Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential Encoding of Factors Influencing Predicted Reward Value in Monkey Rostral Anterior Cingulate Cortex

Background The value of a predicted reward can be estimated based on the conjunction of both the intrinsic reward value and the length of time to obtain it. The question we addressed is how the two aspects, reward size and proximity to reward, influence the responses of neurons in rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC), a brain region thought to play an important role in reward processing. Methods and Findings We recorded from single neurons while two monkeys performed a multi-trial reward schedule task. The monkeys performed 1–4 sequential color discrimination trials to obtain a reward of 1–3 liquid drops. There were two task conditions, a valid cue condition, where the number of trials and reward amount were associated with visual cues, and a random cue condition, where the cue was picked from the cue set at random. In the valid cue condition, the neuronal firing is strongly modulated by the predicted reward proximity during the trials. Information about the predicted reward amount is almost absent at those times. In substantial subpopulations, the neuronal responses decreased or increased gradually through schedule progress to the predicted outcome. These two gradually modulating signals could be used to calculate the effect of time on the perception of reward value. In the random cue condition, little information about the reward proximity or reward amount is encoded during the course of the trial before reward delivery, but when the reward is actually delivered the responses reflect both the reward proximity and reward amount. Conclusions Our results suggest that the rACC neurons encode information about reward proximity and amount in a manner that is dependent on utility of reward information. The manner in which the information is represented could be used in the moment-to-moment calculation of the effect of time and amount on predicted outcome value.
Crucial Role of CD40 Signaling in Vascular Wall Cells in Neointimal Formation and Vascular Remodeling After Vascular Interventions

Objective— It has been shown that CD40-TRAF6 axis in leukocytes plays a significant role in neointimal formation after carotid ligation. Because CD40 and TRAF6 are expressed not only in leukocytes but also in vascular cells, we examined the role of CD40 contributed by vascular wall cells in neointimal formation after carotid ligation in an atherogenic environment. Methods and Results— Both CD40 and TRAF6 in medial smooth muscle cells (SMCs) was upregulated significantly at 3 days and more prominently at 7 days after injury in wildtype mice, but the TRAF6 upregulation was abolished in CD40−/− mice. In vitro, TRAF6 expression was induced by cytokines (tumor necrosis factor -&agr;, interleukin-1&bgr;) via a NF-&kgr;B–dependent manner in wildtype SMCs, but this induction was blocked in CD40-deficient SMCs. Bone marrow chimeras revealed a comparable reduction in neointimal formation and lumen stenosis in mice lacking either vascular wall- or bone marrow-associated CD40. Lacking vascular wall-associated CD40 resulted in a significant reduction in monocyte/macrophage accumulation, NF-&kgr;B activation, and multiple proinflammatory mediators (ICAM-1, VCAM-1, MCP-1, MMP-9, tissue factor). In vitro data confirmed that CD40 deficiency or TRAF6 knockdown suppressed CD40L-induced proinflammatory phenotype of SMCs by inhibition of NF-&kgr;B activation. Moreover, both in vivo and in vitro data showed that CD40 deficiency prevented injury-induced SMC apoptosis but did not affect SMC proliferation and migration. Conclusion— CD40 signaling through TRAF6 in vascular SMCs seems to be centrally involved in neointimal formation in a NF-&kgr;B–dependent manner. Modulating CD40 signaling on local vascular wall may become a new therapeutic target against vascular restenosis.
Venovenous extracorporeal life support improves survival in adult trauma patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure: A multicenter retrospective cohort study

BACKGROUND Venovenous extracorporeal life support (VV ECLS) has been reported in adult trauma patients with severe respiratory failure; however, ECLS is not available in many trauma centers, few trauma surgeons have experience initiating ECLS and managing ECLS patients, and there is currently little evidence supporting its use in severely injured patients. This study seeks to determine if VV ECLS improves survival in such patients. METHODS Data from two American College of Surgeons–verified Level 1 trauma centers, which maintain detailed records of patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure (AHRF), were evaluated retrospectively. The study population included trauma patients between 16 years and 55 years of age treated for AHRF between January 2001 and December 2009. These patients were divided into two cohorts as follows: patients who received VV ECLS after an incomplete or no response to other rescue therapies (ECLS) versus patients who were managed with mechanical ventilation (CONV). The primary outcome was survival to discharge, and secondary outcomes were intensive care unit and hospital length of stay (LOS), total ventilator days, and rate of complications requiring intervention. RESULTS Twenty-six ECLS patients and 76 CONV patients were compared. Adjusted survival was greater in the ECLS group (adjusted odds ratio, 0.193; 95% confidence interval, 0.042–0.884; p = 0.034). Ventilator days, intensive care unit LOS, and hospital LOS did not differ between the groups. ECLS patients received more blood transfusions and had more bleeding complications, while the CONV patients had more pulmonary complications. A cohort of 17 ECLS and 17 CONV patients matched for age and lung injury severity also demonstrated a significantly greater survival in the ECLS group (adjusted odds ratio, 0.038; 95% confidence interval, 0.004–0.407; p = 0.007). CONCLUSION VV ECLS is independently associated with survival in adult trauma patients with AHRF. ECLS should be considered in trauma patients with AHRF when conventional therapies prove ineffective; if ECLS is not readily available, transfer to an ECLS center should be pursued. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, level III.
Microbiota in anorexia nervosa: The triangle between bacterial species, metabolites and psychological tests

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disease with devastating physical consequences, with a pathophysiological mechanism still to be elucidated. Metagenomic studies on anorexia nervosa have revealed profound gut microbiome perturbations as a possible environmental factor involved in the disease. In this study we performed a comprehensive analysis integrating data on gut microbiota with clinical, anthropometric and psychological traits to gain new insight in the pathophysiology of AN. Fifteen AN women were compared with fifteen age-, sex- and ethnicity-matched healthy controls. AN diet was characterized by a significant lower energy intake, but macronutrient analysis highlighted a restriction only in fats and carbohydrates consumption. Next generation sequencing showed that AN intestinal microbiota was significantly affected at every taxonomic level, showing a significant increase of Enterobacteriaceae, and of the archeon Methanobrevibacter smithii compared with healthy controls. On the contrary, the genera Roseburia, Ruminococcus and Clostridium, were depleted, in line with the observed reduction in AN of total short chain fatty acids, butyrate, and propionate. Butyrate concentrations inversely correlated with anxiety levels, whereas propionate directly correlated with insulin levels and with the relative abundance of Roseburia inulinivorans, a known propionate producer. BMI represented the best predictive value for gut dysbiosis and metabolic alterations, showing a negative correlation with Bacteroides uniformis (microbiota), with alanine aminotransferase (liver function), and with psychopathological scores (obsession-compulsion, anxiety, and depression), and a positive correlation with white blood cells count. In conclusion, our findings corroborate the hypothesis that the gut dysbiosis could take part in the AN neurobiology, in particular in sustaining the persistence of alterations that eventually result in relapses after renourishment and psychological therapy, but causality still needs to be proven.
Transcranial sonography findings related to depression in parkinsonian disorders: cross-sectional study in 126 patients

Background. Transcranial sonography (TCS) has emerged as a potential diagnostic tool for Parkinson’s disease. Recent research has suggested that abnormal echogenicity of substantia nigra, raphe nuclei and third ventricle is associated with increased risk of depression among these patients. We sought to reproduce these findings in an ongoing larger study of patients with parkinsonian syndromes. Methods. A total of 126 patients with parkinsonian symptoms underwent the Hamilton Depression Scale, and TCS of the substantia nigra (SN) (n = 126), the raphe nuclei (RN) (n = 80) and the third ventricle (n = 57). We then calculated the correlation between depression and hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-echogenic RN and a wider third ventricle. Results. In patients with PD we found no significant difference of the SN between non-depressed and depressed patients (46% vs. 22%; p = 0.18). Non-depressed patients with other parkinsonisms more often had hyperechogenicity of the SN than depressed patients (51% vs. 0%; p = 0.01). We found no relation between depression and the echogenicity of the RN or the width of the third ventricle. Conclusions. In patients with parkinsonian syndromes, we found no association between depression and hyper-echogenic SN, hypo-echogenic RN or a wider third ventricle, as determined by transcranial sonography.
Type IV pili function upstream of the Dif chemotaxis pathway in Myxococcus xanthus EPS regulation

The developmental bacterium Myxococcus xanthus utilizes gliding motility to aggregate during the formation of multicellular fruiting bodies. The social (S) component of M. xanthus gliding motility requires at least two extracellular surface structures, type IV pili (Tfp) and the fibril polysaccharide or exopolysaccharide (EPS). Retraction of Tfp is proposed to power S motility and EPS from neighbouring cells is suggested to provide an anchor and trigger for Tfp retraction. The production of EPS in M. xanthus is regulated in part by the Dif chemosensory pathway; however, the input signal for the Dif pathway in EPS regulation remains to be uncovered. Using a genetic approach combined with quantitative and qualitative analysis, we demonstrate here that Tfp function upstream of the Dif proteins in regulating EPS production. The requirement of Tfp for the production of EPS was verified using various classes of Tfp mutants. Construction and examination of double and triple mutants indicated that mutations in dif are epistatic to those in pil. Furthermore, extracellular complementation between various Tfp and dif mutants suggests that Tfp, instead of being signals, may constitute the sensor or part of the sensor responsible for mediating signal input into the Dif pathway. We propose that S motility involves a regulatory loop in which EPS triggers Tfp retraction and Tfp provide proximity signals to the Dif pathway to modulate EPS production.
Physical System Consequences of Unobservable State-and-Topology Cyber-Physical Attacks

This paper studies the physical consequences of a class of unobservable state-and-topology cyber-physical attacks in which both state and topology data for a sub-network of the network are changed by an attacker to mask a physical attack. The problem is formulated as a two-stage optimization problem, which aims to cause overload in a line of the network with limited attack resources. It is shown that unobservable state-and-topology cyber-physical attacks as studied in this paper can make the system operation more vulnerable to line outages and failures.
Predictors of Change in Post-merger Identification 1 Running head : PREDICTORS OF CHANGE IN POST-MERGER IDENTIFICATION Predictors of Change in Post-merger Identification Throughout a Merger Process : A Longitudinal Study

Adopting an intergroup perspective, this research was designed to examine predictors of change in post-merger identification throughout a merger. Data were collected over three points of measurement from 157 students of a newly merged university. The first questionnaire was distributed 4 months after the implementation of the merger; the following two were distributed six months and a year thereafter. With its longitudinal design, this study replicates and extends past results by revealing predictors of change in organizational identification for members of the dominant and subordinate organization throughout a merger process. As predicted, post-merger identification increased only slowly for both members of the dominant and subordinate organization. Multilevel models for change confirmed that the predictive effect of pre-merger identification on post-merger identification for members of the dominant organization dissipates over time. The effect of ingroup typicality unexpectedly varied as a function of organizational membership and was stable over time. Perceived fairness in the merger process positively influenced post-merger identification across members of both organizations; over time the effect of fairness amplified. (word count: 170)
Achieving pareto optimality through distributed learning

We propose a simple payoff-based learning rule that is completely decentralized, and that leads to an efficient configuration of actions in any n-person game with generic payoffs. The algorithm requires no communication. Agents respond solely to changes in their own realized payoffs, which are affected by the actions of other agents in the system in ways that they do not necessarily understand. The method can be applied to the optimization of complex systems with many distributed components, such as the routing of information in networks and the design and control of wind farms.
Case markers and Morphology: Addressing the crux of the fluency problem in English-Hindi SMT

We report in this paper our work on accurately generating case markers and suffixes in English-to-Hindi SMT. Hindi is a relatively free word-order language, and makes use of a comparatively richer set of case markers and morphological suffixes for correct meaning representation. From our experience of large-scale English-Hindi MT, we are convinced that fluency and fidelity in the Hindi output get an order of magnitude facelift if accurate case markers and suffixes are produced. Now, the moot question is: what entity on the English side encodes the information contained in case markers and suffixes on the Hindi side? Our studies of correspondences in the two languages show that case markers and suffixes in Hindi are predominantly determined by the combination of suffixes and semantic relations on the English side. We, therefore, augment the aligned corpus of the two languages, with the correspondence of English suffixes and semantic relations with Hindi suffixes and case markers. Our results on 400 test sentences, translated using an SMT system trained on around 13000 parallel sentences, show that suffix + semantic relation → case marker/suffix is a very useful translation factor, in the sense of making a significant difference to output quality as indicated by subjective evaluation as well as BLEU scores.
A 240-frames/s 2.1-Mpixel CMOS Image Sensor With Column-Shared Cyclic ADCs

This paper proposes a low-power 240 frames/s 2.1 M-pixel CMOS image sensor with column-shared cyclic (CY) ADCs. Two-column shared CY-ADC architecture and two-level stacked ADC placement are employed for low-power and small pixel pitch design. The proposed CY-ADC uses only one OTA and four capacitors. Distributed clocking scheme using cascaded repeaters is proposed to reduce the required peak current. The prototype sensor was fabricated in a 0.13- μm 1P4M process with pixel pitch of 2.25 μm . The designed 10-bit ADC dissipates only 90 μW/channel with 1.5 V supply. The measured DNL and INL are +0.59/-0.83 LSB and +2.8/-3.6 LSB, respectively. The measured maximum pixel rate is 500 Mpixels/s with total power consumption of 300 mW.
Characterization and Reconstitution of Drosophila γ-Tubulin Ring Complex Subunits

The γ-tubulin ring complex (γTuRC) is important for microtubule nucleation from the centrosome. In addition to γ-tubulin, the Drosophila γTuRC contains at least six subunits, three of which [Drosophila gamma ring proteins (Dgrips) 75/d75p, 84, and 91] have been characterized previously. Dgrips84 and 91 are present in both the small γ-tubulin complex (γTuSC) and the γTuRC, while the remaining subunits are found only in the γTuRC. To study γTuRC assembly and function, we first reconstituted γTuSC using the baculovirus expression system. Using the reconstituted γTuSC, we showed for the first time that this subcomplex of the γTuRC has microtubule binding and capping activities. Next, we characterized two new γTuRC subunits, Dgrips128 and 163, and showed that they are centrosomal proteins. Sequence comparisons among all known γTuRC subunits revealed two novel sequence motifs, which we named grip motifs 1 and 2. We found that Dgrips128 and 163 can each interact with γTuSC. However, this interaction is insufficient for γTuRC assembly.
Retention in Meaning-Based Vocabulary Instruction

Vocabulary knowledge is said to play a prominent role in learning a foreign language (Schmitt 2008). There has been considerable debate about the most effective ways for developing learners’ vocabulary knowledge. While researchers often claim incidental learning is slow and untargeted, it can supplement in the “contextual” types of word knowledge (Schmitt 2010). Other studies suggest that intentional acquisition is more effective than incidental acquisition (Nation & Meara 2002). There is little research on the effectiveness of various methods within the context of intentional vocabulary learning. In the present study, the effects of conveying meaning through synonyms, dictionary definitions, and context on acquisition and retention of vocabulary items were investigated. Eighty-one female intermediate students of English were taught forty-five vocabulary items using the three abovementioned methods. The results of two delayed post-tests showed that the context method yielded a higher rate of retention both in the immediate test and the delayed post-test compared to the other two methods. The findings of the study suggest pedagogical implications for the incorporation of effective ways of teaching the meaning of vocabulary items in syllabuses.
On the Sum of Simultaneously f-Proximinal Subspaces and Quotient Spaces

In this paper we introduce the concept of f -simultaneous approximation in Banach spaces and prove some results concerning simultaneous f-approximation of the sum of two subspaces G and F of a Banach space X, where f is an increasing continuous non-negative real valued function defined on [0, ∞). Some other results are also presented. Mathematics Subject Classification: Primary 41A50, Secondary 41A28
Neural Basis of Inhibition: A Study of Antisaccades Using fMRI and MEG

Inhibition is a cognitive ability that allows humans to respond flexibly rather than reflexively to events. The purpose of this investigation is to elucidate the neural basis of inhibition in healthy humans. Combining magnetoencephalography and functional MRI, two unqiue brain imaging instruments, allows both key brain regions and the timing of neuronal processes involved with inhibition to be resolved. The study found strong evidence that the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is an important component in programming inhibitory signals.
Parameter Stability and the Valuation of Mortgages and Mortgage‐Backed Securities

The recent financial crisis was triggered by large and unexpected losses on mortgages and mortgage‐related securities. Here we examine model risk arising from innovations in mortgage markets and the effect on asset values. In particular, we examine the effect of parameter instability in the prepayment function. Using carefully constructed microdata, we find that the refinancing propensity was greater in 1998 for a 1997 issue given the same incentives, compared to the 1993 performance of a 1992 issue. The associated change in cash flow patterns produces economically significant changes in asset prices. Results are robust to alternative term structure models.
Renal Function as a Predictor of Outcome in a Broad Spectrum of Patients With Heart Failure

Background— Decreased renal function has been found to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular outcomes in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) with markedly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). The aim of this analysis was to evaluate the prognostic importance of renal function in a broader spectrum of patients with CHF. Methods and Results— The Candesartan in Heart Failure:Assessment of Reduction in Mortality and Morbidity (CHARM) program consisted of three component trials that enrolled patients with symptomatic CHF, based on use of ACE inhibitors and reduced (≤40%) or preserved LVEF (>40%). Entry baseline creatinine was required to be below 3.0 mg/dL (265 &mgr;mol/L). Routine baseline serum creatinine assessments were done in 2680 North American patients. An analysis of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation and LVEF on risk of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure, as well as on all-cause mortality, was conducted on these 2680 patients. The proportion of patients with eGFR <60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 was 36.0%; 42.6% for CHARM-Alternative, 33.0% for CHARM-Added, and 34.7% for CHARM-Preserved. During the median follow-up of 34.4 months (total 6493 person-years), the primary outcome of cardiovascular death or hospital admission for worsening CHF occurred in 950 of 2680 subjects. Both reduced eGFR and lower LVEF were found to be significant independent predictors of worse outcome after adjustment for major confounding baseline clinical characteristics. The risk for cardiovascular death or hospitalization for worsening CHF as well as the risk for all-cause mortality increased significantly below an eGFR of 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 (adjusted hazard ratio, 1.54 for 45 to 60 mL/min per 1.73 m2 and 1.86 for <45 mL/min per 1.73 m2 for the primary outcome, both P<0.001, and hazard ratio of 1.50, P=0.006, and 1.91, P=0.001, respectively, for all-cause mortality). The prognostic value of eGFR was not significantly different among the three component trials. There was no significant interaction between renal function, the effect of candesartan, and clinical outcome. Conclusions— Impaired renal function is independently associated with heightened risk for death, cardiovascular death, and hospitalization for heart failure in patients with CHF with both preserved as well as reduced LVEF. There was no evidence that the beneficial effect of candesartan was modified by baseline eGFR.