Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcriptional Profiles Uncover Aspergillus flavus-Induced Resistance in Maize Kernels

Aflatoxin contamination caused by the opportunistic pathogen A. flavus is a major concern in maize production prior to harvest and through storage. Previous studies have highlighted the constitutive production of proteins involved in maize kernel resistance against A. flavus’ infection. However, little is known about induced resistance nor about defense gene expression and regulation in kernels. In this study, maize oligonucleotide arrays and a pair of closely-related maize lines varying in aflatoxin accumulation were used to reveal the gene expression network in imbibed mature kernels in response to A. flavus’ challenge. Inoculated kernels were incubated 72 h via the laboratory-based Kernel Screening Assay (KSA), which highlights kernel responses to fungal challenge. Gene expression profiling detected 6955 genes in resistant and 6565 genes in susceptible controls; 214 genes induced in resistant and 2159 genes induced in susceptible inoculated kernels. Defense related and regulation related genes were identified in both treatments. Comparisons between the resistant and susceptible lines indicate differences in the gene expression network which may enhance our understanding of the maize-A. flavus interaction.
Recent advances and developments in the clinical use of i.v. opioids during the peroperative period.

The provision of general anaesthesia requires the administration of drugs to suppress movement in response to noxious stimuli and responses to autonomic stimulation of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, to abolish awareness, and to relieve pain. Pain relief can be achieved by use of nitrous oxide as part of a balanced anaesthetic; by opioids or related drugs given intravenously or systemically; by other drugs having analgesic properties (for example, phencyclidines such as ketamine, or the NSAIDs); or by local anaesthetic agents, given topically by local infiltration to provide nerve or plexus blockade, or by the spinal route. In this review I shall consider the use of opioid drugs as part of balanced or other anaesthetic techniques for anaesthesia. The analgesic properties of morphine have been known since they were described by Theophrastus in the third century BC, but there is a continuing quest for newer and pharmacologically purer drugs that bring about analgesia without the unwanted other effects of the opium alkaloids. The first such synthetic agent was pethidine, produced in 1938; its use as part of a balanced technique using nitrous oxide was described by Neff and colleagues. 84 In 1958 Bailey and colleagues used pethidine with oxygen for cardiac surgery. 8 This led in turn to reports of the cardiovascular stability observed when large doses of morphine (0.5–1.0 mg kg � 1 ) were given to patients with compromised cardiovascular function. 74 However, the technique was not without its problems, namely intraoperative recall, failure to prevent intraoperative hypertension, histaminerelated hypotension and increased perioperative fluid requirements. In an attempt to remedy these side effects, some clinicians used even larger doses of morphine (up to 10 mg kg � 1 ), although this was found to be associated with greater haemodynamic instability. 120 Other side-effects included the potential for addiction and pronounced respiratory depression. In the course of the evaluation of alternative drugs with a greater analgesic selectivity, nalorphine was synthesized. Nalorphine not only reversed the respiratory depressant effects of morphine but also had intrinsic analgesic properties. This led to the develop
Use of Rhizobium leguminosarum as a potential biofertilizer for Lactuca sativa and Daucus carota crops

Microbial biofertilizers are becoming an effective tool for sustainable agriculture by means of the reduction of the use of chemical fertilizers. However, the knowledge of each specific plant–microorganism interaction is essential for a correct application. In this study, we analyzed the in vitro plant-growth-promotion mechanisms of a Rhizobium leguminosarum strain named PEPV16 isolated from Phaseolus vulgaris nodules. This strain was able to produce siderophores and indole acetic acid and to solubilize phosphate. Confocal microscopy showed that this strain was able to colonize the roots of two horticultural crops, Lactuca sativa L. (lettuce) and Daucus carota L. (carrot). Strain PEPV16 was also able to promote the plant growth of both plant species increasing the dry matter of shoots and roots of lettuce and carrots, respectively, as well as to increase the uptake of N and P in the edible parts of both plant species. These data confirmed the suitability of Rhizobium as biofertilizer for nonlegumes.
A case study: productivity and quality gains using an object‐oriented framework

The Neuro‐Oncology Information System (NOIS) supports researchers and other personnel throughout the United States engaged in brain tumor research. Graphical user interfaces that allow data input into the NOIS have been evolving over several years. This paper describes the design and implementation of the NOIS Input Forms as they migrated from a procedural approach to a static object‐oriented approach, and finally to a framework approach in which not only static components were reused, but also the patterns of interaction among the components. The paper documents a significant gain in productivity and quality that was realized when using the framework design paradigm. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Finite Element Model Approach to Determine the Influence of Electrode Design and Muscle Architecture on Myoelectric Signal Properties

Introduction Surface electromyography (sEMG) is the measurement of the electrical activity of the skeletal muscle tissue detected at the skin’s surface. Typically, a bipolar electrode configuration is used. Most muscles have pennate and/or curved fibres, meaning it is not always feasible to align the bipolar electrodes along the fibres direction. Hence, there is a need to explore how different electrode designs can affect sEMG measurements. Method A three layer finite element (skin, fat, muscle) muscle model was used to explore different electrode designs. The implemented model used as source signal an experimentally recorded intramuscular EMG taken from the biceps brachii muscle of one healthy male. A wavelet based intensity analysis of the simulated sEMG signal was performed to analyze the power of the signal in the time and frequency domain. Results The model showed muscle tissue causing a bandwidth reduction (to 20-92- Hz). The inter-electrode distance (IED) and the electrode orientation relative to the fibres affected the total power but not the frequency filtering response. The effect of significant misalignment between the electrodes and the fibres (60°- 90°) could be reduced by increasing the IED (25–30 mm), which attenuates signal cancellation. When modelling pennated fibres, the muscle tissue started to act as a low pass filter. The effect of different IED seems to be enhanced in the pennated model, while the filtering response is changed considerably only when the electrodes are close to the signal termination within the model. For pennation angle greater than 20°, more than 50% of the source signal was attenuated, which can be compensated by increasing the IED to 25 mm. Conclusion Differences in tissue filtering properties, shown in our model, indicates that different electrode designs should be considered for muscle with different geometric properties (i.e. pennated muscles).
The effect of melatonergic and non-melatonergic antidepressants on sleep: weighing the alternatives

In DSM-IV the occurrence of disturbed sleep is one of the principal diagnostic criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). Further, there is evidence of reciprocity between the two conditions such that, even in the absence of current depressive symptoms, disturbed sleep often predicts their development. The present review discusses the effects of antidepressants on sleep and evaluates the use of the recently developed melatonin agonist–selective serotonin antagonists on sleep and depression. Although many antidepressants such as the tricyclics, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, several serotonin receptor antagonists and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have all been found successful in treating depression, their use is often associated with a disruptive effect on sleep. SSRIs, currently the most widely prescribed of the antidepressants, are well known for their instigation or exacerbation of insomnia. The recently introduced novel melatonin agonist and selective serotonin antagonist antidepressant, agomelatine, which has melatonin MT1 and MT2 receptor agonist and 5-HT2c antagonist properties, has been useful in treating patients with MDD. Its rapid onset of action and effectiveness in improving the mood of depressed patients has been attributed to its ability to improve sleep quality. These properties underline the use of melatonin analogues as a promising alternative for the treatment of depression.
Risk-Taking and Psychosocial Functioning of Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ADHD is a persistent psychological disorder with far-reaching effects on many facets of an individual’s development. Despite this, there are a number of developmental outcomes that have not been extensively researched. Among these topics; is whether there is a risk of harm that may be inherent in life-course persistent ADHD symptomatology. Based on an integrated theory of ADHD phenotypology; this thesis contains a study comprising of four phases that explore the relationship between ADHD and four risk-laden outcomes. The sample for this study consisted of 67 adults from Christchurch, New Zealand (average age 33) of whom a sample of 35 adults met criteria for ADHD, which persisted into adulthood. The group of adults with ADHD were matched across demographic factors with a control group of adults with whom they were compared across a raft of psychosocial variables. The first phase illustrates the relationship between ADHD and self-destructive behaviours including self-harm and suicidal ideation and attempts, which were found to be significantly mediated by coping behaviour and psychological comorbidity. The second phase reports on the relationship between ADHD and a range of risk-taking behaviours including: violence risk, nicotine use and sexual risk-taking, and the mediating role of motivational variances, including reward sensitivity and temporal discounting. The third phase illustrates the moderating Risk-Taking in Adult ADHD x effect of childhood abuse victimisation on ADHD in increasing the vulnerability of the development of mood disorders in adulthood. A fourth phase explores a range of physical health outcomes including diet, exercise, chronic illness and disability which were not found to be significantly associated with ADHD in adulthood. Based on the literature previewed below, it is theorised in this thesis that ADHD symptomatology may act as a diathesis that, coupled with comorbid psychosocial stressors, may contribute to an individual’s level of risk to themselves and others. Overall, this research suggests that ADHD symptomatology that persists into adulthood may pose a significant risk to some individuals, in the form of deliberate and non-deliberate forms of harm. These findings may challenge previously held beliefs regarding the innocuousness of ADHD as a psychological disorder and highlight the need to consider risk and safety issues in the assessment and treatment of adult ADHD. Risk-Taking in Adult ADHD 1
Comparing First and Second Generation Digital Natives' Internet Use, Internet Anxiety, and Internet Identification

The aim of the study was to compare first and second generation Digital Natives' attitudes toward and use of the Internet. The sample of first generation Digital Natives consisted of 558 students who we surveyed in 2002 and who were born after 1980. The sample of second generation Digital Natives consisted of a sample of 458 students who we surveyed in 2012 and were born after 1993. They completed a questionnaire in the first semester of their first academic year, which consisted of a measure of Internet experience, an Internet anxiety scale, and an Internet identification scale. Second generation Digital Natives had more positive attitudes toward the Internet than first generation Digital Natives. They had higher scores on the Internet identification scale and lower scores on the Internet anxiety scale compared with first generation Digital Natives. Furthermore, we found that second generation Digital Natives used the Internet more than first generation Digital Natives. E-mail was the most popular activity for both generations, although second generation Digital Natives used it significantly more than first generation Digital Natives. Social networking sites emerged as very popular for second generation Digital Natives. Both generations reported low use of Web 2.0 technologies.
Adaptive Emotion Regulation among Low-Income

This study examined early childhood predictors of adaptive emotion regulation among economically disadvantaged urban African American children. Vagal tone (VNA), attachment, and regulation capacities were assessed among 69 preschoolers. Two years later, additional indices of child regulation were obtained for 56 of the children. Emotion regulation was assessed through observation, child self-report, parent report, and teacher report. As expected, attachment and VNA were not significantly correlated. Surprisingly, there were few significant main effects for attachment or V NA on child emotion regulation. However, significant interactions were found between VNA and attachment on a number of measures of regulation. Among children who were securely attached, high baseline VNA tended to predict better regulation abilities. The opposite pattern was found for children with insecure attachments. Findings suggest that the development of adaptive regulation capacities is a function of complex interactions among biological and social processes. Additionally, this study illustrates the importance of validating constructs with lower-income African American children that have been shown to predict regulation among middle-income Caucasian children.
Provocation of Symmetry/Ordering Symptoms in Anorexia nervosa: A Functional Neuroimaging Study

Anorexia nervosa (AN), obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), and obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) are often co-morbid; however, the aetiology of such co-morbidity has not been well investigated. This study examined brain activation in women with AN and in healthy control (HC) women during the provocation of symmetry/ordering-related anxiety. During provocation, patients with AN showed more anxiety compared to HCs, which was correlated with the severity of symmetry/ordering symptoms. Activation in the right parietal lobe and right prefrontal cortex (rPFC) in response to provocation was reduced in the AN group compared with the HC group. The reduced right parietal activation observed in the AN group is consistent with parietal lobe involvement in visuospatial cognition and with studies of OCD reporting an association between structural abnormalities in this region and the severity of ‘ordering’ symptoms. Reduced rPFC activation in response to symmetry/ordering provocation has similarities with some, but not all, data collected from patients with AN who were exposed to images of food and bodies. Furthermore, the combination of data from the AN and HC groups showed that rPFC activation during symptom provocation was inversely correlated with the severity of symmetry/ordering symptoms. These data suggest that individuals with AN have a diminished ability to cognitively deal with illness-associated symptoms of provocation. Furthermore, our data also suggest that symptom provocation can progressively overload attempts by the rPFC to exert cognitive control. These findings are discussed in the context of the current neurobiological models of AN.
The Life of the Party: Impact of Social Mapping in OpenStreetMap

OpenStreetMap has grown rapidly into an exemplary geowiki, where contributors collectively build an open map of the world. Official ‘mapping party’ events are organized on a regular basis to invite users to socialize, map and to engage new-comers locally. Here, we measure the direct and indirect impact of mapping parties on user contributions in both the short and long terms. We question whether this social mapping is a cause for users to become highly committed through a social bond, or is an effect of the mappers’ need to find a common social ground. We show that mapping parties have distinct effects on different types of users, with a more profound direct impact on weaker contributors and a longer term effect on heavy contributors.
Detecting rumor patterns in streaming social media

Rumor detection in streaming social media is a significant but challenging problem. In this paper, we present a method to identify rumor patterns in the streaming social media environment. Patterns which combine both structural and behavioral properties of rumor are firstly proposed to distinguish false rumors from valid news. A novel graph-based pattern matching algorithm is also described to detect rumor patterns from streaming social media data. Compared within Twitter data of rumors and non-rumors, our selected rumor patterns contain distinct properties of rumors in short-term series.
Songle: A Web Service for Active Music Listening Improved by User Contributions

This paper describes a public web service for active music listening, Songle, that enriches music listening experiences by using music-understanding technologies based on signal processing. Although various research-level interfaces and technologies have been developed, it has not been easy to get people to use them in everyday life. Songle serves as a showcase to demonstrate how people can benefit from music-understanding technologies by enabling people to experience active music listening interfaces on the web. Songle facilitates deeper understanding of music by visualizing music scene descriptions estimated automatically, such as music structure, hierarchical beat structure, melody line, and chords. When using music-understanding technologies, however, estimation errors are inevitable. Songle therefore features an efficient error correction interface that encourages people to contribute by correcting those errors to improve the web service. We also propose a mechanism of collaborative training for music-understanding technologies, in which corrected errors will be used to improve the music-understanding performance through machine learning techniques. We hope Songle will serve as a research platform where other researchers can exhibit results of their music-understanding technologies to jointly promote the popularization of the field of music information research.
Effects of Litter Quality (Moisture, Ammonia, Uric Acid) on Development and Severity of Foot Pad Dermatitis in Growing Turkeys

SUMMARY. High dietary protein is thought to increase the incidence of foot pad dermatitis (FPD) as a result of increased uric acid and secondary ammonia production in the excreta or litter. This study was conducted on female turkeys over a period of 3 wk to test the effects of water alone, and also of these end products of protein metabolism, independent of the presence of excreta, on the development and severity of FPD. The animals were allocated into four groups, with 20 birds in each, and housed in floor pens on dry, clean wood shavings (changed daily) throughout the experiment. The control group was housed continuously in its pen, whereas the other groups were additionally exposed daily (for 8 hr) to experimentally treated wood shavings, in adjacent separate boxes, enriched with water alone or water with NH4Cl or uric acid. NH4Cl and uric acid were added via water to the litter to achieve the concentrations of ammonia and uric acid in the litter as found in the excreta of turkeys (about 0.50 g ammonia and 20 g uric acid/kg). The wet litter was kept clean by removing the excreta twice daily and by changing the litter twice a week. The foot pads of all birds were examined on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 and scored externally (macroscopically). Three birds were selected from each group on days 0, 7, and 14, while the remaining 11 birds/group were sacrificed on day 21 for histopathologic assessment of foot pads. The severity of FPD was found to be markedly higher (about 3 times) on wet than on dry litter. There were no negative effects of ammonia and uric acid on foot pad lesions. The results indicate that high litter moisture is the most likely factor causing FPD in turkeys. A focus on nitrogenous irritants in the litter was not substantiated. Exposure of birds to wet litter (in the absence of excreta) for only 8 hr/day was sufficient to develop foot pad lesions. The present results suggest that a focus on the protein content of the diet as a cause of FPD may be misplaced, but all dietary factors which increase excreta or litter moisture, or both, should be considered. The prevalence and severity of FPD can be reduced by maintaining dry litter.
Epidermal stem cells are resistant to cellular aging

The epidermis of the skin, acting as the primary physical barrier between self and environment, is a dynamic tissue whose maintenance is critical to the survival of an organism. Like most other tissues and organs, the epidermis is maintained and repaired by a population of resident somatic stem cells. The epidermal stem cells reside in the proliferative basal cell layer and are believed to persist for the lifetime of an individual. Acting through intermediaries known as transit amplifying cells, epidermal stem cells ensure that the enormous numbers of keratinocytes required for epidermal homeostasis to be maintained are generated. This continual demand for new cell production must be met over the entire lifetime of an individual. Breakdown of the epidermal barrier would have catastrophic consequences. This leads us to question whether or not epidermal stem cells represent a unique population of cells which, by necessity, might be resistant to cellular aging. We hypothesized that the full physiologic functional capacity of epidermal stem cells is maintained over an entire lifetime. Using murine skin epidermis as our model system, we compared several properties of young and old adult epidermal stem cells. We found that, over an average mouse's lifetime, there was no measurable loss in the physiologic functional capacity of epidermal stem cells, leading us to conclude that murine epidermal stem cells resist cellular aging.
A system to support attention allocation: Development and application

This paper discusses and evaluates an agent model that is able to manipulate the visual attention of a human, in order to support naval crew. The agent model consists of four sub-models, including a model to reason about a subject's attention. The model was evaluated based on a practical case study which was formally analyzed and verified using automated checking tools. Results show how a human subject's attention is manipulated by adjusting luminance, based on assessment of the subject's attention. These first evaluations of the agent show a positive effect.