Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interaction between the serotonergic system and HPA and HPT axes in patients with major depression: implications for pathogenesis of suicidal behavior

Disturbances in the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) system constitute the neurobiological abnormality most consistently associated with suicide. This abnormality could be a marker of vulnerability predisposing individuals to auto-aggressive and impulsive behavior. However, other abnormalities, such as hyperactivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, have also been described in suicide victims. While inhibitory effects of adrenocorticosteroids on 5-HT1A receptor function have been shown in animals, HPA axis hyperactivity does not seem to be responsible for the reduced 5-HT activity found in depressed patients with a history of suicidal behavior. On the other hand, hypothalamic-pituitarythyroid (HPT) axis dysfunction, frequently observed in depression, may represent a compensatory response to reduced central 5-HT neurotransmission. Moreover, in depressed patients with a history of suicidal behavior, the absence of a functional link between HPT and dopamine activity at the hypothalamic level may be implicated in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior. Future research is needed to determine why compensatory mechanisms are not efficient in patients with suicidal behavior.
Word recognition processes of poor and disabled readers: Do they necessarily differ?

ABSTRACT Children assessed as reading disabled are often thought to use decoding processes that differ from those of nondisabled children. This assumption was examined in a study that compared the word recognition skills of a group of clinic-diagnosed reading disabled children with those of good and poor readers. Subjects read words and nonwords containing either regular or homographic spelling patterns. Regular patterns have a single pronunciation (e.g., -UST) while homographic patterns have multiple pronunciations (e.g., -ONE). Analyses of the errors, latencies, and types of pronunciations indicated that while the performance of the poor and disabled readers differed from that of the good readers, the two below-average reader groups were very similar. The reading disabled children exhibited decoding processes similar to those exhibited by younger nondisabled readers. The results suggest that many children who meet the diagnostic criteria for reading disability may be indistinguishable from nondisabled children in terms of actual reading performance.
Counting Triangulations of Planar Point Sets

We study the maximal number of triangulations that a planar set of $n$ points can have, and show that it is at most $30^n$. This new bound is achieved by a careful optimization of the charging scheme of Sharir and Welzl (2006), which has led to the previous best upper bound of $43^n$ for the problem. Moreover, this new bound is useful for bounding the number of other types of planar (i.e., crossing-free) straight-line graphs on a given point set. Specifically, it can be used to derive new upper bounds for the number of planar graphs ($207.84^n$), spanning cycles ($O(68.67^n)$), spanning trees ($O(146.69^n)$), and cycle-free graphs ($O(164.17^n)$).
Completion-based computation of most specific concepts with limited role-depth for EL and Prob-EL⁰¹

In Description Logics the reasoning service most specific concept (msc) constructs a concept description that generalizes an ABox individual into a concept description. For the Description Logic EL the msc may not exist, if computed with respect to general EL-TBoxes or cyclic ABoxes. However, it is still possible to find a concept description that is the msc up to a fixed role-depth, i.e. with respect to a maximal nesting of quantifiers. In this report we present a practical approach for computing the roledepth bounded msc, based on the polynomial-time completion algorithm for EL. We extend these methods to Prob-EL⁰¹c , which is a probabilistic variant of EL. Together with the companion report [9] this report devises computation methods for the bottom-up construction of knowledge bases for EL and Prob-EL⁰¹c .
Letter: Cauda equina syndrome in ankylosing spondylitis.

SIR,-X-trisomy is not connected with any characteristic clinical syndrome. Many 47,XXX women have no clinical abnormality, gynaecolgical or otherwise, and are even fertile. Others are mentally retarded.3-3 We should like to report a case of X-trisomy associated with Hodgkin's disease. An 18-year-old girl (whose mother was aged 42 and father aged 45 at the time of her birth) had generalized lymph node enlargement which had appeared one month previously. Biopsy of a lymph node showed Hodgkin's disease. The patient was of medium growth and had menstruated regularly since the age of 14. Gynaecological examination showed a slightly hypoplastic uterus. Her mental development was normal (I.Q. not estimated). The cells obtained directly from the lymph node and from culture of peripheral lymphocytes contained 47 chromosomes, the additional one being the size of a member of group C. The presence of an extra chromosome in group C in a patient without phenotype anomalies suggested that it was an X chromosome. This suggestion was supported by the occurrence of double Barr's bodies in cells from buccal mucosal smears (fig. 1). Thus the 47,XXX karyotype was
Flip-Invariant SIFT for Copy and Object Detection

Scale-invariant feature transform (SIFT) feature has been widely accepted as an effective local keypoint descriptor for its invariance to rotation, scale, and lighting changes in images. However, it is also well known that SIFT, which is derived from directionally sensitive gradient fields, is not flip invariant. In real-world applications, flip or flip-like transformations are commonly observed in images due to artificial flipping, opposite capturing viewpoint, or symmetric patterns of objects. This paper proposes a new descriptor, named flip-invariant SIFT (or F-SIFT), that preserves the original properties of SIFT while being tolerant to flips. F-SIFT starts by estimating the dominant curl of a local patch and then geometrically normalizes the patch by flipping before the computation of SIFT. We demonstrate the power of F-SIFT on three tasks: large-scale video copy detection, object recognition, and detection. In copy detection, a framework, which smartly indices the flip properties of F-SIFT for rapid filtering and weak geometric checking, is proposed. F-SIFT not only significantly improves the detection accuracy of SIFT, but also leads to a more than 50% savings in computational cost. In object recognition, we demonstrate the superiority of F-SIFT in dealing with flip transformation by comparing it to seven other descriptors. In object detection, we further show the ability of F-SIFT in describing symmetric objects. Consistent improvement across different kinds of keypoint detectors is observed for F-SIFT over the original SIFT.
Preserved BK Channel Function in Vasospastic Myocytes from a Dog Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Cerebral vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is due to contraction of smooth muscle cells in the cerebral arteries. The mechanism of this contraction, however, is not well understood. Smooth muscle contraction is regulated in part by membrane potential, which is determined by K+ conductance in smooth muscle. Voltage-gated (Kv) and large-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channels dominate arterial smooth muscle K+ conductance. Vasospastic smooth muscle cells are depolarized relative to normal cells, but whether this is due to altered Kv or BK channel function has not been determined. This study determined if BK channels are altered during vasospasm after SAH in dogs. We first characterized BK channels in basilar-artery smooth muscle using whole-cell patch clamping and single-channel recordings. Next, we compared BK channel function between normal and vasospastic cells. There were no significant differences between normal and vasospastic cells in BK current density, kinetics, Ca2+ and voltage sensitivity, single-channel conductance or apparent Ca2+ affinity. Basilar-artery myocytes had no, small- or intermediate-conductance, Ca2+-activated K+ channels. The lack of difference in BK channels between vasospastic and control cells suggests alteration(s) in other K+ channels or other ionic conductances may underlie the membrane depolarization and vasoconstriction observed during vasospasm after SAH.
Neuroscience, moral development, criminal capacity, and the Child Justice Act: justice or injustice?

The Child Justice Act of 2008 has set the minimum age for criminal capacity at 10 years with a rebuttable presumption of criminal incapacity between the ages of 10 and 14 years. The legislation requires that expert evidence be led (by clinical psychologists or psychiatrists) in order to assist the court to determine whether accused children and adolescents between 10 and 14 years of age can be held criminally responsible. The Child Justice Act requires an examination of the cognitive, moral, emotional, psychological, and social development of the accused child/adolescent. This article critically examines the neuroscience literature on brain development, decision-making and moral development in children and adolescents as it relates to legal prescripts inherent in the Child Justice Act, in particular with regard to accused children and adolescents’ understanding of the wrongfulness of an act, and their ability to act in accordance with that understanding.
High levels of serotonin transporter occupancy with low-dose clomipramine in comparative occupancy study with fluvoxamine using positron emission tomography.

CONTEXT Serotonin transporters (5-HTT) are regarded as one of the major therapeutic targets of antidepressants. However, there have only been a few studies about 5-HTT occupancy, and in particular, data concerning classical antidepressants are still limited. OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between 5-HTT occupancy and a wide range of antidepressant dosing protocols. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Antidepressant occupancies of 5-HTT were measured using positron emission tomography (PET) with [11C](+)McN5652. Twenty-seven healthy volunteers were measured with and without pretreatment with single low doses of antidepressants, and long-term doses were evaluated in 10 patients. Scan data were collected between December 12, 1995, and August 7, 2002, and data were analyzed during the 2001-2002 period at the National Institute of Radiological Sciences (Chiba, Japan). Intervention Four different doses of clomipramine hydrochloride (5-50 mg) and 3 different doses of fluvoxamine maleate (12.5-50 mg) were used for single administration. Long-term doses were 20 to 250 mg per day for clomipramine hydrochloride, and 25 to 200 mg per day for fluvoxamine maleate. Main Outcome Measure Occupancies in the thalamus were calculated using the individual baseline of [11C](+)McN5652 for single-dose studies and 2 long-term-dose studies, and the mean value of healthy volunteers as the baseline for 8 long-term-dose studies. The average data from inactive enantiomers [11C](-)McN5652 were used for the estimation of nonspecific binding. RESULTS Occupancy of 5-HTT increased in a curvilinear manner. Even 10 mg of clomipramine hydrochloride showed approximately 80% occupancy, which was comparable with that of 50 mg of fluvoxamine maleate. Estimated median effective dose (ED50) of clomipramine hydrochloride was 2.67 mg for oral dose and 1.42 ng/mL for plasma concentration; those of fluvoxamine maleate were 18.6 mg and 4.19 ng/mL, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Clinical doses of clomipramine and fluvoxamine occupied approximately 80% of 5-HTT, and dose escalation would have minimal effect on 5-HTT blockade. Ten milligrams of clomipramine hydrochloride was enough to occupy 80% of 5-HTT in vivo.
Musculoskeletal modelling of an ostrich (Struthio camelus) pelvic limb: influence of limb orientation on muscular capacity during locomotion

We developed a three-dimensional, biomechanical computer model of the 36 major pelvic limb muscle groups in an ostrich (Struthio camelus) to investigate muscle function in this, the largest of extant birds and model organism for many studies of locomotor mechanics, body size, anatomy and evolution. Combined with experimental data, we use this model to test two main hypotheses. We first query whether ostriches use limb orientations (joint angles) that optimize the moment-generating capacities of their muscles during walking or running. Next, we test whether ostriches use limb orientations at mid-stance that keep their extensor muscles near maximal, and flexor muscles near minimal, moment arms. Our two hypotheses relate to the control priorities that a large bipedal animal might evolve under biomechanical constraints to achieve more effective static weight support. We find that ostriches do not use limb orientations to optimize the moment-generating capacities or moment arms of their muscles. We infer that dynamic properties of muscles or tendons might be better candidates for locomotor optimization. Regardless, general principles explaining why species choose particular joint orientations during locomotion are lacking, raising the question of whether such general principles exist or if clades evolve different patterns (e.g., weighting of muscle force–length or force–velocity properties in selecting postures). This leaves theoretical studies of muscle moment arms estimated for extinct animals at an impasse until studies of extant taxa answer these questions. Finally, we compare our model’s results against those of two prior studies of ostrich limb muscle moment arms, finding general agreement for many muscles. Some flexor and extensor muscles exhibit self-stabilization patterns (posture-dependent switches between flexor/extensor action) that ostriches may use to coordinate their locomotion. However, some conspicuous areas of disagreement in our results illustrate some cautionary principles. Importantly, tendon-travel empirical measurements of muscle moment arms must be carefully designed to preserve 3D muscle geometry lest their accuracy suffer relative to that of anatomically realistic models. The dearth of accurate experimental measurements of 3D moment arms of muscles in birds leaves uncertainty regarding the relative accuracy of different modelling or experimental datasets such as in ostriches. Our model, however, provides a comprehensive set of 3D estimates of muscle actions in ostriches for the first time, emphasizing that avian limb mechanics are highly three-dimensional and complex, and how no muscles act purely in the sagittal plane. A comparative synthesis of experiments and models such as ours could provide powerful synthesis into how anatomy, mechanics and control interact during locomotion and how these interactions evolve. Such a framework could remove obstacles impeding the analysis of muscle function in extinct taxa.
Presidential Concession Speeches: The Rhetoric of Defeat.

Concession speeches by defeated American presidential candidates constitute a readily identifiable genre, but they have been largely ignored in the massive literature on campaign communications and presidential rhetoric. An analysis of concession speeches by defeated presidential candidates from 7952 to 1992 reveals consistent patterns of strategy, style, and content. The speeches are formulaic and performed as an awkward, perfunctory gesture at a time of devastating personal stress. They are concerned with failure. Yet conceding is a settled convention in the dramaturgy of victory and defeat in the contest for power. The concession is a customary framing device imposed by the media, despite the losing candidate's other intentions. The candidate's dilemma is resolved in the concession speech by an elaborate periphrasis that converts the combative imagery of defeat into metaphors of sport, chivalry, and epic quest.
Selection Versus Rejection: The Role of Task Framing in Decision Making

Chen, Jing. Ph.D., Purdue University, August 2015. Selection Versus Rejection: The Role of Task Framing in Decision Making. Major Professor: Robert W. Proctor. Procedure invariance is a basic assumption of rational theories of choice, however, it has been shown to be violated: Different response modes, or task frames, sometimes reveal opposite preferences. This study focused on selection and rejection task frames, involving a unique type of problem with enriched and impoverished options, which has led to conflicting findings and theoretical explanations. On the one hand, greater preference has been found for the enriched option in the selection task than in the rejection task; this result is explained by a compatibility account, in which the positive features of the enriched option are more compatible with the selection task and the negative features with the rejection task (Shafir, 1993). On the other hand, it has been found that this preference difference in the two tasks interacts with the relative attractiveness of the two options: The enriched option is preferred more (less) often in the selection task than in the rejection task when it is more (less) attractiveness than the impoverished option; this finding is attributed to the accentuation of difference between options in the selection task, as stated in the accentuation account (Wedell, 1997).
Large-scale asymmetry of rotation curves in lopsided spiral galaxies

Many spiral galaxies show a large-scale asymmetry with a cos\phi dependence in their rotation curves as well as in their morphology, such as M101 and NGC 628. We show that both these features can be explained by the response of a galactic disk to an imposed lopsided halo potential. A perturbation potential of 5 % is deduced for the morphologically lopsided galaxies in the Rix & Zaritsky (1995) sample. This is shown to result in a difference of 10 % or about 20-30 kms^{-1} in the rotation velocity on the two sides of the major axis. Interestingly, the observed isophotal asymmetry in a typical spiral galaxy is not much smaller and it results in a velocity asymmetry of 7 % or about 14-21 kms^{-1} . Hence, we predict that most galaxies show a fairly significant rotational asymmetry. The rotation velocity is shown to be maximum along the elongated isophote - in agreement with the observations along the SW in M101, while it is minimum along the opposite direction. This result leads to the distinctive asymmetric shape of the rotation curve which rises more steeply in one half of the galaxy than the other, as observed by Swaters et al. (1999). This shape is shown to be a robust feature and would result for any centrally concentrated disk. The net disk lopsidedness and hence the asymmetry in the rotation curve is predicted to increase with radius and hence can be best studied using HI gas as the tracer.
Dynamical Coupling Between Hurricane Matthew and the Middle to Upper Atmosphere via Gravity Waves

During 30 September to 9 October 2016, Hurricane Matthew traversed the Caribbean Sea to the east coast of the United States. During its period of greatest intensity, in the central Caribbean, Matthew excited a large number of concentric gravity waves (GWs or CGWs). In this paper, we report on hurricane‐generated CGWs observed in both the stratosphere and mesosphere from spaceborne satellites and in the ionosphere by ground Global Positioning System receivers. We found CGWs with horizontal wavelengths of ~200–300 km in the stratosphere (height of ~30–40 km) and in the airglow layer of the mesopause (height of ~85–90 km), and we found concentric traveling ionospheric disturbances (TIDs or CTIDs) with horizontal wavelengths of ~250–350 km in the ionosphere (height of ~100–400 km). The observed TIDs lasted for more than several hours on 1, 2, and 7 October 2016. We also briefly discuss the vertical and horizontal propagation of the Hurricane Matthew‐induced GWs and TIDs. This study shows that Hurricane Matthew induced significant dynamical coupling between the troposphere and the entire middle and upper atmosphere via GWs. It is the first comprehensive satellite analysis of gravity wave propagation generated by hurricane event from the troposphere through the stratosphere and mesosphere into the ionosphere.
A preliminary study on the abundance and species composition of mosquitoes breeding in discarded automobile tyres in Minna, Niger State, Nigeria

Water filled discarded automobile tyres usually provide avenues for the breeding of mosquito vectors. Mosquitoes transmit human and animal diseases such as Malaria, yellow fever, dengue hemorrhagic fever, encephalitis, fowl pox and Rift valley fever. This study was conducted to determine the species composition and relative abundance of mosquitoes breeding in discarded automobile tyres within Minna town, Niger, State, Nigeria. Mosquito larvae were isolated via standard systematic sampling technique using a soup ladle dipper and examined using standard techniques. Water samples were collected from 250 abandoned vehicle tyres containing stagnant water in nine (9) localities. The water from 95 (38.0%) of the sampled tyres were found to contain larvae of mosquitoes. Two (2) genera and six species of mosquito were identified from a total of 804 mosquito larvae isolated. These include, 722 (89.8%) Aedes aegypti Linnaeus; 8 (1.0%) Culex pipiens molestus Forsk; 7 (0.9%) Culex pipiens pipiens Linnaeus; 43 (5.4%) Culex quinquefasciatus Say; 9 (1.1%) Culex simpsoni Theobald and 15 (1.9%) Culex tigripes Grandpre. Aedes aegypti was the only species encountered breeding in tyres from all the nine localities and its container breeding indices ranged from 9.7% to 56.5% indicative of very high probability of transmission of epidemic yellow fever and other diseases spread by Aedes mosquito in the area. The abundance of each of the six mosquito species breeding in the area did not differ significantly (P>0.05). However, the abundance of larval Aedes aegypti amongst the nine locations differ significantly (P<0.05). Efforts to reduce the cases of Mosquito-borne diseases in the area should include proper environmental sanitation and public health awareness campaigns.
I Felt Like My Heart Was Staying Behind: Psychological Implications of Family Separations & Reunifications for Immigrant Youth

Though many transnational families undergo profound transformations that are often complicated by extended periods of separation between loved ones, it is challenging to establish a sense of prevalence of family separations as well as their effects on youth. Utilizing the Longitudinal Immigrant Student Adaptation data with 282 newcomer adolescents from China, Central America, the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and Mexico, the authors report that nearly three quarters of the participants had been separated from one or both parents for extended periods. Results of general linear model (GLM) analyses indicate that children who were separated from their parents were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety and depression in the initial years after migrating than children who had not been separated; follow-up analyses 5 years later show that symptoms had abated. Qualitative data from youth and parents shed light on the experience of separations and reunifications.