Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-related processing strategies and go–nogo effects in task-switching: an ERP study

We studied cognitive and age-related changes in three task-switching (TS) paradigms: (1) informatively cued TS with go stimuli, (2) informatively cued TS with go and nogo stimuli, (3) non-informatively cued TS with go and nogo stimuli. This design allowed a direct comparison, how informative and non-informative cues influenced preparatory processes, and how nogo stimuli changed the context of the paradigm and cognitive processing in different aging groups. Beside the behavioral measures [reaction time (RT), error rate], event-related potentials (ERPs) were registered to the cue and target stimuli in young (N = 39, mean age = 21.6 ± 1.6 years) and older (N = 40, mean age = 65.7 ± 3.2 years) adults. The results provide evidence for declining performance in the older group: they had slower RT, less hits, more erroneous responses, higher mixing costs and decreased amplitude of ERP components than the participants of the younger group. In the task without the nogo stimuli young adults kept the previous task-set active that could be seen in shorter RT and larger amplitude of cue-locked late positivity (P3b) in task repeat (TR) trials compared to task switch trials. If both go and nogo stimuli were presented, similar RTs and P3b amplitudes appeared in the TR and TS trials. In the complex task situations older adults did not evolve an appropriate task representation and task preparation, as indicated by the lack of cue-locked P3b, CNV, and target-locked P3b. We conclude that young participants developed explicit representation of task structures, but the presence of nogo stimuli had marked effects on such representation. On the other hand, older people used only implicit control strategy to solve the task, hence the basic difference between the age groups was their strategy of task execution.
Is it all relative? Effects of prosodic boundaries on the comprehension and production of attachment ambiguities

While there is ample evidence that prosody and syntax mutually constrain each other, there is considerable uncertainty about the nature of this interface. Here, we explore this issue with prepositional phrase attachment ambiguities (You can feelA the catB with the feather). Prior research has been motivated by two hypotheses: (1) the absolute boundary hypothesis (ABH) posits that attachment preferences depend on the size of the prosodic boundary before the ambiguous phrase (boundary B) and (2) the relative boundary hypothesis (RBH) links attachment to the relative size of boundary B and any boundary between the high and low attachment site (boundary A). However, few experiments test the unique predictions of either theory. Study 1 examines how syntax influences prosodic production. The results provide modest support for RBH and stronger support for ABH. In Study 2, we systematically vary the size of both boundaries in an offline comprehension task. We find that absolute boundary strength influences interpretation when relative boundary strength is held constant, and relative boundary strength influences interpretation when absolute boundary strength is held constant. Thus, our theory of the prosody–syntax interface must account for effects of both kinds.
The Effect of Hyaluronidase in Interlaminar Lumbar Epidural Injection for Failed Back Surgery Syndrome

Objective To evaluate the effect of hyaluronidase in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) treated with interlaminar lumbar epidural injection (ILEI). Method Sixty patients suffering from severe low back pain and sciatica were randomly allocated into three groups. Group T received ILEI with 2 ml triamcinolone 40 mg/ml and 5 ml bupivacaine 0.25%. Group H received ILEI with 1500 IU hyaluronidase and 5 ml bupivacaine 0.25%. Group TH received interlaminar lumbar epidural injection (ILEI) with 1500 IU hyaluronidase, 2 ml triamcinolone 40 mg/ml and 5 ml bupivacaine 0.25%. The effect was evaluated using Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) at pre-injection, 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 12 weeks after ILEI. Results After 2 weeks and after 6 weeks, patients in both Group T and Group TH had significant effectiveness more than Group H in decrease of VAS and ODI. After 12 weeks, only patients in Group TH had significant effectiveness in decrease of VAS and ODI (p<0.05). In every period, Group TH had the most effectivess in decrease of VAS and ODI after ILEI. Conclusion ILEI for FBSS with triamcinolone and hyaluronidase is considered to have more long term effectiveness to reduce pain and improve function after ILEI than injection with triamcinolone alone or hyaluronidase alone.
Context-specific memory and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) ε4: Cognitive evidence from the NIMH prospective study of risk for Alzheimer's disease

The aim of the study was to determine whether the ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene was associated primarily with context-specific memory among individuals at genetic risk for developing Alzheimer's disease. The effect of ApoE status on comprehensive neuropsychological results was examined in 176 healthy adults during baseline cognitive testing in the NIMH Prospective Study of Biomarkers for Older Controls at Risk for Alzheimer's Disease (NIMH Prospective BIOCARD Study). The presence of the ε4 allele was associated with significantly lower total scores on the Logical Memory II subtest of the Wechsler Memory Scale–Revised and percent of information retained after delay. Further analysis indicated the prose recall and retention effect was partially explained by a small subgroup of ε4 homozygotes, suggesting a gradually progressive process that may be presaged with specific cognitive measures. The current results may represent an ε4-associated breakdown between gist-related information and context-bound veridical recall. This relative disconnection may be understood in light of putative ε4-related preclinical accumulation of Alzheimer pathology (tangles and plaques) in the entorhinal cortex (EC) and among frontal networks, as well as the possibility of less-efficient compensatory strategies. (JINS, 2004, 10, 362–370.)
Leveraging Ethnic Group Incidence Variation to Investigate Genetic Susceptibility to Glioma: A Novel Candidate SNP Approach

Objectives: Using a novel candidate SNP approach, we aimed to identify a possible genetic basis for the higher glioma incidence in Whites relative to East Asians and African-Americans. Methods: We hypothesized that genetic regions containing SNPs with extreme differences in allele frequencies across ethnicities are most likely to harbor susceptibility variants. We used International HapMap Project data to identify 3,961 candidate SNPs with the largest allele frequency differences in Whites compared to East Asians and Africans and tested these SNPs for association with glioma risk in a set of White cases and controls. Top SNPs identified in the discovery dataset were tested for association with glioma in five independent replication datasets. Results: No SNP achieved statistical significance in either the discovery or replication datasets after accounting for multiple testing or conducting meta-analysis. However, the most strongly associated SNP, rs879471, was found to be in linkage disequilibrium with a previously identified risk SNP, rs6010620, in RTEL1. We estimate rs6010620 to account for a glioma incidence rate ratio of 1.34 for Whites relative to East Asians. Conclusion: We explored genetic susceptibility to glioma using a novel candidate SNP method which may be applicable to other diseases with appropriate epidemiologic patterns.
Pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A proteolytic activity in rat vertebral cell cultures: Stimulation by dexamethasone–a potential mechanism for glucocorticoid regulation of osteoprogenitor proliferation and differentiation

Glucocorticoids (GCs) at physiological concentrations stimulate osteoprogenitor proliferation and differentiation in rat bone cell populations, and this is mediated in part by an increased response to insulin‐like growth factors (IGFs). Since IGF binding proteins (IGFBPs) modulate IGF actions, we evaluated whether the increased IGF responsiveness might be associated with decreased inhibitory IGFBP‐4 peptide levels. Rat vertebral cells were cultured for up to 20 days with or without dexamethasone (Dex). Cell layer proteins were extracted at day 6, 8, 14, and 20, conditioned media (CM) collected at day 8, 14, and 20, and total RNA isolated at day 14 and 20 of culture. Western blotting showed that cell layer IGFBP‐4 levels were lower, while IGFBP‐4 protease activity in CM was higher, in Dex‐treated cultures. Addition of pregnancy‐associated plasma protein‐A (PAPP‐A) antibody to CM abrogated IGFBP‐4 proteolysis. PAPP‐A mRNA levels were the same in control and Dex‐treated cultures as evaluated by RT‐PCR. Our data demonstrate that activity of the IGFBP‐4 protease, PAPP‐A, in rat bone cell cultures is increased by Dex via post‐transcriptional mechanisms. Since IGFBP‐4 mRNA levels in Dex‐treated cultures were the same as in controls at day 8, slightly lower than in controls at day 14, and higher than in controls at day 20 as shown previously, the decreased IGFBP‐4 peptide levels in Dex‐treated cultures likely result from increased IGFBP‐4 proteolysis by the elevated PAPP‐A enzymatic activity. Our findings underscore a novel mechanism whereby GCs increase IGF responses in rat bone cells via PAPP‐A‐induced IGFBP‐4 proteolysis. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tempering Proactive Cognitive Control by Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation of the Right (but Not the Left) Lateral Prefrontal Cortex

Behavioral and neuroimaging data support the distinction of two different modes of cognitive control: proactive, which involves the active and sustained maintenance of task-relevant information to bias behavior in accordance with internal goals; and reactive, which entails the detection and resolution of interference at the time it occurs. Both control modes may be flexibly deployed depending on a variety of conditions (i.e., age, brain alterations, motivational factors, prior experience). Critically, and in line with specific predictions derived from the dual mechanisms of control account (Braver, 2012), findings from neuroimaging studies indicate that the same lateral prefrontal regions (i.e., left dorsolateral cortex and right inferior frontal junction) may implement different control modes on the basis of temporal dynamics of activity, which would be modulated in response to external or internal conditions. In the present study, we aimed to explore whether transcraneal direct current stimulation over either the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex or the right inferior frontal junction would differentially modulate performance on the AX-CPT, a well-validated task that provides sensitive and reliable behavioral indices of proactive/reactive control. The study comprised six conditions of real stimulation [3 (site: left dorsolateral, right dorsolateral and right inferior frontal junction) × 2 (polarity: anodal and cathodal)], and one sham condition. The reference electrode was always placed extracephalically. Performance on the AX-CPT was assessed through two blocks of trials. The first block took place while stimulation was being delivered, whereas the second block was administered after stimulation completion. The results indicate that both offline cathodal stimulation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and online anodal stimulation of the right inferior frontal junction led participants to be much less proactive, with such a dissociation suggesting that both prefrontal regions differentially contribute to the adjustment of cognitive control modes. tDCS of the left-DLPFC failed to modulate cognitive control. These results partially support the predictions derived from the dual mechanisms of control account.
Human Capital versus Signaling Models: University Access and High School Dropouts

Under the educational sorting hypothesis, an environment in which some individuals are constrained from entering university will be characterized by increased pooling at the high school graduation level, as compared to an environment with greater university access. This results because some potential high school dropouts and university enrollees choose the high school graduate designation in order to take advantage of high‐ability individuals who are constrained from entering university. This is in stark contrast to human capital theory, which predicts higher university enrollment but identical high school dropout rates in regions with greater university access. I test the contradictory high school dropout predictions of the human capital and signaling models using NLSYM and NLSYW education data from the late 1960s and early 1970s. I find that labor markets that contain universities have higher high school dropout rates. This result is consistent with a signaling model and inconsistent with a pure human capital model.
Predicting Protein Model Quality from Sequence Alignments by Support Vector Machines

Assessing the quality of a protein structure model is essential for protein structure prediction. Here, we developed a Support Vector Machine (SVM) method to predict the quality score (GDT-TS score) of a protein structure model from the features extracted from the sequence alignment used to generate the model. We developed a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model quality assessment method, taking either a query-single-template pairwise alignment or a query-multitemplate alignment as input. For the pairwise alignment scheme, the input features fed into the SVM predictor include the normalized e-value of the given alignment, the percentage of identical residue pairs in the alignment, the percentage of residues of the query aligned with those of the template, and the sum of the BLOSUM scores of all aligned residues divided by the length of the aligned positions. Similarly, for the multiple-alignment scheme, the input features include the percentage of the residues of the target sequence aligned with those in one or more templates, the percentage of aligned residues of the target sequence that are the same as that of any one template, the average BLOSUM score of aligned residues and the average Gonnet160 score of aligned residues. A SVM regression predictor was trained on the training data to predict the GDT-TS scores of the models from the input features. The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and the Absolute Mean Error (ABS) between predicted and real GDT-TS scores were calculated to evaluate the performance. A five-fold cross validation was applied to select the best parameter values based on the average RMSE and ABS on the five folds. The RMSE and ABS of the optimized SVM predictor on the testing data were close to 0.1. The good performance of the SVM and sequence alignment based predictor indicates that integrating sequence alignment features with a SVM is effective for protein model quality assessment.
Running Head: Energy Saving Behaviors INCREASING ENERGY- AND GREENHOUSE GAS-SAVING BEHAVIORS AMONG ADOLESCENTS: A SCHOOL-BASED CLUSTER-RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Individual behavior change can serve as a key strategy for reducing energy use to mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and improve energy security. A theory-based, school-based intervention to promote energyand GHG-saving behaviors was developed by applying strategies and approaches from prior successful work in health behavior change. The focus was on changing behaviors rather than increasing knowledge, awareness, and attitudes, making extensive use of experimentally validated behavioral theory and principles. The intervention was evaluated in a cluster-randomized controlled trial. Public high school students (N=165) in a required course were randomized by teacher to receive a five week, five-lesson behavior change curriculum promoting changes to reduce home electricity-, transportation-, and food-related energy use and GHG emissions or their usual coursework. Students reported their energyand GHG-saving behaviors at baseline and six weeks later (one-week after the completion of the curriculum for the treatment group students). Effects were tested with hierarchical linear models to account for potential clustering within classrooms. Students randomized to receive the curriculum statistically significantly increased their total energyand GHG-saving behaviors compared to controls (adjusted difference = 0.43 on a scale from 0-6 behavioral categories, 95% Confidence Interval = 0.07 to 0.80, p =.02; number needed to treat [NNT] = 4.1). The largest effects occurred in hang drying clothing (adjusted difference = .098, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] .028 to .165, NNT = 4.1) and shutting off appliances and other energy-using devices when not in use (adjusted difference = .095; 95% CI .055 to .135; NNT 3.5). These results indicate that a theory-driven, school-based classroom intervention can increase energyand GHG-saving behaviors among adolescents.
Effects of Refuges and Density Dependent Dispersal on interspecific Competition Dynamics

We present a classical interspecific competition model. Individuals compete for a resource on a common patch and can go to a refuge. It is assumed that if species would remain on the competition patch, species 1 survives and species 2 would go extinct. Therefore, species 1 is Locally Superior Competitor (LSC) and species 2 Locally Inferior Competitor (LIC). We study the effects of density dependent dispersal from the competition patch to the refuge on the global outcome of competition. We study two cases. The first case considers LSC density dependent dispersal of the LIC trying to escape competition and going to its refuge when the LSC density is large. The second case considers aggressiveness of LIC leading to LIC density dependent dispersal of the LSC. We show that under some conditions, tactic 2 can allow the LIC to survive and even provoke global extinction of the LSC.
Selecting Tomorrow’s Forensic Psychologists: a Fresh Look at Some Familiar Predictors

The present study examined the use of the Graduate Record Examination (GRE-Verbal and GRE-Quantitative) and undergraduate grade point average (UGPA) to predict long-term performance in an MA program in forensic psychology. The criterion measures were graduate grade point average (GGPA) and time to completion (TTC). Data were available for 206 graduates. Regression analysis indicated that a linear combination of GRE-V, GRE-Q, and UGPA correlated 0.63 with GGPA. Predictive efficiency was reduced by only 2% of the variance when GRE subscores are combined into a total score. The correlation with TTC was smaller (R = 0.31) but nonetheless translated into meaningful differences in student performance. Most noteworthy, GRE scores and UGPA appear to predict better for forensic psychology than for social sciences in general.
Interferon-beta treatment in multiple sclerosis patients decreases the number of circulating T cells producing interferon-gamma and interleukin-4.

Systemic administration of interferon (IFN)-beta has been recently approved for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The immunological mechanism by which IFN-beta ameliorates MS is still partially unknown. We measured the number of blood circulating CD4(+), CD4(-), CD8(+), and CD8(-) T cells secreting IFN-gamma and IL-4 in 26 RRMS patients followed for up to 9 months of an alternate day s.c. treatment with 8x16 IU of IFN-beta1b. Compared to pre-treatment values, a significant (P<0.05) reduction of CD4(+), CD4(-), CD8(+) and CD8(-) cells producing IFN-gamma and of CD4(+) and CD4(-) cells producing IL-4 was observed in MS patients. The IFN-beta-associated effect was evident soon after the beginning of the treatment and persisted for the entire follow-up period. We did not observe any effect of IFN-beta treatment on the percentage of IL-4-producing CD8(+) and CD8(-) cells nor in that of natural killer (NK) cells producing IFN-gamma. Our results show that IFN-beta treatment in MS patients induces a profound and persistent down-regulation of the number of circulating T cells secreting IFN-gamma and IL-4 thus suggesting a broader rather than a specific immunomodulatory effect of IFN-beta in MS.
Scenario training in police academies: developing students’ higher-level thinking skills

Staff at Idaho Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) developed a Problem-based Learning Exercise (PBLE) to help student officers develop subject-specific policing knowledge as well as higher-level skills such as decision-making, problem-solving and collaboration. Evaluation of the effectiveness of the PBLE by students and training staff indicates that the program is achieving its intended goals. This article describes the development of Idaho’s problem-based learning program, the educational framework of the PBLE, and the view of students regarding the program’s value. The article also includes suggestions from POST staff for agencies considering developing a similar program of their own.
Losing sight of the future: Impaired semantic prospection following medial temporal lobe lesions

The ability to imagine the future (prospection) relies on many of the same brain regions that support memory for the past. To date, scientific research has primarily focused on the neural substrates of episodic forms of prospection (mental simulation of spatiotemporally specific future events); however, little is known about the neural substrates of semantic prospection (mental simulation of future nonpersonal facts). Of particular interest is the role of the medial temporal lobes (MTLs), and specifically the hippocampus. Although the hippocampus has been proposed to play a key role in episodic prospection, recent evidence suggests that it may not play a similar role in semantic prospection. To examine this possibility, amnesic patients with MTL lesions were asked to imagine future issues occurring in the public domain. The results showed that patients could list general semantic facts about the future, but when probed to elaborate, patients produced impoverished descriptions that lacked semantic detail. This impairment occurred despite intact performance on standard neuropsychological tests of semantic processing and did not simply reflect deficits in narrative construction. The performance of a patient with damage limited to the hippocampus was similar to that of the remaining patients with MTL lesions and amnesic patients' impaired elaboration of the semantic future correlated with their impaired elaboration of the semantic past. Together, these results provide novel evidence from MTL amnesia that memory and prospection are linked in the semantic domain and reveal that the MTLs play a critical role in the construction of detailed, multi‐element semantic simulations. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Protective Value of Hardiness on Military Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms

This study examined the protective effects of hardiness (dispositional resilience) on self-reported posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in a sample of postdeployed service members. Hardiness was negatively related to PTSD symptoms. Time in the military, number of deployments, and total time spent on deployment were all positively related to PTSD symptoms. Hardiness moderated the effects of time in the military on PTSD symptoms, such that time in the military had no effect on those who were high in hardiness. Hardiness did not moderate the effects of either deployment measure. Suggestions to modify current military resilience training programs to most effectively enhance the benefits of hardiness are discussed.