Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The 5‐HT2A receptor antagonist M100,907 prevents extracellular glutamate rising in response to NMDA receptor blockade in the mPFC

We recently found that intracortical injection of the selective and competitive N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist 3‐(R)‐2‐carboxypiperazin‐4‐propyl‐1‐phosphonic acid (CPP) impaired attentional performance in rats and blockade of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT)2A receptors antagonized this effect. Here, we used the microdialysis technique in conscious rats to study the effect of CPP on extracellular glutamate (GLU) in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the regulation of this effect by 5‐HT2A receptors. Intraperitoneal injection of 20 mg/kg CPP increased extracellular GLU in the mPFC (201% of basal levels) but had no effect on 5‐HT. Intracortical infusion of 100 µm CPP increased extracellular GLU (230% of basal values) and 5‐HT (150% of basal values) in the mPFC, whereas 30 µm had no significant effect. The effect of 100 µm CPP on extracellular GLU was abolished by tetrodotoxin, suggesting that neuronal activity is required. Subcutaneous injection of 40 µg/kg M100,907 completely antagonized the effect of 100 µm cpp on extracellular GLU, whereas 10 µg/kg caused only partial attenuation. Likewise, intracortical infusion of 0.1 µm M100,907 completely reversed the increase of extracellular GLU induced by CPP. These findings show that blockade of NMDA receptors in the mPFC is sufficient to increase extracellular GLU locally. The increase of cortical extracellular GLU may contribute to CPP‐induced cognitive deficits and blockade of 5‐HT2A receptors may provide a molecular mechanism for reversing these deficits caused by dysfunctional glutamatergic transmission in the mPFC.
Imaging changes and cognitive outcome in primary CNS lymphoma after enhanced chemotherapy delivery.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In children, MR imaging abnormalities consistent with leukoencephalopathy after treatment for hematologic malignancy do not correlate with neurologic dysfunction and are often overinterpreted with regard to clinical significance. We hypothesized that this would also be true in primary CNS lymphoma (PCNSL) patients who attained a complete response (CR) after treatment with chemotherapy and osmotic blood-brain barrier disruption (BBBD). We hypothesized that cognitive function loss measured after tissue diagnosis but before BBBD-enhanced chemotherapy could be correlated with brain changes visualized by imaging, whereas a correlation would not be present after therapy if the patient attained a complete tumor response, analogous to the findings in children. METHODS Sixteen primary CNS lymphoma patients were followed after CR (no enhancing tumor) by using a methotrexate-based regimen. Neuropsychological (NP) cognitive testing and MR imaging or CT (when MR imaging was not available) were performed before treatment and at completion of the 12-month treatment for each patient. Thereafter, the same studies were available for nine of these 16 CR patients, who were followed for a median of 55 months. Zone I was defined as enhancing tumor, and zone II as surrounding abnormal MR T2 signal intensity or low-attenuation CT. The cognitive scores were converted to Z scores and the MR T2 signal intensity or CT low-attenuated changes were converted to a summary zone II abnormality score. RESULTS A significant association between neurocognitive data and zone II abnormality was found at baseline after tissue diagnosis but before chemotherapy (r = -.55; P < .028), but no correlation existed at end of treatment. Imaging studies showed that seven patients developed a new T2 or low-attenuation abnormality by the end of treatment, whereas 15 patients showed a decrease, stable appearance, or complete resolution of their baseline zone II abnormality by end of treatment. Although cognitive loss compared with age-matched control subjects was common before starting therapy, by the end of treatment all patients' cognitive function improved significantly (P < .005). CONCLUSION The current data suggest that neither enhanced chemotherapy delivery nor changes in MR imaging T2 signal intensity or CT low attenuation, in PCNSL patients who attained a CR, were associated with a decrease in cognitive function.
Belief Meddling in Social Networks: An Information-Design Approach

Social media have become an increasingly important source of information about political, social and economic issues. While beneficial on many levels, the decentralized nature of these media may expose societies to novel risks of manipulation by third parties. To evaluate these risks, we study a model where a designer sends information to agents who interact in a game, so as to affect its outcome. The designer can communicate only with a limited number of agents, who then share information with each other on a network of social links before playing the game. We characterize the equilibrium outcomes that can be induced by seeding this social network with information. Our main result recasts this constrained information-design problem in terms of an equivalent linear program, which is particularly useful for applications. We show that a simple property of the network — the depth of communication — fully determines the scope for belief manipulation. Finally, we illustrate how a holistic use of linear-programming duality helps to characterize the solution to the optimal seeding problem. Our theory offers insights into the design of advertisement and political campaigns that are robust to (or leverage on) information spillovers.
Multitarget Tracking

Multitarget tracking (MTT) refers to the problem of jointly estimating the number of targets and their states or trajectories from noisy sensor measurements. MTT has a long history spanning over 50 years, with a plethora of applications in many fields of study. While numerous techniques have been developed, the three most widely used approaches to MTT are the joint probabilistic data association filter (JPDAF), multiple hypothesis tracking (MHT), and random finite set (RFS). The JPDAF and MHT have been widely used for more than two decades, while the random finite set (RFS) based MTT algorithms have received a great deal of attention during the last decade. In this article, we provide an overview of MTT and succinct summaries of popular state-of-the-art MTT algorithms. List of mathematical symbols: δ(·) Dirac delta δn[m] Kronecker delta: δn[m] = { 1, if m = n 0, otherwise ∅ empty set 1A(·) indicator function on the set A 〈·, ·〉 inner product between functions/sequences |X| cardinality (number of elements) of the set X C j number of j-combinations of n: n! j! (n−j)! P j number of j-permutations of n: n! (n−j)! X state space x state vector F(X ) collection of finite subsets of X Z observation space z observation vector zl:k (zl, zl+1, ., zk) z observation history z1:k Pr(A) probability of event A fk|k−1(·|·) state transition density gk(·|·) likelihood function p0:k(·|·) posterior density pk|k−1(·|·) prediction density pk(·|·) filtering density N (·; m,P) Gaussian probability density with mean m and covariance P Fk,k−1 state transition matrix Hk measurement matrix (·)′ transpose of a vector/matrix 1 column vector of ones [1, 1, . , 1]′ PS,k|k−1(x) probability of survival of a target at time k given its previous state x PD,k(x) probability of target detection at time k given its state x B. -N. Vo and B. -T. Vo are with Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia. M. Mallick is with Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India. Y. Bar-Shalom and R. Osborne, III are with University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA. S. Coraluppi is with STR, Woburn, MA, USA. R. Mahler is an Independent Consultant, Minnesota, USA.
A reproduction of Luria' s expedition to central Asia

Background. About 40 years ago, Alexander Luria published in 1974 his world known book “On the historical development of cognitive processes”. It describes the data of an experimental study of mental functions in illiterate people living in the peripheral parts of Uzbekistan (Central Asia). A.R. Luria together with L.S. Vygotsky worked out the design of this study, performed in 1931-1933. The study proved a significant influence of social life and literacy on the structure of logical reasoning. In the conclusion to this book Luria indicates, that his colleagues often advised him to repeat this study in 40 years, but the author did not considered it reasonable, as radical changes in cultural and educational level of Asia population must equalize the differences in cognitive processes with people from central regions. Is it so? Study design. A group of psychologists from Moscow, Belgorod and Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky performed an integrated study of endogenous populations of the north of Kamchatka peninsula living in regional centers or nomadic herdsmen in tundra. Thirty subjects (17 men and 13 females) all with primary education in Russian schools were assessed using the same tests on classification and generalization, as Luria did, together with Luria neuropsychological battery, and projective drawing on life attitudes. Conclusion. Life values of endogenous peoples are more nature centered than in Russians from central regions. Nomadic and settled subgroups with the same level of education differed in some neuropsychological tests, revealing the influence of social life conditions. It confirms Luria’s idea about cultural determination of cognitive processes but also shows that life conditions are as important cultural factors as literacy.
Cortical radial glial cells in human fetuses: depth-correlated transformation into astrocytes.

In the human brain, the transformation of radial glial cells (RGC) into astrocytes has been studied only rarely. In this work, we were interested in studying the morphologic aspects underlying this transformation during the fetal/perinatal period, particularly emphasizing the region-specific glial fiber anatomy in the medial cortex. We have used carbocyanine dyes (DiI/DiA) to identify the RGC transitional forms and glial fiber morphology. Immunocytochemical markers such as vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were also employed to label the radial cells of glial lineage and to reveal the early pattern of astrocyte distribution. Neuronal markers such as neuronal-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) and microtubule-associated protein (MAP-2) were employed to discern whether or not these radial cells could, in fact, be neurons or neuronal precursors. The main findings concern the beginning of RGC transformation showing loss of the ventricular fixation in most cases, followed by transitional figures and the appearance of mature astrocytes. In addition, diverse fiber morphology related to depth within the cortical mantle was clearly demonstrated. We concluded that during the fetal/perinatal period the cerebral cortex is undergoing the final stages of radial neuronal migration, followed by involution of RGC ventricular processes and transformation into astrocytes. None of the transitional or other radial glia were positive for neuronal markers. Furthermore, the differential morphology of RGC fibers according to depth suggests that factors may act locally in the subplate and could have a role in the process of cortical RGC transformation and astrocyte localization. The early pattern of astrocyte distribution is bilaminar, sparing the cortical plate. Few astrocytes (GFAP+) in the upper band could be found with radial processes at anytime. This suggests that astrocytes in the marginal zone could be derived from different precursors than those that differentiate from RGCs during this period.
Non-Consent to a Wrist-Worn Accelerometer in Older Adults: The Role of Socio-Demographic, Behavioural and Health Factors

Background Accelerometers, initially waist-worn but increasingly wrist-worn, are used to assess physical activity free from reporting-bias. However, its acceptability by study participants is unclear. Our objective is to assess factors associated with non-consent to a wrist-mounted accelerometer in older adults. Methods Data are from 4880 Whitehall II study participants (1328 women, age range = 60–83), requested to wear a wrist-worn accelerometer 24 h every day for 9 days in 2012/13. Sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors were assessed by questionnaire and weight, height, blood pressure, cognitive and motor function were measured during a clinical examination. Results 210 participants had contraindications and 388 (8.3%) of the remaining 4670 participants did not consent. Women, participants reporting less physical activity and less favorable general health were more likely not to consent. Among the clinical measures, cognitive impairment (Odds Ratio = 2.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.22–4.00) and slow walking speed (Odds Ratio = 1.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.02–1.86) were associated with higher odds of non-consent. Conclusions The rate of non-consent in our study of older adults was low. However, key markers of poor health at older ages were associated with non-consent, suggesting some selection bias in the accelerometer data.
Changes in the physicochemical characteristics of peanut straw biochar after freeze-thaw and dry-wet aging treatments of the biomass

Effects of aging after pyrolysis were tested relative to the physicochemical characteristics of peanut straw biochar. Biochar was prepared at pyrolysis temperatures of 350 °C, 500 °C, and 650 °C; then, it was freeze-thawed and dry-wet aged. The physicochemical characteristics of the fresh and aged biochar were analyzed. The results showed that the pyrolysis temperature, ambient temperature, and humidity affected the physicochemical characteristics of the biochar. With the increase of pyrolysis temperature, the yield and surface acidic functional groups of the fresh biochar decreased, whereas the ash content, C content, pH, specific surface area, and mesoporous volume of the fresh biochar increased. The aging treatment increased the acidic functional groups content in the biochar and reduced the aromatic functional groups content, which decreased the pH value of the biochar. The aging treatment increased the specific surface area and pore volume of the biochar, and the effect of freeze-thaw aging was greater than that of dry-wet aging. The aging treatment also destroyed the complete shape of the fresh biochar, and reduced its stability. After the aging treatment, the C content of the biochar decreased, whereas the O content increased, due to oxidation of the biochar.
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS FOR PARTNERING IN THE TURKISH CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Partnering is in the agenda of construction companies worldwide as it is an effective strategy that may increase competitiveness of companies and reduce risks retained by each party. In order for partnering to reach its expected benefits, partner selection is of vital importance. There are also some critical success factors (CSFs) that should be taken into account by the parties in order to maintain a successful partnership throughout its lifecycle. The aim of this research is to identify the factors affecting the partner selection process as well as the CSFs that are found important by the Turkish contractors. Within the context of this research, a questionnaire was designed to collect data and statistical analysis was conducted to reveal the perception of contractors about partnering based on the experiences of 49 Turkish companies. The scope of this paper is limited to short-term project-based joint ventures as it is the most widely used type of partnering in the Turkish construction industry. Results demonstrate that the most important factors while selecting partners are experience in similar projects, corporate image, relations with clients, and financial, technical, and managerial capability of the company. Cooperation among partners, clear definition of roles and responsibilities, mutual decision-making, dispute resolution, effective coordination and communication, and trust among partners are identified as the most important CSFs. After discussing the implications of identified CSFs for the Turkish construction industry, some strategies are proposed for maximising the success of the partnering process.
Modeling Approximate Computing Techniques

The efficiency–accuracy trade-off of approximate computing spans a diverse array of techniques at both the hardware and software levels. While this diversity is key to the success of approximation research, it also entails considerable complexity in developing and validating new approximation techniques. Researchers must relate their ideas to a vast body of work on approximate computing and invest significant software and hardware implementation effort to validate their hypotheses. These problems slow the pace of innovation and, when they prove too much to bear, risk misdirecting research away from promising ideas. To better understand these trade-offs, we present REACT: a new tool for modeling the efficiency–accuracy space afforded by approximate computing. We first motivate the need for such a tool by discussing the complex space of current approximate computing research. Then, we present REACT, a modeling framework that lets researches rapidly evaluate approximate-computing techniques and lets practitioners understand the potential impact of approximation in their code. REACT combines an application profiler with an energy model and error injection framework to measure the effects of approximation on user-provided applications. We show how REACT can easily model approximation techniques from diverse regions of our classification. To demonstrate REACT’s utility, we use it to evaluate several benchmarks for their amenability to approximation and to individual techniques. Our exploration shows that the energy savings and error vary widely between techniques and applications, and that coarse-grain techniques dominate fine-grain ones.
Usefulness of diffusion-weighted imaging in the evaluation of renal masses.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to assess the value of diffusion-weighted imaging in differentiating among the various subgroups of renal masses. MATERIALS AND METHODS This retrospective study measured the apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) of renal masses. Malignant lesions were confirmed with surgical pathology results. Benign cystic lesions were stable without treatment for a minimum follow-up of 24 months. RESULTS There were 20 and 22 patients, respectively, with benign lesions (three abscess, 31 cysts) and malignant lesions (17 clear cell, five papillary, one chromophobe, and two transitional cell cancers). The malignant lesions were larger than the benign lesions (mean diameter, 4.2 vs 2.6 cm, respectively; p = 0.01, Student's t test). The ADC values of the benign lesions were significantly higher than those of the malignant lesions (mean, 2.72 vs 1.88 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; p < 0.0001). The ADCs of the 31 benign cysts were significantly higher than those of the seven cystic renal cancers (2.77 vs 2.02 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the ADCs of clear cell cancers and non-clear cell cancers (1.85 vs 1.97 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; p = 0.18), but an ADC of less than 1.79 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s was seen only with clear cell cancer. The ADCs of high-grade clear cell cancers (Fuhrman grades III and IV) tended to be lower than those of low-grade clear cell cancers (1.77 vs 1.95 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s; p = 0.12). Among the clear cell cancers, an ADC value of greater than 2.12 x 10(-3) mm(2)/s was seen only with low-grade histology. For differentiating benign from malignant lesions, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed an area under the ROC curve of 0.989 (95% CI, 0.919-0.996; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION ADC measurements may aid in differentiating among the various subgroups of renal masses, particularly benign cystic lesions from cystic renal cell cancers.
Calling in wild silvery gibbons (Hylobates moloch) in Java (Indonesia): behavior, phylogeny, and conservation

Hardly any behavioral data are available for the silvery gibbon (Hylobates moloch), an endangered primate that is endemic to the island of Java, Indonesia. We studied the singing behavior of the easternmost population of this species in the Dieng mountains, central Java, in 1998–1999. We aimed to document the timing of singing, quantify the amount of singing by the respective sexes, and explore the role of bioacoustics in density estimation. A total of 122 song bouts in at least 12 groups were monitored. No duet songs were heard. Most of the song bouts (91.5%) were female solo song bouts or female scream bouts. In contrast to an earlier study on the westernmost population of silvery gibbons, during which few if any male songs were heard, at least 8.5% of the song bouts in our study were male solo song bouts. They were significantly longer in duration than the female songs. All male song bouts uttered before dawn (0520 hr) were produced in a chorus fashion, with at least three individuals participating. Choruses occurred about once every 8.5 days, and lasted longer and occurred earlier than female solo song bouts. Most male songs (60%) started between 0355–0440 hr, when it was still dark. All female songs, in contrast, started after 0500 hr, and female singing activity peaked around 0600. Regular male singing, male chorusing, and regular predawn singing have not previously been reported for silvery gibbons. Similarly separated periods of male and female solo songs and the absence of duetting have been observed in Kloss's gibbons (H. klossii) on the Mentawai Islands, and may represent synapomorphies shared by both species. The pronounced individual‐specific song characteristics of silvery gibbons allow accurate mapping of groups. The density of gibbons at our study site was established to be 1.9–3.7 groups/km2, corresponding to 6.7–13.1 individuals/km2. We reassess the suitability of gibbon songs as a means of estimating the density and size of gibbon populations, and discuss the proximate causes for the absence of duetting in silvery gibbons. Am. J. Primatol. 68:1–19, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
NetDiagnoser: troubleshooting network unreachabilities using end-to-end probes and routing data

The distributed nature of the Internet makes it difficult for a single service provider to troubleshoot the disruptions experienced by its customers. We propose NetDiagnoser, a troubleshooting algorithm to identify the location of failures in an internetwork environment. First, we adapt the well-known Boolean tomography technique to work in this environment. Then, we significantly extend this technique to improve the diagnosis accuracy in the presence of multiple link failures, logical failures (for instance, misconfigurations of route export filters), and incomplete topology inference. In particular, NetDiagnoser takes advantage of rerouted paths, routing messages collected at one provider's network and Looking Glass servers. We evaluate each feature of Net-Diagnoser separately using C-BGP simulations on realistic topologies. Our results show that NetDiagnoser can successfully identify a small set of links, which almost always includes the actually failed/misconfigured links.