Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation of the synaptic input firing rates and characterization of the stimulation effects in an auditory neuron

To understand information processing in neuronal circuits, it is important to infer how a sensory stimulus impacts on the synaptic input to a neuron. An increase in neuronal firing during the stimulation results from pure excitation or from a combination of excitation and inhibition. Here, we develop a method for estimating the rates of the excitatory and inhibitory synaptic inputs from a membrane voltage trace of a neuron. The method is based on a modified Ornstein-Uhlenbeck neuronal model, which aims to describe the stimulation effects on the synaptic input. The method is tested using a single-compartment neuron model with a realistic description of synaptic inputs, and it is applied to an intracellular voltage trace recorded from an auditory neuron in vivo. We find that the excitatory and inhibitory inputs increase during stimulation, suggesting that the acoustic stimuli are encoded by a combination of excitation and inhibition.
PROPERTIES OF NEWLY FORMED DUST BY SN 2006JC BASED ON NEAR- TO MID-INFRARED OBSERVATION WITH AKARI

We present our latest results on near- to mid-infrared (MIR) observation of supernova (SN) 2006jc at 200 days after the discovery using the Infrared Camera (IRC) on board AKARI. The near-infrared (2–5 μm) spectrum of SN 2006jc is obtained for the first time and is found to be well interpreted in terms of the thermal emission from amorphous carbon of 800 ± 10 K with the mass of 6.9 ± 0.5 × 10−5 M☉ that was formed in the SN ejecta. This dust mass newly formed in the ejecta of SN 2006jc is in a range similar to those obtained for other several dust-forming core-collapse supernovae based on recent observations (i.e., 10−3–10−5 M☉). MIR photometric data with AKARI/IRC MIR-S/S7, S9W, and S11 bands have shown excess emission over the thermal emission by hot amorphous carbon of 800 K. This MIR excess emission is likely to be accounted for by the emission from warm amorphous carbon dust of 320 ± 10 K with the mass of 2.7+0.7−0.5 × 10−3 M☉ rather than by the band emission of astronomical silicate and/or silica grains. This warm amorphous carbon dust is expected to have been formed in the mass-loss wind associated with the Wolf–Rayet stellar activity before the SN explosion. Our result suggests that a significant amount of dust is condensed in the mass-loss wind prior to the SN explosion.
Hypohydration and thermoregulation in cold air.

This study examined the effects of hypohydration on thermoregulation during cold exposure. In addition, the independent influences of hypohydration-associated hypertonicity and hypovolemia were investigated. Nine male volunteers were monitored for 30 min at 25 degrees C, then for 120 min at 7 degrees C, under three counterbalanced conditions: euhydration (Eu), hypertonic hypohydration (HH), and isotonic hypohydration (IH). Hypohydration was achieved 12 h before cold exposure by inducing sweating (HH) or by ingestion of furosemide (IH). Body weight decrease (4.1 +/- 0.2%) caused by hypohydration was similar for HH and IH, but differences (P < 0.05) were found between HH and IH in plasma osmolality (292 +/- 1 vs. 284 +/- 1 mosmol/kgH2O) and plasma volume reduction (-8 +/- 2 vs. -18 +/- 3%). Heat debt (349 +/- 14 among) did not differ (P > 0.05) among trials. Mean skin temperature decreased throughout cold exposure during Eu but plateaued after 90 min during HH and IH. Forearm-finger temperature gradient tended (P = 0.06) to be greater during Eu (10.0 +/- 0.7 degrees C) than during HH or IH (8.9 +/- 0.7 degrees C). This suggests weaker vasoconstrictor tone during hypohydration than during Eu. Final mean skin temperature was higher for HH than for Eu or IH (23.5 +/- 0.3, 22.6 +/- 0.4, and 22.9 +/- 0.3 degrees C, respectively), and insulation was lower on HH than on IH (0.13 +/- 0.01 vs. 0.15 +/- 0.01 degree C.W-1.m-2, respectively), but not with Eu (0.14 +/- 0.01 degree C.W-1.m-2). This provides some evidence that hypertonicity impairs the vasoconstrictor response to cold. Although mild hypohydration did not affect body heat balance during 2-h whole body exposure to moderate cold, hypohydration-associated hypertonicity may have subtle effects on vasoconstriction that could become important during a more severe cold exposure.
The rich 6 to 9m spectrum of interstellar PAHs

IR spectroscopy provides a valuable tool for the characterisation and identification of interstellar molecular species. Here, we present 6-9m spectra of a sample of reflection nebulae, HII regions, YSOs, evolved stars and galaxies that show strong unidentified infrared bands, obtained with the SWS spectrograph on board ISO. The IR emission features in this wave- length region show pronounced variations. 1) The 6.2 mf eature shifts from 6.22 to 6.3m and clearly shows profile variations. 2) The 7.7m complex is comprised of at least two subpeaks peaking at 7.6 and one longwards of 7.7m. In some cases the main peak can apparently shift up to 8m. Two sources do not exhibit a 7.7m complex but instead show a broad emission feature at 8.22m. 3) The 8.6m feature has a symmetric profile in all sources and some sources exhibit this band at slightly longer wavelengths. For the 6.2, 7.7 and 8.6m features, the sources have been classified independently based on their profile and peak position. The classes derived for these features are directly linked with each other. Sources with a 6.2m feature peaking at6.22m exhibit a 7.7m complex dominated by the 7.6m component. In contrast, sources with a 6.2 mp rof ile peaking longwards of 6.24m show a 7.7m complex with a dominant peak longwards of 7.7 ma nd a8 . 6m feature shifted toward the red. Furthermore, the observed 6-9m spectrum depends on the type of object. All ISM-like sources and a few PNe and Post-AGB stars belong to the first group while isolated Herbig AeBe stars, a few Post-AGB stars and most PNe belong to the second group. We summarise existing laboratory data and theoretical quantum chemical calculations of the modes emitting in this wavelength region of PAH molecules. We discuss the variations in peak position and profile in view of the exact nature of the carrier. We attribute the observed 6.2m profile and peak position to the combined eect of a PAH family and anharmonic- ity with pure PAHs representing the 6.3m component and substituted/complexed PAHs representing the 6.2m component. The 7.6m component is well reproduced by both pure and substituted/complexed PAHs but the 7.8m component remains an enigma. In addition, the exact identification of the 8.22m feature remains unknown. The observed variations in the char- acteristics of the IR emission bands are linked to the local physical conditions. Possible formation and evolution processes that may influence the interstellar PAH class are highlighted.
Dynamics of Pleistocene Population Extinctions in Beringian Brown Bears

The climatic and environmental changes associated with the last glaciation (90,000 to 10,000 years before the present; 90 to 10 ka B.P.) are an important example of the effects of global climate change on biological diversity. These effects were particularly marked in Beringia (northeastern Siberia, northwestern North America, and the exposed Bering Strait) during the late Pleistocene. To investigate the evolutionary impact of these events, we studied genetic change in the brown bear, Ursus arctos, in eastern Beringia over the past 60,000 years using DNA preserved in permafrost remains. A marked degree of genetic structure is observed in populations throughout this period despite local extinctions, reinvasions, and potential interspecies competition with the short-faced bear, Arctodus simus. The major phylogeographic changes occurred 35 to 21 ka B.P., before the glacial maximum, and little change is observed after this time. Late Pleistocene histories of mammalian taxa may be more complex than those that might be inferred from the fossil record or contemporary DNA sequences alone.
Preferential expression of B7.2 (CD86), but not B7.1 (CD80), on B cells induced by CD40/CD40L interaction is essential for anti-DNA autoantibody production in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE B7 (CD80/CD86) molecules are over-expressed in patients with SLE. However, it is not clear whether CD80/CD86 molecules are involved in the pathogenic autoantibody production specifically or in the polyclonal antibody production in human SLE. The present study was carried out to characterize B7 molecules on B cells in autoantibody production. METHODS Expression of costimulatory molecules was analyzed by RT-PCR and two-color immunofluorescence staining. Purified B cells were co-cultured with T cells in the presence of anti-costimulatory molecule antibody. RESULTS Excessive expression of CD86 and CD80 molecules was evident on freshly isolated B cells in patients with SLE. Normal B cells did not express CD86 molecules spontaneously and expressed it after co-culture with activated T cells. CD86 expression on normal and SLE B cells induced by the activated T cells was inhibited by the addition of anti-CD40L into the cell culture. Furthermore, CD40L expression on T cells upon activation was enhanced in SLE patients. Anti-DNA antibody production by SLE B cells in the presence of activated T cells was markedly inhibited by anti-CD86, but not anti-CD80. Anti-CD86 treatment inhibited polyclonal Ig and anti-SS-A antibody production of SLE B cells, suggesting the preferential involvement of CD86 in polyclonal antibody production. CONCLUSION SLET T cells express CD40L excessively, and the CD40/CD40L pathway is involved in the CD86 over-expression of SLE B cells; thus T cell abnormality is at least partially involved in B cell hyperactivity. Enhanced CD86 expression of B cells by CD40L is essential for polyclonal antibody production.
Zwitterionic (E)-1-[(4-nitrophenyl)iminiomethyl]naphthalen-2-olate

The title compound, C17H12N2O3, was synthesized by the reaction of 2-hydroxy-1-naphthaldehyde with 4-nitrobenzenamine. These condense to form the Schiff base, which crystallizes in the zwitterionic form. In the structure, the keto–amino tautomer has a fairly short intramolecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond between the 2-naphthalenone and amino groups, with electron delocalization. The molecule is essentially planar, with a dihedral angle of 1.96 (3)° between the ring systems. In the crystal, the molecules are linked via intermolecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming a layer parallel to (101).
Eighteen-month follow-up of intravitreal bevacizumab in type 2 idiopathic macular telangiectasia

Aim: To evaluate the effects of intravitreal bevacizumab for non-proliferative type 2 idiopathic macular telangiectasia (type 2 IMT) within a mean follow-up period of 18 months. Methods: The authors retrospectively studied six eyes of five patients with type 2 IMT who received two doses of intravitreal bevacizumab (1.5 mg) at a 4-week interval, followed by further applications depending on disease activity. Examinations included biomicroscopy, standardised visual acuity (VA) testing, fluorescein angiography, retinal thickness analysis by optical coherence tomography and fundus-controlled microperimetry. Results: Mean follow-up time was 18 months (range 16–21 months). The mean VA at four selected time points (1 month after second treatment, 1 month and 3–4 months after last treatment, and at last visit) increased significantly (by 8.8, 6.3, 7.7 and 8.7 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters, respectively; all p⩽0.05). Parafoveal leakage in fluorescein angiography and mean central retinal thickness decreased in all eyes following treatment. A rebound effect was observed after 3–4 months, and at the last visit, retinal thickness was increased in selected retinal sectors including the fellow eye. Conclusion: Inhibition of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) by intravitreally injected bevacizumab may lead to functional improvement as well as a transient decrease in leakage and retinal thickness in patients with type 2 IMT. A VEGF-mediated active disease stage in which treatment might be most effective is discussed.
Smad2 and Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor B Cooperatively Regulate Vascular Smooth Muscle Differentiation From Neural Crest Cells

Rationale: Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) differentiation from neural crest cells (NCCs) is critical for cardiovascular development, but the mechanisms remain largely unknown. Objective: Transforming growth factor-&bgr; (TGF-&bgr;) function in VSMC differentiation from NCCs is controversial. Therefore, we determined the role and mechanism of a TGF-&bgr; downstream signaling intermediate Smad2 in NCC differentiation to VSMCs. Methods and Results: By using Cre/loxP system, we generated a NCC tissue–specific Smad2 knockout mouse model and found that Smad2 deletion resulted in defective NCC differentiation to VSMCs in aortic arch arteries during embryonic development and caused vessel wall abnormality in adult carotid arteries where the VSMCs are derived from NCCs. The abnormalities included 1 layer of VSMCs missing in the media of the arteries with distorted and thinner elastic lamina, leading to a thinner vessel wall compared with wild-type vessel. Mechanistically, Smad2 interacted with myocardin-related transcription factor B (MRTFB) to regulate VSMC marker gene expression. Smad2 was required for TGF-&bgr;–induced MRTFB nuclear translocation, whereas MRTFB enhanced Smad2 binding to VSMC marker promoter. Furthermore, we found that Smad2, but not Smad3, was a progenitor-specific transcription factor mediating TGF-&bgr;–induced VSMC differentiation from NCCs. Smad2 also seemed to be involved in determining the physiological differences between NCC-derived and mesoderm-derived VSMCs. Conclusions: Smad2 is an important factor in regulating progenitor-specific VSMC development and physiological differences between NCC-derived and mesoderm-derived VSMCs.
Evidence for an electrogenic Na+‐HCO3− symport in rat cardiac myocytes

1 The perforated whole‐cell configuration of patch clamp and the pH fluorescent indicator SNARF were used to determine the electrogenicity of the Na+‐HCO3− cotransport in isolated rat ventricular myocytes. 2 Switching from Hepes buffer to HCO3− buffer at constant extracellular pH (pHo) hyperpolarized the resting membrane potential (RMP) by 2.9 ± 0.4 mV (n= 9, P < 0.05). In the presence of HCO3−, the anion blocker SITS depolarized RMP by 2.6 ± 0.5 mV (n= 5, P < 0.05). No HCO3−‐induced hyperpolarization was observed in the absence of extracellular Na+. The duration of the action potential measured at 50 % of repolarization time (APD50) was 29.2 ± 6.1 % shorter in the presence of HCO3− than in its absence (n= 6, P < 0.05). 3 Quasi‐steady‐state currents were evoked by voltage‐clamped ramps ranging from −130 to +30 mV, during 8 s. The development of a novel component of Na+‐dependent and Cl−‐independent steady‐state outward current was observed in the presence of HCO3−. The reversal potential (Erev) of the Na+‐HCO3− cotransport current (INa,Bic) was measured at four different levels of extracellular Na+. A HCO3−:Na+ ratio compatible with a stoichiometry of 2:1 was detected. INa,Bic was also studied in isolation in standard whole‐cell experiments. Under these conditions, INa,Bic reversed at −96.4 ± 1.9 mV (n= 5), being consistent with the influx of 2 HCO3− ions per Na+ ion through the Na+‐HCO3− cotransporter. 4 In the presence of external HCO3−, after 10 min of depolarizing the membrane potential (Em) with 45 mm extracellular K+, a significant intracellular alkalinization was detected (0.09 ± 0.03 pH units; n= 5, P < 0.05). No changes in pHi were observed when the myocytes were pre‐treated with the anion blocker DIDS (0.001 ± 0.024 pH units; n= 5, n.s.), or when exposed to Na+‐free solutions (0.003 ± 0.037 pH units; n= 6, n.s.). 5 The above results allow us to conclude that the cardiac Na+‐HCO3− cotransport is electrogenic and has an influence on RMP and APD of rat ventricular cells.
Diversity of marine invertebrates in a thermal effluent.

species diversity ( Shannon-Weiner function, H ) may be used to determine the effect of a pollutant on a community. Pollution is postulated to reduce the value of the diversity index. There are three basic assumptions to this hypothesis: 1. A change in an environmental param eter (a pollutant) causes a change in com munity structure. 2. A change in community structure causes a change in diversity. 3. The nature of the change in diversity is such that increasing amounts of en vironmental change (or pollution concen tration) result in decreasing diversity. In many environmental studies, the relation ship between pollution and diversity is assumed to hold, and a reduction in di versity is interpreted as evidence of pollu tion. In a study of the effects of a thermal effluent on an estuarine benthic community, Warinner and Bf ehmer 2 state that in the winter "the redundancy index suggests that the greatest diversity occurs in the heated water even though the number of species was only half of the number taken at the remote stations. " Nauman and Cory,3 using Margalef's index of diversity,4 found an increase in the average diversity (0.49 to 0.82) of epifauna in the effluent of a steam electric plant. If the association between diversity and environmental change suggested by Wilhm and Dorris were accepted, one must conclude that no reduction in community structure would result from the effluent. If a change in the community structure did occur but was not reflected by decreasing diversity, the Wilhm and Dorris hypothesis would not be supported. In order to test the Wilhm and Dorris hypothesis, the effect of a thermal effluent on an estuarine benthic community was recorded. Environmental parameters and several community measures, including di versity, were explored. Change in com munity structure was characterized and related to both diversity and environment.
Prevalence of anal incontinence in a working population within a healthcare environment

Abstract Objectives: Anal incontinence is a devastating affliction with several considerations that make it difficult to define in terms of epidemiology with good precision. The aim of the present work is to study the prevalence of an important disorder such as anal incontinence in a healthy working population within a sanitary environment. Material and methods: A cluster of easy understanding and filling inquiry forms are distributed to 910 apparently healthy individuals at our hospital. This questionnaires include filiation data, passed medical history, presence or not of Incontinence and other symptoms such as urgency. The Cleveland Clinic Incontinence Score is also registered. Results: Anal incontinence is present in a 21.2% of subjects when considered in any of it forms (flatus, liquid or solid faeces). A Clevleand Clinic Incontinence Score higher than 6 was obtained in a 7.3% of the sample and higher than 10 in 1.2%. No gender predominance has been identified. A slightly higher severity is recognised with increasing age. Obstetric and anal surgical background are the only related factors identified in the studied sample. Conclusions: Faecal incontinence is a high prevalent affliction, even among apparently healthy population. Considering the aetiologic factors that have been established, prevention during obstetric and anal surgical procedures is absolutely mandatory.
Model-Based Calibration for Magnetic Manipulation

Model-based calibration of a magnetic workspace not only provides a smooth representation of the field and its gradient matrix, but also uses physical constraints to smooth the calibration measurements. This paper presents the first model-based technique to calibrate a magnetic manipulation system by using nonlinear least squares to solve for a scalar potential for each source. The performance of the method is verified by comparison to numerical finite element simulation and a case study calibration of a real system, where it is able to achieve an $R^{2}$ value of 0.9997. Furthermore, the analytical representations for the first three spatial derivatives of a spherical multipole expansion are provided for convenience, which correspond to the torque, force, and force-spatial-rate-of-change on a magnetic dipole in the workspace.
Staphylococcus aureus‐mediated blood–brain barrier injury: an in vitro human brain microvascular endothelial cell model

Blood–brain barrier (BBB) disruption constitutes a hallmark event during pathogen‐mediated neurological disorders such as bacterial meningitis. As a prevalent opportunistic pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is of particular interest in this context, although our fundamental understanding of how SA disrupts the BBB is very limited. This paper employs in vitro infection models to address this. Human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMvECs) were infected with formaldehyde‐fixed (multiplicity of infection [MOI] 0–250, 0–48 hr) and live (MOI 0–100, 0–3 hr) SA cultures. Both Fixed‐SA and Live‐SA could adhere to HBMvECs with equal efficacy and cause elevated paracellular permeability. In further studies employing Fixed‐SA, infection of HBMvECs caused dose‐dependent release of cytokines/chemokines (TNF‐α, IL‐6, MCP‐1, IP‐10, and thrombomodulin), reduced expression of interendothelial junction proteins (VE‐Cadherin, claudin‐5, and ZO‐1), and activation of both canonical and non‐canonical NF‐κB pathways. Using N‐acetylcysteine, we determined that these events were coupled to the SA‐mediated induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) within HBMvECs. Finally, treatment of HBMvECs with Fixed‐ΔSpA (MOI 0–250, 48 hr), a gene deletion mutant of Staphylococcal protein A associated with bacterial infectivity, had relatively similar effects to Newman WT Fixed‐SA. In conclusion, these findings provide insight into how SA infection may activate proinflammatory mechanisms within the brain microvascular endothelium to elicit BBB failure.
Integrated empirical processes in $L^{p}$ with applications to estimate probability metrics

We discuss the convergence in distribution of the r -fold (reverse) integrated empirical process in the space L p , for 1 ≤ p ≤ ∞ . In the case 1 ≤ p < ∞ , we ﬁnd the necessary and sufﬁcient condition on a positive random variable X so that this process converges weakly in L p . This condition deﬁnes a Lorentz space and can be also characterized in terms of several integrability conditions related to the process { (X − t) r + : t ≥ 0 } . For p = ∞ , we obtain an integrability requirement on X guaranteeing the convergence of the integrated empirical process. In particular, these results imply a limit theorem for the stop-loss distance between the empirical and the true distribution. As an application, we derive the asymptotic distribution of an estimator of the Zolotarev distance between two probability distributions. The connections of the involved processes with equilibrium distributions and stochastic integrals with respect to the Brownian bridge are also brieﬂy explained.