Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parafoveal versus foveal N400s dissociate spreading activation from contextual fit

Using concurrent electroencephalogram and eye movement measures to track natural reading, this study shows that N400 effects reflecting predictability are dissociable from those owing to spreading activation. In comparing predicted sentence endings with related and unrelated unpredicted endings in antonym constructions (‘the opposite of black is white/yellow/nice’), fixation-related potentials at the critical word revealed a predictability-based N400 effect (unpredicted vs. predicted words). By contrast, event-related potentials time locked to the last fixation before the critical word showed an N400 only for the nonrelated unpredicted condition (nice). This effect is attributed to a parafoveal mismatch between the critical word and preactivated lexical features (i.e. features of the predicted word and its associates). In addition to providing the first demonstration of a parafoveally induced N400 effect, our results support the view that the N400 is best viewed as a component family.
Electroencephalographic coherence analysis in multiple sclerosis: correlation with clinical, neuropsychological, and MRI findings

OBJECTIVE To explore functional corticocortical connections in multiple sclerosis by means of coherence of the EEG, and to evaluate their correlations with the degree of cognitive impairment and with brain lesion load assessed by MRI. METHODS EEG coherence was studied from 28 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis. Ten minutes of resting EEG were recorded with 20 scalp electrodes, with binaural reference. FFT power and coherence were calculated in artifact free epochs of 1 second and compared with values from 22 control subjects of comparable age and sex distribution. Patients also underwent MRI (n=27) and neuropsychological examination (n=21). RESULTS Compared with controls, patients with multiple sclerosis showed increased θ power in the frontotemporal-central regions (p<0.005). θ Band coherence was decreased between homologous areas (p<0.02). α Band coherence was decreased both in the local and long distance connections (p<0.0005). These findings were most striking both in patients with high MRI subcortical lesion load and in patients with cognitive involvement. A significant correlation was found between interhemispheric θ (p=0.02) and α (p=0.017) and anteroposterior α (p=0.013) coherence and subcortical MRI lesion load, but not with exclusively periventricular lesion load. CONCLUSIONS These findings support the hypothesis that cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis is mostly dependent on involvement of corticocortical connections related to demyelination and/or axonal loss within the white matter immediately underlying the cortex.
Isolated limb perfusion with tumor necrosis factor and melphalan for limb salvage in 186 patients with locally advanced soft tissue extremity sarcomas. The cumulative multicenter European experience.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to achieve limb salvage in patients with locally advanced soft tissue sarcomas that can only be treated by amputation or functionally mutilating surgery by performing an isolated limb perfusion (ILP) with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) + melphalan (M) as induction biochemotherapy to obtain local control and make limb-sparing surgery possible. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA To increase the number of limb-sparing resections in the treatment of locally advanced extremity soft tissue sarcoma, preoperative radiation therapy or chemotherapy or a combination of the two often are applied. The ILP with cytostatic agents alone is another option but rarely is used because of rather poor results. The efficacy of the application of TNF in ILP markedly has changed this situation. METHODS In 8 cancer centers, 186 patients were treated over a period of almost 4.5 years. There were 107 (57%) primary and 79 (43%) recurrent sarcomas, mostly high grade (110 grade III; 51 grade II; and 25 very large, recurrent, or multiple grade I sarcomas). The composition of this series of patients is unusual: 42 patients (23%) had multifocal primary or multiple recurrent tumors; median tumor size was very large (16 cm); 25 patients (13%) had known systemic metastases at the time of the ILP. Patients underwent a 90-minute ILP at 39 to 40 C with TNF + melphalan. The first 55 patients also received interferon-tau. A delayed marginal resection of the tumor remnant was done 2 to 4 months after ILP. RESULTS A major tumor response was seen in 82% of the patients rendering these large sarcomas resectable in most cases. Clinical response rates were: 33 complete response (CR) (18%), 106 partial response (PR) (57%), 42 no change (NC) (22%), and 5 progressive disease (PD) (3%). Final outcome was defined by clinical and pathologic response: 54 CR (29%), 99 PR (53%), 29 NC (16%), and 4 PD (2%). At a median follow-up of almost 2 years (22 months; range, 6-58 months), limb salvage was achieved in 82%. Regional toxicity was limited and systemic toxicity minimal to moderate, easily managed, with no toxic deaths. CONCLUSIONS In the setting of isolated limb perfusion, TNF is an active anticancer drug in patients. The ILP with TNF + melphalan can be performed safely in many centers and is an effective induction treatment with a high response rate that can achieve limb salvage in patients with locally advanced extremity soft tissue sarcoma.
Effect of Three Organophosphorous Nematicides on Non-target Nematodes and Soil Microbial Community

The toxicity of three organophosphorous nematicides, imicyafos, fosthiazate and cadusafos, to non-target organisms in soil was evaluated. Imicyafos and fosthiazate had no significant inhibitory effect on the growth of fungal (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lactucae, Rhizoctonia solani and Trichoderma viride) and bacterial (Ralstonia solanacearum and Pseudomonas fluorescens) strains in media at 12.5 to 200 mg L. Cadusafos, however, significantly inhibited the growth of all these strains except R. solanacearum. A pot test was conducted using a soil naturally infested with Pratylenchus penetrans, and treated with imicyafos or fosthiazate, which are less toxic to non-target organisms. The density of P. penetrans decreased to less than 10% of the control level after exposure to imicyafos and fosthiazate at 3 kg active ingredient ha, the conventional dose. No significant effect was observed on the density of free-living nematodes, cellulose decomposition activity, microbial biomass evaluated with the ATP method and number of ammonia oxidizers between the soil treated with imicyafos or fosthiazate and the untreated control soil. Our results revealed that imicyafos and fosthiazate effectively suppressed a plant-parasitic nematode, P. penetrans, but had little impact on free-living nematodes and the soil microbial community.
Fibrinolysis, Fibrinogen and Factor XIII in New Born Infants

Summary Fibrinolysis and the last stage of clotting were examined in 20 healthy infants on days 1-4 after birth. Plasminogen was constantly at half its normal level: 1.2-1.4 u/ml. The euglobulin lysis was increased only on day 1 in 50% of the cases. The mean values on days 1 and 4 showed a statistically significant difference: 0.45 ± 0.20 and 0.14 ± 0.05 (t = 2.1 p < 0.05). Fibrinogen was low or low normal at birth (mean values: 230 ± 57 mg%) but increased significantly in the next days reaching a mean of 293 ± 41 mg% on day 4 (t = 3.6 ρ < 0.001). Factor XIII was normal in all cases. Increased fibrinolysis in day 1 is probably due to a high level of activator at birth and the low plasminogen and fibrinogen are probably a consequence of the physiological „immaturity” of the liver.
Evidence for a Novel X-Linked Modifier Locus for Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy

Leber Hereditary Optic Neuropathy (LHON) is a maternally inherited blinding disease caused by missense mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). However, incomplete penetrance and a predominance of male patients presenting with vision loss suggest that modifying factors play an important role in the development of the disease. Evidence from several studies suggests that both nuclear modifier genes and environmental factors may be necessary to trigger the optic neuropathy in individuals harboring an LHON-causing mtDNA mutation. Recently, an optic neuropathy susceptibility locus at Xp21-Xq21 has been reported. In this study, we performed X-chromosomal linkage analysis in a large Brazilian family harboring a homoplasmic G11778A mtDNA mutation on a haplogroup J background. We report the identification of a novel LHON susceptibility locus on chromosome Xq25-27.2, with multipoint non-parametric linkage scores of > 5.00 (P = 0.005) and a maximum two-point non-parametric linkage score of 10.12, (P = 0.003) for marker DXS984 (Xq27.1). These results suggest genetic heterogeneity for X-linked modifiers of LHON.
The double death of the author: Lorca's Poeta en Nueva York and the (re)territorialization of poetic voice in Francoist Spain

Federico García Lorca's Poeta en Nueva York continues to elicit considerable critical interest. Because of its avant-garde experimentation, it resists all reductive readings and lends itself to a plethora of interpretations on the part of critics and readers who appropriate Lorca for certain ends. My article shows that this process of appropriation is nothing new. In 1945, the Falangist philologist Joaquín de Entrambasaguas, writing during the earliest and most repressive years of Francoism, published a brief review of Poeta en Nueva York for a supplement of the literary journal Cuadernos de Literatura Contemporánea. Here I argue that the review or “Nota preliminar,” as it appears in the journal itself, sets out to appropriate Lorca's poetry for political ends, in an attempt to domesticate Lorca's voice as symptomatic of a deep seated “Spanishness” at a time when Franco's regime was looking to revive the myths of a glorious Spanish past. Using some key theoretical concepts such as “deterritorialization” from the work of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, and drawing on the work of Deleuzian philosopher Manuel De Landa, I seek to understand how this process of cultural re-appropriation develops, and what the implications are.
Placental morphology in pregnancies associated with pregravid obesity

Abstract Objective: Pre-gravid obesity is associated with increased morbidity and mortality for both mother and offspring. We aimed to investigate the changes in placental structure and to characterize the placental inflammatory status in obese women. Methods: Placentas from 10 women with pregravid body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2 were analyzed histopathologically and compared with those from 10 normal weight women. The effect of pregravid obesity on placental structure was investigated by examining placental maturity, angiogenesis, inflammatory response, and vascular abnormalities. Hematoxylin and eosin stain, immunohistochemical analysis, and morphometric analysis were performed. Results: Immaturity of the villous tree was demonstrated more often in the pregravid obesity group (p = 0.005). The villous tree was mainly represented by villi of larger diameter (p = 0.001) and lower number (p = 0.023) compared with controls. By contrast, the number of capillaries per villus was increased in the obese group (p = 0.001), while the global number of capillaries per surface unit did not differ in the studied groups (p = 1). There was no difference between the pre-gravid obese group and controls in inflammatory status and vascular pathology. Conclusions: Pregravid obesity is associated with focal immaturity of the villous tree and angiogenetic abnormalities of the placenta.
Design of PID controllers for dead-time systems using simulated annealing algorithms

The method of simulated annealing (SA)-based optimisation provides a non-oscillatory bounded solution closed-loop response for a large class of optimisation problems. The idea is to find a proportional-integral- derivative (PID) controller setting based on minimisation of cost function that makes the response from the set point to plant output as close as possible. In this paper, the performance of a PID controller designed using the SA, directed search SA based on simplex simulated annealing, heuristic pattern search-based simulated annealing (HPSSA) algorithms are exhaustively discussed and the results are found promising compared to the earlier non- heuristic methods proposed by Kookos and George Syrcos; Luyben; Visioli; and Chidambaram.
Drosophila mauve Mutants Reveal a Role of LYST Homologs Late in the Maturation of Phagosomes and Autophagosomes

Chediak–Higashi syndrome (CHS) is a lethal disease caused by mutations that inactivate the lysosomal trafficking regulator protein (LYST). Patients suffer from diverse symptoms including oculocutaneous albinism, recurrent infections, neutropenia and progressive neurodegeneration. These defects have been traced back to over‐sized lysosomes and lysosome‐related organelles (LROs) in different cell types. Here, we explore mutants in the Drosophila mauve gene as a new model system for CHS. The mauve gene (CG42863) encodes a large BEACH domain protein of 3535 amino acids similar to LYST. This reflects a functional homology between these proteins as mauve mutants also display enlarged LROs, such as pigment granules. This Drosophila model also replicates the enhanced susceptibility to infections and we show a defect in the cellular immune response. Early stages of phagocytosis proceed normally in mauve mutant hemocytes but, unlike in wild type, late phagosomes fuse and generate large vacuoles containing many bacteria. Autophagy is similarly affected in mauve fat bodies as starvation‐induced autophagosomes grow beyond their normal size. Together these data suggest a model in which Mauve functions to restrict homotypic fusion of different pre‐lysosomal organelles and LROs.
A GTP-binding protein (Era) has an essential role in growth rate and cell cycle control in Escherichia coli

Era is a membrane-associated GTP-binding protein which is essential for cell growth in Escherichia coli. In order to examine the physiological role of Era, strains in which Era was expressed at 40 degrees C but completely repressed at 27 degrees C were constructed. The growth of these strains was inhibited at the nonpermissive temperature, and cells became elongated. Under such conditions, no constrictions or septum formation could be detected by phase-contrast microscopy, and DNA segregation was apparently normal as revealed by fluorescence staining. These data demonstrate that Era has an essential function in cell growth rate control in liquid media and that depletion of Era blocks cell division either directly or indirectly. Thus, the role of GTP-binding proteins as important regulators of cell growth and division may be ubiquitous in nature.
Influence of light curing units and fluoride mouthrinse on morphological surface and color stability of a nanofilled composite resin

Composite resin is a dental material susceptible to color change over time which limits the longevity of restorations made with this material. The influence of light curing units and different fluoride mouthrinses on superficial morphology and color stability of a nanofilled composite resin was evaluated. Specimens (N = 150) were prepared and polished. The experimental groups were divided according to the type of light source (halogen and LED) and immersion media (artificial saliva, 0.05% sodium fluoride solution‐manipulated, Fluordent Reach, Oral B, Fluorgard). Specimens remained in artificial saliva for 24‐h baseline. For 60 days, they were immersed in solutions for 1 min. Color readout was taken at baseline and after 60 days of immersion. Surface morphology was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) after 60 days of immersion. Color change data were submitted to two‐way Analysis of Variance and Tukey tests (α = 0.05). Surface morphology was qualitatively analyzed. The factor light source presented no significant variability (P = 0.281), the immersion media, significant variability (P < 0.001) and interaction between factors, no significant variability (P = 0.050). According to SEM observations, no difference was noted in the surface of the specimens polymerized by different light sources, irrespective of the immersion medium. It was concluded that the light source did not influence the color stability of composite, irrespective of the immersion media, and among the fluoride solutions analyzed, Fluorgard was the one that promoted the greatest color change, however, this was not clinically perceptible. The immersion media did not influence the morphology of the studied resin. Microsc. Res. Tech. 77:941–946, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Learning Abductive Reasoning Using Random Examples

We consider a new formulation of abduction in which degrees of "plausibility" of explanations, along with the rules of the domain, are learned from concrete examples (settings of attributes). Our version of abduction thus falls in the "learning to reason" framework of Khardon and Roth. Such approaches enable us to capture a natural notion of "plausibility" in a domain while avoiding the extremely difficult problem of specifying an explicit representation of what is "plausible. " We specifically consider the question of which syntactic classes of formulas have efficient algorithms for abduction. We find that the class of k-DNF explanations can be found in polynomial time for any fixed k; but, we also find evidence that even weak versions of our abduction task are intractable for the usual class of conjunctions. This evidence is provided by a connection to the usual, inductive PAC-learning model proposed by Valiant. We also consider an exception-tolerant variant of abduction. We observe that it is possible for polynomial-time algorithms to tolerate a few adversarially chosen exceptions, again for the class of k-DNF explanations. All of the algorithms we study are particularly simple, and indeed are variants of a rule proposed by Mill.
A Soft-Handover Scheme for LEO Satellite Networks

Traditionally, Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite networks use hard handovers when a Mobile Terminal (MT) moves between the footprints of two satellites. Such approach introduces a transitory disconnection interval, which may limit the capacity to provide demanding real-time requirements. A soft- handover approach that applies distributed packet combining on a satellite diversity scenario is proposed in this paper. Considering inexpensive MT hardware and low transmission powers, the paper analyses the performance gains and the difficulties that are associated to different Doppler and time-of-arrival shifts when the MT signal is broadcast to two satellites during the short handover period where both satellite's footprint overlap. A Single-Carrier with Frequency Domain Equalization (SC-FDE) transmission technique is considered in this paper. It is shown that it is possible to have an inter-satellite handover almost without quality of service (QoS) degradation for a Satellite Network Diversity Multiple Access (S-NDMA) scheme.
Retinal Ganglion Cell Death

1.1 Topographic and cellular organization of the retina The retina is the thin (0.2 mm) lining of the back of the eye that gathers light focused on it by the cornea and lens. The retina has a complex laminar organization; cells are organized into layers (Fig. 1). These layers are named by reference to the middle of the eyeball; the innermost layers are located nearest the vitreous chamber, whereas the outermost lie adjacent to the retinal pigment epithelium and choroid. The most important layers, progressing from the inner to the outer, are: (1) the inner limiting membrane (formed by astrocytes and the conical end-feet of Muller cells); (2) the nerve fiber layer, composed of the axons of ganglion cells; (3) the ganglion layer, containing the cell bodies of ganglion cells; (4) the inner plexiform layer, composed of synapses formed between bipolar, amacrine, and ganglion cells; (5) the inner nuclear layer, containing the cell bodies and nuclei of horizontal, bipolar, and amacrine cells; (6) the outer plexiform layer, composed of synapses connecting photoreceptor cells from the outer nuclear layer with bipolar and horizontal cells from the inner nuclear layer; (7) the outer nuclear layer, containing the synapses and cell bodies of two classes of photoreceptors, namely the rods and cones; (8) the outer limiting membrane, a junction line between photoreceptor cells and Muller cells; (9) the photoreceptor layer, which contains the light-sensitive outer segments of the photoreceptors; and (10) the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), which is a monolayer of melanin-containing cells forming part of the blood/retina barrier. Although the RPE is not a component of the neural retina, this layer provides critical metabolic support to photoreceptors and the integrity thereof is fundamental in terms of proper retinal function [Bok, 1993; Krstic, 1997]. Retinal tissue contains both neuronal and non-neuronal elements, which work together to enable vision and to maintain retinal homeostasis Neurons: The retina contains five types of neurons: (1) photoreceptors (cone and rod cells); (2) bipolar cells (of the flat, midget, and rod types); (3) horizontal cells; (4) amacrine cells; and, (5) ganglion cells [Krstic, 1997]. Photoreceptors are photosensitive neurons that absorb photons from the field of view and, using a specific complex biochemical pathway, turn this information into electrical signals via the process termed phototransduction [Sung & Chuang, 2010] to bipolar cells. Horizontal cells connect rods and cones that horizontally convey information within the retina. The horizontal cells receive input from one or more photoreceptors and transmit information to other photoreceptors and to bipolar cells [Poche & Reese, 2009]. Amacrine cells modulate signaling between bipolar and ganglion cells. The amacrine cells receive inputs from one or more bipolar cells and contact ganglion cells that
Élèves ingénieurs : aspirations et projets de vie.

Pour tenter d’expli-quer pourquoi les femmes ingenieurs accedent moins sou- vent que leurs collegues masculins aux fonctions dirigeantes, nous avons mene une recherche aupres d’eleves ingenieurs masculins et feminins poursuivant leur formation a l’Institut national des telecommunications. Nous nous sommes demande si les projets professionnels et personnels respectifs a chacun des deux sexes se ressemblent ou pas en premiere annee. En d’autres termes, les etudiantes envisagent-elles de rentabiliser leur diplome d’ingenieur de la meme facon que les etudiants? Les resultats de l’etude montrent que les projets d’avenir des etudiantes sont assez differents de ceux de leurs homologues masculins. Elles ont, en effet, globalement des projets professionnels moins ambitieux qu’eux car pour elles vie professionnelle et vie familiale entreront souvent en competition. Elles envisagent notamment plus souvent que les garcons des amenagements de leur travail pour degager du temps pour leur vie familiale. On peut penser qu’elles anticipent de «s’adapter raisonnablement» selon l’expression de M. Duru-Bellat (1990), a la division sexuee du travail mais aussi qu’elles ont des difficultes a se projeter dans des roles pour lesquels il existe encore pour l’instant bien peu de modeles feminins. On retrouve la le poids des roles de sexe. Les femmes, quelle que soit leur formation, sont plus lourdement mises a contribution que les hommes pour assurer la marche de la structure familiale et payent le prix de ce role en matiere de promotion et de carriere.