Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Retrosplenial and hippocampal brain regions in human navigation: complementary functional contributions to the formation and use of cognitive maps

The ability to orientate within familiar environments relies on the formation and use of a mental representation of the environment, namely a cognitive map. Neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies suggest that the retrosplenial and hippocampal brain regions are involved in topographical orientation. We combined functional magnetic resonance imaging with a virtual‐reality paradigm to investigate the functional interaction of the hippocampus and retrosplenial cortex during the formation and utilization of cognitive maps by human subjects. We found that the anterior hippocampus is involved during the formation of the cognitive map, while the posterior hippocampus is involved when using it. In conjunction with the hippocampus, the retrosplenial cortex was active during both the formation and the use of the cognitive map. In accordance with earlier studies in non‐human animals, these findings suggest that, while navigating within the environment, the retrosplenial cortex complements the hippocampal contribution to topographical orientation by updating the individual's location as the frame of reference changes.
Systematic review of risk factors of hepatocellular carcinoma after hepatitis B surface antigen seroclearance

There is no consensus about factors that increase risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among patients with chronic hepatitis B who have achieved seroclearance of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). To assess the available evidence about risk factors for HCC after HBsAg seroclearance, Scopus, EMBASE, PubMed and Cochrane Library databases were systematically searched for relevant studies published through 15 September 2017. A total of 28 studies involving more than 105 411 patients with chronic hepatitis B were included. HBsAg seroclearance occurred spontaneously in 7656, while it occurred after interferon or nucleos(t)ide analogue therapy in 1248. The rate of HBsAg seroclearance was 6.77%. Incidence of HCC was significantly lower among patients who experienced HBsAg seroclearance than among those who remained HBsAg‐positive (1.86% vs 6.56%, P < .001). Risk factors of HCC occurrence included cirrhosis (incidence with vs without: 9.51% vs 1.66%), male gender (2.34% vs 0.64%) and age ≥ 50 year at HBsAg seroclearance (2.34% vs 0.63%) (all P < .001). The available evidence suggests that HCC can develop at a low rate after HBsAg seroclearance, so periodic surveillance is recommended, especially for male patients, patients with cirrhosis and patients who experience HBsAg seroclearance when at least 50 years old.
MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change Consequences of Considering Carbon / Nitrogen Interactions on the Feedbacks between Climate and the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle

A number of observational studies indicate that carbon sequestration by terrestrial ecosystems in a world with an atmosphere richer in carbon dioxide and a warmer climate depends on the interactions between the carbon and nitrogen cycles. However, most terrestrial ecosystem models being used in climate-change assessments do not take into account these interactions. Here we explore how carbon/nitrogen interactions in terrestrial ecosystems affect feedbacks to the climate system using the MIT Integrated Global Systems Model (IGSM) and its terrestrial ecosystems submodel, the Terrestrial Ecosystems Model (TEM). We use two versions of TEM, one with (standard TEM) and one without (carbon-only TEM) carbon/nitrogen interactions. Feedbacks between climate and the terrestrial carbon cycle are estimated by comparing model response to an increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration with and without climate change. Overall, for small or moderate increases in surface temperatures, the terrestrial biosphere simulated by the standard TEM takes up less atmospheric carbon than the carbon-only version, resulting in a larger increase in atmospheric CO2 concentration for a given amount of carbon emitted. With strong surface warming, the terrestrial biosphere simulated by the standard TEM may still become a carbon source early in the 23rd century. Our simulations also show that consideration of carbon/nitrogen interactions not only limits the effect of CO2 fertilization in the absence of climate change, but also changes the sign of the carbon feedback with climate change. In the simulations with the carbon-only version of TEM, surface warming significantly reduces carbon sequestration in both vegetation and soil, leading to a positive carbon-cycle feedback to the climate system. However, in simulations with standard TEM, the increased decomposition of soil organic matter with higher temperatures releases soil nitrogen to stimulate plant growth and carbon storage in the vegetation that is greater than the carbon lost from soil. As a result, sequestration of carbon in terrestrial ecosystems increases, in comparison to the fixed climate case, and the carbon cycle feedback to the climate system becomes negative for much of the next three centuries.
Comparison of Pork Patty Quality Characteristics with Various Binding Agents

Abstract The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of binding agents (carrageenan, transglutaminase, isolated soy protei n, and wheat fiber) on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of pork patties. One percent of each pork patty formulation was prepa red with one of the following carrageenan, transglutaminase, isolated soy protein, or wheat fiber. The lightness and redness values of raw and cooked pork patties with carrageenan, isolated soy protein, and wheat fiber were significantly higher than the control (p<0.05). The water holding capacity, cooking yield, and moisture content of pork patties containing carrageenan, isolated soy protein, and w heat fiber were significantly higher than the control (p<0.05). However, the reduction in diameter and thickness was lower than the control (p<0.05). The protein and fat content of the pork patties were not significantly different between the control and patties with binding agent addition. The shear forces of the pork patties with transglutaminase, isolated soy protein, and wheat fiber were signific antly higher than the control (p<0.05), while the pork patties with carrageenan were significantly lower than control (p<0.05). Among the sensory characteristics, tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptability of pork patties containing carrageenan, transglutaminase, isolated soy protein, and wheat fiber were slightly higher, although there was no significant difference. Therefore, pork patties containing binding agents are useful in making new ground meat products with desirable quality characteristics. Key words: pork patty, carrageenan, transglutaminase, isolated soy protein, wheat fiber
Murine sperm capacitation, oocyte penetration and decondensation following moderate alcohol intake.

Male chronic alcohol abuse causes testicular failure and infertility. We analyzed the effects of moderate sub-chronic alcohol intake on sperm morphology, capacitation, fertilization and sperm head decondensation. CF-1 male mice were administered 15% ethanol in drinking water for 15 days; control mice received ethanol-free water. Similar patterns of tyrosine phosphorylation were observed in capacitated spermatozoa of control and treated males. Percentage of hyperactivation (H) and spontaneous (SAR) and progesterone-induced (IAR) acrosome reaction significantly decreased at 120 and 150 min of capacitation in treated males compared to controls (H: 14.1 ± 2.5 vs 23.7 ± 2.6, P < 0.05; SAR-T120 min: 17.9 ± 2.5 vs 32.9 ± 4.1, P < 0.01; IAR-150 min: 43.3 ± 3.5 vs 73.1 ± 1.1, P < 0.001, n = 6). During in vitro fertilization (2.5, 3.5 and 4.5 h post-insemination), there was an increased percentage of fertilized oocytes (with a decondensed sperm head and one or two pronuclei) in treated males (P < 0.001, n = 7). After 60 min of in vitro decondensation with glutathione plus heparin, the percentage of decondensed sperm heads was significantly higher in treated males than in controls (mean ± s.d.: 57.1 ± 5.6 vs 48.3 ± 4.5, P < 0.05, n = 5). The percentage of morphologically normal sperm heads was significantly decreased in treated males with respect to controls (P < 0.001, n = 9). These results show that short-term moderate alcohol consumption in outbred mice affect sperm morphology, hyperactivation, acrosomal exocytosis, and the dynamics of in vitro fertilization and in vitro sperm nuclear decondensation.
The Changing Picture of Nonlinearity in Musical Instruments: Modeling and Simulation

A natural starting point for the study of any physicalsystem is linearisation—leading to great simpliﬁcation isterms of analysis, and also, in the computer age, to designﬂexibility and algorithmic simpliﬁcation in simulation. T heacoustics of musical instruments is no exception. Onequestion, then, is: how much of the behaviour of a giveninstrument can be linearised? The only clear answer is:deﬁnitely not all of it. The production of musical soundby an instrument, whether it is struck, blown, or bowed,relies critically on a nonlinear excitation mechanism. Onestandard model of the musical instrument, then, relies ona subdivision of the instrument into a nonlinear excitationmechanism, which is to a good approximationlumped, and alinear resonator which is distributed, and characterized by anumber of natural frequencies, or modes. Such a model hasbeen employed, for many particular cases, for some time—apowerful uniﬁed picture emerged, however, with the articleby McIntyre, Schumacher and Woodhouse [1]. See Figure1. Such a characterisation has been enormously useful, notonly in investigations in musical acoustics, but also as ameans of arriving at eﬃcient synthesis methods, using modalrepresentations [2, 3], methods based on transfer functiondescriptions [4], or to spectacular eﬀect for certain systemsin 1D when a traveling wave formulation is available,leading to the digital waveguide formalism [5, 6].
Insufficiency fracture of the unresurfaced patella following total knee arthroplasty

Atraumatic patellar fractures after Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) are rare in unresurfaced patella. Previous reports are few and have highlighted association of these fractures with rheumatoid arthritis and gout along with interference with patellar blood flow after lateral release and Hoffas’ fat pad excision. We report a case of insufficiency fracture of patella in a patient following TKA after post-operative haematoma and arthrofibrosis that was managed conservatively. Correspondence to: Dr.med.habil.Alexander Schuh, Head of Musculoskeletal Center, Neumarkt Hospital, Teaching Hospital of the University of ErlangenNurenberg, Nürnberger Str. 1292318 Neumarkt i.d. Opf, Germany, Tel: +499181-420-3500; Fax: +49-9181-420-3503; E-mail: Alexander.Schuh@klinikum. neumarkt.de
Thermal Radiation Effects on MHD Free Convection Flow Past an Impulsively Started Vertical Plate with Variable Surface Temperature and Concentration

Thermal radiation effects on hydromagnetic free convection flow past an impulsively started vertical plate with variable surface temperature and concentration is analyzed, by taking into account the heat due to viscous dissipation. The governing boundary layer equations of the flow field are solved by an implicit finite difference method of Crank-Nicholson type. A parametric study is performed to illustrate the influence of radiation parameter, magnetic parameter, Grashof number, Prandtl number, Eckert number on the velocity, temperature and concentration profiles. Also, the local and average skin-friction coefficient, Nusselt number and Sherwood number are presented graphically. The numerical results reveal that an increase in thermal radiation reduces both the velocity and temperature in the boundary layer and a rise in viscous dissipation accelerates the flow.
An Anion Conductance, the Essential Component of the Hydroxyl-Radical-Induced Ion Current in Plant Roots

Oxidative stress signaling is essential for plant adaptation to hostile environments. Previous studies revealed the essentiality of hydroxyl radicals (HO•)-induced activation of massive K+ efflux and a smaller Ca2+ influx as an important component of plant adaptation to a broad range of abiotic stresses. Such activation would modify membrane potential making it more negative. Contrary to these expectations, here, we provide experimental evidence that HO• induces a strong depolarization, from −130 to −70 mV, which could only be explained by a substantial HO•-induced efflux of intracellular anions. Application of Gd3+ and NPPB, non-specific blockers of cation and anion conductance, respectively, reduced HO•-induced ion fluxes instantaneously, implying a direct block of the dual conductance. The selectivity of an early instantaneous HO•-induced whole cell current fluctuated from more anionic to more cationic and vice versa, developing a higher cation selectivity at later times. The parallel electroneutral efflux of K+ and anions should underlie a substantial leak of the cellular electrolyte, which may affect the cell’s turgor and metabolic status. The physiological implications of these findings are discussed in the context of cell fate determination, and ROS and cytosolic K+ signaling.
Shoreline Development Drives Invasion of Phragmites australis and the Loss of Plant Diversity on New England Salt Marshes

Abstract: The reed Phragmites australis Cav. is aggressively invading salt marshes along the Atlantic Coast of North America. We examined the interactive role of habitat alteration (i.e., shoreline development) in driving this invasion and its consequences for plant richness in New England salt marshes. We surveyed 22 salt marshes in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, and quantified shoreline development, Phragmites cover, soil salinity, and nitrogen availability. Shoreline development, operationally defined as removal of the woody vegetation bordering marshes, explained >90% of intermarsh variation in Phragmites cover. Shoreline development was also significantly correlated with reduced soil salinities and increased nitrogen availability, suggesting that removing woody vegetation bordering marshes increases nitrogen availability and decreases soil salinities, thus facilitating Phragmites invasion. Soil salinity (64%) and nitrogen availability (56%) alone explained a large proportion of variation in Phragmites cover, but together they explained 80% of the variation in Phragmites invasion success. Both univariate and aggregate (multidimensional scaling) analyses of plant community composition revealed that Phragmites dominance in developed salt marshes resulted in an almost three‐fold decrease in plant species richness. Our findings illustrate the importance of maintaining integrity of habitat borders in conserving natural communities and provide an example of the critical role that local conservation can play in preserving these systems. In addition, our findings provide ecologists and natural resource managers with a mechanistic understanding of how human habitat alteration in one vegetation community can interact with species introductions in adjacent communities (i.e., flow‐on or adjacency effects) to hasten ecosystem degradation.
Arabic Dialect Identification in Speech Transcripts

In this paper we describe a system developed to identify a set of four regional Arabic dialects (Egyptian, Gulf, Levantine, North African) and Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in a transcribed speech corpus. We competed under the team name MAZA in the Arabic Dialect Identification sub-task of the 2016 Discriminating between Similar Languages (DSL) shared task. Our system achieved an F1-score of 0.51 in the closed training track, ranking first among the 18 teams that participated in the sub-task. Our system utilizes a classifier ensemble with a set of linear models as base classifiers. We experimented with three different ensemble fusion strategies, with the mean probability approach providing the best performance.
Effect of secondhand smoke on occupancy of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in brain.

CONTEXT Despite progress in tobacco control, secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure remains prevalent worldwide and is implicated in the initiation and maintenance of cigarette smoking. OBJECTIVE To determine whether moderate SHS exposure results in brain α(4)β(2)* nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) occupancy. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Positron emission tomography scanning and the radiotracer 2-[18F]fluoro-3-(2(S)azetidinylmethoxy) pyridine (also known as 2-[(18)F]fluoro-A-85380, or 2-FA) were used to determine α(4)β(2)* nAChR occupancy from SHS exposure in 24 young adult participants (11 moderately dependent cigarette smokers and 13 nonsmokers). Participants underwent two bolus-plus-continuous-infusion 2-FA positron emission tomography scanning sessions during which they sat in the passenger's seat of a car for 1 hour and either were exposed to moderate SHS or had no SHS exposure. The study took place at an academic positron emission tomography center. Main Outcome Measure Changes induced by SHS in 2-FA specific binding volume of distribution as a measure of α(4)β(2)* nAChR occupancy. RESULTS An overall multivariate analysis of variance using specific binding volume of distribution values revealed a significant main effect of condition (SHS vs control) (F(1,22) = 42.5, P < . 001) but no between-group (smoker vs nonsmoker) effect. Exposure to SHS led to a mean 19% occupancy of brain α(4)β(2)* nAChRs (1-sample t test, 2-tailed, P < .001). Smokers had both a mean 23% increase in craving with SHS exposure and a correlation between thalamic α(4)β(2)* nAChR occupancy and craving alleviation with subsequent cigarette smoking (Spearman ρ = -0.74, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS Nicotine from SHS exposure results in substantial brain α(4)β(2)* nAChR occupancy in smokers and nonsmokers. Study findings suggest that such exposure delivers a priming dose of nicotine to the brain that contributes to continued cigarette use in smokers. This study has implications for both biological research into the link between SHS exposure and cigarette use and public policy regarding the need to limit SHS exposure in cars and other enclosed spaces.
Strategies to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Acute Care Hospitals: 2014 Update

Previously published guidelines are available that provide comprehensive recommendations for detecting and preventing healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). The intent of this document is to highlight practical recommendations in a concise format to assist acute care hospitals in implementing and prioritizing strategies to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) and other ventilator-associated events (VAEs) and to improve outcomes for mechanically ventilated adults, children, and neonates. This document updates "Strategies to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia in Acute Care Hospitals," published in 2008. This expert guidance document is sponsored by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA) and is the product of a collaborative effort led by SHEA, the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the American Hospital Association (AHA), the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC), and The Joint Commission, with major contributions from representatives of a number of organizations and societies with content expertise. The list of endorsing and supporting organizations is presented in the introduction to the 2014 updates.
Surgical Management of Double/Triple Mandibular Fractures Involving the Condylar Segment: Our Perspective

A series of surgical cases operated in our unit are considered to analyze and evaluate the different techniques and sequencing employed in the surgical management of double/triple mandibular fractures involving a condylar fracture. Deviating from the normal sequence of reducing and fixing the dentate segment first, we addressed the condylar segment first. A combination of different approaches for different cases such as a periangular with a vestibular, a preauricular and a retromandibular with a vestibular were used according to the type of fractures. The accessibility to one difficult case with a medially displaced condyle was facilitated by using Hegar's uterine dilators. In all cases, good anatomical reduction was achieved with stable occlusion and without any signs of facial nerve impairment. The 'Condyle first' approach in the surgical management of double/triple mandibular fractures, is a reliable and efficient technique.
Neurophysiological Effects of Trait Empathy in Music Listening

The social cognitive basis of music processing has long been noted, and recent research has shown that trait empathy is linked to musical preferences and listening style. Does empathy modulate neural responses to musical sounds? We designed two functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiments to address this question. In Experiment 1, subjects listened to brief isolated musical timbres while being scanned. In Experiment 2, subjects listened to excerpts of music in four conditions (familiar liked (FL)/disliked and unfamiliar liked (UL)/disliked). For both types of musical stimuli, emotional and cognitive forms of trait empathy modulated activity in sensorimotor and cognitive areas: in the first experiment, empathy was primarily correlated with activity in supplementary motor area (SMA), inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and insula; in Experiment 2, empathy was mainly correlated with activity in prefrontal, temporo-parietal and reward areas. Taken together, these findings reveal the interactions between bottom-up and top-down mechanisms of empathy in response to musical sounds, in line with recent findings from other cognitive domains.
Lessons Learned from an Information Security Incident: A Practical Recommendation to Involve Employees in Information Security

With the increasingly negative impact of information security attacks, measures of information security, which address the weakest link in the information security chain, namely the employee, have become a necessity for today’s business world. One way to improve employees’ – yet limited – information security awareness is to learn from past information security incidents. This study theoretically builds upon the so called involvement theory to extend the existing research on information security awareness. Insights gained from 34 interviews suggest that involvement accompanied with a detailed review of past security incidents has a positive effect on staff’s information security awareness. Employees, directly affected by an information security incident, gain significant information security expertise and knowledge which they can, again, share with their colleagues. Moreover, constructive team work in the light of information security risks as well as an adequate adjustment of security-related measures is fostered.