Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlations between neural discharges are related to receptive field properties in cat primary auditory cortex

The functional role of correlated neural activity in auditory cortex for the processing of sounds was explored by investigating whether and how cross‐correlation parameters are related to receptive field similarities of neurons. Multi‐unit activity was recorded simultaneously from several sites of isofrequency domains in primary auditory cortex. At each site various receptive field properties were determined. From the discharges of pairs of clusters, normalized cross‐correlation histograms (CCH) were calculated for extended periods of spontaneous activity and for periods with noise‐burst stimulation. In both conditions, most CCHs exhibited a symmetrical positivity near the origin of the CCH, a few to several tens of milliseconds wide. Cross‐correlation histograms were characterized with two parameters: the correlation strength, which was estimated from the peak correlation, and the correlation width, i.e. the time period of correlated firing, which was measured as the width of the positivity at half height. It was found that correlation strength increased and correlation width narrowed with increasing similarity of the receptive fields of two clusters. These relationships were observed both in the acoustically‐driven and spontaneous conditions. Specifically, correlation strength was most strongly associated with similarity in binaural interaction and in temporal response properties such as response onset, response offset and the temporal pattern of the response. Correlation width was predominantly associated with similarity in characteristic frequency, bandwidth and intensity threshold. Results suggest that correlated activity, reflecting potential mechanisms involved in the neural computation in auditory cortex, provides a means to evaluate the properties of the functional organization of auditory cortex. Systematic relationships were found between correlation properties and the receptive field‐based organization of cortical processing, suggesting that similar general mechanisms are utilized in many parts of the sensory cortex. In particular, the magnitude and/or the time period of synchronized firing of neurons is increased if the receptive field properties of the involved neurons are similar.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor in the Paraventricular Nucleus Plays a Major Role in the Sympathoexcitatory Response to Salt

Central hyperosmotic stimulation (HS) evokes increases in sympathetic nerve activity mediated by activation of angiotensin type 1 receptors in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Macrophage inhibitory migration factor (MIF) is an intracellular inhibitory regulator of angiotensin type 1 receptor–mediated actions of angiotensin II within neurons of the PVN. MIF mediates its actions via its intrinsic thiol-protein oxidoreductase activity. We demonstrate that intracerebroventricular injection of hypertonic saline into Sprague-Dawley rats elicits a significant (≈112%) increase in MIF mRNA expression in the PVN. Next, we evaluated the effect of viral-mediated expression of either MIF or [C60S]-MIF (which lacks thiol-protein oxidoreductase activity) in the PVN on the sympathoexcitation evoked by HS. We used a decorticate, arterially perfused in situ preparation of male Wistar rats (60 to 80 g). HS was induced by raising perfusate osmolality from 290 to 380 milliosmoles for 40 seconds. Seven to 10 days before experiments, rats were injected bilaterally (500 nL per side) with 0.9% saline (control) or with adenoassociated virus to express MIF, [C60S]-MIF, or enhanced green fluorescent protein in the PVN. HS produced sympathoexcitation in both the 0.9% saline and enhanced green fluorescent protein groups (sympathetic nerve activity increase of +27±4% and +25±4%, respectively; P<0.05), an effect that was not observed in the MIF group (+4±5%). Conversely, the HS-induced increase in sympathetic nerve activity was potentiated in the [C60S]-MIF group (+45±6%; P<0.05). We propose that MIF acting within the PVN is a major counterregulator of HS-induced sympathoexcitation, an effect that depends on thiol-protein oxidoreductase activity.
Friction measurement in a hip wear simulator

A torque measurement system was added to a widely used hip wear simulator, the biaxial rocking motion device. With the rotary transducer, the frictional torque about the drive axis of the biaxial rocking motion mechanism was measured. The principle of measuring the torque about the vertical axis above the prosthetic joint, used earlier in commercial biaxial rocking motion simulators, was shown to sense only a minor part of the total frictional torque. With the present method, the total frictional torque of the prosthetic hip was measured. This was shown to consist of the torques about the vertical axis above the joint and about the leaning axis. Femoral heads made from different materials were run against conventional and crosslinked polyethylene acetabular cups in serum lubrication. Regarding the femoral head material and the type of polyethylene, there were no categorical differences in frictional torque with the exception of zirconia heads, with which the lowest values were obtained. Diamond-like carbon coating of the CoCr femoral head did not reduce friction. The friction factor was found to always decrease with increasing load. High wear could increase the frictional torque by 75%. With the present system, friction can be continuously recorded during long wear tests, so the effect of wear on friction with different prosthetic hips can be evaluated.
Neuronal nitric oxide synthase and splanchnic blood flow in anaesthetized rats.

AIMS To evaluate to what extent the neuronal form of constitutive nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) contributes to the blood perfusion of splanchnic organs, including the islets of Langerhans. METHODS The nNOS inhibitor 7-nitroindazole (300 mg kg(-1) i.p.) was administered to anaesthetized Sprague-Dawley rats, some of which were pre-treated with the ganglionic blocker hexamethonium (20 mg kg(-1) i.v. ) The blood perfusion of the splanchnic organs, including the pancreatic islets was then measured with a microsphere technique. RESULTS Nitroindazole decreased total pancreatic, duodenal and renal blood flow, whereas pancreatic islet, colonic and adrenal blood flows were unchanged. A slight increase in mean arterial blood pressure was seen after nitroindazole treatment. Nitroindazole did not affect blood glucose or serum insulin concentrations. In separate experiments, hexamethonium affected none of the studied blood flow values, suggesting that the effects of nNOS-inhibition were not mediated from the nervous system. CONCLUSION Nitric oxide derived from the activity of nNOS contributes to the blood perfusion in the upper portions of the gastrointestinal tract, viz. the parts supplied by the cranial mesenteric artery, and the kidneys, whilst no effects are seen on colonic or adrenal blood flow. Pancreatic islet blood flow was unaffected by nNOS inhibition, thereby suggesting that NO derived from the other isoforms of NOS maintains the high basal islet blood perfusion.
How to Build a Standardized Country-Specific Environmental Food Database for Nutritional Epidemiology Studies

There is a lack of standardized country-specific environmental data to combine with nutritional and dietary data for assessing the environmental impact of individual diets in epidemiology surveys, which are consequently reliant on environmental food datasets based on values retrieved from a heterogeneous literature. The aim of this study was to compare and assess the relative strengths and limits of a database of food greenhouse gas emissions (GHGE) values estimated with a hybrid method combining input/output and LCA approaches, with a dataset of GHGE values retrieved from the literature. France is the geographical perimeter considered in this study, but the methodology could be applied to other countries. The GHGE of 402 foodstuffs, representative of French diet, were estimated using the hybrid method. In parallel, the GHGE of individual foods were collected from existing literature. Median per-food-category GHGE values from the hybrid method and the reviewed literature were found to correlate strongly (Spearman correlation was 0.83), showing similar rankings of food categories. Median values were significantly different for only 5 (out of 29) food categories, including the ruminant meats category for which the hybrid method gave lower estimates than those from existing literature. Analysis also revealed that literature values came from heterogeneous studies that were not always sourced and that were conducted under different LCA modeling hypotheses. In contrast, the hybrid method helps build reliably-sourced, representative national standards for product-based datasets. We anticipate this hybrid method to be a starting point for better environmental impact assessments of diets.
Potential cost savings of MR imaging obtained before arthroscopy of the knee: evaluation of 50 consecutive patients.

OBJECTIVE We attempted to determine the potential cost savings of prearthroscopic knee MR imaging examinations. SUBJECTS AND METHODS This prospective study involved 50 consecutive patients. The patients met the surgical-indications-for-monitoring-appropriateness criteria for knee arthroscopy and underwent MR imaging of the knee before arthroscopy. For all patients, we compared MR imaging and arthroscopic findings. On the basis of a cost of $1000 for each MR imaging examination and $4000 for each diagnostic arthroscopy, we decided that cost-effective MR imaging would require 25% true negativity. RESULTS The respective sensitivities and specificities of MR imaging of the knee were 100% and 90% for revealing anterior cruciate ligament interruption, 100% and 84% for revealing posterior cruciate ligament tears, 90% and 97% for revealing medial meniscal tears, 60% and 100% for revealing lateral meniscal tears, and 94% and 93% for revealing composite injury (one or more of these abnormalities). With MR imaging examinations obtained before surgery, we found 21 (42%) of 50 arthroscopies to be unnecessary. CONCLUSION Despite stringent clinical criteria used in selecting patients for arthroscopy, 42% of our patients could have been spared surgery on the basis of the anatomy revealed by MR imaging. Our study indicates that MR imaging obtained before arthroscopy of the knee can produce a savings of as much as $680 per MR imaging examination performed on the knee.
The Pharmacokinetics of Midazolam in Chronic Renal Failure Patients

Fifteen patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) were given midazolam 0.2 mg/kg iv over 15 s. All but one lost consciousness in a time ranging from 22–100 s (mean ± SD was 55 ± 26 s) after drug administration. Patients regained consciousness from 6–105 min (mean 53 ± 32) after drug administration. The calculated mean plasma level of midazolam at arousal was 81 ± 47 ng/ml. Pharmacokinetics parameters were determined from midazolam plasma levels measured in 16 consecutive venous blood samples. The pharmacokinetic parameters in CRF patients were compared with those of healthy volunteers matched for age, sex, and body size with the CRF patients. Protein binding was determined by equilibrium dialysis. CRF patients had a significantly higher (P ≤ 0.005) plasma-free drug fraction (6.5% ± 0.7) compared with the control patients (3.9% ± 0.1). Total (bound plus unbound) kinetics differed in the two groups: volume of distribution 3.8 ± . 3 1/kg in CRF patients versus 2.2 ± . 2 1/kg in controls (P ≤ 0.001), and clearance 11.4 ± 1.6 ml·min-1-1·kg-1 in CRF patients versus 6.7 ± 0.9 ml·min-1kg-1 in controls (P ≤ 0.02). When kinetic parameters were corrected for protein binding, CRF patients unbound volume of distribution (63.5 ± 6.8 1/kg) and free drug clearance (189 ± 29 ml·min-1·kg-1) were not different from the control group's volume of distribution (55.6 ± 5.7 1/kg) and free drug clearance (176 ± 24 ml·min-1·kg-1). Midazolam elimination half-life was almost identical in both groups; in CRF it was 4.58 ± 0.75 h and 4.93 ± 1.08 h in healthy controls. Because CRF does not alter the distribution, elimination, or clearance of unbound midazolam, changes in the pharmacodynamic profile of midazolam in CRF patients, if they exist, are more likely due to inherent alterations in drug sensitivity than to pharmacokinetic changes.
Bone marrow morphological changes in patients of chronic myeloid leukemia treated with imatinib mesylate.

BACKGROUND Imatinib mesylate has shown promising results in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in all phases. This drug is an effective treatment for patients with CML in chronic phase as it induces hematological remission in nearly all patients and cytogenetic responses in many. The bone marrow changes produced by this drug are different from the treatment modalities used earlier in CML. MATERIALS & METHODS We studied 80 patients of CML on treatment with Imatinib at doses of 400-800 mg per day. Morphological and cytogenetic evaluation (Ph analysis) of bone marrow aspirates was done at six months of treatment. RESULT In our study, 95% (76 out of 80) patients showed complete hematological response and 63.3% showed major cytogenetic response at the end of six months of treatment. The most commonly observed changes in the bone marrow aspirates at the end of six months of therapy were in the form of reduction in the cellularity, reduction in the M: E ratio to a mean of 2:1, presence of relative erythroid hyperplasia, normalization of megakaryocytic morphology and variable increase in the bone marrow lymphocytes. None of these changes had significant correlation with the patient's Ph status. CONCLUSION We advise study of trephine biopsies to overcome the often-faced problem of hemodiluted aspirates in these cases and evaluation of sequential bone marrows to check the durability of these morphological changes and their correlation with the cytogenetic response with emphasis on cytogenetic changes other than Ph positivity.
Symptomatic Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Prevalence and Risk Factors in a Population-Based, Racially Diverse Cohort

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of and identify risk factors associated with symptomatic pelvic organ prolapse and level of distress in racially diverse women aged older than 40 years. METHODS: The Reproductive Risks for Incontinence Study at Kaiser is a population-based study of 2,001 randomly selected women. Symptomatic prolapse was determined by self-report of a feeling of bulge, pressure, or protrusion or a visible bulge from the vagina. Risk factors were assessed by self-report, interview, physical examination, and record review. Distress was assessed by self-report. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors. RESULTS: Symptomatic prolapse was reported by 118 (6%) women. Almost 50% of these women reported moderate or great distress, and 35% reported that the symptoms affected at least one physical, social or sexual activity. In multivariable analysis, the risk of prolapse was significantly increased in women with one (odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1–7.2), two (OR 4.1, 95% CI 1.8–9.5), and three or more (OR 5.3, 95% CI 2.3–12.3) vaginal deliveries compared with nulliparous women. Irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, and self-reported fair or poor health status were strongly associated with prolapse, with ORs of 2.8 (95% CI 1.7–4.6), 2.5 (95% CI 1.7–3.7), and 2.3 (95% CI 1.1–4.9), respectively. African-American women were significantly less likely to report symptomatic prolapse compared with white women (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2–0.8). CONCLUSION: Symptomatic prolapse is less common among African-American women and more common among women with a prior vaginal delivery, poor health status, constipation, or irritable bowel syndrome. Nearly one half of women with symptomatic prolapse are substantially bothered by their symptoms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Polychlorinated biphenyls associated with fine particles (PM2.5) in the urban environment of chile: Concentration levels, and sampling volatilization losses

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in fine particles (PM2.5, particles smaller than 2.5 μm in diameter) collected in two urban areas of Chile, Santiago and Temuco, during August and October 1998. A diffusion denuder sampling system was used for the collection of 19 samples. The concentrations of total PCBs (47 congeners) ranged from 672 to 1,790 pg/m3 in the city of Temuco and from 1,159 to 2,750 pg/m3 in Santiago. These concentrations are moderately higher than those observed in other urban areas around the world. High amounts of PCBs may volatilize from fine particles during aerosols sampling using conventional high‐volume samplers. Average volatilization losses, determined by the diffusion denuder system, varied between 54 and 97%, showing a strong dependence on partial pressure of individual PCB congeners and air temperature. Overall, our results suggest that measurements of PCBs in the particulate phase of the atmosphere, by using conventional high‐volume samplers, might be significantly underestimated because of volatilization losses. The underestimation of PCB and other toxic semivolatile organic compound (SOC) levels associated with fine particles in the urban environment may have consequences to the estimation of health risk posed by inhalation.
Emotional Competence and Online Game Use in Adolescents

The purpose of this study was to explore the relations between emotional competence and online game use in adolescents. This study is a cross-sectional descriptive survey using a convenience sample. The participants were 2199 adolescents in South Korea. Online game use and emotional competence including positive emotion, emotional expression, and emotional intelligence were measured. The study results indicated that emotional competence was negatively correlated with excessive online game use. All variables of emotional competence were significantly lower in high-risk users compared with general users. In addition, female adolescents were rated significantly higher in emotional competence among general users, but there were no significant gender differences among high-risk users. The results of our study imply that high-risk game users have lower levels of emotional intelligence than general users do. The results of this study suggest that emotion is an important factor to which practitioners in psychomedical fields and nursing should pay attention. Therefore, nurses in schools and communities should regularly screen the emotions of adolescents who habitually play online games and develop a program to enhance emotional competence associated with online games.
Anteroposterior Instability of the Distal Clavicle After Distal Clavicle Resection

Resection of the lateral end of the clavicle disrupts the acromioclavicular articulation and creates the potential for abnormal postoperative motion. Seventeen isolated distal clavicle resections were reviewed to assess translation of the acromioclavicular articulation in the anteroposterior plane and its relationship to patient outcome. Stress radiographs were used to quantitate the translation of the distal clavicle and the amount of bone resected. Radiographs of the contralateral shoulder served as a control. Patients completed a questionnaire on shoulder function and pain and were examined preoperatively and postoperatively. The total translation (anterior plus posterior) in the anteroposterior plane averaged 8.7 mm (range, 3–21 mm) for surgically treated shoulders and was significantly greater than that for the contralateral shoulders (mean, 3.2 mm; range, 1–6 mm). Patients' postoperative visual analog pain scales correlated with the magnitude of anteroposterior translation. The amount of translation and the postoperative pain scores did not correlate with the apparent joint space seen on radiographs after surgery. The correlation of pain scores with the amount of translation shows that excessive anteroposterior instability of the distal clavicle can cause postoperative shoulder pain and poor surgical outcome.
Barriers to the development of palliative care in Western Europe

The Eurobarometer Survey of the EAPC Task Force on the Development of Palliative Care in Europe is part of a programme of work to produce comprehensive information on the provision of palliative care across Europe. Aim: To identify barriers to the development of palliative care in Western Europe. Method: A qualitative survey was undertaken amongst boards of national associations, eliciting opinions on opportunities for, and barriers to, palliative care development. By July 2006, 44/52 (85%) European countries had responded to the survey; we report here on the results from 22/25 (88%) countries in Western Europe. Analysis: Data from the Eurobarometer Survey were analysed thematically by geographical region and by the degree of development of palliative care in each country. Results: From the data contained within the Eurobarometer, we identified six significant barriers to the development of palliative care in Western Europe: (i) lack of palliative care education and training programmes; (ii) lack of awareness and recognition of palliative care; (iii) limited availability of/knowledge about opioid analgesics; (iv) limited funding; (v) lack of coordination amongst services; and (vi) uneven palliative care coverage. Conclusion: Findings from the EAPC Eurobarometer Survey suggest that barriers to the development of palliative care in Western Europe may differ substantially from each other in both their scope and context and that some may be considered to be of greater significance than others. A number of common barriers to the development of the discipline do exist and much work still remains to be done in the identified areas. This paper provides a road map of which barriers need to be addressed.
PHYLOGENETIC INFERENCE OF NUPTIAL TRAIT EVOLUTION IN THE CONTEXT OF ASYMMETRICAL INTROGRESSION IN NORTH AMERICAN DARTERS (TELEOSTEI)

Introgressive hybridization and incomplete lineage sorting complicate the inference of phylogeny, and available species‐tree methods do not simultaneously account for these processes. Both hybridization and ancestral polymorphism have been invoked to explain divergent phylogenies inferred from different datasets for Stigmacerca, a clade of 11 North American darter species. Species of Stigmacerca are characterized by a mating system involving parental care with males guarding nesting territories and fertilized eggs. Males of four species of Stigmacerca develop egg‐mimic nuptial structures on their second dorsal fins during the breeding season. Previous phylogenies suggest contrasting scenarios for the evolution of this nuptial trait. Using a combination of coalescent‐based methods, we analyzed a dataset comprising a mitochondrial gene and 15 nuclear loci to estimate relationships and simultaneously test for introgressive hybridization. Our analyses identified several instances of interspecific gene flow involving both cytoplamsmic haplotypes and nuclear alleles. The new phylogeny was used to infer a single origin and recent loss of egg‐mimic structures in Stigmacerca and led to the discovery of a phylogenetically distinct species. Our results highlight the limited strategies available to account for introgressive hybridization in the inference of species relationships and the likely effects of this process on reconstructing trait evolution.