Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrastructural correlates of synapse withdrawal at axotomized neuromuscular junctions in mutant and transgenic mice expressing the Wld gene

We carried out an ultrastructural analysis of axotomized synaptic terminals in Wlds and Ube4b/Nmnat (Wld) transgenic mice, in which severed distal axons are protected from Wallerian degeneration. Previous studies have suggested that axotomy in juvenile (< 2 months) Wld mice induced a progressive nerve terminal withdrawal from motor endplates. In this study we confirm that axotomy‐induced terminal withdrawal occurs in the absence of all major ultrastructural characteristics of Wallerian degeneration. Pre‐ and post‐synaptic membranes showed no signs of disruption or fragmentation, synaptic vesicle densities remained at pre‐axotomy levels, the numbers of synaptic vesicles clustered towards presynaptic active zones did not diminish, and mitochondria retained their membranes and cristae. However, motor nerve terminal ultrastructure was measurably different following axotomy in Wld transgenic 4836 line mice, which strongly express Wld protein: axotomized presynaptic terminals were retained, but many were significantly depleted of synaptic vesicles. These findings suggest that the Wld gene interacts with the mechanisms regulating transmitter release and vesicle recycling.
Bayesian Modeling of Working Memory and Inhibitory Control

In cognitive science, working memory is a core cognitive ability that might be functionally related to other capacities, such as perceptual processes, inhibitory control, memory and attention processes and executive functions. The mathematical study of working memory has been explored before. However, there is not enough research aiming to study the relationship between working memory and inhibitory control. This is the objective of the present report. Bayesian hypothesis testing is often more robust than traditional p-value null hypothesis testing. Yet, the number of studies using this approach is still limited. A secondary objective of this paper is to contribute to fill that gap, as well as provide an empirical application of Bayesian hypothesis testing using cognitive and behavioral data. A within-subjects design was used to measure working memory function for three types of visual stimuli that varied in the degree of attentional interference they were designed to elicit. Data collected was contrasted with measurements of inhibitory control and analyzed using Bayes’ theorem. Our results provide evidence against the theoretical relationship of working memory and inhibitory control. This outcome is analyzed in light of related cognitive research.
The Problem Solving Skills and Learning Performance in Learning Multi-Touch Interactive Jigsaw Game Using Digital Scaffolds

Multi-touch technology has become increasingly popular interactive technology of applied in digital game and education. The displays with multi-touch technology are responsive enough to support a wide variety of applications. Digital game offers instant feedback and interactivity in a game-based learning environment. In this study, we have designed a multi-touch interactive jigsaw game for learning the geographical location of cities in Taiwan by providing the effective instant feedbacks and interactivity as the digital scaffolds for learners in order to reduce their frustration. Based on the combination of the multi-touch operations and the digital scaffolds, the learners could use the different operated scaffolds to learn and play this game. We have classified three scaffolds: demonstration, reduction in degree of freedom, and frustration control in this jigsaw game, and have investigated the learning effects of learners according to their problem solving skills and learning performance. Our data indicated that the jigsaw game combining with scaffolding supports would increase the learning performance. Among these three scaffolding types, demonstration would reduce the potential for players to feel stuck, but may increase learner reliance, thereby reducing learning opportunities. On the other hand, providing learners with the reduction in degree of freedom and the frustration control at the same time would increase reliance on available support for some learners, but most of them would help learners improve the development of problem-solving skill.
A Social Network Analysis of the Impact of a Teacher and Student Community on Academic Motivation in a Science Classroom

(1) Background: The Teacher and student community plays an important role in students’ academic development. Previous studies showed that students’ academic success is influenced by their social relations in school. This study extended to use a mix of social network analysis and survey methodology to understand how eighth-grade students’ network and perceived teacher’s support relate to their academic motivation. (2) Methods: A total of 95 eighth graders with the same teacher in a middle school in the southeastern United States were recruited. (3) Results: Results showed that the number of friendship nominations received (i.e., in-degree), degree centrality and betweenness centrality significantly correlated with higher academic motivation. In addition, a regression model analysis showed that perceived teacher’s support, together with more friendship nominations, predicted higher academic motivation.
A psychobiosocial model for assessment, treatment, and relapse prevention for female sexual interest/arousal disorder

ABSTRACT With the DSM-5 now recognizing Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (FSIAD), it is imperative that researchers and clinicians have a comprehensive understanding of FSIAD and how to effectively treat it. As the topic of female sexual desire grows in popularity, researchers and clinicians have deemed it more variable, flexible, complex and individualistic than male desire. Most significantly, many have recognized that female desire is just as important as male desire. FSIAD is the most common female sexual complaint, and has the most negative impact on the couple relationship. This conceptual paper utilizes a case study to explore an integrative, couple psychobiosocial model for assessment, treatment (including therapeutic and medication interventions), and relapse prevention of FSIAD.
Using evidence‐informed logic models to bridge methods in educational evaluation

Designs combining different types of data are increasingly used in educational evaluation, to provide both evidence of impact and an explanation of the processes by which impacts are created. Logic models are visual representations of how an intervention leads via a set of steps from resources and inputs to outputs and then sets of outcomes. Their use has become widespread to underpin evaluations; and they have become of more interest in education as they have been promoted by policy makers and funders including the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) in England. This paper addresses the question: how can logic models be used to frame and implement educational evaluations using combinations of methods? To do so, the paper draws on theory-based evaluation literature to identify a set of issues to be considered: the role of implementation logic; causal mechanisms; the context of interventions; and the importance of considering and addressing issues around complexity. Using detailed examples from two study designs for EEF evaluations, the paper presents an evidence-informed logic model approach to deal with these issues. The paper concludes by reflecting on the practical and theoretical implications of this approach, laying out a set of key issues to address in future evaluations for which a design framed by an evidence-informed logic model may be appropriate.
Persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria in Israeli adolescents and young adults and risk for end-stage renal disease.

CONTEXT Few data are available on long-term outcomes among adolescents and young adults with persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in adolescents and young adults with persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study using medical data from 1,203,626 persons aged 16 through 25 years (60% male) examined for fitness for military service between 1975 and 1997 were linked to the Israeli treated ESRD registry. Incident cases of treated ESRD from January 1, 1980, to May 31, 2010, were included. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) of treated ESRD among those diagnosed as having persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Treated ESRD onset, defined as the date of initiation of dialysis treatment or the date of renal transplantation, whichever came first. RESULTS Persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria was diagnosed in 3690 of 1,203,626 eligible individuals (0.3%). During 21.88 (SD, 6.74) years of follow-up, treated ESRD developed in 26 individuals (0.70%) with and 539 (0.045%) without persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria, yielding incidence rates of 34.0 and 2.05 per 100,000 person-years, respectively, and a crude HR of 19.5 (95% confidence interval [CI], 13.1-28.9). A multivariate model adjusted for age, sex, paternal country of origin, year of enrollment, body mass index, and blood pressure at baseline did not substantially alter the risk associated with persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria (HR, 18.5 [95% CI, 12.4-27.6]). A substantially increased risk for treated ESRD attributed to primary glomerular disease was found for individuals with persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria compared with those without the condition (incidence rates, 19.6 vs 0.55 per 100,000 person-years, respectively; HR, 32.4 [95% CI, 18.9-55.7]). The fraction of treated ESRD attributed to microscopic hematuria was 4.3% (95% CI, 2.9%-6.4%). CONCLUSION Presence of persistent asymptomatic isolated microscopic hematuria in persons aged 16 through 25 years was associated with significantly increased risk of treated ESRD for a period of 22 years, although the incidence and absolute risk remain quite low.
Impact of Temozolomide on Immune Response during Malignant Glioma Chemotherapy

Malignant glioma, or glioblastoma, is the most common and lethal form of brain tumor with a median survival time of 15 months. The established therapeutic regimen includes a tripartite therapy of surgical resection followed by radiation and temozolomide (TMZ) chemotherapy, concurrently with radiation and then as an adjuvant. TMZ, a DNA alkylating agent, is the most successful antiglioma drug and has added several months to the life expectancy of malignant glioma patients. However, TMZ is also responsible for inducing lymphopenia and myelosuppression in malignant glioma patients undergoing chemotherapy. Although TMZ-induced lymphopenia has been attributed to facilitate antitumor vaccination studies by inducing passive immune response, in general lymphopenic conditions have been associated with poor immune surveillance leading to opportunistic infections in glioma patients, as well as disrupting active antiglioma immune response by depleting both T and NK cells. Deletion of O6-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) activity, a DNA repair enzyme, by temozolomide has been determined to be the cause of lymphopenia. Drug-resistant mutation of the MGMT protein has been shown to render chemoprotection against TMZ. The immune modulating role of TMZ during glioma chemotherapy and possible mechanisms to establish a strong TMZ-resistant immune response have been discussed.
A new signal analysis method for functional near-infrared spectroscopy

For research and application of functional near-infrared spectroscopy in neuroscience, appropriate signal analysis method of functional near-infrared spectroscopy is significant. Most of researchers have applied traditional statistical features for feature extraction, and classic machine learning method like support vector machine for further analysis. In this paper, a new feature extraction method based on principles of multivariate graphic representation has been proposed. Then, supervised sparse representation based on partial order structure theory has been suggested for signal pattern classification. Both methods have been tested by signal analysis experiment of functional near-infrared spectroscopy, which is designed to achieve mental workload assessment during n-back work memory experiment. The result indicated, new methods of this work could be applied in functional near-infrared spectroscopy feature extraction and signal analysis.
Computational analysis of candidate prion-like proteins in bacteria and their role

Prion proteins were initially associated with diseases such as Creutzfeldt Jakob and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. However, deeper research revealed them as versatile tools, exploited by the cells to execute fascinating functions, acting as epigenetic elements or building membrane free compartments in eukaryotes. One of the most intriguing properties of prion proteins is their ability to propagate a conformational assembly, even across species. In this context, it has been observed that bacterial amyloids can trigger the formation of protein aggregates by interacting with host proteins. As our life is closely linked to bacteria, either through a parasitic or symbiotic relationship, prion-like proteins produced by bacterial cells might play a role in this association. Bioinformatics is helping us to understand the factors that determine conformational conversion and infectivity in prion-like proteins. We have used PrionScan to detect prion domains in 839 different bacteria proteomes, detecting 2200 putative prions in these organisms. We studied this set of proteins in order to try to understand their functional role and structural properties. Our results suggest that these bacterial polypeptides are associated to peripheral rearrangement, macromolecular assembly, cell adaptability, and invasion. Overall, these data could reveal new threats and therapeutic targets associated to infectious diseases.
An Investigation into the Relationship Between Mindset and Foreign Language Anxiety

Bu calisma, Turkiye’deki bir devlet universitesinde ve bir ozel universitede yabanci dil olarak Ingilizce ogrenen ogrencilerin zihniyet ve yabanci dil ogrenme kaygisi arasindaki iliskiyi arastirmaktir. Bu amacla, calismada nicel yontemler kullanilmis olup, veri toplama surecinde iki Likert olcek, Yabanci Dil Sinif Kaygi Olcegi ve Zihniyet Olcegi uygulanmistir. Her iki olceginde katilimcilarin ana dili olan Turkce versiyonu uygulanmistir. Calismada katilimcilarin cinsiyeti, okunulan bolum turu, (sozel vs sayisal), mezun olunan lise turu ve su anki Ingilizce yeterlik seviyesi, 4 demografik degisken olarak kullanilmistir. Bunun yani sira, yabanci dil ogrenme kaygisinin 3 altboyu olan iletisim kaygisi, test kaygisi ve olumsuz degerlendirilme korkusu da incelenmistir. Arastirma, Gazi Universitesi ve Atilim Universitesi hazirlik okulunda toplam 203 katilimciya uygulanmistir. Her iki universitedeki katilimci sayisi birbiriyle dengelidir. Olceklerden elde edilen nicel veriler SPSS Istatistik 21.0 kullanilarak analiz edilmis ve hem betimsel hem de cikarimsal istatistik yontemleri kullanilmistir. Ayrica, veri analizinde verinin normal dagilip dagilmamasina gore hem parametrik hem de parametrik olmayan testler uygulanmistir. Bulgular, zihniyet ile yabanci dil kaygisi arasinda anlamli bir iliski olmadigini ortaya cikarmistir. Dahasi, ogrencilerin zihniyetleri ve yabanci dil ogrenme kaygisi, kayitli olduklari bolumlere, mezun olduklari lise turune ve su anki Ingilizce seviyelerine gore anlamli bir farklilik gostermemistir. Ote yandan, ogrencilerin zihniyetleri cinsiyete gore anlamli derece farklilik gostermis olup, kiz ogrencilerin erkek ogrencilere gore daha fazla gelisim zihniyetine sahip olduklari gorulmustur. Ayrica, ogrencilerin bolum turleri ile olumsuz degerlendirilme korkusu alt boyutu arasinda pozitif yonde anlamli bir iliski bulunmustur.
Schrödinger–Chern–Simons vortex dynamics

We study the motion of vortices in the planar Ginzburg–Landau model with Schrödinger–Chern–Simons dynamics. We compare the moduli space approximation with the results of numerical simulations of the full field theory and find that there is agreement if the coupling constant is very close to the critical value separating type I from type II superconductors. However, there are significant qualitative differences even for modest deviations from the critically coupled regime. Radiation effects produce forces which are of the same order of magnitude as the intervortex force and therefore have a significant impact on vortex motion. We conclude that the moduli space approximation does not provide a good description of the dynamics in this regime.
A blind source separation technique using second-order statistics

Separation of sources consists of recovering a set of signals of which only instantaneous linear mixtures are observed. In many situations, no a priori information on the mixing matrix is available: The linear mixture should be "blindly" processed. This typically occurs in narrowband array processing applications when the array manifold is unknown or distorted. This paper introduces a new source separation technique exploiting the time coherence of the source signals. In contrast with other previously reported techniques, the proposed approach relies only on stationary second-order statistics that are based on a joint diagonalization of a set of covariance matrices. Asymptotic performance analysis of this method is carried out; some numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Team Development: Definition, Measurement and Relationships with Team Effectiveness

ABSTRACT This article describes the development and validation of a theory-based measure of team development. Drawing on 3 independent samples, including multisource and 2-wave data, we found support for the scale’s theoretical multidimensionality. Convergent and discriminant validity was established, and criterion-related validity was determined through the scale’s relation with 3 facets of team effectiveness: viability, extrarole performance, and reputation. We conclude that the 29-item measure is valid and reliable for the assessment of team development. Theoretically, we shed light on the dimensionality of team development and extend the available knowledge on its nomological network. Practical implications for enhancing team effectiveness via team development are discussed.
The Tactile Senses of Marine Mammals

Author(s): Bauer, Gordon B; Reep, Roger L; Marshall, Christopher D | Abstract: Abstract The successful return of mammals to aquatic environments presented numerous sensory challenges to overcome. Aquatic habitats reduced the utility of vision and the type of chemoreception important in terrestrial perception. In several orders, the sense of touch assumed greater importance, especially when enhanced by the development of vibrissal (sensory hair) systems. Species of two extant orders, Sirenia and Cetacea, lost all of their hairs except for vibrissae. In the former, these hairs cover the entire bodies of the two families, Trichechidae and Dugongidae. Hairs in adult cetaceans are more constrained (e.g., some river dolphins and baleen whales) and are restricted primarily to rostral regions. Pinnipeds and sea otters retained their pelage, but in addition have elaborated their mystacial and other facial vibrissae. High numbers of vibrissal receptors, associated dense innervation, prominence of neural tracts, and hypertrophy of brain areas associated with touch suggest an importance of tactile senses for aquatic mammals. Experimental testing has demonstrated the exquisite tactile sensitivity of many marine mammal species. Sensory hairs contribute to that tactile sensitivity in both haptic and mechanosensory contexts. Several, if not most, pinniped species, seals and sea lions, can track prey based on mechanoreception alone. In this review we will discuss the neurobiological and behavioral evidence for the tactile senses of marine mammals.
Short-term memory of temporal aspects of noxious and innocuous thermal sensation : psychophysical and fMRI studies

Pain can be viewed as a protective system that signals threat and alerts us to impending tissue damage. As a defense mechanism, it necessitates the learning and memory of past painful experiences for survival and pain-related behavior. Therefore our current pain experience is heavily influenced by previous experiences and learning. However, despite its importance, our current understanding of the interaction between the pain system and the memory system is very limited. Pain memory is a very broad topic of research on its own. It requires an understanding of the mechanisms involved at each stage of the memory system (immediate, short-term, and long-term memory), and the interaction among them. Among the multiple stages of memory, the short-term memory of pain is an area that is less researched, while there are enormous amount of neuroscientific research in short-term memory of other modalities, particularly vision. Investigation of the short-term memory of pain is especially important as the short-term memory trace of pain is converted to long-term memory and subsequently affects future pain experiences. This thesis is broadly focused on the short-term memory of pain. The complexity and multi-dimensionality of pain adds yet another element to the research on pain memory. For example, the memory trace of pain may contain memory traces of various components of pain such as sensory, affective, cognitive, and motoric responses, and the interactions among them. Therefore, an initial step in the neuroscientific exploration of pain memory requires narrowing down the pain experience, which encompasses all of these various components, to one single component. In the research presented here, we achieved this using top-down attentional instructions to attend to the sensory component of pain. The previous research on short-term memory of pain also focused mainly on the sensory component of pain. However, within the sensory component of pain the short-term memory of intensity and spatial dimension of pain has been the focus of previous research. Despite its importance, the temporal dimension of pain remained completely unexplored in pain memory research.