influences the activity of all intra-body nano-networks. The implicit biocompatibility and dimensional similarity of neurons with miniature devices make their interaction a promising communication paradigm for nano-networks. To understand the information transfer in neuronal networks, there is a need to characterize the noise sources and unreliability associated with different components of the functional apposition between two cells-the synapse. In this paper, we introduce analogies between the optical communication system and the neuronal communication system to apply results from optical Poisson channels in deriving theoretical upper bounds on the information capacity of both the bipartite and tripartite synapses. The latter refer to the anatomical and functional integration of two communicating neurons and surrounding glia cells. The efficacy of information transfer is analyzed under different synaptic setups with progressive complexity, and is shown to depend on the peak rate of the communicated spiking sequence and neurotransmitter (spontaneous) release, neurotransmitter propagation, and neurotransmitter binding. The results provided serve as a progressive step in the evaluation of the performance of neuronal nano-networks and the development of new artificial nano-networks.
Robust visual servoing in 3-D reaching tasks

This paper describes a novel approach to the problem of reaching an object in space under visual guidance. The approach is characterized by a great robustness to calibration errors, such that virtually no calibration is required. Servoing is based on binocular vision: a continuous measure of the end-effector motion field, derived from real-time computation of the binocular optical flow over the stereo images, is compared with the actual position of the target and the relative error in the end-effector trajectory is continuously corrected. The paper outlines the general framework of the approach, shows how visual measures are obtained and discusses the synthesis of the controller along with its stability analysis. Real-time experiments are presented to show the applicability of the approach in real 3-D applications.