Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Apolipoprotein E ϵ4 and catechol‐O‐methyltransferase alleles in autopsy‐proven Parkinson's disease: Relationship to dementia and hallucinations

We determined whether apolipoprotein E ϵ4 (ApoE4) or catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) genotypes were associated with dementia, hallucinations, Alzheimer's disease pathological findings (AP), or cortical Lewy bodies (CLBs) in autopsy‐confirmed cases of Parkinson's disease (PD). Outcomes were obtained from medical records. Pathology reports identified AP and CLBs. Brain tissue was genotyped. A total of 47 subjects (33 men, 14 women) had PD onset at 62.4 ± 8.7 years of age and died at 77.8 ± 5.6 years of age. Demented and hallucinating patients did not differ in age at onset (AO) of PD or age at death, or the proportion ApoE4+, AP+, or CLB+ compared to nondemented patients or nonhallucinating patients. ApoE4 and COMT (low metabolizer [LH], intermediate metabolizer [HL], or high metabolizer [HH]) did not influence AO, death, or dementia‐ or hallucination‐free survival, based on age or duration of treatment. All seven subjects with AP were demented and had hallucinations. CLBs were associated with dementia but not hallucinations. In Cox regression models adjusting for AO and duration of treatment, increased risk of dementia was associated with male sex but not significantly with ApoE4; inclusion of AP in the model did not affect the results; COMT was not a risk factor for dementia. Psychosis risk was not associated with ApoE4, COMT, or sex. The observation that males have increased dementia risk and the trend for ApoE4 requires confirmation in larger prospective autopsy studies. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
The contributions of central and peripheral vision to scene gist recognition with a 180° visual field.

In current theories of scene perception, the construct of scene gist plays a critical role in guiding attention, facilitating object recognition, and influencing memory. Yet an important and frequently overlooked issue in research and theory on scene gist is the relative contributions of central versus peripheral vision in its acquisition. The current study investigated this issue, while testing how well the conclusions of Larson and Loschky (2009) generalize to more realistic viewing conditions. Larson and Loschky used 27° x 27° images (i.e., maximum retinal eccentricity = 13.5°--near peripheral vision), whereas the current study used a 180° (H) x 40° (V) screen (i.e., maximum eccentricity = 90°--the extreme periphery). We similarly used the Window/Scotoma paradigm, comparing perception of full scenes centered at fixation versus scenes viewed through a "Window" (circular region centered at fixation, with no imagery outside the circle), or a "Scotoma" (the inverse--a blank circular region centered at fixation, with normal imagery outside the circle). Window radii varied from 1-24°, Scotoma radii varied from 10-70°, with both compared to the full image. We flashed images for 33 ms and ensured central fixation using an eyetracker. Stimuli were 512 full color panoramic photographs in 8 basic level scene categories. The results confirmed the main findings of Larson and Loschky (2009) but more dramatically. First, peripheral vision was more important for scene gist than central vision. Removing all information ≤ 30° eccentricity was equal to viewing the entire image, but showing only information within the central 5° eccentricity was significantly worse. Second, although central vision was less important, it was far more efficient than peripheral vision in terms of scene gist extracted per image pixel viewed. Window and Scotoma regression slopes for non-asymptotic proportion accuracy as a function of proportion of image shown were 9.55 versus 1.05, respectively. Meeting abstract presented at VSS 2015.
Effect of potassium and acetylcholine on canine intestinal smooth muscle.

Mechanical and intracellular electrical activity were recorded simultaneously from small intestinal smooth muscle of the dog. Tonic and phasic contractions due to exogenous acetylcholine and elevated external K+ concentration were spike‐dependent in longitudinal and inner circular muscle layers and spike‐independent in the outer circular muscle layer. Voltage‐tension curves were generated by graded depolarization of the membrane. In spike‐dependent longitudinal and inner circular muscle layers the threshold voltage for initiation of spikes and contraction was approximately ‐‐53 mV. In spike‐independent outer circular muscle layer the voltage threshold for contraction was approximately ‐42 mV. The resting membrane potential in longitudinal and inner circular muscle layers was close to the voltage threshold for initiation of spikes and contraction. In contrast, in the outer circular muscle it was approximately 20 mV more negative to the voltage threshold for contraction. In the outer circular muscle layer of whole‐thickness preparations an increase in the amplitude of phasic contractions caused by acetylcholine was associated with an increase in the amplitude of the slow waves. Tone was related to the resting membrane potential. In preparations of isolated outer circular muscle acetylcholine caused depolarization of the membrane potential, slow waves and phasic contractions; comparable depolarization by increases in external K+ concentration did not induce slow waves or phasic contractions. Comparison of the effect of acetylcholine on outer circular muscle with the voltage‐tension curve for this muscle layer showed that the top of the slow wave was associated with just the contractile force predicted by the voltage‐tension curve. This suggests that acetylcholine altered the force of phasic contraction of the outer circular muscle through a voltage‐dependent mechanism. In non‐neural cells located on the serosal side of the outer circular muscle layer of the dog, cat and rabbit, changes in external K+ concentration depolarized the membrane and abolished slow waves. There was no response to acetylcholine.
Mechanism of pressure‐induced thermostabilization of proteins: Studies of glutamate dehydrogenases from the hyperthermophile Thermococcus litoralis

In this study, we investigated the effect of pressure on protein structure and stability at high temperature. Thermoinactivation experiments at 5 and 500 atm were performed using the wild‐type (WT) enzyme and two single mutants (D167T and T138E) of the glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) from the hyperthermophile Thermococcus litoralis. All three GDHs were stabilized, although to different degrees, by the application of 500 atm. Interestingly, the degree of pressure stabilization correlated with GDH stability as well as the magnitude of electrostatic repulsion created by residues at positions 138 and 167. Thermoinactivation experiments also were performed in the presence of trehalose. Addition of the sugar stabilized all three GDHs; the degree of sugar‐induced thermostabilization followed the same order as pressure stabilization. Previous studies suggested a mechanism whereby the enzyme adopts a more compact and rigid structure and volume fluctuations away from the native state are diminished under pressure. The present results on the three GDHs allowed us to further confirm and refine the proposed mechanism for pressure‐induced thermostabilization. In particular, we propose that pressure stabilizes against thermoinactivation by shifting the equilibrium between conformational substates of the GDH hexamer, thus inhibiting irreversible aggregation.
Establishing the Need for Trauma Center Care: Anatomic Injury or Resource Use?

Objective. It remains unclear whether the “need” for care at a trauma center should be based on anatomic injury (the current standard) or specialized resource use. We investigated whether anatomic injury severity scores adequately explain hospital resource use. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study including children andadults meeting statewide trauma criteria andtransported to 48 hospitals from 1998 to 2003. The injury severity score (ISS) was considered as both continuous (range 0–75) andcategorical (0–8, 9–15, and≥ 16) terms. Specialized resource use was defined as: major surgery (with andwithout orthopedic intervention), mechanical ventilation > 96 hours, blood transfusion, intensive care unit (ICU) stay ≥ 2 days, or in-hospital mortality. Resource use was assessed as both a binary variable anda continuous term. Descriptive statistics andsimple andmultivariable linear regressions were used to compare ISS andresource use. Results. 33,699 injured persons were included in the analysis. Within mild, moderate, andserious anatomic injury categories, 8%, 26%, and69%, respectively, had specialized resource use. When the resource use definition included orthopedic surgery, 12%, 49%, and76%, respectively, had specialized resource use. Whereas there was fair correlation between ISS andadditive resource use (rho = 0.61), ISS explained only 37% of the variability in resource use (adjusted R-squared = 0.37). Resource use within anatomic injury categories differed by age group. Conclusions. The standard anatomic injury criterion for trauma center “need” (i.e., ISS ≥ 16) misclassifies a substantial number of injured persons requiring critical trauma resources. Out-of-hospital trauma triage guidelines based on anatomic injury may need revision to account for patients with resource need.
Bioreactor cultivation enhances the efficiency of human embryoid body (hEB) formation and differentiation

The promise of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) to provide an unlimited supply of cells for cell therapy and tissue engineering depends on the availability of a controllable bioprocess for their expansion and differentiation. We describe for the first time the formation of differentiating human embryoid bodies (hEBs) in rotating bioreactors to try and control their agglomeration. The efficacy of the dynamic process compared to static cultivation in Petri dishes was analyzed with respect to the yield of hEB formation and differentiation. Quantitative analyses of hEBs, DNA and protein contents, and viable cell concentration, as measures for culture cellularity and scale‐up, revealed 3‐fold enhancement in generation of hEBs compared to the static culture. Other metabolic indices such as glucose consumption, lactic acid production, and pH pointed to efficient cell expansion and differentiation in the dynamic cultures. The type of rotating vessel had a significant impact on the process of hEB formation and agglomeration. In the slow turning lateral vessel (STLV), hEBs were smaller in size and no large necrotic centers were seen, even after 1‐month cultivation. In the high aspect rotating vessel (HARV), hEB agglomeration was massive. The appearance of representative tissues derived from the three germ layers as well as primitive neuronal tube organization, blood vessel formation, and specific‐endocrine secretion indicated that the initial developmental events are not altered in the dynamically formed hEBs. Collectively, our study defines the culture conditions in which control over the aggregation of differentiating hESCs is obtained, thus enabling scaleable cell production for clinical and industrial applications. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Children's coping in self- and other-relevant contexts.

The purpose of this study was to examine children's coping strategies in situations in which negative events befall the children themselves and contexts in which children observe others in negative situations. Kindergarten and second-grade children and their mothers were interviewed about the children's coping strategies in distressing self- or other-relevant contexts (e.g., when the children themselves were socially rejected or when they observed a peer being rejected). According to both child and maternal reports, children were particularly likely to use instrumental coping strategies when they observed another child's distress; they appeared to prefer distracting and avoidant actions, crying, or support from others when they themselves experienced distress. With age, there also was evidence of a decrease in the use of support-related strategies, and increases in cognitive restructuring, cognitive avoidance, and direct problem-solving. Several sex differences consistent with gender stereotypes also were noted.
Cortico‐motoneurone excitability in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea

A disordered neuromotor control of pharynx muscles may play a role in the genesis of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). This raises the possibility of a dysfunction of projections descending from the cortex to segmental nuclei. With single pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) we studied the physiology of the corticospinal projection to hand muscles in seven OSAS patients. At first, we compared them with nine age‐ and sex‐matched normal controls in the wake state. The only abnormality was a lengthening of the central silent period (P < 0.001). This supports a steady imbalance of motor cortical interneurone activities towards a state of enhanced inhibition. Then we looked at changes of the motor‐evoked potential (MEP) size and latency, according to whether patients were awake, or in a non‐rapid eye movement (REM) 2 sleep stage, or during a typical apnoea. During non‐REM 2 sleep, the average MEP amplitude was significantly (P < 0.05) smaller than in the awake state. The MEP latency was, in turn, significantly longer (P < 0.05). During apnoeas, the MEP size decreased, and the latency increased further (P < 0.05), indicating an extra depression of the cortico‐motoneuronal activity. All TMS changes were detected outside the pharyngeal district, suggesting a widespread dysfunction of the cortico‐motoneuronal system in the OSAS, which is more evident during apnoeas.
Type‐1 insulin‐like growth factor receptor overexpression produces dual effects on myoblast proliferation and differentiation

Using a retroviral vector, we developed a line of C2 mouse skeletal myoblasts, C2‐LISN, which expressed high levels of the human type‐1 insulin‐like growth factor (IGF) receptor. When switched to low serum medium, C2‐LISN myoblasts underwent terminal differentiation extremely rapidly compared to control C2 myoblasts. In high serum conditions which were not permissive for differentiation, C2‐LISN myoblasts expressed ten‐fold higher levels of the myogenic transcription factor myogenin than did control C2 myoblasts. When cultured in low serum medium with both transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) and high concentrations of IGF‐I, C2‐LISN myoblasts failed to differentiate and grew to very high saturation densities, forming multilayers. Upon removal of TGF‐β, multilayered C2‐LISN myoblasts differentiated within 2 days. These results demonstrate that overexpression of the type‐1 IGF receptor can amplify signals which stimulate myogenic differentiation. Overexpressed type‐1 IGF receptors can also mediate strong mitogenic signals if differentiation is inhibited by TGF‐β. The C2‐LISN myoblast cell line may be a useful model to investigate the intracellular pathways which stimulate myogenic differentiation. Additionally, overexpression of the type‐1 IGF receptor could provide a strategy to expand populations of differentiation‐competent myoblasts for experimental or clinical applications. © 1994 wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Surface Modification and Damage of MeV-Energy Heavy Ion Irradiation on Gold Nanowires

Gold nanowires with diameters ranging from 20 to 90 nm were fabricated by the electrochemical deposition technique in etched ion track polycarbonate templates and were then irradiated by Xe and Kr ions with the energy in MeV range. The surface modification of nanowires was studied by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterizations. Different craters with and without protrusion on the gold nanowires were analyzed, and the two corresponding formation mechanisms, i.e., plastic flow and micro-explosion, were investigated. In addition, the sputtered gold nanoparticles caused by ion irradiation were studied and it was confirmed that the surface damage produced in gold nanowires was increased as the diameter of the nanowires decreased. It was also found that heavy ion irradiation can also create stacking fault tetrahedrons (SFTs) in gold nanowires and three different SFTs were confirmed in irradiated nanowires. A statistical analysis of the size distribution of SFTs in gold nanowires proved that the average size distribution of SFT was positively related to the nuclear stopping power of incident ions, i.e., the higher nuclear stopping power of incident ions could generate SFT with a larger average size in gold nanowires.
Minimum-Deviation Digital Controller IC for DC–DC Switch-Mode Power Supplies

This paper introduces a hardware-efficient digital controller integrated circuit (IC) for single- and two-phase dc-dc converters that recovers from load transients with virtually minimum possible output voltage deviation. In steady state, the IC behaves as a conventional voltage-mode pulsewidth modulation controller. During load changes, it enters transient suppression mode that utilizes a simple algorithm, requiring no knowledge of the converter parameters and virtually no processing power, to seamlessly recover back to the steady state without exposing components to a high-current stress. To further minimize the area and power consumption of the IC, an asynchronous track-and-hold analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is developed. The ADC utilizes only one preamplifier and four comparators having approximately ten times smaller silicon area and power consumption than a comparable windowed flash ADC. To compensate effects of converter losses and system delays on the controller operation, the IC also incorporates duty ratio correction logic and dual-extreme point-based detection. The entire IC is implemented in a CMOS 0.18-μm process on a 0.26-mm2 silicon area, which is comparable to the state-of-the-art analog solutions. The functionality of the controller is tested with both single- and two-phase commercial 12-1.8 V, 500-kHz 60/120-W buck converter power stages. The results demonstrate seamless transition to the steady state with virtually minimum output voltage deviation. For the experimental system, this deviation is about four times smaller than that of a fast PID compensator having a one-tenth of the switching frequency bandwidth.
Alcohol, psoriasis, liver disease, and anti‐psoriasis drugs

Over the last years, data have been accumulating regarding a possible association between alcohol and psoriasis. While it is still unclear whether alcohol misuse represents a true risk factor or merely an epiphenomenon of the cutaneous disease, a number of studies support the role of ethanol and its metabolites as triggering factors of psoriasis. A drinking habit also appears to exacerbate a preexisting psoriasis, and the magnitude of alcohol consumption may be related to both a higher incidence and severity of psoriasis. Evidence also shows that deaths from alcohol‐related causes are significantly more frequent in patients with psoriasis than in normal controls. Alcohol consumption may adversely affect psoriasis through multiple mechanisms, such as increased susceptibility to infections, stimulation of lymphocyte and keratinocyte proliferation, and production of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, alcohol misuse can predispose to a greater risk of liver disease and potential drug interactions. Alcoholic and non‐alcoholic liver diseases have both been found to be common in psoriatic patients. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐alpha, a key cytokine in psoriasis pathogenesis, has been found to have a crucial role in alcoholic hepatitis, and small preliminary studies have evaluated the effect of anti‐TNF therapy in this condition. However, the use of anti‐TNF‐α drugs in alcoholic hepatitis is still controversial and needs to be further investigated. In this review, the relationship between alcohol and psoriasis will be reviewed and discussed, taking also into account recent findings related to liver disease and therapeutic implications.
Chimpanzee and felid diet composition is influenced by prey brain size

Prey use a wide variety of anti-predator defence strategies, including morphological and chemical defences as well as behavioural traits (risk-modulated habitat use, changes in activity patterns, foraging decisions and group living). The critical test of how effective anti-predator strategies are is to relate them to relative indices of mortality across predators. Here, we compare biases in predator diet composition with prey characteristics and show that chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and felid show the strongest and the most consistent predator bias towards small-brained prey. We propose that large-brained prey are likely to be more effective at evading predators because they can effectively alter their behavioural responses to specific predator encounters. Thus, we provide evidence for the hypothesis that brain size evolution is potentially driven by selection for more sophisticated and behaviourally flexible anti-predator strategies.
Global liquidity and cross-border bank flows

Summary The literature traditionally uses US monetary and financial factors as indicators of global financial conditions. This paper explores whether similar European factors also need to be considered when studying the behaviour of cross-border bank flows. Using a longer time series and broader country sample than previous studies, we confirm that flows vary with uncertainty (VIX), US monetary policy (real interest rate and term spread), and US exchange rate. In contrast to the existing literature, we find that US bank conditions are insignificant in explaining flows outside the global financial crisis. European bank conditions (euro-area and UK large bank leverage, or TED spread, the three-month interbank rate minus three-month government bond yield) are, however, important throughout the 2000s, even outside the crisis and when controlling for commonality in global conditions. Taken together, our results suggest that global financial conditions are best captured by US monetary conditions and exchange rate dynamics and European bank conditions. This finding is consistent with the important role of European banks in intermediating cross-border credit, including dollar-denominated credit.
The Central Bank as Shaper and Observer of Events: The Case of the Yield Spread

The yield spread has commonly been employed as a successful predictor of economic growth and recessions, although its marginal predictive power has decreased since the 1990s. Notably, the yield spread's declining power to predict US economic activity coincided with its growing power to predict US interest rate changes. In my view, these phenomena are inevitably linked and share one cause. The central bank intended to enhance both its transparency and credibility through greater information disclosure; this disclosure improved interest rate predictability but might also have crowded out useful private information formerly in the yield spread that helped predict economic activity.