Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Common and differential effects of attentive fixation on the excitability of parietal and prestriate (V4) cortical visual neurons in the macaque monkey

The excitability of cortical neurons of prestriate area V4 and area PG of the inferior parietal lobule were examined using the method of single-neuron analysis in awake macaque monkeys. Levels of excitability were measured as the intensity of response to optimal visual stimuli placed in the most responsive region of the cell's receptive field. Physically and retinotopically identical stimuli were delivered during eye movement pauses under 3 conditions: during a no-task state in which the animal was awake and alert, but not receiving or expecting rewards or working in any task; between trials of the task state, the intertrial interval, while the animal awaited the appearance of a fixation target; and during the foreperiod of the task state, as the animal attentively fixated a small target light, waiting to detect its dimming in order to receive liquid reward. Experiments were carried out in 6 hemispheres of 4 monkeys; both V4 and PG were examined through the same chamber placements in 2 hemispheres. A total of 478 neurons in V4 and PG were identified as visual; quantitative studies were done on 146 in V4 and 54 in PG. We found in these experiments a common effect, a 3– 4-fold facilitation of the responses of both V4 and PG visual neurons during the task state as compared to in the no-task state, and a differential effect, in that V4 neurons showed a similar 3-4-fold facilitation of responses to stimuli presented during the intertrial interval, whereas PG neuronal responses during this interval were similar to those evoked in the no-task state. We describe the functional properties of V4 neurons studied in the waking state. The findings are discussed in relation to the positions of these 2 areas in the occipitoparietal and occipitotemporal transcortical visual systems and to their respective roles in visuospatial perception and pattern recognition. They are also discussed with regard to the candidate neural mechanisms through which the changes in cortical neuronal excitability might be mediated.
Combined introduction of anti-IL2 receptor antibodies, mycophenolic acid and tacrolimus: effect on malignancies after renal transplantation in a single-centre retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND Several studies suggest that the introduction of tacrolimus (TRL), mycophenolic acid (MPA) and interleukin 2 receptor antibodies (IL2Ra) as single drugs more than a decade ago has not increased the risk of malignancy after renal transplantation. However, only limited data are available on their carcinogenic effects when used in combination as a potent immunosuppressive regimen. METHODS A retrospective single-centre cohort study on 929 adult renal transplant recipients. Investigation of the effect of two consecutive immunosuppressive regimens [1993-98, N = 405, anti-lymphocyte antibodies, cyclosporine and azathioprine (AZA); 1999-2007, N = 524, predominantly IL2Ra, TRL and MPA] on the incidence rate of skin cancer, solid tumours and post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). RESULTS In total, 365 malignancies developed among 113 patients. As compared to the previous cyclosporine and AZA-based immunosuppression, the introduction of the new immunosuppressive regimen did not increase the incidence rate of skin cancer [rate ratio 0.84; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-1.46], solid tumours (0.89; 95% CI 0.46-1.67) and PTLD (0.82; 95% CI 0.28-2.21). Patients treated with the more recent regimens less frequently developed multiple skin cancers and invasive squamous cell cancer. Skin cancer after transplantation was strongly associated with the development of solid tumours (odds ratio 5.2; P < 0.0001). The introduction of the new immunosuppressive drugs reduced the incidence of first year acute rejection from 34.8 to 13.2% (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION Although significantly more efficient in the prevention of acute rejection, the introduction of TRL, MPA and IL2Ra-based immunosuppression after kidney transplantation was not associated with an increased incidence of skin cancer, solid tumours or PTLD.
Mobile Phone Preferences and Values: the U.K. vs. Korea

Two studies were designed to identify cross-cultural patterns of mobile phones usage and preferences for User Interfaces among Korean and British users. The first study was a quantitative study (Questionnaires analysed by factor analysis), whose results demonstrated the two groups have different frustrations with and are satisfied by different aspects of mobile phone. The second study was a qualitative study (User Evaluation), which showed different values and focuses on different aspects of the User Interface.
Jaws for a spiral-tooth whorl: CT images reveal novel adaptation and phylogeny in fossil Helicoprion

New CT scans of the spiral-tooth fossil, Helicoprion, resolve a longstanding mystery concerning the form and phylogeny of this ancient cartilaginous fish. We present the first three-dimensional images that show the tooth whorl occupying the entire mandibular arch, and which is supported along the midline of the lower jaw. Several characters of the upper jaw show that it articulated with the neurocranium in two places and that the hyomandibula was not part of the jaw suspension. These features identify Helicoprion as a member of the stem holocephalan group Euchondrocephali. Our reconstruction illustrates novel adaptations, such as lateral cartilage to buttress the tooth whorl, which accommodated the unusual trait of continuous addition and retention of teeth in a predatory chondrichthyan. Helicoprion exemplifies the climax of stem holocephalan diversification and body size in Late Palaeozoic seas, a role dominated today by sharks and rays.
Integrating evidence into practice: use of McKenzie-based treatment for mechanical low back pain

Low back pain (LBP) is a major health issue with significant socioeconomic implications in most Western countries. Many forms of treatment have been proposed and investigated in the past, with exercise being a commonly prescribed intervention. Within allied health, in particular physiotherapy, there has been a growing movement that recognizes the role of the McKenzie method in treating LBP. Within the McKenzie framework, directional preference (DP) exercises are one such intervention, with preliminary data demonstrating its effectiveness in the management of LBP. In this paper, we aim to integrate the evidence from current research, identified using a systematic review, and utilize a practical real-life case scenario to outline how evidence from the literature can be implemented in clinical practice. The findings from the systematic review indicate that DP exercises may have positive effects in the management of LBP. While the body of evidence to support this is limited (only four studies) and therefore modest at best, it does provide some emerging evidence to support the use of DP exercises in clinical practice. Despite this, gaps also persist in the literature on DP exercises, and this relates to the exercise parameters and the compliance rates. Recognizing this dichotomy (modest evidence in some areas and evidence gaps in other areas), which is likely to confront health practitioners, using a practical approach with a real-life clinical scenario, we outline how the evidence from the systematic review can be implemented in clinical practice. This approach builds on the philosophy of evidence-based practice of integrating research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values.
Discrepancies between Published Data on Racial Classification and Self-Reported Race: Evidence from the 2002 North Carolina Live Birth Records

Objectives. We compared data on race as reported by the mother on North Carolina birth certificates with data on race in officially reported statistics. We also determined to what extent differences in the classification of race affect measures of racial disparity in maternal and child health indicators. Methods. We examined how data on race are collected, coded, and tabulated in North Carolina via live birth certificates, death certificates, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) telephone survey, and the Central Cancer Registry case records. We showed how the data on race collected through North Carolina birth and death certificates are translated into 10 fixed racial categories designated by the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) for use in official vital statistics. We compared race as reported by the mother on birth certificates to racial tabulations used in the official published birth statistics. We also examined to what extent differences in the determination of race affect measures of racial disparity in maternal and child health indicators. Results. Out of nearly 118,000 live births in North Carolina in 2002, mothers reported more than 600 different versions of race on birth certificates. These entries were collapsed into the 10 standard racial categories outlined in federal coding rules. Approximately two-thirds of mothers of Hispanic ethnicity report their race with a label that can be categorized as “Other” race, but nearly all of these births are re-coded to “white” for the official birth statistics. Measures of racial disparity vary depending on whether self-reported or officially coded race is used. Conclusions. This study shows that, given the opportunity to report their own race, North Carolinians describe their race using a wide variety of terms and concepts. In contrast, health statistics are usually reported using a few standardized racial categories defined by federal policy. The NCHS rules for coding race should be reexamined. As the ethnic and racial diversity of the United States continues to increase, these rules will become increasingly antiquated.
Another variant in the C 3 system

A variant band in the C 3 system has been found in four members of onc Norwcgian family. By direct comparison the band was found lo migrate anodally to all earlier describcd C 3 bands on high voltage agarose gel electrophoresis. It is highly probable that the band represents a new allele at the C 3 locus, C 3F1.2.
Quad-Ridge Horn Antenna With Elliptically Shaped Sidewalls

We present a quad-ridge horn antenna as a feed for a reflector antenna for use in radio astronomy applications. The antenna uses elliptically shaped sidewalls to limit the variation of beamwidth over a wide frequency range and to obtain greater radiation pattern rotational symmetry. The antenna is dual-polarized and matched over more than a 4:1 bandwidth. A design procedure is presented and a prototype designed according to this procedure is shown. Measured and simulated results of the prototype agree with each other well. The antenna is analyzed with a prime focus reflector to determine the range of efficiencies that can be expected.
Demonstrating test-retest reliability of electrophysiological measures for healthy adults in a multisite study of biomarkers of antidepressant treatment response.

Growing evidence suggests that loudness dependency of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP) and resting EEG alpha and theta may be biological markers for predicting response to antidepressants. In spite of this promise, little is known about the joint reliability of these markers, and thus their clinical applicability. New standardized procedures were developed to improve the compatibility of data acquired with different EEG platforms, and used to examine test-retest reliability for the three electrophysiological measures selected for a multisite project-Establishing Moderators and Biosignatures of Antidepressant Response for Clinical Care (EMBARC). Thirty-nine healthy controls across four clinical research sites were tested in two sessions separated by about 1 week. Resting EEG (eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions) was recorded and LDAEP measured using binaural tones (1000 Hz, 40 ms) at five intensities (60-100 dB SPL). Principal components analysis of current source density waveforms reduced volume conduction and provided reference-free measures of resting EEG alpha and N1 dipole activity to tones from auditory cortex. Low-resolution electromagnetic tomography (LORETA) extracted resting theta current density measures corresponding to rostral anterior cingulate (rACC), which has been implicated in treatment response. There were no significant differences in posterior alpha, N1 dipole, or rACC theta across sessions. Test-retest reliability was . 84 for alpha, . 87 for N1 dipole, and . 70 for theta rACC current density. The demonstration of good-to-excellent reliability for these measures provides a template for future EEG/ERP studies from multiple testing sites, and an important step for evaluating them as biomarkers for predicting treatment response.
Motor-Coordination-Dependent Learning, More than Others, Is Impaired in Transgenic Mice Expressing Pseudorabies Virus Immediate-Early Protein IE180

The cerebellum in transgenic mice expressing pseudorabies virus immediate-early protein IE180 (TgIE96) was substantially diminished in size, and its histoarchitecture was severely disorganized, resulting in severe ataxia. TgIE96 mice can therefore be used as an experimental model to study the involvement of cerebellar circuits in different learning tasks. The performance of three-month-old TgIE96 mice was studied in various behavioral tests, including associative learning (classical eyeblink conditioning), object recognition, spatial orientation (water maze), startle response and prepulse inhibition, and passive avoidance, and compared with that of wild-type mice. Wild-type and TgIE96 mice presented similar reflexively evoked eyeblinks, and acquired classical conditioned eyelid responses with similar learning curves for both trace and delay conditioning paradigms. The two groups of mice also had similar performances during the object recognition test. However, they showed significant differences for the other three tests included in this study. Although both groups of animals were capable of swimming, TgIE96 mice failed to learn the water maze task during the allowed time. The startle response to a severe tone was similar in both control and TgIE96 mice, but the latter were unable to produce a significant prepulse inhibition. TgIE96 mice also presented evident deficits for the proper accomplishment of a passive avoidance test. These results suggest that the cerebellum is not indispensable for the performance of classical eyeblink conditioning and for object recognition tasks, but seems to be necessary for the proper performance of water maze, prepulse inhibition, and passive avoidance tests.
Motivated Reasoning: A Framework for Understanding Hiring Managers' Intentions to Use Personnel Selection Instruments

Milton D. Hakel, Advisor Findings from the theory of motivated reasoning (Kunda, 1987, 1990) are used to develop a model that describes the decision-making process used by managers to determine whether to use selection instruments (i.e., intelligence tests, personality tests, job knowledge tests, structured interviews, and unstructured interviews). It was predicted that hiring managers experience a biased memory when recalling hiring applicants, thus affecting both confidence in hiring ability and intentions to use selection instruments. Partial support for the biased memory model was found. However, manipulating participants’ memories regarding hiring experiences did not affect confidence in hiring ability. Additionally, the memory manipulation only affected intentions to use structured interviews. The proposed model should be revised to include characteristics of the selection instrument as well as attributional processes.
Constructive Method of Linear Systems with Delay Stability Analysis

Abstract In this paper, the finite constructive method for linear differential-difference systems stability and instability analysis is proposed, and its convergence is proved. This method is based on obtaining of the quadratic lower bound for the quadratic Lyapunov – Krasovskii functionals on some special set of functions. The method proposed is applied to the stability domain construction in a parameter space, and to the critical delay values numerical determination.
Religious Communities, Immigration, and Social Cohesion in Rural Areas: Evidence from England*

Religious communities are important sources of bridging and bonding social capital that have varying implications for perceptions of social cohesion in rural areas. In particular, as well as cultivating cohesiveness more broadly, the bridging social capital associated within mainline religious communities may represent an especially important source of support for the social integration of new immigrant groups. Although the bonding social capital associated with evangelical communities is arguably less conducive to wider social cohesion, it may prompt outreach work by those communities, which can enhance immigrant integration. This article examines these assumptions by exploring the relationship between mainline and evangelical religious communities, immigration, and residents' perceptions of social cohesion in rural areas in England. I model the separate and combined effects of religious communities and economic in-migration on social cohesion using multivariate statistical techniques. The analysis suggests that mainline Protestant communities enhance social cohesion in rural England, while evangelical communities do not. The social integration of immigrants appears to be more likely where mainline Protestant and Catholic communities are strong, but is unaffected by the strength of evangelical ones.
Peptide Inhibitors of Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Protease

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a highly prevalent virus and one of the major agents of chronic hepatitis. Since HCV NS3 protease is essential for the processing of HCV polyprotein, this protease is a target of choice to control HCV replication. Peptide inhibitors of NS3 were developed by selective amino acid replacement of six leader sequences, corresponding to regions of HCV polyprotein that are cleaved by NS3. The large numbers of potential 14-mer and 16-mer peptide inhibitors thus obtained were tested against NS3 using the fluorescent probe RETS1 and peptide cofactor SVVIVGRIILSGRA from NS4A protein. This afforded several peptide inhibitors with an IC50 of around 2 μM. These peptides may be good leading compounds for the development of peptidomimetics to control HCV replication in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C.
Prenatal Di(2-ethylhexyl)Phthalate Exposure and Length of Gestation Among an Inner-City Cohort

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to assess the relationship between di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) exposure during pregnancy and gestational age at delivery among 311 African American or Dominican women from New York City. METHODS: Forty-eight-hour personal air and/or spot urine samples were collected during the third trimester. DEHP levels were measured in air samples and 4 DEHP metabolite levels were measured in urine. Specific gravity was used to adjust for urinary dilution. Gestational age was abstracted from newborn medical records (n = 289) or calculated from the expected date of delivery (n = 42). Multivariate linear regression models controlled for potential confounders. RESULTS: DEHP was detected in 100% of personal air samples (geometric mean: 0.20 μg/m3 [95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.18–0.21 μg/m3]); natural logarithms of air concentrations were inversely but not significantly associated with gestational age. Two or more of the DEHP metabolites were detected in 100% of urine samples (geometric mean: 4.8–38.9 ng/mL [95% CI: 4.1–44.3 ng/mL]). Controlling for potential confounders, gestational age was shorter by 1.1 days (95% CI: 0.2–1.8 days) for each 1-logarithmic unit increase in specific gravity-adjusted mono(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate concentrations (P = .01) and averaged 5.0 days (95% CI: 2.1–8.0 days) less among subjects with the highest versus lowest quartile concentrations (P = .001). Results were similar and statistically significant for the other DEHP metabolites. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal DEHP exposure was associated with shorter gestation but, given inconsistencies with previous findings for other study populations, results should be interpreted with caution, and additional research is warranted.
Select-Organize-Anonymize: A Framework for Trajectory Data Anonymization

Advances in positioning technologies together with the wide adoption of GPS-enabled smartphones enable accurate and low-cost tracking of user location. This allows the collection of large amounts of person-specific mobility data that offer remarkable opportunities for data analysis. Yet, the sharing of such data poses significant privacy risks. This enunciates the need for privacy-preserving, trajectory data publishing methods. Existing approaches are either limited in their privacy specification component or they incur significant, and often unnecessary, data distortion. In response, we propose a novel framework for anonymizing trajectory data that prevents the disclosure of both identity and sensitive location information, while retaining data utility. Our framework involves: (i) selecting similar trajectories, by employing Z-ordering or data projections on frequent sub trajectories, (ii) organizing the selected trajectories into carefully constructed clusters, and (ii) anonymizing each cluster separately. We develop algorithms to realize our framework, which are effective and efficient, as verified by extensive experiments.
The contribution of primary care systems to health outcomes within Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries, 1970-1998.

OBJECTIVE To assess the contribution of primary care systems to a variety of health outcomes in 18 wealthy Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries over three decades. DATA SOURCES/STUDY SETTING Data were primarily derived from OECD Health Data 2001 and from published literature. The unit of analysis is each of 18 wealthy OECD countries from 1970 to 1998 (total n = 504). STUDY DESIGN Pooled, cross-sectional, time-series analysis of secondary data using fixed effects regression. DATA COLLECTION/EXTRACTION METHODS Secondary analysis of public-use datasets. Primary care system characteristics were assessed using a common set of indicators derived from secondary datasets, published literature, technical documents, and consultation with in-country experts. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS The strength of a country's primary care system was negatively associated with (a) all-cause mortality, (b) all-cause premature mortality, and (c) cause-specific premature mortality from asthma and bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia, cardiovascular disease, and heart disease (p<0.05 in fixed effects, multivariate regression analyses). This relationship was significant, albeit reduced in magnitude, even while controlling for macro-level (GDP per capita, total physicians per one thousand population, percent of elderly) and micro-level (average number of ambulatory care visits, per capita income, alcohol and tobacco consumption) determinants of population health. CONCLUSIONS (1) Strong primary care system and practice characteristics such as geographic regulation, longitudinality, coordination, and community orientation were associated with improved population health. (2) Despite health reform efforts, few OECD countries have improved essential features of their primary care systems as assessed by the scale used here. (3) The proposed scale can also be used to monitor health reform efforts intended to improve primary care.