Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phasic Dopaminergic Signaling and the Presymptomatic Phase of Parkinson's Disease

Abstract : The purpose of this project is to investigate the relationship between phasic dopaminergic signaling and behavior in an animal model of Parkinson's disease. The overall hypothesis is that, in rats with partial dopamine lesions mimicking the preclinical phase of Parkinson's disease, deficits in phasic dopaminergic signaling are associated with behavioral deficits. Phasic dopaminergic signaling will be characterized by chemical microsensors measuring dopamine, and electrophysiology is used to monitor the effect of dopamine on target cells. Several behavioral tests will be developed and assessed to identify deficits that occur during partial dopamine depletion. The major finding for Year 1 is that the amplitude of dopamine transients, electrically evoked by stimulation parameters consistent with phasic signaling, decreases in proportion to the degree of dopamine lesion, supporting the hypothesis of a deficit in phasic dopaminergic signaling following partial dopamine denervation. Five behavioral tests have been assessed but to date, only forelimb use asymmetry shows a similar dependence on the degree of dopamine lesion as seen with phasic signaling. Instrumentation and other technical work are ongoing in preparation for subsequent work in Years 2 through 4 of the project.
Stochastic Bounds on Handover for Wireless Networks

Apres deux generations de reseaux mobiles qui ont permis de faire une extension du reseaux telephonique sur la partie radio offrant la possibilite a l'utilisateur d'etre mobile, la troisieme generation offre en plus la possibilite d'integrer plusieurs types de service comme la voix, les donnees ou le multimedia. Chaque type de service considere dans ce type de reseau a sa propre specificite en terme de qualite de service. Pour la maitrise de la qualite de service dans ces reseaux, differents protocoles ont ete proposes dans la litterature [1, 12]. L'evaluation de performance de ce type de protocole par des methodes analytiques est tres complexe voir irrealisable du fait de l'explosion combinatoire du nombre d'etats qui est du a la diversite des services consideres et la mobilite de l'utilisateur (handover). Dans cette etude, nous proposons une nouvelle approche pour le calcul d'une borne du dropping handover dans les reseaux mobiles de troisieme generation en utilisant une methode stochastique. Cette approche consiste a utiliser les ordres et comparaisons stochastiques pour calculer des bornes sur les indices de performance recherches. nous proposons un modele bornant avec un espace d'etats reduits qui permet de calculer des indices de performance avec une methode analytique. Nous donnons la preuve mathematique que notre modele bornant fournit bien une borne sur l'indice de performance du modele original. Pour montrer la qualite de la borne, nous avons compare les resultats du modele bornant obtenus par une methode analytique aux resultats du modele originel obtenus par une simulation basee sur une methode multi-agents.
Effects of Diazepam and Its Metabolites on Nocturnal Melatonin Secretion in the Rat Pineal and Harderian Glands. A Comparative In Vivo and In Vitro Study

We investigated the effects of diazepam (DZP) and its three metabolites: nordiazepam (NZP), oxazepam (OZP), and temazepam (TZP) on pineal gland nocturnal melatonin secretion. We looked at the effects of benzodiazepines on pineal gland melatonin secretion both in vitro (using organ perifusion) and in vivo in male Wistar rats sacrificed in the middle of the dark phase. We also examined the effects of these benzodiazepines on in vivo melatonin secretion in the Harderian glands. Neither DZP (10−5–10−6 M) nor its metabolites (10−4–10−5 M) affected melatonin secretion by perifused rat pineal glands in vitro. In contrast, a 10−4 M suprapharmacological concentration of DZP increased melatonin secretion of perifused pineal glands by 70%. In vivo, a single acute subcutaneous administration of DZP (3 mg/kg body weight) significantly affected pineal melatonin synthesis and plasma melatonin levels, while administration of the metabolites under the same conditions did not. DZP reduced pineal melatonin content (−40%), N-acetyltransferase activity (−70%), and plasma melatonin levels (−40%), but had no affects on pineal hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase activity. Neither DZP nor its metabolites affected Harderian gland melatonin content. Our results indicate that the in vivo inhibitory effect of DZP on melatonin synthesis is not due to the metabolism of DZP. The results also show that the control of melatonin production in the Harderian glands differs from that observed in the pineal gland.
Long-term follow-up of a large series of patients with type 1 gastric carcinoid tumors: data from a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE To study the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach, response to treatment, and the presence of other pathologies in patients with gastric carcinoid type 1 (GC 1) tumors. DESIGN AND METHODS Retrospective analysis of 111 patients from four institutions and a mean follow-up of 76 months. RESULTS The main indications for gastroscopy were upper gastrointestinal tract symptoms. The mean number of lesions, maximum tumoral diameter, and percentage of cells expressing Ki-67 labeling index were 3.6±3.8, 8±12.1 mm and 1.9±2.4% respectively. Serum gastrin and chromogranin A (CgA) levels were elevated in 100/101 and 85/90 patients respectively. Conventional imaging studies demonstrated pathology in 9/111 patients. Scintigraphy with radiolabeled octreotide was positive in 6/60 without revealing any additional lesions. From the 59 patients who had been followed-up without any intervention, five developed tumor progression. Thirty-two patients were treated with long-acting somatostatin analogs (SSAs), leading to a significant reduction of gastrin and CgA levels, number of visible tumors, and CgA immune-reactive tumor cells in 28, 19, 27, and 23 treated patients respectively. Antrectomy and/or gastrectomy were initially performed in 20 patients and a complete response was achieved in 13 patients. The most common comorbidities were vitamin B12 deficiency, thyroiditis, and parathyroid adenomas. CONCLUSIONS Most GCs1 are grade 1 (82.7%) tumors presenting with stage I (73.9%) disease with no mortality after prolonged follow-up. Ocreoscan did not provide further information compared with conventional imaging techniques. Treatment with SSAs proved to be effective for the duration of administration.
Handling of the TEMPO+ behind-the-ear speech processor by MED-EL cochlear implant users

Abstract MED-EL launched its ear-level speech processor, the TEMPO+, in 1999. Studies have already demonstrated improved speech perception, sound quality and the ability to enjoy music with the TEMPO+ due to the new CIS+ speech-coding strategy. This study evaluated responses to 185 questionnaires about ease of handling and usage of the TEMPO+, opinion of and satisfaction with the TEMPO+ and its performance, as well as satisfaction with accessories. There was particular interest in seeing if the TEMPO+ was suitable for use with children. Results showed that MED-EL cochlear implant users felt comfortable manipulating the dials and switches, changing the battery pack, using external sources of input and with provided accessories. Overall, there was satisfaction with the TEMPO+. Notably, one third of respondents were under the age of 10. Results show the suitability of the TEMPO+ behind-the-ear speech processor for young children.
CYP2E1 RsaI/PstI Polymorphism and Gastric Cancer Susceptibility: Meta-Analyses Based on 24 Case-Control Studies

Background Previous reports implicate CYP2E1 RsaI/PstI polymorphism as a possible risk factor for several cancers. Published studies on the relationship of CYP2E1 RsaI/PstI polymorphisms with the susceptibility to gastric cancer are controversial. This study aimed to determine this relationship accurately. Methods Meta-analyses that assessed the association of CYP2E1 RsaI/PstI variations with gastric cancer were conducted. Subgroup analyses on ethnicity, smoking status, alcohol consumption, and source of controls were also performed. Eligible studies up to Mar 2012 were identified. Results After rigorous searching and screening, 24 case-control studies comprising 3022 cases and 4635 controls were selected for analysis. The overall data failed to indicate the significant associations of CYP2E1 RsaI/PstI polymorphisms with the gastric cancer risk [c2 vs. c1: odds ratio (OR) = 1.06; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.88–1.28; c2c2 vs. c1c1: OR = 1.23; 95% CI = 0.78–1.92; c2c2+c1c2 vs. c1c1: OR = 0.93; 95% CI = 0.79–1.10]. Similar results were observed in the subgroup analyses on ethnicity, drinking status, and source of controls. However, in the subgroup analysis on smoking status, a borderline increase in cancer risk was found among long-term smokers (c2c2+c1c2 vs. c1c1: OR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.00–1.92). Conclusion CYP2E1 RsaI/PstI polymorphisms may modify the susceptibility to gastric cancer among individuals who have a smoking history. Large and well-designed studies are needed to confirm this conclusion.
Gendered Racism and the Moderating Influence of Racial Identity: Implications for African American Women’s Well-Being

Intersectionality theory has been put forth to explain how gender and race dually impact and act upon African American women (e.g., Settles, 2006; Thomas et al., 2008). Although there is a growing body of literature on the negative effect that perceived racism has on Black/African Americans well-being and that sexism has on women’s well-being, there is a paucity of research on the intersection of racism and sexism (i.e., gendered racism) and its influence on African American women’s well-being (e.g., Perry, Pullen, & Oser, 2012; Thomas et al., 2008). To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined gendered racism’s impact on African American women’s well-being (i.e., depressive and anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and the quality of their social relationships). Additionally, the protective (moderating) influence of racial identity, in particular racial centrality, racial public regard, and racial private regard, on the gendered racism and well-being relationship was examined. Selfidentified African American, adult women (N = 249) were recruited from a southeastern metropolitan university. Lastly, the gendered racism measure used in the study, the Revised Schedule of Sexist Events (Thomas et al., 2008), appears to be a valid and reliable measure of African American women’s gendered racism experiences. Regression analyses found that more frequent experiences with gendered racism was associated with more depressive and anxiety symptoms. More frequent experiences of gendered racism were also associated with less optimal social relationships and poorer life satisfaction. Furthermore, racial identity dimensions did not moderate the impact of gendered racism on African American women’s well-being. Future studies should consider identities or worldviews that are theoretically aligned with the tenets of intersectionality theory as protective factors against the effect of gendered racism on African American women’s well-being. INDEX WORDS: Gendered racism, African American, women, intersectionality, racial identity GENDERED RACISM AND THE MODERATING INFLUENCE OF RACIAL IDENTITY: IMPLICATIONS FOR AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN’S WELL-BEING
Real Time Head Model Creation and Head Pose Estimation on Consumer Depth Cameras

Head pose estimation is an important part of the human perception and is therefore also relevant to make interaction with computer systems more natural. However, accurate estimation of the pose in a wide range is a challenging computer vision problem. We present an accurate approach for head pose estimation on consumer depth cameras that works in a wide pose range without prior knowledge about the tracked person and without prior training of a detector. Our algorithm builds and registers a 3D head model with the iterative closest point algorithm. To track the head pose using this head model an initialization with a known pose is necessary. Instead of providing such an initialization manually we determine the initial pose using features of the head and improve this pose over time. An evaluation shows that our algorithm works in real time with limited resources and achieves superior accuracy compared to other state of the art systems. Our main contribution is the combination of features of the head and the head model generation to build a detector that gives accurate results in a wide pose range.
Effects of Iron from an Amino Acid Complex on the Iron Status of Neonatal and Suckling Piglets

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of iron from an amino acid complex (Availa-Fe ® ) on the iron status of neonatal and suckling piglets. A total of 24 gestating sows (Landrace×Large White) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments. The control diet contained 80 mg kg -1 Fe from ferrous sulfate heptahydrate (FeSO4⋅7H2O), while the two experimental diets were supplemented with an additional 120 mg kg -1 Fe from Availa-Fe ® or FeSO4⋅7H2O, respectively. The lactating sows remained the same iron treatments as gestating sows, while neonatal piglets of 24 litters born from the above sows were allotted to another three treatments. Piglets from the sows of the control treatment were fed basal diet with no supplemental Fe as control treatment, but were injected with 100 mg Fe as Fe dextran at birth. Piglets from the sows of Availa-Fe ® or FeSO4⋅7H2O treatments were supplemented with 120 mg kg -1 iron from Availa-Fe ® or FeSO4⋅7H2O, respectively. The total born alive and weaned, and the average piglets weight at birth and at weaning were not significantly affected by the sow's dietary treatments (p>0.05). Iron from Availa-Fe ® did not demonstrate a statistically significant improvement in hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit and plasma iron of sows on day 90 and 105 of pregnancy and the milk iron of sows during lactation (p>0.05). Neonatal piglets in the Availa-Fe ® treatment had a significantly higher hemoglobin concentration (p 0.05) than those in the other two treatments, respectively. The hemoglobin of suckling piglets in the Availa-Fe ® treatment was higher than that of piglets in FeSO4⋅7H2O treatment on day 28 (p 0.05). However, the hemoglobin and hematocrit of suckling piglets injected with Fe were higher than those of piglets in the other two treatments (p<0.05). This study indicated that the addition of 120 mg kg -1 iron from amino acid complex into the diets improved iron status of neonatal and nursing piglets more effectively than the addition of 120 mg kg -1 iron from FeSO4⋅7H2O, however, this improvement of the organic Fe was not sufficient to replace the Fe injection for prevention of iron-deficiency anemia. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 10 : 1485-1491)
Bilingual Continuous Space Language Model

We attempt using simple feedforward neural networks to learn a continuous space language model (CSLM) and evaluate its performance on French and English. The training of the model is performed bilingually, in which we try to capture not only different features from one language, but also the multilingual relation demonstrated in the parallel training data. We achieved the perplexity of 191.2 on French and 193.5 on English, and visualized some interesting monolingual and bilingual relations.
Contributions of the Epstein-Barr Virus EBNA1 Protein to Gastric Carcinoma

ABSTRACT Approximately 10% of gastric carcinomas (GC) are comprised of cells latently infected with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV); however, the mechanism by which EBV contributes to the development of this malignancy is unclear. We have investigated the cellular effects of the only EBV nuclear protein expressed in GC, EBNA1, focusing on promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies (NBs), which play important roles in apoptosis, p53 activation, and tumor suppression. AGS GC cells infected with EBV were found to contain fewer PML NBs and less PML protein than the parental EBV-negative AGS cells, and these levels were restored by silencing EBNA1. Conversely, EBNA1 expression was sufficient to induce the loss of PML NBs and proteins in AGS cells. Consistent with PML functions, EBNA1 expression decreased p53 activation and apoptosis in response to DNA damage and resulted in increased cell survival. In addition, EBNA1 mutants unable to bind CK2 kinase or ubiquitin-specific protease 7 had decreased ability to induce PML loss and to interfere with p53 activation. PML levels in EBV-positive and EBV-negative GC biopsy specimens were then compared by immunohistochemistry. Consistent with the results in the AGS cells, EBV-positive tumors had significantly lower PML levels than EBV-negative tumors. The results indicate that EBV infection of GC cells leads to loss of PML NBs through the action of EBNA1, resulting in impaired responses to DNA damage and promotion of cell survival. Therefore, PML disruption by EBNA1 is one mechanism by which EBV may contribute to the development of gastric cancer.
Elections Can be Manipulated Often

The Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem states that every non-trivial voting method among at least 3 alternatives can be strategically manipulated. We prove a quantitative version of the Gibbard-Satterthwaite theorem: a random manipulation by a single random voter will succeed with non-negligible probability for every neutral voting method among 3 alternatives that is far from being a dictatorship.
Bridging the Gap between Genes and Language Deficits in Schizophrenia: An Oscillopathic Approach

Schizophrenia is characterised by marked language deficits, but it is not clear how these deficits arise from gene mutations linked to or associated with the disease. The goal of this paper is to aid the bridging of the gap between genes and schizophrenia and, ultimately, give support to the view that it represents an abnormal ontogenetic itinerary for the human faculty of language, heavily rooted in the evolutionary processes that brought about modern language. To that end we will focus on how the schizophrenia brain processes language and, particularly, on its distinctive oscillatory profile during language processing: We will argue that brain rhythms constitute the best route to interpret language deficits in this condition and map them to neural dysfunction and risk alleles of the genes. Additionally, we will show that candidate genes for schizophrenia are overrepresented among the set of genes that are believed are important for the evolution of human language. These genes crucially include (and are related to) genes involved in brain rhythmicity. We will claim that this translational effort and the links we uncover may help develop an understanding of language evolution, along with the aetiology of schizophrenia, its clinical/linguistic profile, and its high prevalence among modern populations.
Gene Expression Profiling in Winged and Wingless Cotton Aphids, Aphis gossypii (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

While trade-offs between flight capability and reproduction is a common phenomenon in wing dimorphic insects, the molecular basis is largely unknown. In this study, we examined the transcriptomic differences between winged and wingless morphs of cotton aphids, Aphis gossypii, using a tag-based digital gene expression (DGE) approach. Ultra high-throughput Illumina sequencing generated 5.30 and 5.39 million raw tags, respectively, from winged and wingless A. gossypii DGE libraries. We identified 1,663 differentially expressed transcripts, among which 58 were highly expressed in the winged A. gossypii, whereas 1,605 expressed significantly higher in the wingless morphs. Bioinformatics tools, including Gene Ontology, Cluster of Orthologous Groups, euKaryotic Orthologous Groups and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, were used to functionally annotate these transcripts. In addition, 20 differentially expressed transcripts detected by DGE were validated by the quantitative real-time PCR. Comparative transcriptomic analysis of sedentary (wingless) and migratory (winged) A. gossyii not only advances our understanding of the trade-offs in wing dimorphic insects, but also provides a candidate molecular target for the genetic control of this agricultural insect pest.
Interpretive Phenomenology: Embodiment, Caring, and Ethics in Health and Illness

PART ONE: INTERPRETIVE PHENOMENOLOGY, THEORY, AND PRACTICE A Theoretical Foundation for Nursing as a Science - Ragnar Fjellan and Eva Gjengedal Is a Science of Caring Possible? - Margaret J Dunlop A Heideggerian Phenomenological Perspective on the Concept of Person - Victoria Leonard Hermeneutic Phenomenology - Karen A Plager A Methodology for Family Health and Health Promotion Study in Nursing Toward a New Medical Ethics - David C Thomasma Implications for Ethics in Nursing The Tradition and Skill of Interpretive Phenomenology in Studying Health, Illness, and Caring Practices - Patricia Benner Martin, A Computer Software Program - Nancy Diekelmann, Robert Schuster, and Suilum Lam On Being Able to Hear What the Text Did Not Say Beyond Normalizing - Lee Smith Battle The Role of Narrative in Understanding Teenage Mothers' Transition to Mothering Parent's Caring Practices with Schizophrenic Offspring - Catherine A Chesla Parenting in Public - Philip Darbyshire Parental Participation and Involvement in the Care of their Hospitalized Child A Clinical Ethnography of Stroke Recovery - Nancy D Doolittle Moral Dimensions of Living with a Chronic Illness, Autonomy, Responsibility and the Limits of Control - Patricia Benner et al The Ethical Context of Nursing Care of Dying Patients in Critical Care - Peggy L Wros A Cross Cultural Comparison with Telling and not Telling the Cancer Diagnosis - Deborah Gordon Narrative Methodology in Disaster Studies - Cynthia M Stuhlmiller Rescuers of Cypress
Education and Income Inequality: New Evidence from Cross-Country Data

This paper presents empirical evidence on how education is related to income distribution in a panel data set covering a broad range of countries for the period between 1960 and 1990. The findings indicate that educational factors—higher educational attainment and more equal distribution of education —play a significant role in making income distribution more equal. The results also confirm the Kuznets inverted–U curve for the relationship between income level and income inequality. We also find that government social expenditure contributes to more equal distribution of income. However, a significant proportion of cross–country variation in income inequality remains unexplained.
Resource Allocation for QoS-Aware OFDMA Using Distributed Network Coordination

This paper considers resource allocation for downlink orthogonal frequency-division multiple access (OFDMA). We propose a subcarrier and power-allocation method that differentiates users per service type to fulfill the quality-of-service (QoS) requirements of each user. Network coordination improves the performance of users at the border of the cells and, thus, decreases the minimum sum power for users with guaranteed performance (GP). Best effort (BE) users are then scheduled to maximize their sum capacity. The proposed method only assumes causal coordination between base stations and can be seen as a generalized macro diversity scheme suited for distributed networks. Numerical results show that network coordination increases the ratio of satisfied GP users, as well as the average data rate of BE users.