Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Drug Addiction and Manifestations of Indirect Self-Destructiveness Journal of Reward Deficiency Syndrome

Use and particularly abuse of psychoactive substances is considered a typical form of self-destructive behaviour; addiction itself, meanwhile is regarded as one of the forms of self-destructiveness. Indirect self-destructiveness is considered behaviour whose negative consequences are mediated by additional factors, while the relationship between the behaviour and harm is considered probable. Indirect self-destructiveness understood in that way includes not only undertaking but also abandoning acts; that is related to engaging in dangerous and aggravated risk situations, or neglecting one’s health and safety. The aim of this work was to explore the indirect self-destructiveness syndrome in a treatment population of drug addicts. The Polish version of the Chronic Self-Destructiveness Scale (CS-DS) was administered among 172 patients (116 males and 56 females) in drug addiction treatment centres. Results show that self-destructiveness as a generalised behavioural tendency, as well as its more specific manifestations, score within the upper range of the average. Increasing scores by CS-DS subscales were obtained in the following order: Helplessness and Passiveness, Nicotine, Lack of Planfulness, Alcohol, Transgression, Psychoactive Substances, Personal and Social Neglects and Poor Health Maintenance. It can be assumed that nicotine, a legal psychoactive substance, acts as a substitute. While a one-factor solution resulted from factor analysis for healthy people, the patient sample was best described by a two-factor solution (I: Risky Health Neglects, II: Helplessness). The intensity of the indirect self-destructiveness syndrome in individuals treated because of drug addiction was situated close to the upper limit of average results. The highest scores for subscales were related to Helplessness and Passiveness as well as Nicotine, and the lowest to Poor Health Maintenance. The index of Psychoactive Substances turned out to be low.
AMPA receptor subunit expression in chick vestibular nucleus neurons

The principal cells of the chick tangential nucleus are vestibular nucleus neurons whose responses on vestibular nerve stimulation are abolished by glutamate receptor antagonists. Using confocal microscopy, we quantified immunolabeling for AMPA receptor subunits GluR1, GluR2, GluR2/3, and GluR4 in principal cells that were identified by the neuronal marker, microtubule‐associated protein 2 (MAP2). This work was focused primarily on 9 days after hatching (H9) when the principal cells have acquired some important mature electrophysiologic properties. At H9, the principal cell bodies stained strongly with GluR2/3 and GluR4, whereas GluR1 and GluR2 produced weak signals. Moreover, GluR2/3 and GluR4 receptor subunit clusters in principal cell bodies and dendrites were localized at sites contacted by biocytin‐labeled vestibular nerve terminals and synaptotagmin‐labeled terminals. Developmental expression of AMPA receptor immunolabeling was studied in the principal cell bodies at embryonic day 16 (E16) and hatching (H1). At E16, labeling for GluR4 was already strong, and continued to increase at H1 and H9. In contrast, GluR2/3 labeling was weak at E16, but increased significantly at H1, and more so by H9. GluR1 and GluR2 were present at low levels at E16 and H1. From E16 to H9, overall AMPA receptor subunit expression increased steadily, with H9 showing the strongest labeling. Ultrastructural observations at E16 and H3 confirmed the presence of immunogold labeling for AMPA receptor subunits at the vestibular nerve and non‐vestibular nerve synapses on the principal cell bodies. In summary, these results indicate that GluR3 and GluR4 are the major AMPA receptor subunits involved in excitatory synaptic transmission in principal cells during the perinatal period. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Surprising Fitness Consequences of GC-Biased Gene Conversion: I. Mutation Load and Inbreeding Depression

GC-biased gene conversion (gBGC) is a recombination-associated process mimicking selection in favor of G and C alleles. It is increasingly recognized as a widespread force in shaping the genomic nucleotide landscape. In recombination hotspots, gBGC can lead to bursts of fixation of GC nucleotides and to accelerated nucleotide substitution rates. It was recently shown that these episodes of strong gBGC could give spurious signatures of adaptation and/or relaxed selection. There is also evidence that gBGC could drive the fixation of deleterious amino acid mutations in some primate genes. This raises the question of the potential fitness effects of gBGC. While gBGC has been metaphorically termed the “Achilles' heel” of our genome, we do not know whether interference between gBGC and selection merely has practical consequences for the analysis of sequence data or whether it has broader fundamental implications for individuals and populations. I developed a population genetics model to predict the consequences of gBGC on the mutation load and inbreeding depression. I also used estimates available for humans to quantitatively evaluate the fitness impact of gBGC. Surprising features emerged from this model: (i) Contrary to classical mutation load models, gBGC generates a fixation load independent of population size and could contribute to a significant part of the load; (ii) gBGC can maintain recessive deleterious mutations for a long time at intermediate frequency, in a similar way to overdominance, and these mutations generate high inbreeding depression, even if they are slightly deleterious; (iii) since mating systems affect both the selection efficacy and gBGC intensity, gBGC challenges classical predictions concerning the interaction between mating systems and deleterious mutations, and gBGC could constitute an additional cost of outcrossing; and (iv) if mutations are biased toward A and T alleles, very low gBGC levels can reduce the load. A robust prediction is that the gBGC level minimizing the load depends only on the mutational bias and population size. These surprising results suggest that gBGC may have nonnegligible fitness consequences and could play a significant role in the evolution of genetic systems. They also shed light on the evolution of gBGC itself.
Face Swapping under Large Pose Variations: A 3D Model Based Approach

Traditional face swapping technologies require the faces of source images and target images have similar pose and appearance (usually frontal). This limits its applications. This paper presents a method for face swapping based on personalized 3D head models. This framework builds a personalized 3D head model from a frontal face and can be rendered at any pose to match the characters in the image we want to swap. The 3D head model is constructed by a user uploaded frontal view face image. This construction process goes through face alignment and feature point matching. The final personalized 3D head is built by deforming a standard 3D head model using radial basis function to match the specific person. To make the synthesized face seamlessly blended into the image, color transfer and multi-resolution spline technique are applied. We use the proposed technique to create personalized storybook where the characters are replaced with a user's face and promising results are obtained. The system can be used in face de-identification as well.
Mertk Receptor Mutation Reduces Efferocytosis Efficiency and Promotes Apoptotic Cell Accumulation and Plaque Necrosis in Atherosclerotic Lesions of Apoe−/− Mice

Objective—Atherosclerotic plaques that are prone to disruption and acute thrombotic vascular events are characterized by large necrotic cores. Necrotic cores result from the combination of macrophage apoptosis and defective phagocytic clearance (efferocytosis) of these apoptotic cells. We previously showed that macrophages with tyrosine kinase-defective Mertk receptor (MertkKD) have a defect in phagocytic clearance of apoptotic macrophages in vitro. Herein we test the hypothesis that the MertkKD mutation would result in increased accumulation of apoptotic cells and promote necrotic core expansion in a mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis. Methods and Results—MertkKD;Apoe−/− mice and control Apoe−/− mice were fed a Western-type diet for 10 or 16 weeks, and aortic root lesions were analyzed for apoptosis and plaque necrosis. We found that the plaques of the MertkKD;Apoe−/− mice had a significant increase in terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL)-positive apoptotic cells. Most importantly, there were more non-macrophage-associated apoptotic cells in the MertkKD lesions, consistent with defective efferocytosis. The more advanced (16-week) MertkKD;Apoe−/− plaques were more necrotic, consistent with a progression from apoptotic cell accumulation to plaque necrosis in the setting of a defective efferocytosis receptor. Conclusion—In a mouse model of advanced atherosclerosis, mutation of the phagocytic Mertk receptor promotes the accumulation of apoptotic cells and the formation of necrotic plaques. These data are consistent with the notion that a defect in an efferocytosis receptor can accelerate the progression of atherosclerosis and suggest a novel therapeutic target to prevent advanced plaque progression and its clinical consequences.
Calcifying Epithelioma of Malherbe: Association With Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy

During a genetic study of myotonic dystrophy, seven individuals were found with histologically proven benign calcifying epitheliomas of Malherbe. In one family, mother and son were affected with both conditions; in another, two siblings were affected. Four patients had multiple tumors. No tumors were found in relatives without muscle disease. It is likely that the occurrence of calcifying epithelioma represents a further pleiotropic effect of the myotonic dystrophy gene; since this tumor is frequently mistaken clinically for a simple sebaceous cyst, its occurrence in myotonic dystrophy may be more common than is apparent.
Cognitive distortions mediate the relationship between defense styles and depression in female outpatients

Background and Objectives: Some clinicians use different psychotherapeutic methods in combination in their practice. These combinations reflect the need for more rigorous research on the common pathways which these different therapy orientations may be utilizing, and one way to identify these pathways would be to investigate some core assessment tools or conceptual foundations of these two different approaches. Aim: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the relationship between defense mechanisms and cognitive distortions, and to identify the mediating role of cognitive distortions between defense styles and depression. Methods: A total of 342 female psychiatric outpatients aged 18 and older were recruited. A diagnostic interview and rating of the depression severity were undertaken, and the Cognitive Distortion Scales and the Defense Style Questionnaire were completed by the participants. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to test for the direct and indirect effects of the defense styles. Results Cognitive distortions and defense mechanisms were both correlated with the severity of depression, but the correlations were stronger for the former. Conclusions The findings are suggestive of the mediating effect of cognitive distortions between defense mechanisms and the severity of depression.
Impact of Inorganic Carbon Availability on Microcystin Production by Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806

ABSTRACT Batch culture experiments with the cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa PCC 7806 were performed in order to test the hypothesis that microcystins (MCYSTs) are produced in response to a relative deficiency of intracellular inorganic carbon (Ci,i). In the first experiment, MCYST production was studied under increased Ci,i deficiency conditions, achieved by restricting sodium-dependent bicarbonate uptake through replacement of sodium bicarbonate in the medium with its potassium analog. The same experimental approach was used in a second experiment to compare the response of the wild-type strain M. aeruginosa PCC 7806 with its mcyB mutant, which lacks the ability to produce MCYSTs. In a third experiment, the impact of varying the Ci,i status on MCYST production was examined without suppressing the sodium-dependent bicarbonate transporter; instead, a detailed investigation of a dark-light cycle was performed. In all experiments, a relative Ci,i deficiency was indicated by an elevated variable fluorescence signal and led to enhanced phycocyanin cell quotas. Higher MCYST cell quotas (in the first and third experiments) and increased total (intracellular plus extracellular) MCYST production (in the first experiment) were detected with increased Ci,i deficiency. Furthermore, the MCYST-producing wild-type strain and its mcyB mutant showed basically the same response to restrained inorganic carbon uptake, with elevated variable fluorescence and phycocyanin cell quotas with increased Ci,i deficiency. The response of the wild type, however, was distinctly stronger and also included elevated chlorophyll a cell quotas. These differences indicate the limited ability of the mutant to adapt to low-Ci,i conditions. We concluded that MCYSTs may be involved in enhancing the efficiency of the adaptation of the photosynthetic apparatus to fluctuating inorganic carbon conditions in cyanobacterial cells.
Learning arbitrary dynamics in efficient, balanced spiking networks using local plasticity rules

Understanding how recurrent neural circuits can learn to implement dynamical systems is a fundamental challenge in neuroscience. The credit assignment problem, i.e. determining the local contribution of each synapse to the network's global output error, is a major obstacle in deriving biologically plausible local learning rules. Moreover, spiking recurrent networks implementing such tasks should not be hugely costly in terms of number of neurons and spikes, as they often are when adapted from rate models. Finally, these networks should be robust to noise and neural deaths in order to sustain these representations in the face of such naturally occurring perturbation. We approach this problem by fusing the theory of efficient, balanced spiking networks (EBN) with nonlinear adaptive control theory. Local learning rules are ensured by feeding back into the network its own error, resulting in a synaptic plasticity rule depending solely on presynaptic inputs and post-synaptic feedback. The spiking efficiency and robustness of the network are guaranteed by maintaining a tight excitatory/inhibitory balance, ensuring that each spike represents a local projection of the global output error and minimizes a loss function. The resulting networks can learn to implement complex dynamics with very small numbers of neurons and spikes, exhibit the same spike train variability as observed experimentally, and are extremely robust to noise and neuronal loss.
Expressed Emotion and Psychiatric Relapse

Background: Expressed emotion (EE) is a measure of the family environment that has been demonstrated to be a reliable psychosocial predictor of relapse in schizophrenia. However, in recent years some prominent nonreplications of the EE-relapse relationship have been published. To more fully address the question of the predictive validity of EE, we conducted a meta-analysis of all available EE and outcome studies in schizophrenia. We also examined the predictive validity of the EE construct for mood disorders and eating disorders. Methods: An extensive literature search revealed 27 studies of the EE-outcome relationship in schizophrenia. Using meta-analytic procedures, we combined the findings of these investigations to provide an estimate of the effect size associated with the EE-relapse relationship. We also used meta-analysis to provide estimates of the effect sizes associated with EE for mood and eating disorders. Results: The results confirmed that EE is a significant and robust predictor of relapse in schizophrenia. Additional analyses demonstrated that the EE-relapse relationship was strongest for patients with more chronic schizophrenic illness. Interestingly, although the EE construct is most closely associated with research in schizophrenia, the mean effect sizes for EE for both mood disorders and eating disorders were significantly higher than the mean effect size for schizophrenia. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of EE in the understanding and prevention of relapse in a broad range of psychopathological conditions. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1998;55:547-552
Nurse assistants' experience of an intervention focused on a palliative care approach for older people in residential care.

BACKGROUND Nurse assistants working in residential care facilities need support to ensure that they provide high-quality care for the residents and support for relatives, from admission to bereavement. AIM The aim was to describe the nurse assistants' experience of how an intervention with a palliative care approach, had influenced them in their work in residential care for older people. PARTICIPANTS Fourteen nurse assistants working in three different municipal residential care facilities. METHODS Data were collected by means of semi-structured individual interviews following an intervention consisting of study circles combined with workshops. The data were analysed using content analysis. RESULT The nurse assistants felt that, through the intervention, they had gained insight into their understanding of the importance of quality of care. This included an increased awareness of, and respect for, residents' and relatives' needs, and an increased understanding of the importance of the outcome of encounters with residents and their relatives. After the intervention, they also felt there was increased openness and understanding between colleagues. However, the nurse assistants also expressed frustration over obstacles to implementing a palliative care approach, such as lack of resources and supportive leadership. CONCLUSION The nurse assistants felt that the intervention was positive and encouraged them to provide more person-centred care within the framework of a palliative care approach. Although the intervention was intended to involve and support the management, it was not sufficient. Nurse assistants described lack of resources and supportive leadership. There is, therefore, a need to place greater emphasis on leadership and their support of nurse assistants so that they can provide high-quality care. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE To support nurse assistants in the provision of care, clear leadership and opportunities to discuss and reflect on issues associated with care, including systematic improvement work in practice, appear to be essential to ensure high-quality care.
[Effect of decreased locomotor activity on hindlimb muscles in a rat model of Parkinson's disease].

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to examine effects of decreased locomotor activity on mass, Type I and II fiber cross-sectional areas of ipsilateral and contralateral hindlimb muscles 21 days after establishing the Parkinson's disease rat model. METHODS The rat model was established by direct injection of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA, 50 microg) into the left substantia nigra after stereotaxic surgery. Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to one of two groups; the Parkinson's disease group (PD; n=17) and a sham group (S; n=8). Locomotor activity was assessed before and 21 days after the experiment. At 22 days after establishing the rat model, all rats were anesthetized and soleus and plantaris muscles were dissected from both ipsilateral and contralateral sides. The brain was dissected to identify dopaminergic neuronal death of substantia nigra in the PD group. RESULTS The PD group at 21 days after establishing the Parkinson's disease rat model showed significant decrease in locomotor activity compared with the S group. Weights and Type I and II fiber cross-sectional areas of the contralateral soleus muscle of the PD group were significantly lower than those of the S group. CONCLUSION Contralateral soleus muscle atrophy occurs 21 days after establishing the Parkinson's disease rat model.
Ammonia Removal Using Hepatoma Cells in Mammalian Cell Cultures

It was examined whether hepatocyte cell lines can be used for ammonia removal in mammalian cell cultures. It was found that there exists a critical ammonium concentration level for each hepatocyte cell to remove ammonia. Among the cells tested in this work, primary hepatocytes showed the strongest ammonia removal capability if ammonium concentration is higher than the critical level. However, primary hepatocytes lost the liver function gradually and finally died after 2−3 weeks. Because of this limitation, primary hepatocytes were not appropriate to be used for ammonia removal in long‐term cultures. Hep G2 cells, which are immortal, also showed a strong ammonia removal activity. The ammonia removal activity of Hep G2 cells depended on the concentration of ammonium in the medium, as in the case of primary hepatocytes. However, urea could not be detected in the course of ammonia removal by Hep G2 cells. Instead of urea, Hep G2 cells secreted glutamine into the culture medium. The capacity for ammonia removal was higher in the absence than in the presence of glutamine. Thus we checked the activity of glutamine synthetase in the Hep G2 cells. The level of glutamine synthetase activity increased with the addition of ammonium chloride. This result accounts for the ammonium concentration dependency of Hep G2 cells in ammonia removal and glutamine synthesis. Furthermore Hep G2 cells could grow well in the absence of glutamine, which was necessarily required in mammalian cell cultures. These results prove that glutamine formation serves as the primary mechanism of detoxifying ammonia in hepatocyte cell lines as expected. In addition, it was demonstrated that ammonium level could be reduced 38% and that erythropoietin production increased 2‐fold in the mixed culture of Hep G2 and recombinant CHO cells.
General Characterization of Bezout Space-Time Equalizers and Precoder

This paper gives a general framework for the investigation of Bezout space-time equalizers, not only for finite impulse response (FIR) systems, but for general transfer functions. Necessary and sufficient conditions are given under which a matrix valued transfer function possess a left (or right) inverse with certain desired system theoretical properties (e.g. causality, stability, approximation behavior), and a parametrization of all left inverses is presented. Moreover, sufficient conditions for the existence of the canonical inner-outer factorization are given
Comparison of articular and auricular cartilage as a cell source for the autologous chondrocyte implantation

Articular (medial femoral condyle) and auricular cartilage (anithelix) was compared as a cell source for the autologous joint repair. Cells isolated from five human cadaveric donors were cultured parallel in the monolayer cultures and in the 3D alginate hydrogel constructs for 1 week. Cell morphology was controlled by the fluorescent microscopy and gene expressions of type I collagen (COL1), type II collagen (COL2), aggrecan (AGR), versican (VER), and elastin (ELS) were analyzed by the real‐time polymerase chain reaction. COL1 and ELS, predominant in the phenotype of auricular biopsy, were statistically lower in the articular biopsies. Even though COL2 and AGR decreased in monolayers of both cell sources, the dedifferentiation process affected auricular cells intensely. Cells embedded in the alginate hydrogel directly after the isolation did not exhibit the dedifferentiated phenotype. Additionally, COL1, COL2, AGR, and VER were comparable between the two sources. ELS however, remained higher in the auricular cells regardless of the culture type. The study indicates that auricular chondrocytes cultured in a 3D environment immediately after the isolation have a neo‐cartilage potential for the articular surface reconstruction. © 2008 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 27: 943–948, 2009