Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuronal activity related to visually guided saccades in the frontal eye fields of rhesus monkeys: comparison with supplementary eye fields.

1. The purpose of this study was to analyze the response properties of neurons in the frontal eye fields (FEF) of rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) and to compare and contrast the various functional classes with those recorded in the supplementary eye fields (SEF) of the same animals performing the same go/no-go visual tracking task. Three hundred ten cells recorded in FEF provided the data for this investigation. 2. Visual cells in FEF responded to the stimuli that guided the eye movements. The visual cells in FEF responded with a slightly shorter latency and were more consistent and phasic in their activation than their counterparts in SEF. The receptive fields tended to emphasize the contralateral hemifield to the same extent as those observed in SEF visual cells. 3. Preparatory set cells began to discharge after the presentation of the target and ceased firing before the saccade, after the go/no-go cue was given. These neurons comprised a smaller proportion in FEF than in SEF. In contrast to their counterparts in SEF, the preparatory set cells in FEF did not respond preferentially in relation to contralateral movements, even though most responded preferentially for movements in one particular direction. The time course of the discharge of the FEF set cells was similar to that of their SEF counterparts, except that they reached their peak level of activation sooner. The few preparatory set cells in FEF tested with both auditory and visual stimuli tended to respond preferentially to the visual targets, whereas, in contrast, most set cells in SEF were bimodal. 4. Sensory-movement cells represented the largest population of cells recorded in FEF, responding in relation to both the presentation of the targets and the execution of the saccade. Although some of these sensory-movement cells resembled their counterparts in SEF by exhibiting a sustained elevation of activity, most of the FEF sensory-movement cells gave two discrete bursts, one after the presentation of the target and another before and during the saccade. Like their counterparts in SEF, the sensory-movement cells tended to be tuned for saccades into the contralateral hemifield, but this tendency was more pronounced in FEF than in SEF. The FEF sensory-movement cells discharged more briskly, with a shorter latency relative to the presentation of the target, than their counterparts in SEF. In addition, the FEF sensory-movement neurons reached their peak activation sooner than SEF sensory-movement neurons. Most FEF sensory-movement cells exhibited different patterns of activation in response to visual and auditory targets. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Family-based replication study of schizophrenia genes.

To the Editor In response to our family-based replication study of schizophrenia genes, 1 Lazzeroni 2 expressed concerns regarding the interpretation of the replication results and argued that simpler studies may ultimately yield faster progress in psychiatric genetics. We presented 4 arguments that speak to the replication status of our results: (1) the highly significant enrichment of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with small P values in the replication; (2) an 89% to 93% agreement between the direction of effects in our case-control genome-wide association study meta-analysis used to select SNPs and the SNPs that replicated; (3) several findings that replicated across ancestral groups; and (4) replicating SNPs were organized in meaningful biological patterns. Lazzeroni 2 focused mainly on the second argument. Based on a simulation study involving 800 unrelated cases and control individuals, she suggested that odds ratios greater than 1 may be enriched among the top results (even if none of the SNPs have an effect) and that this artifact could potentially have caused the high agreement in our study. On behalf of the Family-Based Replication Consortium, we have 2 responses.
Variations in glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis prevention in a managed care cohort.

OBJECTIVE To characterize glucocorticoid use and patterns of osteoporosis prevention therapies among a large US national cohort. METHODS Health maintenance organization (HMO) members who were receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy (> 90 day supply) within a 3 year observation period were identified along with their prescribing physicians. Receipt of anti-osteoporotic prescription therapies and bone mass measurement was determined. Multivariable analyses were used to define significant predictors of these preventive interventions. RESULTS We identified 2378 HMO members who filled prescriptions for at least a 90 day supply of glucocorticoids, but had not filled a glucocorticoid prescription in the prior 90 days. In women over age 50, use of anti-osteoporotic therapies and bone mass measurement was 41% and 16%, respectively. Glucocorticoid-prescribing physicians were identified for 878 (37%) of these glucocorticoid users, and internal medicine specialists (39%) and rheumatologists (20%) wrote the majority of the prescriptions for glucocorticoids. Women age 50 and over were most likely to receive a prescription anti-osteoporotic preventive therapy (OR 4.0; 95% CI 1.5-10.8). Patients with a rheumatologist prescribing their glucocorticoids were more likely than those of internists to have a bone mass measurement (OR 2.2; 95% CI 1.3-3.6) and receive bisphosphonates (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1-3.1), but were not more likely to receive preventive treatment overall. CONCLUSION Although better than in several prior studies, we identified low levels of selected preventive care measures for chronic glucocorticoid users in a large population based cohort. Significant demographic and practice pattern variation suggests opportunities for targeted preventive interventions.
Antibacterial Activity and Composition of the Essential Oil of Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. bungeana (Juz.) Rech. f. from Iran

Abstract The chemical composition of the essential oil obtained from the aerial flowering parts of Ziziphora clinopodioides subsp. bungeana (Juz.) Rech. f. was analyzed by GC and GCMS. Thirty-two components representing 97.1% of the total oil were identified. Oxygenated monoterpenes (94.3%) were the predominant fraction of the oil with pulegone (65.2%), isomenthone (11.9%), 1,8-cineole (7.8%) and piperitenone (6.5%) as the main constituents. Antibacterial activity of the oil and also its two main components (pulegone and 1,8-cineole) were tested against seven bacteria. It was found that the oil exhibited interesting antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus epidermidis, S. aureus, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis with MIC values of 3.75 mg/ml.
Evaluating the “ prominent deck B phenomenon ” of the Iowa Gambling Task under the two payment procedures of gain and loss in an extended series of 300 trials

Introduction For more than a decade, the Iowa gambling task (IGT) [1, 2] has been utilized to test numerous mental deficits induced by neurological damage or psychiatric disorders[3]. The IGT has recently been standardized for testing 13 different neuropsychological disorders. Moreover, the IGT is now published and sold by the PAR, Inc., as a neuropsychological test (http://www3.parinc.com/products/product.aspx? Productid=IGT). However, this test has many problems that must be resolved. The “prominent deck B phenomenon” may be the most serious problems associated with the IGT [4, 5]. This phenomenon in growing number of IGT studies indicates that normal decision-makers prefer bad deck B. Choice behavior in the IGT can be interpreted by gain-loss frequency rather than inferring future consequences. However, no experiment evidence has demonstrated that the “prominent deck B phenomenon” exists in the clinical version of IGT. Method In total, 72 participants (35 males and 37 females) performed the clinical version of IGT (2006). Each subject performed the computerized clinical-version 3 runs; that is, 300 trails (3 runs x 100 trials) were run to assess the extended preference of subjects in the clinical version of IGT. Results Long-term outcome (decks C and D vs. A and B) (F(1,71)=30.97, P<. 01) and gain-loss frequency (decks B and D vs. A and C) (F(1,71)=31.35, P<. 01) were significant. However, the “prominent deck B phenomenon” was observed during each run of the clinical version. Bad deck B was chosen nearly as frequently as good decks C and D, and significantly more than A, even during the third run [Figure1, 2, 3]. Discussion Using the 300 trials for statistical testing, the effects of long-term outcome and gain-loss frequency were both supported. However, using the stage by stage analysis for each deck, we found that the disadvantageous deck A was chosen less gradually from 1st stage to 3rd stage. The significant difference was observed particularly between 1st stage and 2nd stage. The descending learning-curve of deck B was observed between each two stages. In contrast, the ascending learning-curves of decks C and D were revealed in each two stages. The basic assumption of clinical version IGT proposed that normal controls can hunch the final benefit in the standard administration of IGT (100 trials, within only 1st stage). However, the present result indicated that the most subject is difficult to hunch the final-outcome completely in the 1st stage, even in the 3rd stage of IGT [Figure 4, 5, 6]. Conclusion Experimental results suggest that the “prominent deck B phenomenon” existed in the clinical version of IGT. The existence of the “prominent deck B phenomenon” means that gain-loss frequency was the primary guiding factor for decision-makers, not long-term outcome. Therefore, those using the IGT should be very careful when interpreting patient results during assessment. Examining the validity in the clinical version of Iowa Gambling Task
Depression and Somatic Symptoms: A Cross-Cultural Study

The study was carried out by the same research team in two metropolitan hospitals, one in Greece (N = 60) and one in Australia (N q 56). Subjects comprised patients consecutively admitted with a DSM-III-R diagnosis of depressive disorder, all of whom completed questionnaire measures of depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms. Clinical concepts and practices in the two hospitals were very similar. Overall levels of depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms in the two samples were almost identical, but there were differences in the pattern of somatic complaints: Greeks scored significantly higher on dizziness, paraesthesiae and masticatory spasms, and Australians scored significantly higher on drowsiness, hypersomnia and non-refreshing sleep, with the latter two items being the best discriminators of the two samples using discriminant function analysis. These findings, combined with factor analysis, suggested that symptoms associated with hyperventilation in the Greek sample, and with sleep disturbance in the Australian sample, explained most of the differences between them.
Native renal function after combined liver‐kidney transplant for type 1 hepatorenal syndrome: initial report on the use of postoperative Technetium‐99 m‐mercaptoacetyltriglycine scans

Type 1 hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) is characterized by rapid deterioration of renal function. We sought to assess native kidney function after combined kidney‐liver transplant (CLKTx) performed for type 1 HRS. We performed a retrospective, cross‐sectional, single‐center study. All patients with Type 1 HRS who received a CLKTx at the University of California, San Francisco from 1997 to 2007 were screened for enrollment. Patients with a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥30 ml/min/1.73 m2 were eligible. Twenty‐three patients were identified and consented to receive a Technetium‐99 m‐mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) nuclear scan to measure the native kidney contribution to overall renal function. Only 4 of the 23 subjects (17.4%) demonstrated native renal function that consisted of a contribution ≥50% of total renal function. Several factors and comorbidities such as age, gender, race, duration of HRS, need for and duration of renal replacement therapy, need for pressors, urine sodium, proteinuria, and use of octreotide/midodrine were analyzed and not found to be significant in predicting native renal function. The assessment of post‐transplant native renal function following CLKTx may allow for improved accuracy in identifying the patients in need of CLKTx, and thus allow for greater optimization of dual‐organ allocation strategies in patients with concomitant liver and renal failure.
A glycopeptide in complex with MHC class I uses the GalNAc residue as an anchor

Peptides bind MHC class I molecules by anchoring hydrophobic side chains into pockets in the peptide binding groove. Here, we report an immunogenic (in vitro and in vivo) MUC1 glycopeptide (MUC1–8-5GalNAc) bound to H-2Kb, fully crossreactive with the nonglycosylated variant. Molecular modeling showed that the central P5-Thr-GalNAc residue points into the C pocket and forms van der Waals and hydrogen bond interactions with the MHC class I. As predicted, GalNAc, a modified peptide carrying an additional anchor in the central C anchor pocket, increased the affinity by ≈100-fold compared with the native low-affinity peptide (MUC1–8). The findings demonstrate that glycopeptides associated with MHC class I molecules can use GalNAc to anchor the peptide in the groove and enable high-affinity binding.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience Neural correlates of gentle skin stroking in early infancy

Physical expressions of a ﬀ ection play a foundational role in early brain development, but the neural correlates of a ﬀ ective touch processing in infancy remain unclear. We examined brain responses to gentle skin stroking, a type of tactile stimulus associated with a ﬀ ectionate touch, in young infants. Thirteen term-born infants aged 11 – 36 days, recruited through the FinnBrain Birth Cohort Study, were included in the study. Soft brush strokes, which activate brain regions linked to somatosensory as well as socio-a ﬀ ective processing in children and adults, were applied to the skin of the right leg during functional magnetic resonance imaging. We examined infant brain responses in two regions-of-interest (ROIs) known to process gentle skin stroking – the postcentral gyrus and posterior insular cortex – and found signi ﬁ cant responses in both ROIs. These results suggest that the neonate brain is responsive to gentle skin stroking within the ﬁ rst weeks of age, and that regions linked to primary somatosensory as well as socio-a ﬀ ective processing are activated. Our ﬁ ndings support the notion that social touch may play an important role in early life sensory processing. Future research will elucidate the signi ﬁ cance of these ﬁ ndings for human brain development.
Influence of implant collar design on stress and strain distribution in the crestal compact bone: a three-dimensional finite element analysis.

PURPOSE To evaluate the influence of implant collar geometry on the distribution of stress and strain in the crestal compact bone contiguous to an implant collar for four types of bone under axial and oblique loads. MATERIALS AND METHODS Finite element models of threaded implants with three kinds of implant collar designs (divergent, straight, and convergent) with their corresponding suprastructures embedded in the posterior mandible were created with ANSYS software. Eight different test conditions incorporating four types of bone (orthotropic and effectively isotropic in part 1 and high and low densities in part 2) under separate 100-N axial and 35.6-degree oblique forces were created to investigate the stress and strain distributions in the crestal compact bone around the implant collars. RESULTS In all eight conditions, the divergent collar demonstrated the lowest maximum von Mises and principal stresses and strains in the crestal compact bone contiguous to the implant collar, followed by the straight and convergent collars. The oblique load induced higher peak values than the axial load. The orthotropic design amplified and increased the pathologic microstrains and tensile stresses in the crestal compact bone compared to the effectively isotropic design, especially in models with a convergent collar design. In part 2 of the study, the maximum von Mises stresses and strains increased with a decrease in the cancellous bone density. Under oblique loading, the convergent and straight collars showed pathologic microstrain values as well as excessive ultimate tensile stresses in the orthotropic bone model with low-density cancellous bone. CONCLUSIONS Within the limitations, it was concluded that stress and strain distributions in the adjacent compact bone are influenced by the implant collar design. The divergent implant collar design was associated with the lowest stress and strain concentrations in the crestal compact bone.
Effects of Dietary Milk Thistle on Blood Parameters, Liver Pathology, and Hepatobiliary Scintigraphy in White Carneaux Pigeons (Columba livia) Challenged With B1 Aflatoxin

Abstract Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) has been used in humans for the treatment of liver disease because of its antioxidant properties and its ability to stabilize cell membranes and regulate cell permeability. To investigate possible hepatoprotective effects in birds, standardized extracts (80%) of silymarin from milk thistle were tested in white Carneaux pigeons (Columba livia). Pigeons were separated into 3 groups and fed diets formulated to provide milk thistle at a level of 0, 10, or 100 mg/kg body weight per day. After acclimation, the birds were challenged with B1 aflatoxin (3 mg/kg body weight for 2 consecutive days) by oral gavage. Liver function then was assessed by hematologic testing and plasma biochemical analysis, liver histopathology, and hepatobiliary scintigraphy. Results of histopathology and hepatobiliary scintigraphy showed no protective effects from milk-thistle administration. Aflatoxin challenge resulted in hepatic inflammation and necrosis, biliary-duct hyperplasia, and lymphocyte infiltration. All hepatobiliary scintigraphy elements increased significantly after aflatoxin challenge. Bile acid levels and plasma enzyme concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and creatine phosphokinase all increased after aflatoxin exposure and were mostly unchanged with consumption of milk thistle. Only birds fed 10 mg/kg body weight milk thistle showed significant reductions in lactate dehydrogenase, alanine aminotransferase, and creatine phosphokinase concentrations after aflatoxin exposure. Our results show that consumption of milk thistle is not associated with hepatoprotective effects against acute B1 aflatoxin exposure in pigeons.
GAIA risks - a service-based framework to manage project risks

In the last years the software development industry has faced a lot of challenges to create solutions of quality which fit to the market volatility and the constant technology improvements. Thus, the high number of uncertainties leads to high levels of risk, making necessary incorporate, to the software development process, efficient methodologies to manage the risks. In order to make the adoption of these activities simple, this study presents a framework, called GAIA Risks. This framework aims to quantify the risk management within a software development process and, through maturity levels, services and a well-defined deployment process, provide paths for its improvement. To validate the GAIA Risks framework the deployment process was applied into an organization until the risk management activities reach the highest maturity level.
The incidence of neural tube defects in Norway and the Arkhangelskaja Oblast in Russia and the association with maternal age

Objective. To determine the incidence of isolated anencephaly and spina bifida in the Arkhangelskaja Oblast (AO) in Russia and in Norway, and to study the maternal age distribution of these congenital defects. Design. A register‐based incidence study. Setting. Two different populations in Northern Europe. Population. All registered fetuses and newborns with at least 12 weeks’ gestation in the populations of AO (1995–2004) and Norway (1999–2003) were included. A total of 141,159 in AO and 293,708 in Norway. Methods. Data were obtained from the malformation register in AO and the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Main outcome measures. Total and maternal age‐group specific incidence of anencephaly and spina bifida. Results. A total of 298 newborns and abortuses had one of the defects in AO (21.1/10,000 (95% confidence interval:±3.4)) and 317 (10.8/10,000 (±1.2)) in Norway. The incidence of anencephaly was 10.7/10,000 in AO and 5.5 in Norway, and of spina bifida 10.4 and 5.3, respectively. An inverse association between the age of the pregnant women and the incidence of neural tube defects was observed in both populations; for both anencephaly and spina bifida in AO; but only for anencephaly (age < 30 years) in Norway. Conclusions. The incidence of both anencephaly and spina bifida was higher in a northern population of Russia than in Norway. The burden of anencephaly was highest in the youngest maternal age group in both populations. The relatively high incidence of both anencephaly and spina bifida in the Russian population warrants further studies.
Global and regional emissions estimates of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a, CH 3 CHF 2 ) from in situ and air archive observations

Abstract. High frequency, in situ observations from 11 globally distributed sites for the period 1994–2014 and archived air measurements dating from 1978 onward have been used to determine the global growth rate of 1,1-difluoroethane (HFC-152a, CH3CHF2). These observations have been combined with a range of atmospheric transport models to derive global emission estimates in a top-down approach. HFC-152a is a greenhouse gas with a short atmospheric lifetime of about 1.5 years. Since it does not contain chlorine or bromine, HFC-152a makes no direct contribution to the destruction of stratospheric ozone and is therefore used as a substitute for the ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). The concentration of HFC-152a has grown substantially since the first direct measurements in 1994, reaching a maximum annual global growth rate of 0.84 ± 0.05 ppt yr−1 in 2006, implying a substantial increase in emissions up to 2006. However, since 2007, the annual rate of growth has slowed to 0.38 ± 0.04 ppt yr−1 in 2010 with a further decline to an annual average rate of growth in 2013–2014 of −0.06 ± 0.05 ppt yr−1. The annual average Northern Hemisphere (NH) mole fraction in 1994 was 1.2 ppt rising to an annual average mole fraction of 10.1 ppt in 2014. Average annual mole fractions in the Southern Hemisphere (SH) in 1998 and 2014 were 0.84 and 4.5 ppt, respectively. We estimate global emissions of HFC-152a have risen from 7.3 ± 5.6 Gg yr−1 in 1994 to a maximum of 54.4 ± 17.1 Gg yr−1 in 2011, declining to 52.5 ± 20.1 Gg yr−1 in 2014 or 7.2 ± 2.8 Tg-CO2 eq yr−1. Analysis of mole fraction enhancements above regional background atmospheric levels suggests substantial emissions from North America, Asia, and Europe. Global HFC emissions (so called “bottom up” emissions) reported by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are based on cumulative national emission data reported to the UNFCCC, which in turn are based on national consumption data. There appears to be a significant underestimate ( > 20 Gg) of “bottom-up” reported emissions of HFC-152a, possibly arising from largely underestimated USA emissions and undeclared Asian emissions.