Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Self-insight in probabilistic categorization – not implicit in children either

The weather prediction (WP) task is a probabilistic category learning task that was designed to be implicit/procedural. In line with this claim, early results showed that patients with amnesia perform comparably to healthy participants. On the other hand, later research on healthy adult participants drew attention to the fact that the WP task is not necessarily implicit. There have been results showing that participants can access structural information acquired during the task. Participants also report that their responses are based on memories and rule knowledge. The contradictory results may be reconciled by assuming that while explicit learning occurs on the WP task in case of adults, in children the learning process is implicit. The present study aims at testing this hypothesis. Primary school children completed the WP task; the experimental group performed the original task, whereas in the control group cues and outcomes were associated on a random basis, hence their version of the WP task lacked a predictive structure. After each item, participants were asked whether they relied on guessing, intuition, “I think I know the answer” type of knowledge, memories of previous items, or knowledge of rules. Self-insight reports of the experimental group were compared to a control group. Results showed that children learn similarly to adults: they mostly (but not completely) rely on explicit, and not on implicit processes.
Endurance exercise training protects against the upregulation of nitric oxide in the striatum of MPTP/probenecid mouse model of Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVES Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder, caused by the gradual loss of cells in substantia nigra. Nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in a variety of signal transduction pathways that are crucial for maintaining the physiologic functions of nervous system. The aims of this study are: 1) To investigate the expression of the inducible form of NO (iNOS), and compare it to neuronal nitric oxide (nNOS) in the brain of a chronic mouse model of PD and 2) To study the effect of endurance exercise training on the expression of these markers. METHOD Mouse models of PD were obtained using 10 doses of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) (25 mg/kg) and probenecid (250 mg/kg) over 5 weeks. Forty C57BL /6 albino mice were randomly divided into four groups: sedentary control (SC, N = 10), exercise control (EC, N = 10), sedentary PD (SPD, N = 10), exercise PD (EPD, N = 10). At the end of training program, nNOS and iNOS were evaluated in the striatum in all animal groups using immunohistochemistry. RESULTS nNOS showed significant increases in striatum (ST) of SPD mice compared to SC mice (P > 0.03). There was also decreased expression of nNOS in EC group compared to SC mice, but this decrease was not significant (P > 0.8). Exercise training significantly decreased the level of nNOS in the EPD compared to SPD, (P > 0.04). Although, iNOS expression followed almost the same trend as nNOS, but exercise training did not significantly decrease the expression of iNOS in both EC and EPD groups, P > 0.2 and 0.3 respectively. DISCUSSION The data from this study suggests that 4 weeks of treadmill exercise has a positive impact on the expression of nNOS and iNOS in the striatum of a PD model. This might clear in part the pathogenicity of the diseases and the positive impact of training on PD.
Psychosocial stressors and the prognosis of major depression: a test of Axis IV

Background Axis IV is for reporting ‘psychosocial and environmental problems that may affect the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of mental disorders’. No studies have examined the prognostic value of Axis IV in DSM-IV. Method We analyzed data from 2497 participants in the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC) with major depressive episode (MDE). We hypothesized that psychosocial stressors predict a poor prognosis of MDE. Secondarily, we hypothesized that psychosocial stressors predict a poor prognosis of anxiety and substance use disorders. Stressors were defined according to DSM-IV's taxonomy, and empirically using latent class analysis (LCA). Results Primary support group problems, occupational problems and childhood adversity increased the risks of depressive episodes and suicidal ideation by 20–30%. Associations of the empirically derived classes of stressors with depression were larger in magnitude. Economic stressors conferred a 1.5-fold increase in risk for a depressive episode [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–1.9]; financial and interpersonal instability conferred a 1.3-fold increased risk of recurrent depression (95% CI 1.1–1.6). These two classes of stressors also predicted the recurrence of anxiety and substance use disorders. Stressors were not related to suicidal ideation independent from depression severity. Conclusions Psychosocial and environmental problems are associated with the prognosis of MDE and other Axis I disorders. Although DSM-IV's taxonomy of stressors stands to be improved, these results provide empirical support for the prognostic value of Axis IV. Future work is needed to determine the reliability of Axis IV assessments in clinical practice, and the usefulness of this information to improving the clinical course of mental disorders.
Analysis of the Effect of Incorporation of a Small Amount of PMMA on Fiber Structure Formation of PET

The presence of a small amount of finely dispersed polymer, which has higher Tg than the matrix poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) and is immiscible with PET, such as polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), suppresses orientated crystallization of PET under high-speed fiber spinning. To examine the mechanism of the reduced degree of oriented crystallization in the fibers, experimental data were compared with the results from computational calculations in terms of diameter or strain rate profile along the spin line. The computational simulation for the diameter and the strain rate profiles, assuming an increase of solidification temperature and an increase of elongational viscosity under higher strain rate, was qualitatively in good agreement with the experimental results. On the other hand, the measured birefringence of PET/PMMA fiber was substantially lower than the calculated one, which requires further improvement considering the skin‐core structure and stress distribution in both PET and PMMA as a future research item.
Cell Culture Process Development: Advances in Process Engineering

Representatives from the cell culture process development community met on September 11 and 12, 2006 at the ACS National Meeting in San Francisco to discuss “Cell Culture Process Development: Advances in Process Engineering”. This oral session was held as part of the Division of Biochemical Technology (BIOT) program. The presentations addressed the very small scale (less than 1 mL) to the very large scale (20,000 L). The topics covered included development of high throughput cell culture screening systems, modeling and characterization of bioreactor environments from mixing and shear perspectives at both small and large scales, systematic approaches for improving scale‐up and scale‐down activities, development of disposable bioreactor technologies, and novel perfusion culture approaches. All told, this well‐attended session resulted in a valuable exchange of technical information and demonstrated a high level of interest within the process development community.
Effect of Specimen Configuration and Lamination Construction on the Measurement of the In-plane Shear Modulus of Plywood Obtained by the Asymmetric Four-point Bending Test

In this study, the in-plane shear modulus of 3-, 5-, and 7-ply lauan wood (Shorea sp.) was measured by conducting an asymmetric four-point bending (AFPB) test with various specimen depth/length ratios and subsequently performing a flexural vibration (FV) test and finite element analysis (FEA). The results obtained from the experiment and the FEA revealed that the in-plane shear modulus was dependent on the depth/length ratio of the specimen. The dependence of the in-plane shear modulus obtained from the AFPB test was more significant than that obtained from the FV test. Additionally, the in-plane shear modulus values obtained from the AFPB test varied more significantly than those obtained from the FV test. In determining the in-plane shear modulus of plywood, the FV test was therefore superior to the AFPB test.
Vemurafenib Limits Influenza A Virus Propagation by Targeting Multiple Signaling Pathways

Influenza A viruses (IAV) can cause severe global pandemic outbreaks. The currently licensed antiviral drugs are not very effective and prone to viral resistance. Thus, novel effective and broadly active drugs are urgently needed. We have identified the cellular Raf/MEK/ERK signaling cascade as crucial for IAV replication and suitable target for an antiviral intervention. Since this signaling cascade is aberrantly activated in many human cancers, several clinically approved inhibitors of Raf and MEK are now available. Here we explored the anti-IAV action of the licensed B-RafV600E inhibitor Vemurafenib. Treatment of B-RafWT cells with Vemurafenib induced a hyperactivation of the Raf/MEK/ERK cascade rather than inhibiting its activation upon IAV infection. Despite this hyperactivation, which has also been confirmed by others, Vemurafenib still strongly limited IAV-induced activation of other signaling cascades especially of p38 and JNK mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Most interestingly, Vemurafenib inhibited virus-induced apoptosis via impaired expression of apoptosis-inducing cytokines and led to hampered viral protein expression most likely due to the decreased activation of p38 and JNK MAPK. These multiple actions resulted in a profound and broadly active inhibition of viral replication, up to a titer reduction of three orders of a magnitude. Thus, while Vemurafenib did not act similar to MEK inhibitors, it displays strong antiviral properties via a distinct and multi-target mode of action.
Amount but Not Pattern of Protective Sensory Stimulation Alters Recovery After Permanent Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Background and Purpose— Using a rodent model of ischemia (permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion), our laboratory previously demonstrated that 4.27 minutes of patterned single-whisker stimulation delivered over 120 minutes can fully protect from impending damage when initiated within 2 hours of permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (“early”). When initiated 3 hours postpermanent middle cerebral artery occlusion (“late”), stimulation resulted in irreversible damage. Here we investigate the effect of altering pattern, distribution, or amount of stimulation in this model. Methods— We assessed the cortex using functional imaging and histological analysis with altered stimulation treatment protocols. In 2 groups of animals we administered the same number of whisker deflections but in a random rather than patterned fashion distributed either over 120 minutes or condensed into 10 minutes postpermanent middle cerebral artery occlusion. We also tested increased (full-whisker array versus single-whisker) stimulation. Results— Early random whisker stimulation (condensed or dispersed) resulted in protection equivalent to early patterned stimulation. Early full-whisker array patterned stimulation also resulted in complete protection but promoted faster recovery. Late full-whisker array patterned stimulation, however, resulted in loss of evoked function and infarct volumes larger than those sustained by single-whisker counterparts. Conclusions— When induced early on after ischemic insult, stimulus-evoked cortical activity, irrespective of the parameters of peripheral stimulation that induced it, seems to be the important variable for neuroprotection.
Influence of treatments in the quality of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets

Abstract In this study, the influence of different treatments was evaluated: nonwashing, washing in chlorinated water and washing/soaking in chlorinated water and sodium chloride on the quality of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fillets during storage at 1.0 ± 0.5°C through daily analysis of pH, moisture, and lipids content. Microbiological analysis and growth modeling for mesophilic and psychrotrophic bacteria and Staphylococcus sp. were also carried out. Finally, we confirmed the microbiological safety through sensory analyses. The main results suggest that fillets washed or soaked in chlorinated water and sodium chloride present clear and narrower blood line coloration; that is, they are less oxidized than those that received other treatments and are microbiologically safe for use within 12 days of storage. It was concluded that the treatments in chlorinated and salinized water favored the quality maintenance of fillets.
Amplitude Malformation in the IFFT Ocean Wave Rendering under the Influence of the Fourier Coefficient

Although Tessendorf’s IFFT Gerstner wave model has been widely used, the value of A, a constant of the Fourier coefficient, is not given. A will strongly influence the shape of the rendered ocean wave and even cause amplitude malformation. We study the algorithm of the IFFT Gerstner wave, and give the method of A calculating. The method of the paper can guarantee there is no amplitude malformation in rendered ocean waves. The expression of the IFFT Gerstner wave with the amplitude of the cosine wave is derived again. The definite integral of the wave number spectrum is discretized. Further, another expression of the IFFT Gerstner wave is gotten. The Fourier coefficient of the expression contains the wave number spectrum and the area of the discrete integral domain. The method makes the shape of the generated wave stable. Comparing Tessdendorf’s method with the method of the paper, we find that the expression of A should contain the area of the discrete integral domain and the spectral constant of the wave number spectrum. If A contains only the spectral constant, the amplitude malformation may occur. By reading some well known open source codes, we find that the code authors adopted some factitious methods to suppress the malformed amplitude Obviously, the code authors have already noticed the phenomenon of the malformation, but not probed the cause. The rendering results of the codes are close to that of the method of the paper. Furthermore, the wave potential is computed using the Gerstner wave model directly, the author find it is quite close to that of the paper. The experimental results and comparisons show that the method of the paper correctly computes the wave potential and effectively solves the problem of amplitude malformation.
Is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy an Intervention for Possible Internet Addiction Disorder

Internet addiction disorder (IAD) has been proposed to describe uncontrollable, damaging use of Internet technology leading to some changes in the autonomic nervous system. IAD can be defined as an impulse-control disorder that does not involve an intoxicant. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V) does not recognize it as a disease but the new approach of research domain criteria (RDoC) considers re-evaluating DSM because of the change in global prevalence of IAD from 0.3% to 38%. Treatment of IAD is still unsolved due to the lack of concrete evidence, knowledge, and information about the disease. Some therapeutic examples are medications and psychotherapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The CBT approach addresses dysfunctional emotions, maladaptive behaviors and cognitive processes. Modified CBT is used for the treatment of IAD but better results are observed when it is combined with other therapies. This commentary is based on full research papers and some specific case reports recording CBT as the treatment for IAD. PubMed, Scopus, Ovid, ProQuest, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink are the databases used for this commentary. More exhaustive research is needed in this field as to confirm the etiology of IAD and its intervention with CBT.10
Structural Characterization of the Symbiotically Important Low-Molecular-Weight Succinoglycan ofSinorhizobium meliloti

ABSTRACT The production of succinoglycan by Sinorhizobium meliloti Rm1021 is required for successful nodule invasion by the bacterium of its host plant, alfalfa. Rm1021 produces succinoglycan, an acidic exopolysaccharide composed of an octasaccharide repeating unit modified with acetyl, succinyl, and pyruvyl moieties, in both low- and high-molecular-weight forms. Low-molecular-weight (LMW) succinoglycan, previously thought to consist of monomers, trimers, and tetramers of the repeating unit, has been reported as being capable of promoting the formation of nitrogen-fixing nodules by succinoglycan-deficient derivatives of strain Rm1021. We have determined that the three size classes of LMW succinoglycan species are in fact monomers, dimers, and trimers of the repeating unit and that the trimer is the species active in promoting nodule invasion. A detailed structural analysis of the components of LMW succinoglycan by using various chromatographic techniques, along with nuclear magnetic resonance analyses, has revealed that there is considerable heterogeneity within the LMW succinoglycan oligomers in terms of noncarbohydrate substitutions, and we have determined the structural basis of this heterogeneity.
Both the Exact Target Site Sequence and a Long Poly(A) Tail Are Required for Precise Insertion of the 18S Ribosomal DNA-Specific Non-Long Terminal Repeat Retrotransposon R7Ag

ABSTRACT Ribosomal elements (R elements) are site-specific non-long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons that target ribosomal DNA (rDNA). To elucidate how R elements specifically access their target sites, we isolated and characterized the 18S rDNA-specific R element R7Ag from Anopheles gambiae. Using an in vivo and ex vivo recombinant baculovirus retrotransposition system, we found that the exact host 18S rDNA sequence at the target site is essential for the precise insertion of R7Ag. In addition, a long poly(A) tail is necessary for the accurate initiation of R7Ag reverse transcription, a novel mechanism found in non-LTR elements. We further compared the subcellular localizations of proteins in R7Ag as well as R1Bm, another R element that targets 28S rDNA. Although the open reading frame 1 proteins (ORF1ps) of both R7Ag and R1Bm localized predominantly in the cytoplasm, ORF2 proteins (ORF2ps) colocalized in the nucleus with the nucleolar marker fibrillarin. The ORF1ps and ORF2ps of both R elements colocalized largely in the nuclear periphery and to a lesser extent within the nucleus. These results suggest that R7Ag and R1Bm proteins may access nucleolar rDNA targets in an ORF2p-dependent manner.
Long‐term administration of oral physostigmine in Alzheimer's disease

Minimal short-term benefits with oral physostigmine have been reported in Alzheimer's disease. We examined long-term oral physostigmine therapy in 14 patients with probable Alzheimer's disease in an extended double-blind crossover trial in which they received physostigmine for five intervals of 4 to 6 weeks in length and placebo for one interval determined at random. At each interval a Selective Reminding Test was administered and three indexes were examined: total recall, long-term recall, and intrusions. As a group, patients' memory test scores were significantly better during the drug period. Two patients who previously had performed worse on drug than on placebo in a short-term trial continued to do so. Nine of the remaining 12 patients performed better on two or more measures on physostigmine compared with placebo. In some cases scores improved up to 50% over placebo values. This improvement was not predicted by response to medication in the earlier short-term trial. Seven patients completed an additional six-interval crossover trial. All but one continued to have improved performance with oral physostigmine and, in grouped data, memory measures remained significantly improved. These results suggest that long-term administration of physostigmine in Alzheimer's disease may be more effective than short-term. This benefit can be sustained for up to a year in some patients.
Treatment of hepatitis C after kidney transplant: A pooled analysis of observational studies

Various authors have given IFN‐based therapy for hepatitis C among renal transplant recipients but the efficacy and safety of this approach remains unclear. A systematic review of the literature with a meta‐analysis of clinical studies was performed in order to assess efficacy and safety of antiviral therapy (IFN‐based therapy) in renal transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus infection. The primary outcomes were sustained virological response (as a measure of efficacy) and/or drop‐out rate (as a measure of tolerability). The random‐effects model of DerSimonian and Laird was used, with heterogeneity and sensitivity analyses. Sixteen studies (187 unique patients) were identified, one being controlled study. The summary estimate for sustained virological response and dropout rate was 0.34 (95% confidence intervals: 0.27, 0.42) and 0.32 (95% CI: 0.21, 0.44), respectively. The studies were heterogeneous with regard to dropout rate but not to sustained viral response. The most common side‐effect requiring interruption of treatment was graft dysfunction (n = 27; 51%). Stratified analysis reported a higher rate of drop‐outs in those studies based on IFN monotherapy (pooled event rate, 0.43; 95% CI: 0.25, 0.63). Meta‐regression analysis showed an inverse relationship between reference year (P = 0.019), length of IFN therapy (P = 0.029) and drop‐out rate. IFN‐based therapy has inadequate safety and tolerance after renal transplantation. The reasons for the high rate of graft dysfunction after IFN have not been fully elucidated. Antiviral treatment of hepatitis C among kidney graft recipients continues to be a challenge to transplant physicians. J. Med. Virol. 86:933–940, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Spina bifida: A diagnostic dilemma in paleopathology

This article provides information regarding the etiology, pathogenesis, and skeletal manifestation of spina bifida or spinal dysraphisms. On the basis of a review of the medical literature, it addresses discrepancies in documentation and interpretation of spina bifida in paleopathology. Furthermore, it offers suggestions for use of universal terminology and highlights the difficulties in the specific diagnosis of dysraphisms in skeletal remains. In addition, the necessity of examining the entire skeleton for abnormalities to distinguish simple delay/failure of fusion of the posterior neural arches from other occult spinal dysraphisms is emphasized, as it is the need for stratification of the sample by age and sex when reporting frequencies of sacral spina bifida occulta. Clin. Anat. 24:19–33, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
EFFECT OF ORGAN CULTURE ON THE SURVIVAL OF THYROID ALLOGRAFTS IN MICE

Mouse thyroid can be maintained in organ culture for 4 weeks. Uncultured BALB/c thyroid is rejected 10–15 days after transplantation under the kidney capsule of H-2 disparate recipients (C57BL, CBA). Organ culture of thyroid tissue prior to transplantation prolongs allograft survival. This prolongation of graft survival increases with increasing time in culture and 80–90% of BALB/c thyroids maintained in culture for 26 days survive in allogeneic CBA recipients for a 60− to 70-day test period. These allografts show normal function as measured by 125I uptake, and show no histological evidence of chronic rejection. Cultured allografts can be rejected if the host's immune-system is stimulated with viable leukocytes of donor origin. Host animals carrying a functioning allograft are not tolerant of donor tissues and will reject a second uncultured allograft from the same donor strain.