Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
False memory in aging resulting from self-referential processing.

OBJECTIVES Referencing the self is known to enhance accurate memory, but less is known about how the strategy affects false memory, particularly for highly self-relevant information. Because older adults are more prone to false memories, we tested whether self-referencing increased false memories with age. METHOD In 2 studies, older and younger adults rated adjectives for self-descriptiveness and later completed a surprise recognition test comprised of words rated previously for self-descriptiveness and novel lure words. Lure words were subsequently rated for self-descriptiveness in order to assess the impact of self-relevance on false memory. Study 2 introduced commonness judgments as a control condition, such that participants completed a recognition test on adjectives rated for commonness in addition to adjectives in the self-descriptiveness condition. RESULTS Across both studies, findings indicate an increased response bias to self-referencing that increased hit rates for both older and younger adults but also increased false alarms as information became more self-descriptive, particularly for older adults. DISCUSSION Although the present study supports previous literature showing a boost in memory for self-referenced information, the increase in false alarms, especially in older adults, highlights the potential for memory errors, particularly for information that is strongly related to the self.
Study on the Effect of Silanization and Improvement in the Tensile Behavior of Graphene-Chitosan-Composite

In the present study, silane-functionalized graphene (f-graphene)-reinforced chitosan nanocomposite films exhibiting enhanced mechanical properties have been prepared by the solution casting method. These nanocomposite films were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. In order to investigate the effect of silane functionalization, tensile tests were performed on original, oxidized and silane-functionalized graphene-reinforced chitosan nanocomposite films. Tensile results show that silane functionalization groups offer a substantial increase in the interfacial adhesion between filler and host matrix. This result is also confirmed by the surface morphology of the fracture surface in scanning electron microscope analysis. Qualitative analysis using Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the existence of Si–O–Si and Si–O–C bonds in the silanized composite. Thermal analysis of the samples shows that the material is stable up till 250 °C and maintains its thermal stability all throughout the process until it starts degrading after 510 °C. Atomic force microscopy reveals that the material is well exfoliated after the oxidation of graphene and also displays the existence of 3–6 layers of exfoliated graphene sheets. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies also reveal the existence of silicon in the single state and quantify the sample to be approximately around 4% (±0.5%) of the total atomic weight.
Impaired Pain Processing Correlates with Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson's Disease

Objective Pain and cognitive impairment are important clinical features in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Although pain processing is associated with the limbic system, which is also closely linked to the cognitive function, the association between pain and cognitive impairment in PD is still not well understood. The aim of the study was to investigate the association between pain processing and cognitive impairment in patients with PD. Methods Forty-three patients with PD and 22 healthy subjects were studied. Pain-related somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) were generated using a thin needle electrode to stimulate epidermal Aδ fibers. Cognitive impairment was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Frontal Assessment Battery, and Japanese version of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA-J), and their correlation with pain-related SEPs was investigated. Results The N1/P1 amplitude was significantly lower in PD patients than the controls. N1/P1 peak-to-peak amplitudes correlated with the MMSE (r=0.66, p<0.001) and MoCA-J scores (r=0.38, p<0.01) in patients with PD. These amplitudes also strongly correlated with the domains of attention and memory in the MMSE (attention, r=0.52, p<0.001; memory, r=0.40, p<0.01) and MoCA-J (attention, r=0.45, p<0.005; memory, r=0.48, p<0.001), but not in control subjects. Conclusion A good correlation was observed between the decreased amplitudes of pain-related SEPs and an impairment of attention and memory in patients with PD. Our results suggest that pathological abnormalities of the pain pathway are significantly linked to cognitive impairment in PD.
Linear filtering and nonlinear interactions in direction-selective visual cortex neurons: A noise correlation analysis

Spatial and temporal properties related to direction selectivity of both simple and complex type visual cortex neurons were assessed by cross-correlation analysis of their responses to random ternary white noise. This stimulus consisted of multiple randomly placed bars, each colored white, black, or gray with equal probability, which were rerandomized every 5–10 ms. A first-order cross-correlation analysis of a neuron's spike train with the spatiotemporal history of the stimulus provided an estimate of the neuron's linear spatiotemporal filtering properties. A nonlinear correlation analysis measured the amount of interaction for pair-wise combinations of bars as a function of their relative spatial and temporal separations. The spatiotemporal orientation of each of these functions was quantified using a “motion energy index” (MEI), which was compared to the neurons' direction selectivity measured with drifting sinewave gratings. Both first-order and nonlinear correlation plots usually showed s–t orientation whose sign was consistent with the neuron's direction preference; however, in many cases the MEI for first-order analysis was weak compared to that seen in the nonlinear interactions. The structures of the nonlinear interaction functions were also compared with predictions from a conventional model of direction selectivity based on a simple spatiotemporally oriented linear filter, followed by an intensive nonlinearity (“LN model”). These comparisons showed that some neurons' data agreed reasonably well with such a model, while others agreed poorly or not at all. Simulations of an alternative model which combines signals from idealized lagged and nonlagged front-end linear filters produce noise correlation results more like those seen in the neurophysiological data.
Fire‐climate interactions in the American West since 1400 CE

Despite a strong anthropogenic fingerprint on 20th Century wildland fire activity in the American West, climate remains a main driver. A better understanding of the spatio‐temporal variability in fire‐climate interactions is therefore crucial for fire management. Here, we present annually resolved, tree‐ring based fire records for four regions in the American West that extend back to 1400 CE. In all regions, years with high fire activity were characterized by widespread yet regionally distinct summer droughts. Overall fire activity was high in late Medieval times, when much of the American West was affected by mega‐droughts. A distinct decline in fire activity in the late 16th Century corresponds with anomalously low temperatures during the Little Ice Age and a decline in Native American fire use. The high spatiotemporal resolution of our fire record discloses a time‐frequency dependent climatic influence on wildfire regimes in the American West that needs to be accounted for in fire models.
Evaluating a Statistical CCG Parser on Wikipedia

The vast majority of parser evaluation is conducted on the 1984 Wall Street Journal (WSJ). In-domain evaluation of this kind is important for system development, but gives little indication about how the parser will perform on many practical problems. Wikipedia is an interesting domain for parsing that has so far been under-explored. We present statistical parsing results that for the first time provide information about what sort of performance a user parsing Wikipedia text can expect. We find that the C&C parser's standard model is 4.3% less accurate on Wikipedia text, but that a simple self-training exercise reduces the gap to 3.8%. The self-training also speeds up the parser on newswire text by 20%.
Democratization by elections : a new mode of transition

Contested, multiparty elections are conventionally viewed as either an indicator of the start of democracy or a measure of its quality. In practice, the role that elections play in the transition from authoritarian rule is much more significant. Using as a starting point Guillermo O'Donnell and Phillipe C. Schmitter's 1986 classic, Transitions from Authoritarian Rule, and Robert Dahl's original formulation of democratization as the outcome of increasing the costs of repression while decreasing the costs of toleration, this volume subjects to critical empirical tests the thesis that repeated elections positively affect democratic rights and processes. The first section uses global and quantitative regional studies based on new and unique data sets to present and rigorously evaluate the debate on the democratizing power of elections. The second section looks closely at specific electoral mechanisms and types of elections in Africa, post-Communist Europe and Eurasia, Latin America, the Middle East, and North Africa to uncover those that support the long-term institutionalization of a democratic transition. The concluding section develops and formalizes a theory of democratization by elections. Each chapter includes in-depth discussions of policy implications and a wealth of statistical information. Featuring contributions by leading scholars of democracy, original research, and worldwide and country-specific data on elections and democracy, this collaborative exploration of the effect of elections on democratic transitions represents the cutting edge of comparative democratization studies. Contributors: Jason Brownlee, Valerie J. Bunce, Larry Diamond, Axel Hadenius, Jonathan Hartlyn, Marc M. Howard, Staffan I. Lindberg, Jennifer L. McCoy, Bryon Moraski, Pippa Norris, Ellen Lust-Okar, Lise Rakner, Philip G. Roessler, Andreas Schedler, Jan Teorell, Nicolas van de Walle, Sharon L. Wolchik
Replication of the ERES:Golgi junction in bloodstream‐form African trypanosomes

The biogenesis of the ER Exit Site/Golgi Junction (EGJ) in bloodstream‐form African trypanosomes is investigated using tagged markers for ER Exit Sites, the Golgi and the bilobe structure. The typical pattern is two EGJ in G1 phase (1 kinetoplast/1 nucleus, 1K1N) through S‐phase (2K1N), duplication to four EGJ in post‐mitotic cells (2K2N) and segregation of two EGJ to each daughter. Lesser cell percentages have elevated EGJ copy numbers in all stages, and blocking cell cycle progression results in even higher copy numbers. EGJs are closely aligned with the flagellar attachment zone (FAZ) indicating nucleation on the FAZ‐associated ER (FAZ:ER). Only the most posterior EGJ in each cell is in proximity to the bilobe, which is located at the base of the FAZ filament near the mouth of the flagellar pocket. These results indicate that EGJ replication in bloodstream trypanosomes is not tightly coupled to the cell cycle. Furthermore, segregation of EGJ is not obligately mediated by the bilobe, rather assembly of the EGJ on the FAZ:ER, which is coupled to the flagellar cytoskeleton, apparently ensures segregation with fidelity during cytokinesis. These findings differ markedly from procyclic‐form trypanosomes, and models highlighting these stage‐specific differences in EGJ biogenesis are proposed.
Risk Factors for E. coli O157 and Cryptosporidiosis Infection in Individuals in the Karst Valleys of East Tennessee, USA

This research examines risk factors for sporadic cryptosporidiosis and Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157 infection in East Tennessee, using a case-control approach and spatial logistic regression models. The risk factors examined are animal density, land use, geology, surface water impairment, poverty rate and availability of private water supply. Proximity to karst geology, beef cow population density and a high percentage of both developed land and pasture land are positively associated with both diseases. The availability of private water supply is negatively associated with both diseases. Risk maps generated using the model coefficients show areas of elevated risk to identify the communities where background risk is highest, so that limited public health resources can be targeted to the risk factors and communities most at risk. These results can be used as the framework upon which to develop a comprehensive epidemiological study that focuses on risk factors important at the individual level.
Upscale feedback of high‐frequency winds to ENSO

The impact of the high‐frequency (HF, <90 days) variability on low‐frequency (LF) interannual sea surface temperature (SST) variations associated with the El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is investigated by conducting a series of oceanic general circulation model experiments. Two nonlinear rectification mechanisms are examined. The first is the internal oceanic nonlinear dynamics and the second is the nonlinear rectification of the LF surface wind stress by the HF wind. Numerical simulations show that the latter is dominant in modulating the LF SST variability. The HF wind increases both the amplitude and skewness of the LF wind stress anomaly. As a result, it increases both the amplitude and skewness of the SST anomaly (SSTA) in the eastern equatorial Pacific. For strong El Niño events in 1982/83 and 1997/98, such a nonlinear rectification effect may result in a SSTA increase of 1°C. A mixed‐layer heat budget analysis reveals that whereas meridional and vertical advections primarily contribute to the strengthening of the warm and cold episodes, the nonlinear zonal advection is responsible for the increase of the SSTA skewness. Including the nonlinear rectification of the HF wind on both the surface wind stress and heat flux anomalies leads to a positively (negatively) skewed SSTA in the eastern (central) Pacific. Thus the combined dynamic and thermodynamic effect reshapes the ENSO zonal structure in such a way that it makes the maximum SSTA confined further to the eastern equatorial Pacific. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Can Mediate Suppressor Function in the Absence of Transforming Growth Factor β1 Production and Responsiveness

CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells inhibit organ-specific autoimmune diseases induced by CD4+CD25−T cells and are potent suppressors of T cell activation in vitro. Their mechanism of suppression remains unknown, but most in vitro studies suggest that it is cell contact–dependent and cytokine independent. The role of TGF-β1 in CD4+CD25+ suppressor function remains unclear. While most studies have failed to reverse suppression with anti–transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1 in vitro, one recent study has reported that CD4+CD25+ T cells express cell surface TGF-β1 and that suppression can be completely abrogated by high concentrations of anti–TGF-β suggesting that cell-associated TGF-β1 was the primary effector of CD4+CD25+-mediated suppression. Here, we have reevaluated the role of TGF-β1 in CD4+CD25+-mediated suppression. Neutralization of TGF-β1 with either monoclonal antibody (mAb) or soluble TGF-βRII-Fc did not reverse in vitro suppression mediated by resting or activated CD4+CD25+ T cells. Responder T cells from Smad3−/− or dominant-negative TGF-β type RII transgenic (DNRIITg) mice, that are both unresponsive to TGF-β1–induced growth arrest, were as susceptible to CD4+CD25+-mediated suppression as T cells from wild-type mice. Furthermore, CD4+CD25+ T cells from neonatal TGF-β1−/− mice were as suppressive as CD4+CD25+ from TGF-β1+/+ mice. Collectively, these results demonstrate that CD4+CD25+ suppressor function can occur independently of TGF-β1.
Hyperdynamic Microtubules, Cognitive Deficits, and Pathology Are Improved in Tau Transgenic Mice with Low Doses of the Microtubule-Stabilizing Agent BMS-241027

Tau is a microtubule (MT)-stabilizing protein that is altered in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other tauopathies. It is hypothesized that the hyperphosphorylated, conformationally altered, and multimeric forms of tau lead to a disruption of MT stability; however, direct evidence is lacking in vivo. In this study, an in vivo stable isotope-mass spectrometric technique was used to measure the turnover, or dynamicity, of MTs in brains of living animals. We demonstrated an age-dependent increase in MT dynamics in two different tau transgenic mouse models, 3xTg and rTg4510. MT hyperdynamicity was dependent on tau expression, since a reduction of transgene expression with doxycycline reversed the MT changes. Treatment of rTg4510 mice with the epothilone, BMS-241027, also restored MT dynamics to baseline levels. In addition, MT stabilization with BMS-241027 had beneficial effects on Morris water maze deficits, tau pathology, and neurodegeneration. Interestingly, pathological and functional benefits of BMS-241027 were observed at doses that only partially reversed MT hyperdynamicity. Together, these data suggest that tau-mediated loss of MT stability may contribute to disease progression and that very low doses of BMS-241027 may be useful in the treatment of AD and other tauopathies.
Kininogen Cleavage Assay: Diagnostic Assistance for Kinin-Mediated Angioedema Conditions

Background Angioedema without wheals (AE) is a symptom characterised by localised episodes of oedema presumably caused by kinin release from kininogen cleavage. It can result from a hereditary deficiency in C1 Inhibitor (C1Inh), but it can present with normal level of C1Inh. These forms are typically difficult to diagnose although enhanced kinin production is suspected or demonstrated in some cases. Objectives We wanted to investigate bradykinin overproduction in all AE condition with normal C1Inh, excluding cases with enhanced kinin catabolism, and to propose this parameter as a disease biomarker. Methods We retrospectively investigated high molecular weight kininogen (HK) cleavage pattern, using gel electrophoresis and immunorevelation. Plasma samples were drawn using the same standardised procedure from blood donors or AE patients with normal C1Inh conditions, normal kinin catabolism, and without prophylaxis. Results Circulating native HK plasma concentrations were similar in the healthy men (interquartile range: 98–175μg/mL, n = 51) and in healthy women (90–176μg/mL, n = 74), while HK cleavage was lower (p<0.001) in men (0–5%) than women (3–9%). Patients exhibited lower native HK concentration (p<10−4; 21–117μg/mL, n = 31 for men; 0–84μg/mL, n = 41 for women) and higher HK cleavage (p<10−4; 10–30% and 14–89%, respectively) than healthy donors. Pathological thresholds were set at: <72μg/mL native HK, >14.4% HK cleavage for men; <38μg/mL; native HK, >33.0% HK cleavage for women, with >98% specificity achieved for all parameters. In plasma from patients undergoing recovery two months after oestrogen/progestin combination withdrawal (n = 13) or two weeks after AE attack (n = 2), HK cleavage was not fully restored, suggesting its use as a post-attack assay. Conclusion As a diagnostic tool, HK cleavage can offer physicians supportive arguments for kinin production in suspected AE cases and improve patient follow-up in clinical trials or prophylactic management.
An Effective Approximation Scheme for Multiconstrained Quality-of-Service Routing

Finding a path that satisfies multiple Quality-of-Service (QoS) requirements is vital to the deployment of current emerged services. However, existing QoS routing algorithms are not very efficient and effective at finding such path. Moreover, few works focus on two or more QoS constraints. In this paper, we propose an effective fully polynomial approximation scheme (FPAS) for multiconstrainted path optimal problem based on the technique of auxiliary graph construction. By employing the nonlinear definition of the path constraint and limited iteration of the FPAS itself, our FPAS can not only achieve the complexity reduction but generate a preferable path as well. We further analyze the Markov properties of the entire network and obtain some key parameters to reflect the routing characteristic. We experiment with different scale of random networks and compare our FPAS against previous well known studies. Our results show that FPAS can find path with lower complexity and better quality.
Fate and transport of glyphosate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in surface waters of agricultural basins.

BACKGROUND Glyphosate [N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine] is a herbicide used widely throughout the world in the production of many crops and is heavily used on soybeans, corn and cotton. Glyphosate is used in almost all agricultural areas of the United States, and the agricultural use of glyphosate has increased from less than 10 000 Mg in 1992 to more than 80 000 Mg in 2007. The greatest intensity of glyphosate use is in the midwestern United States, where applications are predominantly to genetically modified corn and soybeans. In spite of the increase in usage across the United States, the characterization of the transport of glyphosate and its degradate aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA) on a watershed scale is lacking. RESULTS Glyphosate and AMPA were frequently detected in the surface waters of four agricultural basins. The frequency and magnitude of detections varied across basins, and the load, as a percentage of use, ranged from 0.009 to 0.86% and could be related to three general characteristics: source strength, rainfall runoff and flow route. CONCLUSIONS Glyphosate use in a watershed results in some occurrence in surface water; however, the watersheds most at risk for the offsite transport of glyphosate are those with high application rates, rainfall that results in overland runoff and a flow route that does not include transport through the soil.
Experimentally Increasing Self-Continuity Improves Subjective Well-Being and Protects against Self-Esteem Deterioration from an Ego-Deflating Task

ABSTRACT ‘Self-continuity,’ or ‘continuous identity’ is the sense of cross-temporal persistence of identity and is associated with positive mood and decreased suicidality. Few studies have examined whether self-continuity is affected by reviewing cross-temporal patterns of personality traits and if increasing self-continuity improves subjective well-being. Study 1 examined the effects of writing about patterns of cross-temporal personality traits and found that this led to increased future self-continuity and reported life satisfaction. Study 2 examined the effects of a structured interview about cross-temporal personality traits and visualizing past/future selves and found that this led to increased future self-continuity, satisfaction with life, positive mood, and less deterioration in self-esteem after an impossible anagram task. These results suggest that increasing self-continuity may improve psychological health and well-being by increasing identity stability.