Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Infants prefer the faces of strangers or mothers to morphed faces: an uncanny valley between social novelty and familiarity

The ‘uncanny valley’ response is a phenomenon involving the elicitation of a negative feeling and subsequent avoidant behaviour in human adults and infants as a result of viewing very realistic human-like robots or computer avatars. It is hypothesized that this uncanny feeling occurs because the realistic synthetic characters elicit the concept of ‘human’ but fail to satisfy it. Such violations of our normal expectations regarding social signals generate a feeling of unease. This conflict-induced uncanny valley between mutually exclusive categories (human and synthetic agent) raises a new question: could an uncanny feeling be elicited by other mutually exclusive categories, such as familiarity and novelty? Given that infants prefer both familiarity and novelty in social objects, we address this question as well as the associated developmental profile. Using the morphing technique and a preferential-looking paradigm, we demonstrated uncanny valley responses of infants to faces of mothers (i.e. familiarity) and strangers (i.e. novelty). Furthermore, this effect strengthened with the infant's age. We excluded the possibility that infants detect and avoid traces of morphing. This conclusion follows from our finding that the infants equally preferred strangers’ faces and the morphed faces of two strangers. These results indicate that an uncanny valley between familiarity and novelty may accentuate the categorical perception of familiar and novel objects.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Bradykinin-Mediated Angioedema: Outcomes from an Angioedema Expert Consensus Meeting

Several types of angioedema exist beyond hereditary angioedema (HAE) types I/II; however, the diagnostic and treatment needs of these conditions are not well understood. Noticeably, there are no licensed treatments available for other forms of angioedema beyond HAE types I/II, and similarly they are unresponsive to conventional antihistamine/glucocorticoid treatment. A group of angioedema experts met in Budapest in May 2013 to discuss such issues, presenting their experience, reviewing available literature and identifying unmet diagnostic and treatment needs in three different angioedema types: HAE with normal C1-inhibitor (C1-INH; previously referred to as type III HAE); nonallergic angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI)-induced angioedema (ACEI-AAE), and acquired angioedema due to C1-INH deficiency (C1-INH-AAE). The group identified unmet diagnostic and treatment needs in HAE-nC1-INH, C1-INH-AAE and ACEI-AAE, explored remedies and made recommendations on how to diagnose and treat these forms of angioedema. The group discussed the difficulties associated with using diagnostic markers, such as the level and function of C1-INH, C1q and C4 to reliably diagnose the angioedema type, and considered the use of genetic testing to identify mutations in FXII or XPNPEP2 that have been associated with HAE-nC1-INH and ACEI-AAE, respectively. Due to the lack of approved treatments for HAE-nC1-INH, ACEI-AAE and C1-INH-AAE, the group presented several case studies in which therapies approved for treatment of HAE types I/II, such as icatibant, ecallantide and pasteurized, nanofiltered C1-INH, were successful. It was uniformly agreed that further studies are needed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of angioedema other than HAE types I/II. i 2014 S. Karger AG, Basel
On the pattern of discovery of introduced species

Introductions of nonindigenous species can have significant effects. It is commonly claimed that the rate of species introductions to the United States has increased over time. This claim is based in part on the increasing rate of discoveries of introduced species. This discovery rate is influenced by factors other than the introduction rate. These include the sampling rate and population growth in the introduced species. In this article, we show that the discovery rate can increase even when there is no increase in either the introduction rate or the sampling rate. This suggests that the basis for some claims regarding an increasing rate of introductions may be invalid.
Comparison of fluid types for resuscitation after acute blood loss in mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos).

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the LD(50) for acute blood loss in mallard ducks (Anas platyrhynchos), compare the mortality rate among 3 fluid resuscitation groups, and determine the time required for a regenerative RBC response. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Medical College of Wisconsin Research facility. ANIMALS Eighteen mallard ducks were included for the LD(50) study and 28 for the fluid resuscitation study. INTERVENTIONS Phlebotomy was performed during both the LD(50) and fluid resuscitation studies. Ducks in the fluid resuscitation study received a 5 mL/kg intravenous bolus of crystalloids, hetastarch (HES), or a hemoglobin-based oxygen-carrying solution (HBOCS). MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS The LD(50) for acute blood loss was 60% of total blood volume. This blood volume was removed in the fluid resuscitation study to create a model of acute blood loss. Following fluid administration, 6 birds in the crystalloid group (66%), 4 birds in the HES group (40%), and 2 birds in the HBOCS group (20%) died. No statistical difference in mortality rate was seen among the 3 fluid resuscitation groups. Relative polychromasia evaluated post-phlebotomy demonstrated regeneration starting at 24 hours and continuing through 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS The LD(50) for acute blood loss in mallard ducks was 60% of their total blood volume. Although no statistical difference in mortality rate was appreciated among the 3 fluid resuscitation groups, a trend of decreased mortality rate was observed in the HBOCS group. An early regenerative response was apparent following acute blood loss.
Research Letter: Psychotherapy increases brain serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in patients with major depressive disorder

The serotonin 5-HT1A receptor system is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) (Stockmeier, 2003) and serotonergic medications are currently widely used in the treatment of MDD. Previous molecular imaging studies in patients with MDD have provided evidence of a widespread decrease in the density of serotonin 5-HT1A receptors in the disease (Drevets et al. 1999; Sargent et al. 2000 ; Bhagwagar et al. 2004 ; Meltzer et al. 2004 ; Hirvonen et al. 2008, but see Parsey et al. 2006 for opposite results). Psychotherapy usually results in clinically identical outcomes with medication in the treatment of patients with mild to moderate MDD (Ebmeier et al. 2006). However, nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms mediating the effects of psychotherapy. To test and compare the effects of fluoxetine medication and a brief psychotherapy on 5-HT1A receptor density in patients with MDD we conducted a randomized comparative study. Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning with the 5-HT1A radiotracer [carbonyl-C]WAY-100635 was performed before and after the intervention to measure alterations in 5-HT1A receptor binding.
A Proto-Galaxy Candidate at Z = 2.7

A protogalaxy candidate at z=2.72 has been discovered serendipitously by the CNOC cluster redshift survey. The candidate is an extremely luminous (V=20.5 mag, absolute mag -26) and well resolved disk-like galaxy. The redshift is identified from a dozen strong UV absorption lines. No emission lines are found between 1000 and 2000A (rest), including Ly alpha. The photometric data fit the spectral energy distributions of a stellar population from 400 million years to an arbitrarily young age, dependent on the amount of dust extinction. However, the presence of a strong P-Cygni profile in CIV~indicates that a very substantial component of the stellar population must be younger than ~ 10 Myr. We interpret this object as an early-type galaxy observed within about 100 million years of the initial burst of star formation which created most of its stellar mass. Because of the resolved, regular, and smooth nature of the object, it is unlikely that the high luminosity is due to gravitational lensing.
Total Registration of Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Hodgkin's Disease in Scotland: Effect of Deprivation and Caseload on Outcome

Abstract All cases ≥16 years of age with a histological diagnosis of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and Hodgkin's disease (HD) presented in Scotland between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 1996 were registered prospectively in the Scotland and Newcastle Lymphoma Group database by a process of total registration. The census population of Scotland in 1996-1997 was 5.1 million. One thousand seven hundred and sixty three patients were registered with NHL and 350 patients with HD. These patients have been followed up for a median of 47 months in the case of NHL and 51 months for HD cases. Actuarial 5-year survival for adult NHL was 35% and for HD, 75%. Outcome for both NHL and HD was particularly poor in the population over 60 years with median survival of 18 months for NHL and 27 months for HD. When analysis of survival was related to degree of material deprivation using the Carstairs score a significantly poorer survival was seen for NHL with increasing deprivation that could not be explained by a different pattern of age or stage at presentation. Deprivation had no impact on incidence or survival in HD. Analysis of impact of caseload of the physician initiating therapy showed no significant difference in 5-year survival.
Bodily embarrassment and judgment concern as separable factors in the measurement of medical embarrassment: psychometric development and links to treatment-seeking outcomes.

OBJECTIVES Understanding why people do not always engage in medical examinations that might benefit them is a public health issue which is receiving increased attention. One area of promise involves the study of medical embarrassment, although current studies are weakened in that they measure medical embarrassment in a theoretically naïve and unidimensional manner and have assumed that embarrassment is exclusively a barrier to the timely seeking of treatment. DESIGN Convenience sampling was used to recruit 116 male and 134 female students (mean age = 19.94 years, 47.2% Caucasian, 20.4% African-American, 32.4% Asian) from two large universities in different parts of the United States. METHODS Participants completed a comprehensive measure of medical embarrassment, reported on previous treatment avoidance because of embarrassment, and recorded the frequency of psychological, general and sex-related visits across the previous 5 years. RESULTS As expected, medical embarrassment was not unidimensional and appeared to have two distinct factors--bodily embarrassment and judgment concern. Bodily embarrassment generally predicted less frequent medical contact although not equally so across domains and it interacted with judgment concern in several cases, providing preliminary evidence that there are situations in which aspects of medical embarrassment may actually facilitate greater medical contact. CONCLUSIONS The data highlight the importance of considering the role of emotions other than fear in health behaviour and the means by which they may facilitate or deter the timely seeking of diagnosis and treatment.
Grain Size Effects of SnO2 Varistor Induced by Doping Pr

The effects of Pr on the microstructure and nonlinear electrical properties of the (Co,Ta)-doped SnO2 varistors were investigated. It was found by characterizing the samples sintered at 1350 oC that the breakdown voltage increases significantly from 500v/mm to 1200v/mm, and the relative permittivity decreased rapidly from 2525 to 1199 with increasing Pr6O11 concentration from 0 to 1.20 mol%. The analysis of samples’ microscopic structure showed that the grain size of SnO2 rapidly decreases from 5.1 to 3.7 µm with increasing Pr6O11 concentration from 0 to 1.20mol% . The significant decrease of SnO2 grain size is the main reason for raising breakdown voltage and reducing permittivity.
Run, Walk, Crawl: Towards Dynamic Link Capacities

Fiber optic cables are the workhorses of today's Internet services. Operators spend millions of dollars to purchase, lease and maintain their optical backbone, making the efficiency of fiber essential to their business. In this work, we make a case for adapting the capacity of optical links based on their signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). We show two immediate benefits of this by analyzing the SNR of over 2000 links in an optical backbone over a period of 2.5 years. First, the capacity of 80% of IP links can be augmented by 75% or more, leading to an overall capacity gain of 145 Tbps in a large optical backbone in North America. Second, at least 25% of link failures are caused by SNR degradation, not complete loss-of-light, highlighting the opportunity to replace link failures by link flaps wherein the capacity is adjusted according to the new SNR. Given these benefits, we identify the disconnect between current optical and networking infrastructure which hinders the deployment of dynamic capacity links in wide area networks (WANs). To bridge this gap, we propose a graph abstraction that enables existing traffic engineering algorithms to benefit from dynamic link capacities. We evaluate the feasibility of dynamic link capacities using a small testbed and simulate the throughput gains from deploying our approach.
Utilizing FMR1 Gene Mutations as Predictors of Treatment Success in Human In Vitro Fertilization

Context Mutations of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene are associated with distinct ovarian aging patterns. Objective To confirm in human in vitro fertilization (IVF) that FMR1 affects outcomes, and to determine whether this reflects differences in ovarian aging between FMR1 mutations, egg/embryo quality or an effect on implantation. Design, Setting, Patients IVF outcomes were investigated in a private infertility center in reference to patients' FMR1 mutations based on a normal range of CGGn = 26–34 and sub-genotypes high (CGGn>34) and low (CGG<26). The study included 3 distinct sections and study populations: (i) A generalized mixed-effects model of morphology (777 embryos, 168 IVF cycles, 125 infertile women at all ages) investigated whether embryo quality is associated with FMR1; (ii) 1041 embryos in 149 IVF cycles in presumed fertile women assessed whether the FMR1 gene is associated with aneuploidy; (iii) 352 infertile patients (< age 38; in 1st IVF cycles) and 179 donor-recipient cycles, assessed whether the FMR1 gene affects IVF pregnancy chances via oocyte/embryo quality or non-oocyte maternal factors. Interventions Standardized IVF protocols. Main Outcome Measures Morphologic embryo quality, ploidy and pregnancy rates. Results (i) Embryo morphology was reduced in presence of a low FMR1 allele (P = 0.032). In absence of a low allele, the odds ratio (OR) of chance of good (vs. fair/poor) embryos was 1.637. (ii) FMR1 was not associated with aneuploidy, though aneuploidy increased with female age. (iii) Recipient pregnancy rates were neither associated with donor age or donor FMR1. In absence of a low FMR1 allele, OR of clinical pregnancy (vs. chemical or no pregnancy) was 2.244 in middle-aged infertility patients. Conclusions A low FMR1 allele (CGG<26) is associated with significantly poorer morphologic embryo quality and pregnancy chance. As women age, low FMR1 alleles affect IVF pregnancy chances by reducing egg/embryo quality by mechanisms other than embryo aneuploidy.
Motivation: What Teachers Need to Know

Motivation, one of the foremost problems in education, is often inadequately addressed in typical foundational (educational psychology) courses. In this article, Ames clarifies the complex construct of motivation as it relates to learning and offers a revamped curriculum that applies motivation theory and research to practice. She recommends instruction in how motivation constructs relate to each other, to developmental changes, to individual and culturally related differences, and to the classroom context.
Could an analysis of mean corpuscular volume help to improve risk stratification in non-anemic patients with acute myocardial infarction?

BACKGROUND Nowadays, when the majority of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) are treated with primary percutaneous coronary intervention and modern pharmacotherapy, risk stratification becomes a challenge. Simple and easily accessible parameters that would help in a better determination of prognosis are needed. The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of high mean corpuscular volume (MCV, defined as MCV > 92 fL) and to establish its prognostic value in non-anemic patients with AMI. METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the data of 248 consecutive non-anemic patients hospitalized due to AMI (median age: 65 [59-76] years, men: 63%, ST segment elevation myocardial infarction: 31%, and median left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF]: 50%). RESULTS The prevalence of high MCV was 39 ± 6% (± 95% confidence interval) in the entire AMI population. High MCV was more prevalent in males, patients with low body mass index, non-diabetics and cigarette smokers (all p < 0.05). During the 180-day follow-up, there were 38 (15%) events, defined as another AMI or death. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazard model, female gender (p < 0.01), low LVEF (p < 0.001), previous AMI (p < 0.05), arterial hypertension (p < 0.05), and high MCV (p < 0.001) were prognosticators of pre-defined events. CONCLUSIONS In non-anemic patients with AMI, high MCV is an independent prognostic factor of poor outcome defined as another AMI or death.
Pricing Digital Goods: Discontinuous Costs and Shared Infrastructure

In this paper, we analyze a model of usage pricing for digital products with discontinuous supply functions. This model characterizes a number of information technology-based products and services for which variable increases in demand are fulfilled by the addition of blocks of computing or network infrastructure. Such goods are often modeled as information goods with zero variable costs; in fact, the actual cost structure resembles a mixture of zero marginal costs and positive periodic fixed costs. This paper discusses the properties of a general solution for the optimal nonlinear pricing of such digital goods. We show that the discontinuous cost structure can be accrued as a virtual constant variable cost. This paper applies the general solution to solve two related extensions by first investigating the optimal technology capacity planning when the cost function is both discontinuous and declining over time, and then characterizing the optimal costing for the discontinuous supply when it is shared by several business profit centers. Our findings suggest that the widely adopted full cost recovery policies are typically suboptimal.
Non-abelian cohomology of abelian Anosov actions

We develop a new technique for calculating the first cohomology of certain classes of actions of higher-rank abelian groups (${\mathbb Z}^k$ and ${\mathbb R}^k$, $k\ge 2$) with values in a linear Lie group. In this paper we consider the discrete-time case. Our results apply to cocycles of different regularity, from Hölder to smooth and real-analytic. The main conclusion is that the corresponding cohomology trivializes, i.e. that any cocycle from a given class is cohomologous to a constant cocycle. The principal novel feature of our method is its geometric character; no global information about the action based on harmonic analysis is used. The method can be developed to apply to cocycles with values in certain infinite dimensional groups and to rigidity problems.
The Effect of Cyanobacterial Biomass Enrichment by Centrifugation and GF/C Filtration on Subsequent Microcystin Measurement

Microcystins are cyclic peptides produced by multiple cyanobacterial genera. After accumulation in the liver of animals they inhibit eukaryotic serine/threonine protein phosphatases, causing liver disease or death. Accurate detection/quantification of microcystins is essential to ensure safe water resources and to enable research on this toxin. Previous methodological comparisons have focused on detection and extraction techniques, but have not investigated the commonly used biomass enrichment steps. These enrichment steps could modulate toxin production as recent studies have demonstrated that high cyanobacterial cell densities cause increased microcystin levels. In this study, three microcystin-producing strains were processed using no cell enrichment steps (by direct freezing at three temperatures) and with biomass enrichment (by centrifugation or GF/C filtration). After extraction, microcystins were analyzed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. All processing methods tested, except GF/C filtration, resulted in comparable microcystin quotas for all strains. The low yields observed for the filtration samples were caused by adsorption of arginine-containing microcystins to the GF/C filters. Whilst biomass enrichment did not affect microcystin metabolism over the time-frame of normal sample processing, problems associated with GF/C filtration were identified. The most widely applicable processing method was direct freezing of samples as it could be utilized in both field and laboratory environments.
Efficacy of Tigecycline Alone and in Combination with Gentamicin in the Treatment of Experimental Endocarditis Due to Linezolid-Resistant Enterococcus faecium

ABSTRACT We evaluated the efficacy of tigecycline in a rabbit model of experimental endocarditis caused by a linezolid-resistant clinical strain of Enterococcus faecium. Tigecycline-treated animals had a 2.8-log10-CFU/g reduction in microbial counts in excised vegetations compared with controls. Addition of gentamicin caused a further arithmetical reduction in colony counts. The therapeutic effect was sustained 5 days after completion of treatment, as shown by relapse studies performed in treatment groups.
Quantitative correlation of optic nerve pathology with ocular pressure and corneal thickness in the DBA/2 mouse model of glaucoma.

PURPOSE To investigate quantitatively the relationships between elevated intraocular pressure (IOP), axonal loss, and corneal thickness in the DBA/2 mouse model of glaucoma, to understand better how these factors contribute to disease progression. METHODS IOP was measured with a handheld tonometer (Tono-Pen; Medtronic Solan, Jacksonville, FL) in 195 to 446 eyes of mice 2 to 10 months of age sampled from a colony of 400 DBA/2 mice. From a group of 24 eyes at 4, 9, and 10 months of age, correlations were determined between the density and number of RGC axons, corneal thickness, and IOP. RESULTS Mean IOP levels in the colony were 15 to 16 mm Hg at 2 months of age and rose almost linearly at a rate of 0.9 mm Hg/mo before reaching 22 to 23 mm Hg at 10 months. Both the density and number of axons decreased with increasing average lifetime IOP. IOP variation within age groups strongly correlated with density. Age-matched mice with lower mean IOP had greater preservation of axons in the optic nerve. Elevated IOP was accompanied by increased corneal thickness at the limbus. Surprisingly, corneal thickness was a strong predictor of axonal density (r2 = -0.75), regardless of age. CONCLUSIONS IOP increased with age in most, but not all, DBA/2 mice. In age-matched mice, differences in IOP corresponded to differences in axonal density and number. In young mice with elevated IOP, the loss of axons resembled that of older animals with similar IOP. Whether corneal thickness is a byproduct of elevated IOP remains unknown, but it may be useful as an index of optic nerve degeneration.