Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Developmental factor in auditory-visual speech perception - the Mcgurk effect in Mandarin-Chinese and English speakers

This study investigated the developmental factor in the use of visual information in auditory-visual speech perception in Mandarin-Chinese and English native speakers. Adults and 8- to 9-year-old children from two language backgrounds (Mandarin-Chinese and English) were presented stimuli consisting of /ba/, /da/, /ga/ and were asked to make syllable identifications in auditory-only, visual-only and auditory-visual (congruent and incongruent) conditions in clear and in noise. In order to test the second-language learning effect, an additional Chinese child group with a high degree of English exposure was also included. The results showed a developmental increase in the use of visual information and in the magnitude of McGurk effect in both Chinese and English groups. In addition, a positive correlation between the total visual effect and speechreading performance was found, suggesting that the smaller visual influence in the bimodal condition for children might be accounted for by their less sophisticated lip-reading ability. In regard with the foreign language effect, English listeners showed greater visual influence for tokens produced by Chinese speakers, but there was no difference linked to second-language exposure between the two Chinese child groups.
Endothelial diaphragmed fenestrae: in vitro modulation by phorbol myristate acetate

Cultured microvascular endothelial cells isolated from fenestrated capillaries have been shown to express many properties of their in vivo differentiated phenotype, yet they contain very few diaphragmed fenestrae. We show here that treatment of capillary endothelial cells with the tumor promoter, 4 beta-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, induces more than a fivefold increase in the frequency of fenestrae per micron 2 of cell surface, as determined from a quantitative evaluation on freeze-fracture replicas. In quick-frozen, deep-etched preparations, the endothelial fenestrae appeared to be bridged by a diaphragm composed of radial fibers interweaving in a central mesh, as previously observed in vivo. These results indicate that diaphragmed fenestrae are inducible structures, and provide an opportunity to study them in vitro.
The president's council on physical fitness and sports.

Call to Order, Welcome, and Roll Call Commander Penelope Royall welcomed the members of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) and thanked them, and the guests and visitors, for attending. Mr. Lynn Swann added that an exciting day had been planned, including reports about programs that could be models for future PCPFS efforts. Ms. Dona Shamburg called the roll; fourteen Council members were present and five absent.
Androgens regulate circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein-3 during puberty in male baboons.

To examine the role of androgens in initiating the pubertal rise in circulating insulin-like factor-I (IGF-I) levels, a longitudinal study of puberty in 13 male hamadryas baboons was conducted over 3 yr. The five control baboons commenced puberty (initial testicular enlargement) at a mean +/- SE age of 4.2 +/- 0.4 yr. Another eight baboons were castrated prepubertally; of those four received testosterone pellets (dose equivalent: 12.5-50 mg every 6 weeks) implanted se from the time of puberty. Body weight, crown-rump length, and limb length measurements, synchronized to pubertal onset, suggest that a pubertal growth spurt occurs in male baboons. Control baboons had a marked rise (4- to 5-fold; P < 0.0001) in circulating IGF-I levels; maximum IGF-I levels (168 +/- 9 nmol/L) were reached 42 months after the onset of puberty (mean chronological age 7.5 yr). Castrated baboons had no significant rise in IGF-I levels, however, administration of testosterone resulted in a close approximation of the normal pubertal rise in IGF-I (maximum values 140 +/- 8 nmol/L), confirmed by comparison of fitted sigmoid curves (r2 > 0.99; chronological age ED50 controls, 4.4 +/- 0.1 yr and castrate + testosterone, 4.3 +/- 0.1 yr). Serum IGF binding protein-3 levels paralleled the rise in IGF-I consistent with a common regulatory mechanism. In another study, castration of four sexually mature male baboons aged 11.12 +/- 1.16 yr had no effect on serum IGF-I levels (P = 0.5). This indicates that androgens are the predominant determinant of circulating IGF-I in the male baboon, and that this is an uniquely pubertal phenomenon.
Associative Classi cation using a Bio-Inspired Algorithm

This paper proposes an ambitious bio-inspired algorithm for associative classification (AC) based on Quantum-Inspired Artificial Immune system (QAIS) for building an efficient classifier by searching association rules to find the best subset of rules for all possible association rules. it integrates concepts of quantum computing (QC) and artificial immune system (AIS) as a bio natural inspired algorithm. It employees a mutation operator with a quantum-based rotation gate to control and maintain diversity, and guides the search process. The proposed QAIS is implemented and evaluated using benchmark datasets(Blake & Merz 1998) including Adult, Nursery, Iris and Breast-Cancer datasets. The obtained results are analysed and compared with experimental implementation results of AIS-AC algorithm (Do et al 2009). The experimental results showed that the proposed algorithm is preformed well with large search space and has higher accuracy, and maintained diversity.
PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GLUE LIKE SERICIN PROTEIN FROM A WILD SILKWORM Antheraea assamensis Helfer

Sericin is a hot water soluble glycoprotein and has been partially characterized in the domest icated silkwormBombyx mori. Contrary to this very little information is available about the sericin of non mulberry silkworms. Sericin is generally a waste product during degumming. Recent advancement in silkworm research has revealed the use of sericin o fB. morias protein based biomaterial involving preparation of sericin 2D and 3D matrices, hydrogels and growth of fibroblast cells on sericin bio -films. The present study discusses the properties of sericin extracted from a wild silkworm Antheraea
The role of REM sleep in ocular dominance plasticity consolidation

Despite decades of research, the function of sleep remains controversial. One theory is that sleep plays a role in consolidating plasticity induced during prior waking. Ocular dominance plasticity (ODP) in the cat visual cortex is induced during waking monocular deprivation (MD) and consolidated during subsequent sleep. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) signaling is required for ODP and is elevated during post-MD sleep, but its requirement during sleep is unknown. In Chapter 2, we investigated whether ERK activity is required during sleep for ODP consolidation by inhibiting the upstream activator of ERK (MEK) with intracortical infusions of U0126 into V1 during post-MD sleep. ERK inhibition abolished ODP consolidation, as measured by extracellular single unit recording. Furthermore, ERK inhibition reduced phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) and post-synaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) levels. MAP kinaseinteracting kinase 1 (Mnk1) is activated by ERK and directly phosphorylates eIF4E; inhibition of Mnk1 mimicked the effects of ERK inhibition. These results show that activation of the ERK-Mnk1 pathway during post-MD sleep is required for ODP consolidation, and that this pathway promotes the synthesis of plasticityrelated proteins such as PSD-95. However, sleep can be broadly subdivided into rapid eye movement (REM) and non-REM (NREM) sleep, but the relative contributions of these states to ODP and the ERK pathway are unknown. In Chapter 3, we examined whether REM sleep is required for ODP consolidation and ERK activation by depriving animals of REM sleep following six hours of waking MD. REM sleep deprivation (RSD) abolished ODP consolidation, as measured by optical imaging of intrinsic cortical signals, and reduced ERK phosphorylation in V1. These effects were not seen in a group that received NREM-fragmented sleep (as a control for the nonspecific effects of RSD). Furthermore, ODP and ERK phosphorylation correlated with the degree of beta-gamma activity in V1 during REM sleep, suggesting that neuronal activity patterns during REM promote ERK activation and ODP consolidation. Together, the findings in the following chapters suggest that, following the induction of cortical plasticity during waking, the ERK-Mnk1 pathway is activated during REM sleep, promoting the synthesis of plasticity-related proteins to consolidate cortical plasticity. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) Graduate Group Neuroscience First Advisor Marcos G. Frank
A Case of Severe Heatstroke and Review of Pathophysiology, Clinical Presentation, and Treatment

Heatstroke is life-threatening condition characterized by hyperthermia and central nervous system disturbances. It can also be classified as a form of systemic inflammatory response syndrome with multiple organ dysfunction and in many ways resembles sepsis. Like sepsis, most patients with heatstroke demonstrate a hyperdynamic hemodynamic response. In contrast to sepsis, rhabdomyolysis may complicate management and initial fluid resuscitation is not well defined. We present an illustrative case report and review of literature.
TrkB and TrkC Signaling Are Required for Maturation and Synaptogenesis of Hippocampal Connections

Recent studies have suggested a role for neurotrophins in the growth and refinement of neural connections, in dendritic growth, and in activity-dependent adult plasticity. To unravel the role of endogenous neurotrophins in the development of neural connections in the CNS, we studied the ontogeny of hippocampal afferents intrkB (−/−) and trkC (−/−) mice. Injections of lipophilic tracers in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus of newborn mutant mice showed that the ingrowth of entorhinal and commissural/associational afferents to the hippocampus was not affected by these mutations. Similarly, injections of biocytin in postnatal mutant mice (P10–P16) did not reveal major differences in the topographic patterns of hippocampal connections. In contrast, quantification of biocytin-filled axons showed that commissural and entorhinal afferents have a reduced number of axon collaterals (21–49%) and decreased densities of axonal varicosities (8–17%) in both trkB (−/−) and trkC (−/−) mice. In addition, electron microscopic analyses showed thattrkB (−/−) and trkC (−/−) mice have lower densities of synaptic contacts and important structural alterations of presynaptic boutons, such as decreased density of synaptic vesicles. Finally, immunocytochemical studies revealed a reduced expression of the synaptic-associated proteins responsible for synaptic vesicle exocytosis and neurotransmitter release (v-SNAREs and t-SNAREs), especially in trkB (−/−) mice. We conclude that neither trkB nor trkC genes are essential for the ingrowth or layer-specific targeting of hippocampal connections, although the lack of these receptors results in reduced axonal arborization and synaptic density, which indicates a role for TrkB and TrkC receptors in the developmental regulation of synaptic inputs in the CNS in vivo. The data also suggest that the genes encoding for synaptic proteins may be targets of TrkB and TrkC signaling pathways.
Removing Boundary Artifacts for Real-Time Iterated Shrinkage Deconvolution

We propose a solution to the problem of boundary artifacts appearing in several recently published fast deblurring algorithms based on iterated shrinkage thresholding in a sparse domain and Fourier domain deconvolution. Our approach adapts an idea proposed by Reeves for deconvolution by the Wiener filter. The time of computation less than doubles.
Frequency of t(14;18) in follicular lymphoma patients: geographical or technical variation

The t(14;18) translocation is the most distinguishing molecular finding in follicular lymphoma (FL). However, the reported frequencies of t(14;18) in FL show significant variation, which is often attributed to geographical and/or methodological factors. The methods used to detect t(14;18) include Southern blotting, conventional cytogenetics, fluorescent in situ hybridization, and polymerized chain reaction (PCR). Because of its practicality and superior sensitivity, PCR is becoming the more commonly used method in clinical laboratories. The identification of the main breakpoint regions on chromosome 18, including the major breakpoint region (MBR), the minor cluster region (mcr), and the newly defined intermediate cluster region (icr), increased the detection frequency of PCR. In our study, using a highly sensitive nested PCR strategy with primers for MBR, mcr and icr regions, we were able to detect t(14;18) in 95% of FL patients, which is one of the highest reported frequencies using PCR. We screened 58 FL patient samples collected retrospectively from different hospitals in Jordan. DNA was extracted from archival paraffin‐embedded samples, some of which were >10 years old. The respective breakpoint distributions were, 47 for MBR (81%), two for mcr (3.5%) and six for icr (10.3%). In this report, we analyze this high frequency of t(14;18) detection in a general review of the recent literature, in an attempt to assess the geographical vs. methodological influences on the reported frequencies.
Nanoemulsion-Based Gel Formulation of Aceclofenac for Topical Delivery

The aim of the present study was to investigate the potential of a nanoemulsion formulation for topical delivery of aceclofenac. Various oil-in-water nanoemulsions were prepared by the spontaneous emulsification method. The nanoemulsion area was identified by constructing pseudoternary phase diagrams. The prepared nanoemulsions were subjected to different thermodynamic stability tests. The nanoemulsion formulations that passed thermodynamic stability tests were characterized for viscosity, droplet size, transmission electron microscopy, and refractive index. Topical permeation of aceclofenac through rat abdominal skin was determined by Franz diffusion cell. The in vitro skin permeation profile of optimized formulations was compared with that of aceclofenac conventional gel and nanoemulsion gel. A significant increase in permeability parameters such as steady-state flux (Jss), permeability coefficient (Kp), and enhancement ratio (Er) was observed in optimized nanoemulsion formulation consist of 2% wt/wt of aceclofenac, 10 % wt/wt of Labrafac, 45% wt/wt surfactant mixture (Cremophor EL: Ethanol), and 43 % wt/wt of distilled water. The anti-inflammatory effects of formulation showed a significant increase percent inhibition value after 24 hours when compared with aceclofenac conventional gel and nanoemulsion gel on carrageenan-induced paw edema in rats. These results suggested that nanoemulsions are potential vehicles for improved transdermal delivery of aceclofenac.
Original Investigation Development and Evaluation of the CAHPS (Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems) Survey for In-Center Hemodialysis Patients

Background: The US Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services assess patient experiences of care as part of the end-stage renal disease prospective payment system and Quality Incentive Program. This article describes the development and evaluation of the Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS) In-Center Hemodialysis Survey. Study Design: We conducted formative research to generate survey questions and performed statistical analyses to evaluate the survey’s measurement properties. Setting & Participants: Formative research included focus groups, cognitive interviews, and field testing the survey with dialysis patients. Measurements & Outcomes: We assessed internal consistency reliability (Cronbach alpha) and centerlevel reliability for 3 multi-item scales. We evaluated construct validity using correlations of the scales with global ratings of the kidney doctor, staff, and dialysis center. Results: Response rate was 46% (1,454 completed surveys). Analyses support 3 multi-item scales: Nephrologists’ Communication and Caring (7 items, alpha 5 0.89), Quality of Dialysis Center Care and Operations (22 items, alpha 5 0.93), and Providing Information to Patients (11 items, alpha 5 0.75). The communication scale was correlated the most strongly with the global rating of the “kidney doctor” (r 5 0.78). The Dialysis Center Care and Operations scale was correlated most strongly with global ratings of staff (r 5 0.75) and the center (r 5 0.69). Providing Information to Patients was correlated most strongly with the global rating of the staff (r 5 0.41). Limitations: A relatively small number of patients completed the survey in Spanish. Conclusions: This study provides support for the reliability and validity of the CAHPS In-Center Hemodialysis Survey for assessing patient experiences of care at dialysis facilities. The survey can be used to compare care provided at different facilities. Am J Kidney Dis. 64(5):753-760. a 2014 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
Physical association of moesin and CD46 as a receptor complex for measles virus

Recently, two cellular membrane proteins, the membrane cofactor protein CD46 and the membrane-organizing external spike protein, moesin, have been identified to be functionally associated with measles virus (MV) infectivity of cells. We investigated the functional consequences of binding of monoclonal antibodies to both molecules individually and combined on MV attachment, fusion, and plaque formation and the putative direct physical interaction of moesin and CD46. We found that antibodies to moesin or CD46 separately inhibited MV-cell interactions to a high percentage in the plaque test, by approximately 85 and 75%, respectively. The inhibition by combinations of antibodies was additive at low concentrations and complete at high concentrations. This indicates that similar sites of interaction were blocked by steric hindrance. Furthermore, antimoesin antibodies blocked the infection of CD46-negative mouse cell lines with MV. Chemical cross-linking of cell surface proteins indicated the close proximity of CD46 and moesin in the membrane of human cells, and coimmunoprecipitation of moesin with CD46 suggested their physical interaction. Immunohistochemically by electron microscopy, CD46 and moesin were found to be localized at sites of the cellular membrane where MV particles adsorbed. These data support a model of direct interaction of CD46 and moesin in the cellular membrane and suggest that this complex is functionally involved in the uptake of MV into cells.
Prob-Maxn: Playing N-Player Games with Opponent Models

Much of the work on opponent modeling for game tree search has been unsuccessful. In two-player, zero-sum games, the gains from opponent modeling are often outweighed by the cost of modeling. Opponent modeling solutions simply cannot search as deep as the highly optimized minimax search with alpha-beta pruning. Recent work has begun to look at the need for opponent modeling in n-player or general-sum games. We introduce a probabilistic approach to opponent modeling in n-player games called prob-maxn, which can robustly adapt to unknown opponents. We implement prob-maxn in the game of Spades, showing that prob-maxn is highly effective in practice, beating out the maxn and soft-max n algorithms when faced with unknown opponents.
Microinjection of Anti-coilin Antibodies Affects the Structure of Coiled Bodies

The coiled body is a distinct subnuclear domain enriched in small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles (snRNPs) involved in processing of pre-mRNA. Although the function of the coiled body is still unknown, current models propose that it may have a role in snRNP biogenesis, transport, or recycling. Here we describe that anti-coilin antibodies promote a specific disappearance of the coiled body in living human cells, thus providing a novel tool for the functional analysis of this structure. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were raised against recombinant human coilin, the major structural protein of the coiled body. Four mAbs are shown to induce a progressive disappearance of coiled bodies within ∼6 h after microinjection into the nucleus of HeLa cells. After their disappearance, coiled bodies are not seen to re-form, although injected cells remain viable for at least 3 d. Epitope mapping reveals that the mAbs recognize distinct amino acid motifs scattered along the complete coilin sequence. By 24 and 48 h after injection of antibodies that promote coiled body disappearance, splicing snRNPs are normally distributed in the nucleoplasm, the nucleolus remains unaffected, and the cell cycle progresses normally. Furthermore, cells devoid of coiled bodies for ∼24 h maintain the ability to splice both adenoviral pre-mRNAs and transiently overexpressed human β-globin transcripts. In conclusion, within the time range of this study, no major nuclear abnormalities are detected after coiled body disappearance.
Multiple Sclerosis: Are Protective Immune Mechanisms Compromised by a Complex Infectious Background?

The immunological background of multiple sclerosis (MS) manifests as an altered reactivity against a diverse range of infections, particularly with the Epstein-Barr virus. Although this could be only an epiphenomenon of a more generalised dysfunction of the immune system in MS, it is also possible that a complex infectious background forms the basis of a specific immune dysregulation finally causing the disease. It is thus suggested that the complex infectious background bears the key for an understanding of the immune pathogenesis of the disease. It appears probable that improved standards of hygiene cause regulatory defects in the immune system, allowing the abnormal expression of human endogenous retroviral (HERV) genes. On the basis of epidemiological observations we describe how a failure of expansion or an eclipse of a subfraction of self-antigen-specific CD8+ T cells mediating immune repair, and a deleterious mode of action of HERV gene products, could underlie the pathogenesis of MS.
Hybridization-Based Detection of Helicobacter pylori at Human Body Temperature Using Advanced Locked Nucleic Acid (LNA) Probes

The understanding of the human microbiome and its influence upon human life has long been a subject of study. Hence, methods that allow the direct detection and visualization of microorganisms and microbial consortia (e.g. biofilms) within the human body would be invaluable. In here, we assessed the possibility of developing a variant of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), named fluorescence in vivo hybridization (FIVH), for the detection of Helicobacter pylori. Using oligonucleotide variations comprising locked nucleic acids (LNA) and 2’-O-methyl RNAs (2’OMe) with two types of backbone linkages (phosphate or phosphorothioate), we were able to successfully identify two probes that hybridize at 37 °C with high specificity and sensitivity for H. pylori, both in pure cultures and in gastric biopsies. Furthermore, the use of this type of probes implied that toxic compounds typically used in FISH were either found to be unnecessary or could be replaced by a non-toxic substitute. We show here for the first time that the use of advanced LNA probes in FIVH conditions provides an accurate, simple and fast method for H. pylori detection and location, which could be used in the future for potential in vivo applications either for this microorganism or for others.