Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Piriform Cortex and Human Focal Epilepsy

It is surprising that the piriform cortex, when compared to the hippocampus, has been given relatively little significance in human epilepsy. Like the hippocampus, it has a phylogenetically preserved three-layered cortex that is vulnerable to excitotoxic injury, has broad connections to both limbic and cortical areas, and is highly epileptogenic – being critical to the kindling process. The well-known phenomenon of early olfactory auras in temporal lobe epilepsy highlights its clinical relevance in human beings. Perhaps because it is anatomically indistinct and difficult to approach surgically, as it clasps the middle cerebral artery, it has, until now, been understandably neglected. In this review, we emphasize how its unique anatomical and functional properties, as primary olfactory cortex, predispose it to involvement in focal epilepsy. From recent convergent findings in human neuroimaging, clinical epileptology, and experimental animal models, we make the case that the piriform cortex is likely to play a facilitating and amplifying role in human focal epileptogenesis, and may influence progression to epileptic intractability.
Justifying and Generalizing Contrastive Divergence

We study an expansion of the log likelihood in undirected graphical models such as the restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM), where each term in the expansion is associated with a sample in a Gibbs chain alternating between two random variables (the visible vector and the hidden vector in RBMs). We are particularly interested in estimators of the gradient of the log likelihood obtained through this expansion. We show that its residual term converges to zero, justifying the use of a truncationrunning only a short Gibbs chain, which is the main idea behind the contrastive divergence (CD) estimator of the log-likelihood gradient. By truncating even more, we obtain a stochastic reconstruction error, related through a mean-field approximation to the reconstruction error often used to train autoassociators and stacked autoassociators. The derivation is not specific to the particular parametric forms used in RBMs and requires only convergence of the Gibbs chain. We present theoretical and empirical evidence linking the number of Gibbs steps k and the magnitude of the RBM parameters to the bias in the CD estimator. These experiments also suggest that the sign of the CD estimator is correct most of the time, even when the bias is large, so that CD-k is a good descent direction even for small k.
Prediction of Job searching Beliefs of Nursing Students Based on Attachment Styles and Aggression Components

Background and Aim: Job searching beliefs and employment of nurses as supervisors or members of medical care group are worth searching. Current research aims at predicting job searching beliefs of nursing students of University of medical sciences of Isfahan based on attachment styles and aggression components. Method: In this research, 150 female university students were participated. They were asked to complete Salehi’s Job searching Questionnaire, Hazan and Shaver’s Attachment style Questionnaire and Aggressive Questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS version 19. Results: The result of this study showed that there is a significant relation between variables. Also, three independent variables of the study can forecast 16% of dependent variable. Conclusion: evaluation and recognition of job searching beliefs, attachment styles and components of anger can provide valuable guidelines for mental health of nursing students.
Style estimation of speech based on multiple regression hidden semi-Markov model

This paper presents a technique for estimating the degree or intensity of emotional expressions and speaking styles appeared in speech. The key idea is based on a style control technique for speech synthesis using multiple regression hidden semi-Markov model (MRHSMM), and the proposed technique can be viewed as the inverse process of the style control. We derive an algorithm for estimating predictor variables of MRHSMM each of which represents a sort of emotion intensity or speaking style variability appeared in acoustic features based on an ML criterion. We also show preliminary experimental results to demonstrate an ability of the proposed technique for synthetic and acted speech samples with emotional expressions and speaking styles.
A Joint Segmentation and Classification Framework for Sentence Level Sentiment Classification

In this paper, we propose a joint segmentation and classification framework for sentence-level sentiment classification. It is widely recognized that phrasal information is crucial for sentiment classification. However, existing sentiment classification algorithms typically split a sentence as a word sequence, which does not effectively handle the inconsistent sentiment polarity between a phrase and the words it contains, such as {“not bad,” “bad”} and {“a great deal of,” “great”}. We address this issue by developing a joint framework for sentence-level sentiment classification. It simultaneously generates useful segmentations and predicts sentence-level polarity based on the segmentation results. Specifically, we develop a candidate generation model to produce segmentation candidates of a sentence; a segmentation ranking model to score the usefulness of a segmentation candidate for sentiment classification; and a classification model for predicting the sentiment polarity of a segmentation. We train the joint framework directly from sentences annotated with only sentiment polarity, without using any syntactic or sentiment annotations in segmentation level. We conduct experiments for sentiment classification on two benchmark datasets: a tweet dataset and a review dataset. Experimental results show that: 1) our method performs comparably with state-of-the-art methods on both datasets; 2) joint modeling segmentation and classification outperforms pipelined baseline methods in various experimental settings.
Accuracy of Pedicle Screw Placement in Scoliosis Surgery: A Comparison between Conventional Computed Tomography-Based and O-Arm-Based Navigation Techniques

Study Design Retrospective study. Purpose We compared the accuracy of O-arm-based navigation with computed tomography (CT)-based navigation in scoliotic surgery. Overview of Literature No previous reports comparing the results of O-arm-based navigation with conventional CT-based navigation in scoliotic surgery have been published. Methods A total of 222 pedicle screws were implanted in 29 patients using CT-based navigation (group C) and 416 screws were implanted in 32 patients using O-arm-based navigation (group O). Postoperative CT was performed to assess the screw accuracy, using the established Neo classification (grade 0: no perforation, grade 1: perforation <2 mm, grade 2: perforation ≥2 and <4, and grade 3: perforation ≥4 mm). Results In group C, 188 (84.7%) of the 222 pedicle screw placements were categorized as grade 0, 23 (10.4%) were grade 1, 11 (5.0%) were grade 2, and 0 were grade 3. In group O, 351 (84.4%) of the 416 pedicle screw placements were categorized as grade 0, 52 (12.5%) were grade 1, 13 (3.1%) were grade 2, and 0 were grade 3. Statistical analysis showed no significant difference in the prevalence of grade 2.3 perforations between groups C and O. The time to position one screw, including registration, was 10.9±3.2 minutes in group C, but was significantly decreased to 5.4±1.1 minutes in group O. Conclusions O-arm-based navigation facilitates pedicle screw insertion as accurately as conventional CT-based navigation. The use of O-arm-based navigation successfully reduced the time, demonstrating advantages in the safety and accuracy of pedicle screw placement for scoliotic surgery.
On quantum Rényi entropies: A new generalization and some properties

The Renyi entropies constitute a family of information measures that generalizes the well-known Shannon entropy, inheriting many of its properties. They appear in the form of unconditional and conditional entropies, relative entropies, or mutual information, and have found many applications in information theory and beyond. Various generalizations of Renyi entropies to the quantum setting have been proposed, most prominently Petz's quasi-entropies and Renner's conditional min-, max-, and collision entropy. However, these quantum extensions are incompatible and thus unsatisfactory. We propose a new quantum generalization of the family of Renyi entropies that contains the von Neumann entropy, min-entropy, collision entropy, and the max-entropy as special cases, thus encompassing most quantum entropies in use today. We show several natural properties for this definition, including data-processing inequalities, a duality relation, and an entropic uncertainty relation.
Harassment, stalking, threats and attacks targeting New Zealand politicians: A mental health issue

Objective: Due to the nature of their work, politicians are at greater risk of stalking, harassment and attack than the general population. The small, but significantly elevated risk of violence to politicians is predominantly due not to organised terrorism or politically motivated extremists but to fixated individuals with untreated serious mental disorders, usually psychosis. Our objective was to ascertain the frequency, nature and effects of unwanted harassment of politicians in New Zealand and the possible role of mental illness in this harassment. Methods: New Zealand Members of Parliament were surveyed, with an 84% response rate (n = 102). Quantitative and qualitative data were collected on Parliamentarians’ experiences of harassment and stalking. Results: Eighty-seven percent of politicians reported unwanted harassment ranging from disturbing communications to physical violence, with most experiencing harassment in multiple modalities and on multiple occasions. Cyberstalking and other forms of online harassment were common, and politicians felt they (and their families) had become more exposed as a result of the Internet. Half of MPs had been personally approached by their harassers, 48% had been directly threatened and 15% had been attacked. Some of these incidents were serious, involving weapons such as guns, Molotov cocktails and blunt instruments. One in three politicians had been targeted at their homes. Respondents believed the majority of those responsible for the harassment exhibited signs of mental illness. Conclusion: The harassment of politicians in New Zealand is common and concerning. Many of those responsible were thought to be mentally ill by their victims. This harassment has significant psychosocial costs for both the victim and the perpetrator and represents an opportunity for mental health intervention.
Immunodeficient Mouse Models: An Overview

The development and use of an increasing number and variety of naturally, transgenic, induced mutant, and genetically engineered immunodeficient mouse and mouse/human hybrids models have been imperative for understanding the gene-driven cellular and molecular mechanisms and pathophysiological manifestations (phenotypes) of immune disorders that are similar to mice and humans. Much more effort is needed to develop new system models to promote the integration of thousands of genes and their variants that are likely to affect the outcome of microbial infections, immune deficiency and autoimmunity. This article provides an update on characteristics and applications of most commonly used inbred and new hybrid strains of naturally immunodeficiency, knockout and transgenic mouse models, and a short discussion on how innovative technologies and databases presently available can be used for devising new models to better understand the human immune system and diseases that affect it.
Overexpression of cofilin stimulates bundling of actin filaments, membrane ruffling, and cell movement in Dictyostelium

Cofilin is a low molecular weight actin-modulating protein whose structure and function are conserved among eucaryotes. Cofilin exhibits in vitro both a monomeric actin-sequestering activity and a filamentous actin-severing activity. To investigate in vivo functions of cofilin, cofilin was overexpressed in Dictyostelium discoideum cells. An increase in the content of D. discoideum cofilin (d-cofilin) by sevenfold induced a co-overproduction of actin by threefold. In cells over-expressing d-cofilin, the amount of filamentous actin but not that of monomeric actin was increased. Overexpressed d-cofilin co-sedimented with actin filaments, suggesting that the sequestering activity of d- cofilin is weak in vivo. The overexpression of d-cofilin increased actin bundles just beneath ruffling membranes where d-cofilin was co- localized. The overexpression of d-cofilin also stimulated cell movement as well as membrane ruffling. We have demonstrated in vitro that d-cofilin transformed latticework of actin filaments cross-linked by alpha-actinin into bundles probably by severing the filaments. D. discoideum cofilin may sever actin filaments in vivo and induce bundling of the filaments in the presence of cross-linking proteins so as to generate contractile systems involved in membrane ruffling and cell movement.
Biophysical Insights into How Spike Threshold Depends on the Rate of Membrane Potential Depolarization in Type I and Type II Neurons

Dynamic spike threshold plays a critical role in neuronal input-output relations. In many neurons, the threshold potential depends on the rate of membrane potential depolarization (dV/dt) preceding a spike. There are two basic classes of neural excitability, i.e., Type I and Type II, according to input-output properties. Although the dynamical and biophysical basis of their spike initiation has been established, the spike threshold dynamic for each cell type has not been well described. Here, we use a biophysical model to investigate how spike threshold depends on dV/dt in two types of neuron. It is observed that Type II spike threshold is more depolarized and more sensitive to dV/dt than Type I. With phase plane analysis, we show that each threshold dynamic arises from the different separatrix and K+ current kinetics. By analyzing subthreshold properties of membrane currents, we find the activation of hyperpolarizing current prior to spike initiation is a major factor that regulates the threshold dynamics. The outward K+ current in Type I neuron does not activate at the perithresholds, which makes its spike threshold insensitive to dV/dt. The Type II K+ current activates prior to spike initiation and there is a large net hyperpolarizing current at the perithresholds, which results in a depolarized threshold as well as a pronounced threshold dynamic. These predictions are further attested in several other functionally equivalent cases of neural excitability. Our study provides a fundamental description about how intrinsic biophysical properties contribute to the threshold dynamics in Type I and Type II neurons, which could decipher their significant functions in neural coding.
An interaction of a NR3C1 polymorphism and antenatal solar activity impacts both hippocampus volume and neuroticism in adulthood

The investigation of the interaction of genes and environment in the context of mental health and personality yields important new insights for a better understanding of human nature. Both antenatal and postnatal environmental factors have been considered as potential modulators of genetic activity. Antenatally, especially smoking or alcohol drinking habits of the mother dramatically influence the health of the child during pregnancy and even later on in life. In the present study we would like to introduce a more “distant” factor that is not under the control of the becoming mother but that nevertheless plays a potential role for the health of the unborn child later on in adulthood. Here, we retrospectively investigate the influence of solar activity (while the child is still in the uterus of the becoming mother) on brain structure (with a focus on hippocampus and amygdala volume) and personality in adulthood. We observe an interaction of a genetic variant (rs41423247) of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) and solar activity in the first trimester after conception on both hippocampal volume and the personality trait neuroticism in adulthood in N = 254 participants. The NR3C1 gene is the focus of interest, because of its influence on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and negative emotionality. Carriers of the CC variant of rs41423247 grown in the womb under the influence of high sun radiation (high solar activity) show both the highest hippocampal volume in the left hemisphere and lowest neuroticism scores. The present findings should encourage researchers in psychology and psychiatry to include also environmental influences such as solar activity besides genetics to better understand the etiogenesis of psychiatric disorders.
Prediction of Depression in Cancer Patients With Different Classification Criteria, Linear Discriminant Analysis versus Logistic Regression

Background: Logistic regression (LR) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) are two popular statistical models for prediction of group membership. Although they are very similar, the LDA makes more assumptions about the data. When categorical and continuous variables used simultaneously, the optimal choice between the two models is questionable. In most studies, classification error (CE) is used to discriminate between subjects in several groups, but this index is not suitable to predict the accuracy of the outcome. The present study compared LR and LDA models using classification indices. Methods: This cross-sectional study selected 243 cancer patients. Sample sets of different sizes (n = 50, 100, 150, 200, 220) were randomly selected and the CE, B, and Q classification indices were calculated by the LR and LDA models. Results: CE revealed the a lack of superiority for one model over the other, but the results showed that LR performed better than LDA for the B and Q indices in all situations. No significant effect for sample size on CE was noted for selection of an optimal model. Assessment of the accuracy of prediction of real data indicated that the B and Q indices are appropriate for selection of an optimal model. Conclusion: The results of this study showed that LR performs better in some cases and LDA in others when based on CE. The CE index is not appropriate for classification, although the B and Q indices performed better and offered more efficient criteria for comparison and discrimination between groups.
The Impact of Uncertainty, Threat, and Political Identity on Support for Political Compromise

ABSTRACT This work examines the impact of uncertainty and threat on support for political compromise. In Study 1, uncertainty, threat, and support for compromise were measured. Uncertainty increased support for compromise only when paired with positive or neutral affect. Studies 2 and 3 used an experimental design to examine the impact of incidental affect on support for political compromise as a function of political identification. Uncertainty was more likely to increase support for compromise in positive or neutral contexts and for political moderates and liberals. The combination of uncertainty and threat led conservatives to express reduced support for compromise.
GRAVITATIONAL LENS MODELS BASED ON SUBMILLIMETER ARRAY IMAGING OF HERSCHEL-SELECTED STRONGLY LENSED SUB-MILLIMETER GALAXIES AT z > 1.5

Strong gravitational lenses are now being routinely discovered in wide-field surveys at (sub-)millimeter wavelengths. We present Submillimeter Array (SMA) high-spatial resolution imaging and Gemini-South and Multiple Mirror Telescope optical spectroscopy of strong lens candidates discovered in the two widest extragalactic surveys conducted by the Herschel Space Observatory: the Herschel-Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey (H-ATLAS) and the Herschel Multi-tiered Extragalactic Survey (HerMES). From a sample of 30 Herschel sources with S500 > 100 mJy, 21 are strongly lensed (i.e., multiply imaged), 4 are moderately lensed (i.e., singly imaged), and the remainder require additional data to determine their lensing status. We apply a visibility-plane lens modeling technique to the SMA data to recover information about the masses of the lenses as well as the intrinsic (i.e., unlensed) sizes (rhalf) and far-infrared luminosities (LFIR) of the lensed submillimeter galaxies (SMGs). The sample of lenses comprises primarily isolated massive galaxies, but includes some groups and clusters as well. Several of the lenses are located at zlens > 0.7, a redshift regime that is inaccessible to lens searches based on Sloan Digital Sky Survey spectroscopy. The lensed SMGs are amplified by factors that are significantly below statistical model predictions given the 500 μm flux densities of our sample. We speculate that this may reflect a deficiency in our understanding of the intrinsic sizes and luminosities of the brightest SMGs. The lensed SMGs span nearly one decade in LFIR (median LFIR = 7.9 × 1012 L☉) and two decades in FIR luminosity surface density (median ΣFIR = 6.0 × 1011 L☉ kpc−2). The strong lenses in this sample and others identified via (sub-)mm surveys will provide a wealth of information regarding the astrophysics of galaxy formation and evolution over a wide range in redshift.
Distinct Factors Shape Aquatic and Sedimentary Microbial Community Structures in the Lakes of Western China

Little is known about the relative importance of spatial and environmental factors to structuring aquatic and sedimentary microbial biogeography in lakes. Here, we investigated the microbial community composition (MCC) of the water (n = 35) and sediment (n = 35) samples from 16 lakes in western China (salinity: freshwater to salt saturation; pairwise geographical distance: 9–2027 km) using high-throughput sequencing and evaluated the relative importance of spatial and environmental factors to microbial (including total, abundant, and rare) distributions. Our results showed that spatial factors were more important than environmental factors in shaping the biogeography of aquatic and sedimentary microbial communities in the studied lakes, and spatial factors on abundant microbial community was stronger than that on the total/rare microbial communities. Moreover, sedimentary rare MCC might be more sensitive to environmental factors than its aquatic counterpart. Such different biogeography responses of total, abundant, and rare communities to environmental and spatial factors could be ascribed to different physiochemical properties between water and sediment. Collectively, this study expands our understanding of factors shaping microbial biogeography of total, abundant, and rare communities between waters and sediments of lakes.