Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spatially structured waves and oscillations in neuronal networks with synaptic depression and adaptation

We analyze the spatiotemporal dynamics of systems of nonlocal integro–differential equations, which all represent neuronal networks with synaptic depression and spike frequency adaptation. These networks support a wide range of spatially structured waves, pulses, and oscillations, which are suggestive of phenomena seen in cortical slice experiments and in vivo. In a one–dimensional network with synaptic depression and adaptation, we study traveling waves, standing bumps, and synchronous oscillations. We find that adaptation plays a minor role in determining the speed of waves; the dynamics are dominated by depression. Spatially structured oscillations arise in parameter regimes when the space–clamped version of the network supports limit cycles. Analyzing standing bumps in the network with only depression, we find the stability of bumps is determined by the spectrum of a piecewise smooth operator. We extend these results to a two–dimensional network with only depression. Here, when the space–clamped network supports limit cycles, both target wave emitting oscillating cores and spiral waves arise in the spatially extended network. When additive noise is included, the network supports oscillations for a wider range of parameters. In the high–gain limit of the firing rate function, single target waves and standing bumps exist in the network. We then proceed to study binocular rivalry in a competitive neuronal network with synaptic depression. The network consists of two separate populations each corresponding to cells receiving input from a single eye. Different regions in these populations respond preferentially to a particular stimulus orientation. In a space–clamped version of the model, we identify a binocular rivalry state with limit cycles, whose period we can compute analytically using a fast–slow analysis. In the spatially–extended model, we study rivalry as the destabilization of double bumps, using the piecewise smooth stability analysis we developed for the single population model. Finally, we study the effect of inhomogeneities in the spatial connectivity of a neuronal network with linear adaptation. Periodic modulation of synaptic connections leads to an effective reduction in the speed of traveling pulses and even wave propagation failure when inhomogeneities have sufficiently large amplitude or period. To my mom and dad who made a world of possibilities available to me, who always made sure I finished my homework, and who have given selflessly to me all my life.
A user opinion and metadata mining scheme for predicting box office performance of movies in the social network environment

With the rapid proliferation of social network services (SNS), it has become common for people to express their thoughts or opinions on various subjects, such as political events, movies, or commercial products, using short comments. Though the comments reflect personal opinion or preferences, collectively, these represent public opinion or trends. Mining public opinion or trends from a collection of user comments made on SNS could be very useful for many applications. One interesting application is to predict the box office performance of a new movie from user comments made on the movie's trailer. Such a prediction is, nevertheless, a very complicated task because many factors can have an influence on it. In this paper, we propose a scheme for mining public opinion from a collection of user comments, easily available on social networks, on the trailer of a new movie. Next, we predict whether the movie will be a box office hit, based on public opinion and other properties such as the leading actors, director, and their past works. Through various experiments, we show that our scheme can produce satisfactory results.
Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress Responses in the Pediatric Population

Adults demonstrate an upregulation of their pro- and anti-oxidant mechanisms in response to acute exercise while systematic exercise training enhances their antioxidant capacity, thereby leading to a reduced generation of free radicals both at rest and in response to exercise stress. However, less information exists regarding oxidative stress responses and the underlying mechanisms in the pediatric population. Evidence suggests that exercise-induced redox perturbations may be valuable in order to monitor exercise-induced inflammatory responses and as such training overload in children and adolescents as well as monitor optimal growth and development. The purpose of this review was to provide an update on oxidative stress responses to acute and chronic exercise in youth. It has been documented that acute exercise induces age-specific transient alterations in both oxidant and antioxidant markers in children and adolescents. However, these responses seem to be affected by factors such as training phase, training load, fitness level, mode of exercise etc. In relation to chronic adaptation, the role of training on oxidative stress adaptation has not been adequately investigated. The two studies performed so far indicate that children and adolescents exhibit positive adaptations of their antioxidant system, as adults do. More studies are needed in order to shed light on oxidative stress and antioxidant responses, following acute exercise and training adaptations in youth. Available evidence suggests that small amounts of oxidative stress may be necessary for growth whereas the transition to adolescence from childhood may promote maturation of pro- and anti-oxidant mechanisms. Available evidence also suggests that obesity may negatively affect basal and exercise-related antioxidant responses in the peripubertal period during pre- and early-puberty.
Ion permeation simulations by Gromacs—an example of high performance molecular dynamics

The loss of inter‐neuron communication is related to many neuronal diseases such as Alzheimer's dementia. The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) plays a crucial role in this process and is severely affected upon disease progression. Successful therapy approaches rely on modulation of response signals, initiated by the flux of ions through the receptor integrated ion channel at the post‐synaptic membrane. We present here the comparison of two methods for calculating the energy barrier of nAChR mediated ion permeation, in terms of accuracy and performance. Detailed descriptions of archetypical Gromacs characteristics are given offering better insight into computational service providers to meet the needs of scientists. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microorganisms Causing Community-Acquired Acute Bronchitis: The Role of Bacterial Infection

Background Although acute bronchitis is quite common, there is relatively limited information regarding the microorganisms that are involved in this illness. Methods We performed a prospective study of acute bronchitis at 31 hospitals and clinics in Korea from July 2011 to June 2012. Sputum specimens were collected for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and culture of microorganisms. Results Of the 811 enrolled patients, 291 had acceptable sputum specimens that were included for analysis of the etiologic distribution. With multiplex PCR testing, viruses were identified in 36.1% (105/291), most commonly rhinovirus (25.8%) and coronavirus (3.8%). Typical bacteria were isolated in 126/291 (43.3%) patients. Among these patients Haemophilus influenzae (n = 39) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 30) were isolated most commonly; atypical bacteria were identified in 44 (15.1%) patients. Bacteria-only, virus-only, and mixed infections (bacteria plus virus) accounted for 36.7% (98/291), 17.2% (50/291), and 18.9% (55/291) of infections, respectively. In particular, 52.4% of patients with viral infection had a concurrent bacterial infection, and rhinovirus was the most common virus in mixed infections (40/55). Additionally, infections with typical bacteria were more common in patients with chronic lung disease (p = 0.029), and typical bacterial infections showed a trend towards a higher prevalence with older age (p = 0.001). Conclusions Bacteria were associated with almost half of community-acquired acute bronchitis cases. Additional studies are required to further illuminate the role of bacteria and to identify patient groups most likely to benefit from antibiotic treatment.
Diagnostic Performance of Hemoglobin A1c for Prediabetes and Association With Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in Chinese Adolescents Without Diabetes

Aims To examine the performance of hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) in diagnosing prediabetes and whether it was associated with cardiometabolic risk factors in Chinese adolescents without known diabetes. Methods This was a cross-sectional study including 933 adolescents (aged 11-16 years; 46.5% girls) with HbA1c of 6.4% or less and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) of 6.9 mmol/L or less. All participants underwent anthropometric and biochemical examinations. The individuals with an increased HbA1c (5.7%–6.4%) were given a 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Results Of 213 subjects with an increased HbA1c or increased FPG (5.6–6.9 mmol/L), only 4.7% (n = 10) met both criteria. Among the 68 students with increased HbA1c who agreed to undergo the OGTT, only 18 subjects (26.5%) were confirmed to be prediabetic, and the receiver operating characteristic curve for HbA1c to identify prediabetes diagnosed by OGTT had an AUC of 0.53, which was not statistically significant (P = 0.69). The waist circumference, FPG, uric acid, and homeostasis assessment model of insulin resistance were correlated with HbA1c (all P < 0.05). Hemoglobin A1c showed significant association with abdominal obesity and dyslipidemia and the clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors (odds ratios, 1.58–1.90; all P < 0.05). The cutoff point of HbA1c was 5.6% with a maximum accuracy in determining multiple cardiometabolic risk factors (sensitivity, 35.1%; specificity, 72.2%). Conclusions There is poor agreement between HbA1c and FPG or OGTT in diagnosing prediabetes, but the former was associated with the presence of multiple cardiometabolic risk factors in Chinese adolescents.
Pregnancy distress gets under fetal skin: Maternal ambulatory assessment & sex differences in prenatal development.

Prenatal maternal distress is associated with an at-risk developmental profile, yet there is little fetal evidence of this putative in utero process. Moreover, the biological transmission for these maternal effects remains uncertain. In a study of n = 125 pregnant adolescents (ages 14-19), ambulatory assessments of daily negative mood (anger, frustration, irritation, stress), physical activity, blood pressure, heart rate (every 30 min over 24 hr), and salivary cortisol (six samples) were collected at 13-16, 24-27, 34-37 gestational weeks. Corticotropin-releasing hormone, C-reactive protein, and interleukin 6 from blood draws and 20 min assessments of fetal heart rate (FHR) and movement were acquired at the latter two sessions. On average, fetuses showed development in the expected direction (decrease in FHR, increase in SD of FHR and in the correlation of movement and FHR ("coupling")). Maternal distress characteristics were associated with variations in the level and trajectory of fetal measures, and results often differed by sex. For males, greater maternal 1st and 2nd session negative mood and 2nd session physical activity were associated with lower overall FHR (p < .01), while 1st session cortisol was associated with a smaller increase in coupling (p < .01), and overall higher levels (p = .05)-findings suggesting accelerated development. For females, negative mood, cortisol, and diastolic blood pressure were associated with indications of relatively less advanced and accelerated outcomes. There were no associations between negative mood and biological variables. These data indicate that maternal psychobiological status influences fetal development, with females possibly more variously responsive to different exposures.
An Ecological Approach to Understanding the Stigma Associated with Receiving Mental Health Services: The Role of Social Proximity

Mental health services suffer the substantial limitation of helping only those who seek their assistance. Previous research has demonstrated that mental health stigma, including social and self-stigma, is one of the most significant barriers to an individual seeking available mental health services. Additionally, low levels of social proximity to mental illness may be a significant factor in increased social and self-stigma. Informed by ecological systems theory, this research examined demographic (i.e., gender, race/ethnicity, university) and social proximity factors (i.e., level of familiarity with mental illness and mental health services) that contributed to the mental health stigma associated with seeking mental health services within a university population. Web-based survey responses from 410 undergraduate students at two universities were obtained. A series of hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that while controlling for gender, race/ethnicity, and university, having personally received mental health services predicted lower levels of mental health self-stigma. Consistent with previous findings, a significant predictive quality of social stigma towards self-stigma was also found. However, none of the models utilizing social proximity factors to predict social stigma were significant. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Novel Antifungal Activity of Geraniol and its Synergistic Effect in Combination with Fluconazole Against Resistant Candida albicans

2 Acknowledgements . 4 Authorship . 4 Introduction . 5 Background . 7 Project Purpose.23 Methodology . 24 Results . 29 Discussion and Future Implications . 36 Conclusions . 40 Bibliography . 41
Analysis of direct selection in head-mounted display environments

The design of 3D user interfaces (3DUIs) for immersive head-mounted display (HMD) environments is an inherently difficult task. The fact that usually haptic feedback is absent and that visual body feedback is missing, hinders an efficient direct interaction with virtual objects. Moreover, the perceptual conflicts, such as double vision and space misperception, as well as the well-known vergence-accommodation mismatch further complicate the interaction, in particular with virtual objects floating in the virtual environment (VE). However, the potential benefits of direct and natural interaction offered by immersive virtual environments (IVEs) encourage the research in the field to create more efficient selection methods. Utilizing a Fitts' Law experiment, we analyzed the 3D direct selection of objects in the virtual 3D space as they might occur for 3D menus or floating objects in space. We examined the direct interaction space in front of the user and divided it into a set of interaction regions for which we compared different levels of selection difficulty. Our results indicate that the selection errors are highest along the view axis, less along the motion axis and marginal along the orthogonal plane. Based on these results we suggest some guidelines for the design of direct selection techniques in IVEs.
Linking cortical network synchrony and excitability

ABSTRACT Theoretical approaches based on dynamical systems theory can provide useful frameworks to guide experiments and analysis techniques when investigating cortical network activity. The notion of phase transitions between qualitatively different kinds of network dynamics has been such a framework inspiring novel approaches to neurophysiological data analysis over the recent years. One particular intriguing hypothesis has been that cortical networks reside in the vicinity of a phase transition. Although the final verdict on this hypothesis is still out, trying to understand cortex dynamics from this viewpoint has recently led to interesting insights on cortical network function with relevance for clinical practice.
Characterization of the Dissolution Behavior of Piperine/Cyclodextrins Inclusion Complexes

In this study, the physicochemical properties and solubility of inclusion complexes of ground mixtures (GMs) of piperine (PP), a pungent ingredient of pepper, with α- and γ-cyclodextrin (CD) were studied. From the solubility results, the PP/αCD inclusion molar ratio was determined to be 1/2, while that of PP/γCD was 1/1, according to the AP-type phase diagram of PP/αCD and the BS-type one of PP/γCD. The powder X-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry analyses confirmed the formation of GM complexes with molar ratios of PP/αCD = 1/2 and PP/γCD = 1/1. The Raman analysis revealed the disappearance of the bands corresponding to the C=C, O–CH2–O, −CH, and aliphatic C=C moieties of the methylene dioxyphenyl fragment of PP in the spectra of the inclusion complexes. In the dissolution tests, GM (PP/αCD = 1/2) and GM (PP/γCD = 1/1) showed higher solubility than free PP and the analogous physical mixtures. Furthermore, after 60 min, GM (PP/αCD = 1/2) exhibited higher solubility than GM (PP/γCD = 1/1). In the 1H-1H nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy measurements, GM (PP/αCD = 1/2) was found to present a head-to-head inclusion structure via the aliphatic C=C and methylene dioxyphenyl groups of PP and the two αCD molecules. In contrast, it was confirmed that γCD interacts with the O–CH2–O functionality of the methylene dioxyphenyl group of PP in a molar ratio of 1/1. It was thus concluded that the differences in the PP/CD structures influence the solubility of the inclusion complexes.
Feasibility of event-related potential methodology to evaluate changes in cortical processing after rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy: A pilot study

This study examined the feasibility of using event-related potentials (ERPs) to measure changes in cortical processing following an established rehabilitative intervention (constraint-induced movement therapy, CIMT) for children with cerebral palsy (CP). Sixteen participants with a diagnosis of hemiparetic CP, with a median age of 6 years, were assessed pre and immediately post CIMT and at 6-month follow-up, using a picture–word match/mismatch discrimination task and standard neurobehavioral measures. Intervention effects were evident in improved performance on behavioral tests of sensory and motor function and the increased mean ERP amplitude of the N400 match/mismatch response on the side ipsilateral to the lesion. These effects were maintained 6 months after the intervention. No such changes were observed on the side contralateral to the lesion. This research suggests that ERPs can measure rehabilitation-induced changes in neural function in children with CP.
Genomic profiling of circulating plasma RNA for the analysis of cancer.

BACKGROUND The blood of cancer patients is known to contain fragments of RNA released from the tumor. The application of genomic profiling techniques to plasma RNA may allow the unbiased selection of cancer markers in the blood, but the informative value of genomic profiling of plasma RNA is currently unknown. METHODS We used cDNA microarray hybridization to perform genomic profiling of plasma RNA from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients and from healthy donors. From a list of 40 genes differentially upregulated in cancer patients, we randomly selected 4 genes for further characterization. These 4 markers were analyzed by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR in a wide set of samples including paired samples from the same CRC patients before and after surgical resection of the tumor. RESULTS Three of the selected markers - EPAS1, UBE2D3, and KIAA0101 - were confirmed by PCR to be significantly increased in cancer compared to healthy donors. Importantly, 2 of the markers, EPAS1 and UBE2D3, showed a significant decrease after surgery, returning to the levels of healthy donors. Finally, supervised class prediction using these 3 markers correctly (77%) assigned presurgery samples to the CRC group and assigned postsurgery samples from the same patients to the healthy group. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate the usefulness of gene expression profiling of circulating plasma RNA to find cancer markers of potential clinical value.
Media Effects on Politicians

Media attention is a crucial factor determining what issues make it onto the political agenda. However, studies have also shown that this political agenda-setting effect is not automatic. The present study conceptualizes the media’s influence on politics as a function of the media message and the background of politicians and focuses on the moment a member of parliament (MP) learns about an issue through a news report. What aspects of a news report make politicians take action? And are some politicians more likely to take action than others? It introduces an innovative factorial survey experiment to isolate media effects by asking Swiss politicians (N = 50) to evaluate fictional news reports. Analyses show that news reports on an issue their party owns covering a negative development published in a quality newspaper are more likely to lead to action. However, negative news mainly affects junior MPs. In contrast to previous studies, issue specialization of the MP does not have a significant effect. Findings are discussed in light of the role of the political system and the power of the media in politics.
Efficacy of S-1 in non-small cell lung cancer

Introduction: S-1 is an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, including three pharmacological compounds: tegafur, gimeracil and oteracil, in a molar ratio of 1: 0.4: 1. Areas covered: This review addresses the clinical evidence of S-1 in NSCLC in various clinical settings. Currently, S-1 for NSCLC is approved only in Japan. Prospective studies of S-1 as front-line and second-line chemotherapy with or without other agents and concurrent chemoradiotherapy are mainly reviewed. Only two Phase III clinical trials were published or presented for advanced NSCLC. S-1 and cisplatin is an active first-line chemotherapy regimen for advanced NSCLC and S-1 and carboplatin is noninferior to a carboplatin and paclitaexel regimen. The combination of S-1 and a platinum agent is active against NSCLC, regardless of tumor histology. Expert opinion: It is becoming possible to design effective regimens with S-1 against NSCLC in various clinical settings considering the ethnic differences in pharmacokinetics and a greater understanding of the underlying molecular pathways or biomarkers of NSCLC. Further Phase III studies with S-1 for both early and advanced NSCLC are warranted worldwide.