Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
There are many ways to train a fly

A biological understanding of memory remains one of the great quests of neuroscience. For over 30 years the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has primarily been viewed as an excellent vehicle to find 'memory genes'. However, the recent advent of sophisticated genetic tools to manipulate neural activity has meant that these genes can now be viewed within the context of functioning neural circuits. A holistic understanding of memory in flies is therefore now a realistic goal. Larvae and adult flies exhibit remarkable behavioral complexity and they can both be trained in a number of ways. In this review, our intention is to summarize the many assays that have been developed to study plastic behaviors in flies. More specific and detailed reviews have been published by us and others, see refs. 1-6. While our bias for olfactory conditioning paradigms is obvious, our purpose here is not to pass judgment on each method. We would rather leave that to those readers who might be inspired to try each assay for themselves.
Early Index for Detection of Pediatric Emergency Department Crowding

When epidemics occur, such as is the case for bronchiolitis in the Pediatric Emergency Department (ED), the patient flow in the ED incontestably increases and can lead to crowding. We bypassed this difficulty of forecasting patient flow with aggregated weekly or monthly data by tackling the problem from a different point of view. We used daily data to build a multiperiod Serfling-based model. This model is hereinafter assimilated to normal ED flow. We then used the fourth-order moment of distribution of the time series, obtained from the difference between the estimated model and the real data, to provide an early index announcing abnormal ED patient flow. This index is parameter-dependent and we provide criterion to assist in selecting the optimal parameters. A simple program based on this methodology has been developed and has been given to the pediatric physicians for testing. Thanks to this index, the Pediatric ED was able to anticipate crowding almost three weeks before the height of the bronchiolitis epidemic.
Flexibility Retention 3 Weeks After a 5-Day Training Regime

Objective: To determine the retention of flexibility 25 days after 5 days of three 30-second stretches. Design: A 2 × 4 repeated-measures factorial. Treatment and time were independent variables. The dependent variable was flexibility as measured by a sit-and-reach box. Measurements: 33 college students were tested before and after stretching for 5 consecutive days and without stretching on days 8 and 30. Control subjects were prone for 15 minutes; stretch subjects received 15 min of diathermy or sham diathermy and then performed three 30-second standing right-hamstring stretches. Results: Flexibility was greater on days 5, 8, and 30 than day 1, but days 5, 8, and 30 were not different from each other. Conclusion: Gains in flexibility are retained for at least 3 weeks after a stretching program. It also appears that 2 sets of 3 repetitions of a sit-and-reach test is sufficient stimulus to induce long-term flexibility gains.
Change and Innovation We Expect of ICT Teaching Staff

Many governments are emphasizing the need to improve ICT skills, research and innovations, often making special reference to the role of higher education. At the 2003 conference of NACCQ, several authors reported on change and innovation in ICT teaching. Change in Higher Education in general continues, as was evident from some of the papers presented at the 2003 HERDSA conference in New Zealand. This paper explores the ITP sector (Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics) in New Zealand and selected literature on the management of change and innovation in higher education in order to formulate recommendations for managing change, innovation and improvement in the environments with high resource constraint that most ICT departments find themselves in. We first review the public exhibition of research in the ITP sector for indications of change and innovation. Then we consider job descriptions of staff at highly unionised ITP's in New Zealand as a worst-case scenario, again looking for emphasis on change and innovation. And finally do we use specific literature on the management of change and innovation in the ITP sector in order to formulate and explore initiatives that HOD's and ICT staff should be undertaking while working in the current environment of high resource constraints.
Processing and performance of self-healing materials

Two self-healing methods were implemented into composite materials with self-healing capabilities, using hollow glass fibres (HGF) and microencapsulated epoxy resin with mercaptan as the hardener. For the HGF approach, two perpendicular layers of HGF were put into an E-glass/epoxy composite, and were filled with coloured epoxy resin and hardener. The HGF samples had a novel ball indentation test method done on them. The samples were analysed using micro-CT scanning, confocal microscopy and penetrant dye. Micro-CT and confocal microscopy produced limited success, but their viability was established. Penetrant dye images showed resin obstructing flow of dye through damage regions, suggesting infiltration of resin into cracks. Three-point bend tests showed that overall performance could be affected by the flaws arising from embedding HGF in the material. For the microcapsule approach, samples were prepared for novel double-torsion tests used to generate large cracks. The samples were compared with pure resin samples by analysing them using photoelastic imaging and scanning electron microscope (SEM) on crack surfaces. Photoelastic imaging established the consolidation of cracks while SEM showed a wide spread of microcapsules with their distribution being affected by gravity. Further double-torsion testing showed that healing recovered approximately 24% of material strength.
CSCW, groupware and workflow: experiences, state of art, and future trends

Technology to support groups is rapidly coming into use and is starting to have an impact on us, our organizations, and society. This course addresses recent experiences, current possibilities, and future trends and shocks. Lecture and video illustrations are accompanied by discussions in which participants organize and present their collective experiences with and interests in groupware and workflow technologies, and CSCW issues and methods. The instructors summarize the current composition of the CSCW community and the state of the art in technology, and organize discussion of fundamental challenges that face us as users (and developers) of these technologies.
Declines in the Lethality of Suicide Attempts Explain the Decline in Suicide Deaths in Australia

Background To investigate the epidemiology of a steep decrease in the incidence of suicide deaths in Australia. Methods National data on suicide deaths and deliberate self-harm for the period 1994–2007 were obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. We calculated attempt and death rates for five major methods and the lethality of these methods. Negative binomial regression was used to estimate the size and significance of method-specific time-trends in attempts and lethality. Results Hanging, motor vehicle exhaust and firearms were the most lethal methods, and together accounted for 72% of all deaths. The lethality of motor vehicle exhaust attempts decreased sharply (RR = 0.94 per year, 95% CI 0.93–0.95) while the motor vehicle exhaust attempt rate changed little; this combination of motor vehicle exhaust trends explained nearly half of the overall decline in suicide deaths. Hanging lethality also decreased sharply (RR = 0.96 per year, 95% CI 0.956–0.965) but large increases in hanging attempts negated the effect on death rates. Firearm lethality changed little while attempts decreased. Conclusion Declines in the lethality of suicide attempts–especially attempts by motor vehicle exhaust and hanging–explain the remarkable decline in deaths by suicide in Australia since 1997.
Genome-Wide Analysis of the Pho Regulon in a pstCA Mutant of Citrobacter rodentium

The phosphate-specific transport operon, pstSCAB-phoU, of Gram-negative bacteria is an essential part of the Pho regulon. Its key roles are to encode a high-affinity inorganic phosphate transport system and to prevent activation of PhoB in phosphate-rich environments. In general, mutations in pstSCAB-phoU lead to the constitutive expression of the Pho regulon. Previously, we constructed a pstCA deletion mutant of Citrobacter rodentium and found it to be attenuated for virulence in mice, its natural host. This attenuation was dependent on PhoB or PhoB-regulated gene(s) because a phoB mutation restored virulence for mice to the pstCA mutant. To investigate how downstream genes may contribute to the virulence of C. rodentium, we used microarray analysis to investigate global gene expression of C. rodentium strain ICC169 and its isogenic pstCA mutant when grown in phosphate-rich medium. Overall 323 genes of the pstCA mutant were differentially expressed by at least 1.5-fold compared to the wild-type C. rodentium. Of these 145 were up-regulated and 178 were down-regulated. Differentially expressed genes included some involved in phosphate homoeostasis, cellular metabolism and protein metabolism. A large number of genes involved in stress responses and of unknown function were also differentially expressed, as were some virulence-associated genes. Up-regulated virulence-associated genes in the pstCA mutant included that for DegP, a serine protease, which appeared to be directly regulated by PhoB. Down-regulated genes included those for the production of the urease, flagella, NleG8 (a type III-secreted protein) and the tad focus (which encodes type IVb pili in Yersinia enterocolitica). Infection studies using C57/BL6 mice showed that DegP and NleG8 play a role in bacterial virulence. Overall, our study provides evidence that Pho is a global regulator of gene expression in C. rodentium and indicates the presence of at least two previously unrecognized virulence determinants of C. rodentium, namely, DegP and NleG8.
Intracellular nanosurgery and cell enucleation using a picosecond laser

Living cells are highly organized in space and time, which makes spatially and temporally confined manipulations an indispensable tool in cell biology. Laser‐based nanosurgery is an elegant method that allows precise ablation of intracellular structures. Here, we show cutting of fluorescently labelled microtubules and mitotic spindles in fission yeast, performed with a picosecond laser coupled to a confocal microscope. Diverse effects from photo‐bleaching to partial and complete breakage are obtained by varying the exposure time, while simultaneously imaging the structures of interest. Using this system we developed an efficient technique to generate enucleated cells without perturbing the distribution of other organelles. This enucleation method can be used to study the cytoskeleton in a nucleus‐free environment, as well as the role of the nucleus in cell growth and a variety of cellular functions.
Pregnancy associated glycoprotein‐1, ‐6, ‐7, and ‐17 are major products of bovine binucleate trophoblast giant cells at midpregnancy

Pregnancy associated glycoproteins (PAGs) are extensively glycosylated secretory proteins of ruminant trophoblast cells. In cattle placenta several PAG cDNAs are expressed, but the variety of correspondent proteins and their degree of glycosylation are not well characterized. Thus, we purified PAGs by using a protocol which included a lectin (Vicia villosa agglutinin) affinity chromatography. Due to their specific glycosylation pattern, PAGs derived from binucleate trophoblast giant cells were highly enriched by this protocol. PAGs were purified from cotyledons of 2 day 100 placentas and from a single placenta at day 155 and 180. In all samples three major bands (75; 66; 56 kDa) were detected by one‐dimensional SDS–PAGE. Mass‐spectrometric analysis identified the 75 kDa band as a mixture of PAG‐7 and PAG‐6, the 66 kDa band as PAG‐1 and the 56 kDa band as PAG‐17. N‐terminal sequencing of the day 100 sample confirmed the mass spectrometric identifications. Enzymatic release of N‐glycans with peptide‐N‐glycanase‐F from PAGs reduced the molecular weight to approximately 37 kDa which corresponds to the theoretical molecular mass of PAGs. Limited peptide‐N‐glycanase‐F treatment revealed that all four N‐glycosylation sites are quantitatively occupied in PAG‐1. Compared to PAG‐1 the number of potential N‐glycosylation sites is lower in PAG‐17 (three sites) and higher in PAG‐6 and ‐7 (five and six sites, respectively). This suggests that the number of attached N‐glycans is the main determinant of molecular mass of bovine PAGs. The degree of glycosylation may be a major factor regulating the plasma half life of PAGs. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Miltefosine in the Treatment of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania braziliensis in Brazil: A Randomized and Controlled Trial

Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is treated with parenteral drugs for decades with decreasing rate cures. Miltefosine is an oral medication with anti-leishmania activity and may increase the cure rates and improve compliance. Methodology/Principal Findings This study is a randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of miltefosine versus pentavalent antimony (Sbv) in the treatment of patients with CL caused by Leishmania braziliensis in Bahia, Brazil. A total of 90 patients were enrolled in the trial; 60 were assigned to receive miltefosine and 30 to receive Sbv. Six months after treatment, in the intention-to-treat analyses, the definitive cure rate was 53.3% in the Sbv group and 75% in the miltefosine group (difference of 21.7%, 95% CI 0.08% to 42.7%, p = 0.04). Miltefosine was more effective than Sbv in the age group of 13–65 years-old compared to 2–12 years-old group (78.9% versus 45% p = 0.02; 68.2% versus 70% p = 1.0, respectively). The incidence of adverse events was similar in the Sbv and miltefosine groups (76.7% vs. 78.3%). Vomiting (41.7%), nausea (40%), and abdominal pain (23.3%) were significantly more frequent in the miltefosine group while arthralgias (20.7%), mialgias (20.7%) and fever (23.3%) were significantly more frequent in the Sbv group. Conclusions This study demonstrates that miltefosine therapy is more effective than standard Sbv and safe for the treatment of CL caused by Leishmania braziliensis in Bahia, Brazil. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT00600548
The evolving role of the nurse during the cancer treatment decision-making process: a literature review

BACKGROUND Many models of patient-physician relationships have been described since a paternalistic model was postulated in the early 1950s. Among them are the informative model, doctor-as-agent model, shared model of care, family-centered model, and Degner and Beaton's Patterns of Decision Making. OBJECTIVES This article aims to examine the contemporary role of the nurse during the cancer treatment decision-making process. METHODS This article reviews the current and evidence-based role of the nurse during cancer treatment decision making, and implications for practice and research are discussed. FINDINGS Because of external forces, such as rising cost of health care, increasing healthcare consumerism, and increased emphasis on patient-centered care, the shared model of care is taking hold, particularly in the cancer setting. The evolution of these models has caused a shift in the dialogue related to cancer treatment decision making between patients and physicians, as well as oncology nurses. These events contribute to the evolving role of the nurse during the cancer treatment decision-making process.
How amoeboids self-organize into a fruiting body: Multicellular coordination in Dictyostelium discoideum

When individual amoebae of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum are starving, they aggregate to form a multicellular migrating slug, which moves toward a region suitable for culmination. The culmination of the morphogenesis involves complex cell movements that transform a mound of cells into a globule of spores on a slender stalk. The movement has been likened to a “reverse fountain,” whereby prestalk cells in the upper part form a stalk that moves downwards and anchors to the substratum, while prespore cells in the lower part move upwards to form the spore head. So far, however, no satisfactory explanation has been produced for this process. Using a computer simulation that we developed, we now demonstrate that the processes that are essential during the earlier stages of the morphogenesis are in fact sufficient to produce the dynamics of the culmination stage. These processes are cAMP signaling, differential adhesion, cell differentiation, and production of extracellular matrix. Our model clarifies the processes that generate the observed cell movements. More specifically, we show that periodic upward movements, caused by chemotactic motion, are essential for successful culmination, because the pressure waves they induce squeeze the stalk downwards through the cell mass. The mechanisms revealed by our model have a number of self-organizing and self-correcting properties and can account for many previously unconnected and unexplained experimental observations.
Metabolomics for assessment of nutritional status

Purpose of reviewThe current rise in diet-related diseases continues to be one of the most significant health problems facing both the developed and the developing world. The use of metabolomics – the accurate and comprehensive measurement of a significant fraction of important metabolites in accessible biological fluids – for the assessment of nutritional status is a promising way forward. The basic toolset, targets and knowledge are all being developed in the emerging field of metabolomics, yet important knowledge and technology gaps will need to be addressed in order to bring such assessment to practice. Recent findingsDysregulation within the principal metabolic organs (e.g. intestine, adipose, skeletal muscle and liver) are at the center of a diet–disease paradigm that includes metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes and obesity. The assessment of both essential nutrient status and the more comprehensive systemic metabolic response to dietary, lifestyle and environmental influences (e.g. metabolic phenotype) are necessary for the evaluation of status in individuals that can identify the multiple targets of intervention needed to address metabolic disease. SummaryThe first proofs of principle building the knowledge to bring actionable metabolic diagnostics to practice through metabolomics are now appearing.
Ventro-striatal/Nucleus accumbens alterations in adult ADHD: effects of pharmacological treatment: a neuroimaging region of interest study

The Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by inattention, impulsivity and/or hyperactivity. It is one of the most common disorders in childhood with an average prevalence of 5%. Symptoms persist into adulthood in 30-60% of the cases, with 3.4% of the adults maintaining a full-diagnose. Although it is a highly diagnosed disorder, its etiology is still unclear. Currently, the most widely accepted theory points to a dysfunction of the dopamine neurotransmission. ADHD patients present an alteration of the nucleus accumbens (NA). Therefore, this neurostructure is the key target of the pharmacological treatment, mainly Methylphenidate (MPH), which blocks dopamine active transporter (DAT) leading to an increase in dopamine. Despite being the most commonly used pharmacological treatment for ADHD, the neurobiological long-term effects of MPH are poorly understood. Moreover, there is a lack of neuroimaging studies addressing possible changes in brain structure due to pharmacological treatment, especially in adult populations. Therefore, the aim of this study was to apply a ROI analysis to structural magnetic resonance imaging scans to examine whether there were volumetric differences in the nucleus accumbens (NA). The study compared a group of ADHD subjects (n=34) with a group of control subjects (n=33). Addtionally, we studied the NA differences between the subgroup of MPH medicated subjects (n=7) with the subgroup of medication-naïve subjects (n=26). The ADHD group presented a larger NA compared to control group and medicated patients presented a smaller NA compared to non-medicated patients, but none of these differences were statistically significant. It is important to perform more studies with larger and homogeneous samples in order to draw firm conclusions.
Interactive Thin Shells - A Model Interface for the Analysis of Physically-based Animation

Realism has always been a goal in computer graphics. However, the algorithms involved in mimicking the physical world are often complex, abstract, and sensitive to changes in experimental parameters. We present an interface to a physically-based algorithm, a thin shell animation, which focuses on visualization, experimentation, and control. Through the use of dynamic surface coloring, abstract visual cues, robust user interaction, and full control over the algorithm parameters, our system facilitates experimentation and the process of discovery. The system is targeted at enhancing the user’s learning experience by clarifying interactions between various components of many physically-based animations.
Intranuclear targeted delivery of functional NF‐κB by 70 kDa heat shock protein

The 70 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70) is a highly conserved, ubiquitous protein involved in chaperoning proteins to various cellular organelles. Here we show that when added exogenously to cells, Hsp70 is readily imported into both cytoplasmic and nuclear compartments in a cell‐type‐specific fashion. We exploited this ability of Hsp70 to deliver NF‐κB, a key transcriptional regulator of inflammatory responses. We demonstrate that a fusion protein composed of a C‐terminal Hsp70 peptide and the p50 subunit of NF‐κB was directed into the nucleus of cells, could bind DNA specifically, and activated Igκ expression and TNFα production. We therefore propose that Hsp70 can be used as a vehicle for intracytoplasmic and intranuclear delivery of proteins or DNA to modulate gene expression and thereby control immune responses.
Infrequent Weighted Item Set Mining in Complex Data Analysis

Infrequent Weighted Association Mining (IWAM) is one of the main areas in data mining for extracting the rare items in high dimensional datasets. Traditional Association rule mining algorithms produce large number of candidate sets along with the database scans. Due to large number of transactions and database size, traditional methods consume more time to find the relevant association rules with the specified threshold. Prior and post database scans are required an additional effort to validate the association rules. Most of the existing weighted models are implemented for mining frequent itemsets, but finding infrequent itemset mining are useful in many recent fields like web,medical,cloud,complex databases,protein sequence etc. In weighted infrequent association rule mining, each item in the transaction is assigned a weight in order to mine high utility infrequent itemsets. In this proposed work, weighted association rule mining algorithm is proposed to find infrequent itemsets using weighted threshold measures. Proposed approach gives better results on real-time datasets compare to existing weighted models.