Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What bloat? Cartesian Genetic Programming on Boolean problems

This paper presents an empirical study of the variation of program size over time, for a form of Genetic Programming called Cartesian Genetic Programming. Two main types of Cartesian genetic programming are examined: one uses a fully connected graph, with no redundant nodes, while the other allows partial connectedness and has redundant nodes. Studies are reported here for fitness based search and for a flat fitness landscape. The variation of program size with generation does not behave in a similar way to that reported in other studies on standard Genetic Programming. Depending on the form of Cartesian genetic programming, it is found that there is either very weak program bloat or zero bloat. It is argued that an important factor in the analysis of the change of program length is neutral drift, and that if genotype redundancy is present, the genetic neutral drift simultaneously improves search and compresses program code.
Cortical anatomy of mental imagery of concrete nouns based on their dictionary definition

THE functional anatomy of the interactions between spoken language and visual mental imagery was investigated with PET in eight normal volunteers during a series of three conditions: listening to concrete word definitions and generating their mental images (CONC), listening to abstract word definitions (ABST) and silent REST. The CONC task specifically elicited activations of the bilateral inferior temporal gyri, of the left premotor and left prefrontal regions, while activations in the bilateral superior temporal gyri were smaller than during the ABST task, during which an additional activation of the anterior part of the right middle temporal gyrus was observed. No activation of the occipital areas was observed during the CONC task when compared either to the REST or to the ABST task. The present study demonstrates that a network including part of the bilateral ventral stream and the frontal working memory areas is recruited when mental imagery of concrete words is performed on the basis of continuous spoken language.
Differential cell proliferation, apoptosis, and immune response in healthy and evaporative-type dry eye conjunctival epithelia.

PURPOSE To assess cell viability and cell cycle kinetics of the conjunctival epithelium and to identify intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) subsets in patients with evaporative-type dry eye disease (ev-DED) caused by meibomian gland dysfunction and in healthy subjects. The effect of topical treatment and correlations between clinical symptoms and signs and epithelial and immune variables were also determined. METHODS Inferior fornix and tarsal conjunctival cells were collected by brush cytology (BC) from patients with mild to moderate ev-DED (n = 23) before and after 2 months of treatment that included lid hygiene, artificial tears, and a 3-week course of topical unpreserved steroids. Healthy subjects (n = 17) served as controls. Two symptom questionnaires were self-answered, and multiple DED-related clinical tests were performed. Epithelial or immune lineage, IEL subtypes, cell viability, apoptosis, and cell cycle stage of the BC-recovered cells were determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS Conjunctival cell viability was dramatically decreased in ev-DED patients compared with controls. For both groups, two different cell populations, differentiated by cell size and complexity, were present in the apoptosis assay. After 2 months of treatment, 87% of subjects subjectively improved, CD8 cells increased, and CD4 cells and the CD4/CD8 ratio significantly decreased. The pretreatment and posttreatment proliferative capacity of the conjunctival epithelium was significantly lower in ev-DED patients than in healthy controls. CONCLUSIONS The viability and proliferative capacity of ev-DED patient conjunctival cells were reduced, suggesting a potential role for these parameters as disease biomarkers.
18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron Emission Tomography/Computed Tomography Imaging of Metastatic Nasopharyngeal Cancer with Emphasis on the Distribution of Bone Metastases

Distant metastases change the prognosis of patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) which most commonly metastasizes to the bone. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) is reported as useful in imaging NPC metastases. Our study assesses the incidence and distribution of bone metastases detected by 18F-FDG PET/CT in NPC. 717 18F-FDG PET/CT scan reports of histologically proven NPC patients imaged in Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, between 2003 and 2009 were reviewed for the total number of metastases (scanned from vertex to mid-thigh) and analyzed for distribution. Of the 709 FDG avid metastases in these reports, 357/709 (50.35%) were locoregional nodal metastasis and 352/709 (49.65%) were distant metastases of which 192/709 (27.08%) of total metastases and 54.54% of distant metastases (192/352) were in the bones. The majority of the bone lesions 125/192 (65.1%) were in the axial skeleton with 109/192 (56.77%) in the lower skeleton (thoracolumbar spine, sacrum, and pelvis). The incidence of bone metastases in our study (27.08%) was higher than that reported in other studies, for example, 15% by Liu et al. and 11% (230 patients) by Caglar et al. Bone metastases have been reported in the femurs and the feet and as such some metastases may have been outside the field of view of the scans. In our study, 27% of FDG avid NPC metastases are in the bones.
Molecular quantum-dot cellular automata: From molecular structure to circuit dynamics

We establish a method for exploring the dynamics of molecular quantum-dot cellular automata (QCA) devices by hierarchically combining the techniques of quantum chemistry with the nonequilibrium time-dependent coherence vector formalism. Single QCA molecules are characterized using ab initio quantum chemistry methods. We show how to construct a simple model Hamiltonian for each QCA cell based on parameters extracted from the ab initio calculation. The model Hamiltonian captures well the relevant switching behavior and can then be used to calculate the time-dependent coherence vector, including thermal and nonequilibrium behavior. This enables us to explore dynamic behavior and power dissipation for various QCA devices and circuits.
Mutations in the Human AAA+ Chaperone p97 and Related Diseases

A number of neurodegenerative diseases have been linked to mutations in the human protein p97, an abundant cytosolic AAA+ (ATPase associated with various cellular activities) ATPase, that functions in a large number of cellular pathways. With the assistance of a variety of cofactors and adaptor proteins, p97 couples the energy of ATP hydrolysis to conformational changes that are necessary for its function. Disease-linked mutations, which are found at the interface between two main domains of p97, have been shown to alter the function of the protein, although the pathogenic mutations do not appear to alter the structure of individual subunit of p97 or the formation of the hexameric biological unit. While exactly how pathogenic mutations alter the cellular function of p97 remains unknown, functional, biochemical and structural differences between wild-type and pathogenic mutants of p97 are being identified. Here, we summarize recent progress in the study of p97 pathogenic mutants.
Preventive oral health services in dental practices of Hungary

Objectives. To examine the frequency of oral health screening examinations on children and adults in the years 2000-2002, to assess correlations with the population/dentist ratio, and to determine possible correlations with oral disease data according to different regions in Hungary. Data collection and methods. Data of screening examinations of dentists -working with the National Health Insurance Fund Administration, with data contained in its financial database - were evaluated, concentrated on caries -, and oro-pharyngeal cancer epidemiologic data. The cancer mortality data were defined according to ICD codes C00-C14, deriving from the statistical database of the Hungarian Central Office for Statistics. Results. Children under 18 year of age participated in less than 50 % at the screening examinations. The participation of adults at the � for dentists compulsory, for the population voluntary � screening examinations was extremely low, not reaching 10%. Conclusion. High DMFT values in Hungary, and the leading in oro-pharyngeal cancer mortality among 46 countries might be due to the poor performance of systematic primary and secondary prevention, to social background conditions, as well as to the lack of oral health consciousness of the population.
Fear appeals and binge drinking: a terror management theory perspective.

OBJECTIVES The aim of the current research was to test the terror management theory-derived hypotheses that exposure to information about the mortality-related risks of binge drinking would make mortality salient (Study 1) and, hence, exacerbate willingness to binge drink amongst those who perceive this behaviour to benefit self-esteem (Study 2). STUDY 1: Participants (N=97) were allocated to one of five experimental conditions. Results confirmed that exposure to information about the mortality-related risks of binge drinking made mortality salient. STUDY 2: Participants (N=296) were allocated to one of three experimental conditions. Exposure to mortality-related information about the risks of binge drinking was found to result in greater willingness to binge drink among (i) binge drinkers and (ii) non-binge drinkers who perceived this behaviour to benefit self-esteem. There was no evidence, however, that exposure to such information influenced binge drinking over the following week. CONCLUSIONS Research findings suggest that mortality-related health promotion campaigns might inadvertently make mortality salient, and hence precipitate the very behaviours which they aim to deter among some recipients.
Lung Cancer Risk Prediction to Select Smokers for Screening CT—a Model Based on the Italian COSMOS Trial

Screening with low-dose helical computed tomography (CT) has been shown to significantly reduce lung cancer mortality but the optimal target population and time interval to subsequent screening are yet to be defined. We developed two models to stratify individual smokers according to risk of developing lung cancer. We first used the number of lung cancers detected at baseline screening CT in the 5,203 asymptomatic participants of the COSMOS trial to recalibrate the Bach model, which we propose using to select smokers for screening. Next, we incorporated lung nodule characteristics and presence of emphysema identified at baseline CT into the Bach model and proposed the resulting multivariable model to predict lung cancer risk in screened smokers after baseline CT. Age and smoking exposure were the main determinants of lung cancer risk. The recalibrated Bach model accurately predicted lung cancers detected during the first year of screening. Presence of nonsolid nodules (RR = 10.1, 95% CI = 5.57–18.5), nodule size more than 8 mm (RR = 9.89, 95% CI = 5.84–16.8), and emphysema (RR = 2.36, 95% CI = 1.59–3.49) at baseline CT were all significant predictors of subsequent lung cancers. Incorporation of these variables into the Bach model increased the predictive value of the multivariable model (c-index = 0.759, internal validation). The recalibrated Bach model seems suitable for selecting the higher risk population for recruitment for large-scale CT screening. The Bach model incorporating CT findings at baseline screening could help defining the time interval to subsequent screening in individual participants. Further studies are necessary to validate these models. Cancer Prev Res; 4(11); 1778–89. ©2011 AACR.
Therapeutic photobiomodulation for methanol-induced retinal toxicity

Methanol intoxication produces toxic injury to the retina and optic nerve, resulting in blindness. The toxic metabolite in methanol intoxication is formic acid, a mitochondrial toxin known to inhibit the essential mitochondrial enzyme, cytochrome oxidase. Photobiomodulation by red to near-IR radiation has been demonstrated to enhance mitochondrial activity and promote cell survival in vitro by stimulation of cytochrome oxidase activity. The present studies were undertaken to test the hypothesis that exposure to monochromatic red radiation from light-emitting diode (LED) arrays would protect the retina against the toxic actions of methanol-derived formic acid in a rodent model of methanol toxicity. Using the electroretinogram as a sensitive indicator of retinal function, we demonstrated that three brief (2 min, 24 s) 670-nm LED treatments (4 J/cm2), delivered at 5, 25, and 50 h of methanol intoxication, attenuated the retinotoxic effects of methanol-derived formate. Our studies document a significant recovery of rod- and cone-mediated function in LED-treated, methanol-intoxicated rats. We further show that LED treatment protected the retina from the histopathologic changes induced by methanol-derived formate. These findings provide a link between the actions of monochromatic red to near-IR light on mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in vitro and retinoprotection in vivo. They also suggest that photobiomodulation may enhance recovery from retinal injury and other ocular diseases in which mitochondrial dysfunction is postulated to play a role.
Cognitive and Affective Control in Insomnia

Insomnia is a prevalent disabling chronic disorder. The aim of this paper is fourfold: (a) to review evidence suggesting that dysfunctional forms of cognitive control, such as thought suppression, worry, rumination, and imagery control, are associated with sleep disturbance; (b) to review a new budding field of scientific investigation – the role of dysfunctional affect control in sleep disturbance, such as problems with down-regulating negative and positive affective states; (c) to review evidence that sleep disturbance can impair next-day affect control; and (d) to outline, on the basis of the reviewed evidence, how the repetitive-thought literature and the affective science literature can be combined to further understanding of, and intervention for, insomnia.
Spatiotemporal Analysis of Local Field Potentials and Unit Discharges in Cat Cerebral Cortex during Natural Wake and Sleep States

The electroencephalogram displays various oscillation patterns during wake and sleep states, but their spatiotemporal distribution is not completely known. Local field potentials (LFPs) and multiunits were recorded simultaneously in the cerebral cortex (areas 5–7) of naturally sleeping and awake cats. Slow-wave sleep (SWS) was characterized by oscillations in the slow (<1 Hz) and delta (1–4 Hz) frequency range. The high-amplitude slow-wave complexes consisted in a positivity of depth LFP, associated with neuronal silence, followed by a sharp LFP negativity, correlated with an increase of firing. This pattern was of remarkable spatiotemporal coherence, because silences and increased firing occurred simultaneously in units recorded within a 7 mm distance in the cortex. During wake and rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, single units fired tonically, whereas LFPs displayed low-amplitude fast activities with increased power in fast frequencies (15–75 Hz). In contrast with the widespread synchronization during SWS, fast oscillations during REM and wake periods were synchronized only within neighboring electrodes and small time windows (100–500 msec). This local synchrony occurred in an apparent irregular manner, both spatially and temporally. Brief periods (<1 sec) of fast oscillations were also present during SWS in between slow-wave complexes. During these brief periods, the spatial and temporal coherence, as well as the relation between units and LFPs, was identical to that of fast oscillations of wake or REM sleep. These results show that natural SWS in cats is characterized by slow-wave complexes, synchronized over large cortical territories, interleaved with brief periods of fast oscillations, characterized by local synchrony, and of characteristics similar to that of the sustained fast oscillations of activated states.
Biopsychosocial predictors of sexual function and quality of sexual life: a study among patients with colorectal cancer

Objective A low sexual function (SF) has been reported in patients with colorectal cancer. However, research often focusses on clinical predictors of SF, hereby omitting patients’ subjective evaluation of SF [i.e., the quality of sexual life (QoSL)] and psychosocial predictors of SF and QoSL. In addition, research incorporating a biopsychosocial approach to SF and QoSL is scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate (I) relatedness between SF and the QoSL, (II) the course of SF and QoSL, and (III) biopsychosocial predictors of SF and QoSL. Methods Patients completed questionnaires assessing sociodemographic factors (i.e., age, sex) and personality characteristics (i.e., neuroticism, trait anxiety) before surgery. Questionnaires assessing psychological (i.e., anxious and depressive symptoms, body image, fatigue) and social (i.e., sexual activity, SF, non-sensuality, avoidance of sexual activity, non-communication, relationship function) aspects were measured preoperative and 3, 6, and 12 months after surgery. Clinical characteristics were obtained from the Eindhoven Cancer Registry (ECR). Bivariate correlations evaluated relatedness between SF and QoSL. Linear mixed-effects models examined biopsychosocial predictors of SF and QoSL. Results SF and QoSL are related constructs (r=0.206 to 0.642). Compared to preoperative scores, SF did not change over time (P>0.05). Overall, patients’ QoSL decreased postoperatively (P=0.001). A higher age (β=−0.02, P=0.006), fatigue (β=−0.02, P=0.034), not being sexually active (β=−0.081, P<0.001), and having a stoma (β=0.37, P=0.035) contributed to a lower SF. Having rectal cancer (β=−1.64, P=0.003), depressive symptoms (β=−0.09, P=0.001), lower SF (β=1.05, P<0.001), and more relationship maladjustment (β=−0.05, P=0.027) contributed to a lower QoSL (P<0.05). In addition, partners’ SF (β=0.24, P<0.001) and QoSL (β=0.30, P<0.001) were predictive for patients’ SF and QoSL, respectively. A significant interaction between time and gender was reported for both outcomes (P’s=0.002). Conclusions SF and QoSL are related but distinctive constructs. The course of SF and QoSL differed. Different biopsychosocial predictors were found for SF and QoSL. The contribution of partner-related variables to patients’ outcomes suggests interdependence between patients and partners. Men and women showed different SF and QoSL trajectories. We recommend that health care professionals, when discussing sexuality, realize that SF and QoSL are no interchangeable terms and should, therefore, be discussed as two separate entities. In addition, it is favored that clinicians focus not only on biological predictors of SF and QoSL, but obtain a broader perspective in which they also pay attention to psychosocial factors that may impair SF and QoSL. More in depth research on interdependence between patients and partners, biopsychosocial predictors of partners’ SF and QoSL, and gender effects is needed.
A Brief Sleep Intervention Improves Outcomes in the School Entry Year: A Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: To determine the feasibility of screening for child sleep problems and the efficacy of a behavioral sleep intervention in improving child and parent outcomes in the first year of schooling. METHODS: A randomized controlled trial was nested in a population survey performed at 22 elementary schools in Melbourne, Australia. Intervention involved 2 to 3 consultations that covered behavioral sleep strategies for children whose screening results were positive for a moderate/severe sleep problem. Outcomes were parent-reported child sleep problem (primary outcome), sleep habits, psychosocial health-related quality of life, behavior, and parent mental health (all at 3, 6, and 12 months) and blinded, face-to-face learning assessment (at 6 months). RESULTS: The screening survey was completed by 1512 parents; 161 (10.8%) reported a moderate/severe child sleep problem, and 108 of 136 (79.2% of those eligible) entered the trial. Sleep problems tended to resolve more rapidly in intervention children. Sleep problems affected 33% of 54 intervention children versus 43% of 54 control children at 3 months (P = .3), 25.5% vs 46.8% at 6 months (P = .03), and 32% vs 33% at 12 months (P = .8). Sustained sleep-habit improvements were evident at 3, 6, and 12 months (effect sizes: 0.33 [P = .03]; 0.51 [P = .003]; and 0.40 [P = .02]; respectively), and there were initial marked improvements in psychosocial scores that diminished over time (effect sizes: 0.47 [P = .02]; 0.41 [P = .09]; and 0.26 [P = .3]; respectively). Better prosocial behavior was evident at 12 months (effect size: 0.35; P = .03), and learning and parent outcomes were similar between groups. CONCLUSIONS: School-based screening for sleep problems followed by a targeted, brief behavioral sleep intervention is feasible and has benefits relevant to school transition.
Consequences of life history switch point plasticity for juvenile morphology and locomotion in the Túngara frog

Many animals with complex life cycles can cope with environmental uncertainty by altering the timing of life history switch points through plasticity. Pond hydroperiod has important consequences for the fitness of aquatic organisms and many taxa alter the timing of life history switch points in response to habitat desiccation. For example, larval amphibians can metamorphose early to escape drying ponds. Such plasticity may induce variation in size and morphology of juveniles which can result in carry-over effects on jumping performance. To investigate the carry-over effects of metamorphic plasticity to pond drying, we studied the Túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, a tropical anuran that breeds in highly ephemeral habitats. We conducted an outdoor field mesocosm experiment in which we manipulated water depth and desiccation and measured time and size at metamorphosis, tibiofibula length and jumping performance. We also conducted a complimentary laboratory experiment in which we manipulated resources, water depth and desiccation. In the field experiment, metamorphs from dry-down treatments emerged earlier, but at a similar size to metamorphs from constant depth treatments. In the laboratory experiment, metamorphs from the low depth and dry-down treatments emerged earlier and smaller. In both experiments, frogs from dry-down treatments had relatively shorter legs, which negatively impacted their absolute jumping performance. In contrast, reductions in resources delayed and reduced size at metamorphosis, but had no negative effect on jumping performance. To place these results in a broader context, we review past studies on carry-over effects of the larval environment on jumping performance. Reductions in mass and limb length generally resulted in lower jumping performance across juvenile anurans tested to date. Understanding the consequences of plasticity on size, morphology and performance can elucidate the linkages between life stages.
Learning Invariance from Transformation Sequences

The visual system can reliably identify objects even when the retinal image is transformed considerably by commonly occurring changes in the environment. A local learning rule is proposed, which allows a network to learn to generalize across such transformations. During the learning phase, the network is exposed to temporal sequences of patterns undergoing the transformation. An application of the algorithm is presented in which the network learns invariance to shift in retinal position. Such a principle may be involved in the development of the characteristic shift invariance property of complex cells in the primary visual cortex, and also in the development of more complicated invariance properties of neurons in higher visual areas.