Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Local intracortical connections in the cat's visual cortex: postnatal development and plasticity.

1. We have studied the nature, development, and plasticity of local intracortical interactions by examining the visual responses from pairs of cells in the visual cortex of anesthetized and paralyzed adult cats and kittens at postnatal age 4 wk. Simultaneous discharge from nearby cells was analyzed by the cross-correlation method to infer three types of neuronal interactions: monosynaptic excitation, monosynaptic inhibition, and polysynaptic excitation. 2. Among cell pairs that exhibit correlated discharge, the nature of these interactions is similar in kittens and adults. For example, the mean monosynaptic delay is the same for cell pairs in the adult cat and the kitten: 0.8 ms. The primary difference in the distribution of neural interactions is the increased prevalence of inhibitory interactions among adult cat cell pairs compared with kitten cell pairs. However, in both age groups and in nearly all laminae, polysynaptic interactions are the most commonly observed type of interaction. 3. Neural interactions revealed by cross-correlation analysis also were studied with respect to the receptive field properties of the cells. The hierarchical theory proposed by Hubel and Wiesel suggests that monosynaptic excitation should be seen from simple to complex cells. It further suggests that complex cells do not provide monosynaptic excitation either to simple or to other complex cells. However, we find no cases of monosynaptic excitation from simple to complex cells in the adult cat. Moreover, we find explicitly antihierarchical connections, i.e., excitatory connections from complex to simple cells, in both kittens and adults. The excitatory influence of complex cells on simple cell receptive field properties is not incorporated into current models of receptive field structure formation. Our results suggest that complex cells might have an important modulatory role in simple cell discharge. 4. Plasticity of intracortical synaptic connections was studied by examining the dynamics of monosynaptic peaks with cross-correlograms. We examined Hebb's seminal hypothesis regarding synaptic plasticity that the excitatory connections between two neurons should strengthen with simultaneous activity. To test directly whether Hebbian plasticity can be rapidly induced by stimulus-evoked activity, the strength of monosynaptic excitation between pairs of neurons was monitored during periods of visual stimulation lasting < or = 2 h. Synaptic strength was computed by summing the cross-correlogram bins containing the monosynaptic peak. Transient increases in monosynaptic peak area are found among cell pairs linked by monosynaptic excitation after 8-15 min of visual stimulation. The duration and amplitude of these changes are similar in adult cats and kittens. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Rat hippocampal neurons in culture: potassium conductances.

Two-electrode voltage-clamp methodology was used to analyze voltage-dependent ionic conductances in 81 rat hippocampal neurons grown in culture for 4-6 wk. Pyramidal and multipolar cells with 15- to 20-micron-diameter cell bodies were impaled with two independent KCl electrodes. The cells had resting potentials of -30 to -60 mV and an average input resistance of about 30 M omega. A depolarizing command applied to a cell maintained in normal medium invariably evoked a fast (2-10 ms) inward current that saturated the current-passing capacity of the system. This was blocked in a reversible manner by application of tetrodotoxin (TTX) (0.1-1.0 microM) near the recorded cell. In the presence of TTX, a depolarizing command evoked a rapidly rising (3-5 ms), rapidly decaying (25 ms) transient outward current reminiscent of "IA" reported in molluscan neurons. This was followed by a more slowly activating (approximately 100 ms) outward current response of greater amplitude that decayed with a time constant of about 2-3 s. These properties resemble those associated with the K+ conductance, IK, underlying delayed rectification described in many excitable membranes. IK was blocked by extracellular application of tetraethylammonium (TEA) but was insensitive to 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) at concentrations that effectively eliminated IA. IA, in turn, was only marginally depressed by TEA. Unlike IK, IA was completely inactivated when the membrane was held at potentials positive to -50 mV. Inactivation was completely removed by conditioning hyperpolarization at -90 mV. A brief hyperpolarizing pulse (10 ms) was sufficient to remove 95% of the inactivation. IA activated on commands to potentials more positive than -50 mV. The inversion potential of the ionic conductance underlying IA and IK was in the range of the K+ equilibrium potential, EK, as measured by the inversion of tail currents; and this potential was shifted in a depolarizing direction by elevated [K+]0. Thus, both current species reflect activation of membrane conductance to K+ ions. Hyperpolarizing commands from resting potentials revealed a time- and voltage-dependent slowly developing inward current in the majority of cells studied. This membrane current was observed in cells exhibiting "anomalous rectification" and was therefore labeled IAR. It was activated at potentials negative to -70 mV with a time constant of 100-200 ms and was not inactivated. A return to resting potential revealed a tail current that disappeared at about EK. IAR was blocked by extracellular CS+ and was enhanced by elevating [K+]0. It thus appears to be carried by inward movement of K+ ions. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Classification of Gases/Odors Using Dynamic Responses of Thick Film Gas Sensor Array

This paper proposes a new method for classification of gases/odors called average slope multiplication (ASM) using dynamic characteristics of thick film gas sensor array. The instantaneous values of the extracted dynamic response/recovery plots for various test gases viz., LPG, CCl4, CO, and C3H7OH were correlated to its neighboring response plots by the use of proposed ASM technique. It has been demonstrated that the proposed method offers excellent results for classification of gases/odors using the dynamic responses of thick film gas sensor array. Principal component analysis (PCA) has been further used for data preprocessing and dimensionality reduction. The extracted raw data, the ASM transformed data, and PCA preprocessed ASM data were trained and tested using the back-propagation neural network (BPNN). The results thus obtained have been studied and presented here. Cross validation scheme was adopted for all analysis. The BPNN trained and tested with raw data showed 86% classification accuracy, whereas the raw data after PCA preprocessing showed 90% classification. The ASM data showed 97% classification accuracy while ASM data with PCA preprocessing showed the best results giving 100% classification accuracy with duly trained BPNN. We therefore report that superior identification of gases/odors can be obtained using the dynamic response of gas sensor array with the proposed ASM method.
Determination of hematology and plasma chemistry reference intervals for 3 populations of captive Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus).

BACKGROUND The imperiled status of Atlantic sturgeon (Acipenser oxyrinchus oxyrinchus), a large, long-lived, anadromous fish found along the Atlantic coast of North America, has prompted efforts at captive propagation for research and stock enhancement. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to establish hematology and plasma chemistry reference intervals of captive Atlantic sturgeon maintained under different culture conditions. METHODS Blood specimens were collected from a total of 119 fish at 3 hatcheries: Lamar, PA (n = 36, ages 10-14 years); Chalk Point, MD (n = 40, siblings of Lamar); and Horn Point, Cambridge, MD (n = 43, mixed population from Chesapeake Bay). Reference intervals (using robust techniques), median, mean, and standard deviations were determined for WBC, RBC, thrombocytes, PCV, HGB, MCV, MCH, MCHC, and absolute counts for lymphocytes (L), neutrophils (N), monocytes, and eosinophils. Chemistry analytes included concentrations of total proteins, albumin, glucose, urea, calcium, phosphate, sodium, potassium, chloride, and globulins, AST, CK, and LDH activities, and osmolality. RESULTS Mean concentrations of total proteins, albumin, and glucose were at or below the analytic range. Statistical comparisons showed significant differences among hatcheries for each remaining plasma chemistry analyte and for PCV, RBC, MCHC, MCH, eosinophil and monocyte counts, and N:L ratio throughout all 3 groups. Therefore, reference intervals were calculated separately for each population. CONCLUSIONS Reference intervals for fish maintained under differing conditions should be established per population.
The effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on conscious perception of sensory inputs from hand palm and dorsum

Conscious perception of sensory signals depends in part on stimulus salience, relevance and topography. Letting aside differences at skin receptor level and afferent fibres, it is the CNS that makes a contextual selection of relevant sensory inputs. We hypothesized that subjective awareness (AW) of the time at which a sensory stimulus is perceived, a cortical function, may be differently modified by cortical stimulation, according to site and type of the stimulus. In 24 healthy volunteers, we examined the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on the assessment of AW to heat pain or weak electrical stimuli applied to either the hand palm or dorsum. We also recorded the vertex‐evoked potentials to the same stimuli. The assessment was done before, during and after cathodal or anodal tDCS over the parietal cortex contralateral to the hand receiving the stimuli. At baseline, AW to thermal stimuli was significantly longer for palm than for dorsum (P < 0.01), while no differences between stimulation sites were observed for the electrical stimuli. Both cathodal and anodal tDCS caused a significant shortening of AW to thermal stimuli in the palm but not in the dorsum, and no effects on AW to electrical stimuli. Longer AW in the palm than in the dorsum may be attributable to differences in skin thickness. However, the selectivity of the effects of tDCS on AW to thermal stimulation of the glabrous skin reflects the specificity of CNS processing for site and type of sensory inputs.
Pouch ileitis--recurrence of the inflammatory bowel disease in the ileal reservoir.

"Pouchitis" is an inflammation of the ileal pouch that has been described as occurring after Kock's procedure--the continent ileal pouch. The case presented herein demonstrates clinical and histological features that resemble ulcerative colitis, implying that this disorder may be a recurrence of the patient's original inflammatory bowel disease and not merely a local and nonspecific process as previously suggested.
Effects of Agronomic Treatments on Structure and Function of Ammonia-Oxidizing Communities

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the effects of different agricultural treatments and plant communities on the diversity of ammonia oxidizer populations in soil. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE), coupled with specific oligonucleotide probing, was used to analyze 16S rRNA genes of ammonia oxidizers belonging to the β subgroup of the division Proteobacteria by use of DNA extracted from cultivated, successional, and native deciduous forest soils. Community profiles of the different soil types were compared with nitrification rates and most-probable-number (MPN) counts. Despite significant variation in measured nitrification rates among communities, there were no differences in the DGGE banding profiles of DNAs extracted from these soils. DGGE profiles of DNA extracted from samples of MPN incubations, cultivated at a range of ammonia concentrations, showed the presence of bands not amplified from directly extracted DNA. Nitrosomonas-like bands were seen in the MPN DNA but were not detected in the DNA extracted directly from soils. These bands were detected in some samples taken from MPN incubations carried out with medium containing 1,000 μg of NH4+-N ml−1, to the exclusion of bands detected in the native DNA. Cell concentrations of ammonia oxidizers determined by MPN counts were between 10- and 100-fold lower than those determined by competitive PCR (cPCR). Although no differences were seen in ammonia oxidizer MPN counts from the different soil treatments, cPCR revealed higher numbers in fertilized soils. The use of a combination of traditional and molecular methods to investigate the activities and compositions of ammonia oxidizers in soil demonstrates differences in fine-scale compositions among treatments that may be associated with changes in population size and function.
An Investigation into the Level of Financial Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa

Abstract Financial inclusion is crucial for redistribution of economic resources between the deficit and surplus units in an economy. Despite the importance of financial inclusion, especially for economic growth of developing regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, the prevailing level financial inclusion remain an open question. Against this background, this study investigates the level of financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa between 2005 and 2015. This study employs secondary data obtained from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The data obtained was subjected to Principal Component Analysis to determine the level of financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa. The findings show that Sub-Saharan Africa has a medium level of financial inclusion during the observed period with Index of Financial Inclusion (IFI) value of 0.095023. The study concludes that Sub-Saharan Africa has high propensity to achieve a high level of financial inclusion in the region if more outlets of financial institutions are established.
Changes in Bacterial Communities of the Marine Sponge Mycale laxissima on Transfer into Aquaculture

ABSTRACT The changes in bacterial communities associated with the marine sponge Mycale laxissima on transfer to aquaculture were studied using culture-based and molecular techniques. M. laxissima was maintained alive in flowthrough and closed recirculating aquaculture systems for 2 years and 1 year, respectively. The bacterial communities associated with wild and aquacultured sponges, as well as the surrounding water, were assessed using 16S rRNA gene clone library analysis and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Bacterial richness and diversity were measured using DOTUR computer software, and clone libraries were compared using S-LIBSHUFF. DGGE analysis revealed that the diversity of the bacterial community of M. laxissima increased when sponges were maintained in aquaculture and that bacterial communities associated with wild and aquacultured M. laxissima were markedly different than those of the corresponding surrounding water. Clone libraries of bacterial 16S rRNA from sponges confirmed that the bacterial communities changed during aquaculture. These communities were significantly different than those of seawater and aquarium water. The diversity of bacterial communities associated with M. laxissima increased significantly in aquaculture. Our work shows that it is important to monitor changes in bacterial communities when examining the feasibility of growing sponges in aquaculture systems because these communities may change. This could have implications for the health of sponges or for the production of bioactive compounds by sponges in cases where these compounds are produced by symbiotic bacteria rather than by the sponges themselves.
Multinucleated Giant Cells in Periretinal Silicone Granulomas are Associated with Progressive Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy

Purpose To determine the histologic features of granulomatous reactions in persilicone periretinal proliferation. Patients and Methods This retrospective study included 12 patients with recurrent retinal detachment and persilicone granulomatous proliferation after vitrectomy for proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). All patients underwent reoperation for membrane surgery. Immunohistochemical study of the excised periretinal membranes was performed with cytokeratins, GFAP, vimentin, CD68, CD45, and lysozyme antibodies. Results The cellular characteristics of periretinal granulomas allow differentiation of two types of tissue. Spongy tissue (nine cases) showed an accumulation of mature vacuolated macrophages that contained silicone without multinucleated giant cells (MGC). The second type (three cases) consisted of an accumulation of sparsely vacuolated macrophages, epithelioid cells, and MGC. The MGC corresponded to transition forms of foreign body giant cells (FBGC). Spongy tissue was associated with anatomic success (58.3% of cases) and with stabilized PVR (66.7% of cases) at the time of the membrane surgery. MGC were associated with prolonged silicone oil tamponade, recurrent retinal detachment, and progressive PVR. Conclusions Intraocular silicone oil can lead to periretinal foreign body granulomas. FBGC are occasionally observed and were associated with progressive PVR.
Respiratory infections in infants: interaction of parental allergy, child care, and siblings-- The PIAMA study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the association between contacts with other children and the development of respiratory infections in the first year of life in children with or without genetic predisposition for allergy. METHODS Children (n = 4146) who participate in a prospective birth cohort study (Prevention and Incidence of Asthma and Mite Allergy study) were investigated. Questionnaires were used to obtain information on doctor-diagnosed upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) and lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), child care attendance, having siblings, family history of allergic disease, and various potential confounders. RESULTS Child care attendance in the first year of life was associated with doctor-diagnosed URTI (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.1-3.4 for large child care facility vs no child care) and doctor-diagnosed LRTI (AOR: 5.6; 95% CI: 3.9-7.9). Having siblings was associated with doctor-diagnosed LRTI (AOR: 2.6; 95% CI: 2.0-3.4). In addition, children who have allergic parents and attend child care or have older siblings have a higher risk of developing doctor-diagnosed LRTI than do children who have nonallergic parents. CONCLUSIONS Child care attendance or having siblings increases the risk of developing doctor-diagnosed LRTI in the first year of life to a greater extent in allergy-prone children than in children who are not allergy prone.
Elongation and Forces of Ankle Ligaments in a Physiological Range of Motion

The purposes of this study were: (1) to measure the distances between the insertion sites of selected ankle ligament fibers, (2) to measure the force-elongation characteristics of isolated bone-ligament-bone preparations, and (3) to relate the force measurements to angular positions of the ankle. The findings can be used to discuss clinically the correlation between possible ligament injuries and associated foot movement. Three fresh cadaveric ankles were dissected to expose the anterior talofibular ligament, the calcaneofibular ligament, and the superficial deltoid ligament. The ankles were first mounted on a fixture, and insertion to insertion distances of the ligament fibers were measured for selected positions of the ankle/subtalar joint. Bone-ligament-bone preparations were then removed, returned to their anatomical length and uniaxial force-extension testing was performed. The forces in each ligament were recorded for distances corresponding to those measured in situ for various ankle positions. These results allowed: (1) estimation of the forces in these three ligaments in various ankle positions, (2) identification of positions where ligaments were carrying no force, and (3) identification of positions where they carry large forces. The clinical analysis reveals that the anterior talofibular ligament is sensitive to excessive plantarflexion or dorsiflexion, the calcaneofibular ligament is sensitive to excessive inversion or eversion as well as dorsiflexion or plantarflexion, and that the deltoid ligament appears to be sensitive to plantarflexion, external rotation, and eversion. The fact that all three ligaments tested demonstrated different ranges of tension supports the view that there are optimal positions for testing ankle ligament integrity.
Membrane potential‐dependent integration of synaptic inputs in entorhinal stellate neurons

Stellate cells (SCs) of the medial entorhinal cortex exhibit robust spontaneous membrane‐potential oscillations (MPOs) in the theta (4–12 Hz) frequency band as well as theta‐frequency resonance in their membrane impedance spectra. Past experimental and modeling work suggests that these features may contribute to the phase‐locking of SCs to the entorhinal theta rhythm and may be important for forming the hexagonally tiled grid cell place fields exhibited by these neurons in vivo. Among the major biophysical mechanisms contributing to MPOs is a population of persistent (non‐inactivating or slowly inactivating) sodium channels. The resulting persistent sodium conductance (GNaP) gives rise to an apparent increase in input resistance as the cell approaches threshold. In this study, we used dynamic clamp to test the hypothesis that this increased input resistance gives rise to voltage‐dependent, and thus MPO phase‐dependent, changes in the amplitude of excitatory and inhibitory post‐synaptic potential (PSP) amplitudes. We find that PSP amplitude depends on membrane potential, exhibiting a 5–10% increase in amplitude per mV depolarization. The effect is larger than—and sums quasi‐linearly with—the effect of the synaptic driving force, V ‐ Esyn. Given that input‐driven MPOs 10 mV in amplitude are commonly observed in MEC stellate cells in vivo, this voltage‐ and phase‐dependent synaptic gain is large enough to modulate PSP amplitude by over 50% during theta‐frequency MPOs. Phase‐dependent synaptic gain may therefore impact the phase locking and phase precession of grid cells in vivo to ongoing network oscillations. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synergy of photoacoustic and fluorescence flow cytometry of circulating cells with negative and positive contrasts

In vivo photoacoustic (PA) and fluorescence flow cytometry were previously applied separately using pulsed and continuous wave lasers respectively, and positive contrast detection mode only. This paper introduces a real‐time integration of both techniques with positive and negative contrast modes using only pulsed lasers. Various applications of this new tool are summarized, including detection of liposomes loaded with Alexa‐660 dye, red blood cells labeled with Indocyanine Green, B16F10 melanoma cells co‐expressing melanin and green fluorescent protein (GFP), C8161‐GFP melanoma cells targeted by magnetic nanoparticles, MTLn3 adenocarcinoma cells expressing novel near‐infrared iRFP protein, and quantum dot‐carbon nanotube conjugates. Negative contrast flow cytometry provided label‐free detection of low absorbing or weakly fluorescent cells in blood absorption and autofluorescence background, respectively. The use of pulsed laser for time‐resolved discrimination of objects with long fluorescence lifetime (e.g., quantum dots) from shorter autofluorescence background (e.g., blood plasma) is also highlighted in this paper. The supplementary nature of PA and fluorescence detection increased the versatility of the integrated method for simultaneous detection of probes and cells having various absorbing and fluorescent properties, and provided verification of PA data using a more established fluorescence based technique. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)