Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Information Capacity and Transmission Are Maximized in Balanced Cortical Networks with Neuronal Avalanches

The repertoire of neural activity patterns that a cortical network can produce constrains the ability of the network to transfer and process information. Here, we measured activity patterns obtained from multisite local field potential recordings in cortex cultures, urethane-anesthetized rats, and awake macaque monkeys. First, we quantified the information capacity of the pattern repertoire of ongoing and stimulus-evoked activity using Shannon entropy. Next, we quantified the efficacy of information transmission between stimulus and response using mutual information. By systematically changing the ratio of excitation/inhibition (E/I) in vitro and in a network model, we discovered that both information capacity and information transmission are maximized at a particular intermediate E/I, at which ongoing activity emerges as neuronal avalanches. Next, we used our in vitro and model results to correctly predict in vivo information capacity and interactions between neuronal groups during ongoing activity. Close agreement between our experiments and model suggest that neuronal avalanches and peak information capacity arise because of criticality and are general properties of cortical networks with balanced E/I.
Asymmetric Impacts of Oil Prices on Major Oil Exporting and Importing Countries

This study investigates the effects oil price shocks on three measures of oil exporters’ and oil importers’ external balances: total trade balance, oil trade balance and non-oil trade balance. We employ three second generation heterogeneous linear panel models as well as one recently developed non-linear panel estimation technique which allows for cross sectional dependence. With respect to 28 major oil exporting countries, while an increase in oil prices leads to an improved real oil trade balance, it is detrimental to the non-oil and total trade balance situations. This finding might be due to the expenditure effect arising from increases in proceeds from oil exports. A decrease in oil prices is found to be beneficial for both total and oil balances in these oil exporting countries. For 40 major oil importers, they seem to be increasingly shielded from positive oil shocks over the 1970s and 1980s; however, it is oil price declines that they need to worry about. A decline in oil prices have a negative impact on both total and real oil trade balances, resulting from increased oil imports in emerging economies. Hence, a decline in oil prices is beneficial to oil exporters due to the quantity effect outweighing the price effect, while for oil importers a stable oil price is more desirable than a price decline. These results are important to note if we are to get a good grasp on the magnitude of the trade and macroeconomic effect of oil price changes and what the policy responses should be.
Adjunctive Aripiprazole Versus Placebo for Antipsychotic-Induced Hyperprolactinemia: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective To compare the safety and efficacy of adjunctive aripiprazole versus placebo for antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia. Methods Population: adult patients presenting with antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia diagnosed by prolactin level with or without prolactin-related symptoms. Interventions: adjunctive aripiprazole vs. adjunctive placebo. Outcome measures: adverse events and efficacy of treatment. Studies: randomized controlled trials. Results Five randomized controlled trials with a total of 639 patients (326 adjunctive aripiprazole, 313 adjunctive placebo) met the inclusion criteria. Adjunctive aripiprazole was associated with a 79.11% (125/158) prolactin level normalization rate. Meta-analysis of insomnia, headache, sedation, psychiatric disorder, extrapyramidal symptom, dry mouth, and fatigue showed no significant differences in the adjunctive aripiprazole treatment group compared with the placebo group (risk difference (Mantel-Haenszel, random or fixed) −0.05 to 0.04 (95% confidence interval −0.13 to 0.16); I2 = 0% to 68%, P = 0.20 to 0.70). However, sedation, insomnia, and headache were more frequent when the adjunctive aripiprazole dose was higher than 15 mg/day. Meta-analysis of the prolactin level normalization indicated adjunctive aripiprazole was superior to placebo (risk difference (Mantel-Haenszel, random) 0.76 (95% confidence interval 0.67 to 0.85); I2 = 43%, P<0.00001). The subgroup analysis confirmed that the subjects who received adjunctive aripiprazole 5 mg/day showed a degree of prolactin normalization similar to that of all participants. No significant differences between groups in discontinuation and improvements of psychiatric symptoms. Conclusion Adjunctive aripiprazole is both safe and effective as a reasonable choice treatment for patients with antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia. The appropriate dose of adjunctive aripiprazole may be 5 mg/day.
Student performance analysis under different moodle course designs

This work extends a recent comparative study covering four different courses lectured at the Polytechnic of Porto - School of Engineering, in respect to the usage of a particular Learning Management System, i.e. Moodle, and its impact on students' results. A fifth course, which includes a number of resources especially supporting laboratory classes, is now added to the analysis. This particular course includes a number of remote experiments, made available through VISIR (Virtual Instrument Systems in Reality) and directly accessible through links included in the Moodle course page. We have analyzed the students' behavior in following these links and in effectively running experiments in VISIR (and also using other lab related resources, in Moodle). This data have been correlated with students' classifications in the lab component and in the exam, each one weighting 50% of their final marks. We aimed to compare students' performance in a richly Moodle-supported environment (with lab component) and in a poorly Moodle-supported environment (with only theoretical component). This question followed from conclusions drawn in the above referred comparative study, where it was shown that even though a positive correlation factor existed between the number of Moodle accesses and the final exam grade obtained by each student, its explanation behind was not straightforward, as the quality of the resources was preponderant over its quantity.
Differentiation, Maturation, and Survival of Dendritic Cells by Osteopontin Regulation

ABSTRACT Dendritic cells (DCs) are antigen-presenting cells with the ability to induce primary immune responses necessary in innate immunity and adaptive immunity. Osteopontin (OPN) is a secreted acidic phosphoprotein containing an arginine-glycine-aspartate sequence and has been suggested to play an important role in early cellular immune responses. The interaction between DCs and OPN has not been clarified. We hypothesized that there is an important interaction between DCs and OPN, which is an indispensable extracellular matrix component in early cellular immune responses. Human monocyte-derived DCs synthesized OPN especially during the differentiation from monocytes to immature DCs. By blocking of OPN with anti-OPN antibody, cultured DCs became smaller and expressed lower levels of costimulatory molecules and major histocompatibility complex class II antigens than untreated DCs. Furthermore, DCs treated with anti-OPN antibody easily underwent apoptosis. These results suggest that human DCs can produce OPN and that OPN may play a role in the differentiation, maturation, and survival of DCs by autocrine and/or paracrine pathways.
Periodontal disease and oral health-related behavior as factors associated with preterm birth: a case-control study in south-eastern Brazil.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Several studies have suggested a link between periodontal disease and preterm birth, but the mechanism of how this occurs remains controversial. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate whether periodontal disease, defined according to two commonly used clinical definitions, is associated with preterm birth and to examine the association regarding oral health-related behaviors during pregnancy. MATERIAL AND METHODS This case-control study included women 18-40 years of age. Demographic and socio-economic data, information on current and previous pregnancies, and data on dental health-related behaviors and periodontal clinical parameters were collected within 48 h postpartum. Periodontal disease was assessed according to two definitions: four or more teeth with at least one site showing a probing depth of ≥ 4 mm and clinical attachment level of ≥ 3 mm (Definition 1); or at least one site with probing depth and clinical attachment level of ≥ 4 mm (Definition 2). The chi-square test was used to examine differences in the proportion of categorical variables. Bivariate analysis was performed to analyze the proportion of preterm births with respect to independent variables. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between periodontal disease and preterm birth. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). RESULTS A total of 296 postpartum women met the inclusion criteria. The case group included 74 women who delivered a preterm neonate (< 37 wk of gestation) and the control group included 222 women with deliveries at term (≥ 37 wk). Periodontal disease according to Definition 1 was not associated with fewer weeks of gestation (adjusted OR (OR adjusted ) = 1.62; 95% CI = 0.80-3.29; p = 0.178). However, a significant association was found between periodontal disease, according to Definition 2, and preterm birth (OR adjusted = 1.98; 95% CI = 1.14-3.43; p = 0.015). Increased appetite and a low number of daily toothbrushings were associated with preterm birth, regardless of the definition of periodontal disease used. CONCLUSION Periodontal disease defined according to Definition 2 and unfavorable oral health-related behavior were factors associated with preterm birth.
Induced tissue displacement in magnetomotive ultrasound imaging - simulations and experiments

Magnetomotive ultrasound imaging is an emerging technique where superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles can be used as an ultrasound contrast agent. A time-varying external magnetic field acts to move the particles lodged in tissue, and ultrasound is used to detect the resulting tissue movement. In phantom studies we have observed opposite phase motion next to regions containing nanoparticles. We hypothesize that this motion is caused by mechanical coupling from regions where nanoparticles are located. The present study compares experimental data to a numerical simulation with identical geometry as the experimental set-up. The magnetic force acting on particles was modeled as emanating from a coil with a cone shaped iron core, and applied as a body load in nanoparticle-laden regions. The simulation showed opposed motion in-between nanoparticle-laden phantom inserts, in a manner similar to the experimental situation. There is a slight mismatch in the extent of vertical movement, which we interpret as a result of the modeled slip condition tangentially to the surface, which in reality presumably is a combination of slip and stick due to friction.
Hypnosis and pseudomemories: the effects of prehypnotic expectancies.

Contrary to predictions, the pseudomemory rate of subjects who received prehypnotic information that hypnosis increased recall was indistinguishable from the pseudomemory rates of subjects who received information that hypnosis did not increase recall and of subjects who received no specific prehypnotic information. Indeed, by the last recall trial, none of the 47 subjects exhibited pseudomemory. Subjects exhibited faulty memory of events that actually occurred (i.e., pencils spilling), and were as uncertain of events that actually occurred, as they were of suggested events that did not occur during the session (telephone ringing). Subjects were generally consistent in their certainty, or lack of it, across events. Finally, subjects led to believe that hypnosis is an altered state of consciousness were less aware of external events, and had the lowest rate of recall of target suggestions compared with subjects in the comparison groups.
Individual differences in susceptibility to the McGurk effect: links with lipreading and detecting audiovisual incongruity.

PURPOSE Prior studies (e.g., Nath & Beauchamp, 2012) report large individual variability in the extent to which participants are susceptible to the McGurk effect, a prominent audiovisual (AV) speech illusion. The current study evaluated whether susceptibility to the McGurk effect (MGS) is related to lipreading skill and whether multiple measures of MGS that have been used previously are correlated. In addition, it evaluated the test-retest reliability of individual differences in MGS. METHOD Seventy-three college-age participants completed 2 tasks measuring MGS and 3 measures of lipreading skill. Fifty-eight participants returned for a 2nd session (approximately 2 months later) in which MGS was tested again. RESULTS The current study demonstrated that MGS shows high test-retest reliability and is correlated with some measures of lipreading skill. In addition, susceptibility measures derived from identification tasks were moderately related to the ability to detect instances of AV incongruity. CONCLUSIONS Although MGS is often cited as a demonstration of AV integration, the results suggest that perceiving the illusion depends in part on individual differences in lipreading skill and detecting AV incongruity. Therefore, individual differences in susceptibility to the illusion are not solely attributable to individual differences in AV integration ability.
THE THEORY OF VIABLE JOINT VENTURES

In countries like China and Russia, which are developing a new market economy, joint ventures are being created with western organizations. These form situations that involve complexity and chaos, and they, therefore, sometimes work well, and sometimes not. In management systems, methodologies exist that are able to reduce complexity. They are thus able to facilitate strategies of intervention that can remedy failure in complex situations. Curiously, there is a theoretical problem in management systems about the ability to mix methods that is joint venture parallel. Resolving this can shed light on how joint venture processes are understood.
Patterns of Allergic Reactivity and Disease in Olympic Athletes

Objective:Because the Sydney Olympic Games were being held in the spring, we wished to examine the prevalence of allergic disorders in the Australian Olympic and Paralympic athletes and to examine patterns of allergic reactivity and medication use for the treatment of allergic symptoms. Design:A survey case series of Australian Olympic and Paralympic athletes. Setting:Screening was conducted on team processing days. Participants:Prospective members of the Australian Olympic and Paralympic teams. Intervention:A questionnaire seeking information on the presence of allergic disorders, symptoms, family history, and medication use was administered. Skin-prick tests (SPT) for sensitivity to common aeroallergens was performed. Outcome measures:Athletes were classified as atopic or non-atopic, and patterns of reactivity were examined according to sporting category. Results:Of the athletes, 56% had a positive SPT to at least 1 allergen, with 34% reacting to at least 1 seasonal allergen. There was no significant association between skin test reactivity and sporting category.Of the athletes, 37% had allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (AR/C), whereas 24% had seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR/C). Approximately one-third of all those with AR/C had a history of asthma, whereas approximately one-fifth had a history of atopic dermatitis.Swimmers were most likely to have asthma, AR/C, and positive skin tests to any allergen.Very few athletes with self-reported AR/C took any medication to relieve their symptoms. Conclusions:Allergic disorders are common among athletes from all sports. The known impact of AR/C on quality of life necessitates that it be screened for and managed appropriately.
Comparative Efficacy of Pre-feeding, Post-feeding and Combined Pre- and Post-feeding of Two Microdoses of a Potentized Homeopathic Drug, Mercurius Solubilis, in Ameliorating Genotoxic Effects Produced by Mercuric Chloride in Mice

Mercury and its derivatives have become an alarming environmental problem, necessitating the search for effective antagonists, including homeopathic drugs, which are generally used in micro doses and are devoid of any palpable side-effects. On the basis of homeopathic similia principle, two potencies of Mercurius solubilis (Merc Sol-30 and Merc Sol-200) were tested by three administrative modes, i.e. pre-feeding, post-feeding and combined pre- and post-feeding, for their possible efficacy in ameliorating mercuric chloride-induced genotoxicity in mice. Healthy mice, Mus musculus, were intraperitoneally injected with 0.06% solution of mercuric chloride at the rate of 1 ml/100 g of body weight, and assessed for genotoxic effects through conventional endpoints. i.e. chromosome aberrations, micronuclei, mitotic index and sperm head abnormality, keeping suitable controls. Mercuric chloride-treated mice were divided into three sub-groups, which were orally administered with the drug prior to, after and both prior to and after injection of mercuric chloride, and their genotoxic effects were analysed at specific intervals of fixation. Mercuric chloride treatment generally produced more chromosome aberations, micronuclei and sperm head anomaly in mice, but the mitotic index appeared to be slightly reduced. While chromosome aberations, micronuclei and sperm head anomaly were generally reduced in the drug-fed series, the mitotic index showed an apparent increase. In most cases, the combined pre- and post-feeding mode appeared to show the maximum amelioration, followed by post-feeding and pre-feeding, in that order. The amelioration by Merc Sol-200 appeared to be slightly more pronounced. We conclude that potentized homeopathic drugs can serve as possible anti-genotoxic agents against specific environmental mutagens, including toxic heavy metals.
PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD KIDNEY DONATION BY FRIENDS AND ALTRUISTIC STRANGERS IN THE UNITED STATES

Background. A severe shortage of organs is one of the major barriers facing transplantation today. One promising approach to this serious problem is to increase the use of genetically unrelated living kidney donors. Because of excellent results and favorable ethical considerations, spousal donation has become a widely accepted practice in the United States. The majority of U.S. transplant centers are now also willing to consider friends as donors, but they seem to be less comfortable about this donor source and most centers are opposed to using strangers. This study was designed to see what the public thinks about these issues. Methods. A telephone survey of 1009 randomly selected adults living in the U.S. was conducted by the Gallup Organization. The survey asked about the acceptability of kidney donation by close friends and altruistic strangers and the willingness of respondents to make such donations themselves. Results. Over 90% of respondents believe that kidney donation by close friends is acceptable and 80% feel the same way about kidney donation by altruistic strangers. Most respondents (76%) would probably donate a kidney to a close friend with renal failure and 24% said they would even donate a kidney to a stranger for free. Conclusion. It seems that the vast majority of American adults believe that living kidney donation by friends and altruistic strangers is an acceptable practice and many would consider making such donations themselves. When considered along with excellent results and favorable ethical arguments, these data suggest that kidney donation by friends and altruistic strangers should be considered as acceptable as is donation by spouses.
Injective and bounded distortion mappings in 3D

We introduce an efficient algorithm for producing provably injective mappings of tetrahedral meshes with strict bounds on their tetrahedra aspect-ratio distortion. The algorithm takes as input a simplicial map (e.g., produced by some common deformation or volumetric parameterization technique) and projects it on the space of injective and bounded-distortion simplicial maps. Namely, finds a similar map that is both bijective and bounded-distortion. As far as we are aware, this is the first algorithm to produce injective or bounded-distortion simplicial maps of tetrahedral meshes. The construction of the algorithm was made possible due to a novel closed-form solution to the problem of finding the closest orientation-preserving bounded-distortion matrix to an arbitrary matrix in three (and higher) dimensions. The algorithm is shown to have quadratic convergence, usually not requiring more than a handful of iterations to converge. Furthermore, it is readily generalized to simplicial maps of any dimension, including mixed dimensions. Finally, it can deal with different distortion spaces, such as bounded isometric distortion. During experiments we found the algorithm useful for producing bijective and bounded-distortion volume parameterizations and deformations of tetrahedral meshes, and improving tetrahedral meshes, increasing the tetrahedra quality produced by state-of-the-art techniques.
Forced sexual intercourse and its association with HIV status among people attending HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing in a healthcare center in Kinshasa (DRC)

Introduction Sexual violence, an HIV determinant, is an integrated behavior in the D.R. Congo. We aimed to analyze the prevalence of forced sexual intercourse (FSI) among people receiving HIV Voluntary Counseling and Testing in a hospital in Kinshasa, and its association with socio-demographics, behaviors and HIV status. Methodology Case-control study (2010–2012). Two-hundred and seventy-four cases with a new HIV+ test and 1,340 controls with an HIV- test were interviewed about HIV-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors, including FSI. Results Thirty-four percent of the participants declared having had FSI (38% of women and 32% of men). Being a woman, aged 25–49 and reporting multiple sexual partners were associated with reporting FSI. For men, being single was protective against FSI; and cohabiting, having a high socioeconomic status, and alcohol consumption increased the odds. For women, being single, divorced/separated and widow was associated with reporting FSI. A significant positive association was found between FSI and an HIV positive test. Conclusion Among our Congolese population, FSI was strongly associated with HIV infection and it was also associated with alcohol consumption and multiple sexual partnerships, other key HIV determinants. These behaviors need to be identified as potential risk factors of FSI during counseling interventions. Researchers, practitioners and decision-makers should work together to get violence prevention integrated into health, social and educational policies.