Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Role of processing speed and depressed mood on encoding, storage, and retrieval memory functions in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia

The role of various types of slowing of processing speed, as well as the role of depressed mood, on each stage of verbal memory functioning in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia was investigated. Mixed lists of high- and low-frequency words were presented, and immediate and delayed free recall and recognition were required. Two levels of encoding were studied by contrasting the relatively automatic encoding of the high-frequency words and the more effortful encoding of the low-frequency words. Storage was studied by contrasting immediate and delayed recall. Retrieval was studied by contrasting free recall and recognition. Three tests of motor and cognitive processing speed were administered as well. Regression analyses involving the three processing speed measures revealed that cognitive speed was the only predictor of the recall and recognition of the low-frequency words. Furthermore, slowing in cognitive speed accounted for the deficit in recall and recognition of the low-frequency words relative to a healthy control group. Depressed mood was significantly associated with recognition of the low-frequency words. Neither processing speed nor depressed mood was associated with storage efficiency. It is concluded that both cognitive speed slowing and depressed mood impact on effortful encoding processes. (JINS, 2007, 13, 99–107.)
Characterization and modeling of video popularity

Popularity of videos is a key factor for the design and management of a streaming media system. In this paper, three factors representing clients’ access to a media system are investigated to characterize popularity. One of the factors is the commonly used access frequency. Numerical studies on one of the workloads from a video‐on‐demand system in the University of Science and Technology of China are also given. The results show that the commonly used Zipf‐like model is not suitable to characterize popularity distribution. However, the stretched exponential model is better, and the shape of the stretched exponential distribution of popularity is related to the characterization of popularity and the duration of workload. The rank correlation between the access frequency and the other two factors is further studied. It is concluded that the rank of video popularity and the ability of each characterization to distinguish video popularity are different, which implies that the combinative use of different characterizations can increase the distinction of video popularity.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Escherichia coli O125ac:H6 Encompasses Atypical Enteropathogenic E. coli Strains That Display the Aggregative Adherence Pattern

ABSTRACT O125 is an enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) serogroup, which includes the O125ac:H6 serotype, defined as atypical EPEC. Strains of this serotype displayed the aggregative adherence (AA) pattern with HEp-2, Caco-2, T84, and HT-29 cells, possessed all the LEE region genes, and expressed intimin, Tir, and EspABD, although the attaching-effacing lesion was not detected in vitro. These results confirm that E. coli O125ac:H6 is atypical EPEC that displays the AA pattern and indicate the necessity of testing for EPEC genes combined with the determination of the adherence pattern for atypical EPEC identification.
Early Hints of a Third Photoreceptor in the Mammalian Retina The perception of shapes , color and objects moving in the world begins

Intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) respond to light in the absence of all rod and cone photoreceptor input. The existence of these ganglion cell photoreceptors, although predicted from observations scattered over many decades, was not established until it was shown that a novel photopigment, melanopsin, was expressed in retinal ganglion cells of rodents and primates. Phototransduction in mammalian ipRGCs more closely resembles that of invertebrate than vertebrate photoreceptors and appears to be mediated by transient receptor potential channels. In the retina, ipRGCs provide excitatory drive to dopaminergic amacrine cells and ipRGCs are coupled to GABAergic amacrine cells via gap junctions. Several subtypes of ipRGC have been identified in rodents based on their morphology, physiology and expression of molecular markers. ipRGCs convey irradiance information centrally via the optic nerve to influence several functions including photoentrainment of the biological clock located in the hypothalamus, the pupillary light reflex, sleep and perhaps some aspects of vision. In addition, ipRGCs may also contribute irradiance signals that interface directly with the autonomic nervous system to regulate rhythmic gene activity in major organs of the body. Here we review the early work that provided the motivation for searching for a new mammalian photoreceptor, the ground-breaking discoveries, current progress that continues to reveal the unusual properties of these neuron photoreceptors, and directions for future investigation.
Do variations in paraspinal muscle morphology and composition predict low back pain in men?

This longitudinal study aimed to clarify the longstanding controversy over whether variations in paraspinal muscle morphology (e.g., size, composition and asymmetry) are predictors of low back pain (LBP). A sample of 99 Finnish men were included in this population‐based longitudinal study. Data were collected through a structured interview, physical examination and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Baseline measurements of the lumbar multifidus and erector spinae muscles were obtained from T2‐weighted axial images at L3–L4 and L5–S1, and interview data were obtained at baseline, 1‐ and 15‐year follow‐ups. Few of the paraspinal muscle parameters investigated were predictors of change in LBP frequency, intensity or sciatica at 1‐ and 15‐year follow‐ups in the population‐based sample, and findings were not consistent across muscles and spinal levels. However, greater multifidus and erector spinae fatty infiltration at L5–S1 was associated with a higher risk of having continued, frequent, persistent LBP at 1‐year follow‐up. None of the relationships observed was confounded by body mass index or the amount of physical activity at work or leisure. This longitudinal study provided evidence that variations in paraspinal muscle morphology on MRI have a limited, if not uncertain, role in the short‐ and long‐term predictions of LBP in men.
Fibroblastic Reticular Cells: Organization and Regulation of the T Lymphocyte Life Cycle

The connective tissue of any organ in the body is generally referred to as stroma. This complex network is commonly composed of leukocytes, extracellular matrix components, mesenchymal cells, and a collection of nerves, blood, and lymphoid vessels. Once viewed primarily as a structural entity, stromal cells of mesenchymal origin are now being intensely examined for their ability to directly regulate various components of immune cell function. There is particular interest in the ability of stromal cells to influence the homeostasis, activation, and proliferation of T lymphocytes. One example of this regulation occurs in the lymph node, where fibroblastic reticular cells support the maintenance of naive T cells, induce Ag-specific tolerance, and restrict the expansion of newly activated T cells. In an effort to highlight the varied immunoregulatory properties of fibroblastic reticular cells, we reviewed the most recent advances in this field and provide some insights into potential future directions.
Feasibility Platform for Stroke Studies: An Online Tool to Improve Eligibility Criteria for Clinical Trials

Background and Purpose— Eligibility criteria are a key factor for the feasibility and validity of clinical trials. We aimed to develop an online tool to assess the potential effect of inclusion and exclusion criteria on the proportion of patients eligible for an acute stroke trial. Methods— We identified relevant inclusion and exclusion criteria of acute stroke trials. Based on these criteria and using a cohort of 1537 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke from 3 stroke centers, we developed a web portal feasibility platform for stroke studies (FePASS) to estimate proportions of eligible patients for acute stroke trials. We applied the FePASS resource to calculate the proportion of patients eligible for 4 recent stroke studies. Results— Sixty-one eligibility criteria were derived from 30 trials on acute ischemic stroke. FePASS, publicly available at http://fepass.uni-muenster.de, displays the proportion of patients in percent to assess the effect of varying values of relevant eligibility criteria, for example, age, symptom onset time, National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and prestroke modified Rankin Scale, on this proportion. The proportion of eligible patients for 4 recent stroke studies ranged from 2.1% to 11.3%. Slight variations of the inclusion criteria could substantially increase the proportion of eligible patients. Conclusions— FePASS is an open access online resource to assess the effect of inclusion and exclusion criteria on the proportion of eligible patients for a stroke trial. FePASS can help to design stroke studies, optimize eligibility criteria, and to estimate the potential recruitment rate.
Increased age, high body mass index and low HDL‐C levels are related to an echolucent carotid intima–media: the METEOR study

Abstract. Peters SAE, Lind L, Palmer MK, Grobbee DE, Crouse JR III, O’Leary DH, Evans GW, Raichlen J, Bots ML, den Ruijter HM, on behalf of the METEOR study group (University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Uppsala University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden; Keele University, Keele, UK; Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston‐Salem, NC, USA; Caritas Carney Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; and AstraZeneca, Wilmington, DE, USA). Increased age, high body mass index and low HDL‐C levels are related to an echolucent carotid intima–media: the METEOR study. J Intern Med 2012; 272: 257–266.
Advanced optimization techniques for sparse grids on modern heterogeneous systems

GPU based heterogeneous systems provide a peak performance in the order of TFlop/s and an advantageous ratio between performance and energy consumption. However, reaching high performance on GPUs is often a difficult task. This thesis proposes advanced optimization techniques that allow for efficiently porting a set of sparse grid algorithms to GPUs. The performance obtained on GPUs is improved using an auto-tuning strategy whereas full utilization of the heterogeneous system is ensured using different load balancing schemes.
A Comparative Analysis of Serum and Serum-free Media for Generation of Clinical Grade DCs

Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most potent antigen presenting cells and are therefore widely used in cancer immunotherapy. An optimal method for the generation of DCs for clinical use remains to be established. The aim of the study was to find a serum-free media (SFM) able to generate reproducible and functional cultures of DCs for clinical studies. We characterized immature and mature DCs cultured in SFM, CellGro DC and X-VIVO15, and serum media (SM), RPMI 1640+5% human serum or autologous serum. The expression of HLA-DR, CD86, CD83 was higher in SM-cultured DCs (SM-DCs) than SFM-derived DCs (SFM-DCs). Between SFM-DCs, CellGro-cultured DCs (CellGro-DCs) showed a higher expression and an improved up-regulation capacity of all molecules as compared with X-VIVO15–derived DCs (X-VIVO15-DCs). CellGro-DCs and SM-DCs showed a similar mannose receptor expression and related endocytic capacity tested by fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran uptake. In contrast X-VIVO15-DCs expressed low levels of mannose receptor and were unable to endocyte fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran. DCs cultured in all conditions stimulated a mix lymphocyte reaction, but CellGro-DCs and SM-DCs induced a more potent T-cell proliferation compared with X-VIVO15-DCs. Cytokine analysis showed that after maturation, all DC cultures produced IL-12p70 and IL-10 except for X-VIVO15-DCs which only produced the latter cytokine. SM-DCs and SFM-DCs induced a TH1 polarization in allogeneic naive T cells. In conclusion, a comparative analysis of DC performance generated in different conditions allows us to determine CellGro DC as the optimal medium for the generation of clinical grade DCs.
Using reproducing kernel for solving a class of singular weakly nonlinear boundary value problems

Cui et al. [M. Cui and F. Geng, Solving singular two point boundary value problems in reproducing kernel space, J. Comput. Appl. Math. 205 (2007), pp. 6–15; H. Yao and M. Cui, A new algorithm for a class of singular boundary value problems, Appl. Math. Comput. 186 (2007), pp. 1183–1191] presents an algorithm to solve a class of singular linear boundary value problems in the reproducing kernel space. In this paper, we will present three new algorithms to solve a class of singular weakly nonlinear boundary value problems in reproducing kernel space. The algorithms are efficiently applied to solving some model problems. It is demonstrated by the numerical examples that those algorithms are highly accurate.
T 7 RNA polymerase.

As part of the mechanism by which cellular resources are subverted to the production of phage particles, a number of bacteriophage encode their own RNA polymerases (RNAPs) . Soon after the bacterium is infected by one of these phage, the endogenous bacterial RNAP is inactivated, and the phage encoded RNAPs take over transcription of the phage genes. These phage RNAPs are structurally simpler than the familiar cellular RNAPs (Sousa, 1997). For example, the best characterized of these phage enzymes, that of the T 7 bacteriophage, is a single subunit enzyme of 99 kD, which may be contrasted with E. coli RNAP which is a 5 subunit enzyme of approximately half a million Daltons. Despite this relative simplicity, these phage RNAPs are fully competent in carrying out a transcription reaction similar to that carried out by the cellular RNAPs, and they are also subject to regulation during the course of a phage infection. Because of their relative structural simplicity, these enzymes became attractive targets for investigators interested in understanding the fundamental mechanisms of transcription (Mcallister, 1993a).
Possible relationship between porotic hyperostosis and smallpox infections in nineteenth-century populations in the northern frontier, South Africa

Smallpox was a significant shaper of life histories for indigenous South African peoples during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. It was responsible for the demise of entire social structures and even entire communities of peoples. Survival of smallpox affords the individual natural immunity for the remainder of his or her life. The virus is undetectable in a smallpox survivor, as he or she now possesses the antibodies for that disease. Therefore, positive identification of the viral DNA will be present only in individuals who died from the virus. The historical record combined with the presence of large numbers of individuals exhibiting porotic hyperostosis and cribra orbitalia are the main reasons for investigating the presence of smallpox in the Griqua, Khoe, and ‘Black’ African communities. Although the ancient DNA results were inconclusive for the smallpox virus, its presence in these communities during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries combined with the high rates of PH and CO suggest a possible relationship between the cause of death and smallpox epidemics.
Development of a biocontrol agent for plant disease control with special emphasis on the near commercial fungal antagonist Clonostachys rosea strain ‘IK726’

Numerous experiments demonstrating potential biocontrol effects on soilborne diseases have been reported in the scientific literature. However, from the lists of approved and registered biocontrol agents, it is striking how few have been commercialised and are used in practise for plant disease control. The main hindrances are often claimed to be legislative aspects and the costs involved in the registration. Although this is in many respects true, there is a range of both biological and technical problems which must be considered when developing an effective biocontrol agent for commercial use.Among the success stories for control of seed- and soilborne diseases are fungal biocontrol agents based on Trichoderma harzianum, Clonostachys rosea and Conithyrium minitans, and bacterial biocontrol agents based on strains of Agrobacterium, Pseudomonas and Streptomyces. We have developed C. rosea strain ‘IK726’, which has proved to be an effective antagonist in several crops against seed- and soilborne diseases. Although a biocontrol agent based on C. rosea ‘IK726’ is not yet commercialised, this paper will be used to address some of the biological and technical aspects that must be dealt with in such a development.
Regional variation in parvalbumin isoform expression correlates with muscle performance in common carp (Cyprinus carpio)

SUMMARY The mechanical properties of the axial muscles vary along the length of a fish's body. This variation in performance correlates with the expression of certain muscle proteins. Parvalbumin (PARV) is an important calcium binding protein that helps modulate intracellular calcium levels which set the size and shape of the muscle calcium transient. It therefore has a central role in determining the functional properties of the muscle. Transcript data revealed eight specific isoforms of PARV in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) skeletal muscle which we classified as α1 and β1–7. This study is the first to show expression of all eight skeletal muscle PARV isoforms in carp at the protein level and relate regional differences in expression to performance. All of the PARV isoforms were characterised at the protein level using 2D-PAGE and tandem mass spectrometry. Comparison of carp muscle from different regions of the fish revealed a higher level of expression of PARV isoforms β4 and β5 in the anterior region, which was accompanied by an increase in the rate of relaxation. We postulate that changes in specific PARV isoform expression are an important part of the adaptive change in muscle mechanical properties in response to varying functional demands and environmental change.
Longitudinal observations of biological deviations in a schizophrenic infant.

The longitudinal observations made on this child, who is clinically schizophrenic at 5½ years, show that the normal progress of neurological and physiological maturation [refer Source PDF] was disrupted as early as 1 month of age. Biological development differed significantly from the other infants studied by the author, from norms of growth and development previously established on hundreds of children by Gesell and others, and from the usual forms of retarded or precocious development. The following deviations were discussed: 1. The presence of an abnormal torpid state in the first months of life, 2. A severe but transient lag and disorganization in postural-locomotor development, and 3. Physiological disturbances which paralleled the transient neurological disturbances, including retarded physical growth and autonomic instability. These biological manifestations antedated the anxiety and psychological symptoms, and appeared to be intimately related to the later clinical manifestations of schizophrenia.
Mortality and progression to AIDS after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy

Objectives: To examine survival and progression to AIDS among HIV-infected patients after starting highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Methods: The study population consisted of 3724 patients from the ATHENA observational cohort who initiated HAART. We considered progression to either an AIDS-defining disease or death, distinguishing HIV-related and non-related (including therapy-related) deaths. A time-dependent multivariate hazards model was fitted to the patient data and 5-year survival probabilities under various therapy scenarios estimated. Results: A total of 459 patients developed AIDS and 346 died during 12 503 person-years of follow-up. HIV-related mortality decreased from 3.8 to 0.7 per 100 person-years between 1996 and 2000 whereas non-HIV-related mortality did not change (0.4 and 0.9, respectively, P = 0.25). For asymptomatic and symptomatic therapy naive patients younger than 50 years with CD4 counts above 10 × 106 and 150 × 106 cells/l, respectively, predicted 5-year survival probabilities were above 90% when HAART was used continuously. This limit was 450 × 106 cells/l when HAART was used during 20 weeks in each 24 week-period of follow-up, and 110 × 106 cells/l when patients delayed initiation of HAART for 1 year after becoming eligible for treatment. Conclusions: Survival probabilities were high among HIV-infected patients initiating HAART at an early stage of infection. The best therapy strategy is therefore to start HAART at this stage of infection. However, deferring HAART in patients with high CD4 cell counts may be clinically more appropriate given toxicity and adherence problems. The lack of any change in non-HIV-related mortality suggests that toxicity has not yet become a major risk factor for death.
Collaborative Sensing Management for Cognitive Radio Networks with Reporting Overhead

Many cognitive radio (CR) networks adopt the collaborative sensing strategy that combines the sensing results of multiple CR stations, for getting the better primary user (PU) detection performance. In the practical CR networks with collaborative sensing, since a station reports the sensing result to a fusion center through a message, the reporting overhead is not negligible. In this paper, we design a sensing management scheme for CR networks, while taking this reporting overhead into account. First, we formulate an optimization problem that aims at finding the optimal number of sensing stations which collaborate to maximize the PU detection probability for given sensing/reporting time. Then, we propose a heuristic scheme to efficiently select the collaborative sensing stations, without a priori information for the locations of stations. Furthermore, we determine the optimal sensing interval for minimizing the PU detection delay while maintaining the CR channel utilization to a target value, by using a Markov analysis. The simulation results show that the proposed sensing management scheme significantly improves the PU detection performance.
Clinical evidence of genomic imprinting in Tourette's syndrome

Article abstract—Recent genetic studies of Tourette's syndrome (TS) have suggested a sex-specific expression of TS behaviors but not a sex-associated difference in their transmission. In a retrospective study designed to assess the influence of gender of the affected parent on childhood TS phenotype, we compared unrnedicated TS subjects with pat-rilineal (n = 25) or matrilineal (n = 25) inheritance of TS, as determined by family history methodology, with respect to demographic variables, temporal profile of tic evolution, and clinical ratings of tics and associated behaviors, particularly obsessive-compulsive symptoms and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Maternal transmission of TS was characterized by trends toward greater motor tic complexity and more frequent noninterfering rituals (p <0.05); paternal transmission was associated with increased vocal tic frequency (p = 0.01), an earlier onset of vocal tics relative to motor tics (p < 0.01), and more prominent ADHD behaviors, including motor restlessness (p < 0.01). These findings are consistent with genomic imprinting in TS. Confirmation of this phenomenon promises not only to advance understanding concerning the genetic link between TS and ADHD but may also help to explain the apparent fit of competing models of genetic transmission in TS.