Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulsed Stimuli Elicit More Robust Multisensory Enhancement than Expected

Neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) integrate cross-modal inputs to generate responses that are more robust than to either input alone, and are frequently greater than their sum (superadditive enhancement). Previously, the principles of a real-time multisensory transform were identified and used to accurately predict a neuron's responses to combinations of brief flashes and noise bursts. However, environmental stimuli frequently have more complex temporal structures that elicit very different response dynamics than previously examined. The present study tested whether such stimuli (i.e., pulsed) would be treated similarly by the multisensory transform. Pulsing visual and auditory stimuli elicited responses composed of higher discharge rates that had multiple peaks temporally aligned to the stimulus pulses. Combinations pulsed cues elicited multiple peaks of superadditive enhancement within the response window. Measured over the entire response, this resulted in larger enhancements than expected given enhancements elicited by non-pulsed (“sustained”) stimuli. However, as with sustained stimuli, the dynamics of multisensory responses to pulsed stimuli were highly related to the temporal dynamics of the unisensory inputs. This suggests that the specific characteristics of the multisensory transform are not determined by the external features of the cross-modal stimulus configuration; rather the temporal structure and alignment of the unisensory inputs is the dominant driving factor in the magnitudes of the multisensory product.
When is it futile for ambulance personnel to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation?

Abstract Objective: To determine whether patients with unexpected prehospital cardiac arrest could be identified in whom ambulance resuscitation attempts would be futile. Design: Review of ambulance and hospital records; detailed review of automated external defibrillator rhythm strips of patients in whom no shock was advised. Setting: Scottish Ambulance Service; all cardiopulmonary resuscitation attempts after cardiorespiratory arrest during 1988-94 included in the Heartstart Scotland database. Subjects: 414 cardiorespiratory arrest patients with no pulse or breathing on arrival of ambulance personnel, no bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed, and more than 15 minutes from time of arrest to arrival of ambulance. Patients were stratified into those with “shockable” and “non-shockable” rhythms. Main outcome measures: Return of spontaneous circulation, or survival to reach hospital alive, or survival to discharge, or all three. Results: No patient with a non-shockable rhythm who met the entry criteria for analysis survived a resuscitation attempt. Review of the defibrillator rhythm strips of these patients failed to find any case in which the tracing was deemed compatible with survival. Conclusions: On the basis that it would be inappropriate to initiate vigorous resuscitation in patients who can be identified as “dead” and beyond help an algorithm was prepared to guide ambulance personnel.
Microhabitat factors influencing predation and success of suburban Blue Jay Cyanocitta cristata nests

nest tree, and nest concealment, were not related to nest predation, although distance from a nest to the nearest building was inversely related to duration of nest survival. The latter relationship suggests human activity may decrease nest predation in suburban areas. Density of vegetation surrounding nests did not influence nest fate, thus providing no support for the habitat complexity hypothesis. Instead, failed nests occurred in patches containing fewer trees of the same species, size class and vine cover as the nest tree. Because this pattern was not an effect of size or species of either the nest tree or neighboring trees, nor an effect of vines in the nest tree or neighboring
Diagnostic accuracy of endometrial curettage in endometrial pathology.

BACKGROUND Abnormal uterine bleeding is one of the most frequent problems in life of an adult female. Uterine curettage or biopsy remains a preferred sampling procedure for diagnosis of the endometrial pathology. The objective of this study was to compare the sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive value of endometrial curettage. PATIENTS AND METHODS This validation study was carried out at the Department of Histopathology, Army Medical College Rawalpindi in collaboration with Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from January to December 2010. The study included 50 curettage and subsequent hysterectomy specimen of the same patients. Non-probability sampling technique was used to divide patients into two groups with 50 patients in each group. One group was of endometrial curettage having endometrial pathology (group A). Second group was of subsequent hysterectomy specimen of the same patients (group B). RESULTS Endometrial curettage was found most accurate in diagnosing endometrial carcinoma. Sensitivity of endometrial curettage was found to be 33% whereas specificity and positive predictive value was found to be 100% each. Negative predictive value was found to be 93.1%. CONCLUSION Endometrial biopsy is a sensitive and a specific test in and is accurate in diagnosing endometrial pathology. It is found most accurate in diagnosing endometrial carcinoma.
Cutting Edge: Influenza A Virus Activates TLR3-Dependent Inflammatory and RIG-I-Dependent Antiviral Responses in Human Lung Epithelial Cells1

Influenza A virus (IAV) triggers a contagious acute respiratory disease that causes considerable mortality annually. Recently, we established a role for the pattern-recognition TLR3 in the response of lung epithelial cells to IAV-derived dsRNA. However, additional nucleic acid-recognition proteins have lately been implicated as key viral sensors, including the RNA helicases retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene (MDA)-5. In this study, we investigated the respective role of TLR3 vs RIG-I/MDA-5 signaling in human respiratory epithelial cells infected by IAV using BEAS-2B cells transfected with vectors encoding either a dominant-negative form of TLR3 or of mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS; a signaling intermediate of RIG-I and MDA-5), or with plasmids overexpressing functional RIG-I or MDA-5. We demonstrate that the sensing of IAV by TLR3 primarily regulates a proinflammatory response, whereas RIG-I (but not MDA-5) mediates both a type I IFN-dependent antiviral signaling and a proinflammatory response.
Surface CD14 positivity in B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is related to clinical outcome

The aberrant expression of the myelomonocytic antigen CD14 was investigated in 128 untreated patients diagnosed with B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B‐CLL). A cut‐off value of 5 × 109/l CD14‐positive cells was chosen for statistical analysis because it showed the best discriminating power among patients with different clinical features. 56 cases had a CD14+ cell count >5 × 109/l. A significant correlation was found between Rai and Binet stages and total tumour mass (TTM) score on one hand, and the absolute CD14+ cell cut‐off, on the other. This relationship was more evident in Rai 0–II and Binet A–B stages, where a CD14+ cell count >5 × 109/l was preferentially distributed among patients with a higher tumoral mass. In univariate analysis the survival probability at 5 and 10 years showed a significant correlation with Rai and Binet stages, TTM score, CD14+ absolute cell count and median age. The median overall survival (OS) was 63 months for patients with a CD14+ cell count >5 × 109/l and 136 months for those with a CD14+ cell count < 5 × 109/l. In the multivariate Cox regression model, Rai stage, age and CD14+ cell count were independent significant factors for the prediction of OS. Finally, when the same analysis was restricted to Rai stages 0–II, CD14+ cell count was the only significant independent parameter influencing OS, with a relative death risk of 3.8. In conclusion, these data reveal that CD14+ represents an important marker for predicting OS in B‐CLL patients and, therefore, we suggest that it should be included in the immunological characterization of B‐CLL.
The Green State-Rethinking Democracy and Sovereignty

quixotic and unlikely to meet with much practical success, at least in the United States. The federal judiciary in the US has taken a decidedly conservative turn in recent decades, and the courts would be, in all likelihood, unwilling to read into the Constitution the right of other species to participate, even by proxy, in legislative deliberations.2 Even less likely, given the difficulties inherent in the amendment process, is the addition of a precautionary principle to the Constitution.
Why do patients with a cough delay seeking care at Lusaka urban health centres? A health systems research approach.

SETTING Primary health centres in urban Lusaka, Zambia. OBJECTIVES To describe the distribution and risk factors for delay among patients presenting with a cough to the urban health centres. DESIGN A health systems research methodology was used. A participatory workshop analysed the problem and designed a cross-sectional survey of patients attending two urban health centres. Initial data analyses were performed in a second workshop, with results discussed with a broad range of policy-makers, health care staff and community members interested in tuberculosis. RESULTS A total of 427 patients were interviewed; 35% had delayed for more than one month. Delay was associated with older age, severe underlying illness, poor perception of the health services, distance from the clinic and prior attendance at a private clinic. There was no relationship between delay and knowledge about tuberculosis, nor with education, socio-economic level or gender. Tuberculosis and HIV were felt to be closely linked and highly stigmatised, but stigmatising attitudes were not associated with longer delays. CONCLUSIONS The health systems research methodology was an effective way to engage the staff of the district health services in action-oriented research. Investing in improvements in the health system and ensuring accessibility for older and more disabled patients is likely to reduce delays in diagnosis and help to improve tuberculosis control in Lusaka.
Twin study of dissociative experience.

The relative influence of genetic and environmental influences on measures of pathological and nonpathological dissociative experience was estimated using a classic twin-study design. Subjects were 177 monozygotic and 152 dizygotic volunteer general population twin pairs who completed two measures of dissociative capacity identified from the items comprising the Dissociative Experiences Scale (DES). Additive genetic influences accounted for 48% and 55% of the variance in scales measuring pathological and nonpathological dissociative experience, respectively. Heritability estimates did not differ by gender. The genetic correlation between these measures was estimated at . 91, suggesting common genetic factors underlying pathological and nonpathological dissociative capacity. Genetic and environmental correlations between the DES scales and measures of personality disorder traits (Dimensional Assessment of Personality Pathology-Basic Questionnaire; DAPP-BQ) were also estimated. Significant genetic correlations (median = .38) were found between the DES scales and DAPP-BQ cognitive dysregulation, affective lability, and suspiciousness, suggesting that the genetic factors underlying particular aspects of personality disorder also influence dissociative capacity.
Single, high-dose intramuscular triamcinolone acetonide versus weekly oral methotrexate in life-threatening asthma: a double-blind study.

Effective and less toxic treatments are needed for patients with severe, steroid-dependent asthma. Both low-dose oral methotrexate and high-dose intramuscular triamcinolone have been recommended for these patients. We compared the effects of these two medications on pulmonary function, peak flow rates, airway reactivity, oral steroid use, emergency room (ER) visits, and hospitalizations in patients with steroid-dependent, life-threatening asthma. In a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, we investigated 19 such patients. Six of the patients (Group I) received a single dose of 360 mg triamcinolone intramuscularly with placebo methotrexate; seven patients (Group II) received placebo triamcinolone followed by low-dose oral methotrexate (a first dose of 7.5 mg followed by 15 mg weekly); and six patients (Group III) received placebo triamcinolone with placebo methotrexate. All patients used the same high-dose inhaled steroids. The patients took tapering courses of oral steroids when needed, but attempted to reduce their oral steroid use whenever possible. Methacholine challenge testing was performed every 6 wk, pulmonary function tests every 4 wk, and home peak-flow measurements twice daily. Oral steroid use, ER visits, and hospitalizations were also monitored. The patients in the triamcinolone treatment group showed a significant and sustained increase in home peak-flow rates, and their FEV1 persistently improved by a mean of 40% (p < 0.05), whereas the FEV1 of the patients in the methotrexate treatment and placebo groups remained near baseline. The PC20 in the triamcinolone group increased progressively (p > 0.05), and the improvements in total mean reactivity were greater in this group than in either of the other two groups (p < 0.05). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Physical Fitness of Lower Limb Amputees

Chin T, Sawamura S, Fujita H, Nakajima S, Oyabu H, Nagakura Y, Ojima I, Otsuka H, Nakagawa A: Physical fitness of lower limb amputees. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2002;81:321–325. Objective To investigate the cardiorespiratory endurance of the physical fitness of amputees and able-bodied subjects of the same ages and to demonstrate deterioration of the physical fitness of the amputees. Design The test subjects were 31 amputees. Eighteen able-bodied persons served as controls. The incremental exercise test was performed to evaluate physical fitness. Sixteen of 31 amputees underwent endurance training by using a cycle ergometer driven by the intact leg, and their physical fitness was evaluated after completion of the endurance training program. Results The &OV0312;o2max, anaerobic threshold, and maximum workload for the amputees were significantly lower than those of the able-bodied group. The equivalent values for the endurance training group before exercise treatment were 18.0, 12.1, and 63.9, respectively. After exercise treatment, these values significantly increased, and there was no significant difference from the able-bodied subjects. Conclusions This study showed that the physical fitness of amputees was clearly lower than that of the able-bodied subjects and that the amputees were able to recover from a poorly conditioned status after endurance training.
Modelling of volatility in the South African mining sector : application of ARCH and GARCH models.

The primary objectives of this study were to model the volatility in the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) using the two mining companies’ data. The companies are Impala Platinum Holdings Limited and Harmony Gold Limited and data set used was the daily closing price for the period of 3 January 1995 to 3 July 2014. The data vectors consist of log transformed returns of the daily closing price. The methods used to model this volatility were the Autoregressive Conditional Heteroscedasticity (ARCH), Generalized ARCH (GARCH), Exponential GARCH (EGARCH), Asymmetric Power ARCH (APARCH) and Glosten, Jagannathan, Runkle GARCH (GJR-GARCH) models for univariate models, Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) GARCH model for multivariate and stochastic volatility (SV) models. Before the univariate GARCH models used, the presence of ARCH effect should be checked and this was found in both mining companies. The autocorrelation in the mean was present as well, which could then be removed by modeling the AR (Autoregresive) model, and hence using the residual to run GARCH models. The AR1+GJR-GARCH(1,2) model with Skewed Student-t distribution (sstd) error was the best fit model for Harmony Gold Ltd, while the AR2+EGARCH (1,2) model with Student-t distribution (std) was found to be the best fit model for Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd. The results reveal that there is a high volatility persistence in both mining companies with higher volatility in the Harmony Gold Limited mining company. The results from the stochastic volatility models were in agreement with those obtained from the univariate GARCH models. The Dynamic Conditional Correlation (DCC) GARCH model was also employed between the two daily data mining companies within the same period as the one from GARCH type models and stochastic volatility. The overall finding indicated that the correlation between the two mining companies was varied over time. iii
HIV-1 disease progression and fertility: the incidence of recognized pregnancy and pregnancy outcome in Uganda

Objectives: To estimate the association between HIV disease progression and the incidence of recognized pregnancy; to estimate the risk of subsequent fetal loss. Methods: A total of 191 women (92 HIV seropositive and 99 HIV seronegative at enrolment) aged 15–49 years in an HIV clinical cohort were invited to attend routine clinic visits every 3 months. Information on HIV progression collected at the visit was related to whether there was a pregnancy beginning in the following 3 months. Visits were excluded where the woman was already pregnant, lactating, using modern contraceptives or if there was inadequate follow-up. Results: There were 2524 eligible visits and 216 recognized pregnancies. The reported frequency of sexual intercourse diminished with advancing HIV disease. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for pregnancy when the woman was in WHO stage 1 compared with HIV seronegatives was 0.58 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.36–0.93]; stage 2, 0.47 (95% CI, 0.25–0.91); stage 3, 0.43 (95% CI, 0.25–0.74); and stage 4, (AIDS) 0.14 (95% CI, 0.02–1.09). The findings were similar for CD4 cell count, time from seroconversion and time before AIDS. There was an increase in fetal loss from the early stages of HIV infection (adjusted OR for stage 1, 5.38; 95% CI, 1.57–18.44), there were very few recognized pregnancies in the advanced stages. Conclusions: Fertility is reduced from the earliest asymptomatic stage of HIV infection resulting from both a reduced incidence of recognized pregnancy and increased fetal loss. The greatest reduction in fertility was observed following progression to AIDS when there was a very low incidence of recognized pregnancies.
Transcriptional regulation of cell line-dependent, baculovirus-mediated expression of foreign genes.

Cell line-dependent expression of foreign genes in the baculovirus system was investigated using a recombinant vAc beta hCG-luc virus carrying two reporter genes--beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (beta hCG) and luciferase (luc)--placed under the transcriptional control of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) polyhedrin gene promoters. Five different lepidopteran cell lines derived from Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf21 and Sf9), Bombyx mori (BmN and Bm5), and Trichoplusia ni (TN368) were used as host cells. TN368 expressed both beta hCG and LUC to maximum levels, followed by BmN, Sf21, and Sf9 in descending order. Bm5 did not show any evidence of synthesis of the two proteins. Dot blot analysis of DNA from the vAc beta hCG-luc-infected cells revealed that the level of entry of viral DNA was the same for all the five cell lines. After the completion of viral DNA replication (18 hr post infection), the level of viral DNA was the same for all the cell lines except for Bm5 where viral DNA replication did not take place and the residual virus was cleared from the cells. Analysis of RNA from the four expressing cell lines revealed a direct correlation between protein levels and levels of mRNA, suggesting transcriptional control. Differences in mRNA stability between cell lines was also evident. Gel retardation analysis of a host factor binding to transcriptionally important sequence motifs within the AcNPV polyhedrin gene promoter revealed an inverse correlation between the levels of this polyhedrin promoter-binding protein (PPBP) and reporter gene expression. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A low-cost hysteresigraph for plotting magnetization curve and characterizing of toroidal ferromagnetic cores using a new mathematical modeling

Ferromagnetic materials are characterized by magnetic dipoles that align themselves to the direction of an applied external magnetic field showing high and positive values of magnetic susceptibility. Many magnetic-based measurement devices are based on the ferromagnetic properties of its constituent materials and the proper magnetic characterization of these materials is essential. A hysteresigraph is an instrument for measuring hysteresis loops as a function of frequency and magnetic field, but, in general, it is very expensive. Thus, this paper presents a low-cost hysteresigraph for plotting hysteresis loops and magnetization curve of toroidal ferromagnetic cores in real time. The proposed hysteresigraph uses common instruments present in universities or research laboratories and a new simple mathematical modeling to obtain the magnetic properties (permeability, residual density and coercivity, for example) and magnetization curve.
Secreted amyloid precursor protein and holo‐APP bind amyloid β through distinct domains eliciting different toxic responses on hippocampal neurons

Amyloid β (Aβ) is a metabolic product of Aβ precursor protein (APP). Deposition of Aβ in the brain and neuronal degeneration are characteristic hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aβ induces neuronal degeneration, but the mechanism of neurotoxicity remains elusive. Increasing evidence implicates APP as a receptor‐like protein for Aβ fibrils (fAβ). In this study, we present further experimental support for the direct interaction of APP with fAβ and for its involvement in Aβ neurotoxicity. Using recombinant purified holo‐APP (h‐APP), we have shown that it directly binds fAβ. Employing deletion mutant forms of APP, we show that two different sequences are involved in the binding of APP to fAβ. One sequence in the n‐terminus of APP is required for binding of fAβ to secreted APP (s‐APP) but not to h‐APP. In addition, the extracellular juxtamembrane Aβ‐sequence mediates binding of fAβ to h‐APP but not to s‐APP. Deletion of the extracellular juxtamembrane Aβ sequence abolishes abnormal h‐APP accumulation and toxicity induced by fAβ deposition, whereas deletions in the n‐terminus of APP do not affect Aβ toxicity. These experiments show that interaction of toxic Aβ species with its membrane‐anchored parental protein promotes toxicity in hippocampal neurons, adding further support to an Aβ‐receptor‐like function of APP directly implicated in neuronal degeneration in AD. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.