Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Validation of the Cross-Linguistic Naming Test: A naming test for different cultures? A preliminary study in the Spanish population

Background: Despite the consensus pointing out the importance of cultural variables in neuropsychological assessments, empirical studies within cross-cultural neuropsychology continue to be limited. The Cross-Linguistic Naming Test (CLNT) is a naming test that is supposed to have no influence from cultural variables. The aim of this paper is to determine the psychometric properties of the CLNT and its discriminatory validity (Experiment 1) and to determine the performance of the CLNT in different cultures (Experiment 2). Method: Three groups followed the CLNT in Experiment 1: dementia patients, individuals with subjective memory complaints, and neurologically healthy volunteers. Three groups followed the CLNT in Experiment 2: Colombians, Moroccans, and Spaniards. Results: The results showed that the psychometric properties of the CLNT are appropriate and that this test obtains a high specificity but a low sensitivity. Furthermore, no differences were found in the CLNT among the three cultural groups. Discussion: The CLNT may be appropriate for the screening of naming impairment in Colombian, Moroccan, and Spanish cultures.
Quantum algorithmic entropy

Extends algorithmic information theory to quantum mechanics, taking a universal semi-computable density matrix ("universal probability") as a starting point, and defines complexity (an operator) as its negative logarithm. A number of properties of Kolmogorov complexity extend naturally to the new domain. Approximately, a quantum state is simple if it is within a small distance from a low-dimensional subspace of low Kolmogorov complexity. The von-Neumann entropy of a computable density matrix is within an additive constant from the average complexity. Some of the theory of randomness translates to the new domain. We explore the relations of the new quantity to the quantum Kolmogorov complexity defined by P.M. B. Vita/spl acute/nyi (1999) (we show that the latter is sometimes as large as 2n-2 log n) and the qubit complexity defined by A. Berthiaume et al. (2000). The "cloning" properties of our complexity measure are similar to those of qubit complexity.
Prevalence of non-medical drug use and dependence among homosexually active men and women in the US population.

AIMS The aim of this study was to compare patterns of drug use and dependence between homosexually experienced and exclusively heterosexually experienced individuals. DESIGN We used a cross-sectional national household interview survey conducted in the United States. SETTING Secondary data analysis of the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse was employed. PARTICIPANTS Participants were sexually active individuals, aged 18 years and older, who reported the genders of their sexual partners in the past 12 months; included 174 homosexually experienced (98 men, 96 women) and 9714 exclusively heterosexually experienced (3922 men, 5792 women) respondents. MEASUREMENTS Life-time, past 30 days and daily use of nine classes of drugs. Symptoms of dysfunctional use and dependence. FINDINGS There were consistent patterns of elevated drug use in homosexually experienced individuals for life-time drug use, but these were greatly attenuated for recent use. Homosexually experienced men were more likely to report use of marijuana, cocaine and heroin, and homosexually experienced women more likely to report use of marijuana and analgesics than individuals reporting only opposite-sex partners. Both homosexually active men and women were more likely than exclusively heterosexually active respondents to report at least one symptom indicating dysfunctional drug use across all drug classes, and to meet criteria for marijuana dependence syndrome. The only difference between homosexually experienced men and women was that men were more likely to report any daily drug use. CONCLUSIONS These data are consistent with surveys suggesting that there is a moderate elevation of drug, particularly marijuana, use and dependence in gay and bisexual men and women when compared to heterosexual men and women.
ISSFAL 2010 Dinner Debate: Healthy Fats for Healthy Hearts – Annotated Report of a Scientific Discussion

Background/Aims: The importance of reducing saturated fatty acid intake to prevent cardiovascular disease and recommended intakes for omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are controversial. Therefore, experts debated these topics at the biennial meeting of the International Society for the Study of Fatty Acids and Lipids (ISSFAL), in May 2010. Methods: Debate transcripts, debaters’ and discussants’ reviews and literature citations were the basis of this report. Results:Participants agreed that saturates per se are not ‘bad’, but that dietary recommendations should emphasize the substitution of unsaturates for part of the saturates. Evidence supporting omega-6 PUFA intakes of 5 to 10% is mixed; some interpret the overall data from diverse studies as consistent with a reduction in the risk of cardiovascular mortality and events. Others assert that randomized controlled trial data suggest that higher intakes of omega-6 PUFAs are not associated with lower risk of heart disease, or may even increase it. Conclusions: All agreed that a 5-year randomized controlled trial comparing the effects of historically low (2%) with currently high (7.5%) linoleic acid intakes on cardiac endpoints would address the knowledge gap about the effects of different omega-6 PUFA intakes on the risk of heart disease.
Between Two Neurons Statistical Assessment of Time-Varying Dependency

[PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , July 22, 2008; 105 (29): 10233-10237. PNAS John Haitas, A. B. Bonds and Jon H. Kaas Jamie L. Reed, Pierre Pouget, Hui-Xin Qi, Zhiyi Zhou, Melanie R. Bernard, Mark J. Burish, Widespread spatial integration in primary somatosensory cortex [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] 2009; 101 (3): 1126-1140. J Neurophysiol Sonja Grün Data-Driven Significance Estimation for Precise Spike Correlation [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , December 16, 2009; 29 (50): 15780-15795. J. Neurosci. Jason M. Samonds, Brian R. Potetz and Tai Sing Lee Primary Visual Cortex Cooperative and Competitive Interactions Facilitate Stereo Computations in Macaque [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , January , 2010; 103 (1): 591-602. J Neurophysiol Beau Cronin, Ian H. Stevenson, Mriganka Sur and Konrad P. Körding Tuning-Curve Analysis Hierarchical Bayesian Modeling and Markov Chain Monte Carlo Sampling for [PDF] [Full Text] [Abstract] , December , 2010; 104 (6): 3276-3292. J Neurophysiol Hiroyuki Ito, Pedro E. Maldonado and Charles M. Gray Nucleus Dynamics of Stimulus-Evoked Spike Timing Correlations in the Cat Lateral Geniculate
Are implicit motives revealed in mere words? Testing the marker-word hypothesis with computer-based text analysis

Traditionally, implicit motives (i.e., non-conscious preferences for specific classes of incentives) are assessed through semantic coding of imaginative stories. The present research tested the marker-word hypothesis, which states that implicit motives are reflected in the frequencies of specific words. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC; Pennebaker et al., 2001), Study 1 identified word categories that converged with a content-coding measure of the implicit motives for power, achievement, and affiliation in picture stories collected in German and US student samples, showed discriminant validity with self-reported motives, and predicted well-validated criteria of implicit motives (gender difference for the affiliation motive; in interaction with personal-goal progress: emotional well-being). Study 2 demonstrated LIWC-based motive scores' causal validity by documenting their sensitivity to motive arousal.
Comparison of Various Requirements Elicitation Techniques

No requirements elicitation technique has capability of finding all of the software requirements so we have to use variety of techniques that will help us to cover all the requirements, resulting in more effective elicitation. Each technique has its features which makes it different from all other techniques and which make it suitable for a particular condition. The important thing is to use the most appropriate technique. Before using any technique we should have thorough knowledge of that technique. In this paper, we present an in-depth review of different requirements elicitation techniques. We also present Pros and Cons of different elicitation techniques.
Analysis of the impact of CNTFET model parameters on its transfer and output characteristics

The influence of internal parameters on transfer and output characteristics of a Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistor are studied in this paper. For the purposes of the study a CNTFET compact model is used. The compact CNTFET model is coded in Verilog-A and it is simulated in Cadence Spectre circuit simulator. In particular, we have examined how the transfer and output characteristics are altering when changing single parameters or sets of parameters. To compare the simulations results a cost function consisting of the two parameters is employed to quantify the impact of 430 model parameters. The sum of total 430 model parameters are examined and 59 are found to have negligible or no impact on output static characteristics. Three groups of internal model parameters have been recognized, according to their impact on output static characteristics.
Prospective CSEP Evaluation of 1‐Day, 3‐Month, and 5‐Yr Earthquake Forecasts for Italy

This research was supported by the Southern California Earthquake Center (SCEC; Contribution Number 8022). SCEC is funded by National Science Foundation (NSF) Cooperative Agreement EAR-1033462 and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Cooperative Agreement G12AC20038 and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) research Grant Number URF/1/2160-01-01. Part of the work has been carried out within the Seismic Hazard Center (Centro di Pericolosita Sismica [CPS]) at the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV).
Changes in Osmolal Gap and Osmolality in Children with Chronic and End-Stage Renal Failure

within the reference range in patients with renal failure [6] . However, the role of OG and serum osmolality in this condition was not established very well. The aim of this study is to determine the serum OG and osmolality in children with various stages of CRF and the effect of dialysis modalities on these parameters. We also investigated the possible relationship among the changes of OG and serum osmolality before and after HD in patients with CRF. We studied 101 patients (52 boys and 49 girls), with known CRF. Thirty-six patients (age range 5–16 years) underwent HD (HD patients), 29 patients peritoneal dialysis (PD patients) whose age range was 2–14 years, and 25 of them were on continuous ambulatory PD while 4 were treated by continuous cycling PD; 36 nondialyzed (age range 2–16 years) CRF patients (ND patients) were also included. There was a statistically significant difference in age between the PD and HD groups (p = 0.013). All HD patients were treated by bicarbonate dialysis 3 times weekly with 0.4–0.7 m 2 substituted cellulosic membranes. PD was carried out 4–6 times daily in continuous ambulatory PD patients and for 8–10 h/night in continuous cycling PD patients with 1.36% peritoneal dialysis solutions (Dianeal 1.36%, Baxter-Eczacibasi Healthcare, Istanbul, Turkey). There was no medication by mannitol in any groups. Samples of blood were obtained before and
Fast, Privacy Preserving Linear Regression over Distributed Datasets based on Pre-Distributed Data

This work proposes a protocol for performing linear regression over a dataset that is distributed over multiple parties. The parties will jointly compute a linear regression model without actually sharing their own private datasets. We provide security definitions, a protocol, and security proofs. Our solution is information-theoretically secure and is based on the assumption that a Trusted Initializer pre-distributes random, correlated data to the parties during a setup phase. The actual computation happens later on, during an online phase, and does not involve the trusted initializer. Our online protocol is orders of magnitude faster than previous solutions. In the case where a trusted initializer is not available, we propose a computationally secure two-party protocol based on additive homomorphic encryption that substitutes the trusted initializer. In this case, the online phase remains the same and the offline phase is computationally heavy. However, because the computations in the offline phase happen over random data, the overall problem is embarrassingly parallelizable, making it faster than existing solutions for processors with an appropriate number of cores.
Synergistic Effect of an Endothelin Type A Receptor Antagonist, S-0139, With rtPA on the Neuroprotection After Embolic Stroke

Background and Purpose— Using a model of embolic stroke, the present study tested the hypothesis that blockage of endothelin-1 with S-0139, a specific endothelin type A receptor (ETA) antagonist, enhances the neuroprotective effect of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) by suppressing molecules that mediate thrombosis and blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption induced by ischemia and rtPA. Methods— Rats (n=104) subjected to embolic middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion were randomly divided into 1 of 4 infusion groups with 26 rats per group: (1) the control group in which rats were administered saline, (2) the monotherapy rtPA group in which rtPA was intravenously administered at a dose of 10 mg/kg 4 hours after MCA occlusion, (3) the monotherapy S-0139 group in which S-0139 was intravenously given 2 hours after MCA occlusion, and (4) the combination of rtPA +S-0139 group in which S-0139 and rtPA were given 2 and 4 hours after MCA occlusion, respectively. Measurements of infarct volume and parenchymal hemorrhage, behavioral outcome, and immunostaining were performed on rats euthanized 1 and 7 days after stroke. Results— The combination therapy of S-0139 and rtPA significantly (P<0.01) reduced infarct volume (24.8±0.9% versus 33.8±1.5% in control) and hemorrhagic area (7.1±6.1 &mgr;m2 versus 36.5±19.2 &mgr;m2 in control) and improved functional recovery compared with control saline-treated animals. Immunostaining analysis revealed that the combination therapy had the synergistically suppressed ischemia- and rtPA-induced ICAM-1, protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1), as well as accumulation of platelets in cerebral microvessels. Furthermore, the combination treatment synergistically reduced loss of laminin, ZO1, and occludin in cerebral vessels. Conclusions— These data suggest that S-0139 provides the neuroprotection by suppressing ischemia- and rtPA-triggered molecules that evoke thrombosis and BBB disruption.
Stellar disruption by a supermassive black hole: is the light curve really proportional to t -5/3 ?

In this paper, we revisit the arguments for the basis of the time evolution of the flares expected to arise when a star is disrupted by a supermassive black hole. We present a simple analytic model relating the light curve to the internal density structure of the star. We thus show that the standard light curve proportional to t -5/3 only holds at late times. Close to the peak luminosity the light curve is shallower, deviating more strongly from t -5/3 for more centrally concentrated (e.g. solar type) stars. We test our model numerically by simulating the tidal disruption of several stellar models, described by simple polytropic spheres with index y. The simulations agree with the analytical model given two considerations. First, the stars are somewhat inflated on reaching pericentre because of the effective reduction of gravity in the tidal field of the black hole. This is well described by a homologous expansion by a factor which becomes smaller as the polytropic index becomes larger. Secondly, for large polytropic indices wings appear in the tails of the energy distribution, indicating that some material is pushed further away from parabolic orbits by shocks in the tidal tails. In all our simulations, the t -5/3 light curve is achieved only at late stages. In particular, we predict that for solar-type stars, this happens only after the luminosity has dropped by at least 2 mag from the peak. We discuss our results in the light of recent observations of flares in otherwise quiescent galaxies and note the dependence of these results on further parameters, such as the star/hole mass ratio and the stellar orbit.
p27kip1 controls H-Ras/MAPK activation and cell cycle entry via modulation of MT stability

Significance Different functions have been ascribed to p27kip1, originally identified as a universal cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor, fundamental for the control of cell proliferation and tumor progression. Yet, not all p27 functions can be explained by its ability to bind and inhibit CDKs. Here, we demonstrate that p27kip1 controls cell cycle entry also through a CDK-independent function, by regulating microtubule stability. Following growth factor stimulation, p27kip1 prevents full activation of H-Ras, acting on its subcellular compartmentalization, eventually restraining the activation of the MAPK pathway. Our work provides additional understanding of the mechanisms regulating the cell cycle and anticipates potential implications in diseases characterized by deregulated proliferation, such as cancer. The cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p27kip1 is a critical regulator of the G1/S-phase transition of the cell cycle and also regulates microtubule (MT) stability. This latter function is exerted by modulating the activity of stathmin, an MT-destabilizing protein, and by direct binding to MTs. We recently demonstrated that increased proliferation in p27kip1-null mice is reverted by concomitant deletion of stathmin in p27kip1/stathmin double-KO mice, suggesting that a CDK-independent function of p27kip1 contributes to the control of cell proliferation. Whether the regulation of MT stability by p27kip1 impinges on signaling pathway activation and contributes to the decision to enter the cell cycle is largely unknown. Here, we report that faster cell cycle entry of p27kip1-null cells was impaired by the concomitant deletion of stathmin. Using gene expression profiling coupled with bioinformatic analyses, we show that p27kip1 and stathmin conjunctly control activation of the MAPK pathway. From a molecular point of view, we observed that p27kip1, by controlling MT stability, impinges on H-Ras trafficking and ubiquitination levels, eventually restraining its full activation. Our study identifies a regulatory axis controlling the G1/S-phase transition, relying on the regulation of MT stability by p27kip1 and finely controlling the spatiotemporal activation of the Ras-MAPK signaling pathway.
Mobile phone-based asthma self-management aid for adolescents (mASMAA): a feasibility study

Purpose Adolescents report high asthma-related morbidity that can be prevented by adequate self-management of the disease. Therefore, there is a need for a developmentally appropriate strategy to promote effective asthma self-management. Mobile phone-based technology is portable, commonly accessible, and well received by adolescents. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a comprehensive mobile phone-based asthma self-management aid for adolescents (mASMAA) that was designed to facilitate symptom monitoring, treatment adherence, and adolescent–parent partnership. The system used state-of-the-art natural language-understanding technology that allowed teens to use unconstrained English in their texts, and to self-initiate interactions with the system. Materials and methods mASMAA was developed based on an existing natural dialogue system that supports broad coverage of everyday natural conversation in English. Fifteen adolescent–parent dyads participated in a 2-week trial that involved adolescents’ daily scheduled and unscheduled interactions with mASMAA and parents responding to daily reports on adolescents’ asthma condition automatically generated by mASMAA. Subsequently, four focus groups were conducted to systematically obtain user feedback on the system. Frequency data on the daily usage of mASMAA over the 2-week period were tabulated, and content analysis was conducted for focus group interview data. Results Response rates for daily text messages were 81%–97% in adolescents. The average number of self-initiated messages to mASMAA was 19 per adolescent. Symptoms were the most common topic of teen-initiated messages. Participants concurred that use of mASMAA improved awareness of symptoms and triggers, promoted treatment adherence and sense of control, and facilitated adolescent–parent partnerships. Conclusion This study demonstrates the utility and user acceptability of mASMAA as a potential asthma self-management tool in a selective group of adolescents. Further research is needed to replicate the findings in a large group of adolescents from sociodemographically diverse backgrounds to validate the findings.
Biometric analysis of protein and oil contents of soybean genotypes in different environments

The objective of this work was to identify by biometric analyses the most stable soybean parents, with higher oil or protein contents, cultivated at different seasons and locations of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. Forty-nine genotypes were evaluated in the municipalities of Vicosa, Visconde do Rio Branco, and Sao Gotardo, in the state of Minas Gerais, from 2009 to 2011. Protein and oil contents were analyzed by infrared spectrometry using a FT-NIR analyzer. The effects of genotype, environment, and genotype x environment interaction were significant. The BARC-8 soybean genotype is the best parent to increase protein contents in the progenies, followed by BR 8014887 and CS 3032PTA276-3-4. Selection for high oil content is more efficient when the crossings involve the Suprema, CD 01RR8384, and A7002 genotypes, which show high mean phenotypic values, wide adaptability, and greater stability to environmental variation.
Autophagic Processes in Yeast: Mechanism, Machinery and Regulation

Autophagy refers to a group of processes that involve degradation of cytoplasmic components including cytosol, macromolecular complexes, and organelles, within the vacuole or the lysosome of higher eukaryotes. The various types of autophagy have attracted increasing attention for at least two reasons. First, autophagy provides a compelling example of dynamic rearrangements of subcellular membranes involving issues of protein trafficking and organelle identity, and thus it is fascinating for researchers interested in questions pertinent to basic cell biology. Second, autophagy plays a central role in normal development and cell homeostasis, and, as a result, autophagic dysfunctions are associated with a range of illnesses including cancer, diabetes, myopathies, some types of neurodegeneration, and liver and heart diseases. That said, this review focuses on autophagy in yeast. Many aspects of autophagy are conserved from yeast to human; in particular, this applies to the gene products mediating these pathways as well as some of the signaling cascades regulating it, so that the information we relate is relevant to higher eukaryotes. Indeed, as with many cellular pathways, the initial molecular insights were made possible due to genetic studies in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other fungi.